The Dallas Stars’ lineup is facing one of its toughest challenges yet as injuries continue to pile up — and the latest setback could have a major impact on their season.
Defenseman Lian Bichsel is set to be sidelined for an extended period, with an expected recovery time of 6 to 8 weeks due to a lower-body injury he suffered during Sunday's victory against the Ottawa Senators. This injury will require surgical intervention, confirmed Stars coach Glen Gulutzan on Tuesday.
The injury occurred late in the second period when Bichsel was skating toward the boards near the benches to retrieve the puck. As he was making his move, Ottawa’s Fabian Zetterlund delivered a hit that sent Bichsel awkwardly into the boards, feet first. The defenseman immediately appeared to be in considerable pain, unable to put weight on his left leg as he was assisted off the ice through the tunnel.
Bichsel did not return to play for the remainder of the game. Following the match, the coaching staff was hopeful for good news after Monday's evaluation, but unfortunately, that hope was dashed when results confirmed the severity of the injury.
“This is a huge loss for us,” Gulutzan emphasized. “Lian has been performing exceptionally well this season. He’s a promising young talent with a substantial physical presence on the ice. Losing him for this stretch is definitely a setback.”
The injury affects the same leg Bichsel injured previously when he broke his left ankle in May 2023. Over the summer, he underwent another procedure to remove a surgical plate that had been embedded during his initial recovery.
Currently in his second year with the Stars, Bichsel has stepped up to a bigger role this season. He’s averaging nearly 16 minutes of ice time in 26 games and has contributed offensively with a goal and two assists.
Physically towering at 6 feet 7 inches and hailing from Switzerland, Bichsel is recognized as the most physically imposing player on the Stars’ roster. He leads the team by a wide margin in hits this season, having delivered 85, while no one else exceeds 44. Beyond his physicality, he plays key minutes on the penalty kill and has surprisingly agile puck-handling skills for a player of his size.
Drafted in the first round in 2022, Bichsel made his NHL debut last December. Since then, he’s remained an integral part of the lineup through both the regular season and playoffs.
This injury adds to a troubling trend on the Stars’ defense, which has been heavily impacted by injuries all season. Notably, Bichsel was injured during the same game that saw Ilya Lyubushkin make a return after missing six games with a lower-body injury.
Thomas Harley is also currently sidelined on a week-to-week basis with another lower-body issue and has already been out for more than two weeks. Meanwhile, Nils Lundkvist remains on long-term injured reserve due to a similar injury suffered over a month ago. Though the team indicated Lundkvist would begin skating soon, there is no clear timeline for his full return.
Coach Gulutzan mentioned that both Bichsel and Lundkvist are dealing with nearly identical injuries, which only complicates the comeback plans.
On the offensive side, the Stars are also missing key players. Matt Duchene has been out for six weeks but is nearing a comeback, and Adam Erne remains week-to-week with a lower-body injury.
Due to these absences, the Stars have had to rely on support from their affiliate in Cedar Park. In addition to bringing Alexander Petrovic up at the start of the season, they’ve recently added Kyle Capobianco and Vladislav Kolyachonok to help fill the gaps.
Currently, the Stars are down to just six healthy defensemen and have not called up additional reinforcements for their upcoming road trip east. To cover Bichsel’s spot, Kolyachonok will return to the lineup Tuesday.
With limited options available, the team is counting on Lundkvist and Harley to recover soon. The reality is, the Stars' blue line depth is rapidly thinning, raising an important question: How will this affect their chances down the stretch?
Are these injury woes just unfortunate bad luck, or do they hint at deeper challenges within the team's conditioning and medical management? And how should the Stars strategize their defense with such a depleted roster? These are crucial debates fans and analysts alike might want to weigh in on.
For the latest updates and expert analysis on the Dallas Stars and other sports, follow Lia Assimakopoulos, who covers the team and college sports for The Dallas Morning News. Lia joined the team in mid-2022 after reporting for various prominent outlets, bringing a fresh and insightful perspective to local sports coverage.
What do you think—can the Stars overcome these setbacks and stay competitive, or will these injuries derail their season? Share your thoughts and let’s start the conversation.
