When it rains, it pours. The Dallas Stars have recalled defenseman Dillon Heatherington to the NHL, leaving Texas in quite a lurch regarding their veteran defensive skaters. With Reece Scarlett out for the season and Gavin Bayreuther on the shelf temporarily, Heatherington's departure leaves just Joel Hanley as the only Texas defenseman not in his first or second year in the league.
That list of remaining defenseman is Hanley, Shane Hanna, Ben Gleason, Niklas Hansson, John Nyberg and Ondrej Vala.
More information is needed on Connor Carrick's health and the timetable for Stephen Johns's return before anything can be said definitively.