The Dallas Stars have been without stalwart defenseman Miro Heiskanen for the bulk of March due to an illness later confirmed to be mononucleosis and announced additional bad news Tuesday ahead of the evening's game at the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Per the league's website, Dallas goaltender Anton Khudobin underwent right hip arthroscopy and labral repair on Monday and is expected to be sidelined for six months. That timeline, obviously, means the 35-year-old will miss the remainder of the season.
Khudobin last appeared in an NHL game on Jan. 15 and ends the campaign at 3-4-1 with a 3.63 goals-against average and .879 save percentage posted across nine contests and seven starts. 23-year-old Jake Oettinger is currently handling starting duties with Braden Holtby recovering from a lower-body injury that cost him the past three matchups.
Holtby won't be available Tuesday night. Dallas next plays at the Montreal Canadiens on Thursday.
Rick Bowness said Jake Oettinger is starting vs. the Maple Leafs tonight. Adam Scheel will back up. Braden Holtby (lower-body) was on the ice for morning skate in Toronto, but remains out.
— Matthew DeFranks (@MDeFranks) March 15, 2022
The Stars previously lost veteran Ben Bishop to retirement in December.
Dallas will begin Tuesday's NHL action on 67 points, one point back of the Vegas Golden Knights in the race for the Western Conference's second wild-card berth.
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