DALLAS– Chris Tanev’s status is uncertain for the Dallas Stars when they play the Edmonton Oilers in Game 5 of the Western Conference Final here on Friday (8:30 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN, TVAS).
The defenseman left Game 4 on Wednesday after blocking a shot by Oilers forward Evander Kane with his right foot midway through the second period of Dallas’ 5-2 loss in Edmonton.
“I flew back today, he’ll see the doctor, we’ll take some pictures today and cross some fingers,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said after the team returned to Dallas on Thursday.
The best-of-7 series is tied 2-2.
Tanev has one assist in 17 Stanley Cup playoff games. He also averages 22:33 of ice time, fourth among Stars behind fellow defensemen Miro Heiskanen (28:06), Esa Lindell (24:54) and Thomas Harley (23:58). He entered Thursday leading the Stanley Cup Playoffs with 68 blocked shots.
“Is a great player. I hope he plays,” Harley said Thursday. “If he doesn’t, I guess we’ll solve the problem when the time comes.”
Tanev is a key piece for the Stars, who have depth up front but not as much on defense. Alexander Petrovic has played five games in these playoffs, averaging 13:33 of ice time per game. Nils Lundkvist has played 12 games this postseason but is averaging 4:28 of ice time. Other defensemen currently on the roster are Derrick Pouliot and Lian Bichsel. Pouliot has played in two playoff games, both in 2015-16 with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and Bichsel has yet to play in an NHL game.
DeBoer wasn’t going to get into what-if situations Thursday.
“All those guys are an option. We have to talk about all those guys,” DeBoer said. “You don’t have to make a decision until it’s necessary, and we don’t have all the information yet, so we’re not going to get to that point.”
DeBoer said defenseman Jani Hakanpää, who has been out since March 16 with a lower-body injury, won’t play in Game 5 “but you never know for the rest of the series.”
The Stars acquired Tanev from the Calgary Flames on February 28 in a three-team trade that also involved the New Jersey Devils. He had 14 points (one goal, 13 assists) in 56 games with the Flames this season and five points (one goal, four assists) in 19 games with the Stars after the trade.
Regardless of whether Tanev is in the lineup or not, the Stars feel like they’ll need everyone on board come Friday.
“Even if (Tanev) is in, we (the forwards) have to do our part and help as much as we can,” forward Mason Marchment said. “They have good payers there, so we have to be a five-man unit to shut them down.”
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