Roope Hintz injury, recovery timeline: Stars center to miss Game 1 of Western Conference Final vs. Oilers

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Dallas Stars center Roope Hintz will miss Game 1 of the Western Conference Final against the Edmonton Oilers due to an upper-body injury. Hintz hasn’t played since Game 4 of the second-round series, but the team is optimistic he will return soon.

During his press conference Thursday, Stars coach Peter DeBoer announced Hintz will be out for Game 1 and is still considered day-to-day. However, Hintz has been making progress, and Game 2 is a possibility for the Stars’ No. 1 center.

“Roope is out tonight, but I would still determine him day-to-day,” DeBoer said. “He’s getting closer. He skated yesterday. He’s skating today. We’re hopeful for Game 2.”

Even without Hintz, the Stars were able to win Game 6 against the Avalanche and advance to the conference finals. Wyatt Johnston slid up to take Hintz’s spot on the top line, and Matt Duchene scored the series-clinching goal in double overtime.

Getting Hintz back at some point in this series would be huge for the Stars because he makes an already deep forward group even stronger. In 11 playoff games this year, Hintz has notched two goals and four assists.

In the regular season, Hintz was one of the Stars most productive players, tallying 30 goals and 35 assists in 80 games.