NHL Injury News: Shesterkin, Bedard, Duchene, Tanev, Gauthier

In today’s NHL injury news rundown, the Dallas Stars are preparing to be without Matt Duchene for three months, the New York Rangers are searching for goaltending help, and the Toronto Maple Leafs have lost Chris Tanev for at least three games. Elsewhere, Chicago’s Connor Bedard appears close to returning, and Cutter Gauthier is back on the ice.

Here is the latest injury report from around the league.

Stars Lose Matt Duchene for Three Months

The Dallas Stars announced that Matt Duchene underwent core muscle surgery and will miss three months. The loss stings for a team that was already thin up front entering the season, and it reinforces how much Dallas will have to lean on strong defense and goaltending to win games.

The Stars could also look outside the organization for scoring help. Patrik Laine and Vladimir Tarasenko are two names to watch, and both would be inexpensive options. With Duchene sidelined until the new year approaches, Dallas will need to find offensive depth quickly to avoid slipping in the standings.

Blackhawks’ Bedard Trending Toward Return

Connor Bedard skated with the Blackhawks again, a strong sign Chicago is preparing him to play Tuesday against Pittsburgh. Head coach Jeff Blashill said Bedard is trending toward being a “coach’s decision.” He then paused, laughed and added, “We’ll see how that goes,” which suggests Bedard is probably in the lineup.

Emily Kaplan writes:

“As long as things stay on track through morning skate, Blackhawks captain Connor Bedard likely to make his season debut tomorrow night against Pittsburgh. He’s been feeling good three months post-shoulder surgery, medical team has been monitoring. Will be huge boost for Chicago.”

Gauthier on the Ice with the Ducks

In Anaheim, Cutter Gauthier returned to the ice in a regular practice jersey after missing the final 50 minutes of Saturday’s game against Calgary. He was not part of the line rushes, so his status for the next game remains unclear.

Rangers Need Goaltending Help, but Not From Hellebuyck

The New York Rangers need help in goal after Igor Shesterkin was ruled out for the season, but Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck doesn’t look like a realistic fix. Elliotte Friedman addressed the speculation on Sportsnet, saying, “Don’t expect it,” and adding that he doesn’t believe the fit works.