Stars Place Radek Faksa On Injured Reserve

Dallas Stars forward Radek Faksa was placed on injured reserve, as noted by Robert Tiffin of StarsThoughts.com. Representing Team Czechia at the Olympics, Faksa suffered an upper body injury which cut his time short.

The team has annouced the retroactive date as February 17, when the veteran was injured in Milan, meaning he could be activated as soon as Saturday. If such could be the case, he’d only miss one game, tomorrow against Seattle.

The ailment does not appear to be serious, but it’s another tough blow considering that top scorer Mikko Rantanen landed on the shelf from his own injury during the Olympic Games, and top center Roope Hintz is unlikely to play tomorrow as he is ill.

Chosen by the Stars back in 2012, Faksa returned to his long-term organization after a one year stint with St. Louis in 2024-25 to serve as a bottom six center. The 32-year-old has missed just one game, recording 17 points, already surpassing his output in the unusual Blues uniform last year. Faksa’s 43.3% corsi for in at five-on-five is a career worst, however he has started 72% of his shifts in the defensive zone, thanks to his trustworthy 56% face-off win rate. The fifth-ranked Stars hardly need offense from Faksa at this point in his career, as opposed to his usual shutdown play and penalty killing.

Dallas’ forward depth will be tested over the next few days as they return from the Olympic break, but in all likelihood, Faksa will return by next week in time for the team’s two-game Western Canada road trip which starts Monday in Vancouver.