NHL Player News

Hakanpaa (lower body) is not expected to play in Friday's Game 5 versus the Oilers, Mike Heika of the Stars' official site reports.

Hakanpaa will miss his 31st straight game, though his absence is a bit more noticeable now with Chris Tanev (lower body) questionable for Game 5. Hakanpaa has been considered day-to-day throughout his absence, though he has not regularly skated during the playoffs.

Harley notched an assist in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the Oilers in Game 4.

The helper snapped a seven-game slump for Harley. The 22-year-old defenseman may be starting to feel the wear and tear of a full-length NHL season and a deep playoff run, as he's struggled to provide a strong two-way game in the playoffs. Harley has three helpers, 44 blocked shots, 27 shots on net, 12 hits and a plus-8 rating over 17 postseason contests. He was dropped to the second pairing Wednesday after spending a majority of the playoffs alongside Miro Heiskanen on the top pairing. There may be more shuffling ahead for the Stars' defense if Chris Tanev (lower body) can't suit up Friday in Game 5.

Heiskanen recorded an assist and went minus-2 in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the Oilers in Game 4.

Heiskanen set up an Esa Lindell tally in the first period. The helper extended Heiskanen's point streak to three games, though he also took a minus rating for the first time since Game 1 of the second round. The Finnish blueliner is up to 16 points, 38 shots on net, 40 blocked shots, 25 hits and an even plus-minus rating over 17 playoff outings in a top-pairing role.

Lindell scored a goal in Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the Oilers in Game 4.

Lindell took a shot that banked in off Darnell Nurse for the Stars' second tally. The 30-year-old Lindell has two goals and a helper over his last three contests. He's played a larger role in the Western Conference Finals and was paired with Miro Heiskanen for Wednesday's game after most often being alongside Chris Tanev earlier in the postseason. Lindell has five points, 22 shots on net, 26 hits, 40 blocked shots and a plus-1 rating through 17 postseason appearances.

Nurse logged an assist, 12 hits and three blocked shots in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Stars in Game 4.

Nurse has been the target of some ire for his poor play in the playoffs, and he got off to an ugly start in this game. He was on the ice for both of the Stars' first-period tallies, including one that banked into the net off his body. Nurse was able to rebound, picking up a helper on a Ryan McLeod goal, and he followed up with a huge physical performance for the rest of the game. Nurse has just three assists with an ugly minus-12 rating through 16 playoff contests, but he's added 35 hits, 37 blocked shots and 31 shots on net while playing in a top-four role. That non-scoring production still gives him a path to relevance in DFS formats.

Ekholm scored an empty-net goal on three shots and went plus-3 in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Stars in Game 4.

Ekholm has had some strong moments in the playoffs, but he entered Wednesday on a six-game point drought. It nearly got to seven contests, but he was able to fire home an empty-netter to seal the Oilers' win, which tied the Western Conference Finals at 2-2. Ekholm is up to four goals, three assists, 28 shots on net, 17 hits, 26 blocked shots and a plus-9 rating through 16 playoff outings as the Oilers' top shutdown defenseman.

Bouchard scored a goal on two shots, added two hits, blocked two shots and went plus-3 in Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Stars in Game 4.

Bouchard put away a rebound of a Connor McDavid shot at 16:17 of the first period, which erased the early 2-0 deficit the Oilers faced. While he doesn't have a multi-point effort in the Western Conference Finals, Bouchard has still managed a goal and two assists over his last four games. The star defenseman is at six tallies, 17 helpers, 51 shots on net, 26 blocks, 15 hits and a plus-15 rating through 16 playoff appearances.

Tanev (lower body) did not return to Wednesday's Game 4 after blocking a shot in the second period.

The Stars initially labeled Tanev as questionable to return, but his inability to get back on the ice in this contest is not a positive sign. The 34-year-old defenseman is a key part of the Stars' defensive structure, so a potential absence for Friday's Game 5 or beyond could spell trouble for the team. If Tanev is unable to play, Nils Lundkvist is the most likely player to draw into the lineup, though he has seen very sheltered minutes when he's played during the postseason.

Hakanpaa (lower body) isn't expected to play in Game 4 against Edmonton on Wednesday, per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.

Hakanpaa hasn't been in the lineup since March 16, and it's unclear when he might be able to return. He had two goals, 12 points, 196 hits and 123 blocks in 64 appearances during the regular season.

Forsling had an even-strength assist in Tuesday's 3-2 overtime win versus the Rangers in Game 4.

Forsling helped out on a Sam Bennett tally in the second period to tie the game at one apiece. Forsling added three shots on goal, four hits and a plus-1 rating in 22:42 of ice time. The 27-year-old has been a consistent source of offense for Florida -- he has points in four of his last five games and he leads the team in points on the backend. Forsling has three goals, seven assists and a plus-10 rating in 15 postseason appearances so far.