Thomas Harley and Nils Lundkvist found a way to contribute on a night when almost everything around them unraveled. Each defenseman recorded two assists for Dallas in Thursday’s 8-3 loss to Winnipeg, a modest bright spot buried beneath six unanswered Jets goals.
By Friday, the blue-line problem had grown more complicated. Lian Bichsel was classified as week-to-week, with his absence expected to stretch beyond the immediate weekend. Miro Heiskanen was ruled out for Saturday against Buffalo and left as a possibility for Sunday against Florida, without a promise attached.
Coach Glen Gulutzan planned to recall Kyle Burroughs from AHL Texas and reunite him with Trey Taylor, his former AHL partner. That was a plan, not confirmation that the recall or pairing had been completed.
The announcement changes the shape of Dallas’ weekend. The Stars are not simply covering one missed game with one substitute. They are preparing for a stretch in which the defensive group may have to absorb uncertainty while still moving the puck well enough to support the forwards. That second responsibility is where Harley and Lundkvist become especially important.
Thursday provided an awkward demonstration of both sides of the issue. Dallas led 2-0 after the first period, then took a 3-2 lead when David Perron scored in the second. Winnipeg eventually took over and scored the final six goals.
Harley logged 26:27, the heaviest workload among Dallas defensemen, while Lundkvist played 24:19. Their two assists apiece came in a game that Dallas managed to lead twice, even though the finish turned into a rout.
That production should not be inflated into proof that the defense was fine. The Jets scored eight goals, and their response after Dallas’ 3-2 lead deserves credit. Winnipeg had enough attacking quality to turn a competitive game into a one-sided final stretch.
Dallas also finished with 33 shots to the Jets’ 30, so the collapse cannot be reduced to an inability to create chances. The problem was the game’s sharp change after Dallas had held control, not a blank night at the other end.
The workload should make Dallas careful about how it asks for that offense. Harley played more than 26 minutes Thursday; Lundkvist exceeded 24. Those were demanding assignments in a game the Stars let slip away.
Asking them to help the forwards is reasonable. Treating their production as a reason to keep adding responsibilities would be a poor way to manage a group that has just lost another regular.
Heiskanen’s absence is substantial. He had played 15 games, produced 11 points with three goals and eight assists, and averaged 24:53. Replacing that contribution is not a matter of handing one newcomer the same number of minutes and expecting the rest of the structure to remain untouched. The healthier defensemen must divide the assignments, and the answer has to include offense as well as caution.
