Seguin Out, Young Star Center In As Stars Deal With Injury Bug

The Stars announced veteran center Tyler Seguin sufferd a lower-body injury that will keep him on the sidelines on a day-to-day basis. In his place, the Stars have inserted a rookie forward with major expectations.

Dallas Stars coach Peter DeBoer revealed veteran center Tyler Seguin was sidelined by a lower-body injury that will keep him out on a day-to-day basis. In Seguin's place will be rookie pivot Mavrik Bourque, who will be playing in his NHL season debut -- and just the second regular-season NHL game of his fledgling career -- against the San Jose Sharks Tuesday.

The 22-year-old Bourque played one regular-season game and one Stanley Cup playoff game for Dallas last season. He missed the first three games of the Stars' current season with a lower-body injury, but he draws into Tuesday's game against San Jose after the announcement that the 32-year-old Seguin was sidelined by injury. 

Bourque had an excellent season with the American League's Texas Stars last year, posting 27 goals to win the John B. Sollenberger Trophy as the AHL's top scorer. He is in the third year of an entry-level contract that pays him $894,167 annually. 

DeBoer said Tuesday that Seguin “tweaked something, and we are just trying to be smart with it..(he) might play if this was a playoff game”. But the Stars clearly are trying to be proactive in dealing with Seguin's injury and be better safe than sorry with a key piece of their competitive puzzle.

Dallas has the opportunity to go 4-0-0 with a win over the lowly Sharks, and Bourque has an opportunity to make a big splash in his season debut. Bourque has big expectations on him, and as the Stars move on without veteran star Joe Pavelski, Bourque has the chance to step in and start off on a high note.

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