For Dallas Stars’ season, perseverance is an honorable trait, but for Patrick Sharp, playing through an injury could have some nasty repercussions.
Well, the trade deadline came and went. The Dallas Stars saw the departure of Lauri Korpikoski, Johnny Oduya, Patrick Eaves and Jordie Benn. Some trades were anticipated, while others were more or less shocking. One of those expected to see was the trade of Patrick Sharp back to Chicago, but instead, fans watched Oduya pack his bags.
We were preparing to say goodbye to Sharp, but Stars general manager Jim Nill shook his head as if to say, “not today”.
Why didn’t Nill trade Sharp?
Sharp missed a good portion of the earlier season due to a concussion-related injury but has not missed a game since December 31. In those recent games, he played through a new injury, one which will require him to have season-ending surgery.
Dallas Stars
Don’t worry, the coaches and medical staff have watched Sharp. He would not be allowed on the ice if his condition continued to worsen. Staff monitor Sharp closely, deciding his game eligibility status day-to-day.
When asked for the specifics of Sharp’s injury, Nill chose not to disclose them at this time. In other words, we will find out when the time is right.
"“[Sharp] will require season-ending surgery here eventually where he’s going to keep playing as long as he can here,” Nill said. “We’re going to keep monitoring it kind of game-by-game, then we’ll make that decision, but he will require season-ending surgery, so that’s the reason he was not traded.”"
The Veteran player has had a very successful career. Sharp has played in 14 NHL seasons and won the Stanley Cup three times.
When teams called to ask a trade with Dallas, Nill said that he was honest with the teams with Sharp’s injury. A team cannot trade an injured player, so we will see No. 10 hit the Dallas ice once again next season.
We’re not exactly mad to see the Sharp stay on the Stars’ roster, but it’s his veteran status that makes his situation a little more debilitating.
Nill on Sharp’s decision to play:
"“He’s an NHL player. He wants to play. He’s a big part of the leadership group on this team. As crazy as it sounds, we’re not out of it yet, and until we’re out of it, these guys are digging in and they should be. They’re professional and their job is to play every night.”"
As happy as we are to see Sharp stay, the fear of watching another injury-ridden season starts to loom. Sharp deserves credit where credit is due, it takes a lot of love for both his team and the sport to continue to play through his condition. Hats off to you, Patrick.
Next: Stars Should Not Consider Eaves in Free Agency
With Sharp’s impending absence, which could come sooner rather than later, the team is once again in the hands of its younger players. The Dallas Stars have needed to adapt to the young mean age of the roster this season, so filling leadership positions should not be a huge deal.
Dallas now sits seven points out of the last playoff spot, so the remaining games are critical in determining their season’s fate. We would have assumed that some perfect storm would condemn Dallas’ chances of sneaking back into the race, but Tuesday’s victory over the Penguins proves that the Stars may have some gas left in the tank.