Injuries are the worst part of a hockey season. Sometimes injuries happen to the one player a team can't survive without. I've seen teams immediately fold like a Bill's Mafia tailgate table with one injury. The Stars have taken another hit to the blueline as Lian Bichsel will be out for 6-8 weeks with a broken ankle. He will require surgery on it, and fans shouldn't be too worried about his absence from the lineup. Here's why the Stars are going to survive without Bichsel in the lineup.
Lian Bichsel Injury: What happened?
Bichsel was in the last game the Stars played against the Senators as they wrapped up their two-game homestand on Sunday night. When Bichsel went for the puck, he awkwardly went into the boards, and you could see the ankle he had previously had surgery on bend in a way it shouldn't. That's when Stars' fans gasped as he left the ice without putting any pressure on his leg. That's something that signaled that something was really wrong with him.
Lian Bichsel Injury: What does that mean for the Stars?
Well, for starters, Kyle Capobianco and Vladislav Kolyachonok will be remaining with the Stars for the foreseeable future until Thomas Harley and Nils Lundkvist return. Both AHL'ers have done a fantastic job since being called up, with all the injuries on the blue line. If a person who doesn't follow the Stars were to go to a game and give them a passing grade, they would be shocked to find out some of their best players are out with injuries. That's how well the Stars look right now with Capobianco and Kolyachonok in the lineup.
Lian Bichsel Injury: Why fans shouldn't worry
Stars' fans need to pump the brakes on DEFCON 1 with Bichsel out of the lineup. With how Jason Robertson and Wyatt Johnston are playing right now, they are going to mask the defensive deficiencies in the Stars' lineup. The Stars have done a good job of playing their style of hockey with whoever is in the lineup. I'm not too worried about allowing Bichsel time to heal from his broken ankle. The Stars will be fine without the tall hulk in the lineup
Lian Bichsel Injury: Conclusion
I don't think losing Lian Bichsel will be a significant loss for the Stars. The offense is firing on all cylinders on the power play and at even strength. The fact that the Stars will be getting Thomas Harley back in a couple of weeks, hopefully, and how the AHL callups have been doing. The Stars will be fine as they begin their back-to-back on the East Coast tonight, beginning with the New York Rangers. Stay tuned for the pregame article around 4 PM CT.