Nils Lundkvist has become an unsung hero for the Dallas Stars this year.
But Dallas will need to win without the defenseman to take a 3-2 series lead against the rival Minnesota Wild.
The Stars ruled Lundkvist out for Game 5 on Tuesday night after he took a skate to the face from Wild forward Michael McCarron.
Lundkvist has two points, both assists, in the series while averaging 16:45 time on ice. He has been playing on Dallas’ second pairing with Thomas Harley and has been killing penalties for Dallas too.
Lundkvist did not need to go to the hospital for his facial laceration. But Stars coach Glen Gulutzan confirmed he will not be available for the all-important game at American Airlines Center, though the Stars listed him as day to day.
“You won’t see Nils in the game tomorrow,” Gulutzan told reporters Monday. “We should see him before the series is over.”
Lundkvist, who Dallas acquired from the New York Rangers in September 2022, has been a regular on the Dallas blue line when healthy. He had 11 points this season and has skated in 16 Stanley Cup Playoff games over the past three seasons — he missed the entire postseason last year due to shoulder surgery.
Tyler Myers is expected to take Lundkvist’s spot alongside Harley on the Stars’ second pair. The Houston-born, 6-8 defenseman does not have a point and is minus-3 while averaging 21:04 time on ice through four games.
The Stars would, of course, rather have Lundkvist suit up for Game 5. But with him out, they still have options.
Ilya Lybushkin is the most likely player to draw into the Dallas lineup against Minnesota. Lybushkin played 53 games with the Stars this season and was plus-1, plus he is a veteran of 28 playoff games, including 14 a year ago while filling in for Lundkvist in the playoffs.
But Alex Petrovic also suited up for 54 games and had 10 points for the Stars. Petrovic played 17 postseason games for the Stars in 2025 and contributed a goal and an assist.
Both Lybushkin and Petrovic are right-shooting defensemen, so the decision comes down to whether Gulutzan wants to go with the 6-5 Petrovic or a more shifty but equally heavy Lybushkin.
Whoever he picks, Gulutzan is confident there won’t be much drop off in play.
“They’ve all played well,” Gulutzan said. “That’s the beauty of our lineup, they’ve all played well. It helps when you make your decision.”