Tyler Seguin Suffers ACL Injury, Likely Out for Season as Stars Face Key Roster Decisions
The Dallas Stars’ push for a Stanley Cup just hit a serious snag. Head coach Glen Gulutzan confirmed today that veteran forward Tyler Seguin has suffered an ACL injury and is “probably” done for the rest of the 2025-26 season. It's a crushing blow for both Seguin and a Stars team that’s been rolling through the early part of the year.
The injury occurred during last night’s overtime loss to the New York Rangers, a game that ended with Seguin needing help to get off the ice. And for Seguin, the timing is especially tough.
It comes almost exactly a year after he missed most of the 2024-25 campaign recovering from hip surgery. He did manage to return in time for the regular-season finale and suited up for all 18 of Dallas’ playoff games last spring.
But now, for the second season in a row, he’s staring down a long road back.
Before the injury, Seguin was doing what he’s done throughout his career - contributing steady offense and giving the Stars reliable minutes in the top six. With 17 points in 27 games, he was tracking for a 52-point season - not quite his peak output from the late 2010s, but still good enough to rank fifth among Dallas forwards in scoring. He’d been skating on the second line with Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz, and the chemistry was working.
Now, the Stars are left to adjust - again - without one of their most experienced forwards.
There’s still a bit of uncertainty around the full timeline. According to the latest reporting, the team is waiting on further medical input to determine whether there’s any chance Seguin could return for the playoffs.
But early indications aren’t promising. Internally, there doesn’t seem to be much optimism that he’ll be back this season.
That leaves Dallas with some decisions to make. Veteran Matt Duchene, who’s been out with an injury of his own, is listed as day-to-day and is inching closer to a return. When he’s ready, he’s expected to slide into Seguin’s spot on the second line, likely taking over the right-wing role behind Mikko Rantanen.
The silver lining - if there is one - is that Seguin’s injury opens up significant cap flexibility. If the Stars move him to long-term injured reserve (LTIR), they’ll free up a sizable chunk of his $9.85 million cap hit. That could give GM Jim Nill the room he needs to make a meaningful addition ahead of the trade deadline.
And make no mistake, Dallas is in a position to buy.
With 39 points, they’re the second-best team in the NHL right now - trailing only the Colorado Avalanche, who’ve been nearly unbeatable with just one regulation loss all season. The Stars are built to contend, and even before Seguin went down, there was a good chance they’d be in the market for another scorer. Now, that need becomes even more urgent.
Last season, Nill pulled off major trades for Mikko Rantanen and Mikael Granlund to beef up the offense. While another blockbuster on that level might be tough to replicate, Dallas is expected to be active in the rental market - especially with a roster that looks ready to make a deep run.
Seguin, meanwhile, still has one more year left on his contract after this season. So while this injury won’t derail his future entirely, it likely robs him of another shot at chasing a Stanley Cup this spring. For a player who’s battled through multiple surgeries and setbacks to stay on the ice, it’s a tough break.
But the Stars aren’t folding. They’ve got the depth, they’ve got the experience, and now they’ve got the cap space.
The road to the Cup just got a little steeper, but Dallas isn’t backing down. Expect them to be aggressive - and expect them to stay in the hunt.