Stars' Tyler Seguin Activated Off Long-Term IR for NHL Playoffs After Hip Injury Rehab

The Dallas Stars have activated Tyler Seguin from long-term injured reserve ahead of Wednesday's regular season finale against the Nashville Predators, according to Field Level Media (h/t ESPN.)

The news comes after Stars head coach Pete DeBoer said Seguin was "in the mix" to play on Wednesday night, per DallasStars.com's Mike Heika.

Seguin, who last played on Dec. 1, underwent hip surgery on Dec. 5. He started taking contact during practice last week.

The Stars are set to face the Colorado Avalanche in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The postseason begins Saturday, although the series schedule has yet to be finalized.

Lian Bichsel and Alexander Petrovic were also moved from the Stars roster in an apparent cap space-clearing move to play Seguin on Wednesday, per Lia Assimakopoulos of the Dallas Morning News.

Assimakopoulos noted that both Bischel and Petrovic can be called back up when the cap lifts ahead of the playoffs.

The Stars are meanwhile still waiting on the return of star defenseman Miro Heiskanen, who hasn't played since Jan. 28 and underwent surgery on an injured knee Feb. 4.

Stars general manager Jim Nill said on Monday that Heiskanen wouldn't play Game 1 against the Avs, but that the Stars hope he will return at some point during the first round, per DLLS Sports' Sean Shapiro.

Seguin underwent surgery in December to repair a left side femoralacetabular impingement and the hip labrum, according to NHL.com.

Nill described the issue at the time as a "wear and tear injury" that Seguin had been dealing with "for a while."

At the time of his surgery, Seguin ranked third on the Stars with 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in his first 19 games of the season.

Seguin previously underwent hip surgery in November 2020. He played just three games that season after undergoing right hip arthroscopy and labral repair.

He returned in 2021 and went on to post three consecutive 20-goal seasons. The Stars are now hoping the 33-year-old forward can make a similar bounce-back this spring.

The Stars have geared up for the playoffs with the trade deadline additions of star forward Mikko Rantanen and right winger Mikael Granlund, who has taken on Seguin's spot amid his recovery.

Seguin's return could bump Granlund down to Jamie Benn's third line and give Dallas a top six of Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz and Rantanen in front of Mason Marchment, Matt Duchene and Seguin.

The Stars have already clinched home-ice advantage in the series against the Avs. Getting a healthy Seguin and Heiskanen back could further boost the team's odds of making it to the second round this spring.