Defenseman Dan Hamhuis, who signed with the Dallas Stars as an unrestricted free agent July 1, will return to the lineup Tuesday after being a healthy scratch Saturday in a 4-0 loss against the Minnesota Wild when Stephen Johns returned from an injury. "I went and talked to [Hamhuis]," coach Lindy Ruff said Tuesday. "Those aren't easy conversations. Understandably you've got an upset player, but it's a strong message and it's a message that needs to be carried that it's not good enough. To a man he admitted his play wasn't up to where it should be." Hamhuis will replace Patrik Nemeth. "He isn't getting scratched for poor play," Ruff said. "He's getting scratched because we're putting Dan back in. We need Dan to be a big part of where we're going." The Stars have been hit hard by injuries and announced Monday that forward Ales Hemsky will be out 5-6 months after he had hip surgery for an injury sustained playing for Team Czech Republic during the World Cup of Hockey 2016. "He brings a special skill set and speed," forward Patrick Eaves said. "We'll miss him as a person in the locker room and as a player. It [surgery] will give him peace of mind. You could tell he was uncomfortable when he was playing." The Stars continue to be without injured forwards Patrick Sharp and Cody Eakins, but each could return this month. "The mentality now is find a different way because there's been a lot of injuries, been a lot of pieces in and out," Ruff said.
