Stars begin to feel ripples of Nils Lundkvist acquisition

DALLAS -- When the Stars acquired Nils Lundkvist a few days before the start of preseason, it seemed like a good depth move that filled the need for a right-handed defenseman.
But the ripples that come from the trade could shape the blueline for the entire 2022-23 season.

WATCH: [All highlights from Stars vs. Wild]
One, Lundkvist gives Dallas eight defensemen, including two who can go to the AHL without waivers. That means the coaches now have a competition for the final spot on opening night, and that's going to make the entire defense beter.
Two, Lundkvist is one of the two defensemen who can go back and forth without waivers. Thomas Harley is the other. That means Harley now has to raise his game as a 20-year-old if he wants to be in the NHL. His spot seemed secured a few weeks ago.

Three, Lundkvist is a right-hander who might be able to play up and down the lineup. That means the coaching staff can consider moving Miro Heiskanen to his natural left side, which they did on Thursday.
The Stars lost a 5-2 game to the Minnesota Wild at American Airlines Center, but there was much experimentation. Heiskanen and Lundkvist played together on what could be considered the top pairing, with Heiskanen logging 22:34 and Lundkvist 19:37 with more than 13 minutes of that time coming together at even strength.
"I liked Lundkvist's game," DeBoer said. "I thought he was good again for us tonight. Miro and our veteran guys, every night they're getting a little more comfortable. They're working their way into the season."
Heiskanen played the left side a good deal of the game, and that is different than what we have seen in recent years. The lefty has played the right side out of necessity, but the addition of Lundkvist allows Heiskanen to try the left side.

Heiskanen said he enjoyed his first preseason game.
"It's a little different, but it felt all right," he said. "There were some mistakes that we have to clean up, but it felt pretty good for the first game."
He said he likes what Lundkvist offers.
"He's a great skater," Heiskanen said. "He can move the puck well. There's a lot of similarities with me. We both like to play with the puck but still can play good defense. I like to play with him."

Meanwhile, Harley was beside Jani Hakanpää. Harley played 19:52, while Hakanpaa played 21:35. You can imagine Heiskanen playing beside all of the righties, especially Hakanpaa, so there still is a lot to be sorted out. But adding Lundkvist creates myriad options that weren't there before.
It's also great for Lundkvist, who requested a trade from the Rangers because he didn't feel he was fitting in their system.
"It feels like a fresh start," Lundkvist said earlier in camp. "New York is a fantastic organization, but I'm happy to be here. I'm really looking forward to the next couple of weeks and what this year has to bring."
Harley said he too is excited about the challenge. The former first-round pick has had a strange run because of Covid. He should have been forced to spend this time in junior hockey, but his league shut down and that allowed him to play in the AHL (65 games) and NHL (34 games). He said he's ready for any battle that might spring up.

"I love competing," Harley said. "That's what gets me out of bed in the morning is competition. Jim Nill thought it would make our team better, and I agree with him on that. I was always competing for a spot even without Lundkvist here. It was never a sure thing for me. Just one more guy to go against now."
There are others in the mix, including veterans Colin Miller and Joel Hanley, so getting the proper six will be a challenge. But, for one night at least, you could picture a group that had two interesting pairs at the top.

Dellandrea to miss 'a couple of weeks' with broken finger

Ty Dellandrea blocked a shot and broke one of his fingers. He is expected to miss a couple of weeks, coach Pete DeBoer said.
"It's broken like a tip of your finger sort of thing, so nothing serious," DeBoer said. "I'm hopeful a couple of weeks."

DeBoer said the hope is Dellandrea can come back and get back in the groove. He is in the mix to get a spot in the NHL.
"I liked his game tonight, and he has had a good camp," DeBoer said.
Roope Hintz left in the first period after a blindside hit, went through concussion protocol, and returned to play.

Up next: Stars at Blues

Saturday, 7 p.m. CT
Where:Cable Dahmer Arena (Kansas City)
TV/radio: None
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.