Jason Dickinson expected in the lineup Thursday

When the Dallas Stars were hit hard with injuries at the forward spot earlier this season, Jason Dickinson could have been one of the young players to help fill the void. But there was one problem. He was injured as well, still recovering from offseason hip surgery, and didn't have a shot at the opportunity.
"Of course, it is in the back of your head," Dickinson said. "Honestly, the first thing on my mind was try to get healthy and get my game going again."
And he's done that recently with the Texas Stars, and that's why Dallas recalled him this week when Patrick Sharp went out of the lineup with concussion-like symptoms. Dallas coach Lindy Ruff said the call-up would be based on who was going well in the AHL, and Dickinson has been going well.
"In the last three, four weeks, I think he has found his hands, skated really well. He's a big man that skates well," Ruff said. "I think one thing with some of the players we have out, some of the speed part of our game is missing. He's a guy that I think we can put in and he can add to the speed of our lineup."
The 21-year-old Dickinson, Dallas' first-round pick (29th overall) in the 2013 NHL Draft, is expected to be in the lineup when the Stars take on Nashville Thursday at American Airlines Center. In Wednesday's practice Dickinson skated on the left wing with center Jason Spezza and right wing Lauri Korpikoski.
"It's exciting," Dickinson said. "I am just going to keep trying to do what I am doing, keep it simple, try not to do anything too fancy and just try to do my best up here."

Dickinson has eight points (four goals, four assists) over the past seven games with Texas. He's been playing on both sides of special teams. He's been centering a line with Brandon DeFazio and Dallas prospect Denis Gurianov recently, and that trio has been productive.
"Gurianov has a ton of speed on the wing. It's a very good asset for me as a centerman. I can hit him with the puck in stride, and he can take it wide and make it tough on those defensemen all night," Dickinson said. "[DeFazio] is a smart player and he's been in the league for a while, so he knows where to be and what to do. It's an easy game with them."
Dickinson, who had 53 points (22 goals, 31 assists) in 73 games during his rookie season with Texas in 2015-16, underwent hip surgery in the middle of May. The recovery time, which was expected to be five to six months, kept him out the first eight games of the AHL season. He played his first game Nov. 2, and it took him a couple of weeks to get up to speed.
"It was about the fifth or sixth game where I really started to feel my stride," he said. "That's when I finally got the pace under me and do what I was doing last year. Play my game more instead of try to find it."
And now that he is playing his game, he's found his way back to the NHL for the second time in his career. Dickinson made his NHL debut last season, playing one game and scoring his first NHL goal in a 4-2 win over Colorado on April 7. Getting that first goal takes some of the pressure off Dickinson, but he said there is still a lot of work to do as he gets ready for a second crack at the NHL.
"That's a little bit of a monkey off your back. But it doesn't make it any easier," he said. "I still have to make an impact. I've got to fight for every inch of ice, every minute of ice."
Practice focuses on work
Coach Lindy Ruff ran the Stars through a hard practice Wednesday in Frisco. It started with a hard skate, ended with a hard skate and in between there more skating and battle drills.
"Today was meant to just be a real hard, demanding practice," Ruff said. "You can be frustrated, but don't quit working, and I thought there was times in the game [Tuesday] where we were a little frustrated, and we didn't work. Today was all about working, just keep working. Work when you're tired, don't change. One of the changes that gave them the breakaway, you're tired, but you got to stay out there, stay on the defensive side. If it comes to you, ice the puck. I'll help you out. I'll take a timeout if I have to, but don't quit working."
Ruff said some players may have not liked the practice, but forward Antoine Roussel said he didn't have any problem with it.
"Yeah, it was good," Roussel said. "Sometimes that's what we need."
Injury updates
\Stars defenseman Julius Honka, who left Tuesday's game in the second period with an upper-body injury, did not practice Wednesday. He is out for Thursday. Stars coach Lindy Ruff said it was a short-term injury for Honka, who had his wrist wrapped Wednesday morning.
"It's not serious. I would anticipate a short window for him. I hate putting days on it, but I wouldn't anticipate more than a couple games," Ruff said. "This is the type of thing that he could feel better tomorrow and be ready for the weekend."
\Forward Jiri Hudler (illness) is questionable for Thursday but should be ready to go by the weekend, Ruff said. Hudler has missed the past 18 games.
"That was probably the hardest practice he's gone through," Ruff said. "I think with the number of games we've got and the back-to-back coming up, getting him in the lineup, tomorrow's a possibility but the weekend for sure."
*Defenseman Johnny Oduya (lower body) practiced Wednesday. Oduya, who has missed the past eight games, is getting closer to a return.
"I fully anticipate that he'd be ready by the weekend, but I think tomorrow's a stretch," Ruff said.
Practice Lineup
Here's how the Stars lined up in practice Wednesday.
Antoine Roussel - Tyler Seguin - Patrick Eaves/Jiri Hudler
Jamie Benn - Radek Faksa - Brett Ritchie
Jason Dickinson - Jason Spezza - Lauri Korpikoski
Curtis McKenzie - Cody Eakin - Devin Shore/Adam Cracknell
Esa Lindell - John Klingberg
Jamie Oleksiak - Patrik Nemeth
Dan Hamhuis - Stephen Johns
Johnny Oduya - Jordie Benn
Kari Lehtonen
Antti Niemi
This story was not subject to approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club. Mark Stepneski is an independent writer whose posts on DallasStars.com reflect his own opinions and do not represent official statements from the Dallas Stars. You can follow Mark on Twitter @StarsInsideEdge.