Progress on the injury front

There was some positive news on the injury front for the Dallas Stars Friday. Forward Jiri Hudler is off injured reserve and available to play, Johnny Oduya should come off IR and play this weekend, and Patrick Sharp has resumed skating.
The Stars opened a roster spot for Hudler to come off IR by assigning Jason Dickinson to the AHL Friday. That means Hudler will be available to suit up this weekend when the Stars play at Philadelphia Saturday and then again Sunday in Chicago.
"I am feeling way better, way better," Hudler said. "The way I felt the past couple months, I am feeling better the past couple weeks. It wasn't easy, but I hope to get into a game soon."
Hudler has been out with what the Stars say was a virus. Hudler has missed a lot of time, and both he and Stars coach Lindy Ruff said it could take some time for him to get up to speed.
"It takes time to get going," Hudler said. "It's a cliché, but you've got to get into game shape, and the way you get into game shape is playing games. I think I am in pretty good shape cardio-wise and the strength is back, but we'll find out when I get into a game."
"He's missed a lot of time," Ruff said. "I am just going to go one game at a time. We've seen when we've put guys in that have come off the injured list that it has taken them a while."

Hudler skated on a line with Lauri Korpikoski and Cody Eakin during Fridays' practice in Frisco. Whether Hudler will play Saturday in Philadelphia is still up in the air. Ruff said he was still putting together his roster for Saturday's game.
"There's a chance he'll be in," Ruff said. "Haven't made any decisions. With the lineup the way it is and with Dickinson going back [to the AHL], we have to put somebody in. We'll make that decision sometime this afternoon."
Ruff could also be looking to get Eakin back into the lineup as well. Eakin sat out Thursday's 5-2 win over Nashville as a healthy scratch.
Oduya, who is still on injured reserve, has missed the past nine games with a lower-body injury. He went through his second full practice on Friday and Ruff said Oduya should be ready to return this weekend.
"I am pretty sure Johnny will have a crack at playing, but he won't play back-to-back," Ruff said. "But he will play one of those two games."
The Stars opened up a roster spot for Oduya to come off IR when they placed defenseman Julius Honka on injured reserve retroactive to Dec. 6. Honka suffered an upper-body injury in Tuesday's game against Calgary. That means Honka won't be available to return for this weekend's games.
As for Sharp, who has missed the past three games with concussion-like symptoms, there is progress to report.
"He's skating, skated on his own today,' Ruff said. "He is working out, and he is feeling pretty good. He saw another specialist. It's just where the exercise takes him and how he feels, and we'll go from there. But he's working out hard and had a good skate."
Stars practice lineup
Here's how the Stars lined up in Friday's practice. Patrick Eaves (maintenance) did not skate.
Jamie Benn - Tyler Seguin - Jason Spezza
Antoine Roussel - Radek Faksa - Brett Ritchie
Lauri Korpikoski - Cody Eakin - Jiri Hudler
Curtis McKenzie - Devin Shore - Adam Cracknell
Esa Lindell - John Klingberg
Dan Hamhuis - Stephen Johns
Patrik Nemeth - Jamie Oleksiak
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.