 |
| Derek Roy is still on track to make his Dallas debut by November following offseason shoulder surgery.(Getty Images) |
It was a busy offseason for the Dallas Stars with center Derek Roy being one of their biggest additions after coming over in a trade with the Buffalo Sabres.
Unfortunately for the Stars, not long after he was acquired in exchange for Steve Ott and Adam Party he underwent shoulder surgery in early July. It was a procedure that was expected to keep him out of the lineup for more than a month of the regular season (assuming it starts on time).
He's currently going through his rehab and remains on track to make his Stars debut sometime in November, while he hopes to start skating in September.
“We started right away," Roy told Mark Stepneski of DallasStars.com when discussing his current rehab. "You don’t want to lose the strength and the range of motion, and the atrophy to the muscle. Research shows when you start right away, instead of letting of heal in that area, you get back a lot quicker. The first month is tough, but after you get by that it is easier and you start responding faster and faster. I am just trying to stay ahead of the guidelines and keep working at it.”
The 28-year-old Roy is entering the final year of his contract and is coming off what was by his standards a down year offensively, scoring just 17 goals to go with 27 assists in 80 games for the Sabres.
He will make $4 million against the salary cap this season before being eligible for unrestricted free agency next summer.
Along with Roy the Stars were also active in free agency by signing veteran forwards Ray Whitney (for two years) and Jaromir Jagr (for one year). That new trio will join returning forwards Jamie Benn, Loui Eriksson and Michael Ryder to give the Stars what could be a pretty dynamic top-six.
The Stars finished last season 22nd in the NHL in scoring.
For more hockey news, rumors and analysis, follow @EyeOnHockey and @agretz on Twitter and like us onFacebook
