As Richards Joins Stars’ Infirmary, Brunnstrom Among Those to Get More Chances to Shine

DALLAS – Center Brad Richards won’t play on Monday night against Los Angeles, finally missing a game after playing with a sore groin for weeks. Wing Steve Ott finally skated with his teammates this morning and might be ready to return Wednesday night when a three-game road trip begins in Anaheim. Center Mike Modano and wing Jere Lehtinen are a ways off and probably won’t make the trip.

Coach Marc Crawford said Richards will also take Tuesday off, go on the trip and be re-evaluated on Wednesday morning in Anaheim. With Richards out, the Stars brought up center Perttu Lindgren. The Loui Eriksson-James Neal line will be centered by Lindgren, Tom Wandell or Toby Petersen.

In citing players who will be looked to in Richards’ absence, Crawford mentioned second-year wing Fabian Brunnstrom. “He hasn’t had a great deal of opportunity to score in the situations where scorers usually score,” Crawford said. “He hasn’t gotten a lot of quality power-play time. He hasn’t gotten to play on a top line this year, and he has the ability to do that. But he’s been real receptive to the work that we’ve needed him to put in.”

Brunnstrom came to Dallas with much fanfare, the Stars signing the young Swede who was considered coveted by Detroit among others. He became the second NHL player to notch a hat trick in his debut, ran hot and cold much of the season, then closed strong with three goals in the final three games to finish with 17 in 55 games. in at least a dozen times in those 55 games, he logged less than 10 minutes of ice time.

Maybe the expectations were too high and the agreement by Dallas not to send him to the minors a necessary evil in order to sign him. But Eriksson and Neal proved to be better scoring threats last season, then 20-year-old Jamie Benn swooped in this fall and landed a spot on the line with Mike Ribeiro and captain Brenden Morrow. Brunnstrom has played mostly with Wandell and Krys Barch and has no goals in the first seven games.

“People who watched him last year … you know that he’s a streaky player,” Crawford said. “He has that ability to come in and fill in and play on a top line, really do a good job. That’s what we’re hoping will happen as he gets a real good opportunity to play here tonight.”

Said Brunnstrom: “Sometimes your game isn’t where you want it to be. I’ve been feeling better and better in every game. As long as we’re winning, I can’t complain.”

Captain Morrow on Brunnstrom: “It’s still such a big adjustment for those guys [Europeans] to come over and play the game on the small ice. He competes hard. If he is strong in the right areas, not turn pucks over at the blue line. He’s strong enough on the puck offensively and creative enough that he can make plays. As long as he’s not making those mistakes in those key areas, he’s going to keep getting better and better.”

Ott has only been skating on his own the last few days after suffering a strained oblique muscle a week ago. The tough part for him now is to push toward returning without overdoing it. “I had one of these five or six years ago,” he said. “It’s an awfully long season. There’s a need to play hurt, but right now I’d be more of a detriment than a player. I want to make sure I’m contributing as much as I usually can.”