APMike Ribeiro, who is known on the Dallas Stars for his long shifts, has been itching to get back into the lineup after suffering a severe throat injury Jan. 6 in New York.

  The Ilya Kovalchuk rumors are over as the 26-year-old has been traded to the New Jersey Devils from the Atlanta Thrashers for a first round draft pick in the next NHL Draft, prospect Patrice Cormier, forward Niclas Bergfors, and defensemen Johnny Oduya. The Russian left winger is currently the fifth leading scorer in the NHL adding significant goal-scoring prowess to the Devils’ roster. Currently sitting in second place in the Eastern Conference, the New Jersey Devils were already poised to make a run at Lord Stanley’s Cup in 2010, but a player with the quality of Kovalchuk makes them a real contender

Stars general manager Joe Nieuwendyk has done a lot of work as he prepares for his first NHL trade deadline, but he still might do very little when the time comes, Mike Heika writes.

It seems everyone believes that the Leafs newest goalie, Jean-Sebastien Giguere, is being brought in to help ease Gustavsson’s transition into a starting NHL goalie and act as a veteran mentor and tutor for the remainder of this season and next. But should we really assume that both Giguere and Gustavsson will be Leafs

Adversity has been tough on the Stars this season.

Wednesday night’s Dallas Stars highlights

Dallas Stars wingers Jere Lehtinen, Brenden Morrow expected to return; Ray Sawada sent to AHL

Friday night’s Dallas Stars game highlights

APThe excitement of the Olympics, a budding goaltending controversy and a spirited performance still couldn’t break the Stars’ road woes Thursday night as Dallas lost to the Vancouver Canucks, 4-3.

Stars place right wing Jere Lehtinen (upper body) on injured reserve.