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Why the Stars sent forward Roope Hintz to AHL affiliate Texas

EULESS -- One of the Stars' breakout players during training camp is going back to the AHL, as Dallas assigned forward Roope Hintz to AHL affiliate Texas on Saturday morning.

Hintz made the NHL roster out of training camp, but struggled to find his rhythm in the first five games of his career. Hintz, 21, was held pointless on seven shots on goal while playing mostly on the fourth line.

"Get him going," Stars coach Jim Montgomery said. "He needs to play a little more games, get more minutes. He hasn't been possessing the puck very much in our games. He needs to go down, possess pucks, make plays."

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Hintz was a healthy scratch in two games for Dallas, but received a prime opportunity Friday night against Minnesota to showcase his offensive skill. With Alexander Radulov out, Montgomery moved Hintz up to the top line on the right wing next to Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin.

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After the game, Montgomery said Hintz did not pressure pucks enough.

"I just think he wasn't playing with a purpose out there like he was when he made the team," Montgomery said. "That's what he's got to get back to. He's got to get back to being Roope. He's got to play to his strengths. How many times did you see him go wide and get the puck to the net like you saw in the exhibition season, right? Just got to get back.

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"The NHL is a humbling league. We're all humbled today. We were humbled in New Jersey, badly. It's a humbling league, so you got to bring it or else you will get humbled."

Despite being the only waiver-exempt forward battling for a roster spot during the preseason, Hintz made the roster. He beat out Remi Elie for a roster spot (the Stars lost Elie to Buffalo on waivers) and beat out Gemel Smith for playing time on opening night.

Montgomery did not reveal a second potential roster move, but hinted that it could be a recall from Texas. Denis Gurianov and Joel L'Esperance both have four goals in Texas' first six games.

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"I do think we are going to bring somebody up, but I think that remains to be determined," Montgomery said.

Personnel updates: Seven Stars did not practice with the rest of the team on Saturday afternoon. Jamie Benn and Marc Methot took maintenance days. Valeri Nichushkin (lower-body), Alexander Radulov (lower-body), Stephen Johns (post-traumatic headaches) and Martin Hanzal (back) had rehabilitation skates. Anton Khudobin was sick, so the team sent him home.

Montgomery said he expected Radulov "would be a for sure go" for Tuesday night's game against Los Angeles. He said the team was not sure about Nichushkin's availability, but the lower-body injury suffered at Colorado during the preseason may be "something different than we were thinking."

-- With Hintz gone and a roster spot available, Montgomery said activating Johns from injured reserve was not an option to fill it.

-- While Khudobin was out, goaltending coach Jeff Reese took his spot during practice, even wearing Khudobin's pads and mask. Reese, 52, played in 174 NHL games across 11 seasons for five different teams.

"The only thing I could think of was 'Man, he's in much better shape than I am' because he could get through that practice," Montgomery said.

-- The Stars practiced in Euless on Saturday afternoon instead of their headquarters in Frisco.