Hanzal will be a healthy scratch for Thursday night's game against the Sharks, Mike Heika of the Stars' official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hanzal, who missed the first 28 games due to a back injury, isn't dealing with any type of setback, but the Stars are playing for the second time in as many days and understandably don't want tax the veteran center. Look for Hanzal to return Saturday for a road clash with the Avalanche.

Hanzal (back) is no longer listed on injured reserve, per the NHL's official media site.

EDGE Analysis

Hanzal will thus make his season debut Friday, skating on the Stars' second line and second power-play unit against the Sharks. The 31-year-old forward only totaled five goals and 10 points in 38 appearances last season, so we recommend taking a wait-and-see approach with him for fantasy purposes.

Hanzal (back) has been cleared to return to game action, Mark Stepneski of the Stars' official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hanzal will have to be activated off long-term injured reserve before returning to the lineup, but that could happen in advance of Friday's matchup with the Sharks. The veteran forward only notched five goals and 10 points in 38 appearances last season, so it's probably best to take a wait-and-see approach with him for fantasy purposes.

Hanzal (back) traveled with the Stars for a four-game road trip that begins in Edmonton on Saturday, but Mike Heika of the Stars' official site writes that the veteran center is "probably a couple of weeks away" from his return.

EDGE Analysis

Hanzal has been limited to 38 games since the start of the 2017-18 campaign and he's currently on long-term injured reserve.

The Stars placed Hanzal (back) on long-term injured reserve Saturday, Cap Friendly reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hanzal is still on track to return in early December, but putting him on LTIR will afford the Stars some financial flexibility. The veteran forward will likely slot into a bottom-six role once he's cleared to play.

Hanzal (back) is not expected to return for at least one more month, Sean Shapiro of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hanzal -- who underwent spinal fusion surgery in March -- was originally given a broad 6-7 month time frame to recover. The center has been skating by himself prior to team practices and continues to work on his recovery, but likely won't be available until the start of December.

Hanzal (back) was placed on injured reserve Tuesday, Mark Stepneski of the Stars' official site reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hanzal has been limited to 109 games over the past three seasons, skipping around to three different teams over that span. The first-round pick (17th overall to the Coyotes in 2005) is not worth drafting given his extensive injury history and the relative amount of depth at the forward position.

Hanzal (back) is scheduled to return in late November or early December, Sean Shapiro of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

The Stars have reported no setbacks in Hanzal's recovery from back surgery. He was limited to 38 games last season and wound up starting a career-high 66.3 percent of his even-strength shifts in the defensive zone, but the Stars have since hired a new bench boss in Jim Montgomery -- there's a real chance that Hanzal is better positioned for fantasy success in 2018-19.

Hanzal will undergo season-ending back surgery with a return timetable of 6-to-7 months, Mike Heika of The Dallas Morning News reports.

EDGE Analysis

Hanzal reportedly requires a spinal fusion to correct his back injury. Given the timeline, he's looking at a return around next season's training camp. The Czech winger, who was originally selected by the Coyotes with a first-round (17th overall) pick in 2005, finishes the 2017-18 campaign with five goals and just as many assists through 38 games. Unfortuantely, his injury woes have rendered him expendable in most fantasy setups.

The Stars will make an announcement regarding Hanzal's (back) status Friday, Mike Heika of The Dallas Morning News reports.

EDGE Analysis

Its rarely good news when the team announces it will be holding a press conference to discuss a player's injury status -- so fantasy owners may want to brace for bad news. The center has been limited to a mere 38 games this season and hasn't been in the lineup since Feb. 21.