Curtis McKenzie, Brett Ritchie Return to Texas Stars

Two big time forwards return from Dallas as Texas looks to put themselves in pole playoff position

(Credit: Christina Shapiro/Texas Stars)

The Dallas Stars announced this afternoon that Brett Ritchie and Curtis McKenzie have both been reassigned to the Texas Stars. Ritchie and McKenzie have spent much of the season with the NHL club with 31 and 36 games played at the NHL level this season.

The additions will present some interesting questions for tomorrow night's lineup. With Devin Shore now in the fold and Nichushkin still on assignment, Texas will have to scratch two players who've been lineup staples all year. Not sure who that will be yet.

Here's the release:

Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced today that the club has reassigned left wing Curtis McKenzie and right wing Brett Ritchie to the Texas Stars, Dallas' top development affiliate in the American Hockey League.

McKenzie, 24, has appeared in 36 games for Dallas this season posting five points (4-1=5) and 48 penalty minutes. In 25 games with Texas this season, he has posted 17 points (6-11=17) and 64 shots on net.

The 6-foot-2, 210-pound native of Golden, British Columbia was selected by Dallas in the sixth round (159th overall) of the 2009 NHL Draft.

Ritchie, 21, has posted nine points (6-3=9) in 31 NHL games with Dallas this season. He scored his first career NHL goal in his first career NHL game on his first shot on Dec. 31, 2014 vs. the Arizona Coyotes. In 25 games with Texas in 2014-15, he has posted 18 points (11-7=18) and a +10 plus/minus rating.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound native of Orangeville, Ontario was selected by Dallas in the second round (44th overall) of the 2011 NHL Draft.