Dallas Forms Taxi Squad with Dellandrea, Damiani and Gardner

(Credit: Andy Nietupski/Texas Stars)

As anticipated, the Dallas Stars have utilized the new taxi squad addition to the 2021-22 season. Today the club recalled an entire line's worth of forwards. Ty Dellandrea, Riley Damiani and Rhett Gardner will make up the taxi squad for Dallas.

The trio accounts for one in five Texas goals so far on the season, and their subtraction from the lineup will make it significantly more difficult for the last-place Stars to make their way back to playoff contention.

Additionally, the league announced this afternoon that the season will be extended out to April 30th to accommodate postponed games. Currently, Texas has four games to make up but could add more in the coming weeks.

Here's the taxi squad release:

Dallas Stars General Manager Jim Nill announced today that the club has recalled forwards Ty Dellandrea, Riley Damiani and Rhett Gardner from the Texas Stars, Dallas' top development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL) and added them to the Taxi Squad.

Dellandrea, 21, has recorded 12 points (5-7=12) in 20 AHL games with Texas so far this season. The forward is tied for fourth on the team with 12 points and shares fifth in assists (7) and sixth in goals (5). Dellandrea has posted four power play assists, which is tied for second on Texas. He has also skated in one NHL game with Dallas this season, logging three hits in 10:37 time on ice. Dellandrea has skated in 27 career regular-season NHL contests, all with Dallas, and has posted five points (3-2=5), including two power play goals.

The 6-foot, 195-pound native of Toronto, Ont. was selected by Dallas in the first round (13th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft.

Damiani, 21, has registered 18 points (7-11=18) in 23 AHL games with Texas in 2021-22. He currently leads the team with 11 assists and 18 points, while he ranks second with seven goals. Damiani is tied for sixth in the AHL and shares first on Texas with four power play goals this season and is tied for second on Texas with one game-winning goal. The forward made his NHL debut with Dallas earlier this season, scoring a goal (1-0=1) and adding four shots in 8:13 of ice time on Dec. 14 against St. Louis.

The 5-foot-10, 170-pound native of Mississauga, Ont. was selected by Dallas in the fifth round (137th overall) of the 2018 NHL Draft.

Gardner, 25, has skated in 20 AHL contests with Texas this season and has earned two points (1-1=2). The forward has posted one shorthanded assist for his lone assist of the campaign and has logged 27 shots. Gardner has also registered two points (1-1=2) in 36 career NHL regular-season games with Dallas, adding 60 hits and 13 blocked shots.

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound native of Moose Jaw, Sask. was selected by Dallas in the fourth round (116th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft.