The Dallas Stars might be without Mason Marchment for Thursday's Game 5 against the Seattle Kraken. Marchment sustained an upper-body injury during Tuesday's Game 4, and he is currently listed as questionable to return to the contest.
The injury occurred in the first period when Marchment took an inadvertent elbow up high. He was forced to leave the game and head to the locker room for evaluation. While the 27-year-old winger is questionable to return, it appears unlikely that he will be needed as the Stars had a comfortable 5-1 lead after the second intermission.
Marchment has been a valuable player for the Stars this season, providing depth and physicality to their forward group. Losing him for any amount of time would be a blow to the team's depth, but with a commanding lead in the series, they may be able to afford to rest him for a game.
The loss of Marchment would be unfortunate, but the Stars have the depth to overcome it if necessary.
A look at Mason Marchment NHL career
Mason Marchment's NHL career has been one of steady growth and development. Despite not playing major junior hockey until the age of 19, he caught the eye of the Toronto Maple Leafs, who signed him to an American Hockey League contract in 2016.
Mason Marchment hard work and determination paid off, as he signed a two-year, entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs in 2018. However, it wasn't until he was traded to the Florida Panthers in 2020 that he truly found his footing in the NHL.
During the 2021-2022 season, Marchment had a breakthrough year with the Panthers, scoring 18 goals, 29 assists, and 47 points. His impressive performance earned him a four-year, $18 million contract with the Dallas Stars in July 2022.
Mason Marchment cited the new coaching staff in Dallas as a major factor in his decision to sign with the team. He specifically mentioned his friendship with assistant coach Steve Spott and the connection to his father, longtime NHL defenseman Bryan Marchment.
Marchment's success on the ice has been hard-earned, and his dedication to the sport is evident in his accomplishments. He tied Olli Jokinen's Panthers record for most points in one game with six (two goals, four assists) during an 8-4 win against the Columbus Blue Jackets in January 2022. He also earned his first NHL hat trick in a 6-2 victory against the Minnesota Wild just a few weeks later.