Hanzal's return from injury pushed back, could play by late November

After undergoing season-ending back surgery in March, Dallas Stars center Martin Hanzal was given a recovery timeline of six-to-seven months.

That meant the Czech middleman could potentially return for training camp, but his status has since been pushed back to late November or early December, Stars general manager Jim Nill told Sean Shapiro of The Athletic.

A series of injuries limited Hanzal to just 38 games last season, with his final appearance coming Feb. 21 when he lasted just one period before leaving with a lower-body injury.

The 31-year-old has dealt with a long history of back problems. He underwent surgery with the Arizona Coyotes three years ago and had a herniated disc operation in 2008.

A veteran of 11 NHL seasons, Hanzal has played more than 65 games just four times, including in his first three years in the league.

He's under two contract for two more seasons at an annual average value of $4.75 million, per CapFriendly.

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