The Dallas Stars have cooled off a bit following a great start to the 2024-25 season. The Stars then lost veteran center Tyler Seguin to injury, which created a big hole in the lineup. Dallas has played well enough without Seguin on the ice. However, the news is not getting better for the team, as they were placed under NHL investigation before their game with the Minnesota Wild on Friday.

The Stars are under investigation for a potential violation of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Dallas held an optional skate on Thursday, December 26, according to head coach Pete DeBoer. “I was at the rink yesterday. We had an optional, and of course the young guys all show up for the optional like, you know, they’re supposed to do,” the Stars head coach said Friday morning, via The Athletic.

December 26 is the final day of the NHL's annual holiday break. According to Article 16.5 (b) of the CBA, teams cannot practice during the break. “December 24, Christmas Day, and December 26 shall be off-days for all purposes, including travel, and no Club may request a Player’s consent to practice on such days for any reason,” the rule states.

Wild react to Stars' potential CBA violation

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The Stars nearly defeated the Wild during Friday's contest. In fact, Dallas had a 2-0 lead in the final frame of regulation play. But Minnesota stormed back to force overtime. In the extra stanza, it was star defenseman Brock Faber who gave the win to the Wild.

Wild head coach John Hynes was asked about his opponent's potential violation after the game. Hynes said he holds a ton of respect for Pete DeBoer as a coach. Minnesota's bench boss acknowledged there was an advantage to be gained here. But he believes nothing malicious went down on Dallas's side of things.

“Obviously the rules are in place for a reason. The league is so competitive and so tight in terms of the schedule, you’d like everyone on an even playing field. The rules are the rules, right? But, again, I don’t know exactly what he meant. I’ve got a lot of respect for Pete, so I would lend myself to think that maybe he made a mistake,” the Wild head coach said, via The Athletic.

The Stars could face punishment from the NHL as a result of their potential violation. Of course, this depends on the results of the league's investigation. Fans should continue to monitor this situation as it develops over the next few weeks or months.