The Dallas Stars aren’t eager to take Sean Avery back. Voiding his contract wouldn’t fly with the NHLPA, so the club will likely relocate him to the AHL – a tricky process, since the club doesn’t have a primary affiliate in that league.

(The Stars loan players to four teams, including the Peoria Rivermen. The Blues own that team and would not welcome Avery.)

Might the Avery backlash include Brett Hull losing his co-GM role? The Golden Brett pushed for the Avery signing, over everybody’s objection. With the Stars struggling mightily, owner Tom Hicks may give co-GM Les Jackson total control of personnel and move Hull to another post.

This is turning in a long, strange year for the Stars.

THE INJURY BLUES

If Joe Sakic ever wondered what it would be like to play for the Blues, now he knows.

Weird injuries befall players in this franchise. Sakic would have fit right into franchise lore with his lost 2008-09 season.

The Avalanche center decided to put off retirement for another year — only to suffer serious damage in two off-ice mishaps.

First, he wrenched his back in the weight room. Then, while still recovering from that injury, he mangled three fingers while operating a snow blower.

He will miss another three months, complicating Colorado’s playoff bid. This setback is one more factor that could keep the Blues in the Western Conference playoff hunt longer than most folks expected.

HELP IS ON THE WAY

Another Blue made The Hot List on The Hockey News site. We mentioned him here earlier this week:

Brett Sonne, C – Calgary Hitmen  (WHL): Sonne is clearing a path at the top of the Dub’s scoring leaderboard with 51 points in 33 games. The veteran junior is also a very impressive plus-21 and the league’s reigning player of the week. He has already surpassed his best points total for a season. Drafted 85th overall by St. Louis in 2007.

Meanwhile, down on the farm, here is what the Rivermen are up to.

And here is some more stuff, including praise for Our Town’s Ben Bishop.

AROUND THE RINKS: Old friends Doug Weight and Bill Guerin have sound second life in Long Island, putting up big numbers for the Islanders . . . Against all odds, old friend Chris Osgood has come back to earth in Motown. As a result, Ty Conklin could do some heavy lifting moving forward . . . The struggling Coyotes are getting center Olli Jokinen back. He missed six games with a shoulder injury . . . Here is some good, clean fun with ultra-intense Blue Jackets coach Ken Hitchcock.