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Stars' Hemsky on slow start: 'I felt good the past few games, but still not getting points'

Robert Mayer / USA Today

Ales Hemsky was the Dallas Stars' biggest free agent addition, signing a three-year, $12-million deal in the offseason, but he has yet to find a rhythm after nine games.

Hemsky fit right in with the Ottawa Senators after arriving at the trade deadline last season, recording 17 points in 20 games, but he has just one assist with the Stars and has gone eight games without recording a point. As a result, the 31-year-old saw his ice-time tumble to a season-low 11:58 in Dallas' overtime loss the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.

Hemsky believes the offense will come with time, as he feels more comfortable with each game.

“I felt good the past few games, but still not getting points. I’ve been getting some chances. I’ve felt more comfortable,” Hemsky said. “You just have to focus on your game and not to think about it. You just have to focus on playing good defense and the points will come.”

Stars coach Lindy Ruff partially attributes Hemsky's slow start to a nagging injury, but Hemsky insists it is no longer bothering him.

“I had a little bit of a problem after the first game and finally now I can skate,” he said. “I had a problem and couldn’t skate too much, but now I am better.”

Despite Hemsky's struggles, Ruff insists he sees positives in the veteran's game and feels it's only a matter of time before this slump is nothing more than a memory.

“He’ll come out of it,” said Ruff. “The effort is there. He’ll get results.”

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