"If starting lineups were devised simply on merit, James Neal would be on the ice Friday at American Airlines Center when the Dallas Stars open the season against Columbus.

The salary cap era, however, creates myriad reasons for keeping a player or sending him to the minors, so the fate of the rookie winger remained uncertain Monday.

Neal, 21, is a non-waiver player. That means he can go back and forth between the NHL and the minors as many times as the Stars deem necessary. Thus, he could go to the minors for a while and then return if the Stars have injury issues.

NHL rules allow teams to carry a maximum of 23 healthy players, and teams usually will keep 14 forwards under that format. The Stars, however, often have carried 13 forwards and 22 players to save salary cap space.

With the cap at $56.7 million this season and the Stars hovering near that level, saving several hundred thousand dollars (the cost of an average fringe player) throughout the season can be helpful if additions become necessary.

Neal also needs to play on a regular basis, and that would mean the Stars would have to scratch a player such as Fabian Brunnstrom, an older rookie at 23 who is trying to adapt to his first season of North American hockey after signing with the Stars as an unrestricted free agent in the summer.

"Both have proven that they can be NHL players. It's just how quick they can get acclimated and how quick you want to throw them in there," Stars coach Dave Tippett said Monday. "