Conversation so far:
Did Joe Nieuwendyk play for the Dallas Stars?
The Stars immediately signed Nieuwendyk to a new deal worth US$11.3 million over five years.
How old was he at this time?
CANNOTANSWER.
How long did he play for them?
five years.
Did they go to the play offs?
39-goal season followed, but he was again sidelined by injury after appearing in only one game of the 1998 Stanley Cup playoffs.
How did he injury himself?
he suffered a torn ACL.
Did he recover from this?
The injury required two knee surgeries to repair and six months to heal, which caused him to miss the beginning of the 1998-99 NHL season.

Question: How long before he was able to play again?
Self-contained rewrite: How long before Joe Nieuwendyk was able to play again?