Dallas Stars Franchise Profile
Founded: 1967
Formerly known as: Minnesota North Stars (1967-1993)
Merged with the Cleveland Barons (formerly California Seals) in 1978
Moved to Dallas in 1993
Arena: American Airlines Center
Stanley Cups won: 1
1999
One of the remaining franchises from the NHL's six-team expansion in 1967, the Stars had some good years in Minnesota, including appearances in the Stanley Cup Final in 1981 and 1991.
The move to Dallas in 1993 began a new era of success, culminating in the Stanley Cup title of 1999. Key players included Jere Lehtinen, Joe Nieuwendyk, Ed Belfour, and Derian Hatcher. But the face of the team and its most popular player was Mike Modano, a holdover from the Minnesota years.
Dallas Stars Retired Numbers:
7 Neil Broten
8 Bill Goldsworthy
19 Bill Masterton
Dallas Stars/Minnesota North Stars Hockey Hall of Fame Members:
Leo Joseph Boivin
Robert Earle (Bobby) Clarke
Robert Michael (Bob) Gainey
Michael Alfred Gartner
Larry Thomas Murphy
Lorne John (Gump) Worsley
2009-10 Stars Season Preview:
Goaltender Marty Turco was awful last year. He has to return to elite status for Dallas to have any shot at a playoff spot. He’s been inconsistent for the last few years, and you have to wonder if he can bounce back all the way.
There are plenty of question marks at forward as well.
Mike Modano, Jere Lehtinen, and Brad Richards would have been a formidable trio back around 2004. But Lehtinen and Modano are old, and Richards’ reputation has taken a nosedive in recent years.
That leaves Brenden Morrow, Mike Ribeiro, and a fair-to-middling cast of regulars. Morrow is an elite power forward, an absolute force when he’s healthy and on his game. If he gets hurt again, the Stars’ playoff race will end the day he goes on the disabled list.
On defence, Dallas should match up well against much of the league, with Karlis Skrastins coming aboard to replace the aging and departed Sergei Zubov. But the blue line lacks a dominant talent to anchor the unit and join the attack, as Zubov used to.
Meanwhile, ownership and management uncertainty hangs over the team.
Reports of financial troubles surround owner Tom Hicks. So rookie GM Joe Nieuwendyk is likely under orders to keep the payroll down, leaving him few options if the team struggles out of the gate.
Prediction: 11th in the West.
