| Dallas Stars | |
|---|---|
 2024–25 Dallas Stars season | |
.svg){kind=logo} | |
| Conference | Western |
| Division | Central |
| Founded | 1967 |
| History | Minnesota North Stars 1967–1993 Dallas Stars 1993–present |
| Home arena | American Airlines Center |
| City | Dallas, Texas |
 | |
| Team colors | Victory green, black, silver, skyline green, white[1][2][3] |
| Media | Victory+ The Ticket (1310 AM, 96.7 FM) |
| Owner(s) | Tom Gaglardi |
| General manager | Jim Nill |
| Head coach | Peter DeBoer |
| Captain | Jamie Benn |
| Minor league affiliates | Texas Stars (AHL) Idaho Steelheads (ECHL) |
| Stanley Cups | 1 (1998–99) |
| Conference championships | 3 (1998–99,1999–00,2019–20) |
| Presidents' Trophy | 2 (1997–98,1998–99) |
| Division championships | 9 (1996–97,1997–98,1998–99,1999–00,2000–01,2002–03,2005–06,2015–16,2023–24) |
| Official website | nhl |
TheDallas Stars are a professionalice hockey team based inDallas. The Stars compete in theNational Hockey League (NHL) as a member of theCentral Division in theWestern Conference. The Stars played inReunion Arena indowntown Dallas from 1993 to 2001, when they moved intoAmerican Airlines Center in Dallas's nearbyVictory Park neighborhood, an arena they share with theDallas Mavericks of theNational Basketball Association.
The Stars were founded during the1967 NHL expansion as theMinnesota North Stars, based inBloomington, Minnesota. Before the1978–79 NHL season, the team merged with theCleveland Barons after the league granted them permission due to each team's respective financial struggles. The franchise relocated to Dallas for the1993–94 NHL season and was renamed the Dallas Stars.
The Stars have won nine division titles in Dallas, twoPresidents' Trophies as the top regular season team in the league, theWestern Conference championship three times, and theStanley Cup in1999, when centerJoe Nieuwendyk won theConn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the playoffs. Over the course of the franchise's history in both Minnesota and Dallas, it has appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals five times (1981,1991,1999,2000, and2020).
In 2000,Neal Broten was inducted into theUnited States Hockey Hall of Fame. In 2009,Brett Hull became the first Dallas Stars player inducted into the Hall of Fame, followed byEd Belfour and Joe Nieuwendyk in 2011 andMike Modano in 2014; Modano is the highest-scoring player in franchise history. In 2010, brothersDerian andKevin Hatcher were also inducted.
The Minnesota North Stars began play in1967 as part of the league'ssix-team expansion. Home games were played at the newly constructed Metropolitan Sports Center ("Met Center") inBloomington, Minnesota. Initially successful both on the ice and at the gate, the North Stars fell victim to financial problems after several poor seasons in the mid-1970s.
In1978, the North Stars merged with theCleveland Barons (formerly theCalifornia Golden Seals), owned byGeorge III andGordon Gund. With both teams on the verge of folding, the league permitted the two failing franchises to merge. The merged team continued as the Minnesota North Stars, while the Seals/Barons franchise records were retired. However, the Gunds were the merged team's principal owners, and the North Stars assumed the Barons' place in theAdams Division in order to balance out the divisions. The merger brought with it a number of talented players, and the North Stars were revived—they reached theStanley Cup Finals in1981, where they lost in five games to theNew York Islanders. However, by the early 1990s, declining attendance and the inability to secure a new downtown revenue-generating arena led ownership to request permission to move the team to theSan Francisco Bay Area in 1990. The league rejected the request and instead agreed to award anexpansion franchise, theSan Jose Sharks, to the Gund brothers. The North Stars were sold to a group of investors that were originally looking to place a team in San Jose, although one of the group's members, formerCalgary Flames part-ownerNorman Green, would eventually gain control of the team.[4] In the following season, the North Stars made it to the Stanley Cup Finals, only to lose to thePittsburgh Penguins.
After the 1990–91 season, the North Stars suffered through declining profits coupled with distraction and uncertainty caused by relocation attempts. The team's fortunes were further impeded by the terms of the settlement with the Gund brothers, in which they were permitted to take a number of North Stars players to San Jose. In their final two seasons in Minnesota, the team adopted a new logo which omitted any reference to the word "North" from "North Stars", leading many fans to anticipate the team heading south.[5] Green explored the possibility of moving the team toAnaheim to play at a new arena (which is now theHonda Center) under construction,[6] and intended to call the team the Los Angeles Stars. However, in 1992 the league decided to award an expansion franchise toThe Walt Disney Company to play in Anaheim's new arena, this franchise eventually became theMighty Ducks of Anaheim.
In 1993, amid further attendance woes and bitter personal controversy, Green obtained permission from the league to move the team to Dallas, for the1993–94 season, with the decision announced on March 10, 1993.[7] Green was convinced by formerDallas Cowboys quarterbackRoger Staubach that Dallas would be a suitable market for an NHL team.[5] With the team's move to theSouthern United States, Green decided to drop the "North" adjective but otherwise retained the "Stars" nickname, which in its shortened form quickly proved popular as it matched the state of Texas' official nickname as "The Lone Star State." An NHL franchise Dallas was an experiment for the league, as at that time the Stars would be one of the three southernmost teams in the league along with two recently created expansion teams in theTampa Bay Lightning andFlorida Panthers as the league's first real ventures into southern non-traditional hockey markets. The Stars would move intoReunion Arena, built in 1980, the downtown arena already occupied by theNational Basketball Association'sDallas Mavericks.
To quell the ensuing controversy surrounding the North Stars move to Dallas, the NHL promised that the Twin Cities would receive an expansion franchise in the near future; that promise was fulfilled in 2000 in the form of theMinnesota Wild.
With the league changing the names of the conferences and divisions that season, the newly relocated Stars were placed in theCentral Division of theWestern Conference, although these were essentially continuations of theNorris Division andCampbell Conference respectively, both of which the North Stars had been part of. The first NHL game in Dallas was played on October 5, 1993, and was a 6–4 win against theDetroit Red Wings.[8] Somewhat ironically, Minnesota nativeNeal Broten scored the first Stars goal in Dallas. Though the Stars were relatively still low on the Dallas-Fort Worth sports pecking order upon their arrival, popularity of the team grew rapidly and the immediate success of the team on the ice, as well asMike Modano's career-best season (50 goals, 93 points) helped spur the team's popularity in North Texas. The Stars set franchise bests in wins (42) and points (97) in their first season in Dallas, qualifying for the1994 playoffs. The Stars further shocked the hockey world by sweeping theSt. Louis Blues in the first round, but lost to the eventual Western Conference ChampionVancouver Canucks in the second round. The Stars' success in their first season along with Modano's spectacular on-ice performances, would be an integral part of the Stars' eventual franchise success in the immediate years to come.
The almost immediate success of the Stars was also helped by the long legacy of minor-league hockey in the area. Both incarnations of theCentral Hockey League had two teams in the area, theDallas Black Hawks and theFort Worth Texans for years before the Stars' arrival. Amateur and youth hockey in North Texas were also extremely popular because of the long presence of the minor league teams.
The 1994–95 season was shortened by anowners' lockout. The Stars traded captainMark Tinordi along withRick Mrozik to theWashington Capitals before the season began forKevin Hatcher. Longtime North Stars hold-overNeal Broten was named his replacement, although he was traded too after only 17 games to theNew Jersey Devils. Broten was replaced by Kevin's younger brotherDerian Hatcher as team captain, a role he would serve in for the next decade. The Stars played only 48 games that season posting a record of 17–23–8. Despite the shortened season and the losing record, the Stars again made the playoffs, losing in five games to the Red Wings in the first round.[9] Green, who had run into financial problems stemming from his business ventures outside of ice hockey, was forced to sell the team to businessmanTom Hicks in December 1995.[5]
The1995–96 season would be the first season under new owner Tom Hicks. In the off-season, the Stars traded for formerMontreal Canadiens' captain and three-timeFrank J. Selke Trophy winnerGuy Carbonneau, who was then with the St. Louis Blues. With the Stars struggling to begin the season, general manager and head coachBob Gainey traded for centerJoe Nieuwendyk from theCalgary Flames in exchange forCorey Millen andJarome Iginla, then a Stars prospect. The Stars recorded only 11 wins in the first half of the season, and Bob Gainey relinquished his coaching duties in January to be the full-time general manager of the team. The Stars soon hiredMichigan K-Wings head coachKen Hitchcock to replace him; it would be his first NHL head coaching position. The Stars then traded forBenoit Hogue from theToronto Maple Leafs late in the season, but ultimately finished in sixth place in the Central Division, missing the playoffs for the first time since moving to Texas.[10]
In the 1996 off-season, the Stars continued to revamp their roster, adding defensemenDarryl Sydor from theLos Angeles Kings followed bySergei Zubov from the Pittsburgh Penguins for Kevin Hatcher. Zubov would serve as the Stars' top defenseman and powerplay quarterback until leaving the league in 2009. On the ice, Ken Hitchcock's first season proved to be a good one. The Stars bested their 1994 totals, posting 48 wins and reaching the 100-point mark for the first time in franchise history. The Stars won theCentral Division, their first division title since 1983–84 (when they were still the Minnesota North Stars) and were seeded second in theplayoffs.[11] Despite the regular season success, the youthful Stars were upset in the first round by theEdmonton Oilers in seven games. DefensemanGrant Ledyard tripped in overtime of game 7, allowingTodd Marchant to score the game- and series-winning goal on a breakaway against goaltenderAndy Moog.
During the 1997 off-season, the Stars signed star goaltenderEd Belfour as a free agent after a well-publicized falling-out with the San Jose Sharks, which had traded a number of players to theChicago Blackhawks to obtain him in January in the previous season.[12] Andy Moog was allowed to leave via free agency, but later returned to the Stars as an assistant coach. The1997–98 season was another banner year for the Stars. The Stars again set franchise records in wins (49) and points (109). Dallas acquiredMike Keane at the deadline from theNew York Rangers. The Stars won the franchise's firstPresidents' Trophy as the league's best regular season team, as well as the Central Division title for the second season in a row. Belfour set franchise season records forgoals against average (1.88), wins (37) and just missed out on theJennings Trophy by one goal toMartin Brodeur of theNew Jersey Devils. The Stars were the first overall seed for the1998 Stanley Cup playoffs and defeated the eighth-seeded San Jose Sharks in six games in the first round. Notorious enforcerBryan Marchment injured Joe Nieuwendyk's right knee, forcing him to miss the rest of the playoffs with torn ligaments. In the second round, they again met the Edmonton Oilers, this time defeating them in five games. However, without Nieuwendyk, the Stars lacked the firepower to overcome the defendingStanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings in the conference finals and lost in six games. The Red Wings went on to win their second consecutive Stanley Cup.
In the 1998 off-season, after falling just short in the conference finals, the Stars added what they believed was the final piece toward winning a championship: star goalscoring wingerBrett Hull. Hull had already had a successful career with the St. Louis Blues, with three consecutive 70-goal seasons and aHart Memorial Trophy, but a fallout with Blues management led Hull to leave St. Louis via free agency.[13] Additionally, this was the first season for the Stars in thePacific Division after the 1998 NHL division re-alignment.
In the 1998–99 season, the Stars won 51 games, surpassing the 50-win mark for the first time in franchise history. They also recorded 114 points, which still stands today as a franchise record. They won their first Pacific Division by 24 points (their third consecutive division title), a second consecutive Presidents' Trophy, theJennings Trophy as the league's top defensive team, and were awarded home-ice advantage throughout the1999 playoffs. WingerJere Lehtinen was also awarded theFrank J. Selke Trophy.[14]
In the first round of the playoffs, Dallas faced the Edmonton Oilers. The Stars swept the Oilers in four close games, winning game 4 in the third overtime on a goal by Joe Nieuwendyk. They then faced the St. Louis Blues in the second round. After taking a 2–0 series lead, the Blues came back to tie the series. The Stars then won the next two games to beat the Blues in six games. The series again ended on an overtime goal, this time in game 6 from Mike Modano. In the conference finals, they faced theColorado Avalanche for the first time in Stars playoff history. This would be the first of four playoff meetings between the Stars and Avalanche in the next seven years. After both the Stars and the Avalanche split the first four games at a 2–2 series tie, the Avalanche won game 5 by a score of 7–5, taking a 3–2 series lead, The Stars rallied winning game six on the road, and game 7 at home, both by 4–1 scorelines.[15]
This was the Stars' firstStanley Cup Finals appearance as the Dallas Stars, although they made the finals twice as the Minnesota North Stars. They faced the Eastern Conference championBuffalo Sabres, who had defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4–1 in the conference finals. After splitting the first four games, the Stars vaunted defense would hold the Sabres to only one goal in the next two, winning game 5 2–0 and game 6 2–1 on a triple-overtime goal by Brett Hull. Hull's goal at 14:51 of the third overtime was allowed to stand only after a lengthy official review. That season, the league still had the "crease rule" in effect, which provided that if any player of the attacking team who did not have possession of the puck entered the crease before the puck, then any resulting goal was disallowed. Hull had initially gained possession of the puck outside the crease and had made a shot that was blocked by Buffalo goaltenderDominik Hasek. One of Hull's skates entered the crease as he corralled the rebound, and Hull's second shot scored the Cup-winning goal. The goal was eventually allowed, as having simply blocked Hull's shot rather than catching it, Hasek never took possession of the puck away from Hull. Officials therefore determined that rather than calling it a loose puck, Hull would be considered to have had continuous possession of the puck from before his first shot outside the crease. The complexity of the crease rule, and the attendant difficulties in understanding its application by fans and players alike, combined with the controversy arising out of the disputed Stanley Cup-winning goal, resulted in the crease rule being repealed the following season. Hull's goal marked the 13th time a Stanley Cup-winning goal was scored in overtime, and only the fourth to be scored in multiple overtimes. This was the only time between1995 and2003 that a team other than the New Jersey Devils, Colorado Avalanche or Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup.
The team added veteransKirk Muller,Dave Manson andSylvain Cote in an effort to defend their Stanley Cup championship in1999–2000. On December 31, 1999, Brett Hull scored his 600 and 601st career goals in a 5–4 win over the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. The Stars ultimately won the Pacific Division for the second year in a row, and were seeded second in the Western Conference. Dallas then defeated the Edmonton Oilers and San Jose Sharks in the first and second rounds, both 4–1 series victories. The Stars, for the second season in a row, defeated the Colorado Avalanche in the conference finals in seven games to reach their second consecutiveStanley Cup Finals, where they met theNew Jersey Devils. Because the Devils finished the regular season with one more point than Dallas, the Stars had to play their first playoff series without home-ice advantage since 1995.[16] The Stars lost all three games at the Reunion Arena in the Finals, and lost the series in game 6 on a double-overtime goal by New Jersey forwardJason Arnott.
Hoping to win back the Stanley Cup, the Stars again captured the Pacific Division, posting a solid 48–24–8–2 record in the2000–01 season. In the playoffs, the Stars and the Edmonton Oilers met in the first round, battling back-and-forth through the first four games, with each game decided by one goal, including three going into overtime. Game 5 would also go to overtime, as the Stars took a 3–2 series lead on a goal by Kirk Muller. However, in game 6 inEdmonton, the Stars did not need overtime, advancing to the second round with a 3–1 win. Facing the St. Louis Blues, the Stars would run out of gas, being swept in four straight games. The game 2 loss would be the last NHL game played in Reunion Arena.
Moving into the brand newAmerican Airlines Center for the2001–02 season, the Stars had a slow start to the season, as goaltender Ed Belfour struggled through one of his worst seasons. Head coach Ken Hitchcock was eventually fired, being replaced byRick Wilson. Despite the coaching change, the Stars continued to play poor hockey. With the prospect of missing the playoffs, the Stars traded 1999 Conn Smythe winner Joe Nieuwendyk andJamie Langenbrunner to the New Jersey Devils in exchange forRandy McKay and Jason Arnott, who scored the game-winning goal in the 2000 Finals against Dallas. The Stars would eventually go on to post a respectable record of 35–28–13–5. However, it would not be enough for the playoffs, as they fell four points short of the final eighth spot in the Western Conference. Following the season, coach Rick Wilson would return to assistant coaching duties, as the Stars brought inDave Tippett as his replacement.
As in the 2002 off-season, Ed Belfour left via free agency to the Toronto Maple Leafs. To begin the2002–03 season, the Stars awarded the starting goaltending position toMarty Turco, who went on to have one of the best seasons in NHL history, posting the lowest goals-against average (GAA) since 1940, at 1.76. However, missing 18 games late in the season likely cost him a shot at theVezina Trophy, awarded to the league's top regular season goaltender. Regardless, the Stars posted the best record in the Western Conference at 46–17–15–4, and along the way, two-way star Jere Lehtinen won his third Frank J. Selke Trophy. In theplayoffs, the Stars once again met the Edmonton Oilers, and once again the Oilers would prove a contentious opponent, winning two of the first three games. However, the Stars would prove the better team again by winning the next three games to take the series in six games. The Stars' second-round series against the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim got off to an unbelievable start, as the game went deep into overtime tied 3–3. However, Mighty Ducks goaltenderJean-Sebastien Giguere stopped 60 shots as the Ducks scored early in the fifth overtime. Game 2 would be more of the same, as the Ducks stunned the Stars in overtime. Desperately needing a win, the Stars bounced back to take game 3 in Anaheim. However, the Ducks would take a 3–1 series lead by breaking a scoreless tie late in the third period of game 4. In game 5, the Stars finally solved Giguere by scoring four goals to keep their playoff hopes alive. However, the Stars' dreams of a return trip to the Stanley Cup Finals would end in heartbreaking fashion as the Ducks broke a 3–3 tie with 1:06 left in game 6 on a goal by defensemanSandis Ozolinsh.
Coming off their disappointing playoff loss, the Stars would get off to a shaky start to the2003–04 season, as they played mediocre hockey through the first three months of the season, posting a sub-.500 record. However, as the calendar turned to 2004, the Stars began to find their game, as they posted a 9–4–3 record in January. As the season wore on, the Stars would get stronger, climbing up the playoff ladder and eventually reaching second place in the Pacific Division, where they finished with a solid 41–26–13–2 record; Marty Turco had another outstanding season, recording a 1.98 GAA. However, the Stars could not carry their momentum into the playoffs, as they were beaten by the Colorado Avalanche in five games in the first round.
Coming out of theowners' lockout that cancelled the entire2004–05 season, the Stars remained one of the strongest teams in the Western Conference for the start of2005–06, as they won four of their first five games on the way to a solid October. November would be even better for Dallas, as they won 10 of 13 games and took over first place in the Pacific Division, a position they would hold most of the season, as they went on to finish with a terrific record of 53–23–6. One reason for the Stars' success was their strong play in shootouts, as forwardJussi Jokinen was nearly automatic, making 10-of-13 shot attempts. Also performing strongly in shootouts was Sergei Zubov, who used a slow-but-steady backhand to go 7-for-12, as the Stars ultimately won 12 of 13 games that were settled by a shootout. As the number two seed in the Western Conference, the Stars faced the seventh-seeded Colorado Avalanche. The Stars were favorited to win the Western Conference, and some even predicted them to win the Stanley Cup. However, the Stars would stumble right from the start, losing game 1 by a score of 5–2 as the Avalanche scored five unanswered goals after the Stars jumped out to a promising 2–0 lead. Game 2 would see the Stars suffer another setback at home, as the Stars lost in overtime 5–4 on a goal byJoe Sakic. On the road in game 3, the Stars led 3–2 in the final minute before the Avalanche forced overtime on a goal byAndrew Brunette, whileAlex Tanguay won the game just 69 seconds into overtime to put the Stars in a 3–0 hole. The Stars would avoid the sweep with a 4–1 win in game 4, but overtime would doom them again in game 5, as Andrew Brunette scored the series winner at 6:05, ending the Stars' playoffs hopes after just five games.
Following the previous season's disappointing first-round playoff loss at the hands of the seventh-seeded Avalanche, the Stars made a number of changes during the 2006 off-season. Former Stars goalkeeper Andy Moog was promoted to assistant general manager for player development (he kept his job as goaltending coach) and former playerUlf Dahlen was hired as an assistant coach. The Stars allowed center Jason Arnott, defensemanWillie Mitchell and goaltenderJohan Hedberg to leave asfree agents. ForwardNiko Kapanen was traded to theAtlanta Thrashers and the remaining two years on fan-favoriteright wingerBill Guerin's contract were bought out. The Stars also receivedPatrik Stefan andJaroslav Modry in the Atlanta trade, and signedEric Lindros,Jeff Halpern,Matthew Barnaby andDarryl Sydor as free agents. Young goaltenderMike Smith was promoted to the NHL to serve as Marty Turco's backup. During the season, key future pieces – centerMike Ribeiro and defensemanMattias Norstrom – were added through separate trades. Young playersJoel Lundqvist,Krys Barch,Nicklas Grossmann andChris Conner all saw significant ice time while other players were out of the lineup with injuries.
On September 29, 2006,Brenden Morrow was announced as new team captain, taking the role over from Mike Modano, who had served as the incumbent since 2003.[17] On March 13, 2007, Modano scored his 500th career NHL goal, making him only the 39th player and second American to ever reach the milestone. On March 17, Modano scored his 502nd and 503rd NHL goals, breaking the record for an American-born player, previously held byJoe Mullen.
On January 24, 2007, theNHL All-Star Game was held atAmerican Airlines Center. DefensemanPhilippe Boucher and goaltender Marty Turco would represent the Stars as part of the Western Conference All-Star roster. The Stars qualified for the playoffs as the sixth seed in the Western Conference and squared off against the Vancouver Canucks in the first round. Marty Turco delivered three shutout wins in games 2, 5 and 6, but the Stars' offense failed to capitalize and they lost the series in seven games, the third season in a row that they lost in the first round.
In the2007 NHL entry draft, the Stars drafted the relatively unknownJamie Benn 129th overall. After starting a lackluster 7–7–3 in the2007–08 season, general managerDoug Armstrong was fired by the team.[18] He was replaced by an unusual "co-general manager" arrangement of former assistant GMLes Jackson and former Stars player Brett Hull. On November 8, 2007, Mike Modano became the top American born point scorer of all time, finishing off a shorthanded breakaway opportunity on San Jose Sharks goaltenderEvgeni Nabokov.[19]
On February 26, 2008, just hours before the trade deadline, the Stars traded for All-Star centerBrad Richards from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for backup goaltender Mike Smith and forwards Jussi Jokinen and Jeff Halpern.[20] The Stars rallied to a final record of 45–30–7 and qualified for the playoffs as the fifth seed, matching up with the defending Stanley Cup champion, the Anaheim Ducks, in the first round.[21] After a rough end to the season, only winning two games in March of that year, the Stars shocked everyone by winning the first two games of the series in Anaheim, and then would go on to finish off the Ducks in six games, their first playoff series win since 2003. In the second round, the Stars matched up with the Pacific Division champion San Jose Sharks. Once again, the Stars surprised everyone by winning the first two games of the series on the road. In game 2, Brad Richards tied an NHL record by recording four points in the third period.[22] The Stars would then take a 3–0 series lead after a Mattias Norstrom overtime goal in game 3. After the Sharks staved off elimination with back to back wins in games 4 and 5, captain Brenden Morrow finished the Sharks off in game 6 with a powerplay goal nearly halfway into the fourth overtime, a moment nicknamed "Cinco De Morrow" by Stars fans as game 6 ended in the early morning hours of theCinco De Mayo holiday on May 5.[23] The win sent the Stars to their first conference finals since 2000, where they met the powerhouse Detroit Red Wings. After falling behind in the series 3–0, the Stars made a series of it winning games 4 and 5 before ultimately being ousted by the Red Wings in six games.[24]
The2008–09 season saw the early loss for the season of captainBrenden Morrow to an ACL tear. Off-season free agent acquisitionSean Avery caused a media uproar over comments he made to a Canadian reporter about ex-girlfriendElisha Cuthbert and her relationship withCalgary Flames' defensemanDion Phaneuf before a game inCalgary. The incident forced the team to suspend Avery for the season; he was later waived by the Stars. That incident, plus injuries to key players Brad Richards and Sergei Zubov, caused the Stars to tailspin to a 12th-place finish and the first missed playoffs for Dallas since 2002.
In the wake of the season, the Stars hired a new general manager, former player and alternate captainJoe Nieuwendyk. Hull and Jackson remained with the Stars, but were reassigned to new roles within the organization. Less than a week after he was hired, Nieuwendyk fired six-season head coach Dave Tippett on June 10, 2009, and hiredMarc Crawford the next day as his replacement. Other off-season moves included the addition ofCharlie Huddy as assistant coach in charge of defense and the promotions ofStu Barnes and Andy Moog to assistant coaches. The Stars'2009–10 season was similar to the previous one. Inconsistent play and defensive struggles plagued the team throughout the season, as they failed to adjust to Marc Crawford's new offensively-minded system, and owner Tom Hicks' financial troubles prevented the team from spending more than $45 million on payroll, over $11 million beneath the league salary cap.[25] The Stars failed to win more than three games in a row all season, finished in last in the Pacific Division and repeated their 12th place conference finish from the year before with a record of 37–31–14 for 88 points, seven points back from the last playoff spot.[26] This was the first time that they would miss the playoffs two seasons in a row since the Stars moved to Texas.
In the 2010 off-season, long-time goaltenderMarty Turco was let go in favor ofKari Lehtonen to become the team's number one goaltender for the future.[27] In the Star's last game of the season, away against the Minnesota Wild, Mike Modano was named the game's first star and skated around the rink after the game wearing his North Stars uniform, receiving a rousing ovation.[28] The Stars also letMike Modano walk in free agency, the face of the franchise for the past two decades. Modano subsequently signed with his hometown team, theDetroit Red Wings while Turco joined the newly defending Stanley Cup championChicago Blackhawks. Winger Jere Lehtinen, who played his entire career with the Stars, announced his retirement. The team also made key acquisitions both in trades or in free agency, such as wingerAdam Burish (who was on the 2010 Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks) and goaltenderAndrew Raycroft. They also gaveJonathan Cheechoo a try-out, but he was cut and later signed with division rivals San Jose Sharks. To begin the2010–11 season, the Stars won their first three games in a row, going on a three-game win streak for the first time since the 2008–09 season by beating theNew Jersey Devils 4–3 in overtime in the season opener on October 8, 2010,New York Islanders 5–4 in a shootout on October 9, and against the Red Wings in the Stars' home opener on October 14, respectively. The home opener against the Red Wings featured an emotional return for Mike Modano, as the Stars crowd gave Modano a standing ovation as he was shown on the American Airlines Center jumbotron during a timeout in the game. After a hot start to the season, the Stars would continue to dominate within the first 50 games of the season, staying in both the Pacific Division lead and within the top three spots of the Western Conference. Through the first 50 games of the season up until the All-Star Break, they compiled a 30–15–5 record. However, after the All-Star Break the Stars went into a slump, going on numerous losing streaks which included one-goal losses and blowing late leads in numerous games. Through this though, the Stars still remained in the playoff picture. On the day of the trade deadline (February 28, 2011), the Stars traded up and comerJames Neal andMatt Niskanen to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for defensemanAlex Goligoski. Despite these late-season struggles, the Stars still had a chance to make the playoffs by winning their season finale on April 10, as they lost on the road at theMinnesota Wild 5–3 and a 42–29–11 record, costing them the lastplayoff spot despite the winning record and a vastly improved season overall compared to the previous two seasons, finishing 9th in the Western Conference only two points behind the defending Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks for the eighth and final playoff spot. After missing the playoffs for the third consecutive season, Dallas fired coach Marc Crawford after just one season with the club on April 12.[29]
To start the 2011 off-season, according toDarren Dreger ofTSN, the team had been "financially managed" by the league for over a year. On June 16, 2011, Dallas hiredGlen Gulutzan to be head coach, making him the sixth coach since the franchise's move from Minnesota.[30] On September 13, 2011, lenders voted to agree to have the Stars file for bankruptcy and sold at auction.[31] On September 21, 2011, Mike Modano announced his retirement from the league. By October 22, 2011, competing bids to buy the club were due.Vancouver businessman andKamloops Blazers ownerTom Gaglardi's bid was the only one submitted, clearing the way for him to enter the final stages of taking over ownership of the team. Gaglardi's purchase was approved by the NHL Board of Governors on November 18, 2011.[31] A bankruptcy court judge approved the bid for anenterprise value of $240 million. First lien creditors got about 75 cents on the dollar. The Stars lost $38 million during their last fiscal year and $92 million over the last three seasons.[32]
As the new owner, Gaglardi's first move was bringing back former Stars PresidentJim Lites to once again take the reins as team president and CEO. To begin the2011–12 season, the Stars once again jumped out to a fast start, going 23-17-1 through the first 41 games of the season. However, when the second half of the season began, the Stars slumped through the months of January and February, before getting hot again in late February. Throughout March, the Stars regained the lead of the Pacific Division. Beginning on March 26, 2012, the Stars embarked on a western road trip that saw them visit theCalgary Flames,Edmonton Oilers,Vancouver Canucks andSan Jose Sharks. Going into the road trip, the Stars were in control of their own destiny, having to gain four points on the road trip to win their first Pacific Division title since the 2005–06 season. After the Stars lost 5–4 in Calgary to the Flames on March 26, the Stars beat the Oilers two nights later, 3–1. This would be their last win of the season, as the Stars were rolled over by the Canucks and Sharks the next two games. The Stars were eliminated from playoff contention on April 5 in a 2–0 loss to the playoff-boundNashville Predators. Despite a winning record once again of 42–35–5 record, the team failed to qualify for the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year missing the 2012 playoffs by six points, setting a franchise record for consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance.[33][34]
On July 1, 2012, the team signed free agent veteransJaromir Jagr,Ray Whitney, andAaron Rome. The next day, the Stars traded fan-favoriteSteve Ott andAdam Pardy to the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for centerDerek Roy. When the2012–13 NHL lockout ended in January 2013 and a 48-gameseason began the Stars embarked on an up-and-down season, though staying in the race for one of the eight Western Conference playoff spots most of the shortened season. In mid-season, forwardMichael Ryder was traded to his former team, the Montreal Canadiens, forErik Cole. This shocked many as Ryder has become an almost overnight fan-favorite to Stars fans in his time with Dallas thanks to his stellar 35-goal campaign the previous season in 2011–12.[35] Before the trade deadline in early April, the Stars began to falter and team captain Brenden Morrow was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins; Roy was traded to the Vancouver Canucks; Jagr to theBoston Bruins; andTomas Vincour to the Colorado Avalanche to close out theNHL trade deadline, all in exchange for draft picks and prospects.[36] After all of the trades at the trade deadline, the Stars' remaining young players pulled together to win six of their next eight games, thus propelling the Stars back into the 2013 playoff race. However, the Stars would drop their final five games, losing all of them while gaining only one point, eliminating them from playoff contention. The Stars had now missed the playoffs for the five straight seasons, continuing to set the all-time record for the franchise (dating back to the franchise's history in Minnesota) for most consecutive seasons without a playoff appearance.
The day after their final regular season game of the 2012–13 season (a 3–0 loss to theDetroit Red Wings), the Stars fired general manager Joe Nieuwendyk. The next day, the Stars introduced their 11th all-time general manager,Jim Nill, the former assistant general manager of the Red Wings. On May 14, 2013, the coaching staff was also fired,[37] and on May 31, 2013,Scott White was re-introduced as the director of hockey operations.[38] The Stars hiredLindy Ruff as their new head coach on June 21, 2013.[39] Nill made his first big trade as general manager when he acquired the former second overall draft pick from the2010 NHL entry draft inTyler Seguin, as well asRich Peverley andRyan Button from theBoston Bruins in exchange forLoui Eriksson,Reilly Smith,Matt Fraser andJoe Morrow. During the 2013 off-season, the league underwent a major realignment. Dallas' returned to a revampedCentral Division, bringing them a much more broadcast-friendly schedule for divisional away games. The Stars had long lobbied for this, as they were unhappy with the large number of games they had to play on the road in thePacific Time Zone as a member of the Pacific Division since the 1998–99 season. Under new head coachLindy Ruff and led by 84-point and 79-point campaigns from Seguin and newly minted captainJamie Benn respectively,[40] the Stars narrowly made it to the2014 playoffs, returning to the Playoffs for the first time since 2008 with a successful 40–31–11 record, finishing with 91 points, fifth in the Central Division and eighth in the Western Conference during the2013–14 season. They lost in the first round of the playoffs to the top-seededAnaheim Ducks in six games with a 5–4 overtime loss in game 6.
Nill made another big trade as general manager when he acquiredJason Spezza andLudwig Karlsson from theOttawa Senators in exchange forAlex Chiasson,Nick Paul, Alex Guptill and a second-round pick in the2015 NHL entry draft. He also signed Senators playerAles Hemsky as a free agent on a three-year, $12 million contract on July 1, 2014. Despite these moves and a 92-point 41–31–10 campaign, the Stars finished with the second-lowest goaltender save percentage in the league during the2014–15 season, which resulted in them failing to qualify for the2015 playoffs due to their sixth-place finish in the Central Division and being seven points behind of the last playoff spot. The lone bright spot of the 2014–15 season was captain Jamie Benn winning theArt Ross Trophy. On April 11, 2015, Benn scored four points in the Stars' last regular season game to finish with 87 points on the season and win the Art Ross Trophy. His final point, a secondary assist with 8.5 seconds left in regulation in the game, allowed him to overtakeNew York Islanders centre and captainJohn Tavares for the award by one point.[41]
In the 2015 off-season the Stars made a couple additions to the team, first trading with theChicago Blackhawks for three-time Stanley Cup championPatrick Sharp as well as defensemanStephen Johns in exchange forTrevor Daley andRyan Garbutt.[42] The Stars also signed via free agency Sharp's teammate from the BlackhawksJohnny Oduya to a two-year contract.[43] In the2015–16 season, the Stars won their first Central Division title since 1998 and posted the best regular season record in the Western Conference with a 50–23–9 record good enough for 109 points and the runner up to thePresidents' Trophy as the regular season champions, only behind theWashington Capitals. In the first round of the 2016 playoffs, they defeated theMinnesota Wild in six games. In the second round, they faced theSt. Louis Blues in the playoffs for the first time since 2001, but lost the series in seven games.
The Stars finished with a 34–37–11 record in an injury-plagued2016–17 season, missing the playoffs for the seventh time in the past nine seasons, missing the 2017 playoffs by 15 points. As a result, the team announced that head coach Lindy Ruff's contract would not be renewed.
In the 2017 off-season the Stars lost goaltenderAntti Niemi and forward Patrick Sharp in free agency.
Ken Hitchcock returned as head coach for the2017–18 season, however once again the Stars missed the playoffs, this time narrowly missing having only missed by just three points in the standings after posting a winning record of 42–32–8 in the season.
Hitchcock retired after the season and was succeeded at the head coaching spot byJim Montgomery. Montgomery's first season as the Stars coach saw the team finish with a 43–32–7 record, good enough to return to theplayoffs for the first time since 2016 as the first wild card team and seventh seed in the Western Conference. The Stars defeated the Central Division-champion and second-seeded Nashville Predators in a six-game series the first round, but fell to the sixth-seeded and eventual Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues in seven games, losing game 7 on the road in double-overtime by a score of 2–1 despite a 52-save performance by starting goaltenderBen Bishop.
Going into the2019–20 season, the Stars added veteran forwardsJoe Pavelski from the San Jose Sharks andCorey Perry of the Anaheim Ducks in free agency on July 1, 2019. To start the 2019–20 season, the Stars sputtered to a 1–7–1 start through their first nine games. However the Stars soon rallied and rattled off a 14–1–1 record between October 19 and November 25, which catapulted the Stars to an eventual season record of 37–24–8 through 69 games, as the regular season was suspended in March 2020 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. Barely two full months into his second season as Stars head coach, on December 10, the Stars fired head coach Jim Montgomery for "unprofessional conduct inconsistent with the core values and beliefs of the Dallas Stars and the National Hockey League."[44] General manager Jim Nill said the situation had come to light the previous weekend, and involved "a material act of unprofessionalism" egregious enough to demand Montgomery's immediate firing. He did not offer specifics "out of respect for everyone involved," only saying that it did not involve abuse of players or criminal conduct.[45]Rick Bowness, who joined the team as an assistant coach a month after Montgomery's hiring in May 2018, was named interim coach, whileDerek Laxdal (who was the head coach of the Stars' AHL affiliateTexas Stars at the time) would be promoted to the assistant coaching position that was vacated by Bowness.[46] On January 1, 2020, the Stars hosted the Nashville Predators in the2020 Winter Classic at theCotton Bowl in a rematch of the previous seasons' first-round playoff series, where the Stars prevailed with a 4–2 victory. This was the first NHL outdoor game for both teams[47] and with a sold-out crowd of 85,630 at the Cotton Bowl, it was the second-most attended game in NHL history.[48] The NHL returned from the March 2020 abrupt regular season stoppage three weeks before completion due to the COVID-19 pandemic a little under five months later in August 2020, where the Stars advanced to theplayoffs. By virtue of having one of the top four highest point percentages in the Western Conference at the time the season was suspended, the Stars played in around-robin tournament against three of the other top four teams in the Western Conference (Vegas Golden Knights,Colorado Avalanche, and St. Louis Blues) in order to determine the team's seed for the playoffs;[49] Dallas was ultimately seeded as the no. 3 seed in the Western Conference,[50] entering them into a first-round series against theCalgary Flames. The Stars defeated the Flames in six games in the first round, and then defeated the Colorado Avalanche in a seven-game series that ended with aJoel Kiviranta hat-trick performance in game 7, which included his series-winning overtime goal. The Stars would defeat the Vegas Golden Knights in five games in the conference finals to advance to theStanley Cup Finals for the first time since2000,[51] as the Stars would end a second consecutive series of the playoffs with a series-winning overtime goal whenDenis Gurianov scored 3:36 into the first overtime period of game 5, winning the game 3–2 for the Stars. The Stars would go on to face the Eastern Conference championTampa Bay Lightning in the Stanley Cup Finals, the Stars won game 1 of the series by a 4–1 score, but would eventually fall to the Lightning in six games.[52]
A month after the Stars' run to the 2020 Stanley Cup Finals, interim head coachRick Bowness was named full-time head coach on October 29, 2020.[53] In thefollowing season, an injury-plagued campaign for the team (most notably with veteran forwardsTyler Seguin andAlexander Radulov along with veteran goaltenderBen Bishop) caused the Stars to finish the COVID-shortened 56-game schedule with a 23–19–14 record, finishing fifth in the Central Division with 60 points and missing the playoffs by four points marking the first time since 2018 where the team failed to qualify for a playoff spot.
The Stars would rebound in the2021–22 season with a 98-point 46–30–6 record, good enough for the first wild-card spot and seventh seed in the Western Conferenceplayoffs where they played the Pacific Division-champion and second-seededCalgary Flames in the first round. They were defeated by the Flames in seven games, losing 3–2 in overtime of game 7 in Calgary. In game 7 the Stars took the game to overtime despite the Flames making twice as many shots and attempts as the Stars, with the Stars' young starting netminderJake Oettinger recording 64 saves, the second-highest in playoff history behind onlyKelly Hrudey's 73 during the 1987Easter Epic.[54] The Stars were eliminated when Flames forwardJohnny Gaudreau finally scored 15:09 into the first overtime period to end the game 3–2. After the team's playoff elimination, head coach Rick Bowness announced that he would be resigning from his coaching duties with the team.[55]
On June 21, 2022, the Stars hiredPeter DeBoer to replace Bowness as their head coach, the 10th in franchise history since the team moved to Dallas in 1993.[56] In the 2022 off-season the Stars added in free agency both forwardMason Marchment,[57] and defensemanColin Miller,[58] however lost veteran defensemanJohn Klingberg to theAnaheim Ducks via free agency after eight seasons with the Stars.[59] Led by their trio of veteran forwards Tyler Seguin,Joe Pavelski, and captainJamie Benn, as well as the emergence of a young core of players including netminder Jake Oettinger, forwardsJason Robertson,Roope Hintz, andWyatt Johnston, and defensemanMiro Heiskanen, the Stars completed their first season under Peter DeBoer with a 108-point 47–21–14 regular season record, just barely being beat out by theColorado Avalanche by one point for the 2022–23 Central Division title.[60] In only his third full season with the Stars and fourth season altogether, Jason Robertson set a new Dallas Stars record for total points in a season with 109 points, surpassing the previous record of 93 points set byMike Modano in the Stars' first season in Dallas back in 1993–94. Robertson accomplished this feat in a game against theArizona Coyotes on March 31, 2023, when he scored a goal as part of a Stars 5–2 win over the Coyotes, his goal was his record-breaking 94th point of the season and 100th goal of his career.[61] Captain Jamie Benn also had a resurgent season, finishing with a 78-point season that included 33 goals and 45 assists recorded in all 82 contests played for a season nicknamed by both Stars fans and pundits alike as the "Bennaissance"[62] for his first 75-plus point season since2017–18.[63] Along with trade deadline acquisitionsMax Domi,[64] andEvgenii Dadonov,[65] the Stars entered the2023 playoffs as the number two seed in the Central Division, matching them up in a first round series against the Minnesota Wild for their first playoff series versus one another since 2016. The Stars opened the playoffs at home with a double-overtime loss in game 1, as nearly midway through regulation of game 1 Joe Pavelski was knocked out with a concussion for the remainder of the first round series on a hit by Wild defensemanMatt Dumba.[66] The Stars responded with a win in game 2 fueled by a Roope Hintz hat-trick performance,[67] winning four of the next five games in the series after game 1 to eliminate the Wild in six games. The Stars then faced theSeattle Kraken in the second round of the playoffs. The Kraken, in only their second season of existence, had upset the defending Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche in the first round in seven games. Pavelski returned to the Stars for game 1 of the series, scoring all four of the Stars' goals in the game, however the Stars lost by a score of 5–4 in overtime.[68] The Stars would go on to win the series, winning game 7 at home by a score of 2–1,[69] sending the Stars to the conference finals and setting up a rematch of the 2020 conference finals versus the Vegas Golden Knights. The Stars would immediately go down 3–0 in the series versus Vegas after dropping the first two games in overtime on the road and a 4–0 loss at home in game 3. In game 3 captain Jamie Benn was suspended for two games for an illegal cross-check on Vegas captainMark Stone.[70] Though the Stars would win games 4 and 5 without Benn and extend the series, the eventual Stanley Cup champion Golden Knights would ultimately defeat the Stars in six games with a 6–0 win in game 6.[71]
Thenext season saw the Stars clinch their fourth Central Division title and finished as the top seed in the Western Conference and placed second in the League overall as the runner up for thePresidents' Trophy, only behind theNew York Rangers. They defeated the defending Stanley Cup champion and eighth-seeded Vegas Golden Knights in seven games in the first round of the2024 playoffs, then defeated the Colorado Avalanche in six games in the second round, and then lost to theEdmonton Oilers in six games in the conference finals.
When the Stars first moved from Minnesota, they played inReunion Arena, which they shared with theNational Basketball Association'sDallas Mavericks. For hockey, Reunion Arena held 17,001 for NHL games. Throughout the hockey history of Reunion Arena, the arena was known for having one of the worst ice surfaces in the league, especially in its final days hosting the Stars. The Stars played at Reunion for eight years, from1993 to2001. Before the2001–02 NHL season, both the Stars and the Mavericks moved into the newAmerican Airlines Center, which is in theVictory Park neighborhood of Dallas, just north of Reunion Arena. American Airlines Center holds 18,584 for Stars and NHL games. On January 24, 2007, the AAC hosted the2007 National Hockey League All-Star Game. The AAC and the Dallas Stars have won several local and NHL awards for the "Best Fan Experience".[72]
All Dallas Stars games are broadcast on radio onKTCK under a five-year deal announced in January 2009.[73] KTCK replacedWBAP, which had broadcast games since the beginning of the 1994 season afterKLIF has broadcast the first season in Dallas in 1993. Television coverage occurs onVictory+, after terminating their deal withBally Sports Southwest.
The Stars, along with the Buffalo Sabres andCarolina Hurricanes are one of only three NHL teams tosimulcast the entirety of their games on TV and radio, which the team has done since their 1993 arrival in Dallas. The original broadcast team from 1993 to 1996 was Mike Fornes (play-by-play) andRalph Strangis (color). Fornes left the broadcast team after the 1995–96 season; Strangis moved to the play-by-play role and color commentatorDaryl "Razor" Reaugh was added. Although both the DFW area's large media market and the team's fan base could theoretically support separate television and radio broadcast teams, the Stars have continued simulcasting due to the popularity of "Ralph and Razor" (as they are known) among local listeners and viewers. Like other NHL teams, the Stars now have a live radio broadcast transmitted inside American Airlines Center on 97.5 FM. This is done because AM radio signals often cannot penetrate concrete and steel building exteriors.
Strangis retired from the booth after the 2014–15 season and was replaced byDave Strader. In June 2016, Strader was diagnosed withcholangiocarcinoma, a fairly rare and aggressive form of cancer of thebile duct. To begin the 2016–17 season, Reaugh assumed play-by-play duties while Strader underwent treatment. Studio analyst and former Stars defenseman,Craig Ludwig, took over as color commentator. During a break in Strader's treatment, he returned to the broadcast booth on February 18, 2017, a 4–3 overtime home win against theTampa Bay Lightning. After the game, the Stars saluted Strader at center ice. On October 1, 2017, Strader died of cancer at age 62, leaving Reaugh and Ludwig to call the 2017–18 season. In July 2018, the Stars announced that Reaugh would return to color commentary for the 2018–19 season, with former studio host Josh Bogorad taking over the play-by-play.[74]
On July 3, 2024, Diamond Sports Group, the owner of Bally Sports Southwest agreed to terminate their contract with the Stars.[75] 5 days later, the Stars announced a deal with tech company A Parent Media Co, Inc., which would broadcast games on their streaming service "Victory+".[76]
When they debuted in Dallas for the 1993–94 season, they kept the same uniform design from their later Minnesota days, except for the addition of theTexas logo patch on the shoulders. Away uniforms were black and home uniforms were white. With minor trim changes, a darker shade of green, and the word 'Dallas' added in the 1994–95 season, they kept this original design until after their1999 Stanley Cup-winning campaign. During this time the black pants included the word "Dallas" in gold run through the sides with green stripes.
In the 1997–98 season, the Stars introduced an alternate uniform that partly resembled those worn during theNHL All-Star Game at the time. The uniform was mostly green on top and black at the bottom, in a star-shaped design. For the 1999–2000 season, it became the primary away uniform, and was paired with a new home uniform featuring the same basic design, with white on top and green at the bottom. They kept this design until the 2006–07 season, during which the league switched color designations on home and away jerseys in the 2003–04 season. The striping was also eliminated on the black pants.The Stars introduced an alternate jersey for the 2003–04 season that proved both embarrassing and unpopular to critics and fans. The uniform, which introduced a red as a new trim color, was black with a green bottom and featured a modern representation of theconstellationTaurus topped by a trailing green star with red trail marks. However, fans and critics derided the uniform crest for its resemblance to auterus, nicknaming it the "Mooterus." The uniform was used until the 2005–06 season.
With the switch to theReebok Edge uniform system, the jerseys underwent a complete redesign. The home black jersey, introduced for the 2007–08 season, features the player's number on the chest and an arched 'Dallas' in white with gold trim, with the primary logo on the shoulders. The primary away jerseys, which were used from 2007 to 2010 and was used as an alternate for its final season, had the Stars logo crest in front and the uniform number on the top right, with the Texas alternate logo on the shoulders. An alternate white jersey based on the home black jersey was introduced for the 2008–09 season; they became the regular away uniforms for the 2010–11 season. The lettering is in green with gold and black trim. Both uniforms were used until the 2012–13 season.
A new logo and uniforms were introduced for the 2013–14 season. Silver replaced gold as the tertiary color, while green (in a new shade called "Victory Green," similar to the old North Stars' shade of green) was reintroduced as a primary uniform color. The new logo features the letter D centering a star, symbolizing Dallas' nickname as "The Big D." The home uniforms are in green with black and white striping, while the away uniforms are in white with a green shoulder yoke, and black and green striping. The inner collar features the team name on the home uniforms, and the city name on the away uniforms. The secondary logo, with the primary inside a roundel with the team name, is featured in the shoulders. This design was retained onceAdidas took over as uniform supplier prior to the 2017–18 season, the only exception being "Victory Green" replacing both "Stars" and "Dallas" on the inner collar of the home and away uniforms respectively.
The Stars unveiled a special edition uniform for the2020 Winter Classic, featuring a design inspired from the defunctDallas Texans of theUnited States Hockey League (USHL). The uniform features the word "Stars" (with the star substituting for the letter A) in the middle of the big letter "D". Both are in white with silver trim. A silhouette of the state of Texas in silver and green trim with the letter "D" inside adorns the left sleeve.
For the 2020–21 season, the Stars added a black alternate uniform with neon green accents (presumably in honor of theBank of America Plaza tower in downtown Dallas) featuring the alternate "Texas D" logo in front. A neon green star is added on the left side of the collar, symbolizing Texas' "Lone Star State" nickname. Numbers are in 3D-accented black with neon green accents. The Stars also released a "Reverse Retro" alternate uniform for the 2020–21 season in collaboration withAdidas, bringing back the 1999–2007 uniform design but with the current color scheme in place of the original green, gold and black colors. The design also featured white pants. A second "Reverse Retro" alternate was released in the 2022–23 season, using the 1993–94 black uniform but with the current Victory Green and silver stripes.
The Dallas Stars are presently affiliated with twominor league teams. TheTexas Stars are theAmerican Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Dallas Stars, who after becoming unaffiliated with theIowa Stars in 2008, did not have an AHL affiliate for the 2008–09 season. TheTexas Stars began play in the AHL in the 2009–10 season as an affiliate for Dallas. They are located inCedar Park, Texas (northwest ofAustin).
In addition to their AHL affiliate, the Dallas Stars are also affiliated with theIdaho Steelheads of theECHL. Based inBoise, the Steelheads play home games at theIdaho Central Arena since 2003.
Since the 2005–06 season, national anthems are performed by Celena Rae, aFort Worth native and a former semifinalist onAmerican Idol. During "The Star-Spangled Banner", the fans yell the team name "stars" in the lines "whose broad stripes and bright stars" and "O say does that star spangled banner yet wave".[77] At games, as part of the entertainment, a Kahlenberg KDT-123 fog horn sounds after every Stars goal.[78]
When the Stars take the ice at the beginning of each game, the song "Puck Off" (also referred to as the "Dallas Stars Fight Song") byPantera, is played in the arena. Members of theDallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan area band had become friends with members of the Stars in the 1990s, especially following the team's Stanley Cup win in 1999.[79] "Puck Off" later also became the team's goal celebration song. During the song, fans chant the only lyrics in the song, "Dallas! Stars! Dallas! Stars!" while pumping their fists in the air. After a penalty on the opposing team is announced, Stars public address announcer shouts, "Your Dallas Stars are on...the..." with the fans finishing "power play!", immediately after which a clip of theMuse song "Knights of Cydonia" is played. After each Stars win, theStevie Ray Vaughan (a Dallas native) andDouble Trouble song "The House is a Rockin'" is played. A song of unknown origin called "The Darkness Music" is played after nearly every away goal.[80] In recent years, fans have usually yelled, "Who cares!?" after away team goals are announced by the public address announcer.[81]
The Stars have hosted a home game on New Year's Eve every year since 1997, except in 2004, 2012, 2019, 2020 and 2021 (the first two being due to lockouts, the third being due to their participation in the2020 Winter Classic, the fourth being due to the delayed off-season caused by theCOVID-19 pandemic, and the fifth was postponed to February 13 due to a team-wide COVID-19 outbreak). For a period of time, the game coincided with theBig D NYE celebration (now on hiatus) on the south side of the arena in AT&T Plaza.[82]
This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by the Stars. For the full season-by-season history, seeList of Dallas Stars seasons.
Note: GP = Games played, W = Wins, L = Losses, OTL = Overtime losses, Pts = Points, GF = Goals for, GA = Goals against
| Season | GP | W | L | OTL | Pts | GF | GA | Finish | Playoffs |
| 2019–20 | 69 | 37 | 24 | 8 | 82 | 180 | 177 | 3rd, Central | Lost inStanley Cup Finals, 2–4 (Lightning) |
| 2020–21 | 56 | 23 | 19 | 14 | 60 | 158 | 154 | 5th, Central | Did not qualify |
| 2021–22 | 82 | 46 | 30 | 6 | 98 | 238 | 246 | 4th, Central | Lost in first round, 3–4 (Flames) |
| 2022–23 | 82 | 47 | 21 | 14 | 108 | 285 | 218 | 2nd, Central | Lost in conference finals, 2–4 (Golden Knights) |
| 2023–24 | 82 | 52 | 21 | 9 | 113 | 298 | 234 | 1st, Central | Lost in conference finals, 2–4 (Oilers) |
Updated March 21, 2025[83][84]
Note: This list does not include formercaptains of theMinnesota North Stars andOakland Seals
The Dallas Stars presently acknowledge an affiliation with a number of inductees to theHockey Hall of Fame. Hall of Fame inductees acknowledged by the Stars include 13 former players and four builders of the sport.[85] The four individuals recognized as builders by the Hall of Fame includes former Stars executives, and head coaches. The tenure of five player inductees, and the three builders acknowledged by the Stars occurred when the franchise was based in Minnesota (1967–1993).Mike Modano is the only Hall of Fame inductee that played with the franchise before and after its relocation to Dallas.
In addition to players and builders, the Stars also acknowledge an affiliation Hockey Hall of Fame inducteeDave Strader. Providingplay-by-play for the Stars, he was a recipient of the Hall of Fame'sFoster Hewitt Memorial Award for his contributions in hockey broadcasting.[85][86]
Players
Builders
| No. | Player | Position | Career | Date of retirement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Neal Broten[b] | C | 1981–1995, 1997 | February 7, 1998 |
| 8 | Bill Goldsworthy[a] | RW | 1967–1977 | February 15, 1992 |
| 9 | Mike Modano[b] | C | 1989–2010 | March 8, 2014 |
| 19 | Bill Masterton[a] | C | 1967–1968 | January 17, 1987 |
| 26 | Jere Lehtinen | RW | 1995–2010 | November 24, 2017[87] |
| 56 | Sergei Zubov | D | 1996–2009 | January 28, 2022[88] |
Notes:
2022[90]
2023[91]
2024[92]
Note: This list does not include selections of theMinnesota North Stars.
These are the top-ten point-scorers in franchise (Minnesota and Dallas) history.[93] Figures are updated after each completed NHL regular season.
Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game
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