95-96 season…. relatives had season tickets (still do… lucky stiffs), got to go to 10 or so games that year. Learned the game at Reunion arena, and admittedly also from the old NHL 93 and 94 on SNES haha.

the next season I watched every game I wasn’t at on TV and have missed very few ever since.

I didn’t even really know hockey existed until they came to Dallas. I was big into sports and picked it up very quickly just from watching tv, nhl video games, and going to a few games a year. Starting playing roller hockey and have been hooked since. I love all the Dallas teams but hockey is now my 2nd fav sport behind baseball. Cowboys moved to 3rd.

First of all I’d like to say that I’m so happy to find this blog. Being a giant fan of UT and BON I was glad that PB linked over. I grew up spending time up north and playing hockey and was a Northstars fan from way back. So when they moved to my state it was the best of both worlds. I followed through the early years and then into the AAC and the championship and am still a fan. We live in Austin but try to get up 3-5 times a year for games and watch as many as they televise. We’ve already got our tickets for the confusingly named Texas Stars and are looking forward to watching the farm team even more. Go Stars!!!

My friend had NHL 95 and some other hockey game that we use to play all of the time. It was really fun to play so I started checking it out on TV and have been a fan since.

I’m young enough that I can actually claim to be a lifelong Stars fan. I was four years old when the Stars migrated south, and my father took me to a game in ‘93 and I’ve been hooked ever since. I still maintain that Reunion Arena was an incredible venue for hockey. My family’s never been fortunate enough to be able to afford season tickets or anything, but I can’t count the number of games my father and I caught from the very top row at Reunion. There really was not a bad seat in that place.

As for my favorite players, the list starts for me behind Joe Nieuwendyk. He remains arguably my favorite player in Dallas history, but the list runs on. Zubov’s puck control, Sydor’s heart, Carbonneau’s smarts, Keane’s grit, Churla’s fists, Matvichuk’s toughness, Morrow’s leadership, Ludwig’s patchwork shin pads. It’s all permanently a part of my Stars fandom.

the same story as you, Brandon, on becoming a Stars fan. I quickly became a huge fan because Hockey was on way more often than football, and it allowed me to watch two to three nights a week.

As far as favorite early Stars go Trent Klatt was my favorite player, and I have absolutely no idea why. I was a kid. So i guess I didn’t really need a “good” reason to make someone a favorite player.

I started watching hockey during my freshman year at UNT. One of my new friends in my dorm hall taught me a bit about the game in ’97. I learned about the heartbreaking loss to Edmonton and the new Dallas goalie named Belfour. I also started to watch hockey in the Olympics although the tape delay ruined it. I managed to get a few of my dorm buddies to attend games at Reunion arena and sat on the top row. I remember sitting on the concrete ledge and putting my feet in our seats.

During the playoffs, I would go down to watch the Stars games in the dorm lobby and start to get others interested in the game as Dallas went deeper into the playoffs. I eventually started playing NHL video games. The series with Edmonton that year was exhilarating with a much better ending than the year before. I was heartbroken when the Stars lost to the Red Wings, but by that time I was hooked and on the band wagon.

I really started to like Belfour and his abrasiveness towards forwards that would camp out in front of him. Loved hearing the crowd chanting “Eddie! Eddie!” When I started my first summer internship at the company I now work, the Stars started their Stanley cup run with another Edmonton series. Once again the series was just magnificent with Dallas again coming out on top, but this time in a sweep albeit with some long overtime games. I would drag my tired self in to work the next day after a long night watching the Stars but I didn’t care. The Stars were on a mission and I had to be there to watch.

The 7th game in conference final series vs. the Avalanche started the city’s awakening to the Stars. Just a year ago, I was still learning the game but now I was teaching my parents and friends what icing and off sides were. My faithfulness was rewarded by seeing my new favorite team win it all that summer. I loved Hull’s cockiness, Modano’s cool skill, and Lehtinen’s workman production. Most of all, I loved crazy Ed Belfour. No matter how crazy/bizarre the guy acted, I would always cheer for him.

Similar to Smoak, I was raised on Cowboys, but I always enjoyed hockey and followed the U.S. Olympic team. Yet, I desired a close-to-home team I could really embrace. I was playing a good bit of roller hockey at the time, so I watched as much as possible. Anyway, I’m really glad there’s finally a Stars blog at SBN and appreciate the link from BON.

NHL 94 is a classic!

I was 15 when they moved here. I knew very little about the game, but very quickly became enamored with guys like Craig Ludwig, The Broten Bros., and Modano, Moog, and Courtnall. I ain’t crazy about cold weather, but wish I could have grown up playing this great game. It sucks to live in Houston now because I don’t get to see as many games as I would like. I go to a few games a year and live-it-up when I do!!

I lived in North Dakota in the mid-late 80’s when I was first exposed to hockey. The North Stars were most everyone’s favorite team, but because I had to be a contrarian, I decided to go for the Penguins instead. And then in quite the ironic twist, they move to Dallas the year after I move from Dallas to Houston. So not only was my “new” team the one I had earlier disavowed, but also, they waited until I was gone before moving to Dallas.

The hockey gods definitely got me good, but they did reward me with a Stanley Cup so everything is forgiven.