The Dallas Stars were a big part of a tantalizing playoff race in the Pacific Division last year. First-year coach Glen Gulutzan did a fantastic job with a team that no one really took seriously heading into the 2011-12 season. Unlike the boom-to-bust ways of the Minnesota Wild and their first-year coach (Mike Yeo), the Stars were much more consistent throughout the campaign.

Dallas didn't make it to the postseason, losing its last five games, all to teams that made the playoffs. Despite the slide and the disappointment of not making the postseason, there were positives. New owner Tom Gaglardi took over in November, and the team's improvement -- along with some solid marketing -- helped get some butts into seats that were almost alarmingly empty early in the season.