Dallas Stars Daily Links: Stars Come Up Short, Lose to EKG

Yesterday, the Dallas Stars lost yet another game, but no one seemed to mind. That’s because the game was an exhibition match put on alongside the Make a Wish Foundation. The Stars faced off against Anderson McDuffie, a 10-year old boy who has gone through multiple heart surgeries, and his hockey team, EKG. This was a plan that had been in the works since March this past year:

“He’s like, ‘I already know what I want my wish to be. It might be too big of a wish but I want to make my own hockey team and I want to play against the Dallas Stars because they’re my heroes... There’s one Stars player [Rich Peverley] that also has a broken heart like Anderson so he really felt inclined to have his wish be with the Dallas Stars.”

The game wasn’t just an amazing experience for Anderson, but also the Stars themselves. Captain Jamie Benn was just one of several players who has felt inspired by the 10-year old:

“Anderson’s been battling throughout his life and just puts things in perspective,” Benn said. “In the end, we just play a game and there’s more to life than just hockey. “I’m fortunate enough to play in this league and come to this rink every day and battle. I think we found some inspiration today knowing Anderson’s story.”

You can read more from Saad Yousuf behind the paywall: [The Athletic]

Stars Stories

The most memorable moment of the game might have been just after it ended, when Roman Polak skated around the rink while lifting Anderson (as seen in the lead image). But this is a close second:

Sounds like John Klingberg didn’t know what hit him:

In other news, Andrew Cogliano opens up about what it was like to be traded by the Anaheim Ducks after eight years with the franchise: [The Athletic]

The Stars take on the Los Angeles Kings tonight, and it looks like Jason Dickinson will be back in the lineup:

Around the League

The Colorado Avalanche were the lone Central team to play last night, and they got walloped by the Ottawa Senators 5-2: [Silver Seven Sens]

While the Avalanche continue to slide, the St. Louis Blues are steadily on the rise:

Jarome Iginla might have been drafted by Dallas, but he spent nearly his entire career with the Calgary Flames after being traded to them. And now, the inevitable has arrived:

Speaking of the Flames, does Johnny Gaudreau deserve to be in the Hart Trophy conversation? [The Hockey News]

The Stars need to improve their top six, but what should the rest of the NHL do this upcoming trade deadline?

Finally, you can kiss dreams about a 2020 World Cup goodbye, as the NHL and NHLPA have jointly decided not to pursue it: [NBC Sports]

Here’s the league’s official statement on the matter: