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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Five Events That Shaped The Stars’ New Decade

Posted on by Kathleen Tibbetts

By any measure, the Dallas Stars have begun 2020 on an incredible high. With the Winter Classic quickly becoming part of the city’s cultural memory, followed by a key win over the Detroit Red Wings, the holiday mood is still alive.

But it’s impossible to forget that the dawn of the previous decade was memorable for an entirely different reason. And the journey from receivership to seemingly unshakable mediocrity to the growing anticipation of another playoff run has been punctuated by a few franchise-defining moments.

Stars senior staff writer Mike Heika has put together five of them. Near the top, of course, is the trade that turned July 4th into Tyler Seguin Day among the Stars faithful:

One of the biggest flaws before Nill took over was the lack of center depth. Jamie Benn was playing center instead of left wing, and the departures of Brad Richards and Mike Ribeiro left a lot of space in the pivot….

Since his acquisition in 2013, Seguin ranks eighth in NHL scoring with 496 points in 511 games. He is fourth in goals in that span with 217. Even during what most would consider a down season by his standards, Seguin leads the Stars with 32 points, is plus-6 and is winning 58 percent of his faceoffs.

But a quieter moment with outsized impact was the ascendancy of team president Brad Alberts:

Alberts started selling tickets with the Stars in 1996 and moved up the ranks into management before leaving in 2009. He returned in 2011, and has been a key member of the decision-making group ever since. When he was given his current job, Alberts set out to not only improve the small details of the organization but also push for dream projects.

One of those dream projects was the Winter Classic, and he and the management group made that happen on Jan. 1. Dallas played host to an outdoor hockey game at the Cotton Bowl, and really established the Stars as an organization to watch. Mix that with the hosting the 2018 NHL Draft, and the city and team are definitely in a good place in terms of their relationship with the league.

There’s always more at Mike’s place. [Dallas Stars]

Stars Stuff

With John Klingberg on injured reserve, blueliner Joel Hanley is back in Big D.

Clearly, the Stars are working on their westward vibe – first with a watch party in Arlington…

…and then with this fun time in Cowtown.

Around The League(s)

In On The #Kill Taker

  • The Colorado Avalanche lost 5-3 on the road to the New York Rangers and Russian powerhouses Artemi Panarin and Igor Shesterkin. [Mile High Hockey]
  • The St. Louis Blues took the lead early and held on for a 3-2 win against the San Jose Sharks. [St. Louis Game Time]
  • John Hynes lost his first game as the Nashville Predators’ hastily-hired head coach, while the Boston Bruins romped to a 6-2 victory. [On The Forecheck]
  • And the Chicago Blackhawks lost at home – and worse, may have lost Dylan Strome – as the Calgary Flames took a 2-1 decision. [Second City Hockey]/

Adam Vingan of The Athletic has more of the story behind Hynes’ hiring in Music City.

Find out where Joe Pavelski and Corey Perry rank on Jared Clinton’s midterm report card for offseason signings.

Where does Roope Hintz rank among the NHL’s second-line centers? John Vogl has done the sums.

The World Juniors are over, but the fallout continues for Los Angeles Kings superprospect Rasmus Kupari, who will lose the rest of his season to knee surgery.

Meanwhile, Justin Williams has returned to the Carolina Hurricanes after a self-imposed hiatus, and Stan Temming asks the only question that matters.

Greetings From Scenic Cedar Park

Ringo the Ringtail is a star wherever he goes – and his next stop is the AHL All-Star Classic.

ICYMI, the Texas Stars’ favorite rascal has also invaded TikTok, a.k.a. one of the newer social platforms to move into your house, put its feet on your sofa and refuse to leave:

Finally

However you feel about the Red Wings, this is a nice moment. Enjoy.

Talking Points