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Dallas Stars Daily Links: Andrej Sekera Gets The Five Things Treatment

Get to know the Slovakian defender, courtesy of Mike Heika. Plus, Corey Perry does Stars Night, the Colorado Avalanche’s Stanley Cup odds, and more.

Andrej Sekera has had a long NHL career – but now that he’s joined the Dallas Stars, it’s time to learn those personal details you’ve always known about your favorites.

Stars senior staff writer Mike Heika has made his own list of most interesting stories about the veteran blueliner. For starters, it’s a steep transition from junior hockey in his native Slovakia to the intense development leagues of Canada:

“Youth hockey is way different than here. It was go somewhere and have fun. It wasn’t as professional or as serious as it is here,” Sekera told NHL.com in 2014 said. “There were a bunch of kids from apartment buildings. There were 15 of us in the same age group that would play soccer in the summer and hockey in the winter.”

Still, the Sabres drafted him at 71st overall in 2004 and Sekera came to play Major Junior for Owen Sound. In his second season, he had 55 points (21 goals, 34 assists) in 51 games, won the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the league’s outstanding defenseman, and his career took off from there.

He also has his own bad life-good anecdote about a series of travel snafus on his way to the NHL Draft:

“My flight in Paris got canceled so I had to stay overnight. I got here on draft day, and my luggage wasn’t here. So I was just the guy in the sweatpants,” Sekera said with a smile. “We never wore suits back home for a game day or whatever. It was always sweatpants or whatever you wanted to wear -- what was comfortable for you. And I realized I was probably the only guy in sweatpants here.”...

”My agent made sure I had something normal to wear. I looked like Al Pacino from ‘Goodfellas.’ Just a different style,” Sekera said. “It was fun, though, and a good experience.”

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

Stars Stuff

In case you missed it, Mark Stepneski has written a nice piece on how prospect forward Riley Damiani is living up to his place in the Jamie Benn Round. [Dallas Stars]

You might as well get used to seeing Corey Perry everywhere. Here he talks with the NHL Network about joining the Stars – from the Rangers game, yet.

And here’s Ben Bishop repping the Victory Green gang on Stars Night.

Around The League(s)

You’re not sleeping on the Colorado Avalanche. Heck, you may not be sleeping, period.

Speaking of the Avs, they’ve just secured the services of J.T. Compher for their looming Stanley Cup window, too.

Meanwhile, the New Jersey Devils are determined to re-sign Taylor Hall – even if they’re not entirely sure what that will take.

Soooo, who’s up for a November road trip?

There’s more tragic news concerning former Nashville Predators captain Greg Johnson, whose early death appears to be a suicide.

Finally

The question of the week.

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