Top 50 Dallas Stars
Entering the National Hockey League in the first wave of expansion 1967, the Dallas Stars were originally the Minnesota North Stars bringing the professional game to what is arguably the most hockey-rich state in the United States.
The Minnesota North Stars would struggle the same way that other National Hockey League expansion teams would but in 1981 they would make the Stanley Cup despite having a subpar record. They would again appear in the Finals in 1991 as the underdog and would lose, though they would be very popular in their state.
Despite the North Stars being in Minnesota, the economics did not work and the franchise would relocate south to Texas. Now named the Dallas Stars, the franchise would win their first and to date only Stanley Cup in 1999 and while hockey did not seem right in Texas the Stars would become bona fide draws in the region.
Note: Hockey lists are based on an amalgamation of tenure, traditional statistics, advanced statistics, playoff statistics, and post-season accolades.
This list is up to the end of the 2022-23 Season.
While Steve Payne may not have been the most elite forward in Minnesota North Stars history, he was one of the more clutch performers in the teams lore. Payne would have six consecutive 50 Point seasons where he would also post a pair of All Star seasons. He would represent…
A tough and athletic Defenceman, Trevor Daley played over 700 Games with the Dallas Stars providing toughness and leadership, everything you want in a hockey player. Daley was never an All Star caliber player but his overall play and lengthy tenure warrants him this place on the list.
Prior to arriving to the Minnesota North Stars, Gilles Meloche lost a lot of games as the number one Goalie for the California Golden Seals (later relocated to Cleveland as the Barons). This was not a testament to Meloche’s ineffectiveness, rather he just played for some bad teams and he…
In terms of tenure, Richard Matvichuk is near the top of the list. The Defenceman is one of the few players who had over 700 Games for the Dallas Stars (733). Maavichuk was not known for his offensive style but his stay-at-home defensive style was sound and was helpful in…
Cesare Manigo may not have been an elite Goalie in the National Hockey League but he was a workhorse backstop who became successful in the expansion era. Maniago may not have brought the Minnesota North Stars to the Finals, but his defensive skill brought them closer to the Holy Grail…
Is this rank too high or too low? If you think it is too high, perhaps it is because you are pointing at the fact that Brett Hull was only with the Dallas Stars for three seasons, not a long period of time compared to many on this list. While…
While Danny Grant was a member of the Montreal Canadians 1968 Stanley Cup Championship team, he was still considered a rookie when he was traded the following off season to the North Stars. This is notable as he would become the Calder Trophy winner in the 1968-69 Season.
A two time Olympian with Sweden, Loui Eriksson spent his first seven years in the NHL with the Stars. From the 2009-10 to 2011-12 Eriksson would score 70 Points while still providing adequate defense. An All Star in 2011, he would also finish in the top five in Lady Byng…
Brad Maxwell was known for his powerful shot and playmaking ability, which allowed him to become a potent force on the offensive side of the rink. An All Star in 1984, Maxwell had four seasons for Minnesota where he exceeded 35 Points, his highest being a 74 Point campaign in…
There was nothing flashy about the game of Curt Giles but NHL teams need players who are defensive stalwarts, which was a role that he played very well.
Stephane Robidas was an offensive stud as a junior hockey player but as a professional his blueline game blossomed; especially with the Dallas Stars. Robidas would hone a balanced game in Texas and is one of the few players of the organization to play in over 700 Games.
Tim Young spent the majority of his professional career with the Minnesota North Stars where he averaged a very good .88 Points per Game. In his second season, Young was named an All Star and finished the season with 95 Points, which was good enough for 5th in the NHL. …
All-Rookie player in 2018-19, Finnish Defenseman, Miro Heiskanen is living up to the hype that a Third Overall Pick should be. Heiskanen, who has played five years for Dallas to date, has managed to score at least 30 Points in four of them, and had it not been for the…
J.P. Parise was one of the many beneficiaries of the 1967 Expansion and in his late 20’s would find solid footing as a top forward for the Minnesota North Stars. Parise would score 70 Points in two different seasons, the first of which (1969-70) would see him finish seventh in…
From Finland, Esa Lindell was a Third Round pick in 2012, and the Defenseman would make his way to the United States two years later. After two years in the AHL, Lindell made it to the Dallas Stars, where he remains today. A big man at over 6’ 3”, Lindell rarely…
While somewhat injury prone Fred Barrett found away to play 745 Games in the National Hockey League (730 of which were with the North Stars). Barrett was an energetic force on the ice and in the locker room making him an asset to the team despite his relatively low production…
A high Second Round Pick in 2017, California’s Jason Robertson has shown to be one of the steals in that draft. Robertson first made it to the Stars as a late callup in 2019/20, and though he did not play, absorbed knowledge during the Stars’ playoff run. He was there…
Dennis Hextall was only with the Minnesota North Stars for four and half seasons but the plucky undersized forward out up the best numbers of his career playing there.
Prior to being a North Star, Al MacAdam was a two-time All Star with Cleveland Barons, the team that merged its assets with Minnesota in 1978. The Right Winger might not have been named an All Star while he played for Minnesota but it was while wearing the green, gold…
Brad Richards will always be (and rightfully so) associated first with the Tampa Bay Lightning as it was there where he won the Lady Byng, the Conn Smythe and the Stanley Cup. With all of that being true, Richards was quite good in Dallas in the three years and change…