Dallas Stars SuperBracket: First Round Recap
By Tom Dorsa
Over on Twitter, the Blackout Dallas team has posted intriguing matchup after intriguing matchup in an effort to find the favorite Dallas Stars player, person, season, you name it.
On Thursday, the National Collegiate Athletic Association began their annual men’s basketball tournament; in which 68 schools shoot, pass, and rebound their way to a national championship.
For the squad at Blackout Dallas, the answer to this was to design a bracket that puts the top Dallas Stars forwards, defensemen, goaltenders, general managers, coaches, jerseys, seasons, and moments in team history.
The quest to narrow down this tournament bracket from 68 to one began yesterday on @BlackoutDallas, the official Twitter account of the aforementioned Stars blog and news headquarters.
Let’s see the recap of the events hosted by columnist Tom Dorsa:
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PLAY-IN ROUNDS:
Trevor Daley (68%) – Alex Goligoski (32%); 40 votes.
Trevor Daley, now of Pittsburgh Penguins fame, upended Coyotes defender and longtime underrated Stars blueliner Alex Goligoski in a play-in match for the Defense Region.
Loui Eriksson (58%) – Jamie Langenbrunner (42%); 51 votes.
Loui Eriksson, whose career high of 36 goals in 2011-12 came with Dallas, downed former Team USA captain and top-six Stars forward Jamie Langenbrunner for a spot in the Forwards Region bracket.
Arturs Irbe (55%) – Darcy Wakaluk (45%); 29 votes.
A battle of two journeyman goaltenders was won by Arturs Irbe, who recently retired from the NHL, over Darcy Wakaluk. Irbe earned a spot in the Goalies Region bracket.
Dallas Stars
2015-16 Central Division Title (71%) – 2013-14 Playoff Berth, Dallas’s First in Six Seasons (29%); 43 votes.
The Stars winning the Central Division last season bested their efforts in 2013-14, where Dallas made the postseason for the first time since 2008. Dallas’s Central Division Title garnered a position the Moments Region bracket.
1999 to 2006 Whites (69%) – “Mooterus” (31%); 39 votes.
The infamous Mooterus jersey, universally loathed by Stars fans everywhere, fell to the 1999 White jersey design. The ’99 Whites made the Jersey Region of the SuperBracket with the win.
COACHES REGION:
#1 Ken Hitchcock (93%) – #8 Jeff Reese (7%); 42 votes.
Hitchcock, the number-one seed in the Coaches Region, obliterated Stars goalie coach Jeff Reese in Round 1. Hitchcock advanced to the regional semifinals.
#4 Dave Tippett (86%) – #5 Glen Gulutzan (14%); 43 votes.
Two current NHL coaches (Tippett is at the helm in Arizona, while Gulutzan oversees the Calgary Flames) battled it out on Thursday, with Tippett annihilating Gulutzan. Tippett clinched a regional semi spot.
#3 Lindy Ruff (76%) – #6 Marc Crawford (24%); 41 votes.
Current Stars head coach Lindy Ruff upended former Dallas headman Marc Crawford for a spot in the regional semifinals.
#2 Bob Gainey (76%) – #7 Rick Wilson (24%); 34 votes.
The first head coach in Stars history, Bob Gainey, knocked off longtime Stars assistant coach and brief head coach Rick Wilson in Round 1. Gainey made the regional semifinals.
SEASONS REGION:
#1 1998-99 (86%) – #8 2006-07 (14%); 35 votes.
The Stars’ only season in which they captured the Cup beat their 2006-07 season in Round 1.
#4 1999-00 (62%) – #5 2007-08 (38%); 29 votes.
1999-00, a season where Dallas won the Western Conference for the second straight year, beat their Western Conference Final appearance in 2007-08. 1999-00 earned a regional semifinal spot.
#3 2005-06 (66%) – #6 1993-94 (34%); 32 votes.
2005-06, a season in which Dallas captured a Central Division title, beat out the first season in Stars history, 1993-94. 2005-06 advanced to Round 2.
#2 2015-16 (83%) – #7 1997-98 (17%); 40 votes.
2015-16, the second seed in the region, netted a big win over Dallas’s first divisional title campaign of 1997-98. 2015-16 faces 2005-06 in Round 2.
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FORWARDS REGION:
#1 Mike Modano (96%) – #8 Loui Eriksson (4%); 47 votes.
In likely the biggest give-me of the tournament, Mike Modano topped Loui Eriksson by an extreme margin. Modano advances to the regional semifinals.
#4 Brenden Morrow (51%) – #5 Brett Hull (49%); 43 votes.
Long-time Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow edged out Brett Hull in the closest regulation final possible. Morrow will face linemate and number-one seed Mike Modano in Round 2.
#3 Jamie Benn (92%) – #6 Joe Nieuwendyk (8%); 49 votes.
Current Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn clobbered 1999 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Joe Nieuwendyk in Thursday’s first-round matchup. Benn advanced to the regional semifinals in the Forwards Region with the conquest.
#2 Jere Lehtinen (55%) – #7 Tyler Seguin (45%); 51 votes.
Three-time Selke Trophy winner Jere Lehtinen squeezed by current Stars goals machine Tyler Seguin in a first-round match. Lehtinen faces #3 Jamie Benn in Round 2.
DEFENSE REGION:
#1 Sergei Zubov (79%) – #8 Trevor Daley (21%); 63 votes.
The highest-scoring defenseman in Stars history, Sergei Zubov, knocked off Play-In winner Trevor Daley in Round 1. Zubov advances to the regional semifinals.
#4 John Klingberg (53%) – #5 Stephane Robidas (47%); 57 votes.
Current Stars blueliner John Klingberg won a close match against former lockdown defenseman Stephane Robidas. Klingberg will play #1 Sergei Zubov in Round 2.
#6 Craig Ludwig (50%, 53%) – #3 Darryl Sydor (50%, 47%); 52 regulation votes, 30 overtime votes.
In an unprecedented overtime match in Round 1, Craig Ludwig bested Darryl Sydor to advance to the regional semifinals.
#2 Derian Hatcher (85%) – #7 Richard Matvichuk (15%); 40 votes.
Former Stars captain Derian Hatcher knotted a huge win over pair-mate Richard Matvichuk in the first round. Hatcher will play #6 Ludwig in Round 2.
MOMENTS REGION:
#1 Jamie Benn’s 2014-15 Art Ross Trophy (75%) – #8 2015-16 Central Division Title (25%); 53 votes.
Jamie Benn’s Art Ross Trophy, the only scoring title won by a Dallas Star, beat last year’s Central Division title by three-fourth’s vote. Benn’s Art Ross from 2014-15 advanced to round two.
#5 Brett Hull’s 1999 Cup Winning Goal (57%) – #4 Brenden Morrow 4OT Goal vs San Jose (43%); 35 votes.
A controversial overtime goal from Brett Hull in the 1999 Stanley Cup Final, which awarded the Stars their only Cup, bested Brenden Morrow’s four-overtime goal against San Jose in 2008. Hull’s Cup-clincher will play #1 Jamie Benn’s Art Ross Trophy in Round 2.
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#6 Mike Modano’s Final Home Game in Dallas (64%) – #3 Mike Modano’s 500th Goal (36%); 39 votes.
Mike Modano’s Dallas Stars home finale (goal, assist, shootout winner), beat Modano’s 500th goal in 2007 against Philly to advance to Round 2.
#7 Game 7 of the 1999 Western Conference Final (92%) – #2 Neal Broten’s First Goal in Dallas in 1993 (8%); 36 votes.
The electrifying Game 7 of the 1999 Western Conference Finals, where the Stars destroyed Patrick Roy’s Colorado Avalanche 4-1, won against the first goal in Dallas Stars history, scored by Neal Broten. The 1999 WCF Game 7 faces Modano’s Final Home Game in Round 2.
GENERAL MANAGERS REGION:
#1 Bob Gainey (82%) – #8 Mark Janko (18%); 34 votes.
The first GM of the Stars, Bob Gainey, beat current assistant GM Mark Janko in Round 1. Gainey, the first seed in the General Managers Region, advanced to the second round.
#5 Joe Nieuwendyk (68%) – #4 Les Jackson (32%); 40 votes.
Joe Nieuwendyk, who controlled 68% of the vote, overcame higher-seeded Les Jackson for the Round 1 victory. Nieuwendyk faces #1 Bob Gainey in Round 2.
#3 Doug Armstrong (65%) – #6 Brett Hull (35%); 31 votes.
Doug Armstrong, the GM immediately after the departure of Bob Gainey, beat former co-GM Brett Hull in the 3v6 matchup. Armstrong earned a spot in the regional semifinals.
#2 Jim Nill (94%) – #7 Scott White (6%); 33 votes.
Current Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill demolished current Texas Stars (AHL) GM Scott White in their first round match. Nill faces #3 Doug Armstrong in Round 2.
JERSEYS REGION:
#8 1998-99 to 2006-07 Whites (76%) – 2007-08 to 2012-13 Blacks (24%); 41 votes.
The first one-seed to be shown the door in this tournament, the 2007-08 to 2012-13 Blacks, fell to the 1998-99 to 2006-07 Whites. The eight-seed made the regional semifinals.
#4 Victory Green Homes (72%) – #5 Victory Green Away (28%); 43 votes.
In a battle between each of the Stars current jerseys, their home greens beat out the away whites in a 4v5 matchup. The Victory Green Homes play the 98-99 to 06-07 Whites in Round 2.
#3 1993-94 Blacks (68%) – 2007-08 to 2012-13 Whites (32%); 31 votes.
The Stars first jerseys, their 1993-94 Blacks, beat out their 2007-08 to 2012-13 Whites in Round 1. The ’93 Blacks advanced to Round 2.
#7 1995-96 Blacks (62%) – 1993-94 Whites (38%); 37 votes.
The 1995-96 Blacks, an adaption of the prior jerseys with brighter greens and featuring “Dallas” on the front, beat out the Whites from 93-94. They’ll face the 93-94 Blacks in Round 2.
GOALIES REGION:
#1 Marty Turco (96%) – #8 Arturs Irbe (4%); 53 votes.
Marty Turco, the Stars all-time wins leader, beat out Arturs Irbe by a whopping margin. Turco advanced to the regional semifinals.
#4 Roman Turek (61%) – #5 Antti Niemi (39%); 38 votes.
Roman Turek, a former Jennings Trophy Co-winner for the Stars in 1999, ousted Antti Niemi in Round 1 on Friday. Turek will play #1 Marty Turco in Round 2.
#3 Kari Lehtonen (57%) – #6 Andy Moog (43%); 44 votes.
Current Stars starting goalie Kari Lehtonen edged the first Stars goalie to record a win in franchise history, Andy Moog, in their regional quarterfinals match. Lehtonen will play on Sunday.
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#2 Ed Belfour (97%) – Ron Tugnutt (3%); 37 votes.
Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Ed Belfour, who had the highest percentage of head-to-head votes in the first round, knocked out Ron Tugnutt in Round 1. Belfour now faces #3 Kari Lehtonen in the regional semifinals.
That’s all for round one. Make sure to tune into the Blackout Dallas Twitter account (@BlackoutDallas) starting tomorrow as we kick off round two voting. Who will be crowned champion?