Dallas Stars Departed Players Encounter Career Challenges
While it’s difficult to say that players leaving the Dallas Stars likely have issues when joining other organizations, there have been a few standout situations that suggest at least a minor correlation.
The Dallas Stars have had a number of players come on and off of the roster over the last few years. Since 2008, the entire team has changed – most of the coaching staff included.
If you’ve followed along with former Stars – of which there are many – you might’ve noticed that a lot of the big name players have hit career lows after leaving the Lone Star State.
Mike Modano
It’s difficult to talk about Dallas Stars history without mentioning the most recognizable, former face of the franchise Mike Modano. As the greatest American-born player to ever play the game, No. 9 graced Dallas with the beauty that was his sweater fluttering in the wind for 16 seasons.
However, for what would become his final season in the league, the famed Mo signed a deal with the Detroit Red Wings. During the 2010-11 season, Modano appeared in 40 games for the Wings – the only games he played for a franchise other than the Stars organization.
His tenure as a Detroit forward came to a rather abrupt end when his wrist was cut open in what can only be called a freak accident. While sitting on the bench awaiting his next shift, Modano’s wrist was cut by the skate of a player who had just been checked into the boards.
That injury signaled the end to Modano’s illustrious NHL career, and his decision to join another franchise ultimately contributed to his career’s end. However, he signed a one-day contract with Dallas so he could retire as a Star – which is only logical considering he is still the greatest Star to ever put on the jersey.
In the time since his career ended, Modano’s No. 9 has been retired by the franchise in one of the best ceremonial games in Stars history and he’s joined the team in a front office role.
Brenden Morrow
Another leader within the Stars’ locker room for a number of years was Brenden Morrow. After being selected 25th overall in the 1997 Entry Draft, Morrow joined the Stars right before their 1999 Stanley Cup win. While he missed out on the victory by just one season, Morrow’s impact on the organization was long-lived and immense.
His 13 seasons in Dallas saw him become captain just prior to the 2006-07 season, contributed to their 2008 Stanley Cup run and mentored some of the greatest players on the current roster. He amounted 835 games in a Stars jersey.
Dallas Stars
However, as No. 10 aged and the Stars were trending in a faster-paced style of game, Morrow proved unable to keep up. In the spring of 2013 Morrow was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins before joining St. Louis Blues and eventually the Tampa Bay Lightning.
His career never fully amounted to all that it could’ve been, though. Morrow’s tenure with the Lightning saw them reach the Stanley Cup Finals in 2015, but they ultimately fell to the Chicago Blackhawks in the series 4-2.
While the loss in the finals certainly serves as the highlight of Morrow’s career downturn post-Stars, he also dealt with a lot of speculation surrounding his ability to play. When in Dallas, No. 10 was respected for his style of play – and the limitations that accompanied it. On other rosters, though, he didn’t seem to have that same level of respect.
In the end, Morrow announced his retirement in March 2016.
Brad Richards
Lastly on this list is the former NHL hotshot Brad Richards. While his career started out strong in Tampa Bay, he was traded to the Stars in a blockbuster deal hours before the trade deadline in February 2008.
During his tenure with Dallas, Richards was regarded as the best player on the team, and he was among the highest paid players as well. Playing on the first line alongside then Stars Loui Eriksson and James Neal, Richards reached 91 points to tie his best season in his career.
No. 91 was also featured as the power play quarterback, leading the charge against opposing team’s defensive tactics. His offensive prowess was impressive, but he and the Stars could unfortunately never get all of the pieces to fall into place.
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Ultimately, Richards entered the free agency market in the spring of 2011 as the biggest name available after electing to leave Dallas. There were a number of teams crossing their fingers that the illustrious forward with one Stanley Cup victory under his belt – from his days in Tampa Bay – would pick them. In the end, Richards reunited with his former Lightning coach John Tortorella and became a New York Ranger for the hefty nine-year, $60 million contract.
Sadly for the former Star, that was the start of the end of his career. Just three years after signing his nine-year deal, the Rangers opted to buy out Richards’ deal. This came just after New York was unable to find success in the Stanley Cup Finals, which surely only added to the blow.
From there, Richards went to play for the Chicago Blackhawks where he won the second cup of his career – a sign that not all was bad post-Dallas for the forward. And he then played one more season as a member of the Detroit Red Wings before announcing his retirement in 2016.
As of just a few days ago, Richards has been hired to work in the front office for the Rangers.
At the end of the day
While it’s impossible to say that all players that depart the Stars organization are doomed in their next endeavors, the trend toward having downturns in careers after leaving the Lone Star State is hard to ignore.
Next: Dallas Stars' Shot at the Stanley Cup in 2017-18
Of course, Modano, Morrow and Richards are great players that deserve recognition for their time in the organization. Their contributions are something fans and the team itself will be forever grateful for, and each player’s career ended up the way it was supposed to. Unfortunately, their paths seemed to take a downward turn of sorts after leaving the Stars, though.