The Dallas Stars had to trade their longest tenured defenseman in the organization last offseason for the betterment of the team. It turned out to be a win-win situation for both sides.
Last night, the Pittsburgh Penguins officially became the last team standing in the 2015-2016 NHL season. They defeated the San Jose Sharks 3-1 in game six of the Stanley Cup Final to win the series 4-2 and win the Stanley Cup for the second time in seven years.
One player who played an influential role in the Penguins’ mid-season turnaround this past season was not physically able to hit the ice and compete in any of the Stanley Cup Final games. Yet, he still ended up lifting the Cup second, immediately after captain Sidney Crosby delivered it to him.
Trevor Daley suffered a broken ankle in game four of the Eastern Conference Finals series against the Tampa Bay Lightning and was sidelined for the rest of the season. Still, his injury did not hold him back from getting on the ice in full uniform (skates and all) after the win was sealed to carry the Cup around and join in the team photo.
It’s clear to say that Dallas Stars fans watched in awe and pride, probably shedding a tear or two as well.
The Stars were initially the ones that drafted Trevor Daley in the second round of the 2002 NHL entry draft. The defenseman from Toronto would spend one season in the minors before being called up for his first NHL appearance in October 2003.
Daley would continue his journey with the Stars for 11 years, making him the longest tenured Stars player at the end of the 2014-2015 season.
In his time with Dallas, Trevor Daley played the role of an excellent two-way defender. He could shut down on defense just as well as he could play up on the offensive rush.
In 757 games with the Stars, Daley scored 67 goals and tallied 164 assists for 231 points. He also posted a +6 on-ice rating and logged an average of 20:56 on the ice.
But all good things must come to an end at some point, and it was no different for Trevor Daley and the Stars.
On July 10, 2015, the Dallas Stars dished Daley and F Ryan Garbutt to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for F Patrick Sharp and D Stephen Johns. The Stars simply had too many offensive-minded defensemen and needed a bigger presence on the blue line, which they got in Johns. They also picked up Sharp to further solidify the offensive powerhouse they had created.
Trevor Daley moved on to Chicago after spending his entire NHL career with Dallas, and did not fit in very well once he got there. After 29 games, the Hawks traded him to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Rob Scuderi.
Once Daley arrived in Pittsburgh, the team was almost in shambles. With a struggling record of 15-11-3, the Pens were sitting near .500 and looking for answers. Daley must have been that answer.
With Daley in the mix, the Pens finished on a 33-15-5 stretch, making them one of the hottest teams in the second half of the season. Daley was a key part of the run, logging six goals and 22 points in 53 games, along with a +8 on-ice rating. His possession rating on the Corsi scale was an impressive 53.7 percent.
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Though he was not able to skate in a Stanley Cup Finals game, it didn’t matter. In the end, your picture hoisting the Cup will be what matters most.
And it’s only fitting that the longtime Star hoisted the Cup second after the captain, who receives it first each year. Here is what Sidney Crosby said in regards to why he handed the Cup to Daley.
Sidney Crosby on his decision to hand the Stanley Cup to Trevor Daley first: pic.twitter.com/HU8hrwqZfG
— Mark Stepneski (@StarsInsideEdge) June 13, 2016
So, there you have it. The boy who grew up a Dallas Star finally hit the big time. From all of us at Blackout Dallas, we would like to congratulate Trevor Daley on his first ever Stanley Cup appearance and victory.
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He’s a class act both on the ice, off the ice, and in the locker room, and we could not be prouder of him. Way to go, Dales.