Dallas Stars Top 100 Players of All-Time: 20-1

In conjuction with the National Hockey League recently unveiling their 100 greatest players in League history, the team at Blackout Dallas have taken their own twist. We’re finishing our Top 100 Dallas Stars countdown with the final 20 today.

The Dallas Stars franchise has pumped out agood amount of talent over their 24-year existence, and today we’re continuing the countdown of the greatest players in the history of the Lone Star State’s NHL franchise.

Over the past few weeks, we have been counting down some of the best Dallas Stars players of all time. The list only includes players who have been with the team since the move to Dallas from Minnesota in 1993-94, which, of course, still leaves quite a bit to choose from.

This list was compiled as a result of the “NHL 100,” the list that the NHL released last month showcasing the 100 best players of all time. It was released in conjunction with the NHL beginning their celebration of 100 years (1917-2017).

We began at 100 players and have ended up with just this last 20 left. For the countdown of the first 80 Stars, click here. But, let’s go ahead and conclude the rundown. Here are players 20-1 on the list of the greatest Dallas Stars of all-time.

#19 – FORWARD, GUY CARBONNEAU

Simply one of the best defensive centers in NHL history, Guy Carbonneau was a consummate professional and overall pleasant guy; but, that was just off the ice.

On, you may ask, Carbonneau was the preeminent two-way forward of his era, scoring 15 or more goals in 10 consecutive seasons with the Montreal Canadiens – three of which he won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the best defensive forward.

As a Star, the 5’11” righty killed penalties at will and provided a serviceable point total each and every year. Think of the defensive forwards on the Dallas Stars right now (Radek Faksa, Curtis McKenzie, etc); Carbonneau was that and then some.

Carbonneau, in his Dallas career, tallied 34 goals and 66 assists as an exclusively defensive specialist, assisting the Stars in winning the 1999 Stanley Cup – his third of his career. Carbonneau amassed a total of 1,318 career games in the NHL with Montreal, Dallas, and St. Louis. Carbonneau also served as head coach of the Habs for three seasons.

#18 – DEFENSEMAN, CRAIG LUDWIG

An astonishingly talented penalty killing defenseman, renowned shot-blocker, and heavy-hitting hip-checker were all descriptions that fit Dallas Stars defender Craig Ludwig in his heyday of the mid-to-late 90s.

No one will ever tell you that Ludwig, the 61st overall selection in 1990’s Draft to Montreal, was the best offensive-defensemen in the game, but the role of a solid, consistent defenseman who is willing to sacrifice his body night in and night was never emulated better than by Ludwig.

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Famous for his goaltender-like shin pads that, according to legend, came from his days as a University of North Dakota blueliner, Ludwig’s ability to get into shot lanes and block opposing shooting attempts made him a fan-favorite in the Metroplex, leading perhaps the premier PK in hockey during the Stars’ run at the top of the NHL.

The Rhinelander, Wisconsin native retired as a Dallas Star after earning a Stanley Cup in 1999, scoring a total of eight goals and 42 points during six seasons in Big D. Ludwig is currently a color commentator for Fox Sports Southwest’s broadcasts of Dallas Stars games.

#17 – DEFENSEMAN, ALEX GOLIGOSKI

As a Dallas Star, not many players were more quietly yet brilliantly effective than defenseman Alex Goligoski. The former second-round pick of Pittsburgh’s was sent to Dallas in exchange for forward James Neal and defenseman Matt Niskanen, a trade that many supporters were widely against, but as time moved on, it seemed to be a better move than many expected.

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Oh, and speaking of moving, it was something Alex Goligoski could do exceptionally well. In 385 games with the Stars, Goligoski made the playoffs just twice, yet had an individual Corsi of 52.4% (7,395 shots for and 6,730 against while #33 was on the ice).

It spoke to how great of a puck-moving defender Goligoski was to be able to have positive Corsi and positive or even plus-minus (+34 combined) all six years in Dallas, despite having subpar teams surrounding him.

Goligoski is known as an undersized defenseman (5’11”, 180lbs), which meant for difficulties in his own zone, but the biggest quality to his game is that he didn’t often need to defend; when Goligoski was on the ice, the Stars were most likely on the attack.

The 31-year-old from Grand Rapids, Minnesota was traded to the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for a fifth-round Draft pick in 2016 (goaltender Colton Point). In his 385 regular season games with the Stars, Goligoski totalled 34 goals and 155 assists.

#16 – FORWARD, JAMIE LANGENBRUNNER

With over 1,100 NHL games played, Jamie Langenbrunner never ceased to instill two-way leadership, reliability, and timely goal-scoring for the Stars during their Stanley Cup contention years.

The right-shooting winger from Colquet, Minnesota was instrumental in the Stars’ widespread success in the late 90s, including their Cup run in 1999, where Langenbrunner tallied ten goals and seven assists in 23 playoff games.

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Langenbrunner sits at 11th in Stars franchise goals and 12th in overall points (253), but it’s likely those heroic postseason performances we remember most from the 35th overall pick in 1993. Notably, it was Langenbrunner’s Game 7 goal against the stacked Colorado Avalanche in a booming Reunion Arena against Patrick Roy – perhaps the best goaltender of his generation – that solidified his place in Dallas Stars history.

As a Star, Langenbrunner netted 95 goals and a 158 goals, but sadly was traded to New Jersey in a package that included Joe Nieuwendyk for Jason Arnott and Randy McKay in the midst of the 2001-02 by Stars general manager Doug Armstrong. Langenbrunner later won the 2003 Stanley Cup with the Devils.

Langenbrunner, who had previously suited up for Team USA at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan, served as the squads captain in their silver medal run in Vancouver’s 2010 games.

#15 – DEFENSEMAN, STEPHANE ROBIDAS

Longtime Stars defenseman and former All-Star Stephane Robidas had one of the most underappreciated careers in the NHL during his time with Dallas. Constantly mentoring those younger than him and leading by example, Robidas paved the way for the Dallas blueliners of today.

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From Sherbrooke, Quebec, Robidas was originally drafted by his nearest team, the Montreal Canadiens – from whom he grew up just 97 miles away – in the 7th round of the 1995 Entry Draft. Robidas played his first 122 games with the Habs, before a series of events shaped the rest of his career in Big D.

Over the course of two combined stints with Dallas, the 5’11” defender played 704 games with the Stars, a total that has him at 8th in franchise history. Also, with 46 goals and 165 assists, Robidas sits at 16th all-time in points (12th in helpers).

Robidas and his electric playoff performance in 2007-08’s run to the Western Conference Final is likely his most memorable [happy] moment in a Stars uniform. His three goals and 11 assists in 18 games played stood out defensively and offensively, as Robidas controlled puck possession quite often in the three series (Anaheim, San Jose, Detroit).

Robidas was traded away for a conditional draft pick to the Ducks in 2014 shortly after breaking his leg in a grueling sequence of a Dallas Stars home game against Chicago. Robidas is still on the long-term injured reserve for the Toronto Maple Leafs, the team he joined after Anaheim.

#14 – DEFENSEMAN, DARRYL SYDOR

Always a perfect mix between three-zone reliability and offensive flair, Darryl Sydor’s style of game play was a pleasure to watch in his nine seasons as a Dallas Star.

As a first-round selection to the Los Angeles Kings in 1990, Sydor competed in five seasons alongside Wayne Gretzky in the City of Angels, earning 105 points in his first 288 NHL games.

However, at the trade deadline in 1995, the Kings dealt Sydor to Dallas for Shane Churla and Doug Zmolek; this transaction shaped out the formation of the Stars blueline throughout its years of Cup contention in the late 90s. One thing that assisted his arrival in Big D was head coach Ken Hitchcock, who guided Sydor to a 1992 Western Hockey League title with the Kamloops Blazers.

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Often paired with dynamic Stars d-man Sergei Zubov, the 6’1″ Sydor generated seemingly non-stop puck movement in his days with the Stars (which, weirdly enough, he had three different stints with Dallas).

Sydor later won the 2004 Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning. Also, after five seasons as the Minnesota Wild’s assistant coach, Sydor now serves the same position for the AHL’s Chicago Wolves.

 #13 – FORWARD, BRAD RICHARDS

2004 Conn Smythe Trophy winner Brad Richards was a sensational offensive player for each of the five teams he laced them up for: Tampa Bay, Dallas, New York Rangers, Chicago, and Detroit. However, his career high in points and his only All-Star berth came as a member of the 2009-10 Dallas Stars.

Richards, in the beginning of his lengthy career, centered perhaps the most electrifying line in the NHL during the mid-to-late 2000s; dubbed “The Three Amigos,” the native of Murray Harbour, P.E.I stood in between former Maurice Richard Trophy winner Vincent Lecavalier and two-time Art Ross recipient Martin St. Louis for the Lightning.

Richards as a Star – a tenure that began with a trade on February 26th, 2008 involving Jussi Jokinen and other pieces – was absolutely outstanding. Richards, in his Dallas debut, set the record for most single-game assists in Stars history, with five in a game against Chicago.

Overall, Richards tallied 227 (70 goals, 157 assists) of his 932 career points as a Dallas Star, including a career-high 91 in 2009-10 whilst wearing the same jersey number. Richards retired after a season with Detroit last year.

#12 – FORWARD, LOUI ERIKSSON

When the Dallas Stars drafted Swedish forward Loui Eriksson with the 33rd overall selection in the 2003 Entry Draft, he was described as a man beyond his years. And boy, did his maturity transcend onto the ice.

With 501 games played as a Star, Loui Eriksson is one of only 12 combatants to suit up in 500 or more matches with a Dallas uniform, and one of only six forwards with those accolades.

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Six times a gatherer of Lady Byng Memorial Trophy votes, Eriksson took very few penalties, but killed them off exceptionally, earning at least one Selke Trophy vote in four different seasons in the NHL with Dallas or Boston.

The 6’2″, 196-pound forward netted a total of 150 goals, which stands at sixth all-time in Stars history. Also, with 207 assists, Eriksson’s 357 points in seventh in franchise history.

Eriksson’s 2008-09 season is the one I remember him mostly for. The Swede put up a whopping 36 goals – tops on the team – and finished second in points to Mike Ribeiro with 63. Not only that, but Eriksson took only 14 penalty minutes in 82 games, which is a ridiculous rating of just one minor penalty per 11.7 games.

The former NHL All-Star’s 2008-09 season’s absurdity continues in realizing that he finished 12th in goals scored in the League, however each of the 11 players that finished ahead of him had shooting percentages lower than his: 20.2%. That’s literally a goal for every five shots he took.

Eriksson was traded to Boston as part of the return the Bruins received for Tyler Seguin and others. After a 30-goal season in black and gold, Eriksson was signed by the Vancouver Canucks in the offseason.

#11 – DEFENSEMAN, JOHN KLINGBERG

Many of the NHL’s best players were drafted in the first or second round, making later-round successes a rarity for teams such as the Stars. However, a certain lanky blonde appeared in round five of the 2010 Draft, and Dallas snatched him.

John Klingberg quickly proved his worth.

App Trigger

As a 22-year-old flashy rookie, the Gothenburg, Sweden native earned fifth in the Calder Trophy voting with an impressive 11-goal, 29-assist performance that featured smooth skating and beauteous puck-handling good enough to earn hefty ice time very early into his career. His 2014-15 season in a campaign where Dallas missed the postseason saw him lead the Stars in points (40 and plus/minus (+5) despite playing just 65 games.

The next season, Klingberg continued his torrid pace in his sophomore campaign, scoring 10 goals and adding 48 assists – including a tremendous 22 power play points, which would catapult him to a sixth-place Norris finish, the highest a Stars blueliner has placed in Norris voting since 2005-06.

Klingberg, as an offensive defenseman, constantly pushes the puck forward, inducing whoas and ahhs with Sergei Zubov-like breakout passes. His 53.1% Corsi For Percentage during his career – especially his 55.3% rating last season – indicates his prolific ability to spark offensive possessions.

At only 24-years-old, Klingberg is already one of the greatest defenders in team history, and his potential is as high as anyone to ever play for this squad. His 130 points from the Stars blueline is already ninth in franchise history for defenders, and it’s bound to increase.

DISCLAIMER: Prior to reading the top ten, just know that there were 11 players I considered top-ten worthy and I couldn’t rule either out.

#10A – DEFENSEMAN, DERIAN HATCHER

If you were to pack six feet, five inches, and 235 pounds of absolute terror in a Stars defenseman and Stanley Cup champion captain, you find yourself with Derian Hatcher.

Drafted by the Minnesota North Stars in 1990 with the 8th overall pick, Hatcher joined the efforts in Bloomington, MN with 100 games played for the North Stars, tallying 12 goals and 19 assists.

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Hatcher, the older brother of former Stars rearguard Kevin Hatcher, accompanied the move to Dallas with the North Stars in 1993, eventually becoming the Dallas franchise’s captain after trades of Mark Tinordi and Neal Broten.

Now a member of the USA Hockey Hall of Fame, Hatcher epitomized the image of the Dallas Stars to the rest of the League in the mid-to-late 1990s: strength, precision, silent brutality, and never giving an inch. As a Star during the Cup run and surrounding years, Hatcher alongside Richard Matvichuk form quite possibly the most effective lock-down defense pairing in pro hockey with those attributes in mind.

Hatcher was never the most talkative captain, but he’s a man who led by example, and by that I mean this: 59 goals, 204 assists, 727 games played with the Dallas Stars, coupled with his playoff stats: 107 as a Star, six goals, 19 assists and pure leadership however you may cut it.

The native of Sterling Heights, Michigan is sixth all-time in games played as a Dallas Star (717), third in plus/minus (+108), and third in penalty minutes (1,114). Hatcher is now the head coach of the Ontario Hockey League’s Sarnia Sting.

#10B – GOALTENDER, EDDIE BELFOUR

Four-time Jennings Trophy winner, two-time Vezina Trophy winner, former Calder Trophy recipient, the list goes on and on. Nonetheless, for Eddie Belfour, he didn’t need a single award to display how great of an NHL netminder he was.

The Hockey Hall of Fame inductee began his career with the Chicago Blackhawks, capturing over 200 wins and the Calder, Jennings, and Vezina Trophies in 1990-91. “The Eagle” earned a berth in the 1992 Stanley Cup Final, and yet again win the Vezina in 1993.

In the 1997 season, the undrafted goaltender was traded to San Jose, playing just 13 games in Northern California prior to signing with the Dallas Stars in the offseason. Belfour set himself up for a career-best stretch of unbelievably clutch hockey and a 2.19 GAA over 307 games played in green.

Belfour, winning the Jennings Trophy yet again with Roman Turek behind him, posted a 35-15-9 record with an incredible 16-7, .930 SV%, and 1.67 GAA over the playoffs in which Dallas downed Buffalo in six games for the franchise’s only Stanley Cup.

As a five-time All-Star, Belfour was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Ontario in 2011. The Carmen, Manitoba native ended his career with the Maple Leafs and Panthers after racking up the third-most goaltender victories in NHL history (484).

#9 – FORWARD, BRETT HULL

When you talk about the greatness of power forwards, later-round Draft steals, American hockey excellence, or downright generational goal-scoring phenoms, not many people can come up before Brett Hull does.

An eight-time National Hockey League All-Star, Brett Hull was simply a menacing offensive figure never before seen in the league. Not the tallest guy in the game (5’11”) was Hull, but his ability to shield off the puck along the boards or during a rush was unparalleled.

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Despite his father, Bobby Hull, and his run of forward dominance in the 60s and 70s, Brett was overlooked coming into the League, having to settle for a sixth-round selection from Calgary.

Calgary eventually traded Hull to St. Louis after his underwhelming play with the Flames. It was a big mistake.

The Bellville, Ontario native netted 40 or more goals in eight of his 10 full seasons with the Blues, including three in which he led the League, whilst accruing the Hart Trophy for NHL MVP with a jaw-dropping 86 goals in 1990-91 (only two other players in NHL history have 80-goal seasons: Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux).

After totalling 527 goals with St. Louis, Hull signed on with Dallas in 1998. ” When Dallas called, I thought they were as close to anybody to winning the Stanley Cup,” he said, and hey, he was right. In the former Lady Byng Trophy winner’s first year in Big D, his 32 goals and 26 assists helped the Stars capture the Stanley Cup.

Oh, yeah, and his memorable and totally legal goal in Game 6 of the 1999 Cup Final stands out in Dallas Stars’ folklore. Hull retired with 1,269 games under his belt, garnering 741 goals (4th all time) and 650 assists.

#8 – FORWARD, TYLER SEGUIN

On July 4th, 2013, the Boston Bruins traded speedy center and 2010 2nd overall selection Tyler Seguin to Dallas for a package that, most notably, included two-way forward Loui Eriksson. What Boston didn’t take into account that day is that Seguin would become perhaps the preeminent offensive center in hockey afterwards.

A Stanley Cup champion in 2011, Seguin potted 56 goals and 65 assists as a Bruin, which are truly respectable numbers for a team that deep, especially considering his 67-point, 20-year-old campaign of 2011-12. However, Boston management grew tired of the Brampton, Ontario native’s party boy demeanor, and thus dealt him to Dallas.

Dallas Stars

I think I speak for the collective Dallas Stars fanbase when I say… Thank you, Boston.

In Seguin’s first season as a Dallas Star, he led the team in goals (37) and points (84) while forming an impenetrable duo of him and Dallas captain Jamie Benn. Seguin brought the Stanley Cup Playoffs back to the city of Dallas for the first time since 2008 while his career-best season allowed him to finish 6th in Hart Trophy voting.

Each of the first three seasons of the 6’1″ righty’s Dallas tenure featured 30 or more goals and 40+ assists (both of which he can potentially reach this year). Seguin is the Stars’ leading scorer this season, with 21 goals and 35 assists.

As his 290 points (128 goals and 162 assists) in 282 games puts him in the top-10 in both goals and points for the franchise history, Seguin has established himself as a significant part of the Dallas core for its window of Stanley Cup potential. This team still has quite a bit left in them, and Seguin will help lead that charge.

#7 – FORWARD, BRENDEN MORROW

The Dallas Stars organization may never meet another pure, unadulterated leader like seven-year Dallas Stars captain Brenden Morrow. The Carlyle, Saskatchewan local made a living out of sacrificing every fiber of his being for the improvement of his team.

Whether it was one hit, one blocked shot, one gritty, powerful goal, it was always change the way the game ends. Morrow, the 25th overall pick by Dallas in the 1997 Draft, evidently kept this in mind, completing six seasons with 100 or more penalty minutes.

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However, Morrow was always good for much more than just grit and grind. Morrow’s 243 goals as a Dallas Star is tied for second in franchise history, also tallying the fifth-most postseason points since 1993-94 (42).

Perhaps nothing will be remembered from Morrow’s legendary Dallas stint better than the historic four-overtime Game 6 of the 2008 Western Conference Semifinals. Morrow scored the series-clinching goal in the eighth-longest game in NHL history, potting a Stephane Robidas feed and sending the American Airlines Center into elation.

Morrow was selected onto Team Canada’s men’s hockey team for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, where the former WHL standout scored two goals and added an assist to win the gold medal.

After being traded from Dallas to Pittsburgh in 2013, Morrow laced them up for the Penguins, Blues, and Lightning prior to retiring in 2015. Morrow played 997 total NHL games and finished with 575 points.

#6 – FORWARD, JOE NIEUWENDYK

As part of the NHL 100, Joe Nieuwendyk’s legacy in the League has been set in stone. What he did as a Star deserves just as much recognition.

With the Calgary Flames, the team that drafted the Oshawa, Ontario native with the 27th pick in 1985, Joe Nieuwendyk racked up 314 goals and 302 assists in 577 games, becoming an NHL All-Star three times and capturing the 1988 Calder Trophy. Nieuwendyk notched 10 playoff goals to assist the Flames in winning the 1989 Stanley Cup.

Despite being their captain and a folk legend in Calgary, the former Cornell University star was unhappy with his contact status with the Flames. On December 19th, 1995 Calgary dealt their franchise center Nieuwendyk to the Dallas Stars for Corey Millen and the Stars’ 11th overall pick in 1995, future 600-goal-scorer Jarome Iginla.

As the second-line center on the Stars, Nieuwendyk excelled in combining his veteran presence to establish Dallas’s place in Cup contention, and in what he does best, put the puck in the back of the net. The 6’1″ Canadian reached 15 or more goals in each of his six full seasons with Dallas, including a 39-goal campaign in 1998-99.

The Hockey Hall of Famer’s incredible 1999 Stanley Cup Playoffs can be recalled best by Stars fans. Six of Neidwendyk’s 11 postseason goals were game-winners, leading the Stars in both categories on his way to a Conn Smythe Trophy selection as Dallas defeated Buffalo for the Stanley Cup.

Joe eventually lifted the Cup once more in 2003 with New Jersey, after Dallas traded the 1995 King Clancy Award winner to the Devils for Jason Arnott. After a stint with Toronto and Florida, Nieuwendyk retired citing back pains. The two-time Olympian was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2011.

#5 – GOALTENDER, MARTY TURCO

The downright greatest goaltender in franchise history and a true, unadulterated character, Marty Turco‘s time in Dallas was astonishing. The former three-time All-Star leads Stars goalies in practically every significant netminding measurement.

A fifth-round pick in the 1994 Draft, Turco serves as yet another later round steal for the Stars. Getting a nine-year starter like Turco was not what anyone expected when this pick was taken.

First in wins (262), first in total saves (11,420), first in ice time (over 29,000 minutes), first in shutouts (40), etcetera, Marty Turco is everything the Stars needed in the crease; a fearless, exciting goaltender with competitive skills like no other.

The University of Michigan product tallied 30 or more wins as a Star in six consecutive seasons, earning a top-five Vezina Trophy finish three times. Turco also garnered top-20 placings in the Hart Trophy voting thrice as a Dallas netminder. The only goalie in Stars history with more than 400 appearances (509), Turco’s all-time record of 262-154-26-40 is also a franchise best.

Turco retired after one year with Chicago in which he earned 11 wins, and another with Boston that featured two wins in five games. The Sault St. Marie, Ontario native is now a member of the Dallas Stars Alumni team.

#4 – FORWARD, JAMIE BENN

Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn has come a very long way to being an Art Ross Trophy winner, 40-goal scorer, and all around two-way hockey maestro.

A fifth-round selection in 2007, it was safe to assume that Benn could very well flame out and fail to come to fruition as a true NHLer. However, he took things into his own hands as a captain and leader and proved many wrong.

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At 27 years old, the former Kelowna Rockets winger is already fourth in franchise history in goals (212) and third in assists (290). His 0.89 points per game is behind only Mike Modano for Stars with at least 300 games played.

Benn, a 2015 NHL All-Star, was signed to an 8-year, $9.5 million AAV contract this last offseason, signaling a long-term commitment to Dallas. Benn’s 230 points over the past three seasons is second in the NHL, as the physical, speedy winger has just hit his prime.

The 2014 Olympic gold medalist presents a style of hockey that no player in today’s game can duplicate. An unparalleled combination of bone-crushing, physical defense and board work, mixed with high-flying skating and beauteous puck-handling. If Evgeni Malkin‘s size met Alex Ovechkin‘s hands, you have yourself a Jamie Benn.

The all-around superstar’s dynamic ability is best exemplified with All-Star center Tyler Seguin by his side, but the 6’2″ native of Victoria, British Columbia has all the skill and size he needs to succeed as what many consider to be a top-ten player in the National Hockey League.

#3 – FORWARD, JERE LEHTINEN

Next season, Jere Lehtinen will have his #26 hung to the rafters of the American Airlines Center, joining the four numbers already there. It is well deserved and frankly overdue.

As one of the hardest-working players of his era, Jere Lehtinen consistently wore his opposition down with exceptional three-zone reliability and a nifty touch of skilled offensive instincts.

Six times was Lehtinen a finalist for the Selke Trophy, the award given to the top defensive forward in the NHL, winning it three times (’98, ’99, ’03). As an elite two-way forward, the Espoo, Finland native also took very few penalties, just 210 PIM in 875 games.

Lehtinen played 14 seasons and 875 games in a green and white sweater – scoring 243 goals and 271 assists. Additionally, competing in 102 playoff games, the 1998 NHL All-Star tallied 27 goals and 22 assists.

In the 1999 Playoffs, in which the Dallas Stars captured their only Stanley Cup, Lehtinen played 23 games and scored a postseason-best eight even strength goals (Lehtinen had 10 total).

As the Dallas Stars were the only team the 1992 4th-rounder played for, Lehtinen is 2nd all-time in games played as a Dallas Star (875). Lehtinen was also a four-time Olympic medalist in his hockey career, now serving as general manager of Team Finland in international tournaments.

#2 – DEFENSEMAN, SERGEI ZUBOV

In a defenseman era featuring Nicklas Lidstrom, Chris Pronger, and Scott Niedermayer, it’s easy to be overlooked. In turn, Sergei Zubov is perhaps the most underrated and underappreciated defenseman of all-time. Only nominated for the Norris Trophy once, and only an All-Star three times.

However, the only defenseman to ever lead a President’s Trophy winning team in scoring (New York Rangers, 1993-94), Sergei Zubov was an absolute terror to defend. His stretch passes, his dekes, his tremendous ice vision, and his deadly shot were only his offensive upsides. Don’t disregard his fundamentally sound hip check, his skating away from forechecks, his hands to get out of the zone, and everything else that made him an unstoppable two-way force.

Dallas Stars

The Moscow, Russia native started his career with the aforementioned Rangers, where his 89 points helped lift the 1994 Cup in Manhattan, but after a short stint at Madison Square Garden and in Pittsburgh, Zubov found himself in Dallas.

The Dallas Stars acquired Zubov from Pittsburgh at the expense of Kevin Hatcher in 1995 in arguably the most one-sided trade in franchise history, one that puts the Seguin trade to shame. They didn’t look back.

With Sergei Zubov at the helm of the power play, and as a stout offensive defenseman destined to forever possess the puck, the Stars’ blueline of the late 1990s was set. A lineup of Zubov, Darryl Sydor, Derian Hatcher, Craig Ludwig, etc was borderline unbeatable, and Zubov led Stars rearguards in Playoff points with 13.

Thankfully, Sergei was more than just clutch scoring. Zubov’s 461 assists is tops in Stars defensemen history (not to mention his place at the summit of almost every Stars D stat), and his ability to pull off insane passes on the power-play will never be equaled.

Ever since Zubov had to retire from the NHL in 2009, the Stars have lacked the presence of an all-around elite defenseman like him. The former fifth-round selection will almost surely have his #56 retired by the Dallas Stars eventually, and hopefully receive an induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Zubov was the head coach of St Petersberg SKA of the KHL last year, his last taste of professional hockey. Sergei retired with 771 points (152 goals, 619 assists) in his NHL career, while ranking second in Stars franchise history in points with 545.

#1 – FORWARD, MIKE MODANO

Dallas, Texas wouldn’t have a hockey team if it wasn’t for Mike Modano. The 1st overall pick in the 1988 NHL Draft to the Minnesota North Stars was an total stud, albeit for a failing, bankrupt franchise, one that would eventually reach the Metroplex in 1993.

Modano was, is, and forever will be the face of the franchise to the city of Dallas and beyond; the man whose superior skill and likeable attitude put DFW on the hockey map. Modano netted 50 goals in 1993-94, a mark nit since reached by a fellow Star.

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Growing up in Livonia, Michigan, Modano ate, drank, and breathed hockey, earning himself a spot on the Prince Albert Raiders of the Western Hockey League. At only 17 years of age, Modano put up 47 goals and 80 assists in 65 WHL games, which prompted the North Stars to use the number-one overall selection on fresh-faced, teenaged “Mo.”

The American forward notched 310 points as a North Star before the organization crumbled and shifted to Dallas, where Modano would reach his full potential. Over the next 16 years, the seven-time NHL All-Star would break or set almost every record imaginable for Dallas, with milestone after milestone in succession.

Modano would finish with 80 or more single-season points and within the top-20 of Hart Trophy voting six times. The two-time Olympian is first in Dallas Stars games played (1,142), goals (464), assists (616), points (1,050), points per game (0.92), and basically anything else.

Modano racked up a Playoff-high 18 assists in the 1999 Stanley Cup run for the Dallas Stars, backing up his 37 goals and 44 regular season helpers. Over his Dallas career, Modano played in 176 Playoff games and had 146 points (58 goals, 88 assists) to show for his dynamic play.

Next: Dallas Stars Top 100: Players 30-21

In an era dominated by the heroic centermen of Steve Yzerman or Joe Sakic, Modano was never forgotten, earning an induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame. Modano had a short, 40-game stint with his hometown Red Wings in 2010-11, but afterwards signed a one-day contract with Dallas to retire as a Star.

Mike Modano is the greatest Dallas Star of all-time. Case closed.