Dallas Stars Should Retire Sergei Zubov's Jersey Next

Sergei Zubov is the greatest defenseman in the history of the Dallas Stars. It’s time his #56 jersey is honored as such.

On Friday, the Dallas Stars paid tribute to three-time Selke Trophy winner and former Stanley Cup champion Jere Lehtinen by lifting the number 26 to the rafters at downtown Dallas’s American Airlines Center. Lehtinen is perhaps the best defensive winger in the history of the National Hockey League and played a key role alongside Mike Modano for the dominant late 1990s, early 2000s Stars clubs.

Lehtinen’s jersey retirement, which occurred prior to a 6-4 victory over the Calgary Flames, was the fifth such ceremony in Dallas Stars/Minnesota North Stars history, and the third since 1993 the move to the Lone Star State. Lehtinen joined Modano (#9), Neal Broten (#7), Bill Goldsworthy (#8), and Bill Masterton (#19) up above the AAC ice as immortal Stars cogs.

He deserved it, as Lehtinen exemplified relentless defensive pressure and tenacious three-zone play on a Stars team stacked with Hockey Hall of Fame talent. With that being said, there’s another player that fits that exact description: Dallas Stars defenseman Sergei Zubov.

Since Zubov’s retirement after hip-related injury issues derailed the later stages of his career, no Dallas Stars player has worn the number 56 on their back. It seems almost premeditated that Zubov will have his number carried upward to the arena’s ceiling; so can we pleeeease get together and celebrate the dude that made me want to be a defenseman? Thanks.

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Zubov is undoubtedly the foremost blueliner since the franchise’s inception, meanwhile being debatably the single-most crucial player in the history of the team. It’s time for the Stars to honor him like so, elevating the iconic #56 that flapped in the wind as his quick feet eluded opposing forwards into the same location as Lehtinen, Modano, and crew.

His 549 points and 438 assists are second all-time in the 25-year history of the Dallas Stars, all while playing 839 games as a Stars blue liner, which is tops amongst defensemen. Those numbers and their averages are on par with that of Nicklas Lidstrom, an eight-time Norris Trophy winner who is often times referred to as the greatest defenseman in NHL history. Zubov averaged just 0.02 fewer points per game in the regular season (0.74 vs 0.72), and in the postseason (0.73 compared to 0.71).

He was not only at the top of hockey’s defenseman pyramid during his prime, he was almost as good as perhaps the most-effective two-way rearguard ever. If he doesn’t deserve this, then nobody does. Zubov was a masterful fan-favorite blueliner with a certain flair to him that has not yet been equaled in the NHL.

One thing that might help Zubov’s case for a jersey retirement is that the Russian’s case for Hockey Hall of Fame enshrinement has picked up some steam. National media members from multiple outlets have recently stated that Zubov’s resume and statistics resemble that of a Hall of Fame worthy talent, which adds to the wide-held local beliefs that the Dallas Stars of old would have never lifted the cup without a puck-moving talent like Zubov.

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For 13 years, Zubov embraced a defense-first system coached by Ken Hitchcock that very rarely rewarded risky puck play and offense from defensemen. To that, he said to hell with it. Being the player he was, Zubov still never backed down, using his supremely active stick and effective hip-check (one of the last signature hip-checks in the world of hockey) to get the puck and transition it up the ice. Having blazing fast feet and unparalleled puck skills, the now-head coach of HC Sochi (Kontinental Hockey League) made it look easy shift after shift.

He averaged over 30 minutes a night in the Stars’ Stanley Cup championship run in 1999, then in 2000’s run tallied 26 minutes per game on a sprained knee ligament that clearly had bothered him since the start of the postseason. Zubov was not only an extremely skilled defender, but tough as nails, making him perhaps the most complete player in team history.

Next: Greg Pateryn Embracing Role With Dallas Stars

Sooner, rather than later, the Dallas Stars need to honor the legendary righty by the name of Sergei Zubov. He deserves it, the fans will love it, and Dallas will get to see the man himself for the first time in a long time if they do.

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