Dallas Stars: Five Best Trade Deadline Acquisitions in Stars History
By Tom Dorsa
On March 24, 1998, the Dallas Stars sent Todd Harvey, Bob Errey, and a fourth-round pick to the New York Rangers for Brian Skrudland, Mike Keane, and a sixth-rounder. By the way, March 24 was the deadline that year – weirdly enough (I was five months old, don’t ask me how that worked).
The Rangers were sellers that season, on the outside looking in on the Eastern Conference playoff picture, and needed to shed some talent to get youthful players in return. Enter the Dallas Stars, as Keane and Skrudland were both high-salaried players who needed to get the boot.
Though Skrudland, who totaled just 10 points in three seasons with Dallas, was a miss, it’s likely the Stars never win the Stanley Cup in 1999 without the near-accidental excellence of Keane. The gritty winger was dynamite in Game 7 of the ’99 West Final, scoring twice against Hall of Famer Patrick Roy to send the Stars to the final round.
Keane had 31 goals and 61 assists in his 242-game tenure with Dallas, including the 1999 Cup and the subsequent run back to the Cup Final in 2000.