All-Time Stars: The players we forgot were once Dallas Stars

GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 13: Goaltender Tim Thomas #30 of the Dallas Stars in action during the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on April 13, 2014 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Stars 1-0. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 13: Goaltender Tim Thomas #30 of the Dallas Stars in action during the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on April 13, 2014 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Stars 1-0. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
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The Blackout Dallas team remains anxious with Dallas Stars training camp now underway. It will not be long before we are previewing and reviewing Stars regular season action. For now, the annual “All-Time Stars” series steps up to the plate.

We are continue our trip down NHL memory lane by highlighting 5 players we forgot wore a Dallas Stars sweater.

Honorable mentions:

Mats Zuccarello (2018-19): The Dallas Stars acquired Mats Zuccarello at the trade deadline from the New York Rangers. A broken arm sustained in his first game wearing Victory Green immediately put Zuccarello on the shelf. He returned to the lineup at the onset of the playoffs, toughing out 13 games with cortisone injections.

LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 21: Jaromir Jagr #68 of the Dallas Stars skates on the forecheck during the NHL game against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on March 21, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. The Stars defeated the Kings 2-0. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 21: Jaromir Jagr #68 of the Dallas Stars skates on the forecheck during the NHL game against the Los Angeles Kings at Staples Center on March 21, 2013 in Los Angeles, California. The Stars defeated the Kings 2-0. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images) /

Jaromir Jagr (2012-13): Jaromir Jagr played for so many NHL teams on the back half of his career that it’s easy to forget he was a Dallas Stars. Jagr was 40 when he signed a one-year deal with Big D and scored 14 goals. He was traded to the Boston Bruins in April, as the Stars struggled to remain competitive in the Pacific Division.

Sheldon Souray (2011-12): The Dallas Stars signed Sheldon Souray to a one-year deal in hopes of shoring up their blue line. Souray came off an injury-riddled final season with the Edmonton Oilers and took on a more defensive role with the Stars. The Alberta native scored his 100th NHL goal in Dallas before signing with the Anaheim Ducks during 2012 offseason.

DALLAS – JANUARY 9: Matthew Barnaby #77 of the Dallas Stars fights against Josh Gratton #24 of the Phoenix Coyotes on January 9, 2007 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The Coyotes won 5-2. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
DALLAS – JANUARY 9: Matthew Barnaby #77 of the Dallas Stars fights against Josh Gratton #24 of the Phoenix Coyotes on January 9, 2007 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. The Coyotes won 5-2. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

5. Matthew Barnaby (2006-07)

Matthew Barnaby earned 7 points and 127 penalty minutes with the Dallas Stars in 2006-07. It was Barnaby’s final NHL season, capping a decent, 14-year career.

The Stars signed Barnaby with the intent of improving the team’s ability to play physical. However, the Ottawa native’s one-year deal is often forgotten by Stars fans because it shares the same offseason as the Lindros signing.

Barnaby was one of the most aggressive forwards of his era and no stranger to dropping the gloves. The former 4th round pick (1992) of the Buffalo Sabres registered 11 fights during his time in Dallas. His last career fight was a brief, January 2007 scrap with Josh Gratton of the Arizona Coyotes.

The Dallas Stars were a more physical team in 2006-07 and clinched the Western Conference’s 6th seed. However, the 3rd-seeded Vancouver Canucks powered by the Sedin twins ended Dallas’s season in the 7th game of the quarterfinals.

TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 13: Eric Lindros #88 skates during the 2016 Hockey hall of Fame Legends Classic game at the Air Canada Centre on November 13, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – NOVEMBER 13: Eric Lindros #88 skates during the 2016 Hockey hall of Fame Legends Classic game at the Air Canada Centre on November 13, 2016 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

4. Eric Lindros (2006-07)

Eric Lindros in a Dallas Stars sweater was a tad awkward, but neat for those of us who grew up in awe of his time in Philadelphia. The former MVP forward saw 49 games of action with the Stars in 2006-07, posting 5 goals and 21 assists.

Lindros’ best days were long behind him by the time he signed his one-year deal with the Dallas Stars. The Stars were in need of size after losing Jason Arnott to free agency and felt the price of Lindros was right. Age 33 at the time, Lindros negotiated his $1.55 million deal while serving as his own agent.

His arrival in Dallas lacked the pomp and circumstance of previous tenures with the in New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs. However, Lindros believed taking on a support role with the Stars at the time felt right.

Lindros was elected to the NHL Hall of Fame in 2016 after a brilliant career that was derailed by injuries. The Ontario native won the Hart and Pearson trophies and compiled All-Star selections in each of his first 7 NHL seasons. Concussions also piled up for Lindros and resulted in his production hitting a wall.

ANAHEIM, CA – APRIL 28: Stanislav Chistov #23 of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim takes Claude Lemieux #32 of the Dallas Stars to the ice during the 2003 Western Conference Semifinals of the Stanley Cup playoffs at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim on April 28, 2003 in Anaheim, California. The Stars defeated the Ducks 2-1. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images/NHLI)
ANAHEIM, CA – APRIL 28: Stanislav Chistov #23 of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim takes Claude Lemieux #32 of the Dallas Stars to the ice during the 2003 Western Conference Semifinals of the Stanley Cup playoffs at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim on April 28, 2003 in Anaheim, California. The Stars defeated the Ducks 2-1. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images/NHLI) /

3. Claude Lemieux (2002-03)

Claude Lemieux was traded to the Dallas Stars by the then-Phoenix Coyotes for Scott Pellerin and a 4th round draft pick. Lemieux played 32 games with the Stars in 2002-03, posting 6 points and a plus/minus of -9.

Adding Lemieux in 2002-03 was about increasing versatility in the Dallas lineup. The Stars led the Western Conference at the time of the Lemieux trade. Unfortunately, Dallas was upset by the 7th-seeded Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the conference semifinals. Lemieux saw action in 7 Stars’ playoffs games, but hardly made an impact with 11:24 minutes of average ice time.

Claude Lemieux is one of only 11 players in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup with 3 or more franchises. Lemieux’s cup wins came with the Montreal Canadiens (1986), New Jersey Devils (1995 and 2000), and the Colorado Avalanche (1996).

A native of Quebec, Lemieux was 37 at the time of his trade to the Stars and coming off a foot injury. He was a shell of his former, enforcer self and would leave the NHL for the Swiss Nationalliga in 2003-04.

GLENDALE, AZ – APRIL 13: Goaltender Tim Thomas #30 of the Dallas Stars during a break from the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on April 13, 2014 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Stars 1-0. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ – APRIL 13: Goaltender Tim Thomas #30 of the Dallas Stars during a break from the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on April 13, 2014 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Stars 1-0. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /

2. Tim Thomas (2013-14)

Tim Thomas played 8 regular season games for the Dallas Stars in 2013-14. The net-minder was 2-4 with 2.97 GAA and a .902 SV%.

Thomas was 39 when acquired by the Stars from the Florida Panthers in exchange for Dan Ellis. At the time, Dallas was seeking a veteran goalie with playoff experience to serve as backup and reliever to Kari Lehtonen. The Stars swung the deal for Thomas on March 5, 2014, but it did not pan out.

Thomas was a fraction of his former self in Dallas. The one-time Stanley Cup champion saw action in one Stars playoff game, giving up a goal on 2 shots. It was the last time fans would see the USA Hockey Hall of Fame goalie in NHL action.

The Boston Bruins enjoyed the best years of Tim Thomas’s career. Thomas still holds the NHL record for most saves during a playoff run (798) and in a Stanley Cup Final series (238).

From the fan’s perspective, Thomas was mentally checked-out by the time he put on a Stars sweater. Still, his brief, often forgotten tenure in Dallas provides for one heck of a Stars trivia question.

PHILADELPHIA – NOVEMBER 24: Sean Avery #16 of the Dallas Stars skates against the Phildelphia Flyers on November 24, 2008 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA – NOVEMBER 24: Sean Avery #16 of the Dallas Stars skates against the Phildelphia Flyers on November 24, 2008 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

1. Sean Avery (2008-09)*

Sean Avery takes the top spot on our list because of the circus that surrounded his brief Dallas Stars tenure. Avery played 23 games with the Stars in 2008, accumulating 10 points and 77 penalty minutes.

Signing Sean Avery to a 4-year, $16 million deal was not one of Brett Hull’s finest moments as co-general manager. Avery enjoyed a successful pair of seasons with the New York Rangers that included Selke Trophy consideration. However, the 5-foot-10 forward’s disruptive antics off the ice out-weighed the advantages of his pestering play.

The Dallas Stars waived Avery after he publicly made disparaging comments about his ex-girlfriends. Avery was also suspended by the NHL for his conduct. Such conduct created insurmountable tension between Avery and his Stars teammates.

The Rangers ultimately claimed Avery off re-entry waivers. He saw 18 games of NHL action in New York before the close of the 2008-09 season.

Forgetting that Sean Avery was a Dallas Stars is not a bad thing. -J.G.

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