The Dallas Stars are an ice hockey team that is based in Dallas, Texas. They are a member of the Central Division of the Western Conference, and they compete in the National Hockey League. Since their founding in 1967, the Dallas Stars was able to win eight division titles in Dallas, three Western Conference championship, one Stanley Cup, and two President’s Trophies. In this article, we are going to know more about the history of the iconic Dallas Stars.
History of the Team
In 1967, the Stars entered the NHL as the Minnesota North Stars. The team’s original name was from the French saying, “L’Etoile du Nord,” which means “The Star of the North.” Fans chose the name during a public contest.
In 1967, the North Stars became an NHL franchise as part of the six-team expansion. The team had a fair start did well both in the standings and financially. That is why during those time, their fans were excited to see the team play; that is why came and watched their game during the opening of the 1967-68 season, even though the seats were still being installed in the newly built Metropolitan Sports Center.
During the team’s debut season, the North Stars finished fourth in the Western Division and made their way to the playoffs. The North Stars won their first series in a game against the LA Kings, which is another debut expansion team. After that, the North Stars went on the face the St. Louis Blues, which is another team that saw success during its first season.
Throughout the ‘70s and ‘80s, the North Star suffered through financial problems and low attendance. However, the team still managed to make it back to the Stanley Cup Final in 1981 and 1991, but they failed to beat the Islanders and Penguins, respectively. From then on, their time in Minnesota started to come to an end. In 1991, the front office began to explore other options regarding the relocation of the team. Norm Green, the team’s new owner at that time, saw Anaheim as their first choice. However, that was short-lived. This was because the NHL decided to send the Mighty Ducks, a new expansion team, to Anaheim.
Norm Green persuaded by former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Roger Staubach that Dallas would be the perfect place for an NHL franchise. The fans of the North Star did not take the departure lightly; that is why the NHL had to promise the fans that there would be a return of an NHL franchise in Minnesota. A promise that later fulfilled in 2000 when the Wild was created.
The newly named Dallas Stars started their first season in the new home during the 1993-94 season. The team experienced immediate success in Dallas, which led to word about the latest franchise to spread all across Dallas. During the team’s first season in Texas, they managed to make it to the playoffs and set franchise records for 42 wins and 97 points. At their first-round during that season, the Dallas Stars swept the Blues. However, they eventually lost to Vancouver during the second round.
Nevertheless, the team’s early success helped pave the way for hockey to become more prevalent in Texas. Throughout the next six seasons, the Dallas Stars managed to see some success. However, the team still couldn’t make that jump to the Cup.
In 1999, the stars finally aligned in Dallas when the team won a franchise-record of 51 games and finished it 114 points. During that season, the North Stars faced and swept the Edmonton Oilers in the first round. They also managed to beat the Blues in six games and win the Avalanche in seven games.
After a year, the Dallas Stars managed to make it back to the Cup Final. However, they eventually lost to the NJ Devils in six games. In 2008, the team once again made it to the Western Conference Finals 2008 before they lost to Detroit in six games.
