The Dallas Stars have changed a lot since the last time their name and roster were inscribed onto the Stanley Cup.
I had a more difficult time than I anticipated getting back into hockey after the lockout. The few seasons before that had been hard—the Cup had been snatched from our collective grasp by the New Jersey Devils, and the team never seemed to really recover after that. The Stars racked up a few more division championships, but just couldn’t get past the conference semi-finals and go all the way.
When the lockout happened and the season got canceled, I was so disappointed with the NHL in general I almost gave up. But when the new season dawned, I just couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t turn away from my team.
I’ll admit, it took me a good two years to get back into rabid fan mode. I was ashamed to admit that I didn’t know half the players on the ice at the beginning of last season. The fire that I had seen in the Stars’ eye seemed dimmer, and I wondered if the hockey heyday in Dallas had been lost forever. The sheer excitement of the 98-99 and 99-00 seasons was still fresh in my mind, and I was missing that feeling.
It’s been almost 10 years since the Stars brought home the Cup, but this is the first year I’ve felt a glimmer of that excitement again. The players have changed, I’m not really used to the new blue line rule, and I absolutely hate the overtime shootout, but I’m seeing the kind of team on the ice that I remember.
When I look down onto the ice, it’s still weird for me to see the big “C” on Brenden Morrow’s jersey. Part of me still expects Darien Hatcher to be wearing it, skating along like a bouncer on ice, ready to plow Jeremy Roenick into the boards and lead the team to victory. Part of me still expects Darryl Sydor to be working with Sergei Zubov to kill off power plays. Part of me still expects Eddie Belfour to be in goal.
There are new players that stand out to me now: Ribeiro, Miettenen, Lundqvist, Grossman, Richards, Daley, Ott. Brenden Morrow has turned into one hell of a hard-hitting captain; he may be feet shorter than Hatcher and pounds lighter, but he’s out there checking Roenick into the boards with the best of them. With the kind of game he has played throughout the playoffs, it seemed fitting that he would score the final goal to clinch the semi-finals against the Sharks. It was an answer—to the refs, who recalled two of his goals in Game 5 and turned the game into a stunning Sharks win; to the Sharks, who had rallied back from a 3-0 deficit to push the series from a possible Stars sweep all the way to a Game 6; and to the fans, who chanted his name and cheered him to win.
Marty Turco has turned into quite the goalie since I first saw him start for Dallas. It was a joy to see him shake off his tendency to choke in the playoffs and be unshakeable in the crease. The man stopped 61 goals in a battle that lasted the length of two regulation games. He was tired, he was dehydrated, but he didn’t give up. He took IV fluids after the second OT period and went right back out onto the ice to protect our goal until we could win.
The rally cry for this season’s playoffs is I Believe. It’s all over the American Airlines Center, it’s all over the playoff promos, and it’s on every fan’s lips—including mine. I believe in my team. I believe we can win. And I believe that this year’s success is only the beginning of yet another hockey heyday for Dallas.
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May 8th, 2008 at 4:05 pm
YES! Yes to all of it.
I miss Hatcher and Hull. I miss Eddie shoving people out of the crease.
BUT, I remember when Morrow was a rookie. Instant hockey crush. He was tough and didn’t take anything from anyone. Now that he is captain? Still doesn’t. He just tempers a bit when he HAS to.
This team is good. They are coming together unlike any year I have seen since the ‘99 win.
It makes me happy. It makes my heart flutter. It makes my blood pressure raise. I just flat out makes me HAPPY!
Great post!
May 8th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Jen…oh I remember Morrow’s rookie days too. He was the most adorable little snack of a player, but surprised me when he stepped out onto the ice. Hell, he had the cojones to go after Guy’s daughter as a rookie–that’s FEARLESS! I was proud of him for not getting goaded into fights last series even though you KNOW he wanted to beat the crap out of somebody.
I miss Hullie on the ice too. He was my BOY, and I’m glad he’s back with the Stars off the ice. I also like seeing Ludwig on the air now that he’s no longer playing, even if he does look almost exactly like my father-in-law. CREEPY.
May 8th, 2008 at 4:43 pm
Bah, I spelled your name wrong Jenn. Sorry about that.
May 9th, 2008 at 9:02 am
I can not begin to tell you how upset I was to go to a sports bar (term used loosely) last night and see 3 people wearing Red Wings sweaters and I was the only one wearing my Stars sweater. To all the people that want to keep saying, “I quit watching when they had the strike”, I’ve just got to say “Get over it”. Every sport has had a strike in most of our lifetimes, and for the fans it sucked. BUT if you’re a fan of hockey, it doesn’t matter.
The Stars are doing amazingly well with a team that wasn’t expected to get out of the 1st round. Key injuries have meant that rookies are getting valuable ice time that is going to pay dividends in the next couple of seasons. If it doesn’t happen this year, don’t lose faith….it will.
May 9th, 2008 at 7:35 pm
Go Jessica! Fantastic post! I love the Stars and I’m totally not a sports fan (shocker, I know).
GREAT JOB!
May 12th, 2008 at 9:59 am
My fandom was dented when they traded Langenbrunner to the Devils, but I’m solidly back on board now.
May 12th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Travis, I was bummed when they traded Langenbrunner too. He was always a favorite of mine.