Entered the NHL as part of the original NHL expansion in 1967, as the Minnesota North Stars. They struggled in the early years, as did their expansion siblings, the California (Golden) Seals, later the Oakland Seals. The Seals moved to Cleveland and became the Barons for the 1976-77 season. Two years later the Barons and North Stars merged (remaining in Minnesota as the North Stars).
Minnesota improved after this transfusion, and began to make the playoffs consistently. They went to the Stanley Cup finals twice. The first time was in 1981 against the New York Islanders. They lost 4 games to 1. The second time was in 1991 when Mario Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated them, 4 games to 2.
New owners changed the name to the "Minnesota Stars" soon after the 1991 loss, and fans got nervous. Sure enough, before long (1993) the team had moved to Dallas.
They have since won 1 Stanley Cup, in 1998-99, against the Buffalo Sabres. The victory came on a controversial goal that was scored in triple overtime by Brett Hull, camped out in the crease of Dominik Hasek. There was a "crease interference" rule in effect that season which dictated that if any part of an offensive player is within the blue-ice crease area of the opposing goalie, then the goal wouldn't count. Sabres fans remain bitter that this goal was allowed to stand. The Stars have been in contention for several other Cups, notably in the 1999-2000 season's finals loss to the New Jersey Devils.
The Star's home rink, the American Airlines Center, is a masterpiece of high technology, including the latest in fibre optics and sound systems, and considerable excess capacity for technology "not even invented yet." More practically, it has been carefully designed to maintain the ice in the North Texas climate. A 4600 tons air conditioning capacity, a 312 tons capacity ice plant and over 8 miles of ice cooling pipe should keep the Stars' ice crisp. The Stars' former home, Reunion Arena, was infamous for its appallingly soft ice during the playoffs.
Current stars: Marty Turco, Jere Lehtinen, Mike Modano. Former stars: Brett Hull, Eddie Belfour, and Joe Nieuwendyk.
The Stars won the Presidents' Trophy for the 1997-98 and 1998-99 seasons.
Team colors: Green, Gold, Black and White.
Retired Numbers:
The Dallas Stars do not (at time of writing) have any arena banners or other official acknowledgement of Bill Goldsworthy and Bill Masterton. Both players are deceased; Masterton died of an on-ice head injury suffered in the North Stars' inaugural season (1967-68), and Goldsworthy died of AIDS-related complications on March 29, 1996.