Taking control in the 2nd period, the Stars didn’t look back, running away with a 7-1 victory over the Panthers.

Mike Ribeiro led the Stars in scoring with six points (1G, 5A) as he continued to find chemistry with Michael Ryder, who he was paired with for many years when the two played in Montreal.

The first period was a scoreless affair, but it wasn’t without opportunities for both teams.

Ryder and Ribeiro continued their good chemistry this pre-season; Ribeiro fed Ryder for a give and go, but the return pass was cut off in the crease.

Kari Lehtonen had to make a challenging save just over halfway through the 1st period.  A long outlet pass by the Panthers found Kris Versteeg alone at the Stars’ blue line, and he walked in on what was essentially a penalty shot.  Lehtonen came up with a big butterfly save in the crease, though, keeping it scoreless.

Lehtonen came up big again with 1:30 to go in the first period, stopping Jack Skille on a very similar breakaway as the earlier one for Versteeg.  A sliding kick save to his right preserved the scoreless tie for Lehtonen.

The Panthers out-shot the Stars 12-9 in the opening period.

Ribeiro put the Stars on the board just 1:34 into the 2nd period.  Steve Ott fired a pass through the crease that found Ribeiro, who whipped it over Florida goaltender Jose Theodore’s right shoulder for his 2nd goal of the pre-season.

The Stars and Panthers traded goals mid-way through the 2nd.

The Panthers had a 45-second 5-on-3 opportunity thanks to penalties to Nicklas Grossman and Philip Larsen.  The Stars had just killed off the penalty to Grossman when Jonathan Huberdeau tied the game for the Panthers with a quick one-timer on the doorstep of the net.

The Stars got the lead back back 1:13 later.  Alex Goligoski received a pass from the left faceoff circle and unleashed a powerful wrist shot that found its way through traffic and past Theodore, making it 2-1 with 11:49 to play in the middle frame.

Dallas added to their lead in the waning minutes of the 2nd.  A slashing penalty by Panthers center Steven Reinprecht put the Stars on the power play with 3:21 on the clock.  Less than a minute into the powerplay, Stephan Robidas blasted home a puck from the top of the slot and gave the Stars a two-goal advantage heading into the final period.

In the 3rd period, the Stars ran away with the game.  Dallas scored four unanswered goals to seal their victory, 7-1.  The goal-scorers in the 3rd period were Loui Eriksson, Vernon Fiddler, Trevor Daley and Tom Wandell.

Ribeiro led all scorers in the game with six points (1G, 5A).  Goligoski wasn’t far behind, though, with four points (1G, 3A).

The Stars out-hit the Panthers 45-17, paced by Grossman with seven and Larsen with six.

Eriksson banged up:

Loui Eriksson took a hard hit behind the Florida net halfway through the 3rd period and appeared shaken up as he gingerly made his way off the ice.  Eriksson didn’t return to the game, but Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan said that he spoke with Eriksson about his condition after the game, and he doesn’t believe Eriksson will miss any time due to the hit.

Lines on Thursday:

Eriksson – Dvorak – Fiddler
Wandell – Ribeiro – Ryder
Sceviour – Ott – Sawada
Vincour – Morin – Barch

Grossman – Daley
Goligoski – Robidas
Fistric – Larsen

Mike Modano scores the goal that broke Phil Housley's record for most goals by an American-born player on November 7, 2007. The Dallas Stars announced on Thursday that they would be signing Modano to a one-day contract so he could retire as a Dallas Star (photo credit: pointnshoot on Flickr)

The Dallas Stars announced today that veteran center Mike Modano will sign a one-day contract to return to the Dallas Stars, and will make official his announced retirement later that day.

Modano will sign the contract at a press conference on Friday.  Afterwards, he will send in his retirement paperwork to the National Hockey League.

The amount listed on the contract will be $999,999 in honor of his No. 9.

“This is a special day for all of us,” said Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk. “Mike Modano will always be the face of this franchise. He means so much to our organization and all of our fans. We wanted to give him the opportunity to retire as a Dallas Star. Mike has given his heart and soul to this game for over 30 years. On behalf of the entire organization and the National Hockey League, we would like to thank him for his dedication.”

Modano, 41 (born June 7, 1970 in Livonia, Mich.), is the all-time leading scorer among American-born players in NHL history in goals (561) and points (1,374). Playing 22 seasons in the National Hockey League, he was the first overall pick in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota North Stars.

The Stars will be one of eight clubs participating.  Four other Western Conference teams will also send prospects: the Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, and St. Louis Blues.

I’ll be excited to track the progress of Scott Glennie and Jack Campbell, both of whom participated in last year’s tournament.  Defensemen Brenden Dillon and Jamie Oleksiak will also bear watching, as the competition in this tournament should be up there with some of the best they’ve faced thus far in their careers.

You can download the full roster here: Traverse City Roster

Read below for the full Stars’ press release:

***

Frisco, Tex. – The Dallas Stars will be one of eight NHL clubs to participate in the annual NHL Prospects Tournament and rookie camp at the Center Ice Arena in Traverse City, Michigan, from Sept. 10-14.

The tournament runs from Saturday, Sept. 10 through Wednesday, Sept. 14. In addition to the Stars, the tournament features rookie squads from the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers, and St. Louis Blues. Practice sessions and tournament games will be held on the Center Ice Arena’s two sheets of ice – David’s Rink and Huntington Rink.

Dallas’ squad for this tournament features 22 players, including 10 who were selected by the club via NHL Entry Draft. The Stars roster is highlighted by Jamie Oleksiak, Dallas’ first-round selection (14th overall) at this year’s Draft; goaltender Jack Campbell, who won the best goalkeeper award at this year’s World Junior Championships, posting a 4-1-1 record with a 1.70 goals-against-average (GAA) and a .941 save percentage (SV%); forward Scott Glennie, Dallas’ 2009 first-round pick (eighth overall); and former Seattle Thunderbirds defenseman Brenden Dillon. The Stars won the tournament in 2008, which featured a strong performance by Jamie Benn (five goals).

The Stars rookies will be coached in Traverse City by Jeff Pyle, recently named head coach of the AHL Texas Stars, Dallas’ development affiliate. Jeff Truitt, Texas Stars assistant coach, will also be on Dallas’ rookie camp coaching staff. Dallas General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk is scheduled to be in attendance for the tournament along with Director of Player Personnel Les Jackson and the club’s scouting staff.

Dallas’ schedule for the Traverse City tournament is as follows (all times Central):
Date                                 Event                                   Time (Rink)

Sept. 10                            Practice                                   9:30 a.m. (Huntington Rink)

                            vs. Carolina Hurricanes              7:30 p.m. (Huntington Rink)

Sept. 11                            Practice                                   10:00 a.m. (David’s Rink)

                             vs. NY Rangers                              6:00 p.m. (David’s Rink)

Sept. 12                            Practice                                     1:45 p.m. (Huntington Rink)

Sept. 13                            Practice                                     8:30 a.m. (David’s Rink)

                             vs. St. Louis Blues                         3:00 p.m. (David’s Rink)

Sept. 14                       Seventh-Place Game              3:00 p.m. (David’s Rink)

                            Fifth-Place Game                         3:30 p.m. (Huntington Rink)

                            Third-Place Game                        7:00 p.m. (Huntington Rink)

                             Championship Game                  6:30 p.m. (Huntington Rink)

Sawada played just one game last season with the Stars, but missed nine games during the call-up due to a shoulder injury suffered in a physical game against the Boston Bruins on February 3, 2011.

The 6-2, 207-pound, Richmond, B.C.-native also appeared in 57 games last season for the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League (AHL).  Sawada posted career-highs in goals (11), assists (18) and points (29), with 91 penalty minutes. During the 2011 Calder Cup Playoffs, Sawada appeared in six games, leading the team in assists with five and ranking second in points with six.

The team’s press release about the signing also pointed out that Sawada scored eight goals and 19 points with 92 penalty minutes with Texas during the 2009-10 campaign, helping the club reach the Calder Cup Finals. He skated in every playoff game for the club and collected eight points (3g, 5a) with 20 penalty minutes.

Prior to his professional career, Sawada played four seasons at Cornell University, scoring 76 points (31g, 45a) with 131 penalty minutes in 137 career games.

This week, the Dallas Stars have been holding a development camp in McKinney and Frisco at the StarsCenters.  The top prospects in the Stars’ system have been in attendance, and coaches are getting a great look at them.  The prospects themselves are getting valuable time with NHL and AHL coaches, and working on areas of their game that need development – hence the name of the camp.

I have some interviews from the camp, taken this past weekend, but the sound quality is pretty disappointing.  I’m working on enhancing it, but it’s taking a bit longer than I expected.  I do hope to have at least one or two of the interviews up pretty soon though.

The camp wraps up on Thursday, but before it does, the Dallas Stars are inviting the public out for a free autograph session with all 38 prospects attending the camp.
The  session is being held this afternoon, Wednesday, July 6th at 5 pm at the McKinney Dr Pepper StarCenter, located off Alma Road north of 121, just behind the Michael Johnson Performance center.

Read the official press release below for more details and attendee information, as well as a schedule:

***

FRISCO, Tex – The Dallas Stars announced today that the NHL club will host a development camp for over 30 of its top prospects beginning Friday, July 1, at Dr Pepper StarCenter in McKinney. The daily schedule includes both on-and off-ice workouts, with all on-ice practice sessions open to the public. The camp will conclude with a skills event at 10:15 a.m. on Thursday, July 7.

Media are encouraged to cover the camp and conduct interviews with the prospects. Players will be available after each morning’s on-ice workout. Please contact the Stars’ Communications Department if you plan on coming to McKinney.

The Stars’ last two first round picks, defenseman Jamie Oleksiak (14th overall at 2011 NHL Entry Draft) and goaltender Jack Campbell (11th overall at 2010 NHL Entry Draft) will be participating in the weeklong camp. Also attending the camp will be Alex Chiasson (2009, 2nd round), Patrik Nemeth (2010, 2nd round), Scott Glennie (2009, 1st round), Tomas Vincour (2009, 5th round), as well as Mexican native Julian Garibaldi. Additionally, four of Dallas’ six selections from the 2011 NHL Entry Draft are scheduled to attend (Jamie Oleksiak, Brett Ritchie, Emil Molin, Troy Vance).

The 2011 development camp schedule is as follows. The schedule is subject to change, please contact the Stars Communications Department to verify times.

Friday, July 1st
8:15 – 11:00 AM Off-Ice Workout at Michael Johnson Center
3:00 – 5:00 PM All Players on Ice (Group A, North Rink – Group B, South Rink)
5:00 PM Media Availability*

Saturday, July 2nd
9:30 – 11:00 AM All Players on Ice (Group A, South Rink – Group B, North Rink)
11:00 AM Media Availability*
1:30 – 3:30 PM All Players on Ice (Group A, North Rink – Group B, South Rink)

Sunday, July 3rd
9:30 – 11:00 AM All Players on Ice (Group A, South Rink – Group B, North Rink)
11:00 AM Media Availability*
1:30 – 3:30 PM All Players on Ice (Group A, North Rink – Group B, South Rink)

Monday, July 4th
Team-Building Activities – No Media Availability

Tuesday, July 5th
9:30 – 11:00 AM All Players on Ice (Group A, South Rink – Group B, North Rink)
11:00 AM Media Availability*
1:30 – 3:30 PM All Players on Ice (Group A, North Rink – Group B, South Rink)

Wednesday, July 6th
9:30 – 11:00 AM All Players on Ice (Group A, South Rink – Group B, North Rink)
11:00 AM Media Availability*
1:30 – 3:30 PM All Players on Ice (Group A, North Rink – Group B, South Rink)

Thursday, July 7th
10:15 – 11:00 AM Skills Event (North Rink)
11:00 AM Media Availability*

* Approximate Time

Here is the roster:

Forwards: Alex Guptill, Scott Winkler, Alex Chiasson, Armand DeSwardt, Emil Molin, Adriano Mungioli, Johnnie Searfoss, Greg Carey, Brett Ritchie, Matt Fraser, Mathieu Tousignant, Cole Grbavac, Oliver D’Aoust, Tomas Vincour, Julian Garibaldi, Reilly Smith, Justin Jones, Scott Oke, Matt Carter, Scott Glennie, Stephen Schultz

Defensemen: Alex Theriau, Brenden Dillon, Curtis Crombeen, Evan Morden, Hubert Labrie, Jace Coyle, Jamie Oleksiak, John Klingberg, Mike Bergin, Mike Dalhuisen, Patrik Nemeth, Troy Vance

Goaltenders: Chris Rawlings, Jack Campbell, Parker Milner, Tyler Beskorowany

Here is the official release from the Dallas Stars:

Frisco, Tex. – Bill Hay, Chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Board of Directors, Jim Gregory and Pat Quinn, Co-Chairmen of the Hockey Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee, announced today that former Dallas Stars players Ed Belfour and Joe Nieuwendyk have been elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in the Player Category, along with Doug Gilmour and Mark Howe. The vote took place today at the annual meeting of the Selection Committee in Toronto.

“It is hard to put into words what this means to me,” said Belfour. “I would like to thank all of my teammates and people along the way who helped me achieve my hockey dreams.”

“I am humbled and honored to be voted into the Hockey Hall of Fame,” said Nieuwendyk. “This is a tremendous honor. I’d like to thank all of my former coaches, teammates and supporters over the years, especially my family. I wouldn’t be here today without them. I’d also like to thank the fans – they have always been an important inspiration over the years. Every player does their best year after year and strives to play at a very high level. I truly love the game and love to compete, and I’m pleased to be honored by the Hockey Hall of Fame.”

The induction ceremony is scheduled to take place on Monday, November 14th, 2011. The two join Brett Hull (class of 2009) as the only Dallas Stars to be elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

“The Hockey Hall of Fame is proud to welcome these four hockey legends as Honored  Members,” said Jim Gregory. “Their contributions to the game of hockey are well documented and their election to the Hockey Hall of Fame is richly deserved.”
Belfour, 46, was the starting goaltender for the Dallas Stars for five seasons from 1997-2002 and manned the pipes when the Stars won the Stanley Cup in 1999. He played in 17 NHL seasons from 1988-2007 starting for five different teams (Chicago, San Jose, Dallas, Toronto and Florida).  Belfour won the NHL’s Vezina Trophy (best goaltender) in the 1990-91 and 1992-93 seasons, the William M. Jennings Trophy (fewest goals allowed) in 1990-91, 1992-93, 1994-95 and the 1998-99 seasons, the Calder Trophy (best rookie) in 1990-91 and the Roger Crozier MBNA Saving Grace Award (best save percentage) in 1999-00.

The Carman, Manitoba, native ranks third in all-time NHL wins with 484, behind only Martin Brodeur and Patrick Roy. He appeared in 963 career NHL games posting a 484-320-111 record with a 2.50 goals against average (GAA) and a .906 save percentage (SV%). Belfour was a member of Canada’s gold medal winning team at the 2002 Winter Olympics. Among Dallas Stars all-time leaders he ranks second in wins (160), shutouts (27), GAA (2.19) and sixth in games (307). Belfour led the Stars to the playoffs in four of his five seasons with the club and never posted a GAA above 2.25 during the playoffs, including a 1.67 GAA when the Stars won the Stanley Cup in 1999. He posted less than 20 wins during a full NHL season only once in his career, and was credited with 30-or-more wins in nine separate seasons during his time in the league.

Nieuwendyk, 44, played seven seasons for the Dallas Stars, helping the franchise capture the Stanley Cup in 1999 and winning the Conn Smythe Trophy, given to the most valuable player during the playoffs, after leading the Stars in scoring during the 1999 playoffs. He played for five separate teams (Calgary, Dallas, New Jersey, Toronto and Florida) and won the Stanley Cup in three different decades with three different teams (Calgary 1988, Dallas 1999, New Jersey 2003) during his career. Nieuwendyk won the NHL’s Calder Trophy (Best rookie) in 1987-88 and the King Clancey Memorial Trophy (Leadership) in 1994-95. He skated in 1,247 career NHL games over 19 seasons, collecting 1,126 points (564g, 562a).

The Whitby, Ontario, native represented Canada at the Olympics in 1998 and 2002, winning the gold medal in 2002. He skated in 442 games for Dallas, scoring 178 goals and 162 assists for 340 points and is still ranked tied for 17th in all-time Dallas Stars scoring. Nieuwendyk appeared in 158 career NHL playoff games, posting 66 goals and 50 assists for 116 points and currently ranks eighth in all-time Dallas Stars’ playoff goals with 25. He scored 20-or-more goals in 15 of his 19 seasons in the NHL and scored over 30 eight times. Nieuwendyk now leads the Dallas Stars front office after being named general manager of the club on May 31, 2009.

Lukowich saw extensive time with the Texas Stars last season, where he was a steadying presence on the ice and in the locker room.  And, as a late-season call-up for the Dallas Stars, he provided a veteran body to bolster a banged-up blueline.

Dallas would love to get more of the same this upcoming season from Lukowich.

Here’s the official word from Frisco:

***

Frisco, Tex. – The Dallas Stars announced today that the club has re-signed defenseman Brad Lukowich to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2011-12 season.

Lukowich, 34, skated in 67 games last season for the Texas Stars (AHL), posting 27 points (4g, 23a) and 59 penalty minutes. He also appeared in five games for the Dallas Stars in 2010-11, accruing a +2 plus/minus rating. The 6-1, 200-pound defenseman played 13 games with Vancouver in 2009-10, collecting a goal and an assist. Lukowich spent part of 2009-10 with the Texas Stars during the club’s inaugural season, skating in 29 games and recording 18 points (3g, 15a).

The Cranbrook, BC, native helped Dallas win the Stanley Cup in 1999, playing in eight games during the playoffs, and won his second Stanley Cup in 2004 with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He is a veteran of 658 NHL games and has tallied 113 points (23g, 90a) and 369 penalty minutes over 13 NHL seasons.

The Stars will kick off their season with a home-and-home series against the Chicago Blackhawks, October 7th and 8th.  The first game will be their home opener at the American Airlines Center, and the 2nd will be in Chicago.  Dallas then comes back home for three straight games.

Other highlights of the season include early November road games against Washington, Pittsburgh and Toronto, home games against Ottawa and the New York Islanders in early December, a New Year’s Eve game against the Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins, and a game in Winnipeg on March 14th.

It’s also interesting to note that the Stars won’t face the Vancouver Canucks until February 27th.  They will play the defending Western Conference Champs a total of four times in 33 days.  Makes it seem like their series against Vancouver was almost an after-thought, doesn’t it?

You can see the full schedule and download your very own copy right here:  2011-2012 Stars Schedule

Here is the team’s official release about the schedule:

***

FRISCO, Tex. — The Dallas Stars will open the 2011-2012 National Hockey League regular season with a home-and-home series against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday, Oct. 7 at American Airlines Center. The Stars will then play their road opener against the Blackhawks the following night, Saturday, Oct. 8 at Chicago.

Dallas will once again host nine of the 15 Eastern Conference clubs, and will ring in the New Year against the defending Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins at the traditional New Year’s Eve game at American Airlines Center.

The Stars are scheduled to play 82 games during the 2011-12 campaign, with 41 contests at home and 41 on the road. The home schedule features 21 weekend contests (seven Friday, 11 Saturday, three Sunday). The Stars will play five home-and-home sets this season: facing Chicago on Oct. 7 at American Airlines Center and travel to Chicago to face the Blackhawks the next night; Dallas will match up against the Blue Jackets in Dallas on Oct. 15 and travel to Columbus to play the club three nights later on Oct. 18.

The Stars will play against Anaheim in Dallas on Jan. 24 and faceoff against the Ducks in Anaheim on Feb. 1; On March 24, Dallas will play at home against the Calgary Flames before traveling two nights later on March 26 to Calgary to play at the Scotiabank Saddledome. The Stars will conclude their home-and-home sets when they battle against the San Jose Sharks at HP Pavilion on March 31 before returning home to Dallas on April 3 to play the Sharks. Dallas will host four weekend matinees: Saturday, Jan. 7 vs. Edmonton, Saturday, Jan. 14 vs. Colorado, Sunday, Feb. 26 vs. Vancouver, and Saturday, March 24 vs. Calgary. The Stars will play an even distribution of home games on weeknights, with the club playing on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday seven times each night. Most weeknight games at American Airlines Center will begin at 7:30 p.m., while most weekend games will begin at 7 p.m.

The NHL schedule remains heavily-structured around conference play, especially against the team’s respective division. Dallas plays in the NHL’s Pacific Division of the Western Conference, and will play 24 divisional games against rivals Anaheim, Los Angeles, Phoenix and San Jose (six times each — three at home, three away).

The Stars will play a total of 40 games against non-division Western Conference foes in the Central Division (Chicago, Columbus, Detroit, Nashville and St. Louis) and the Northwest Division (Calgary, Colorado, Edmonton, Minnesota and Vancouver), with four games against each opponent (twice at home, twice away).

Dallas will play a total of 18 games against Eastern Conference opponents, skating against all 15 Eastern teams once and facing off against three Eastern clubs (New Jersey, NY Islanders, and Pittsburgh) both home and away. The nine Eastern Conference teams that the Stars will host at American Airlines Center are: Boston, Florida, NY Islanders, New Jersey, Ottawa, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, and Toronto.

The Stars’ longest home stand this season is four games, which will happen two separate times, the first being from Nov. 19-25 (San Jose, Edmonton, Los Angeles and Toronto) and the second occurring from March 16-24 (Chicago, Phoenix, Vancouver, and Calgary).

Notable games at American Airlines Center this season include: home opener versus Chicago (Oct. 7); Martin Brodeur, Zach Parise and the New Jersey Devils (Oct. 29); the Toronto Maple Leafs the day after Thanksgiving (Nov. 25); Steven Stamkos, Martin St.Louis and the Tampa Bay Lightning (Jan. 29); Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the Pittsburgh Penguins (Feb. 29). The Stars will host five games during the holiday season (Dec. 19 vs. Anaheim; Dec. 21 vs. Philadelphia; Dec. 23 vs. Nashville; Dec. 29 vs. Columbus; and New Year’s Eve vs. the Boston Bruins – the 14th consecutive season for the Stars to play at home on Dec. 31.

Dallas Stars Season Seats are on sale now. Split season plans will be available in late July, including 6 and 12-game packages that allow fans to choose the games they want to attend. Individual game tickets will go on-sale in September. Fans can call 214-GO-STARS or visit DallasStars.com for more information.

The Stars’ 2011 pre-season schedule, as well as the team’s television schedule will both be released later this summer.

STARS SCHEDULE NOTES

Home Games by Day: Mon. – 3, Tues. – 7, Wed. – 3, Thurs. – 7, Fri. – 7, Sat. – 11, Sun – 3
Road Games by Day: Mon. – 4, Tues. – 9, Wed. – 3, Thurs. – 8, Fri. – 7, Sat. – 8, Sun – 2

Home Games by Month: Oct. – 6, Nov. – 6, Dec. – 7, Jan. – 6, Feb. – 8, Mar. – 6, Apr. – 2
Road Games by Month: Oct. – 5, Nov. – 7, Dec. – 6, Jan. – 5, Feb. – 8, Mar. – 9, Apr. – 1

Games by Conference/Division:
Western Conference (64) – Pacific Division (24) Northwest Division (20) Central Division (20)
Eastern Conference (18) – Southeast Division (5) Atlantic Division (8) Northeast Division (5)

Opponents’ Visits to Dallas (41): Anaheim-3, Boston-1, Buffalo-0, Calgary-2, Carolina-0, Chicago-2,
Colorado-2, Columbus-2, Detroit-2, Edmonton-2, Florida-1, Los Angeles-3, Minnesota-2, Montreal-
0, Nashville-2, New Jersey-1, NY Islanders-1, NY Rangers-0, Ottawa-1, Philadelphia-1, Phoenix-3,
Pittsburgh-1, St. Louis-2, San Jose-3, Tampa Bay-1, Toronto-1, Vancouver-2, Washington-0,Winnipeg-0.

Stars’ Visits to Road Cities (41): Anaheim-3, Boston-0, Buffalo-1, Calgary-2, Carolina-1, Chicago-2,
Colorado-2, Columbus-2, Detroit-2, Edmonton-2, Florida-0, Los Angeles-3, Minnesota-2, Montreal-
1, Nashville-2, New Jersey-1, NY Islanders-1, NY Rangers-1, Ottawa-0, Philadelphia-0, Phoenix-3,
Pittsburgh-1, St. Louis-2, San Jose-3, Tampa Bay-0, Toronto-0, Vancouver-2, Washington-0,Winnipeg-1.

1st Half/2nd Half – The Stars will play 21 of their first 41 games at home, while finishing the second half
with 20 of the final 41 games at home.

Back-to-Back Series:
Overall:                              14
Back-to-back at home:    7     Road game followed by home game next day:     4
Back-to-back on road:     7     Home game followed by road game next day:     4

The Dallas Stars named Texas Stars head coach Glen Gulutzan (shown above in last summer's development camp) as the 21st head coach in team history on Friday. (Photo Credit: Ben Ellis)

Cedar Park, TX – Dallas Stars General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk announced on Friday that the club has hired Glen Gulutzan (pronounced Gull-it-zen) as the 21^st head coach in franchise history. Gulutzan has signed a two-year contract with a club option for a third season.

Gulutzan, 39, has served as head coach of the Texas Stars, Dallas’ primary development affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL), for the past two seasons. He led the club to the AHL Playoffs in both campaigns and coached the Stars to the Calder Cup Finals in the franchise’s inaugural season of 2009-10. Gulutzan posted a cumulative 87-56-17 record (.597 points percentage) during the regular season and a 16-14 (.533 winning percentage) record during the playoffs with Texas.

“I am very excited to hire Glen Gulutzan as head coach of the Dallas Stars,” Nieuwendyk said. “Glen is a young, exciting coach who we believe has a bright and long future in the National Hockey League. We were pleased with the leadership he brought our young players at the American League level and strongly believe his coaching strengths will transfer to the NHL. We feel he will bring energy and a winning attitude to our club. I look forward to working with him as we plan for the future of the Dallas Stars.”

The native of Hudson Bay, Saskatchewan, served as general manager and head coach for the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL from 2003 to 2009. He compiled a record of 254-124-55 for a .650 winning percentage, including 100+ points in three consecutive seasons (2005-2008), a first for any team in the 21-year history of the ECHL. Gulutzan took the Wranglers to the Kelly Cup Finals in 2008 and to the Conference Finals in 2009.

“I am thrilled to be the head coach of the Dallas Stars,” said Gulutzan. “Having worked with the organization over the last two seasons, I am very familiar with our personnel and that will be a big advantage for me. We are a young team with a strong nucleus and I’m very excited about what we can accomplish. I look forward to working with Joe Nieuwendyk and his entire staff to build a hockey club that will win and compete for Stanley Cups.”

In 2005-06, Gulutzan was recognized as the ECHL Coach of the Year. He led Las Vegas to the playoffs in five of six seasons, including their expansion season (2003-04) when the team went 43-22-7 for 93 points. In addition, he was selected to coach in the ECHL All-Star Game three times. He led the Wranglers to the division crown in back-to-back seasons in 2006-07 and 2007-08. Gulutzan has missed the playoffs in only one season as a head coach and holds a perfect 5-0 record in game sevens in the playoffs.

Before beginning his coaching career, Gulutzan played professionally in Europe for two seasons and joined Fresno of the West Coast Hockey League in 1996-97, setting a team record with 80 assists and 110 points in 60 games. He spent a total of six seasons with Fresno, including the last four as player-assistant coach from 1999-2003. Gulutzan also played in the International Hockey League with Utah and Las Vegas, as well as stints in Finland and Sweden.

In 1996, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Saskatchewan. Gulutzan graduated with a major in Kinesiology and minor in Mathematics.

Glen and his wife, Nicole, have four children – son, Landen, and daughters, Emma, Brielle and Grace.

GULUTZAN’S CAREER COACHING RECORD

REGULAR SEASON                                        PLAYOFFS

Season             Club                 League     Gms          W              L      T/OL                                     Gms             W                  L

2003-04            Las Vegas      ECHL             72          43           22              7                                            5               2                 3

2004-05            Las Vegas      ECHL             72           31           33              8                                              Did Not Qualify

2005-06*          Las Vegas      ECHL             72           53           13              6                                         13               6                  7

2006-07            Las Vegas      ECHL             72          46           12           14                                         10               6                 4

2007-08            Las Vegas      ECHL             72          47           13           12                                         21             14                 7

2008-09            Las Vegas      ECHL             73          34           31              8                                         18               8               10

2009-10            Texas              AHL               80          46           27              7                                         24             14               10

2010-11            Texas              AHL               80          41           29           10                                            6               2                 4

ECHL RECORD                   433         254         124           55    (.650 win%)              67             36               31

AHL RECORD                     161           87           56           17    (.593 win%)              30             16               14

PRO TOTALS                      593         341         180           72    (.636 win%)             97             52               45

*John Brophy Award Winner (ECHL Coach of the Year)

2011-12 season seat packages are on sale now. For more information on Texas Stars season tickets call (512) GO-STARS (467-8277) or visit www.TexasStarsHockey.com. Anyone interested in purchasing season tickets, suites, group tickets or mini-plans may call the Texas Stars front office.