2008–09 Dallas Stars season

The 2008–09 Dallas Stars season was the 42nd season for the National Hockey League franchise that was established on June 5, 1967. The Stars attempted to win the Stanley Cup for the second time in franchise history but the Stars would end the season missing the Stanley Cup playoffs for the first time since 2002 having missed the 2009 playoffs by eight points.

2008–09 Dallas Stars
Division	3rd Pacific
Conference	12th Western
2008–09 record	36–35–11
Home record	20–16–5
Road record	16–19–6
Goals for	230
Goals against	257
Team information
General manager	Brett Hull and Les Jackson
Coach	Dave Tippett
Captain	Brenden Morrow
Alternate captains	Mike Modano Sergei Zubov
Arena	American Airlines Center
Average attendance	17,681 (95.4%) Total: 724,911
Team leaders
Goals	Loui Eriksson (36)
Assists	Mike Ribeiro (56)
Points	Mike Ribeiro (78)
Penalty minutes	Krys Barch (84)
Plus/minus	Stephane Robidas (12)
Wins	Marty Turco (22)
Goals against average	Marty Turco (2.98)

Pre-season

The Stars finished the pre-season with a 1-5-1 record.

2008 Pre-season Game Log: 1–5–1 (Home: 1–2–1 ; Road: 0–3–0)
#	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	OT	Decision	Attendance	Record	Recap
1	September 23	Dallas	2–3	St. Louis		Stephan	10,796	0–1–0	[1]
2	September 25	Colorado	4–2	Dallas		Climie	16,634	0–2–0	[2]
3	September 27	St. Louis	3–4	Dallas		Turco	17,191	1–2–0	[3]
4	September 28	Dallas	3–4	Chicago		Stephan	18,425	1–3–0	[4]
5	October 1	Dallas	1–3	Colorado		Climie	?	1–4–0	[5]
6	October 2	Chicago	4–3	Dallas	SO	Turco	15,142	1–4–1	[6]
7	October 5	Edmonton	3–2	Dallas		Turco	16,835	1–5–1	[7]

Regular season

The Stars finished the regular season having scored the fewest shorthanded goals in the NHL, with just two.

On February 6, 2009, the Stars defeated the New York Rangers at home by a score of 10–2. It was the first time that the Stars had scored 10 goals in a game since they defeated the San Jose Sharks at home by a score of 10–3 on November 28, 1992, when the franchise was still based in Minnesota.

On April 4, 2009, Trevor Daley scored just 16 seconds into the overtime period to give the Stars a 5–4 home win over the St. Louis Blues. It would prove to be the fastest overtime goal scored during the 2008–09 regular season.

Divisional standings

Pacific Division

		GP	W	L	OTL	GF	GA	Pts
1	p – San Jose Sharks	82	53	18	11	257	204	117
2	Anaheim Ducks	82	42	33	7	245	238	91
3	Dallas Stars	82	36	35	11	230	257	83
4	Phoenix Coyotes	82	36	39	7	208	252	79
5	Los Angeles Kings	82	34	37	11	207	234	79

Note: No. = Division rank, CR = Conference rank, W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties, GF = Goals For, GA = Goals Against, Pts = Points
       Teams that qualified for the playoffs are highlighted in bold.

Conference standings

Western Conference

R		Div	GP	W	L	OTL	GF	GA	Pts
1	p – San Jose Sharks	PA	82	53	18	11	257	204	117
2	y – Detroit Red Wings	CE	82	51	21	10	295	244	112
3	y – Vancouver Canucks	NW	82	45	27	10	246	220	100
4	Chicago Blackhawks	CE	82	46	24	12	264	216	104
5	Calgary Flames	NW	82	46	30	6	254	248	98
6	St. Louis Blues	CE	82	41	31	10	233	233	92
7	Columbus Blue Jackets	CE	82	41	31	10	226	230	92
8	Anaheim Ducks	PA	82	42	33	7	245	238	91
8.5
9	Minnesota Wild	NW	82	40	33	9	219	200	89
10	Nashville Predators	CE	82	40	34	8	213	233	88
11	Edmonton Oilers	NW	82	38	35	9	234	248	85
12	Dallas Stars	PA	82	36	35	11	230	257	83
13	Phoenix Coyotes	PA	82	36	39	7	208	252	79
14	Los Angeles Kings	PA	82	34	37	11	207	234	79
15	Colorado Avalanche	NW	82	32	45	5	199	257	69

bold – qualified for playoffs, y – division winner, p – Presidents' Trophy winner
CE – Central Division, NW – Northwest Division, PA – Pacific Division

Schedule and results

2008–09 Game Log
October: 4–5–2 (Home: 2–1–2 ; Road: 2–4–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 1 October 10 Columbus 5–4 Dallas OT Turco 18,532 0–0–1 1 [8] 2 October 11 Dallas 1–3 Nashville Turco 17,113 0–1–1 1 [9] 3 October 15 Nashville 4–6 Dallas Turco 16,899 1–1–1 3 [10] 4 October 16 Dallas 1–6 St. Louis Turco 18,550 1–2–1 3 [11] 5 October 18 Colorado 5–4 Dallas Turco 17,151 1–3–1 3 [12] 6 October 20 Dallas 2–1 NY Rangers Turco 18,200 2–3–1 5 [13] 7 October 22 Dallas 0–5 New Jersey Turco 12,101 2–4–1 5 [14] 8 October 23 Dallas 5–3 NY Islanders Turco 10,183 3–4–1 7 [15] 9 October 25 Washington 6–5 Dallas OT Turco 18,532 3–4–2 8 [16] 10 October 29 Minnesota 2–4 Dallas Stephan 18,431 4–4–2 10 [17] 11 October 31 Dallas 2–5 Chicago Stephan 21,212 4–5–2 10 [18]
November: 4–6–2 (Home: 1–3–1 ; Road: 3–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 12 November 1 Dallas 1–5 Boston Turco 14,576 4–6–2 10 [19] 13 November 7 Dallas 5–2 Anaheim Turco 17,048 5–6–2 12 [20] 14 November 8 Dallas 1–2 San Jose Turco 17,496 5–7–2 12 [21] 15 November 11 Dallas 2–3 Los Angeles SO Turco 13,823 5–7–3 13 [22] 16 November 13 Los Angeles 3–2 Dallas Turco 17,675 5–8–3 13 [23] 17 November 15 Dallas 3–2 Phoenix Turco 15,508 6–8–3 15 [24] 18 November 20 Chicago 6–3 Dallas Turco 18,027 6–9–3 15 [25] 19 November 22 Anaheim 2–1 Dallas SO Turco 17,734 6–9–4 16 [26] 20 November 24 Dallas 3–4 Philadelphia Turco 19,171 6–10–4 16 [27] 21 November 26 Dallas 4–3 Minnesota Turco 18,568 7–10–4 18 [28] 22 November 28 San Jose 6–2 Dallas Turco 18,532 7–11–4 18 [29] 23 November 30 Edmonton 3–4 Dallas Turco 16,650 8–11–4 20 [30]
December: 8–4–1 (Home: 6–2–0 ; Road: 2–2–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 24 December 2 Dallas 3–1 Calgary Turco 19,289 9–11–4 22 [31] 25 December 3 Dallas 2–5 Edmonton Turco 16,839 9–12–4 22 [32] 26 December 5 Colorado 1–2 Dallas SO Turco 16,651 10–12–4 24 [33] 27 December 10 Phoenix 5–3 Dallas Turco 16,374 10–13–4 24 [34] 28 December 12 Detroit 1–3 Dallas Turco 18,532 11–13–4 26 [35] 29 December 13 Dallas 0–3 Nashville Stephan 15,426 11–14–4 26 [36] 30 December 16 Phoenix 1–2 Dallas OT Turco 15,387 12–14–4 28 [37] 31 December 18 Columbus 5–6 Dallas SO Turco 16,281 13–14–4 30 [38] 32 December 20 Dallas 4–5 Ottawa OT Turco 19,486 13–14–5 31 [39] 33 December 23 Dallas 8–2 Toronto Turco 19,269 14–14–5 33 [40] 34 December 27 Anaheim 3–4 Dallas OT Turco 18,532 15–14–5 35 [41] 35 December 29 San Jose 3–1 Dallas Turco 18,532 15–15–5 35 [42] 36 December 31 New Jersey 2–4 Dallas Turco 18,584 16–15–5 37 [43]
January: 7–3–2 (Home: 3–0–1 ; Road: 4–3–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 37 January 3 Dallas 1–4 Edmonton Turco 16,839 16–16–5 37 [44] 38 January 4 Dallas 3–2 Vancouver SO Turco 18,630 17–16–5 39 [45] 39 January 8 Dallas 1–6 Detroit Turco 20,066 17–17–5 39 [46] 40 January 10 Dallas 0–1 Phoenix SO Turco 14,557 17–17–6 40 [47] 41 January 12 Detroit 4–5 Dallas OT Turco 17,648 18–17–6 42 [48] 42 January 15 Buffalo 5–4 Dallas SO Turco 17,339 18–17–7 43 [49] 43 January 17 Los Angeles 2–3 Dallas SO Turco 18,532 19–17–7 45 [50] 44 January 19 Dallas 2–4 Tampa Bay Turco 13,991 19–18–7 45 [51] 45 January 21 Dallas 4–1 Florida Turco 11,200 20–18–7 47 [52] 46 January 27 Atlanta 0–2 Dallas Turco 16,726 21–18–7 49 [53] 47 January 29 Dallas 4–2 Detroit Turco 20,066 22–18–7 51 [54] 48 January 31 Dallas 7–3 Columbus Turco 18,049 23–18–7 53 [55]
February: 6–7–0 (Home: 5–5–0 ; Road: 1–2–0) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 49 February 3 Calgary 1–3 Dallas Turco 16,395 24–18–7 55 [56] 50 February 5 Dallas 2–3 Colorado Turco 13,624 24–19–7 55 [57] 51 February 6 NY Rangers 2–10 Dallas Turco 18,532 25–19–7 57 [58] 52 February 8 Nashville 1–4 Dallas Turco 17,689 26–19–7 59 [59] 53 February 11 Phoenix 1–0 Dallas Turco 16,440 26–20–7 59 [60] 54 February 13 Vancouver 1–2 Dallas Turco 18,532 27–20–7 61 [61] 55 February 14 Dallas 2–6 Chicago Turco 22,704 27–21–7 61 [62] 56 February 16 Dallas 3–2 Columbus SO Turco 15,006 28–21–7 63 [63] 57 February 19 Edmonton 2–4 Dallas Turco 17,792 29–21–7 65 [64] 58 February 21 Chicago 3–1 Dallas Turco 18,584 29–22–7 65 [65] 59 February 23 San Jose 1–0 Dallas Turco 17,988 29–23–7 65 [66] 60 February 26 St. Louis 3–1 Dallas Turco 17,603 29–24–7 65 [67] 61 February 28 Anaheim 4–3 Dallas Turco 18,171 29–25–7 65 [68]
March: 5–8–3 (Home: 2–4–1 ; Road: 3–4–2) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 62 March 1 Pittsburgh 4–1 Dallas Stephan 18,532 29–26–7 65 [69] 63 March 3 Dallas 4–1 San Jose Turco 17,496 30–26–7 67 [70] 64 March 5 Dallas 4–5 Los Angeles OT Turco 17,430 30–26–8 68 [71] 65 March 6 Dallas 3–2 Anaheim Turco 17,380 31–26–8 70 [72] 66 March 8 Montreal 3–1 Dallas Turco 17,646 31–27–8 70 [73] 67 March 10 Dallas 2–5 St. Louis Turco 17,708 31–28–8 70 [74] 68 March 12 Carolina 2–3 Dallas Turco 16,788 32–28–8 72 [75] 69 March 14 Minnesota 2–3 Dallas OT Turco 18,584 33–28–8 74 [76] 70 March 17 Dallas 2–4 Vancouver Turco 18,630 33–29–8 74 [77] 71 March 18 Dallas 1–2 Calgary Turco 19,289 33–30–8 74 [78] 72 March 21 Dallas 2–5 San Jose Turco 17,496 33–31–8 74 [79] 73 March 24 Vancouver 5–2 Dallas Turco 17,276 33–32–8 74 [80] 74 March 26 Los Angeles 1–0 Dallas SO Turco 16,908 33–32–9 75 [81] 75 March 28 Florida 6–3 Dallas Turco 18,532 33–33–9 75 [82] 76 March 30 Dallas 5–6 Phoenix OT Stephan 13,831 33–33–10 76 [83] 77 March 31 Dallas 3–2 Los Angeles Turco 17,648 34–33–10 78 [84]
April: 2–2–1 (Home: 1–1–0 ; Road: 1–1–1) # Date Visitor Score Home OT Decision Attendance Record Pts Recap 78 April 2 Calgary 2–1 Dallas Turco 17,106 34–34–10 78 [85] 79 April 4 St. Louis 4–5 Dallas OT Climie 18,532 35–34–10 80 [86] 80 April 7 Dallas 1–3 Minnesota Climie 18,568 35–35–10 82 [87] 81 April 9 Dallas 3–2 Colorado SO Climie 13,822 36–35–10 84 [88] 82 April 10 Dallas 3–4 Anaheim SO Turco 17,531 36–35–11 85 [89]
Legend:   Win (2 points)   Loss (0 points)   Overtime/shootout loss (1 point)

Playoffs

The Dallas Stars failed to qualify for the 2009 NHL playoffs. for the first time since 2002

Player statistics

Skaters

Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played in; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty minutes; +/- = Plus/minus; PPG = Power-play goals; SHG = Short-handed goals; GWG = Game-winning goals 

Regular season

Player GP G A Pts +/− PIM Mike Ribeiro 82 22 56 78 -4 52 Loui Eriksson 82 36 27 63 +14 14 Brad Richards 56 16 32 48 -4 6 Mike Modano 80 15 31 46 -13 46 Steve Ott 64 19 27 46 +3 135 James Neal 77 24 13 37 -11 51 Matt Niskanen 80 6 29 35 -11 52 Fabian Brunnstrom 55 17 12 29 -8 8 Stephane Robidas 72 3 23 26 +10 76 Trevor Daley 75 7 18 25 +2 73 Jere Lehtinen 48 8 16 24 +1 8 Brenden Morrow 18 5 10 15 -4 49 Mark Parrish 44 8 5 13 -3 18 Darryl Sydor† 65 2 11 13 -2 16 Chris Conner 38 3 10 13 -5 10 Nicklas Grossmann 81 2 10 12 -8 51 Toby Petersen 57 4 7 11 +1 14 Sean Avery‡ 23 3 7 10 +2 77 Brendan Morrison† 19 6 3 9 +3 16 Brian Sutherby† 42 5 4 9 -5 52 Krys Barch 72 4 5 9 +1 133 Landon Wilson 27 2 6 8 +5 21 Joel Lundqvist 43 1 5 6 -9 20 Andrew Hutchinson† 38 2 3 5 -4 12 B. J. Crombeen‡ 15 1 4 5 -1 26 Sergei Zubov 10 0 4 4 -4 0 Mark Fistric 36 0 4 4 -1 42 Philippe Boucher‡ 16 0 3 3 -4 15 Tom Wandell 14 1 2 3 -1 4 Steve Begin† 20 1 1 2 -1 15 Garrett Stafford 3 0 2 2 0 0 Ivan Vishnevskiy 3 0 2 2 +1 2 Doug Janik‡ 13 0 1 1 -2 2 Raymond Sawada 5 1 0 1 -1 0 Dan Jancevski 3 0 0 0 0 0

Goaltenders

Note:  Min, TOI = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T,T/OT = Ties; OTL = Overtime losses; GA = Goals-against; GAA = Goals-against average; SO = Shutouts; SA = Shots against; SV = Shots saved; SV% = Save percentage;

Regular season
Player GP Min W L OT GA GAA SA SV Sv% SO Marty Turco 74 4327 33 31 10 203 2.81 1993 1790 .898 3 Tobias Stephan 10 437 1 3 1 27 3.70 208 181 .870 0 Matt Climie 3 185 2 1 0 9 2.92 85 76 .894 0 Brent Krahn 1 20 0 0 0 3 9.00 9 6 .667 0

^†Denotes player spent time with another team before joining Stars. Stats reflect player's season totals.
^‡Traded mid-season
Bold/italics denotes franchise record

Awards and records

Milestones

Stars forward James Neal

Regular Season
Player	Milestone	Reached
James Neal	1st NHL Game 1st NHL Goal 1st NHL Point	October 10, 2008
Fabian Brunnstrom	1st NHL Game 1st NHL Goal 1st NHL Point 1st NHL Hat Trick	October 15, 2008
James Neal	1st NHL Assist	October 15, 2008
Fabian Brunnstrom	1st NHL Assist	October 20, 2008
Mike Ribeiro	300th NHL Point	October 23, 2008
B. J. Crombeen	1st NHL Goal	October 25, 2008
Joel Lundqvist	100th NHL Game	October 25, 2008
Stephane Robidas	500th NHL Game	October 31, 2008

Transactions

Trades

Date	Details
November 16, 2008	To Pittsburgh Penguins Philippe Boucher	To Dallas Stars Darryl Sydor
November 30, 2008	To Tampa Bay Lightning Lauri Tukonen	To Dallas Stars Andrew Hutchinson
December 14, 2008	To Anaheim Ducks David McIntyre Conditional pick in 20091	To Dallas Stars Brian Sutherby
February 26, 2009	To Montreal Canadiens Doug Janik	To Dallas Stars Steve Begin

1. Condition not satisfied.

Free agents

Player Former team Contract Terms Sean Avery New York Rangers 4 years, $15.5 million

Player New team Niklas Hagman Toronto Maple Leafs Nolan Baumgartner Vancouver Canucks Antti Miettinen Minnesota Wild Brad Winchester St. Louis Blues Byrce Lampman Amur Khabarovsk Johan Holmqvist Frölunda HC Lauri Tukonen Ilves

Waivers

Player Former team New team Date claimed off waivers Doug Janik Chicago Blackhawks Dallas Stars October 2 Sean Avery Dallas Stars New York Rangers March 3, 2009 Brendan Morrison Anaheim Ducks Dallas Stars March 4, 2009

Retired

Player Date retired Mattias Norstrom June 10, 2008 Stu Barnes August 8, 2008

Draft picks

The Stars' picks at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft in Ottawa, Ontario.

Round	#	Player	Position	Nationality	College/Junior/Club team (League)
2	59	Tyler Beskorowany	(G)	Canada	Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
3	89	Scott Winkler	(C)	Norway	Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL)
5	149	Philip Larsen	(D)	Denmark	Frölunda HC (Elitserien)
6	176 (from Montreal)	Matthew Tassone	(C)	Canada	Swift Current Broncos (WHL)
7	209	Mike Bergin	(D)	Canada	Smiths Falls Bears (CJHL)

See also

• 2008–09 NHL season

Farm teams

In 2008, the Stars ended their affiliation with the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Iowa Stars as their primary minor league affiliate, expecting to announce the formation of a new minor league expansion team, the Texas Stars, at the beginning of the 2009–10 season. The Texas Stars will be based in Cedar Park, Texas, just three hours driving time from the metroplex. The Stars' minor league contract players are currently dispersed among four different teams in the AHL and ECHL.