Former
#txstars
D Maxime Fortunus has retired. An original Texas Star, Fortunus played 882 games across 15 seasons in the AHL, including 6 seasons in Texas. He served as captain for 3 of those, including the year the Stars won the Calder Cup.
Texas found out they had to scratch Grushnikov just before puck drop. He stayed for the game and addressed the locker room postgame to thank the team and say his goodbyes.
Anyone at all who would like to complain about anything related to the current slate of Dallas Stars jerseys: Please check yourself and remember these days.
#txstars
HC Graham on Grushnikov: "He's a 1st-class individual. He wanted to say a few words and spoke very highly of our organization and his time here. We feel the exact same way about him.
"I told him I'm from Calgary. If he needs anything, a home cooked meal, let me know."
#txstars
Mavrik Bourque has won the John B. Sollenberger Trophy as the leading point-getter in the AHL (26-51=77). He's the youngest winner in a decade.
This afternoon,
#txstars
Michael Delay sent out the following quite direct email to season ticket holders regarding non-compliance with COVID protocols at games and the consequences for not following them. From those who were there, I understand these issues were rampant.
Thank you to everyone who reads and follows the work we do here. On behalf of everyone at 100 Degree Hockey, our deepest gratitude for your support and readership. There will be much to discuss in the offseason, and we'll see you all back at the rink in October.
Would you like to feel old today? No? Well, too bad.
Here is the Stars' roster for their game against Anaheim 9 days before before Wyatt Johnston was born.
I bet you never had Derek Laxdal, Nick Caamano, Jake Oettinger, Joel Hanley and Joel Kiviranta going through a Stanley Cup Final handshake line on your 2020 bingo card.
Hell of a run for plenty of former
#txstars
.
Dillon Heatherington on Johns:
"Off the ice, he's special person. When I first got called up to Dallas, he was in the dressing room, and he helped me out a bunch there. It's just great seeing him back playing again and with a smile on his face. It was something special."
#txstars
Report: Lian Bichsel to Leave Texas, Return to Sweden
- Bichsel's contract has a player option to return to Europe on or after Dec 1.
- He appears to have exercised it.
- Texas Stars have no comment at this time.
Read more:
Full Laxdal quote on Gurianov: "Every goal we get out of Gurianov is great until he goes back [to Dallas]. That's a fast team, and he blew by guys shift after shift. If he can play that way every game with confidence and consistency, he's going to be a long-time Dallas Star."
Ben Bishop did talk after the game, a true pro. Said he obviously would have loved a 40-shot shutout, but he's happy to be playing games again regardless.
#txstars
Lian Bichsel update...
Rögle BK sits in 10th place, last team in the playoff play-in with three games left to play after their match today (in progress) against Leksand.
If Rögle miss the play-in cutoff, Bichsel is eligible for immediate reassignment to Texas.
One thing I think was big yesterday but maybe didn't get noticed as much was the color of the stadium. Victory green has taken over the Dallas Stars fandom. Everyone had gear at the game.
Sort of quietly, Thomas Harley has crept up the AHL scoring charts. He is
#2
ranked among all defensemen and the top rookie. I would argue he's a lock for All-Rookie team and could even be a first-team All-Star.
Thank you to everyone who reads, follows, comments on, retweets, likes, etc. anything we write.
@ryanpennington
and I are so lucky to do what we do with some of the best fans in the AHL.
As always, THANK YOU to everyone who reads our work here at 100 Degree Hockey.
Plenty more coming over the next few weeks breaking down the season that was.
No movement on the AHL transaction wire for Texas Stars heading to Dallas still.
Sure bets are Bourque and Bichsel.
Very likely would be Blümel, Bayreuther and Petrovic.
Could see Remi Poirier as well, IMHO.
There are many LGBTQ+ hockey fans that love a sport that doesn't love them back. I had a conversation with those fans about how the sport can be better and what "Hockey is for Everyone" actually means right now.
#txstars
and
@DallasStars
both can clinch their playoff spots tonight. Texas needs a point. Dallas needs a regulation win.
For
#txstars
, it is the last game of the season and their last chance to own their own destiny.
Just 2:41 into the game things have turned serious as Matej Blumel is taken into the boards and doesn't move after going down.
He's been stretcher off and immediately heads to the ambulance.
#txstars
#TEXvsSJ
Mike McKenna on
#txstars
fans: "I’ll put our fanbase and H-E-B Center up against any arena in this league. Our fans are as passionate as anyone. We drive into games, and we see them playing street hockey, tailgating and doing it the Texas way. We love that and we feed off that."
@taylordbaird
: What stands out for you about Jake Oettinger that makes you know that he's ready to be the guy?
Seguin: He shot a 71 yesterday.
@MDeFranks
: What did you shoot?
Seguin: ...higher.
DYK?
@DallasStars
are the first team in NHL history to feature multiple rookies with a hat trick in a playoff year (Joel Kiviranta in
#Game7
of R2 & Denis Gurianov in Game 6 of R1).
#NHLStats
#StanleyCup
Despite NHL Network and TSN2 coverage of Calder Cup Finals games, I think the league is making a mistake by not making AHL Live free for the finals. Here's why.
The Texas Stars have secured home ice advantage for the opening round against Manitoba. All three games will be played in Cedar Park.
Milwaukee's 6-4 victory over Manitoba tonight sealed the deal.
The clock hits 0.0 & the
@TexasStars
top the
@IAWild
3-1. Oettinger stops an impressive 44 shots & is your star of the game.
Your
#ThreeStars
are
1. J. Oettinger
2. R. Damiani
3. J. Kawaguchi
Tomorrow is a rare Dallas org viewing opportunity.
@DallasStars
at 3:00 PM
@TexasStars
at 6:00 PM
@Steelheads
at 9:05 PM
Prepare yourself now for 9 hours of hockey tomorrow!