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The Dallas Stars franchise was founded in 1967 as the Minnesota North Stars as part of the NHL's first major expansion. Minnesota was one of six new teams added that year as the league doubled in size from six franchises to 12.

In 1978, the North Stars merged with the Cleveland Barons, a franchise that had previously played as the California Golden Seals. The combined organization continued to play in Minnesota under the North Stars name.

The franchise remained in Minnesota until 1993, when it relocated to Texas and became the Dallas Stars. The move began a new era for the organization, culminating in the franchise's first Stanley Cup championship six years later.

Division History

The Minnesota North Stars originally competed in the NHL's West Division before moving into the Smythe Division as part of league realignment in 1974.

Another reorganization placed Minnesota in the Norris Division in 1981, where the North Stars remained until their move to Dallas in 1993.

When the franchise relocated to Texas, the Stars became members of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The NHL's 1998 realignment moved Dallas into the Pacific Division, where the team played for 15 seasons.

The Stars returned to the Central Division as part of another league realignment in 2013 and remain members of the Central today.

Championship History

The franchise reached the Stanley Cup Final twice while based in Minnesota.

The North Stars made their first Final appearance in 1981, losing to the New York Islanders in five games. Minnesota returned to the Stanley Cup Final in 1991 after an unexpected playoff run but was defeated by the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games.

After moving to Dallas, the franchise developed into one of the NHL's strongest teams of the late 1990s.

The Stars won consecutive Presidents' Trophies in 1997-98 and 1998-99 for finishing with the NHL's best regular-season record.

Dallas then captured the first Stanley Cup championship in franchise history in 1999. The Stars defeated the Buffalo Sabres in six games in the Final, with Brett Hull scoring the Cup-winning goal in triple overtime of Game 6.

The Stars returned to the Stanley Cup Final the following season but were defeated by the New Jersey Devils.

Dallas made another run to the Final in 2020. Playing in the NHL's postseason bubbles following the interruption of the season, the Stars defeated the Calgary Flames, Colorado Avalanche and Vegas Golden Knights before losing to the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games.

The Stars have won nine division championships since relocating to Dallas, most recently capturing the Central Division in 2023-24.

Dallas also reached the Western Conference Final in three consecutive seasons from 2023 through 2025, demonstrating another period of sustained postseason success.

Home of the Stars

When the franchise moved to Dallas in 1993, the Stars played their home games at Reunion Arena.

Reunion Arena remained the team's home until 2001, when the Stars moved into American Airlines Center in downtown Dallas.

The arena is shared with the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and has served as the Stars' home for more than two decades. It has also hosted major hockey events, including the NHL All-Star Game and NHL Draft.

Notable Stars

Mike Modano became the defining player of the Stars franchise during its transition from Minnesota to Dallas.

Selected first overall by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1988 NHL Draft, Modano played 20 seasons with the franchise before finishing his NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings.

He remains the Stars/North Stars franchise leader in games played, goals, assists and points, recording 557 goals, 802 assists and 1,359 points in 1,459 regular-season games with the organization.

Modano played a central role in the Stars' 1999 Stanley Cup championship and had his No. 9 retired by the franchise in 2014. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame that same year.

Neal Broten was another of the most important players in franchise history.

A Minnesota native, Broten won an NCAA championship with the University of Minnesota before becoming part of the United States team that captured the gold medal at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid.

He then spent most of his NHL career with the North Stars and Stars. Broten became the first U.S.-born player to record 100 points in an NHL season when he reached 105 points in 1985-86.

He also moved with the franchise from Minnesota to Texas in 1993 and scored the first goal in Dallas Stars history. His No. 7 was retired by the organization in 1998.

Jamie Benn became another major figure in Stars history after Dallas selected him in the fifth round of the 2007 NHL Draft.

Benn was named team captain in 2013 and won the Art Ross Trophy as the NHL's leading scorer in 2014-15 after recording 87 points. He later helped Dallas reach the 2020 Stanley Cup Final and three consecutive Western Conference Finals from 2023 through 2025.

Sergei Zubov was one of the most accomplished defensemen of the Stars' championship era. He joined Dallas in 1996 and became a key part of the team that won the Stanley Cup in 1999.

Zubov holds the franchise records for goals, assists and points by a defenseman and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2019. The Stars retired his No. 56 in 2022.

Other prominent players in Stars and North Stars history include Bill Goldsworthy, Dino Ciccarelli, Derian Hatcher, Jere Lehtinen, Ed Belfour, Marty Turco, Brenden Morrow and Miro Heiskanen.