One trade, two Hall of Famers, and a deal that changed the shape of two franchises.
On July 8, 1995, the Dallas Stars made Jarome Iginla the 11th overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft, taking the forward out of the Kamloops Blazers. He never played a game for Dallas. Less than six months later, in December, the Stars sent Iginla and center Corey Millen to the Calgary Flames in exchange for the rights to Joe Nieuwendyk, who was in the middle of a contract standoff with Calgary.
For Dallas, the logic was clear. Mike Modano was the only true star center on the roster, and the Stars believed they needed more strength down the middle to keep up with the league’s top contenders.
Nieuwendyk, already a Stanley Cup champion, was exactly the kind of player they were after. At the time, it looked like a smart, low-risk swing.
It turned out to be that for Dallas, and then some. Nieuwendyk stepped into a team built to win right away, and he became a major part of the Stars’ only Stanley Cup run in 1998-99, winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
He spent three more seasons in Dallas before picking up a third career Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 2002-03. His career ended with Hall of Fame recognition in 2011, along with 564 goals and 1,126 points across 20 seasons.
Calgary’s side of the deal took longer to fully bloom, but the payoff was enormous. Iginla spent 16 of his 20 NHL seasons with the Flames and left as the franchise leader in goals, points and games played, along with several other major marks.
His breakout came in 2001-02, when he led the league with 52 goals and 96 points and swept the Art Ross, Maurice Richard and Lester B. Pearson Awards.
In the end, both teams got what they were chasing. Dallas landed the championship center it needed, and Calgary got the player who would become the defining face of the franchise.
In Other News...
Jason Robertson Trade Buzz Just Took A More Serious Turn
Jason Robertsons offseason has moved into a trickier stage for the Stars, with the winger now expected to head to salary arbitration as a restricted free agent. After another huge season in which he piled up 45 goals and 51 assists, Robertson remains one of Dallas most important players, which is exactly why any chatter around his future is getting so much attention around the league.
The tension for Dallas is that the Stars would prefer not to move him, but their cap situation could make every option feel uncomfortable. Pittsburgh has stayed in the mix as a possible landing spot, and the fact that Robertson would be open to that kind of move only adds to the pressure as the arbitration process approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Jason Robertson Just Put Serious Pressure On The Stars Future
Jason Robertsons contract situation has moved from offseason background noise into a formal process, with the Stars winger among 15 NHL players who filed for salary arbitration. The hearings are set for July 20 through Aug. 1, but there is still a window for Robertson and Dallas to work out a deal before that point, which keeps the door open for a resolution without ever getting to the podium.
The timing matters because Robertsons case is built on real production, not projection. He just finished a regular season with 45 goals and 96 points, then added five goals and eight points in six playoff games, giving the Stars a clear reminder of how central he is to their future. Whether this ends with a long-term agreement or heads deeper into the arbitration process, Dallas is now negotiating under a much brighter spotlight. [Read more 🡒]