Dallas Stars acquire longtime Blues legend and Stanley Cup hero in unexpected signing today in history
Photo credit: Wallpaper Abyss - Alpha Coders
The Dallas Stars shocked the hockey world today in 1998, when they signed longtime St. Louis Blues sniper Brett Hull, bringing his Hall of Fame shot to Texas after over a decade as a central figure in Missouri.
This bold free agent deal gave Dallas something it had never truly had before: a clutch, Cup-hungry scorer with one of the most feared releases in NHL history.
Hull had spent 11 seasons with the St. Louis Blues, where he scored an incredible 527 goals and became the face of the franchise. But after a falling out with management, he hit free agency looking for a contender.
What few expected was that he'd choose the Dallas Stars, a team that had never been past the Conference Finals.
How Brett Hull's stunning move to Dallas helped the Stars become Cup champions
At the time, Hull's decision raised eyebrows. He was 34, and while still productive, some believed his best days were behind him. Critics questioned whether his defense-first coach Ken Hitchcock could work with a free spirit like Hull.
But Hull thrived in Dallas. In his first season (1998-99), he scored 32 goals and added 50 points in the regular season, as shown in his career stat line.
In the playoffs, he elevated his game even more, scoring the most memorable goal in franchise history: the controversial Cup-clincher in triple overtime of Game 6 against the Buffalo Sabres.
«We knew he could score, but what he brought to the locker room was even more valuable,» former Stars GM Bob Gainey later said.
Hull's game-winning tally remains one of the most replayed moments in NHL playoff history.
Despite the controversy over his skate being in the crease, the NHL stood by the decision, awarding the Stars their first Stanley Cup - a moment still covered in retrospectives like this NHL.com feature.
«All the critics, all the doubts, all the noise, it didn't matter,» Hull said years later. «We won. That's all that counts.»
I believe this move changed how Dallas was viewed across the NHL. It proved the Stars could attract elite talent and finish the job.
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