How the Stars built their Stanley Cup Final roster: 6 trades, timely signings and many draft picks

Editor’s note: This article was originally published on Sept. 10. Now that the Stars have clinched their first Stanley Cup Final berth in 20 years, we’re bringing it back.

The Stars are in the Western Conference Final for the first time since 2008 and in pursuit of their first Stanley Cup Final appearance since 2000.

Ahead of their Game 3 against the Golden Knights on Thursday night, with the series tied at 1, The Dallas Morning News evaluated the roster’s construction and how the Stars have used NHL drafts, timely free-agent signings and a few trades to build their most successful core in more than a decade.

Here’s how each of the Stars' 31 players on the postseason roster arrived in Dallas.

Draft

Jamie Benn: The captain was the Stars' No. 129 overall pick in the 2007 draft and has been central to the franchise’s path to this year’s Western Conference Final.

Nick Caamano: The Stars' No. 146 pick in the 2016 draft scored his first NHL goal earlier this season.

Ty Dellandrea: The 20-year-old center whom the Stars' selected at No. 13 in 2018 is one of the most recent draft picks on this playoff roster.

Jason Dickinson: The Stars took Dickinson with the No. 29 overall pick in the 2013 draft.

Radek Faksa: The Czech center has been with the Stars' organization since he was the No. 13 overall pick in the 2012 draft.

Denis Gurianov: The forward joined the Stars' organization in 2015 as the No. 12 overall pick.

Thomas Harley: The Stars' most recent first-round draft pick (No. 18 overall in 2019) made the playoff roster as a “black ace.”

Miro Heiskanen: The 20-year-old defenseman was the Stars' highest draft selection (No. 3 overall in 2017) since the franchise arrived in Dallas.

Roope Hintz: The Stars selected the Finnish forward No. 49 overall in the 2015 draft.

John Klingberg: The Swede has been a focal point of several Stars runs since the team picked him at No. 131 in the 2010 draft.

Esa Lindell: Since the Stars selected him at No. 74 overall in 2012, the defenseman has signed two contract extensions with the franchise.

Jake Oettinger: The rookie goalie was the Stars' first-round draft pick (No. 26 overall) in 2017.

Jamie Oleksiak: The Stars' first-round pick (No. 14 overall) in 2011 also joined the roster via trade in 2019 after two years in Pittsburgh split his Dallas tenure.

Jason Robertson: The Stars' No. 39 overall pick in 2017 is one of the team’s eight “black aces” in the playoffs this season.

Trade

Ben Bishop: The Stars sent a fourth-round draft pick in 2017 to the Los Angeles Kings for negotiating rights to the goaltender.

Andrew Cogliano: In January 2019, the Stars acquired Cogliano from the Ducks in exchange for Devin Shore.

Taylor Fedun: The Stars acquired the Canadian defenseman in 2018 for a late-round draft pick.

Stephen Johns: The Stars made a 2015 offseason trade for Johns and Patrick Sharp by sending Trevor Daley and Ryan Garbutt to the Blackhawks.

Tyler Seguin: During the 2013 offseason, the Stars sent Loui Eriksson, Reilly Smith, Matt Fraser and Joe Morrow to the Bruins for Seguin, Rich Peverley and Ryan Button.

Mattias Janmark: During the 2015 season, the Stars acquired Janmark, Mattias Backman and a third-round pick for Erik Cole and a second-round selection.

Free agency

Gavin Bayreuther: The defenseman signed with the Stars' organization as an undrafted free agent in 2017.

Landon Bow: The goaltender signed with the Texas Stars as an undrafted free agent in 2016 and has been part of the Stars' system since.

Blake Comeau: Comeau left the Avalanche to sign a three-year, $7.2 million contract with the Stars during the 2018 offseason.

Justin Dowling: Since going undrafted in 2010, Dowling has signed four short-term deals and extensions with the Texas and Dallas Stars.

Joel Hanley: The defenseman signed with the Stars on a two-way contract in 2018.

Anton Khudobin: The goaltender signed a two-year, $5 million contract with the Stars in 2018.

Joel Kiviranta: One summer before his Game 7 heroics, the Stars signed Kiviranta to a two-year, entry-level contract.

Joe Pavelski: After a 13-year tenure in San Jose, Pavelski signed a three-year, $21 million deal with the Stars in 2019.

Corey Perry: The Stars signed the veteran right-winger to a one-year, $1.5 million contract during the 2019 offseason.

Alexander Radulov: The right winger signed a five-year, $31.25 million contract with the Stars in 2017, the latest stop in his professional career that has spanned continents.

Andrej Sekera: The Stars became the Slovak defenseman’s fifth NHL team when he signed a one-year, $1.5 million deal in 2019.

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