* The Blackhawks finished up the 2010-11 campaign by going
just 7-6-3 in their last 16 games and grabbing the No. 8 seed in the West, one
season after winning the Stanley Cup. Chicago
was bounced out of the playoffs in the first round by the Canucks after
stretching the series to seven games.
* Despite finishing with 95 points in 2010-11, the Stars missed the postseason
for the third straight season - their longest playoff drought since moving from
Minnesota to Texas in 1993-94. Dallas is 9-2-4-2 in season-openers since the
move - tied for the best record in the league.
* The Stars took three of four from Chicago
last season, outscoring the Blackhawks by a combined 15-10 in the process. The
two clubs have split their last eight games in Dallas, each scoring a total of 30
goals in those contests.
* Jonathan Toews led the Blackhawks in scoring last year with a new career-high
of 76 points (32g, 44a). That said, the 23-year forward had just two points
(both goals) in his last nine regular-season games of 2010-11.
* Dallas lost
its leading scorer the last two years, Brad Richards, to the Rangers via free
agency, and are also without their coach, Marc Crawford, who was fired after
the season. Glen Gulutzan enters the 2011-12 NHL season as the 21st
head coach in Stars franchise history, and the 19th to be hired by
the club with no previous NHL experience.
* Dallas
finished the 2011 preseason with a 6-1-0 record. It was the first time since
the club moved to Texas
that the Stars have won that many games in a single preseason.
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