# 1995–96 Dallas Stars season

The 1995–96 Dallas Stars season was the third National Hockey League season in Dallas, Texas (and 29th as a franchise), which would start off badly and finish badly, with a division worst 26-42-14. The Stars failed to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 1993 when they were known as the Minnesota North Stars.

## Regular season

On January 8, 1996, Bob Gainey resigned as head coach and was replaced by Michigan K-Wings head coach Ken Hitchcock. Gainey remained the team's general manager.
On March 11, 1996, the Stars played in the final game at the Montreal Forum.

### Final standings

Central Division :
| No. | | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
| 1 | Detroit Red Wings | 82 | 62 | 13 | 7 | 325 | 181 | 131 |
| 2 | Chicago Blackhawks | 82 | 40 | 28 | 14 | 273 | 220 | 94 |
| 3 | Toronto Maple Leafs | 82 | 34 | 36 | 12 | 247 | 252 | 80 |
| 4 | St. Louis Blues | 82 | 32 | 34 | 16 | 219 | 248 | 80 |
| 5 | Winnipeg Jets | 82 | 36 | 40 | 6 | 275 | 291 | 78 |
| 6 | Dallas Stars | 82 | 26 | 42 | 14 | 227 | 280 | 66 |
Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; Pts = Points Bolded teams qualified for the playoffs.
Western Conference :
| R | | Div | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | Pts |
| 1 | p – Detroit Red Wings | CEN | 82 | 62 | 13 | 7 | 325 | 181 | 131 |
| 2 | Colorado Avalanche | PAC | 82 | 47 | 25 | 10 | 326 | 240 | 104 |
| 3 | Chicago Blackhawks | CEN | 82 | 40 | 28 | 14 | 273 | 220 | 94 |
| 4 | Toronto Maple Leafs | CEN | 82 | 34 | 36 | 12 | 247 | 252 | 80 |
| 5 | St. Louis Blues | CEN | 82 | 32 | 34 | 16 | 219 | 248 | 80 |
| 6 | Calgary Flames | PAC | 82 | 34 | 37 | 11 | 241 | 240 | 79 |
| 7 | Vancouver Canucks | PAC | 82 | 32 | 35 | 15 | 278 | 278 | 79 |
| 8 | Winnipeg Jets | CEN | 82 | 36 | 40 | 6 | 275 | 291 | 78 |
| 9 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | PAC | 82 | 35 | 39 | 8 | 234 | 247 | 78 |
| 10 | Edmonton Oilers | PAC | 82 | 30 | 44 | 8 | 240 | 304 | 68 |
| 11 | Dallas Stars | CEN | 82 | 26 | 42 | 14 | 227 | 280 | 66 |
| 12 | Los Angeles Kings | PAC | 82 | 24 | 40 | 18 | 256 | 302 | 66 |
| 13 | San Jose Sharks | PAC | 82 | 20 | 55 | 7 | 252 | 357 | 47 |
Divisions: CEN – Central, PAC – Pacific
bold – Qualified for playoffs; p – Won Presidents' Trophy

## Schedule and results

1995–96 regular season :
October: 5–4–2 (home: 4–3–1; road: 1–1–1)
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecordRecap
1LOctober 7, 19955–7@ Winnipeg Jets (1995–96)0–1–0Recap
2WOctober 10, 19957–3Calgary Flames (1995–96)1–1–0Recap
3LOctober 12, 19951–3St. Louis Blues (1995–96)1–2–0Recap
4WOctober 14, 19956–5Boston Bruins (1995–96)2–2–0Recap
5LOctober 17, 19953–4Washington Capitals (1995–96)2–3–0Recap
6TOctober 19, 19951–1 OT@ St. Louis Blues (1995–96)2–3–1Recap
7TOctober 21, 19953–3 OTTampa Bay Lightning (1995–96)2–3–2Recap
8WOctober 24, 19953–0Buffalo Sabres (1995–96)3–3–2Recap
9WOctober 26, 19955–2Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1995–96)4–3–2Recap
10WOctober 28, 19954–3@ San Jose Sharks (1995–96)5–3–2Recap
11LOctober 30, 19951–6Colorado Avalanche (1995–96)5–4–2Recap :
November: 3–3–3 (home: 3–0–2; road: 0–3–1)
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecordRecap
12TNovember 1, 19951–1 OTChicago Blackhawks (1995–96)5–4–3Recap
13LNovember 4, 19951–5@ Detroit Red Wings (1995–96)5–5–3Recap
14TNovember 8, 19953–3 OTLos Angeles Kings (1995–96)5–5–4Recap
15TNovember 9, 19951–1 OT@ Colorado Avalanche (1995–96)5–5–5Recap
16LNovember 14, 19952–4@ Pittsburgh Penguins (1995–96)5–6–5Recap
17LNovember 15, 19951–2@ Buffalo Sabres (1995–96)5–7–5Recap
18WNovember 17, 19952–1San Jose Sharks (1995–96)6–7–5Recap
19WNovember 22, 19954–3Vancouver Canucks (1995–96)7–7–5Recap
20WNovember 25, 19952–0New Jersey Devils (1995–96)8–7–5Recap :
December: 2–10–2 (home: 1–4–1; road: 1–6–1)
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecordRecap
21TDecember 2, 19952–2 OT@ Los Angeles Kings (1995–96)8–7–6Recap
22WDecember 3, 19957–6@ Colorado Avalanche (1995–96)9–7–6Recap
23LDecember 5, 19954–6@ Boston Bruins (1995–96)9–8–6Recap
24LDecember 7, 19951–3@ Detroit Red Wings (1995–96)9–9–6Recap
25LDecember 9, 19951–3@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1995–96)9–10–6Recap
26LDecember 11, 19952–3@ New York Rangers (1995–96)9–11–6Recap
27LDecember 13, 19954–8Calgary Flames (1995–96)9–12–6Recap
28LDecember 15, 19951–5Pittsburgh Penguins (1995–96)9–13–6Recap
29WDecember 17, 19954–2San Jose Sharks (1995–96)10–13–6Recap
30TDecember 21, 19953–3 OTNew York Islanders (1995–96)10–13–7Recap
31LDecember 23, 19950–2Chicago Blackhawks (1995–96)10–14–7Recap
32LDecember 26, 19953–5@ Chicago Blackhawks (1995–96)10–15–7Recap
33LDecember 28, 19951–4@ St. Louis Blues (1995–96)10–16–7Recap
34LDecember 29, 19951–2Detroit Red Wings (1995–96)10–17–7Recap :
January: 4–7–4 (home: 1–4–3; road: 3–3–1)
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecordRecap
35LJanuary 1, 19960–1Toronto Maple Leafs (1995–96)10–18–7Recap
36TJanuary 3, 19963–3 OT@ Detroit Red Wings (1995–96)10–18–8Recap
37WJanuary 5, 19965–4Winnipeg Jets (1995–96)11–18–8Recap
38LJanuary 7, 19962–5@ Chicago Blackhawks (1995–96)11–19–8Recap
39TJanuary 8, 19964–4 OTLos Angeles Kings (1995–96)11–19–9Recap
40LJanuary 10, 19960–4Detroit Red Wings (1995–96)11–20–9Recap
41TJanuary 12, 19966–6 OTFlorida Panthers (1995–96)11–20–10Recap
42LJanuary 14, 19962–7@ New Jersey Devils (1995–96)11–21–10Recap
43LJanuary 15, 19961–6@ Philadelphia Flyers (1995–96)11–22–10Recap
44LJanuary 17, 19963–4Edmonton Oilers (1995–96)11–23–10Recap
45WJanuary 22, 19966–4@ Vancouver Canucks (1995–96)12–23–10Recap
46WJanuary 24, 19965–3@ Edmonton Oilers (1995–96)13–23–10Recap
47WJanuary 26, 19964–2@ Calgary Flames (1995–96)14–23–10Recap
48LJanuary 29, 19961–2Winnipeg Jets (1995–96)14–24–10Recap
49TJanuary 31, 19961–1 OTNew York Rangers (1995–96)14–24–11Recap :
February: 5–7–1 (home: 2–4–1; road: 3–3–0)
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecordRecap
50LFebruary 2, 19964–5Vancouver Canucks (1995–96)14–25–11Recap
51LFebruary 4, 19963–5@ New York Islanders (1995–96)14–26–11Recap
52WFebruary 6, 19965–2@ St. Louis Blues (1995–96)15–26–11Recap
53LFebruary 7, 19962–4Montreal Canadiens (1995–96)15–27–11Recap
54LFebruary 10, 19963–6St. Louis Blues (1995–96)15–28–11Recap
55LFebruary 11, 19963–5Hartford Whalers (1995–96)15–29–11Recap
56WFebruary 16, 19966–1Edmonton Oilers (1995–96)16–29–11Recap
57LFebruary 18, 19964–6@ Florida Panthers (1995–96)16–30–11Recap
58LFebruary 19, 19962–4@ Tampa Bay Lightning (1995–96)16–31–11Recap
59WFebruary 22, 19963–2Ottawa Senators (1995–96)17–31–11Recap
60WFebruary 24, 19963–2@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1995–96)18–31–11Recap
61WFebruary 25, 19966–2@ Hartford Whalers (1995–96)19–31–11Recap
62TFebruary 28, 19964–4 OTPhiladelphia Flyers (1995–96)19–31–12Recap :
March: 5–7–1 (home: 3–1–0; road: 2–6–1)
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecordRecap
63WMarch 2, 19965–1Toronto Maple Leafs (1995–96)20–31–12Recap
64WMarch 5, 19963–1@ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1995–96)21–31–12Recap
65WMarch 6, 19962–1@ San Jose Sharks (1995–96)22–31–12Recap
66LMarch 11, 19961–4@ Montreal Canadiens (1995–96)22–32–12Recap
67LMarch 13, 19961–4@ Ottawa Senators (1995–96)22–33–12Recap
68LMarch 15, 19960–3@ Toronto Maple Leafs (1995–96)22–34–12Recap
69LMarch 17, 19961–2@ Washington Capitals (1995–96)22–35–12Recap
70WMarch 20, 19962–1St. Louis Blues (1995–96)23–35–12Recap
71LMarch 22, 19962–5@ Vancouver Canucks (1995–96)23–36–12Recap
72TMarch 23, 19964–4 OT@ Los Angeles Kings (1995–96)23–36–13Recap
73LMarch 26, 19962–8Winnipeg Jets (1995–96)23–37–13Recap
74WMarch 28, 19963–1Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1995–96)24–37–13Recap
75LMarch 31, 19963–5@ Chicago Blackhawks (1995–96)24–38–13Recap :
April: 2–4–1 (home: 0–2–1; road: 2–2–0)
GameResultDateScoreOpponentRecordRecap
76LApril 3, 19961–3@ Winnipeg Jets (1995–96)24–39–13Recap
77TApril 5, 19963–3 OTChicago Blackhawks (1995–96)24–39–14Recap
78LApril 7, 19961–4Colorado Avalanche (1995–96)24–40–14Recap
79WApril 9, 19964–3 OT@ Calgary Flames (1995–96)25–40–14Recap
80WApril 10, 19964–2@ Edmonton Oilers (1995–96)26–40–14Recap
81LApril 12, 19963–5@ Mighty Ducks of Anaheim (1995–96)26–41–14Recap
82LApril 14, 19961–5Detroit Red Wings (1995–96)26–42–14Recap :
Legend:
  Win (2 points)
  Loss (0 points)
  Tie (1 point) :

## Player statistics
### Scoring

* Position abbreviations: C = Center; D = Defense; G = Goaltender; LW = Left wing; RW = Right wing
* † = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Stars only.
* ‡ = Left team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, release) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Stars only.
| No. | Player | Pos | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season |
| No. | Player | Pos | GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM |
| 9 | Mike Modano | C | 78 | 36 | 45 | 81 | −12 | 63 |
| 23 | Greg Adams | LW | 66 | 22 | 21 | 43 | −21 | 33 |
| 41 | Brent Gilchrist | LW | 77 | 20 | 22 | 42 | −11 | 36 |
| 4 | Kevin Hatcher | D | 74 | 15 | 26 | 41 | −24 | 58 |
| 25 | Joe Nieuwendyk† | C | 52 | 14 | 18 | 32 | −17 | 41 |
| 2 | Derian Hatcher | D | 79 | 8 | 23 | 31 | −12 | 129 |
| 10 | Todd Harvey | RW | 69 | 9 | 20 | 29 | −13 | 136 |
| 29 | Grant Marshall | RW | 70 | 9 | 19 | 28 | 0 | 111 |
| 26 | Jere Lehtinen | RW | 57 | 6 | 22 | 28 | 5 | 16 |
| 15 | Dave Gagner‡ | C | 45 | 14 | 13 | 27 | −17 | 44 |
| 33 | Benoit Hogue† | C | 34 | 7 | 20 | 27 | 4 | 36 |
| 39 | Mike Kennedy | C | 61 | 9 | 17 | 26 | −7 | 48 |
| 12 | Grant Ledyard | D | 73 | 5 | 19 | 24 | −15 | 20 |
| 21 | Guy Carbonneau | C | 71 | 8 | 15 | 23 | −2 | 38 |
| 24 | Richard Matvichuk | D | 73 | 6 | 16 | 22 | 4 | 71 |
| 20 | Brent Fedyk† | LW | 41 | 10 | 9 | 19 | −17 | 30 |
| 17 | Bill Huard | LW | 51 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 3 | 176 |
| 22 | Trent Klatt‡ | RW | 22 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 23 |
| 6 | Darryl Sydor† | D | 26 | 2 | 6 | 8 | −1 | 41 |
| 27 | Shane Churla‡ | RW | 34 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 168 |
| 6 | Corey Millen‡ | C | 13 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 8 |
| 11 | Mike Donnelly | LW | 24 | 2 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 10 |
| 5 | Doug Zmolek‡ | D | 42 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 65 |
| 44 | Randy Wood† | LW | 30 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −11 | 26 |
| 16 | Jamie Langenbrunner | RW | 12 | 2 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 6 |
| 20 | Nikolai Borschevsky‡ | RW | 12 | 1 | 3 | 4 | −7 | 6 |
| 18 | Mike Lalor | D | 63 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −10 | 31 |
| 3 | Craig Ludwig | D | 65 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −17 | 70 |
| 43 | Jim Storm | LW | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 17 |
| 22 | Robert Petrovicky† | C | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | Bob Bassen | C | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | −6 | 15 |
| 38 | Mark Lawrence | RW | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 17 |
| 45 | Allan Bester† | G | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 2 |
| 37 | Zac Boyer | RW | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Paul Cavallini‡ | D | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −3 | 6 |
| 40 | Patrick Cote | LW | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −2 | 5 |
| 30 | Manny Fernandez | G | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 |
| 25 | Dan Kesa‡ | RW | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 0 |
| 40 | Pat MacLeod | D | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Daniel Marois | RW | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 35 | Andy Moog | G | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 28 |
| 32 | Travis Richards | D | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | −1 | 2 |
| 34 | Darcy Wakaluk | G | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 6 |
| 31 | Jordan Willis | G | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0 |

### Goaltending

* † = Joined team via a transaction (e.g., trade, waivers, signing) during the season. Stats reflect time with the Stars only.
| No. | Player | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season |
| No. | Player | GP | W | L | T | SA | GA | GAA | SV% | SO | TOI |
| 35 | Andy Moog | 41 | 13 | 19 | 7 | 1106 | 111 | 2.99 | .900 | 1 | 2228 |
| 34 | Darcy Wakaluk | 37 | 9 | 16 | 5 | 975 | 106 | 3.39 | .891 | 1 | 1875 |
| 45 | Allan Bester† | 10 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 297 | 30 | 2.99 | .899 | 0 | 601 |
| 30 | Manny Fernandez | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 121 | 19 | 4.58 | .843 | 0 | 249 |
| 31 | Jordan Willis | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 3.20 | .929 | 0 | 19 |

## Awards and records
### Awards

| Type | Award/honor | Recipient |
| League (in-season) | NHL All-Star Game selection | Kevin Hatcher |
| League (in-season) | NHL Rookie of the Month | Jere Lehtinen (February) |
| Team | Star of the Game Award | Mike Modano |

### Milestones

| Milestone | Player | Date |
| First game | Jere Lehtinen | October 7, 1995 |
| First game | Jordan Willis | January 17, 1996 |
| First game | Patrick Cote | April 12, 1996 |
| 1,000th game played | Guy Carbonneau | February 6, 1996 |
| 1,000th game played | Craig Ludwig | March 2, 1996 |

## Draft picks

Dallas's draft picks at the 1995 NHL entry draft held at the Edmonton Coliseum in Edmonton, Alberta.
| Round | # | Player | Nationality | College/Junior/Club team (League) |
| 1 | 11 | Jarome Iginla | Canada | Kamloops Blazers (WHL) |
| 2 | 37 | Patrick Cote | Canada | Beauport Harfangs (QMJHL) |
| 3 | 63 | Petr Buzek | Czech Republic | Dukla Jihlava (Czech Republic) |
| 3 | 69 | Sergei Gusev | Russia | Mayak Samara (Russia) |
| 5 | 115 | Wade Strand | Canada | Regina Pats (WHL) |
| 6 | 141 | Dominic Marleau | Canada | Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL) |
| 7 | 173 | Jeff Dewar | Canada | Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL) |
| 8 | 193 | Anatoli Koveshnikov | Ukraine | Sokil Kyiv (Ukraine) |
| 8 | 202 | Sergei Luchinkin | Russia | Dynamo Moscow (Russia) |
| 9 | 219 | Steve Lowe | Canada | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) |