As one of the first expansion teams in 1967, the Dallas Stars (originally the Minnesota North Stars) have made 495 selections at the NHL Amateur/Entry Draft. Interestingly, only 10 percent of those players were netminders (51), with 21 eventually making it into the league.
Even though most of their prospects never turned into NHL regulars, a handful of them found jobs with other franchises. Historically, the only goalie drafted by the Stars to win a Stanley Cup is Roman Turek, who served as Ed Belfour’s backup in 1999.
Related: Revisiting the Dallas Stars’ 2009 Draft Picks
Considering only 41 percent of the team’s drafted netminders have suited up for an NHL game, let’s dig into the numbers and find out who were the ten best.
10. Pete LoPresti
42nd overall 1974 (Minnesota)
Outside of two games with the Edmonton Oilers, Pete LoPresti spent his entire career with the North Stars from 1974-1979. However, he shared the crease with Cesare Maniago, Gary Smith, and Gary Edwards, finishing his time with Minnesota and earning a 41-101-20 record. Although he’s fallen on several team lists, he remains one of seven franchise goalies to lose 100 games.
9. Jake Oettinger
26th overall 2017
There is a chance that a portion of the Stars’ fanbase would like to see Jake Oettinger higher on this list, while some may argue he’s undeserving of a spot. Ultimately, he’s one of the faces of the franchise and is slated to be the man between the pipes until the end of the 2024-25 season.
Hopefully, Oettinger succeeds in the playoffs and carries Dallas to a Stanley Cup championship while breaking several team records. As one of the highest-drafted goalies of his era, there’s no reason to believe he won’t crack the top five or top three of this list when his career is over.
8. Jack Campbell
11th overall 2010
Jack Campbell remains the highest-drafted goalie in Stars’ history, going 11th overall in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Statistically, he’s in an exclusive club of players that played only one game with the team, finding roles with other teams like the Los Angeles Kings, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and the Oilers. Realistically, his position on the list could change over time, but thus far, he’s earned a 92-48-18 record in eight seasons.
7. Dan Ellis
60th overall 2000
Dan Ellis is among the few netminders in the Stars’ history to have two turns with the franchise. Initially drafted in 2000, he played one game before making a name for himself with the Nashville Predators. Eventually, he returned for 14 games in 2013-14, finishing his NHL career with an 87-79-18 record in 212 games.
6. Gilles Gilbert
25th overall 1969 (Minnesota)
Gillies Gilbert spent 14 years in the NHL, playing most of his time with the Boston Bruins, suiting up for 277 games for the Original Six franchise. Nevertheless, he debuted with the North Stars and played 44 games over four years, compiling a 16-22-5 record with a single playoff loss. After 416 games, he left pro hockey with a 192-143-60 record.
5. Artūrs Irbe
196th overall 1989 (Minnesota)
Any kid in the 1990s remembers Artūs Irbe, not only for his white pillowcase goalie pads but because he was a 5-foot-8 guy who played with passion. As a North Stars’ pick in 1989, he didn’t play for the franchise until 1997, when they were in Dallas.
Despite a brief 35 games, Irbe’s time with the Stars was one of the few times he finished a season with a winning record. Ultimately, without any awards on his resume, his crowning achievement was leading the Carolina Hurricanes to the Stanley Cup Final in 2002.
4. Mike Smith
161st overall 2001
Mike Smith is more famous for his time with the Arizona Coyotes and his stints in Alberta with the Calgary Flames and the Oilers. However, he made his NHL debut with the Stars and played 44 games with the club.
Even though he is unofficially retired, he has yet to play since carrying the Oilers to the Western Conference Final in 2022. Statistically, if he is done playing in the NHL, he will be one of the few Stars’ prospects with a winning record, finishing 299-263-78 in 670 games.
3. Don Beaupre
37th overall 1980 (Minnesota)
Don Beaupre was a young star at the beginning of his career, playing in 44 regular season games and six playoff contests as a 19-year-old in 1980-81. Although he split duties with Gilles Meloche, the duo led the North Stars to their first Stanley Cup Final appearance that spring.
After a trade to the Washington Capitals in 1988, Beaupre became a consistent 20-game winner. However, brief stints with the Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs gave him a 268-277-75 record when he retired in 1997.
2. Roman Turek
113th overall 1990 (Minnesota)
Although Turek only played 55 games for the Stars over three seasons, he won a Stanley Cup title in 1999. Statistically, he had better seasons with the St. Louis Blues and the Flames, finishing up an eight-year career in the NHL with a 159-115-43 record.
Surprisingly, he is one of the few goalies in Stars’ history to win an award, sharing the William M. Jennings Trophy with Belfour in 1999. After departing to play with the Blues in 2000, he won a second consecutive Jennings Trophy.
1. Marty Turco
124th overall 1994
As the winningest netminder in franchise history, with 262 wins, it is no surprise that Marty Turco ends up in the top spot on this list. Although it took him six years from draft day to his debut, he missed out on winning the Stanley Cup by a season.
Statistically, he collected at least 31 wins in six of his nine seasons in Dallas, finishing with votes in the Calder, Hart, and Vezina Trophy races several times. Furthermore, one of Turco’s best performances in a Stars’ uniform came in the 2007 Playoffs during an opening-round series against the Vancouver Canucks. Although they lost the series in seven games, he earned three shutout victories after making 51 saves in a four-overtime thriller in Game 1.
Related: 10 Best Dallas Stars Playoff Runs in Franchise History
Historical Perspective
Overall, the Stars have chosen a handful of goalie prospects who became NHL regulars. Although their success rate at finding a franchise savior is slim, they have employed the services of several elite netminders, just not from their draft classes.
