›Dallas Stars at a glance:

2006-07: 50-25-7 (6th in the West)
General Manager: Doug Armstrong (4th Season)
Head Coach: Dave Tippett (5th Season)
Points Leader: Mike Ribeiro - 59
Goals Leader: Jere Lehtinen - 26
Assists Leader: Sergei Zubov - 42
PIM Leader: Matthew Barnaby - 127
+/- Leader: Jaroslav Modry - 10
PP Goals Leader: Philippe Boucher - 12
SH Goals Leader: Niklas Hagman - 1

›What Happened Last Season:

The Stars put in a superb campaign in 2007, especially when you consider the challenges they had to endure during the regular season. The roster had to make due without the services of veterans Brendan Morrow and Mike Modano for most of the season, along with often-injured addition Eric Lindros. Offense was a tough thing to come by in Big D, but the remaining cast members did enough to get the job done. Mike Ribeiro, acquired in a preseason trade from Montreal, finished first in team scoring with 59 points, while defencemen Sergei Zubov and Philippe Boucher were next on the list with 54 and 51 points respectively. Marty Turco continued to put in great regular season numbers, getting 38 wins and leading the Stars to a 107-point season. Turco stood on his head in the playoffs, earning three shutouts in a tight, defensive seven-game series with Vancouver. Unfortunately, the Canucks defence - led by Roberto Luongo - was just a tad better and the goal-starved Stars were victims of another early-round exit.

›I Know What You Did This Summer:

With Morrow and Modano healthy and ready for training camp, GM Doug Armstrong wasn't putting the Stars in any sort of overhaul. The team added some toughness with free agent enforcer Todd Fedoruk and a bit more depth with forward Brad Winchester. Ribeiro was probably the biggest priority over the summer, as the 27-year-old signed his one-year offer from the club in July.

›Keys To A Successful 2007-08 Season:

Marty Turco was criticized a lot for failing to produce in the postseason, and his stellar performance last spring has shown he can deliver. Now all the team needs is more goals. If Modano and Morrow are back for a full season, that shouldn't be a problem. Long-term forecasts say the Stars can't keep winning in the distant future with so many aging players (Modano - 37, Stu Barnes - 37, Jere Lethinen - 34, Zubov - 37, Mattias Norstrom - 35, Boucher - 34), but they have a solid enough blend of youth and experience to make a run for at least another year.

›Young And Restless:

Loui Eriksson played 59 games with the Stars last season and should see full-time duty, as well as Swedish forward Joel Lundqvist (six points in 36 games in 2006-07). The Stars play great on defence, and blueliner Niklas Grossman should blend in perfectly. The 6-3, 200-pound defenceman, who has two years of AHL experience under his belt, plays a sound game in his own end.

›Market Watch:

As a restricted free agent, Mike Ribeiro has spent the last few offseasons signing one-year contracts. And by agreeing to another one-year deal in July, he opens himself for unrestricted free agency next summer. The 27-year-old has a couple of factors that could play in his favour. He is a creative player with good offensive instincts and has led his teams in scoring on two occasions (Canadiens in 2004, Stars in 2007). Good playmaking centres can be tough to come by during the summer months, and with another solid year, Ribeiro could be very marketable.