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Article: The Stars are all aligned; after a roster overhaul, Mike Modano and the Stars have emerged as the favorites to win the Cup. (2003 Western Conference Playoff Preview).(Stanley Cup Playoffs)
- Article from:
- Hockey Digest
- Article date:
- May 1, 2003
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 Century Publishing Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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THE MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD in the Western Conference this season perhaps shouldn't be given to a player at all.
The brainpower of Dallas Stars GM Doug Armstrong and the wallet power of owner Tom Hicks might be more responsible than anything for the realignment of the stars in the Western skies.
In 2001, after several years of shrewd moves, former GM Bob Gainey stumbled when he convinced Hicks to open the vaults for free agents Donald Audette, Vateri Kamensky, Pierre Turgeon, and Jyrki Lumme. All but Turgeon were gone by the middle of the 2001-02 season, as the Stars missed the playoffs for the first time since 1995-96.
Last summer, the Stars ...