Many players in Dallas Stars history have given several years of their life to the team.
One who has a significant impact in Stars lore is goaltender Marty Turco.
Turco remains one of the franchise greats. He set many franchise records on his way to becoming a staple in the team history. His contributions to the Stars shouldn’t go unnoted.
Turco remains as part of the organization all these years later.
From high-flying saves to launching himself 40 feet out of the net, his performance throughout the 2000s deserves a better look.
The Stars drafted him 124th Overall in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft. His stellar play came to light in 1996 and 1998, where he won two NCAA National Championships with the Michigan Wolverines. He earned many awards in his early career, including Tournament MVP in 1998. He got the chance to backup Ed Belfour starting in the 2000-01 season, going 13-6-1. Belfour went to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2002, making Turco the starting goaltender.
Photo: Dallas StarsTurco’s tenure as a starter gave fond memories to Stars fans. He has the franchise record in wins, shutouts, games played, assists by a goalie, and consecutive games played by a goaltender, among others. He set these records after only nine seasons with the team. His 1.72 Goals-Against-Average in 2002-03 lead to his first of three selections to the All-Star Game. Only 21 goaltenders have more assists than he does. His puck-playing style led to shenanigans when he left the net.
One thing that didn’t happen to Turco should have: The 2000-2010 Stars did not win a Stanley Cup.
Luck was not in favor of the Stars as many first-round exits plagued teams that should have gone farther. In 2007, Turco had three shutouts in a playoffs series, tying the all-time NHL record tied with six other goaltenders. His playoff record was 21-26, but his individual stats do not reflect poor performance. A 2.17 GAA and .914 save percentage in the playoffs shouldn’t lead to a losing record.
He had brief stints with the Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins upon leaving the Stars. After hanging up his pads, he remains as part of the organization.
Turco currently serves as President of the Dallas Stars Foundation.
He spent the better part of 27 years inside the organization, and Stars fans everywhere should recognize his greatness.
Featured Image: Dallas Stars
