Puck Daddy's Summer of Disappointment: Dallas Stars Edition

(Ed. Note: There’s entirely too much sunshine in the summer. So your friends at Puck Daddy are offering a month of thrown shade and perpetual gloom. Behold, our Summer of Disappointment series, in which we ask fans of all 30 teams to recall the biggest bummer moments, teams and players in franchise history! Please wade into their misery like a freezing resort pool, and add your own choices in the comments!)

Written by Tony Jaremko of Stars Insider

Most Disappointing Team: 2009-2010 Dallas Stars

After falling to Detroit in six games in the Western Conference Finals in the previous summer, Dallas started their string of five-straight seasons of missing the playoffs with their worst season since arriving from Minnesota.

The Stars named Joe Nieuwendyk general manager, relieved Dave Tippett and brought in Marc Crawford. 2009-2010 saw Dallas finish last in the Pacific and 12th in the conference. The following year would see Brad Richards leave in free agency and the drought of free agents that would desire Dallas to be their home due to the ownership situation.

In fact, the top free agents signed during the "dark times" was Jaromir Jagr and Mike Modano...for a day.

Most Disappointing Star: Todd Harvey

Some will make the argument that the most disappointing player in the Stars history, at least during their years here in Dallas, is Scott Glennie, who has been the biggest disappointment thus far. Having been taken 8th overall, Glennie has yet to crack the Stars lineup -- the Dallas version. He has had quite the resurgence down in Cedar Park.

So, until Glennie has a chance to fail in Dallas, the distinction to the biggest waste of space in a Stars uniform is Todd Harvey. In 1993, Harvey was taken 9th overall and made his debut the following year, scoring 20 points in 40 games. He never scored more than nine goals in his remaining three seasons with Dallas, and did so only twice until he retired in 2005-2006. And know you know the rest of the story.

Most Disappointing Moment in Stars History: January 13, 1968: Death On Ice

Harking back to the inaugural season of the Stars when they were the Minnesota North Stars, were leading their division when on January 13, 1968, Bill Masterton was hit and his the back of his head struck the ice and two days later, he passed away. To this day, Masterton is the only death to result from an on-ice incident. Each year, the hockey writers award the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey with the Bill Masterton Award.

We, as hockey fans, are however, treated to Hologram Masterton with his appearances on the MvsW Podcast.

Most Disappointing Stars Transaction: Sean Avery

Seriously? Does this need further explanation?

It's Sean "Fantastic Firsts" Avery. In 2008, co-general managers, Les Jackson and Brett Hull, the Ambassador of Fun brought in Hull's former roommate. Avery played in just 23 games before he treated the hockey world to this:

The league suspended Avery for six games.

The Stars suspended him forever, waiving Avery in February.

Most Disappointing Stars Coach/Executive: Jed Clampent, AKA Tom Hicks

In 1995, just two years after Norm Green relocated the North Stars to Dallas, Thomas A. Hicks purchased the team and experienced great success including the franchise's only Stanley Cup in 1999. Despite the "great success," the following year Hicks defaulted on half-a-billion dollar loan that was secured by the team. In 2011, the lenders voted to have the team sold in bankruptcy.

In the 11 years since winning the Cup and the team's sale to Tom Gaglardi, the Stars only made it to the West Finals once (after making it two years in a row) and missed the playoffs for a total of six seasons.

Most Disappointing Stars Fashion Choice: The "Mooterus"

In 2003-2006, the Stars introduced a jersey that may not have been as hideous as the Islanders' "Gorton's Fisherman" or the Flying V, but they had anatomy professors lining up for miles to get their hands on the "Mooterus".

It wasn't bad enough that the Stars were donning female genitalia on their chest, it marked the beginning of the worst stretches in Stars' franchise history. With the exception of 2008, the Stars failed to make it past the 1st round or qualify for the playoffs during the next seven years.

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Other disappointments (in order of appearance): New York Rangers • Calgary Flames • St. Louis Blues • New York Islanders • Boston Bruins • Colorado Avalanche • Washington Capitals • Ottawa Senators • Arizona Coyotes • Minnesota Wild • Edmonton Oilers • San Jose Sharks • Winnipeg Jets • New Jersey Devils • Los Angeles Kings • Florida Panthers • Carolina Hurricanes • Buffalo Sabres • Montreal Canadiens • Tampa Bay Lightning • Chicago Blackhawks • Columbus Blue Jackets • Nashville Predators • Detroit Red Wings • Anaheim Ducks • Philadelphia Flyers • Pittsburgh Penguins • Vancouver Canucks • Toronto Maple Leafs