Dallas Stars 2022 Team Awards

Most Valuable Player, Top Point and Goal Scorer
Alex DeBrincat

There’s no doubt who was the best player on the Stars this year: Alex DeBrincat. He’s their MVP after leading the team with 35 goals and 73 points. He was by far their best powerplay threat, netting 8 goals with the man advantage. He came through in the clutch with 8 game winning goals and 3 shootout goals which both led the team.

Despite his height, DeBrincat was a force to deal with up front by dealing 152 hits against 100 taken. He played strong but smart, drawing just 2 penalties throughout the year while going +11. He led Dallas forwards in TOI at 20:09 and, somewhat surprisingly, takeaways at 28. His fun playstyle and excellent execution in all phases of the game earned him the 1st Star in 10 games this season.

Rookie of the Year and Gentleman of the Year 
Kirill Kaprizov

After a long wait, Kirill the Thrill has finally arrived in Dallas, Texas. He dazzled fans this season, doubling as a magician with the puck and a neighborhood sniper in the slot. As if that wasn’t enough, he also led the team in assists and finished second in points. He’s also been recognized for his incredible discipline, committing zero penalties this season during an average ice time of 17:53.

Kaprizov is not just the Stars rookie of the year, he’s the odds on favorite to win the Calder Trophy this season. He paced the entire rookie class with 24 goals, 41 assists, and 65 points. His point total nearly doubles the rookies trailing him, including Philip Tomasino, Trevor Zegras, and Alexis Lafreniere. He would be the first player in Dallas history to win the award.

Top Goalie
Chris Driedger

Chris Driedger is one of the finest stories in Dallas Stars history. A prospect since General Manager ODeezy took over the team in the 2014-15 season, he toiled in the farm system for 6 seasons. At one point Dallas let him test the market as an RFA until he generated no interest and returned to the team on a minimum contract. Then out of nowhere, he earned the backup job this past fall with an incredible preseason run.

Fast forward to the playoffs this spring and Driedgs was between the pipes for the entire 7 game series against Winnipeg. Driedger played better than anyone could have expected this season, coming second in the RHL with a 0.929 save percentage. After taking over as the starter for Robin Lehner midseason, he gave the team a chance to win every night. He likely would have won the Perseverance award if the RHL Portal allowed voting for a goaltender.

Top Defenseman
Jared Spurgeon

Like Mike Green and Dustin Byfuglien before him, Jared Spurgeon has won the Dallas Stars’ top defenseman award for consecutive seasons. Since Buff’s departure two seasons ago, Spurgeon has admirably filled the role of number one defenseman in Dallas. He munched big minutes, leading the squad with 22:53 TOI and being an integral part of the power play and shorthanded units. While his offensive numbers were down from his usual numbers, he led Stars defensemen with 6 goals and 20 assists. 

Top Defensive Forward
Blake Coleman

Blake Coleman was brought in at the deadline last season to give the Stars a physical, shutdown tool that would be integral in the playoffs. Despite the lack of team success in the playoffs, Coleman did exactly what the team needed from him. He was second on the team in shorthanded minutes and led forwards with 40 blocked shots. He also played with an efficient edge, laying 164 hits against 84 taken while only amassing 14 PIM.

Qualities of Perseverance and Sportsmanship
Jack Eichel

Jack Eichel has overcome incredible adversity during the last 15 months. After a late season neck injury sapped his usual prowess come playoff time, Eichel looked into rehab options. He was interested in a newer surgery that was untested on RHL players, but team doctors advised him against it. Despite disagreeing with the team, Eichel ultimately rehabbed with team doctors and did not undergo surgery.

It clearly didn’t do enough, as Eichel’s neck injury nagged at him throughout the season. Despite the immense pain he’d be in after some games, he still managed to play 77 games. He chipped in 16 goals and 27 assists on the second line, but ultimately didn’t meet his own lofty standards. After the frustration and pain this season, the team has finally allowed Jack to get the surgery he needs in hopes he can play better next season.