Brett Hull

Hull once again energized his new team and the Stars made it to the Stanley Cup finals for the first time in the young franchise's history in 1999. It was also Hull's first appearance in the finals since his debut with the Calgary Flames. He finished the series against the Buffalo Sabres in dramatic fashion by scoring the game- and series-winning goal in a triple overtime period. Although the Sabres complained that Hull had his foot in the goalie's crease, rendering the goal invalid, the referees stood by their initial decision and the Stanley Cup went to the Stars.

When his contract with the Stars expired in 2001, Hull publicly expressed his willingness to take a pay cut from his then-$7 million yearly salary to stay in Dallas, where he was now raising three children with his wife, Alison. "They've got a big payroll here, but I'd be more than happy to help with that because like I was telling Ken Hitchcock, I don't think I'm worth the money I'm being paid," he told Jennifer Floyd of the Hockey Digest with typical candor in the summer of 2001. "I'm not the type of player that earns that type of money any more," he added, "So I'd be willing to take a little cut to get a couple of extra years." Given his flexibility on the issue, Hull was shocked when the Stars failed to offer him a contract.