Like Vegas, Dallas led the Hockey Lifers battle for the first Cup

(Photo credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

Looking up and down the Golden Knights and Stars lineups, you’ll notice a lot of recognizable faces. This year’s Western Conference Finals will feature a handful of hungry and impatient NHL players, from coaches to captains to depth players. Both sides have come close, but neither franchise has lifted the Stanley Cup in the Golden Knights era.

That’s why we play. We grew up watching the playoffs every year when we were young. We hope that one day we will get that chance. Now that we’re here, we don’t have too many opportunities like that. I’ve only been in this situation once before, and you don’t want to let opportunities like this slip away when you’re so close. -Jamie Benn, Stars captain

Captains Mark Stone and Jamie Benn lead two veteran groups desperate to reach the final round. Stone has been involved in several deep playoff runs, but has never had the good fortune to play in SCF. He competed in the conference finals once with Ottawa and twice with Vegas. In his own words, this may be his best chance. Ditto for Benn and some of his veteran teammates.

Perennial scapegoat, Benn is on the target of angry Stars fans after being eliminated from the playoffs. However, first-year coach Pete DeBoer limited his impact on the ice. Benn’s real value will come in leading his team in the locker room and on the ice for the 17 minutes he has averaged this postseason. If they win, Benn will undoubtedly get the most praise from Dallas. Stars reporter Sean Shapiro noted DeBoer’s intentions and Benn’s professionalism, allowing room for a revival in 2022-23.

DeBoer’s micro-load management reinvigorated Benns’ energy between games. His minutes were down, but he was more effective when he was on the ice. Benn quietly scored 78 points, 32 more than last season and the most since he had 79 points in 2017-18. He set a career high with a plus-23 and a game-winning point on more than 60 percent of the wins. The Stars are in the Western Conference Finals in part because Benn allowed himself to be overshadowed. He took a leading role on the ice, but he never relinquished leadership. – Sean Shapiro, Stars reporter

The Stars have several players who could be the poster children for NHL players who have accomplished it all without winning an NHL championship. Ageless gun Joe Pavelski reached the Cup finals twice in his career, but fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 38-year-old player is running out of opportunities to cement his name in NHL history. Another American-born player, Ryan Suter, has struggled for nearly two decades to capture the Stanley Cup.

Behind the bench, DeBoer’s counterpart Bruce Cassidy has also established himself as one of the NHL’s most respected coaches. However, neither wear custom, shiny rings. They’ve had their chances, but both Ontarians haven’t made it to hockey’s biggest stage. Each coach is demanding, respected and hard-working, but none of them have silverware engraved on their names. This could be the streak that puts one of them in NHL history.

Heck, there’s a good chance Cassidy and DeBoer are still haunted by the ghosts of last season. The Golden Knights coach expressed his emptiness months after his former team lost Game 7 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals on home ice. Cassidy couldn’t easily shrug.

No, not really. Today I am. Tomorrow depends on whether someone asks me a question that happens to hit a nerve. There might have been a moment on the road and I was sitting there watching the St. Louis game because they’re playing Montreal and we’re playing Montreal the next night and I’m like [expletive], you know? Then you might start going backwards. -Burce Cassidy, August 2019

I’m sure DeBoer expressed similar sentiments after his Stanley Cup Final losses in 2012 and 2016.

There is a feeling in every locker room that both rosters are built to win. The players, coaches and front office respect each other and have a true belief that they have the best chance to win the Stanley Cup. However, only one can win the West.

I feel like we found that balance a lot more this year. Our team speed, I’m talking a lot, is much better this year. It’s just because of how we’ve been coached and the players know where the pucks are going all the time. Our D activated so we have that offense. We have made players take their game to a different level. You will see everything come to fruition this year, and there are some ways to go. Pete and that coaching staff have brought us a new element and now we’re going to play against their shadow. It’s going to be an exciting couple of weeks against Vegas. -Tyler Seguin, Stars center

While fans in Dallas and Vegas are rooting for their teams’ success, 30 other fan bases will likely find themselves rooting for stories. Maybe it’s Stone’s dedication, Benn’s leadership, Pavelski’s long haul, or Cassidy’s first-year success that sparks interest among non-leather fans. Just don’t ask Golden Knight fans if they’ll support DeBoer if he reaches the SCF. Expect foul language.