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DALLAS -- Ten years after leaving the Dallas Stars organization, Bob Gainey returned Wednesday and was formally introduced as the team’s new Senior Advisor to the Hockey Department.

“It's a good time for me because I have followed the trail of the changes and the progress in the NHL from the administrative view over the past 20 years,” Gainey said during a press conference at American Airlines Center. “We’ve had a number of changes to the CBA, there’s been expansion and big changes a few years ago on how the game is played on the ice with rule changes. I've been able to live and adapt through all of that and take certain parts out of each of them that can apply today.”

The 58-year-old Gainey, who was acting in a similar capacity with the Montreal Canadiens until a couple months ago, said he will be a “consultant without boundaries.” He will offer input on various issues throughout the organization, on both the hockey side and the business side.

“I’ve had many experiences in pro hockey over a long period of time in the NHL,” Gainey said. “My goal would be to use some of those experiences, some of those valuable lessons learned to assist Tom Gaglardi in his ownership position, to assist Jim Lites in his position as president and CEO and to assist Joe Nieuwendyk in his operation of the hockey department in any way possible to bring the Dallas Stars in a better competitive light, better financial light and to rejoin in the sports community in Dallas as an important player.”

Gainey, who won five Stanley Cups as a player with Montreal, was the head coach of the Stars from 1990 to 1996 and general manager from 1992 to 2002. He was the architect of the Stars’ 1999 Stanley Cup championship team. He was GM in Montreal from 2003 to 2010, making the playoffs four of five years and finishing with the best record in the Eastern Conference in 2007-08.

“Bob Gainey is a winner,” said Lites. “We want to win the Stanley Cup. That's our goal, and that’s all we’re thinking about. Having a person of Bob's stature will help us get there.”

As far as Gainey’s exact responsibilities and how everything will work, that is still a work in progress.

“As we move ahead we’ll continue to define the description of things,” said Nieuwendyk. “Using Bob as a resource, so much history, so much experience, wisdom and insight, I will be able to benefit a lot from those things. We’ll define things as we move along. From my perspective, it’s a tremendous opportunity. I am really looking forward to communicating with Bob on a number of levels with team related issues.”

And it will take some time for Gainey to re-familiarize himself with the organization. He’ll spend time learning the players so he can offer input on that side of things.

“An outside set of eyes can bring a different view. Somebody that is overvalued, I might have a different view of that or somebody that is undervalued, I could have a different view of that,” Gainey said. “I am going to need to see training camp, some of the season and some of the games in Austin to be able to apply my opinion and my analysis to the players that are in the system.”

The hiring of Gainey is another step in the process as the Stars try to move forward Gaglardi, who said turning around a team that has missed the playoffs four years in a row will take time, but that adding someone of Gainey’s caliber on the management side of things is a big boost.

“We want to get better and we need to get better obviously and that's a process, unfortunately,” Gaglardi said. “I wish there were quicker ways to get there, but the only way to do this the right way is with young players and through the draft and developing players. That's what I've learned in my stint as an owner in another league (Western Hockey League) and I don’t think it’s any different in this league. Free agency is one route to get better, but it's wrought with pitfalls. You have to be very smart, and at some level lucky, to benefit that way. And obviously there are trades.

“The best way I know how to get better is to have great management, so it’s exciting for me to have a man of Bob’s experience, status and wisdom express a desire to join our organization. It was a no-brainer for us.”

The Dallas Stars made the hiring of former GM Bob Gainey as a consultant official today. Gainey will be introduced at a press conference next Wednesday. Here's the release from the Stars.

The Dallas Stars announced today that the club has hired Bob Gainey as Senior Advisor to the Hockey Department.

Gainey, 58, returns for his second stint with the Stars’ organization. He was the club’s head coach from 1990-1996, and served as General Manager of the team from 1992-2002. Gainey was truly the architect in leading the Stars franchise to seven consecutive playoff berths, five division titles, two Stanley Cup Finals appearances, and of course, the 1999 Stanley Cup championship.

"I have great faith in the vision Tom Gaglardi, Joe Nieuwendyk and Jim Lites have in rebuilding this franchise,” said Gainey. “I'm looking forward to rejoining the organization, and lending my advice and guidance as we strive to get the Stars back on top."

"I'm extremely pleased that we are adding a respected hockey man the caliber of Bob Gainey as a senior advisor to our staff,” said Dallas Stars General Manager Joe Nieuwendyk. “His experience and wisdom in this business is second-to-none, and he'll be an incredible asset as we continue to build our team to championship levels."

A native of Peterborough, Ontario, Gainey most recently worked in the Montreal Canadiens organization, serving in a variety of capacities, including general manager of the club from 2003-2010. He served as the Habs’ interim head coach on two occasions and was most recently a special advisor to the general manager. In his time with the Canadiens, he helped lead the team to playoff berths in four of five seasons as GM, including the 2007-08 season when Montreal ended the regular season with the Eastern Conference’s best record.

“The Stars had a fantastic opportunity to add a universally-respected hockey man in Bob Gainey to the mix, and his presence and voice will be extremely beneficial to the group moving forward,” said Stars President Jim Lites.

A 1992 inductee into the Hockey Hall of Fame, Gainey won five Stanley Cups as a player, an NHL-record four Selke Trophies as the league’s best defensive forward, as well as the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player of the 1978 Playoffs. In 1,160 career regular season NHL games, all with the Montreal Canadiens, Gainey amassed 239 goals and 262 assists for 501 points. He added 73 points (25 goals, 48 points) in 182 career Stanley Playoff contests.

The Dallas Stars are close to hiring former GM Bob Gainey as a consultant, team president and CEO Jim Lites said Wednesday. An official announcement is expected next week.

“I’m a big fan,” Lites said. “We’re excited because of what Bob brings to this market, to this team and to the needs we’ve identified collectively. I just think he is going to be great.”

Gainey, who won five Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens as a player, joined the Stars franchise as head coach in 1990 and became GM in 1992. He stepped down as coach in 1996, but kept the GM title through 2002. He was the GM when the Dallas Stars won the Stanley Cup in 1999.

He also served as Montreal’s GM from 2003-2010 and had been a consultant with the Canadiens until just recently.

Lites said Gainey could consult on a variety issues throughout the organization, especially as an extra voice of input for GM Joe Nieuwendyk.

“He’s actually offered to help in any way he can,” Lites said. “But’s he’s really going to be a senior adviser guy on issues like, not so much who should we hire as opposed to do we need to hire anybody? How do you want to grow? How do we make ourselves bigger and better? Do we need more experience in a particular place? Do we need a more experienced guy in Cedar Park and who should those candidates be?

“At the end of the day those decisions will be made by Joe but Joe will enjoy, I think, a deeper, richer voice. And Joe has been real supportive. Joe has good chemistry with Bob."

Lites added that the hiring of Gainey is another sign that Tom Gaglardi is willing to do what it takes to get the franchise on the right track.

“The market will appreciate that Tom Gaglardi is saying that I am going to make us better,” Lites said. “You don’t get Bob Gainey for ten bucks.”

Prospect Note: OHL Finals

Dallas Stars prospects Jamie Oleksiak and Brett Ritchie are on the brink of elimination in the Ontario Hockey League Finals. Their Niagara team lost 4-1 to London Wednesday night in Game 4 of the series.

London leads the series 3-1. Ritchie had an assist in Wednesday’s game. Game 5 is Friday night.

The winner of the series will advance to the Memorial Cup, which will feature the champions of the Western Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and this year’s host team, the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL.

FRISCO -- Since Kari Lehtonen made the full time jump to the NHL back in 2005 he hasn’t seen much playoff action. Just two Stanley Cup playoff games to be specific. That’s why he’s looking forward to the chance to play for Finland at the 2012 World Championship.

“I want to get used to playing in May and extend the season. That’s what you need to do when you are ultimately in the playoffs and going deep there,” Lehtonen said. “I think that will be great for me to make the summer a little shorter and keep playing.”

Lehtonen’s two NHL playoff games came in 2007, when the Atlanta Thrashers were swept in the first round by the New York Rangers. That year was also the last time he played in May, helping lead Finland to a silver medal at the World Championship, posting a 4-2-0 record with a 1.93 goals against average, and earning best goaltender of the tournament honors.

The Stars netminder sees the tournament experience as similar to the playoffs, where goaltending can be key to a team’s success.

“I’ve done it a few times and you have to try to find your best mode. It’s so short, you have to be on your game totally, because there’s going to be a couple of other goalies that will be for sure,” Lehtonen said. “It’s the same thing probably as a playoff situation. It’s always goalie battles and you try to be the better one. I think that’ll be good for me to get that experience again.”

Lehtonen does have postseason experience besides those two NHL playoff games back in 2007. He led Jokerit to the Finnish Elite League championship in 2002 and was named the playoff MVP. He led the Chicago Wolves to the AHL’s Calder Cup Finals in 2005.

But he hasn’t played beyond the NHL regular season for several years, and the Stars see this chance for Lehtonen to play at the Worlds as a good building block for the Dallas netminder.

“Whenever you get a chance to see what it feels like to playing in May, it’s a good experience,” said Stars coach Glen Gulutzan.

Lehtonen won’t be the only Stars player playing in May. So will Jamie Benn (Canada), Loui Eriksson (Sweden), Alex Goligoski (USA), Richard Bachman (USA), Philip Larsen (Denmark) and Tomas Vincour (Czech Republic).

“I do think it’s important, and I think they’re good experiences,” said Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk. “In the case of some of these guys, they want to make a good impression and get some international experience with the Olympics right around the corner again, and I think that’s all part of it. In the case of Kari, I think it’s important that he plays under that microscope and backstops his country. I think it will be good for him.”

Lehtonen and the Finns will be under a microscope. The tournament is being played in Finland and Sweden. Finland, currently ranked No. 1 in the world and a tournament favorite, will play all of its games in Helsinki.

But it will also be a trip down memory lane for Lehtonen, who played his junior hockey and in Finnish Elite League for Jokerit Helsinki.

“I don’t think that hurts to go back after 10 years since I left, and to go back to the same building,” Lehtonen said. “I think that will be pretty cool.”

And it will be a chance to get some valuable experience as well.

2012 World Championship

When: May 4 – May 20

Where: Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden

Who: 16 teams including the United States, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Russia, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Slovakia, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Italy and France

Television: NBC Sports Network will carry all the Team USA preliminary round games, all four quarterfinal games, a semifinal game and the gold medal game

The Dallas Stars and Texas Stars announced this morning that Texas Stars head coach Jeff Pyle and assistant coach Jeff Truitt have been relieved of their duties.

Texas finished last in the AHL's Western Conference and 29th in a 30 team league with a 31-40-5 record this season. The team missed the playoffs for the first time in its three year existence.

"These are difficult decisions," said Dallas Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk. "We fell short of where we thought the bar needed to be this year with respect to our minor league team. I think looking ahead we realize the importance of the situation here moving forward, especially with all those kids we have coming in to that team. We just felt it was the right decision for our organization moving forward."

Several of Dallas' top prospects will play in Texas next season, including goaltender Jack Campbell, defenseman Jamie Oleksiak, defenseman Patrik Nemeth, forward Alex Chiasson and forward Austin Smith. Campbell, Chiasson and Smith played there the final few weeks of this season.

Pyle and Truitt took over the Texas Stars last summer after head coach Glen Gulutzan and assistant Paul Jerrard, who had guided Texas to the playoffs in the team's first two seasons, were promoted to the Dallas Stars' coaching staff.

Nieuwendyk said the Stars are in no rush to find a replacement.

"We'll let the dust settle a bit and we'll have plenty of time to go through the [search process]," Nieuwendyk said.

FRISCO -- It’s no secret that the Dallas Stars power play was a sore spot this season. The numbers are well documented. It was the worst in the league at 13.5 percent. That percentage was the worst in franchise history and the 33 goals scored set a franchise mark for power play futility as well.

But here are some more numbers. The Stars were 20-6-3 this season when they scored on the power play and 22-29-2 when they didn’t. In their 42 wins they were 24-138 on the power play for a 17.4 percent conversion rate. In games they didn’t win they were 9-106 or 8.5 percent.

The power play was a hot topic the Stars faded away in the playoff race and it was still a topic as the Stars held exit interviews and met with the media this week.

“I am sure that will be number one on Glen Gulutzan’s agenda this summer, breaking that down and analyzing,” Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said of the power play. “There was a lot of discussion about Jamie Benn not being out there as much as some other guys. There was a time period where Mike Ribeiro, Michael Ryder and Loui Eriksson were kind of carrying this team and having some success, but it didn’t translate on the power play for any of our guys and we’re really going to have dig in hard and figure out why.”

When asked about possible offseason moves, Nieuwendyk mentioned the power play as an area that needed to be addressed.

Gulutzan said the Stars had the personnel to have a better power play this season, but they just didn’t get the job done.

“I don’t think we need to bring in anyone for the power play. As coaches I think we can do a better job,” Gulutzan said. “The power play comes with a little bit of confidence and that got in our kitchens a little bit. I think we’d go about thing somewhat differently with our power play, but we changed it four or five times. Everybody focuses a little bit on the end, but we were getting pressure from day one to game 82 on that thing. We changed it four times and who played with who four times, and I think it just got in our kitchen a little bit.”

Gulutzan has some valid points. The Stars’ power play woes took center stage after a dismal performance in the loss to San Jose that basically doomed its playoff chances, but it was erratic for most of the year. And there were a lot of different combinations of players used over the season, too. The only constant was that it struggled most of the time. There were a few good runs on the power play, but they were offset by some long stretches of low productivity.

“It’s the number one part we have to get better at,” said Stars forward Loui Eriksson. “We have to score more on the power play, that’s the way we can win more games. … We have to outwork them. We’ve been a little too sloppy sometimes. We need to put more pucks to the net, too. I think that’s how you score goals. You have to get traffic in front and put pucks there. Then rebounds will come out and you will score more goals. That’s something we need to do.”

It didn’t help that the Stars had only 244 power play opportunities, the third lowest total in the league, and that they were shorthanded 303 times, the fourth most in the league. Despite having a respectable penalty kill that ranked 13th in the league, they still gave up 19 more power play goals than they scored.

“Certainly we think it’s an area we where we can get four or five more points by having a better power play,” said Gulutzan. “Along with discipline, we can get four or five more points and we’re not minus-60 as far as penalties for and against. But as far as personnel goes, I think we have the personnel here to have a good power play.”

FRISCO -- Dallas Stars coach Glen Gulutzan usually takes a break after the season, but not this year. He’s not used to missing the playoffs.

Gulutzan’s teams made it both seasons he coached in the AHL and five of six years when he was in the ECHL. So, after missing the postseason tournament in his first season as an NHL head coach, Gulutzan and his staff will stay busy preparing for next season.

“Usually I’ve taken a little bit of a break, but this year we won’t. We’ve got to dig in to a few things. We’re asking the players to be better in certain areas and us coaches have to be better. We have to be held to the same standard,” Gulutzan said. “Chances are we won’t work on Fridays, but Monday through Thursday and at nights watching other teams play – we’re going to go through video here until we are ready to go.”

The Stars coach said he probably won’t watch too much of the first round of the playoffs. The emotions are still raw after not getting into postseason play. But he’ll have plenty of video of his team to watch.

Gulutzan spent all day Wednesday holding exit interviews with his players. Talks he said were productive.

“From an interview standpoint they were good and enlightening. They probably ran a little bit longer than everybody wanted, but you’ve got to tidy up loose ends and look for anything that can move you forward,” he said. “I thought we had some good honest dialogue with lots of players and lots of positive stuff that came out of a finish that we really didn’t want. We got a lot of positive stuff and I think everybody is going to be better for it next year.”

Gulutzan is optimistic about things moving forward. He believes the team made strides this season, despite missing the playoffs. And with owner Tom Gaglardi now at the helm and GM Joe Nieuwendyk having more flexibility to add pieces, Gulutzan believes the Stars are ready to take another step forward next season.

“If you look at the young guys we brought up, our D, our goaltending , the way some guys had career years, like Jamie Benn and some of the players we brought in a year ago, if we can build off that a little bit,” Gulutzan said. “Every year you are trying to make your team a little bit better, we did so this year even though we maybe didn’t show it in the standings. We certainly did make some strides with the personnel we brought in. We’ve got to continue to develop from within and maybe bring a couple guys in and put ourselves to be position to be first in the division with one game to go.”

FRISCO -- The Dallas Stars cleaned out their lockers in Frisco Wednesday and there were mixed emotions. There was disappointment that the team was packing it up and shutting it down for the season just as the Stanley Cup playoffs were getting underway.

“It’s very disappointing. We were very close but not able to make it,” said goaltender Kari Lehtonen. “It hasn’t hit me yet and it probably won’t until other teams start playing tonight. That’s going to be hard to see, them going for the Cup and we’re just eating popcorn and watching.”

There was some optimism as well. The past couple of years the Stars have headed into the offseason under the cloud of uncertain ownership. But now, with Tom Gaglardi firmly in place as the team’s owner, things are looking up for next season and beyond.

“It’s going to be nice to have an owner here this summer. Our future is bright,” said forward Jamie Benn. “We have a lot of good young players. You saw that in the last game. I think we’re going up. We’re going to keep progressing here and see what we can do.”

This is the fourth straight season the Stars have missed the playoffs, three of them under current GM Joe Nieuwendyk. But for the first time since he has taken over, Nieuwendyk will not have his hands tied by a tight budget and will have the backing of a strong owner.

“This summer is different than many summers because since day one that Tom Gaglardi took over you could feel that a cloud moved away from our organization,” said Nieuwendyk. “He’s passionate about winning, he cares about our group and we sensed that from the day he took over. There was a different buzz about our team and that is exciting, not only for the last couple months but looking ahead to next season and this summer.

“It’s a different dynamic in play this summer, having that stability, having that backing, now I feel like we’re a player again.”

The Stars, who are in a good position as far as the salary cap and have an owner who is willing to spend some to money if the situation is right, are expected to be an active player in the free agent market when it opens July 1. They should be a more active player when it comes to trade talks as well.

“The good news is we have flexibility. You need cap room and flexibility to be successful, if you don’t have you can’t,” said Stars president Jim Lites. “The difference between this year and last year there now is a guy there that you can call and say we have an opportunity to sign this player to this contract and he can make a difference for us for ten years. That opportunity didn’t exist before. That’s in the unrestricted free agent market.

“And, almost as important now, I think, is our opportunity to participate in is what I call the ‘we want to make a change but we’ve got no flexibility market,’ which is how this franchise acquired Brad Richards. A contract was stifling a team that overspent on a player, and it helps you get better. I think we’re there now. I think that is the biggest difference.”

As far as a budget for spending, Nieuwendyk said that is still to be determined. And there is still the question of what kind of system the Stars and the other 29 teams will be operating under when the league and the NHLPA negotiate a new CBA. The current one expires September 15.

The salary cap is expected to go up from the current level of $64.3 million prior to free agency on July 1, but the new system could bring changes and the possibility of a lower cap. Nieuwendyk said the Stars will have to play things smart and be prepared.

“We don’t know what the landscape is going to look like September 15, but what I will say is that we are well positioned as any team moving forward,” Nieuwendyk said. “We can’t say what the cap will be or what some of the dynamics that will be in play, but we are open for business and will be able to talk to a lot of teams about trades, free agency when it comes to July, and ways of making our team better."

The Dallas Stars ranked 17th in the final edition of the ESPN NHL Power Rankings.

Pierre LeBrun put together this week's rankings and had these thoughts on the Stars:

Two seasons in a row, the Stars fall just short in the final week. Man, that hurts. A five-game losing streak to end the season? That hurts even more. Jamie Benn is a rock star, and Kari Lehtonen is for real, but GM Joe Nieuwendyk has seen enough evidence over the past two seasons that he needs to change the supporting cast. And he will.

Vancouver topped the final rankings, followed by Pittsburgh, the New York Rangers, St. Louis and Nashville. You can see the entire rankings here.

DALLAS -- GM Joe Nieuwendyk said Glen Gulutzan had a solid first season as head coach of the Dallas Stars, and added that he believes Gulutzan is the guy to grow with the team as it moves forward.

Gulutzan, who was hired last summer after two seasons as head coach of the team’s AHL affiliate, put together a 42-35-5 (.543) record in his first season. The Stars finished 10th in the Western Conference and 18th overall in the league.

“I think it was pretty solid,” Nieuwendyk said of Gulutzan’s first season. “He learned a lot and he’s going to grow with the team that we’re going to put together here in the next few years. I’ve always viewed him as a guy who is going to be a long-term coach. You have to go through some bumps to move ahead, and I think he experienced some bumps this year. We’re all going to push forward together.”

Heading into Saturday’s regular season finale against St. Louis, Gulutzan was asked to assess his first season as the bench boss of the Stars.

“I certainly learned a lot. I certainly know it’s a very tough league,” Gulutzan said. “The coaching staff certainly feels that we could have done a better job, certainly in a few areas to get this team into the playoffs. We take that responsibility seriously. We all have to get better. That’s certainly what we’re going to do next season. It’s certainly disappointing, these last few games, you have a goal in mind whether it’s your first season or your tenth. Everybody is competitive. We’ve just got to be better to get the job done. That’s the bottom line. “

As for what he learned in his first season, Gulutzan had this to say.

“The league is a lot more simple than you think it is. You have to be very consistent and you have do things a certain way night in and night out to get in,” he said. “It’s not some magic potion to get you in. It’s not anything mysterious to the other 29 coaches or the teams in this league. It’s a very simple formula, maybe almost boring at times. You have to stick with it for 82 games or the league will smack you down and put you in your place. That’s what I’ve learned.”

DALLAS -- Three years ago, Kari Lehtonen was a guy who wasn’t living up to the lofty expectations that come with being the No. 2 overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft. He wasn’t quite a bust yet, but he was close.

But the 28-year-old goaltender has turned things around. He persevered, getting his career back on track with the Dallas Stars and putting them in a position to possibly land their first playoff appearance since 2008.

It’s proof that hard work and dedication to the craft can pay dividends and that’s why Lehtonen is this year’s Dallas Stars nominee for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, which is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey.

“When I came here I started from the bottom and we’ve been working hard,” said Lehtonen, who was selected as the Stars’ Masterton nominee by the Dallas Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association. “The first thing was to get healthy and start feeling better, and then work on stuff on the ice and trying to get better as a goalie. I don’t think getting a couple years older hurts either. You get smarter. It’s been a long road, but right now everything feels good. It’s exciting times with this team and it’s lots of fun.”

It wasn’t all fun and exciting times early in the Lehtonen’s NHL career. Atlanta selected Lehtonen with the 2nd overall pick in 2002, but he never lived up to expectations. There were glimpses, but no consistency. Injuries slowed down Lehtonen. There were groin issues and back issues. He missed almost the entire 2009-10 season due to two back surgeries.

But 2010 turned out to be a key year for Lehtonen. Atlanta was ready to move forward without him and the Dallas Stars were looking to move forward from Marty Turco. Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk had played against Lehtonen when he was with Florida, and was impressed with the big Finnish netminder. So Nieuwendyk shipped defense prospect Ivan Vishnevskiy and a fourth-round pick to Atlanta for Lehtonen just prior to the 2010 trade deadline.

“Even two years ago I was too dumb to realize that it was really close, that I wouldn’t get another shot and wouldn’t have a chance to play in this league anymore,” Lehtonen said. “Every day I am grateful for these guys and Joe. I guess it helped when I stopped him a couple times when we played against each other. I am hopeful that we have many years to go and have success here, that’s what we are trying to do.”

The move to Dallas was a new beginning for Lehtonen and he took advantage of it. He made a commitment to get himself into better condition, something that hadn’t been a top priority earlier in his career.

“When you get hurt a lot you start questioning what you are doing,” Lehtonen said. “I think the hardest thing for me was I was really talented when I was a kid and I didn’t really have to push myself to be able to play with the teams I was with, and at the level I was playing at. When I got to the NHL it was a huge wakeup call and I really have to work hard if I am going to even a chance to compete and play well here. It just took me a while to figure that out. Everything was so easy when I was younger.”

Thanks to that commitment to conditioning, Lehtonen is down 20 pounds from the 230 he weighed a few years ago.

“Now I am under 210 and I feel a little quicker” said Lehtonen. “I am trying to get stronger and faster. I think we’re on a good path. We’re doing the right things.”

And those right things are paying off. Last season he played in a career-high 69 games and tied his career-high for wins with 34. This season he’s on pace for a career year with a 31-17-4 record, 2.25 goals against average and .925 save percentage.

“I think he’s matured,” said Stars coach Glen Gulutzan. “He just shows all the characteristics of a really good pro. He’s here early, he’s working on his game, his sticks or he’s stretching or working out. He’s always on the ice early. He’s taken on all those elements of a pro.”

And Lehtonen isn’t resting on the strides he’s made the past couple seasons. He’s striving for more, and to live up to those lofty expectations that were placed on him more than a decade ago when he was selected 2nd overall in the draft.

“I’d like to get to that top ten elite goalies group. I think I am pushing towards that, getting closer,” Lehtonen said. “I just have to keep going, believing I can be one of those guys and be the backbone of the team, play a lot and play well.”

The Dallas Chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association has selected Kari Lehtonen as the Stars’ nominee for the 2011-12 Bill Masterton Trophy. The award is given each year to the NHL player who best displays the characteristics of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

Lehtonen, 28, has overcome injuries and his own immaturity to become one of the top goaltenders in the NHL this season. He has posted a 31-17-4 record (ranking 10th in the NHL in wins), a 2.23 goals against average (ranking ninth) and a .925 save percentage (ranking seventh).

"I definitely think he’s worthy of that,’’ said Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk, who traded for Lehtonen in 2010. "I think we got him at the right time, and I think he’s shown a ton of maturity since he’s been here. He’s one of the hardest working players on our team, and that’s quite a tribute to him, knowing where he came from.’’

Lehtonen was the second overall pick in 2002 entry draft, but lost his way in Atlanta, battling back and hip injuries and ballooning up to 230 pounds. He currently is playing at under 210 pounds, and said he feels as good as he has in his career.

"When I came here, I started at the bottom, and I’ve been working hard and trying to get healthy and start feeling better,’’ he said. "I think getting a couple of years older doesn’t hurt, either. You get smarter. It’s been a long road, but right now everything feels good. It’s an exciting time.’’

The NHL will accept nominees from all 30 teams, and members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association will vote for a winner after the season. The award is given in honor of former Minnesota North Stars forward Bill Masterton, who died after sustaining injuries in a game in 1968. Masterton’s characteristics of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey are the basis for the award.

Dallas Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said he thinks forward Reilly Smith can help the team now, and that’s why the the 20-year-old is being added to the roster for the final part of the regular season.

The Stars signed Smith, who just completed his junior year at Miami University, to a three-year entry-level contract Sunday. He’ll join the team on its current road trip.

“I think he’s a player that can help our hockey club,” Nieuwendyk said of Smith, a third round pick (69^th overall) in 2009. “I can look back on my own experience (coming out of Cornell), when I joined the Calgary Flames for the last nine games of the season. It was a very valuable experience for me. It was one of the important things in my career. I have a past history with that. That has a lot to do with it.

“He’s had a phenomenal year in college. He has some elements of skill and goal scoring ability. I think it is a low-risk move on our part.”

Smith ranked second in the nation in goal scoring this seasoning, tallying 30 in 39 games. He led the nation in game-winners with eight and was tied for ninth with nine power play goals.

When Smith, who turns 21 on April 1, gets into the lineup is still up in the air.

“He’ll practice with us the next few days. We have immigration issues to deal with and then we’ll see,” Nieuwendyk said.

As to where Smith might fit in the lineup, Nieuwendyk wasn’t ready to say.

“I can’t make a guess at this point,” he said.

Prospect Alex Chiasson expected to head to Texas Stars

Dallas Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said prospect Alex Chiasson, the team’s second round pick (38^th overall) in 2009, is expected to join the Texas Stars this week. Chiasson just wrapped up his junior season at Boston University, where he had a team-high 46 points (15 goals, 31 assists) in 38 games.

FRISCO -- Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said there were some potential deals that he had to sort through prior to Monday’s NHL trade deadline, but when it came time to make a decision he liked where his current team stood and decided to let the players know.

“At the end of the day we had a responsibility to put the best team on the ice right now to challenge to make the playoffs,” Nieuwendyk said. “There’s no doubt I’ve been pleased with the way we’ve been playing lately. I know we have a tough road ahead, but it’s also a message to this team that we do believe in them and that this group has shown some resiliency.”

So, Nieuwendyk stood pat at the deadline. He opted not to move a player like Steve Ott, who was believed to be highly coveted. Sheldon Souray, another guy the Stars probably could have dealt, stayed as well.

“No moves today,” Nieuwendyk said just after the deadline passed Monday afternoon. “A pretty uneventful day league-wide, it seemed, but our plan has been pretty consistent, we weren’t going to do anything unless it made sense for now and for the future. Nothing in that regard really presented itself. I think it made it challenging in the last few weeks, too, with the way our team has performed and that’s a good thing, because they really stepped up and shown they were here for the fight.”

The Stars have won four straight games, moved into a playoff spot and are now putting heat on some of the teams ahead of them in the standings. They are just one point out of seventh and just three points out of both sixth place and the Pacific Division lead.

“The way I look at this deadline is we’ve got some pretty good players coming back to us in Brenden Morrow and Jamie Benn, so let’s not forget about that either,” Nieuwendyk said. “With the boost of energy that Ryan Garbutt has given us, we have some pieces that are going to help us going forward here. “

Benn, who has missed the last six games with a leg injury, is expected to skate with the team on Tuesday, and could play Wednesday. Morrow, who has missed the last 13 games with neck, shoulder and back issues, could start skating later this week.

The return of those two players will be a big boost to a team that has turned things around of late and seems to be getting things in order at the right time.

“Three weeks ago, it was hard to figure out what our team was all about, we were having a lot of difficulties, so that’s been encouraging to see how this group, in the absence of Benn and Morrow, how they’ve really come together,” Nieuwendyk said. “I think Mike Ribeiro, Michael Ryder and Loui Eriksson have stepped up and provided what a number one line should provide and we’re getting great minutes always from the (Vernon) Fiddler line. I think Adam Burish has stepped his game up, I think a lot of guys have stepped their game up and said, ‘Hey, we got to make a push here.’

“We’re in the soup with about five other teams for those final two playoff spots and I think our guys are believing now, now that we’ve beaten a team like Vancouver, that we’re going to be a tough opponent.”

FRISCO -- The Dallas Stars were quiet as the NHL trade deadline passed at 2 p.m. Monday. The Stars made no trades on what was a pretty quiet deadline day around the NHL.

"No moves today," Nieuwendyk said. "It was an uneventful day league-wide it seemed. I think our plan has been consistent, we weren't going to do anything unless it made sense for now and the for the future going forward. Nothing in that regard really presented itself. I think it's made it challenging in the last few weeks with the way our team has performed, and that's a good thing. They've really stepped up and shown that they are really here for the fight. That's a good thing going forward."

The Stars have won four straight games and are in a playoff spot right now, one point out seventh place and only three points out of the Pacific Division lead.

Nieuwendyk said Jamie Benn, who has missed the last six games with a leg injury, is expected to practice Tuesday and could play Wednesday.

Captain Brenden Morrow, who has missed 13 straight games with neck/shoulder issues, could begin skating later in the week.