Stars Stanley Cup winners Joe Nieuwendyk and Ed Belfour were both elected to the Hockey Hall Of Fame Tuesday. The pair were among four voted in, along with Doug Gilmour and Mark Howe, by an 18-member selection committee.
Belfour was the goalie who helped the Stars over the top in their 1999 and 2000 Stanley Cup Finals seasons and won them their first and only title in franchise history. He carried Dallas through the playoffs both of those seasons, especially in seven-game conference finals wins over the Colorado Avalanche.
Niuewendyk was obtained from Calgary for then prospect Jarome Iginla as well as journeyman Corey Millen, a clear sign of the club's intention to win immediately. He won the Conn Smythe playoff MVP trophy in 1999 for his dominant playoff performance and is now the Stars' GM.
Both players achieved significant success with other franchises as well. Nieuwendyk won Cups in 1989 with Calgary and 2003 with New Jersey, wont he Calder Trophy, made four all-star teams and scored 564 goals. Belfour also took the Blackhawks to the Stanley Cup Finals, made five all-star teams, was named to the NHL First Team twice, won a Calder, two Vezina Trophies and four Jennings Trophies, and won 484 games.
Their induction will be held November 14.