Post-season heroes come in all forms from the star player to the unknown fourth-liner. We all know the exploits of the great playoff performers. However, we hardly hear about the unlikely playoff heroes. These unlikely post-season stars can contribute in many ways. Contributions could be for an entire playoff run, a series, a game or even a goal. These unlikely heroes have made big plays that no one expects. This series looks at all of these unknown stars. These are the unlikely Dallas Stars playoff heroes.
Dallas Stars Playoff Heroes
Darcy Wakaluk
Before the Moment
Darcy Wakaluk was drafted in the seventh round, 144th overall in the 1984 NHL Draft by the Buffalo Sabres. Wakaluk spent the better part of five seasons in the AHL with the Rochester Americans. He won a Calder Cup in the 1986-87 season. During the 1987 season, he was the first goalie in American Hockey League history to score a goal.
Before heading to the NHL, he went to another Calder Cup Final. Wakaluk appeared in six games with the Sabres in the 1988-89 season and played another 16 games including two playoff games with the Sabres in 1990-91. Buffalo traded Wakaluk to the Minnesota North Stars at the end of the 1990-91 season.
The Moment
The North Stars would play in two more seasons in Minnesota before heading to Dallas to start the 1993-94 season. Wakaluk was the backup to Andy Moog during the Stars’ first season in Dallas. Wakaluk appeared in 36 regular season games splitting time with Moog. The duo led the Stars to a winning record as the team made the playoffs.
In the first round of the 1994 playoffs, Wakaluk took over the starting duties from Moog. Behind the brilliant play of Wakaluk, the Stars were able to sweep the Blues out of the playoffs, advancing to the second round of the playoffs.
During that series, Wakaluk recorded a 2.42 goals-against average, and a .926 save percentage against an excellent Blues’ team that featured players like Brendan Shanahan, Brett Hull, and Adam Oates, just to name a few. Wakaluk would start the next series against the Vancouver Canucks. However, after losing Game 1, he was replaced by Moog.
The Aftermath
After that season, Wakaluk spent three more seasons in the NHL. Two with the Stars and one with the then Phoenix Coyotes. Wakaluk played the final game of his career in January of 1997 after suffering a career-ending knee injury. This injury forced the goaltender to retire. Without Wakaluk’s heroics against the Blues, the Stars do not have as a successful season as they did.
Dave Gagner
Before the Moment
Dave Gagner was selected in the first round, 12th overall by the New York Rangers in the 1983 NHL Draft. Gagner bounced back between the Rangers and their AHL affiliate the New Haven Nighthawks. Gagner was never to establish himself with the Rangers and was traded to the Minnesota North Stars. From there his career took off. Though he had to spend some time in the AHL with Minnesota’s AHL affiliate before breaking out in the 1989-90 season with 40 goals.
The Moment
Gagner’s best season came during the 1990-91 season when he recorded 82 points (40 goals and 42 assists) in 72 games. During that year the North Stars made it all the way to the Stanley Cup Final losing to the Pittsburgh Penguins in six games. And Gagner was a big part of that. In 23 playoff games, Gagner recorded 27 points (12 goals and 15 assists).
The North Stars were never a favourite heading into any of their series, but pushed all the best teams to their limits and Gagner was a part of that. Even though the North Stars ultimately failed, Minnesota found a gem in Gagner.
The Aftermath
After that, Gagner could not duplicate those numbers in the playoffs. He stayed with the franchise as the Stars moved to Dallas. Gagner finished up his career in 1999 playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers and finally the Vancouver Canucks. Though he would get goals in the playoffs, the teams he was on could not find the magic that the North Stars team did in 1991. Gagner might not be the most unlikely Dallas Stars playoff hero, but without his production, the North Stars might not have gotten as far in 1991.
Joel Kiviranta
Before the Moment
Joel Kiviranta is the definition of an unlikely Dallas Stars playoff hero. Kiviranta played for Jokerit and Vaasan Sport of the Finnish Elite League before using his opt-out clause to sign with the Dallas Stars prior to the start of the 2019-20 season. During his first season, he split time between the NHL and the Stars AHL affiliate in Texas. There he put up 23 points (11 goals and 12 assists) in 48 games before the season was cancelled because of COVID-19. Kiviranta did record a goal at the NHL level against the New Jersey Devils in February of 2020.
The Moment
Kiviranta had been a so-called “Black Ace” for the Stars in the playoffs. With the rosters being expanded in the bubble, the teams were allowed to bring extra players. He appeared in two post-season games before he got his time to shine. On September 4th, 2020 in Game 7 of Round 2 against the Colorado Avalanche, Kiviranta was inserted into the lineup to replace an injured Andrew Cogliano. Nobody expected much from Kiviranta, however, he delivered one of the best moments of the playoffs. In Game 7, Kiviranta recorded a hat trick including the game-tying and series-clinching overtime goal to send the Stars to the Western Conference Final.
The Aftermath
After that game, Kiviranta remained in the Stars’ lineup for the remainder of the playoffs as Dallas went on to the Stanley Cup Final. However, he only recorded two more goals in the playoffs. And the rest of his games were uneventful. Now, this is only his first year in the NHL and he still has a long way to go. But this was a heck of a first impression. Just think to come in and record a hat trick in a series-clinching game. The playoffs make stars out of unknowns.
Main Photo:
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