In Vail, the expectations were set.
It was in Vail that the Stars opened training camp for the 1998-99 season, coming off a Presidents' Trophy and a Western Conference finals exit the season prior. The team was already brimming with talent before adding Hall of Famer Brett Hull in free agency.
There was Mike Modano, arguably the best American to ever play hockey. There was Ed Belfour, the two-time Vezina Trophy winner as the league's best goalie. There was Joe Nieuwendyk, the perennial 30-goal scorer and future Conn Smythe winner.
Add in the physicality of captain Derian Hatcher, the power-play wizardry of Sergei Zubov, the defensive precision of Jere Lehtinen and role players such as Darryl Sydor and Jamie Langenbrunner, and the Stars were built like a championship team.