On Friday, the Dallas Stars paid tribute to three-time Selke Trophy winner and former Stanley Cup champion Jere Lehtinen by lifting the number 26 to the rafters at downtown Dallas’s American Airlines Center. Lehtinen is perhaps the best defensive winger in the history of the National Hockey League and played a key role alongside Mike Modano for the dominant late 1990s, early 2000s Stars clubs.
Lehtinen’s jersey retirement, which occurred prior to a 6-4 victory over the Calgary Flames, was the fifth such ceremony in Dallas Stars/Minnesota North Stars history, and the third since 1993 the move to the Lone Star State.