⭐ Dallas Stars — Key Facts
| Owner | Tom Gaglardi |
| Acquired | 2011 (purchased from Tom Hicks for ~$240 million) |
| League | NHL (National Hockey League) |
| Relocated From | Minnesota North Stars (franchise moved to Dallas 1993) |
| Stanley Cup | 1 (1999, Mike Modano era) |
| Home Arena | American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas |
| Tom Gaglardi Background | Canadian billionaire; Northland Properties (hotels, restaurants) |
The Dallas Stars are owned by Tom Gaglardi, a Canadian billionaire who purchased the franchise in 2011 from previous owner Tom Hicks for approximately $240 million. Gaglardi is the Executive Chairman of Northland Properties, a private Canadian company that owns and operates hotels, restaurants, and ski resorts across North America.
Who Is the Owner of the Dallas Stars?
The Dallas Stars are owned by Tom Gaglardi, who acquired the franchise through his family’s holding company on November 21, 2011. The sale was necessitated by previous owner Tom Hicks‘s severe financial difficulties — Hicks, who had also owned the Texas Rangers MLB team, faced bankruptcy proceedings related to debts on his sports holdings. Gaglardi purchased the Stars at what proved to be a relative bargain price, as NHL franchise values have risen substantially since 2011. Gaglardi is a third-generation Canadian businessman; his family’s company Northland Properties operates over a dozen hotels (including Sandman Hotel Group) and restaurant chains (including Moxie’s Grill & Bar).
The Dallas Stars’ History
The Stars franchise was born as the Minnesota North Stars, one of the NHL’s original expansion teams (1967). The North Stars relocated to Dallas in 1993, becoming the Stars. Dallas was an unlikely NHL market — a Sun Belt city with no hockey tradition and notoriously hot climate — but the franchise thrived. The Stars won their first and only Stanley Cup in 1999, led by Mike Modano (the all-time US-born NHL scoring leader) and Finnish captain Jere Lehtinen, with Brett Hull scoring the controversial triple-overtime Cup-winning goal. The Stars reached the Stanley Cup Final again in 2020 and 2024, losing both times.
Tom Gaglardi’s Ownership Era
Under Gaglardi’s ownership, the Stars have undergone significant transformation — moving from arena-related challenges to becoming one of the Sun Belt’s most successful hockey franchises. The American Airlines Center in Dallas consistently ranks among the louder and more passionate NHL arenas. General Manager Jim Nill rebuilt the franchise with stars like Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, and goaltender Jake Oettinger, leading to the team’s recent deep playoff runs, including the 2024 Stanley Cup Final appearance where they lost to the Florida Panthers.
