DALLAS, July 1 -- With three of the marquee names suddenly off the market, the Dallas Stars Sunday signed unrestricted free agents Pierre Turgeon and Rob DiMaio.
Turgeon, a nine-time 30-goal scorer who spent most of the last six seasons with the St. Louis Blues, inked a five-year contract. DiMaio signed a three-year deal. Financial terms were not disclosed, but the Dallas Morning News reported Turgeon's pact was worth $32.5 million.
The moves were announced after the Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche disclosed they re-signed Hart Trophy winner Joe Sakic, Conn Smythe Trophy winner Patrick Roy and former Norris Trophy winner Rob Blake.
The 31-year-old Turgeon led the Blues in scoring and tied for 16th in the NHL last season with 30 goals and 52 assists in 79 games. It was his 13th consecutive 20-goal campaign, which matches the second-longest current streak in the league. He added five goals and 15 assists in 15 playoff games.
A premier playmaker, Turgeon joins Mike Modano and Joe Nieuwendyk in giving Dallas three highly skilled centers.
"We are very happy with the acquisition of Pierre Turgeon. He strengthens our hockey club at a key positional area and opens up different options for our team," Stars general manager Bob Gainey said.
Turgeon was the top overall pick in the 1987 draft by the Buffalo Sabres and also has played for the New York Islanders and Montreal Canadiens during a 14-year career. He won the Lady Byng Trophy for sportsmanship in 1993 and was fifth in balloting for the Hart Trophy that year after establishing career bests with 58 goals and 74 assists in 83 games for the Islanders.
DiMaio, a 33-year-old left wing, is a tenacious checker and solid penalty-killer who should have no trouble fitting into coach Ken Hitchcock's defense-first system.
"Rob DiMaio will bring us consistent, strong play as a checking line forward," Gainey said. "His aggressive play will also add depth to our penalty-killing unit."
DiMaio had six goals, including two shorthanded tallies, and 18 assists in 74 games last season, his only one with the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Stars will be his seventh team in a 13-year career. He broke in with the Islanders in 1988 and also has played for the Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers, Boston Bruins and New York Rangers, totaling 77 goals and 128 assists in 634 games.
