Marty Turco had a decorated college hockey career. Though most Canadian-born hockey legends take the path of junior hockey, Turco was vastly different. Turco was the Dallas Stars fourth selection in the 1994 NHL Entry Draft, though prior, he spent two seasons with the IHL’s Michigan K-Wings, winning the “Rookie of The Year” award in 1999. Turco made his NHL debut in 2000 – 2001 season, and of course, made the most of his opportunity. Splitting the season with Ed Belfour, Turco played in 26 games, leading the NHL with 1.90 goals against average and with the best save percentage in 2001 – 2002.
Turco would establish himself as one of the league’s premiere net-minders, appearing in the NHL All-Star Game on three occasions in 2003, 2004, and 2007 on the Stars’ roster. On January 15, 2009, Turco competed in his 421st game for the Dallas Stars, becoming the league’s all-time leader in games played by a goaltender. A year later, however, Turco’s time with the Stars came to an end. But, he could not be beaten. He inked a one-year unrestricted free agent deal with the Chicago Blackhawks — the six-time Stanley Cup Champions.