Feature: Stars' Halpern Feels More at Home

The following feature article on former Princeton forward Jeff Halpern appeared in the October 7 issue of The Dallas Morning News. The article can be accessed via the Dallas Morning News Web site by clicking here.

By MIKE HEIKA / The Dallas Morning News
mheika@dallasnews.com

Jeff Halpern said he was ready to become a Dallas Star last season.

It's just that he's more ready this year.

A native of Potomac, Md., and lifetime fan of the Washington Capitals, Halpern realized a dream of not only playing for his boyhood heroes but also becoming the Capitals' captain.

Halpern was signed as a free agent by the Capitals prior to the 1999-2000 season. Over six years, he became an integral part of the team and its hockey community. And that was tough to leave.

So when Halpern made the decision to exercise his free agency rights before last season, he said he had to come to grips with the fact he was leaving Washington.

"I studied all of the options and made a commitment to coming to Dallas, and I was very happy with that decision," Halpern, 31, said. "I don't want to say that I was ever unsure of being here. I felt like I was a Dallas Star right from the start."

But?

"I do think it will be easier this season," he said. "I think having been established within the team and now knowing my way around the city, it's just easier."

The place where Halpern thinks his comfort level might be most noticeable is the goal-scoring department. Halpern was brought in to anchor the checking line, but he showed a knack for two-way play in Washington with seasons of 18, 21, 13 and 19 goals. In his first season with the Stars, he scored eight goals in 76 games.

"That was a little frustrating," he said. "I've always been a player who can create opportunities and score goals, so that number was low for me. And then when you mix in the fact that we needed goal-scoring last year ... it was something I wanted to improve."

Halpern has adopted a different mentality this season. He's going to the net harder, he's firing shots with more confidence, and he's working better with his linemates. The fact that he's on an established line is important. The possibility that that line could be the most consistent on the team doesn't hurt, either.

"There are a lot of strong elements there," Stars coach Dave Tippett said of the combination of Halpern, Joel Lundqvist and Stu Barnes. "They're very smart, they have good instincts, they work hard, and they have some skill. There's no reason that can't be a line that scores goals."

Barnes was the fourth overall selection in the 1989 draft and came into the league as a goal-scorer. He has become a checker, but he still has skill. Lundqvist was a top player in Sweden and last season led the Iowa Stars in playoff scoring with six goals and four assists in nine games. Halpern? He had 33 assists with Washington in 2005-06.

"We all have played that way before, and I definitely think we showed in the playoffs that can be an element of our line," Halpern said. "You can say our main job is to check, but I don't ever think we should ignore scoring. The best way to play defense is to keep the other team chasing while you have the puck."

As Halpern talks, you can hear the confidence in his voice, the comfort of being a veteran member of the team, and the excitement of the possibilities for this season.

"I definitely think you can see it in him," Tippett said. "I think that's only natural. He's had some time here, and it's not new to him anymore. We expect a lot of good things from him this year."