Stars News & Notes: Norstrom retires, Stars deal Sertich to Colorado

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Stars defenseman Mattias Norstrom said he would spend the offseason deciding whether to continue to play in the NHL or retire and stay in Sweden with his family. He announced Tuesday that he's opted for retirement.

"Dallas wanted to keep me, but it is over now," Norstrom, 36, told Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet. "I promised myself 10 years ago that I would quit while I still had a strong position in the team. And now it is over.

"The last game against Detroit was my final one."

Later in the day the Stars confirmed Norstrom's retirement.

"Yes, I have retired,” Norstrom said on the Stars' official web site. "This wasn’t a rash decision by any means and I comfortable with it. I knew going into the season that this was the last year of my contract and I didn’t want to make a big distraction out of it. The last game of the Detroit series was my final game in the NHL."

When the Stars wrapped up their season in May, Norstrom said family considerations would be the key factor in his decision. He said he either play in the NHL or retire. Playing in Sweden was not an option.

"It will be giving up something I love for something I love more," Norstrom said back in May. "It is family first."

Norstrom told Aftonbladet that he will focus on his family and look to get a regular job.

Norstrom, a second round pick of the New York Rangers in 1992, played 16 NHL seasons with the Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and Stars, who acquired him at the 2007 NHL trade deadline. A defensive defenseman, Norstrom had 165 points (18 goals, 147 assists) in 903 career games.

Stars deal Sertich to Colorado for draft pick

The Stars Tuesday dealt minor league center Marty Sertich to the Colorado Avalanche for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Sertich, whose contract expired at the end of this season, is set to be a restricted free agent on July 1. The Stars signed Sertich, a Hobey Baker winner with Colorado College, as a free agent in 2006.

Sertich never saw any time in the NHL. He played the last two seasons with Iowa of the AHL, leading the team in scoring with 52 points (27 goals, 25 assists) in 79 games.

Status of Stars' free agents

Dallas Stars Free Agents

Restricted Free Agents - Qualifying offers due no later than June 25
Player Pos 2007-08 Cap Cost

Status
Marty Sertich C $850,000 Traded to Colorado for 7th round draft pick in 2009
Trevor Daley D $787,500 Signed three-year, $6.9 million contract
Loui Eriksson LW $725,000 Unsigned/Qualifying offer due: $522,500
B.J. Crombeen RW $600,000 Unsigned/Qualifying offer due: $522,500
Janos Vas RW $550,000 Unsigned/Qualifying offer due: $522,500
Konstantin Pushkarev RW $534,333 Unsigned/Qualifying offer due: $522,500
Vojtech Polak LW $533,333 Unsigned/Qualifying offer due: $522,500
Jussi Timonen D $512,500 Unsigned/Qualifying offer due: N/A
Vadim Khomitski D $525,000 Unsigned/Qualifying offer due: $522,500
Francis Wathier LW $478,333 Unsigned/Qualifying offer due: $522,500
Marius Holtet C $475,000 Unsigned/Qualifying offer due: $522,500

Unrestricted Free Agents
Player Pos 2007-08 Cap Cost

Status
Mattias Norstrom D $4,250,000 Retired
Stu Barnes RW $1,000,000 Unsigned
Johan Holmqvist G $1,000,000 Unsigned
Antti Miettinen RW $885,000 Unsigned
Niklas Hagman LW $675,000 Unsigned
Brad Winchester LW $475,000 Unsigned
Nolan Baumgartner D $600,000 Unsigned
Bryce Lampman D $556,380 Unsigned
Toby Petersen C $500,000 Signed two-year, one-way contract worth $1.1 million
Trevor Byrne D $475,000 Unsigned

Notes

  • Construction on the Cedar Park Event center officially began Tuesday when ground was broken on the facility, which will house the Stars' AHL affiliate starting in the 2009-10 season.  "It’s going to be a win-win for everybody not only the Dallas Stars but Cedar Park as well," said Stars co-GM Brett Hull. The new arena will seat 6,800 for hockey.

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