While the Dallas Stars are still young, their expectations have clearly changed.This group is no longer just hoping to get to the playoffs.Weve been together for a year now. The new players have fit in well, said Jamie Benn, their 25-year-old captain. Weve got a little bit more confidence as a group just making the playoffs, and I think we can bring that into this year.Not only did the Stars end the longest post-season drought in franchise history last season, they came oh so close to taking top-seeded Anaheim to Game 7 in the opening round. The Ducks had to score twice in the final 2:10 of regulation in Game 6 to force overtime, and won on the only shot there.We had a great year last year, and this year I think our expectations are a lot higher, said Tyler Seguin, the 22-year-old centre.General manager Jim Nill, a longtime assistant GM with Detroit, was hired in April 2013 after the Stars missed the playoffs for the fifth season in a row. He hired veteran coach Lindy Ruff, who had eight playoff appearances in his 15 seasons with Buffalo.Nills biggest initial deal was a seven-player trade with Boston to get former second overall pick Seguin, who in his debut Dallas season was the leading scorer with 84 points (37 goals, 47 assists). This off-season, Nill added 31-year-old former Ottawa teammates Jason Spezza and Ales Hemsky.Last year, Jamie Benn moving back to the wing, Seguin coming in, how were they going to mesh together? And weve seen that theyre as dynamic a duo as there is, Nill said. A lot of questions have been answered. ... Weve got the excitement of adding Spezza, Hemsky and these guys. Its an exciting time, good for our team.Spezza (23 goals, 43 assists) is a centre acquired in a trade before free-agent right wing Hemsky (13 goals, 30 assists combined with Edmonton and Ottawa) signed a three-year contract. The two will likely be paired together, providing another scoring line behind the front line led by Seguin and Benn (34 goals, 45 assists).Here are some things to know about the 2014-15 Dallas Stars, who open the season at home Oct. 9 against Western Conference finalist Chicago:POTENT POWER PLAY: During the preseason, Ruff had a primary power-play unit that included Seguin and Benn, his top two scorers from last season, and newcomers Spezza and Hemsky. We were finding each other, Seguin said. It will be great to see what we can do once we learn each other a lot. Ruff said he expects those guys to read off each other, rather than having a specific plan where, Youve got to be here, and youve got to be there.BACKUP GOALIE: The Stars went into training camp with several options to be goalie Kari Lehtonens backup. They used four different players in that role last season. Anders Lindback, who started 67 games over the past four seasons with Nashville and Tampa Bay, exited training camp as the second goalie on the roster.WORKING CLASS: Benn said the team has developed an identity as a hard-working team. Weve got to be the hardest-working team out there, the captain said. Our skills going to help us out, but if we dont work hard, were not going to win many games.STILL UNSIGNED: When the Stars opened training camp in mid-September, unsigned restricted free agents Cody Eakin and Brenden Dillon were working out at home in Canada. Eakin, a centre, signed a two-year deal and joined the team this week. Defenceman Dillon remained unsigned and it was uncertain if his contract would be resolved before the season.PEVERLEYS PROGRESS: Nearly seven months after collapsing on the bench during a game because of an irregular heartbeat, forward Rich Peverley is doing off-ice workouts. But he still hasnt been cleared by doctors to get practice or play, and there is no specific timetable for when that could happen. He had surgery in mid-March to correct an abnormal heart rhythm, an issue that was diagnosed during training camp last year. Air Max 97 Plus Black . The R&A announced Monday that golfs oldest championship will return to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland for the first time since Max Faulkner won in 1951. Outlet Air Max 1 .The Hanwha Eagles said the team was impressed with Morgans contact ability and base-running skills.The 34-year-old debuted with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2007 and hit . http://www.wholesalenikeshoesclearance.c...x-95-shoes.html. So what happens? Stevenson lands a huge left to Dawsons temple only 76 seconds into the opening round and walks away with the championship belt. "I said Id knock him out," said Stevenson (21-1). Wholesale Air Max 270 Black .com) - The Columbus Blue Jackets rewarded starting goaltender and pending restricted free agent Sergei Bobrovsky with a four-year contract extension on Friday. Cheap Nike Shoes Near Me .C. -- Marcus Paige and his North Carolina teammates have endured so many wild swings -- big wins, surprising losses, NCAA drama -- that no one can blame their Hall of Fame coach for wondering whats next.ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. -- The Buffalo Bills crossed off a draft need by acquiring running back Bryce Brown in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles on Saturday. The teams swapped seventh-round picks in this years, with the Eagles moving up five spots to land the 224th selection. The Bills also gave up a conditional draft pick -- either a fourth-rounder next year or a third-round selection in 2016. In landing Brown, the Bills filled a need for depth without having to address it in the draft. Hell serve in a backup role behind co-starters Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller. The Eagles, by comparison, had what coach Chip Kelly called "a logjam" at running back. Brown was also regarded as expendable in Philadelphia because his side-to-side running style didnt fit Kellys offence. Kelly and Bills director of player personnel Jim Monos both said the trade had been in the works for the past month. Brown has 190 carries for 878 yards and six touchdowns in 32 games in two seasons with the Eagles. He overcame fumbling issues during his rookie season to finish with 564 yards rushing and four touchdowns in 16 games, including four starts. Brown sset the Eagles single-game rookie rushing record in his first start, when he had 178 yards and two scores against Carolina on Nov.dddddddddddd 26, 2012. He followed that up a week later with 169 yards rushing and two scores at Dallas. In Buffalo, Brown joins an offence that ranked second in yards rushing last season. "Yeah, I was definitely surprised," Brown said. "But I think its a great opportunity for me to come in and be able to contribute any way that I can. Im excited about the journey. And I cant wait to get started." This was the latest in a series of trades the Bills have made over the past month. On Friday, Buffalo dealt receiver Stevie Johnson to San Francisco. Johnson became the odd-man out in a crowded group of receivers after the Bills opened the draft by trading up five spots to select Clemson receiver Sammy Watkins with the No. 4 pick. Last month, Buffalo gave up a sixth-round draft pick to acquire receiver Mike Williams in a trade with Tampa Bay. On Friday, the Bills swapped second-round draft picks and picked up an additional fifth-round pick (153rd overall) in a trade with St. Louis. ' ' '