[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (2000, Book I)]
[March 16, 2000]
[Pages 477-478]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Remarks to the 1999 Stanley Cup Champion Dallas Stars
March 16, 2000

    The President. Thank you very much. Please be seated. I want to 
welcome Thomas Hicks and his family, Gary 
Bettman and his daughter to the White House. Robert Gainey, the manager; and to all the Stars, including the 
captain, Derian Hatcher--I might say, the 
first American-born captain of a Stanley Cup team.
    And I welcome Representative Eddie Bernice Johnson here, who is very proud of this team. We're glad to 
have you back in the White House. There are a lot of people from Texas 
here today, including many members of our administration and former 
members of our administration. I want to welcome you here. I often--I 
miss it when you don't come by. And now I know how to get you back. 
[Laughter] So thank you.
    As all of you know, we're here to congratulate the 1999 Stanley Cup 
winner, the Dallas Stars. Ice hockey is a fascinating game, but for 
those of us who grew up in the South, we know it's normally dominated by 
people north of the Mason-Dixon line. There was not a skating rink in my 
hometown until I was over 40 years old.
    But the Dallas Stars changed the perception of hockey. They were the 
first Sun Belt team to win hockey's Holy Grail in the 107-year history 
of the contest. So now Dallas will be known not just for the Cowboys and 
Super Bowls but for the Stars and the Stanley Cup.
    It occurred to me when I was getting ready for this that hockey is a 
lot like Washington politics. It's a rough game--[laughter]--with a lot 
of lead changes. And usually you never know who's going to win until the 
final moment.
    And that is, of course, literally what happened last June in game 6, 
when the Stars clinched their first Cup--3 overtimes, 111 minutes, all 
of us, even people like me who don't skate very well, on the edge of our 
seats. We watched Ed Belfour block shot after 
shot, MVP Joe Nieuwendyk leading the charge 
on offense. And I still remember when Brett Hull 
shoveled the last puck past Dominik Hasek, a 
man I once met in Buffalo, to capture the win. I would be afraid to try 
to put anything past the guy. [Laughter] This was a very impressive game 
to those who are initiated and those who are becoming initiated into the 
thrills of professional hockey.
    Opening and closing the year with a victory over the Sabres, that 
final game was a perfect ending to a nearly perfect season. The Dallas 
Stars not only took home the cup but also the president's award with the 
best record in the league for the second year in a row.
    And I want to also acknowledge someone who is not here today, the 
coach. Every good coach I know, and I've been 
privileged to know quite a few great ones, always say that the players 
make great coaches. But great coaches also help the players bring out 
the best and play as a team.
    The Stanley Cup is the oldest athletic trophy in North America. So 
it's about more than winning. It embodies our fascination with 
athletics, with determination, with teamwork. All the Dallas Stars 
earned this Cup. And after seeing Wednesday night's victory over the 
Devils, I see you're not going to give it up without a fight. I like 
people who don't give it up--[laughter]--without a fight.
    Congratulations to all of you. And now I'd like to ask the 
commissioner of the National Hockey League, Gary Bettman, to say a few words.

[[Page 478]]

[At this point, NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman, 
team owner Thomas Hicks, and team captain 
Derian Hatcher made brief remarks. Mr. 
Hatcher presented a Stars jersey to the President.]

    The President. You may have noticed today that I had this tie on. We 
had the annual Speaker's Saint Patrick's Day lunch today a day early up 
on Capitol Hill, so maybe I should just wear this tomorrow. [Laughter] 
This is great.
    Thank you very much. Thank you.

Note: The President spoke at 5 p.m. in the East Room at the White House. 
In his remarks, he referred to Mr. Bettman's daughter Brittany; Dallas 
Stars general manager Robert Gainey, players Ed Belfour, Joe Nieuwendyk, 
and Brett Hull, and head coach Ken Hitchcock; and Buffalo Sabres goalie 
Dominik Hasek.