The veteran center gets the nod almost by default. He was the local hockey team's best player, but in one of its worst seasons. In a forgettable year that saw the Stars miss the playoffs with a 37-31-14 record (fourth-worst in the NHL's Western Conference), Richards was the team's most consistent scorer. In 80 games he produced 24 goals and 67 assists for 91 points, 20 more than the next Star. In an indication of just how bad a season it was, Richards was one of the best players despite having a plus/minus of -12. Unfortunately for Richards, the 2009-10 season won't be remembered for his decent play, but more so for the ugly debuts of coach Marc Crawford and general manager Joe Nieuwendyk and the sad departures of Marty Turco and Mike Modano.