Stars LW Steve Ott in the past has said that the team "was ecstatic to be purchased" by Vancouver businessman Tom Gaglardi in November, and after spending an evening at the Gaglardi house Monday, Ott said that the "feeling was even stronger," according to Mike Heika of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. Ott said a new owner matters to players, "Because I’ve seen the success of this franchise, and I’ve seen it when it was one of the best franchises in the NHL. I saw this building with six years of sellouts and payroll commitments and emotional commitments. And let’s be honest, it hasn’t been that way the last couple of years. Now, to see an owner who wants to win, who cares, who holds us to a standard, that’s fantastic. I don’t want to disappoint that guy, because I know how much it means to him." Gaglardi had a "little gathering where he had a few of his newest friends over to meet his wife and three boys." But Heika writes it was "so much more than that," it was a "message to the players that somebody has their back, that somebody cares about them, that this is more than just a business." Stars GM Joe Nieuwendyk said, "It shows the players, it shows the coaches, it shows the fans that there is a real guy there that really cares about what’s going on. ... I have been a part of organizations where the owners are right out front, and you’re part of their family. And the more you get to know them and the more you see how much they care, it makes you want to play for them that much more." Gaglardi: "Honestly, I was just excited to have them here and have some fun. It’s exciting for my kids, exciting for my family. It just makes it more real for them." Nieuwendyk added, "What Tom has shown us since he bought the team and what was driven home (Monday) was that he’s a guy who cares about the team and cares about winning. I think there’s a lot of value in that" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 3/7).
