The Stars' slogan this year – "Our team, our time" – highlights a franchise that has the second-best record in the NHL for the last 10 seasons and is eager to win its first Stanley Cup since 1999.

To accomplish that, the organization has had to change the way it has done business.

While the 1998-99 championship team was built around a core of prime-time players and a large group of supporting veterans, this year's squad is more diverse.

The players fall into five categories at distinctive points in their careers, including several rookies.

"We're a young team," Stars coach Dave Tippett said. "You have to be, in this league now."

So the question is, what time is it for these players?

The common thread among the Stars' elder veterans is tremendous ability and fragile bodies. Sergei Zubov (right) is a Norris Trophy candidate if healthy. He will probably miss all of November with a hip injury after playing 46 regular-season games last season. Jere Lehtinen has the potential to score 30 goals if healthy. But he is starting out with a tender groin. Philippe Boucher might be one of the NHL's most underrated offensive defensemen. He missed much of training camp with a sore toe after playing 38 games last season. Mike Modano still is probably the most talented Star, but he will probably battle to get 50 points this season as young players take more significant offensive roles.

In the span of three seasons, the Stars' leadership core has gone from mid-30s to late 20s, and that has increased expectations. It's no longer a stretch to pencil in career-bests for key players every season. The key to the core is the combination of Brenden Morrow and Mike Ribeiro The duo anchors the top line and gives opponents a focal point for checking. If you don't concentrate on Morrow (32 goals, 74 points) and Ribeiro (27 goals, 83 points), they will hurt you. If you do, it opens things up for a second line led by Brad Richards, who tallied 91 points for Tampa Bay three seasons ago. Also in this mix is goalie Marty Turco, who has had back-to-back strong playoffs and has a 207-103-42 regular-season record with a 2.15 goals against average.

Quotable: "They should be getting better every year." – Co-GM Les Jackson

While the prime-timers have proved themselves, the "their-timers" are on the cusp of taking that final step. They have worked past the awkward development years and appear ready to make significant contributions. Stephane Robidas, who has been turned away by Montreal (waivers) and Chicago (not qualified), became a 25-minute defenseman in the playoffs last season and the leader of the Stars' postseason power play. He led Stars defensemen in goals last season with nine and ranked second among Stars players in hits with 220. He also led the team with 109 blocked shots. Sean Avery was undrafted out of junior hockey, but over the last two seasons helped the New York Rangers to a 50-20-16 record when he was in the lineup. That landed him a four-year, $15.5 million free-agent contract, meaning expectations for him are high. He will be joined in his gritty agitation by Steve Ott, who is coming off a strong season of 11 goals and 11 assists and also is part of the Stars' leadership group. Trevor Daley also is joining the Stars leaders. With three defensemen younger than he, Daley instantly became a veteran last season. Like his their-timer counterparts, he must bring a solid performance every game.

Quotable: "The great thing about players like Otter and Daley is they aren't the kids of the team anymore. They're veterans now, they're leaders now. They have to take a bigger slice of the team both on and off the ice." – Dave Tippett

A team that has begrudgingly brought in one new player each season for about a decade, the Stars last year had a group of five plunge in with both skates. Because of the injuries to Zubov and Boucher, the Stars added three rookie defensemen – Nicklas Grossman, Mark Fistric and Matt Niskanen. The trio was spectacular at times: Niskanen finished second on the team at plus-22, Grossman averaged 18:37 of ice time in the playoffs, and Fistric played five of the six games in the series win over San Jose. This year, each will be asked to become a reliable regular. In addition, the Stars have two forwards who can expect regular roles, Loui Eriksson and Joel Lundqvist. Eriksson was a healthy scratch for 11 of the first 30 games last season, but rebounded to tally 28 points in the final 52 games. Lundqvist missed 27 games as a healthy scratch or in the minors, but then rebounded to tally seven points in 18 playoff games. Dallas also has added Toby Petersen and Doug Janik to the roster to go with Krys Barch . All will vie for playing time.

Quotable: "The expectations are going up, and that's a good thing." – Loui Eriksson

If it weren't enough to have five virtual "sophomores" on the roster, the Stars are wading deep in the fountain of youth with four potential rookies. Fabian Brunnstrom was signed as an unrestricted free agent out of Sweden and will try to adapt to the NHL. Tobias Stephan has toiled for two years in the minors and is ready to take the role as backup goalie. And B.J. Crombeen and James Neal battled so hard in training camp that each made the opening day roster. The problem with the influx of youngsters is that a couple might be healthy scratches on any given night. Is it better to have kids playing in the minors or to have them learning in practices at the NHL level? It's a question the team will tackle all season.

Quotable: "That's where the NHL is headed. You have to be able to have young legs and speed." – Les Jackson