Muller makes most of opportunity Associated Press
DALLAS -- Two months into the season, Kirk Muller was out of
a job and almost ready to retire. He came home from a deer hunting
trip with friends and decided to call it quits if he didn't get an
offer by New Year's Day.
Then the Dallas Stars called. Within two months, he earned a
raise and contract for next season.
But that's getting ahead of things. All that matters now is that
Muller is eight wins from a second Stanley Cup. The next step is
the Western Conference finals, which begin Saturday against the
Colorado Avalanche.
| | Kirk Muller is playing an important role in the Stars quest for the Stanley Cup. |
"I feel like I'm a rookie right now and have a second life,"
the 34-year-old center said. "For eight months, I was basically
sitting out of the game. Now, here I am in the Stanley Cup
playoffs.
"Not that I ever took the game for granted, but when you sit
out and come back, you realize how much you really want to play."
Muller was picked second overall in the 1984 draft by New
Jersey, after Pittsburgh took Mario Lemieux at No. 1. Muller began
playing for the Devils that season and later became their captain.
He went to Montreal in 1991 and earned the honor of wearing the
C on his sweater for the Canadiens. In 1993, he scored the goal
that clinched the Stanley Cup.
In New Jersey and Montreal, Muller was a 30-goal scorer five
times and an All-Star six times. Then, he became a journeyman,
spending time with the New York Islanders, Toronto and Florida.
He played all 82 games for the Panthers last season, but set
career lows with four goals and 11 assists. The team didn't want
him back so they bought out the final year of his contract.
Muller, though, was convinced he had more hockey left in him. So
he went home to Kingston, Ontario, and worked out at 5:30 every
morning and skated with a junior team five days a week.
He didn't just stay fresh. Muller trained with a purpose.
Although he laughed at talk that he'd lost a step because
quickness was never a part of his game, he also took it seriously.
His designed a regimen that helped him drop seven pounds and add
quickness.
"People would say, `You had a good career, you won, just walk
away.' But I couldn't," he said. "If I had retired, it would've
bugged me that I didn't have another chance. I really felt I could
still fight. That's what drove me."
Muller would watch games on television and see teams he thought
could use him. The teams didn't share that opinion. Neither did
some of the folks around town.
"They were looking at me like, `Get the hint,"' he said,
smiling and laughing. "They're like, `Geez, why don't you just
quit and help us coach the team here."'
The disappointment finally got to him. He called his agent, Mike
Barnett, and told him he was ready to call it a career.
"By the time I hung up the phone, he'd talked me out of it,"
Muller said.
Toronto and Boston had begun to show interest when Stars general
manager Bob Gainey called. Muller was so excited he called Guy
Carbonneau and Mike Keane, two former Montreal teammates playing in
Dallas, and had them put in a good word for him.
On Dec. 15, Muller became a Star. Three days later, in his first
game with his new team, he scored the game-winning goal against
Vancouver.
On Feb. 15, Muller signed a new contract. His initial deal was
for $190,000 with an extra $3,000 for every game he played 10
minutes or more. The new one guaranteed him $410,000 for this
season and $750,000 for next season.
Muller finished the regular season with seven points and 15
assists in 47 games. In 10 playoff games he has one goal, three
assists and as much satisfaction as anyone on the ice.
"Bob gave me a chance and I want to take advantage of it,"
Muller said, adding he's not trying to prove a point to anyone but
himself. "I'd rather just play, go for the Cup and let that be the
incentive." |