The Dallas Stars acquire physical Stanley Cup hero in trade completed today in hockey history

August 10, 1994 marked a quietly important moment in Dallas Stars history, the day they acquired Grant Marshall and Peter Zezel from the Toronto Maple Leafs as compensation for losing Mike Craig in free agency.

At the time, it didn't dominate headlines.

But for Stars fans looking back, it's clear this trade played a role in building the foundation of the team that would hoist the Stanley Cup in 1999.

Marshall, in particular, would go on to be a gritty, reliable winger who thrived in playoff battles.

Grant Marshall's grit helped the Dallas Stars capture their first Stanley Cup

The trade came as part of the NHL's old free-agent compensation rules, which required teams signing certain free agents to send assets to the player's former team.

Toronto got Craig, while Dallas gained Marshall, a player who embodied hard-nosed, two-way hockey.

Over his years with the Stars, Marshall brought energy, physicality, and timely scoring, traits that were on full display during the team's 1999 Stanley Cup run.

He appeared in all 23 playoff games that year, chipping in key goals and heavy minutes against top opposition.

As The Hockey Writers noted in a historical breakdown, Marshall was exactly the type of depth forward championship teams need, one who can change momentum with a hit or a well-timed play.

Peter Zezel, also part of the deal, added veteran presence to Dallas's lineup, though Marshall's impact over the long haul made him the true centerpiece.

Personally, I think this is one of those underappreciated trades that helped shape the Stars' identity heading into their late-'90s glory years.

Without moves like this, the championship puzzle might have been missing a key piece.