"We have to be big here, we do," Alberts said. "If we're going to accomplish the things we want here, we have to be big. We have to think big, we have to act big, we have to operate big. Everything we do has to be big. Ultimately, that's what will reap rewards. We can't just blend into the fabric of the Southwest or blend into the NHL or blend into the City of Dallas. We'll get lost that way, and we can't do that."
Hosting this event, the Stars were big again - just as they were in hosting the NHL Draft, just as they were in hosting the Winter Classic and just as they were in getting to the Stanley Cup Final last season. It was another great sign of helping make a vision come true.
Of course, as Team Canada players stood on the ice in Frisco and collected their gold medals Thursday night, it was clear the Stars organization, USA Hockey and the IIHF helped make some dreams come true, as well.
"We worked so hard to make sure we hosted this tournament, and the first reason was for the players," Kelleher said. "There's 250 players here and it's a once-in-a-lifetime chance for some of them. They've missed out on a lot this year. We didn't want them to miss out on this."
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This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika, and listen to his podcast.