Evgenii Dadonov #63 of the Dallas Stars (Photo by Codie McLachlan/Getty Images)
Evgeny Dadonov is entering his third season with the Dallas Stars. He joined the team at the 2022-23 trade deadline and immediately became an important player for head coach Peter DeBoer's team.
As a member of the Stars, Dadonov traveled to Finland for the NHL Global Series, where he played two games against the Florida Panthers. It’s a full-circle moment for Dadonov, who already participated in the NHL Global Series in Finland with the Panthers six years ago.
"Of course, the memories remain," Dadonov told RG in an interview. "Everything is practically the same, the same set-up. But you can feel the special interest in our games. Fans gathered outside our hotel, staying outside almost around the clock. During the season, everything is routine; here, it feels a bit more unusual, more special."
The Stars spent almost a week in Finland, arriving in Helsinki on Monday and leaving on Sunday, but the players had almost no free time.
“We had a few team dinners here, went to a restaurant together. Most often, it’s a steakhouse — a very American thing. When we travel in the U.S., we usually have dinner with the other Russian guys. I don’t like eating meat every day, so sometimes I’ll go to a sushi bar or an Italian restaurant.”
Memories of Florida
In Tampere, the Stars lost both games against the Panthers, though Dadonov scored in the second game. It was almost poetic for Dadonov, having scored against the Panthers; a team he spent six seasons with.
“I have good memories of my time in Florida. I guess you could say that’s where I established myself as an NHL player. I liked it there. The installations were great, and it was a comfortable place to live."
After the Dallas Stars ultimately fell to the Edmonton Oilers, Dadonov instantly became a Panthers fan; as his former teammates marched their way to the franchise’s first Stanley Cup victory.
“I watched a couple of games of the Stanley Cup Finals and followed the scores in others. I was sure the Panthers were going to win, but the series turned out to be so interesting. The Oilers came back to tie the series after being down 0-3. Florida had to give everything, as the Oilers were psychologically on top, and Florida still found a way to win.”
Despite Dadonov leaving Florida in 2020, he was quick to send his former teammates some well-deserved congratulations and reflected on their growth as a group.
“From the old Panthers roster, I only played with [Aaron] Ekblad, [Alexander] Barkov, and [Sergei] Bobrovsky. I played on the same line with Barkov; and he’s grown up, matured, and become an elite player. I know how dedicated he is and how much he works on himself; he’s always improving. I think he can become even better as an elite player; he’s still got room to grow. Six years ago, he was already a great two-way center and was on the path to becoming one of the best, maybe even the best. He worked so hard, doing everything in the defensive zone. It was such a pleasure to play with him. Now he’s even stronger."
Lengthy Playoff Runs & The Quest for Lord Stanley
For the last two consecutive seasons, Dadonov and the Dallas Stars have reached the Western Conference Finals but haven’t been able to advance to the Stanley Cup Finals. In 2022-23, the Stars lost to Vegas 4-2, and last season they lost to Edmonton by the same score.
“We lost to Vegas after going down 0-3, and the first two games were lost in overtime. It was hard to recover from that. We made some silly mistakes early on, and Vegas had a strong team."
The Stars would go on to play through the 2023-2024 seasons, only to meet the same fate at the hands of the Oilers, thanks to some legendary performances from Connor McDavid and Stuart Skinner.
The Stars remain Stanley Cup contenders this year, and Dadonov admitted to feeling the pressure — the fans’ expectations are high.
"The core of the team is mostly the same, and expectations are just as high. Last year, we had a real shot at the Cup; the team was prepared for it. This year, I hope we’ll have another chance. There’s definitely pressure; fans expect us to win. Confidence is a factor too. I’ll be 36 soon. So for me, it’s a now-or-never approach."
The Stars once again look like one of the powerhouses in the Western Conference so far this season, but they’ll need to stock up prior to the deadline if they want to keep pace with other clubs.
The Legacy of Joe Pavelski
Dadonov is now one of the oldest players on the team, along with Jamie Benn and Brendan Smith. Last season, that title belonged to Joe Pavelski, who retired in July 2022 at age 40 after an 18-year NHL career. Pavelski recorded 1,068 points over 1,332 regular-season games, spending five seasons with Dallas and 13 with the San Jose Sharks.
"He was very effective in front of the net and on the power play. At 40, he was still at a high-level player. If you want to play until that age, you need to work hard every day. That’s what Pavelski did. He’d get on the ice before the younger players and work a lot in the gym. Even when the gym wasn’t mandatory, he was always there. I try to train as much as I can. It’s not about training longer but training more often. If I skip a month, I need to start over."
Pavelski’s presence remains within the Dallas Stars’ organization; especially as he impacted the young, emerging core of the team during the last few years.
Even for a veteran like Dadonov, having Pavelski around motivated him to continue being disciplined in his training, especially in the face of injuries.
Injuries And Returning to Health
Last season was tough for Dadonov. In February, he fractured his fractured his ankle after blocking a shot. Team doctors suggested surgery, but it would have been risky. It may have resulted in a faster recovery path, but it would have required the insertion and eventual removal of screws in his leg.
Ultimately, Dadonov chose not to go that route, believing he could recover without surgery. However, he had to avoid putting any weight on his leg for eight weeks to prevent the bone from shifting. During this time, he could only train his upper body. After two months, he resumed training but needed 2-3 weeks to feel comfortable on the ice.
Thankfully, Dadonov was able to come back from his injury just in time for the Dallas Stars lengthy playoff run. He was a key veteran presence and contributed in his own way, registering three goals and seven points in 19 games.
DeBoer and the Start of the Season
Dadonov has now played on a Pete DeBoer-led team for the second time in his career; first in Vegas and now in Dallas. Similar to an earlier interview with teammate Ilya Lyubushkin, Dadonov was quick to praise his coach and credit him for the success of the team.
"He’s very detail-oriented and has his own vision and system. Some teams have tough training sessions to get in shape, but for us, it’s about the details. We work on our system in practice, even during moments without the puck. That’s where he’s demanding," said Dadonov.
Despite the team’s strong start, Dadonov hasn’t necessarily hit the ground running; registering just four points (2 goals, 2 assists) in 11 games.
"Everyone wants to score goals, especially when there are chances. It’s been mentally tough at the beginning of the season. I tried to let go of that frustration. I’ve had goal droughts before. When 10-15 games pass without a goal, you start overthinking, and then it gets worse. You stop even getting chances. It’s important to let go and let it happen naturally."
Regardless of his own personal success, Dadonov remains focused on the goal: winning games.
Living in Texas, a Dinner with Panarin
Dadonov has been living alone in Texas for three years, and last year, his family finally joined him full-time.
Dadonov has quickly been able to integrate in Texas, making new friends and getting to dabble in the cuisine and culture. He’s even considered getting himself a gun; a staple in the southern United States.
“I have friends with guns, and I’m okay with it. I don’t walk around asking if they’re going to shoot me. I thought about getting a gun but haven’t decided yet.”
Russian Camaraderie in the NHL
It’s always nice when you get a little touch of home to keep you grounded at work. For the last two seasons, it was pretty much just Dadonov as the lone Russian on the Dallas Stars, as he was traded for Denis Gurianov by the Montreal Canadiens.
However, this season, he was joined by veteran defenseman Illya Lyubushkin and the familiarity has been a nice morale boost.
It was nice when Lyubushkin joined the team. Now I have someone to speak to in Russian. We often have dinner together and sit next to each other on flights.”
Outside of the Dallas Stars, Dadonov also keeps in touch with many Russian NHLers. He’s played with several in the past, like Artemi Panarin and Vadim Shipachyov. Their line is still one of the best in KHL history, winning the Gagarin Cup in 2015 for SKA.
"After games, I might chat with Panarin. I can call him if I need something. When I’m in New York, we might have dinner. Usually, though, we meet when he comes to Dallas."
Daria went to St. Petersburg State University and earned a bachelor of international journalism. Working as a sports journalist from 2014, from 2016 as a hockey journalist. Covered 5 World Championships, 2022 Winter Olympics, 2020 World Juniors, 6 Gagarin Cup Finals.
Owner of a telegram channel Coolest Game on Earth.
Integrative nutritionist specializing on sports nutritionology.
