[Dallas Stars News]

Entering training camp this past September, the Dallas Stars had decided that their backup goaltender for the 2006-07 season would be a prospect from the club's farm system, rather than a veteran free agent. The head-to-head training camp battle between goaltenders Mike Smith and Dan Ellis was a heated one, with Smith narrowly winning the job just days before the regular season would commence and Ellis heading to the Iowa Stars.

Smith went on to have a solid rookie season, posting a shutout in his NHL debut and twice being named the league's Third Star of the Week. And rather than becoming dejected about another season in the minors, Ellis took the proverbial bull by the horns and posted a career year, serving notice that he's ready to make the jump to the NHL.

Ellis collected career-highs in wins (30), games (55), minutes played (3,194), and shutouts (4) in 2006-07, good for fourth in the AHL in victories and ninth in shutouts. The native of Orangeville, Ont., posted three four-game winning streaks, as well as a five-game stretch of wins, and was selected by his Iowa teammates as the club's Most Valuable Player.

"Dan Ellis showed me a lot this season and he was really strong mentally," said Scott White, Iowa's Director of Hockey Operations. "He took some big steps this year, really making the most of his opportunity here and doing everything in his power to take his game to a new level, which is what I like to see. He was mentally able to overcome some adversity and he was an important factor in us getting into the playoffs and then making a run. I couldn't put a date on it, but come January, he just took over and there was no hesitation on his part. He grabbed that starting spot and ran with it."

Dallas Stars