Who are the players who have lifted the Dallas Stars from playoff observers to first in the Western Conference?

Here's a rundown of the depth chart with things you may and may not know about each player:

(Line combinations are based on the ones used Jan. 25 at St. Louis.)

LEFT WING		CENTER		RIGHT WING
	Ulf Dahlen You know: He's a savvy veteran who loves to win puck battles and do the dirty work for his linemates. Did you know? He has seven power play goals (second on the team) in just 33 games.		Mike Modano You know: He is the heartbeat of the Stars and leads them in points and assists. Did you know? His average time on ice is down almost a minute and a half from last season as Tippett tries to save him for the playoffs and also keep him from having to defend against every opponent's top line.		Bill Guerin You know: He's a physical, goal-scoring winger who leads the team with 21 goals. Did you know? His optimistic personality is one of the major reasons the Stars' locker room is lighter this season.
	Pierre Turgeon You know: He's been converted from center and is developing a good chemistry with Jason Arnott. Did you know? He has five game-winning goals this season and 84 for his career (more than any other Stars player).		Jason Arnott You know: He's a big, physical player who has struggled with injuries through the years. Did you know? After a slow start, he has won 51.2 percent of his faceoffs this season.		Scott Young You know: He's a veteran goal-scorer who was brought on to help jump-start Pierre Turgeon. Did you know? He has three game-winning goals in the past five games.
	Brenden Morrow You know: He's a tough youngster (24) who jumps between the first line and the third. He is considered a home-grown treasure. Did you know? Morrow is third on the team (behind Modano and Turco) in receiving one of the Three Stars of the Game awards. He has 10 this season.		Niko Kapanen You know: Probably very little other than he is a solid defensive centerman who leads all rookies in plus-minus at plus-20. Did you know? Three of Kapanen's four goals this season have come against Colorado's Patrick Roy.		Jere Lehtinen You know: He has won two Selke trophies and has been a finalist for two others. Did you know? His plus-27 was 13 better than anyone else on the team last season.
	Claude Lemieux You know: He is one of the all-time top agitators and playoff performers in league history. Did you know? He has a chance to become the only player to win Stanley Cups with four organizations?		Kirk Muller You know: He is a scoring ace who has remade himself into a fourth line checker. Did you know? He was taken second behind Mario Lemieux in the 1984 draft.		Rob DiMaio You know: He is a gritty worker bee who still has plenty of jump at age 34. Did you know? His seven goals this season are already more than the six he scored in either of the two previous years.
LEFT DEFENSE		RIGHT DEFENSE		GOAL
	Derian Hatcher You know: He's a menacing, physical defenseman who has been at the heart of what the Stars have been building. Did you know? Since the middle of last season, he is a plus-46.		Stephane Robidas You know: Not much, since he was put on waivers by the Canadiens at the beginning of the season. Did you know? A lightweight defenseman at 5-11, 188, he has blended well into his new team because he'll take a hit to make a pass and he stands up for his teammates.		Marty Turco You know: Anointed the No. 1 goalie after posting a 28-12-3 record over the previous two seasons. Did you know? He holds the NCAA record for career wins with 127
	Darryl Sydor You know: He's a solid top-four defenseman who has seen his career resurrected in Dallas after a 1996 trade. Did you know? He signed a five-year contract last season that takes him through 2006-07.		Sergei Zubov You know: He's a skilled puck mover and talented power-play quarterback. Did you know? He typically wins the team's penalty shot contests in practice		Ron Tugnutt You know: He was acquired from the Blue Jackets to back up Turco. Did you know? As a member of the Nordiques, he made 70 saves in a 3-3 tie vs. Boston on March 21, 1991, which still stands as a Colorado/Quebec record.
	John Erskine You know: He's a second-year player who was called up to stand in for the injured Richard Matvichuk (broken leg). Did you know? He led the AHL in penalty minutes (219) when he was recalled Jan. 13.		Philippe Boucher You know: He's been the team's biggest surprise out of free agency. Simply put, he has exceeded all expectations. Did you know? He was the 13th overall pick (by Buffalo) in the 1991 entry draft.

RESERVES
	Manny Malhotra, LW/C You know: He struggled in his years as a prospect in the Rangers system and was acquired by the Stars in a trade for Roman Lyashenko last season. Did you know? He has struggled of late with the Stars, as well, and has been a healthy scratch in six of the past nine games.		Aaron Downey, RW You know: He's a bruiser who has bounced around from Boston to Chicago to Dallas. Did you know? He has been more of a gritty role player than a fighter. He has just 42 PIM in 24 games.
	Richard Matvichuk, D You know: He has been one of the team's core pieces on defense for nine years. Did you know? He's out for a 4-6 weeks with a broken leg.		Sami Helenius, D You know: He's found a home as a solid reserve defenseman on the Stars. Did you know? He's out 3-4 weeks with a dislocated kneecap.

Mike Heika covers the NHL for the Dallas Morning News.