"Back in October, Eric Nystrom headed to Dallas. But, really, he was headed on a mission.

That is his word: mission.

"To prove I can not only just play but score goals in this league," Nystrom explained. "Be a force in games."

Nystrom is a hard-working winger who broke into the NHL with Calgary. Before last season, coming off a 19-point year with the Flames, he signed a three-year, $4.2 million deal with the Wild, then had his worst season -- only four goals and a minus-16 in 82 games.

So Nystrom came to camp last fall looking to rebound, getting a new opportunity with a new Wild coach. But, two days before the opener, after skating with the fourth line throughout camp, Nystrom was waived. Nobody claimed him. And then the Wild made a number-crunching deal with Dallas to shed the final $2.8 million of Nystrom's deal. The Stars needed to add salary to stay above the salary cap floor.

It was a move of convenience. Or motivation, depending on how you look at it.

"I had prepared to have a good year," said Nystrom, who will be back in town Saturday in Dallas' game against the Wild. "I was ready to bounce back. It was a hiccup season; we all have hiccups. We all have an off year. But ... I feel I was given up on. When you go through waivers, and nobody wants you. You know what? I'm on a mission."

So far, so good.

For most of the season, Nystrom has skated on the Stars' third line, with center Vernon Fiddler and right winger Radek Dvorak, and the three have clicked. Nystrom had a career-high 13 goals and had 16 points in 40 games heading into the Stars' game with Tampa Bay on Friday night. Put that in perspective: Nystrom's previous high was 11 in 82 games with Calgary in 2009-10. Those 13 goals put him even with Wild leader Dany Heatley."