On March 13, 2001, the Dallas Stars reacquired veteran defenseman Grant Ledyard from the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a 2001 seventh-round draft pick, which Tampa Bay later used to select Jeremy Van Hoof.

The move came on NHL trade deadline day as Dallas sought experienced depth on defense for the final stretch of the season and an anticipated playoff push.

The trade marked Ledyard’s second stint with the Stars organization. He had previously played for the franchise from 1993 to 1997, including the early years after the club relocated from Minnesota to Dallas.

Known as a steady, physical defenseman with strong defensive instincts, Ledyard provided veteran leadership and familiarity with the organization’s system when he returned to the team during the 2000–01 season.

Over the course of his long NHL career, Ledyard appeared in 1,020 regular season games, recording 124 goals, 369 assists, and 493 points, along with more than 1,200 penalty minutes.

He played for several teams during his 18-season career including the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Washington Capitals, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks, Boston Bruins, and Ottawa Senators. By the time Dallas reacquired him in 2001, he had already established himself as one of the league’s most experienced defensemen and a reliable presence on the blue line.

At the time of the trade, Ledyard had appeared in 14 games for Tampa Bay during the 2000–01 season, recording 2 goals and 2 assists while providing depth on the Lightning defense. His return to Dallas gave the Stars additional veteran experience behind a defensive core that helped make the team one of the strongest contenders in the Western Conference during that era.

The draft pick sent to Tampa Bay was later used to select Jeremy Van Hoof in the seventh round of the 2001 NHL Draft. Van Hoof was a defenseman who spent most of his professional career in minor leagues and overseas. He never appeared in an NHL game but played several seasons in the American Hockey League and international leagues while continuing his professional career.