The Hockey Hall of Fame is welcoming six new members into its prestigious halls on Friday November 14th, 2014. Join us here at Last Word On Sports as we take an in depth look every day at the new inductees. Today we are looking at the legendary great Mike Modano.

2014 HHOF Induction Profile: Mike Modano

It’s impossible to talk about the history of hockey in the USA without mentioning Mike Modano’s name. The Livonia, Michigan native remains arguably the best Dallas/Minnesota North Star of all time. Modano was a fast, powerful offensive weapon. However, it’s not just his on-ice contrbution that makes him worthy of hockey’s highest accolade.

The Beginning

When Modano started playing hockey at the age of seven, in that Michigan town near Detroit, it was immediately clear that he had a gift. He was put in hockey by his parents as a way to control his misbehavior, but it turned out to be much more than a distraction. At the age of sixteen, he was invited to join the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL, in Saskatchewan. In his second season of junior, he put up 127 points in 65 games.

Modano’s success in major junior got him noticed by NHL scouts, which led to him being selected first overall in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft, by the then-Minnesota North Stars. He was the second ever American-born player to be the first pick (and to this day, is one of only six). He was an immediate star, putting up 29 goals and 75 points in his rookie season, which led to a Calder Trophy nomination (he lost controversially to Sergei Makarov, who had previously played professionally in Russia and was 31 years old at the time).

Rising Star

During his first few seasons, Modano was constantly compared to Trevor Linden, who had been selected just after him in the same draft year. Many critics claimed that Linden’s career had taken off faster than Modano’s, and that the North Stars would’ve been better off selecting the Canadian. Nevertheless, Modano continued to develop into an elite talent (including helping the North Stars to a Stanley Cup Final appearance in his sophomore year). In his fifth NHL season, he truly broke out, scoring 93 points, and receiving his first All Star nod.

During Modano’s time in Minnesota, his disagreements with coach Bob Gainey were quite heavily publicized. Gainey preached a defensive style of hockey, which Modano, an offensive juggernaut, wasn’t interested in. Nevertheless, Modano stuck with the team, persevering through the criticism.

The Move To Dallas

Before the 1993-94 season, the North Stars were relocated from Minnesota to Texas, becoming the Dallas Stars we know today. The move prompted Modano to reconsider his spat with Gainey, becoming more receptive to his advice. The change of heart led to Modano becoming a more complete, two-way player – although he certainly didn’t stop scoring. In 93-94, he repeated his points total of 93 from the previous year, while recording a career-high 50 goals.

Modano very quickly became a celebrity in Dallas, traditionally a football hotbed. He was the the face of the new franchise, and thus was instrumental in growing popularity for the sport. His love for the city rubbed off on fans, and despite being a place where it hardly ever snows, Dallas managed to consistently stay in the top half of the NHL in average attendance (of course, that wasn’t just by virtue of having a larger arena – the Stars’ Reunion Arena was routinely near capacity).

After several deep (but fruitless) playoff runs, Modano, along with Joe Nieuwendyk, Sergei Zubov and goalie Ed Belfour, led the Stars to the franchise’s first (and only) Stanley Cup championship in 1999. He led the team in playoff scoring, with 23 points, including an assist on each of the last 5 goals of the Cup final series. In fact, Modano managed to play all six games in the final against Buffalo, despite breaking his wrist in Game 2.

A True Franchise Player

After the Cup run in 1999, Modano continued to lead the Stars to the playoffs. In fact, from 1996 to 2008, there was only one season (2001-02) in which Dallas did not play in the post-season. The year after their championship, the Stars appeared again in the finals, losing in six games to the New Jersey Devils. He played in the NHL All Star game eight times in his career, including once as the Western Conference captain (in 2003). Modano was constantly one of the league’s top players; a fact that resonated with fans in Dallas. He was truly the key to the success of the franchise.

In 2003, Modano was finally give the captaincy of the Stars, when longtime leader Derian Hatcher left for Detroit. Unfortunately, his time in the role was short-lived, as he gave up the ‘C’ in 2006 to Brenden Morrow, with Modano being relegated to the alternate captaincy. Nevertheless, he continued to be a strong leader for the team, despite his declining production. Modano played out his contract, which ended in July 2010, and opted for a new challenge at the end of his career.

Moving On

There are some things in life that just look wrong. A teacher at the mall. The Royals in the World Series. Mike Modano in a Detroit Red Wings jersey. When the Stars announced that they wouldn’t be re-signing Modano in 2010, he had three options: retiring, signing with Minnesota (where he started off), or signing with his hometown Red Wings. He chose the third option, joining coach Mike Babcock‘s team on a one year contract for one more shot at a Stanley Cup.

Modano had limited success with the Wings, being 41 years old. The former scoring machine managed just 15 points in 40 games in his final season. He only played two games in Detroit’s two-round playoff run. On September 23rd, after 21 seasons in the NHL, Modano announced that he would be retiring.

At that time, he was the only active player to have played for the North Stars, and one of only two (with Mark Recchi) to have played in the 1980s. The Stars signed him to a one-day contract, so that he could retire as a member of the team he led for so many years. He now works in the team’s front office, as an alternate governor and executive advisor.

Legacy

It’s arguable that no player has contributed more to hockey in the United States than Mike Modano. Without him, the Dallas Stars likely wouldn’t have been nearly as successful as they are. Thanks to Modano, a city that was once a monopoly for the Cowboys is also a thriving hockey market. In his retirement, he is heavily involved with the Mike Modano Foundation, helps provide education and resources for at-risk or neglected children in Dallas.

Modano is remains the all-time leading scorer among American-born players, with 561 goals and 1374 points total. He also leads all Americans in playoff points with 145, and in games played with 1499. Modano is also the Stars franchise record holder for goals, assists, points and games played, both in the regular season and playoffs. In 2014, the Stars officially retired Modano’s number 9 jersey. No player has as great a case as Modano as the most influential player in their team’s history.

In 2002, Modano was given the Bob Johnson Award by USA Hockey, in recognition of his excellence in international competition. He played three timesfor his country at the Olympics, winning a silver medal at Salt Lake in 2002, and captaining the U.S. in 2006 in Torino. He was also on the 1996 American team that won the inaugural World Cup of Hockey.

There is certainly debate about who is the greatest American player of all time. But it’s hard to argue that any other American had as much of an impact on the sport’s growth in his country. In his first year of eligibility, it was certainly inevitable that Modano would be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. And if there’s anyone deserving of the honor, it’s him.

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