Mike Modano

Mike Modano
Hockey Hall of Fame, 2014

Modano in 2007 during his tenure with Dallas
Born (1970-06-07) June 7, 1970
Livonia, MI, USA
Height 6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position Center
Shot Left
Played for Minnesota North Stars
Dallas Stars
Detroit Red Wings
National team  United States
NHL Draft 1st overall, 1988
Minnesota North Stars
Playing career 1989–2011
Website mikemodano.com

Michael Thomas Modano, Jr. (/moʊˈdɑːnoʊ/; born June 7, 1970) is a retired American professional ice hockey player, who played primarily for the Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars franchise. He is the all-time goal-scoring and points leader amongst American-born players in the NHL, as well as the last active player in the NHL who played for the North Stars when the team was in Minnesota. Modano was drafted first overall by the North Stars in 1988, and after the team moved to Texas he helped the Stars win the Stanley Cup in 1999. Modano played his final NHL season with his hometown team, the Detroit Red Wings. Modano is considered one of the most influential figures in popularizing hockey in Texas and the southern United States.[1] Modano was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 17, 2014.[2]

Early life

Modano was born in Livonia, Michigan, the third child and only son of Michael, Sr. and Karen Modano. He grew up in Highland Township, and due to causing problems at school with his mischievous behavior, a friend of his father suggested to put Modano in a team sport to get him controlled. Michael, Sr. was a fan of hockey, and decided to teach ice skating to seven-year-old Modano. He learned it well, and six months later was put in local hockey teams. At the age of nine, he was part of a Detroit Red Wings team in a pee-wee tournament in Quebec. To spend his minor hockey career with the Detroit Little Caesar's Triple AAA Hockey Club, the Modano family moved to Westland. He made the Midget Major team at the age of fourteen when his teammates were two to three years older. In the 1984-85 season, Modano scored 50 goals and 50 assists on the way to win the USA Hockey National Championship in 1985.[3][4] As a child Modano decided to pick the number 9 for his jersey in an homage to both Ted Williams, an idol of his Boston Red Sox fan father, and the Red Wings' own Gordie Howe.[5]

Playing career

Minor leagues

In 1986, 16-year-old Modano was invited by coach Rick Wilson of the Prince Albert Raiders to come to Saskatchewan and join the Western Hockey League team. At his very first game, he scored a hat trick, and by his second year, Modano was part of the WHL All-Star Team. Four days before Modano's eighteenth birthday, the Minnesota North Stars selected him as the first overall draft pick in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. Modano was the second American to be selected first overall in the draft, after Brian Lawton in 1983; since then Bryan Berard (1995), Rick DiPietro (2000), Erik Johnson (2006), Patrick Kane (2007), and Auston Matthews (2016) have also been taken first overall. Contract problems lead Modano to play one more season with the Raiders.[3]

Early NHL years: Minnesota North Stars

The North Stars signed Modano on Christmas of 1988, and he joined the team for the 1989–90 season. He scored his first career NHL goal against Glenn Healy of the New York Islanders, and had a good rookie season which landed him on the NHL All-Rookie Team and made him a finalist for the Calder Memorial Trophy.[3] He controversially lost to 31-year-old Sergei Makarov, who had already played professionally in the Soviet Championship League for over 12 years; this led to an age barrier of 26 for Calder candidates the following year to the present day.

Despite the good start, Modano was often criticized in Minnesota as an underachiever who did not compare to the 1988 number two pick, Trevor Linden. This was evidenced by a sophomore season where the North Stars reached the Stanley Cup Finals, but Modano barely repeated his goals and assists, while confronting coach Bob Gainey for his overtly defensive style. In 1992, Modano signed a four-year extension that made him the highest-paid member of the team, receiving $2 million per year. He soon had his best season up to that point, scoring 93 points at the 1992–93 NHL season and earning his first NHL All-Star Game invitation.[3]

The Stars move to Dallas: Stanley Cup Championship

Prior to the 1993–94 NHL season, the North Stars moved to Dallas to become the Dallas Stars. Considering the relocation to Texas as an opportunity for a fresh start, with different expectations from fans and the media, Modano decided to accept Gainey's suggestions to become a more complete player and perform more attacks. Modano recorded a personal-best 50 goals and again scored 93 points. Soon he became an idol in Dallas, becoming the player who sold the most jerseys and received the most letters. During the next two seasons, Modano lowered his goalscoring and had many injuries - a concussion, a knee injury and ruptured ankle tendons - but improved his defensive play. Despite that, the Stars failed to qualify for the 1996 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and Gainey stepped down as head coach, while remaining GM.[3]

Ken Hitchcock was hired on January 8, 1996 as Dallas' coach, installing a defensive-minded system while requesting Modano to concentrate on his offense and using him more routinely - from the 15–18 minutes under Gainey, Modano routinely played twenty-five minutes with Hitchcock. Helped by new acquisitions Joe Nieuwendyk and Sergei Zubov, Modano led the Stars to the Central Division title in the 1996-97 NHL season. In the 1998 Stanley Cup playoffs, with new goaltender Ed Belfour, the Stars reached the Western Finals.[3]

In 1999, Modano won the Stanley Cup with the Stars, playing all six games of the finals against the Buffalo Sabres despite breaking his wrist in the second game.[3] Modano assisted on the Stars' final five goals of the series, including both in Game 5 and Game 6, and led the Stars with 23 points in the playoffs, with all seven in the finals on assists.[6] The Stars returned to the finals in 2000 against the New Jersey Devils. Modano scored the overtime goal that gave the Stars a victory in game 5,[7] but on game 6 in Dallas the Devils wound up closing the series 4-2.[8]

Modano averaged 78 points per season from 1996–2002, and was also one of the NHL's top forwards in plus/minus over that span (his +43 in 1997 was second only to John LeClair's +44 mark). Modano's career high for points in a game is six (2–4–6) against the Anaheim Ducks, and he has seven career hat tricks. His only career fight was against Rod Brind'Amour. He was also a candidate for the Frank J. Selke Trophy (2001), and the Lady Byng Trophy (2003).

2005-2010

As the long-time face of the Dallas franchise, he has recorded over 1,000 NHL points and became the captain of the Stars in 2003. During the 2005 offseason, Modano contemplated signing with the Boston Bruins, but he decided to stay with the Stars after owner Tom Hicks got involved. Modano would sign a five-year contract extension with Dallas on August 5, 2005. On September 29, 2006, Brenden Morrow replaced him as the Stars' captain; Modano served an alternate captain from that time until 2010, a role in which he had previously served from 1995 to 2003.

Modano scored his 500th career regular-season goal on March 13, 2007, with 10:24 left in the 3rd period in a regulation win against Antero Niittymäki of the Philadelphia Flyers with assists by Antti Miettinen and Jon Klemm. He is only the 14th goal scorer to score 500 goals with a single team and the 39th player to reach 500 goals overall.

Modano's shorthanded, record breaking goal, 2007-11-07.

On March 17, 2007, in an away game versus the Nashville Predators, Modano scored his 502nd and 503rd career regular-season goals in a 3–2 loss, thus passing Joe Mullen's NHL record (502) for most goals scored by an American-born player.

Modano also holds the NHL all-time record for most points scored by a U.S. born player. He broke the record, which previously belonged to Phil Housley, on November 7, 2007, by scoring two goals in the first five minutes, with the record-breaker being a short-handed goal on a breakaway, against the San Jose Sharks. That night, amongst his congratulatory phone calls was one from Air Force One, U.S. President George W. Bush spoke to him for a few minutes about the record.

November 21, 2007, was "Mike Modano Tribute Night" at American Airlines Center, where Modano was honored by the franchise for his achievements in U.S. hockey. Those who spoke in the pre-game ceremony included Brett Hull, Joe Mullen, Phil Housley, and Stars owner Tom Hicks. Capping off an emotional night, Modano later went on to score the game-tying goal, as well as a shootout goal in a 3–2 Stars victory against the Anaheim Ducks.

With his production declining from 2007–2010, Modano played out the duration of his contract, which expired after the 2009–10 season. In the final game of that season (coincidentally played in Minnesota, where Modano began his pro career), Modano was saluted with a video tribute and a standing ovation, and named the game's first star, skating around the ice wearing a Minnesota North Stars jersey.

Mike Modano with the Red Wings in October 2010.

2010-11: Stint with Detroit and retirement

On June 29, 2010, the Stars announced that Modano would not be re-signed to a contract for the 2010–11 season.[9] After contemplating retirement or signing with the Detroit Red Wings (in his home state) or with the Minnesota Wild (in the state where he began his NHL career),[10] Modano signed a one-year contract with the Red Wings.[11][12][13] As the 9 jersey had been retired by the Red Wings, Modano went for #90 instead.[4] Coach Mike Babcock expressed a desire for Modano to center Detroit's third line with Dan Cleary and Jiří Hudler.[14]

At 5:35 of the first period of Detroit's 2010–11 home opener, on just his second shift, Modano took a pass from Cleary and beat Anaheim goaltender Jonas Hiller for his first goal as a Red Wing.[15]

On September 23, 2011, after 21 seasons in the NHL, Modano officially announced his retirement from hockey at a press conference in Dallas.[16] Modano was the last active player to have played in the 1980s, along with Mark Recchi, as well as the last active player to have played for the Minnesota North Stars. The Stars signed Modano to a short one-day contract to allow Modano to retire with the Stars, the team which he played for in 16 of his 21 NHL seasons.[17] In January 2013, Modano became an alternate governor and executive advisor for the Stars' office.[18] He described his role as regarding the "business side of the organization", attracting the involvement of local businesses to the team, as well as getting more fans to Stars games.[19]

Personal life

During his tenure with the Raiders, Modano started dating Kerri Nelson, sister of his teammates Jeff and Todd Nelson.[3] In October 1999, he proposed to her, but eventually they ended the engagement in February 2000.[20]

On November 30, 2006, singer/songwriter Willa Ford announced that Modano, her long-time boyfriend, had proposed to her during the weekend of Thanksgiving, 2006.[21] Modano and Ford were married in a small ceremony in Athens, Texas, on August 25, 2007, where Brett Hull and Darryl Sydor attended as Modano's co-best men.[22][23] Ford was asked by the NHL to blog the Stars' 2007 playoff series; her posts were well-received, and her support of her husband quite vocal.[24] In August 2012, Ford and Modano announced that they were divorcing.[25]

Modano married professional golfer Allison Micheletti, daughter and niece of former NHL players Joe Micheletti and Pat Micheletti, respectively, on September 1, 2013.[26] They have twins, born in 2014.[19][27]

Modano is the founder and current Vice President of the Mike Modano Foundation, Inc., which raises awareness and funding for organizations offering education and assistance to children and families affected by child abuse, acts with canine rescue and has also united with the Wounded Warrior Project.[19] Moreover, since the start of his NHL career, Modano has affiliated many times with both charitable organizations and the Texas community in general. He has also had his own clothing line during the 1990s.[3]

Modano and Willa Ford, 2007.

On January 21, 2007, the NHL announced Modano as the Special Ambassador to the 2007 NHL All-Star Celebration, thanks to his numerous contributions towards bringing the 55th National Hockey League All-Star Game to Dallas and also for his contributions to Dallas hockey as a whole. Modano, the Stars' all-time leader in several statistical categories and a member of the franchise for the entirety of his 17-year career, appeared at selected All-Star events and dropped the puck in a ceremonial face-off prior the game on January 24, 2007.

Modano made a brief cameo appearance alongside then-teammate Basil McRae in the 1992 film The Mighty Ducks. He only had two lines in the movie, in which he said to Emilio Estevez: "I heard you were a farmer" and "take it easy." Nonetheless, Modano still received a membership voucher to the Screen Actors Guild for the role.

Modano is an avid golfer, having met his second wife on a golf course, and playing in some tournaments after retirement.[19] On Mike Modano Tribute Night, both the Dallas Stars and Anaheim Ducks organizations presented him with golf packages, one of which was for the course at The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in Scotland. His golf partner is often former Stars teammate Brett Hull.

Hull and Modano ran a Dallas restaurant, Hully & Mo Restaurant and Tap Room, from 2008 to 2012.[28][29] In 2003, the town of Westland, where Modano lived during his minor hockey career and his parents still reside, renamed their ice rink as Mike Modano Ice Arena.[30]

Awards and achievements

Records

NHL

Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars

Career statistics

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1985–86 Detroit Compuware MNHL 69 66 65 131 32 — — — — —
1986–87 Prince Albert Raiders WHL 70 32 30 62 96 8 1 4 5 4
1987–88 Prince Albert Raiders WHL 65 47 80 127 80 9 7 11 18 18
1988–89 Prince Albert Raiders WHL 41 39 66 105 74 — — — — —
1988–89 Minnesota North Stars NHL — — — — — 2 0 0 0 0
1989–90 Minnesota North Stars NHL 80 29 46 75 63 7 1 1 2 12
1990–91 Minnesota North Stars NHL 79 28 36 64 65 23 8 12 20 6
1991–92 Minnesota North Stars NHL 76 33 44 77 46 7 3 2 5 4
1992–93 Minnesota North Stars NHL 82 33 60 93 83 — — — — —
1993–94 Dallas Stars NHL 76 50 43 93 54 9 7 3 10 16
1994–95 Dallas Stars NHL 30 12 17 29 8 — — — — —
1995–96 Dallas Stars NHL 78 36 45 81 63 — — — — —
1996–97 Dallas Stars NHL 80 35 48 83 42 7 4 1 5 0
1997–98 Dallas Stars NHL 52 21 38 59 32 17 4 10 14 12
1998–99 Dallas Stars NHL 77 34 47 81 44 23 5 18 23 16
1999–00 Dallas Stars NHL 77 38 43 81 48 23 10 13 23 10
2000–01 Dallas Stars NHL 81 33 51 84 52 9 3 4 7 0
2001–02 Dallas Stars NHL 78 34 43 77 38 — — — — —
2002–03 Dallas Stars NHL 79 28 57 85 30 12 5 10 15 4
2003–04 Dallas Stars NHL 76 14 30 44 46 5 1 2 3 8
2005–06 Dallas Stars NHL 78 27 50 77 58 5 1 3 4 4
2006–07 Dallas Stars NHL 59 22 21 43 34 7 1 1 2 4
2007–08 Dallas Stars NHL 82 21 36 57 48 18 5 7 12 22
2008–09 Dallas Stars NHL 80 15 31 46 46 — — — — —
2009–10 Dallas Stars NHL 59 14 16 30 22 — — — — —
2010–11 Detroit Red Wings NHL 40 4 11 15 8 2 0 1 1 0
WHL totals 176 118 176 294 250 17 8 15 23 22
NHL totals 1499 561 813 1374 926 176 58 88 146 128

International play

Olympic medal record
Men's ice hockey
2002 Salt Lake City Ice hockey

Played for the United States in:

International statistics

Year Team Event   GP G A Pts PIM
1988 USA WJC 7 4 1 5 8
1989 USA WJC 7 6 9 15 12
1990 USA WC 8 3 3 6 2
1991 USA CC 8 2 7 9 2
1993 USA WC 6 0 0 0 2
1996 USA WCH 7 2 4 6 4
1998 USA Oly 4 2 0 2 0
2002 USA Oly 6 0 6 6 4
2004 USA WCH 5 0 6 6 0
2005 USA WC 7 3 1 4 4
2006 USA Oly 6 2 0 2 6
Senior int'l totals 57 14 27 41 24

See also

References

  1. ↑ Mike Modano Says Goodbye, Grantland
  2. ↑ Hasek, Modano in Hall's Class of 2014
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Rusty Burson, Glenn Hart (2011). The Lone Star Skate: Improbable (But True) Stories of Texas's Hockey Heroes. BookPros, LLC. pp. 67–96. ISBN 1934454389.
  4. 1 2 "Detroit Little Caesars AAA Hockey Club powered by GOALLINE.ca". Dlchc.goalline.ca. 2010-08-06. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  5. ↑ http://stars.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=708404&navid=DL|DAL|home
  6. ↑ "CNN/SI - 1999 NHL Playoffs - - Sunday June 20, 1999 09:57 AM". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. 1999-06-20. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  7. ↑ "CNNSI.com - 2000 NHL Playoffs - Game 5: Mo' to come - Thursday July 27, 2000 06:29 PM". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. 2000-07-27. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  8. ↑ "CNNSI.com - SI Online - This Week's Issue of Sports Illustrated - SI Flashback: Devil of a Time - Thursday July 27, 2000 03:41 PM". Sportsillustrated.cnn.com. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  9. ↑ "Nieuwendyk closes door on Modano's return to Stars". NHL.com. Retrieved 2010-06-29.
  10. ↑
  11. ↑ Red Wings sign Modano to one-year deal
  12. ↑ "Modano accepts one-year deal with Red Wings". Tsn.ca. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  13. ↑ Aron, Jaime (2010-08-03). "Yep, Mo Is Going to Motown | NBC Dallas-Fort Worth". Nbcdfw.com. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  14. ↑ "Babcock believes Modano headed to Hockeytown – NHL Free Agency 2010". Nhl.com. 2010-07-16. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  15. ↑ "Modano strikes in Wings' debut – Detroit Red Wings – News". Redwings.nhl.com. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  16. ↑ "Most Popular E-mail Newsletter". USA Today. September 23, 2011.
  17. ↑ Kevin Allen (2011-09-22). "Mike Modano to sign one-day contract, retire as a Star". USA Today. Retrieved 2011-09-22.
  18. ↑ Mike Heika. "Stars add Mike Modano to front office, Marty Turco to broadcasts | Dallas Morning News". Dallasnews.com. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  19. 1 2 3 4 Tapped In: Modano looks back at legacy
  20. ↑ "D Magazine 2000 - Off-Ice: The Mighty Mo". Inspiredbymike.net. 1999-10-02. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  21. ↑ Silverman, Stephen (December 1, 2006). "Willa Ford Engaged to Hockey Player Beau". People Magazine. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
  22. ↑ Rizzo, Monica (August 25, 2007). "Willa Ford Marries Hockey Star in Texas". People Magazine. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
  23. ↑ PEPPARD, Alan (August 26, 2007). "Stars' Modano, actress-singer Ford wed in E. Texas". The Dallas Morning News. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
  24. ↑ Amber, David (May 10, 2007). "Ford says this has been tough season for Modano". ESPN. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
  25. ↑ "Willa Ford and Husband to Divorce". People. August 7, 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
  26. ↑ "Mike Modano Wedding: NHL Legend Married Girlfriend Allison Micheletti, 24-Year-Old Golfer, In Dallas [PHOTOS]". Ibtimes.com. 2013-09-05. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  27. ↑ http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/legends-reflect-on-call-from-hockey-hall-of-fame/article21605862/
  28. ↑ "Sports grill ready to break the ice - Dallas Business Journal". Bizjournals.com. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  29. ↑ Nichols, Nancy. "Hully & Mo Restaurant and Tap Room in Uptown is Closed | SideDish". Sidedish.dmagazine.com. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  30. ↑ "Westland honors Red Wing and native son Mike Modano". The Detroit News. 2010-11-10. Archived from the original on 2013-12-27. Retrieved 2013-12-27.
  31. ↑ Stepneski, Mark (2013-06-06). "Nine To Be Raised To The Rafters". Dallas Stars official website. Retrieved 2013-06-06.
Preceded by
Pierre Turgeon		 NHL first overall draft pick
1988 		Succeeded by
Mats Sundin
Preceded by
Dave Archibald		 Minnesota North Stars first round draft pick
1988 		Succeeded by
Doug Zmolek
Preceded by
Derian Hatcher		 Dallas Stars captain
2003–06 		Succeeded by
Brenden Morrow
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