ALLEN, Texas – The Allen Americans will welcome former Dallas Stars greats Mike Modano, Ed Belfour, Richard Matvichuk, and Craig Ludwig to the organization at a press conference open to the public this evening at the Allen Event Center. 
Current and former Dallas Stars players will be on hand, along with the Allen Mayor Stephen Terrell and Central Hockey League Commissioner Duane Lewis. Modano, Belfour, and Ludwig have partnered as minority owners with current majority owner Doug Miller, owner Steve Duchesne, and minority partner and Team President, Matt Canavan. Matvichuk has been named as the teams new defensive coach. The Americans will enter their 4th season in the CHL this October. In their brief history, the club has been a formidable presence in the league, going 128-51-17 during regular season contests. However, in three straight playoff appearances, Allen went 19-20 and was eliminated four games to two in the President’s Cup Finals following their inaugural season. One month ago today, the organization dismissed Head Coach & GM Dwight Mullins along with Associate Coach Bill McDonald. McDonald was brought back two weeks later as Senior Advisor of Hockey Operations. McDonald spent several years in the Dallas Stars organization, including coaching players like Brendan Morrow and Marty Turco, while at the AAA level in Kalamazoo. Meanwhile, a decision on the team’s next Head Coach & General Manager has yet to be made. The Americans Executive Committee, led by Mike Modano, Ed Belfour, Steve Duchesne, Richard Matvichuk and Craig Ludwig, have interviewed several candidates and is expected to name a successor to Mullins sometime soon. On a side note, the Americans organization was recognized recently as the Game Operations Franchise of the Year and Most Improved Franchise of the Year at the CHL’s annual conference and awards banquet held in Las Vegas. Contact the writer at robert.keith@prohockeynews.com
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