DALLAS, Texas – Hockey fans in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex were stunned on Tuesday afternoon when Dallas Stars GM Joe Niewendyk announced that Mike Modano would not be offered a contract when free agency opened on Thursday.
Yes, this was really happening. After 20 seasons with the team that drafted him, Modano would no longer wear a Stars sweater. The prolific center wanted to end his career in Dallas and always thought the timing of that decision would be his. Unfortunately, it wasn’t.
Mike Modano
He had one of the best rookie seasons in franchise history, tallying 75 points (29 G, 46 A) and 63 penalty minutes in 80 games played during the regular season. He was named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team in 1990. The following year, he helped the North Stars on an improbable run to the Stanley Cup finals.
In 1993, the team moved to Dallas and Modano almost immediately became the face of the franchise. Though relatively unknown in their new city, the immediate success of the team on the ice, as well as Modano’s career best season (50 goals, 93 points) helped spur the team’s popularity.
The success of that first season would be an integral part of the Stars’ franchise success in the years to come, culminating in the ultimate prize, a Stanley Cup Championship in 1999.
During the course of his career, Modano became the NHL’s all-time goal-scorer (557) and points leader (1359) amongst American-born players. He also played in more games than any American-born forward (1459) and tallied the most playoff points of any American-born player (145). He was named to eight NHL All-Star Teams (1993, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003 as captain, 2004, 2007 & 2009).
Modano is also the Stars’ franchise leader in several statistical categories, including games (1,479), goals (557), assists (802), points (1,359), power play goals (156), shorthanded goals (29), game-winning goals (92), shots (4,194), and highest +/- in one season (+43 in ’96-97).
Like many players before him who had reached the twilight of their careers, Modano was no longer a front-line player in his last two seasons with the Stars. He was a fourth-line center who saw time on the power play; what some would consider a disappointing descent for one of the league’s premier players. But even with a reduced role, Modano continued to find ways to shine.
For example, during the Stars’ final home game of the 2009-10 season, it was Modano who scored the tying goal in the final minutes of regulation and then the winning goal in a shootout.
Nieuwendyk, a teammate of Modano’s when the Stars won the Stanley Cup in 1999 is entering his second year as the team’s general manager. Now in the process of re-building the roster for the upcoming campaign, it was up to Niewendyk to decide it was time for the team to move on without Modano.
“This is as tough a decision as a general manager can make, but it comes with the job,” Niewendyk said. “I have to put the team first and do what I feel is in best interest of the team.”
The Stars have depth at center with talented players like Brad Richards, Mike Ribeiro, Jamie Benn and even Steve Ott who can play there. In addition, they signed former Chicago Blackhawk Adam Burish on Thursday. Eight more prospects are currently being groomed for future roles in the position.
“We have a good number of young guys who are hungry and ready for bigger roles on our team,” Niewendyk added. “That’s a big part of this decision. These players are ready to step up and play important minutes. We need them to continue their improvement and development if we are to get to where we want to be as a hockey club.”
Modano, although disappointed by the decision, understood where Niewendyk was coming from. In a p ress conference held at the American Airlines Center on Wednesday morning, he discussed his departure and the opportunity to move on as a free agent.
“In some ways I think I expected a hard decision had to be made,” Modano said. “Eventually you have to go in a direction that’s best for the team and for the future. All bad things that happen, sometimes they can turn out to be a blessing in disguise, and maybe this is one of them.”
As for his time with the Stars, Modano could only express his gratitude for his time with the organization.
“I’ve been given everything I can possibly ask for from a team and a city, so I’m not asking for much anymore. I’m very happy with where I’m at, what I’ve done, and what we’ve accomplished here.”
But even at age 40, Modano feels that he still has more games left in him.
“If you feel you can still play and contribute, you want to play. I’ve always felt that until I’m really awful and bad at this game, then I will move on. There have been times I have felt after games when I’ve said to myself, `I probably shouldn’t have been out there.’ But there are other games when I’ve felt good and things went well and I think I can do this for a couple of more years.”
If he decides to return to the ice, he would spend the remainder of his career in another city with a reduced role, much the same as it was in Dallas. That prospect still has appeal.
“I think that it does give me a little fire inside to go out play somewhere and really have a great going-out year,” Modano said. “That’s obviously now my thought process if I do go forward and play is to get in great shape and get ready for camp and see what type of year I could put together.”
Is he excited to move on and see where the future will take him?
“Yeah, I don’t really know what the interest might be, so I’m looking forward to see who calls. I know who I would like to call, but we’ll wait and see. I could get a few calls, I could get none. I don’t know where other team’s thoughts are.”
Asked if there’s anywhere in particular he’d like to play, Modano was purposely vague.
“It’s hard to say any particular team,” he said. “There’s tons that you see that could be real easy to play in some of those situations. I’m very familiar with the west, those cites and those personnel.”
So now, for the first time in his professional career, Mike Modano will move on without knowing where he’ll be playing in the fall or if he’ll be playing at all. One thing is for sure, in the hearts and minds of Dallas hockey fans, he’ll always be a Star.
Contact the author/photographer at robert.keith@prohockeynews.com
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