+4
One of the greatest American-born NHL players of all time has retired. Mike Modano, who played 22 years in the league, announced that decision on Wednesday.
Mike Modano has called it quits. The 41-year-old has retired from the NHL after 22 seasons, a move he announced on Facebook Wednesday afternoon. He'll hold a formal press conference on Friday afternoon.
Modano played last season with the Detroit Red Wings, but by the time the Stanley Cup Playoffs rolled around in April, it was evident that Modano's career was slowing down. He was a healthy scratch for most of Detroit's playoff action.
But that's certainly not how we'll remember Modano, one of the best American-born players to ever play the game. He's the leading scorer among Americans in NHL history with 561 goals and 1,374 points. He won a Stanley Cup in 1999 with the Dallas Stars, the franchise he spent all but the final year of his career with.
It's in that sense that it's fitting that the Stars website will be streaming his press conference live on their website at 2 p.m. ET on Friday afternoon. Whether he'll announce his after-hockey plans is yet to be seen, but he hinted in his announcement Wednesday that he's still going to be around the game. Emphasis ours:
After a long summer of thinking about my future, I've come to the decision that it's time to retire as a player from the NHL. There's way too many people to thank here at this time and too much to say, so I have a press conference scheduled for early Friday afternoon. Check back Friday late afternoon for more. What a great ride it's been!
Modano is the kind of guy you can see sticking around the game in some public capacity for the prolonged future. We'll find out soon enough whether that's in the cards. For more on Modano's retirement from the game, check in with our Stars blog, Defending Big D.
Mike Modano, the leading American-born scorer in NHL history, said he plans to make a decision about his retirement within "two or three" weeks, according to ESPN. The 41-year-old has scored 1,374 points, including 561 goals in 1,499 career games over 21 seasons. Since being the No. 1 pick in 1988 draft, he has registered more goals, assists and points than any other American and has more games played than any other American-born forward.
While playing for the Detroit Red Wings last season, after spending the first 20 years of his career with the Minnesota North Stars and the Dallas Stars, Modano battled a wrist injury that limited him to just 40 games. As a result, he had a career low four goals and 11 assists.
Modano, a surefire Hall of Famer, has been on a steady decline since the 2007-08 season when he registered just 57 points in 82 games. In subsequent seasons, his production has fallen to 46, 30 and 15 points.
Mike Modano is one of the best American players to ever lace up hockey skates, but his career could be over as soon as Friday night, should the San Jose Sharks sweep his Detroit Red Wings out of the 2011 NHL playoffs.
If you remember, Modano didn't agree to a contract with the Dallas Stars, the franchise he played for his entire career, a year ago after they decided to move in a different direction. Modano then hesitated over the retirement decision until August, when the Michigan native ultimately returned home on a one-year contract with the Wings.
He hasn't had the easiest season with Detroit, and after sitting as a healthy scratch for all but one of the Wings seven playoff games, it's easy to see him hang up the skates should Friday night be the end of the season for his club.
Last week, Mike Modano talked about how this will likely be his final season. In particular, he said that if the Red Wings were to make the Stanley Cup Final this season, he'd likely call it quits. He called it his last chance.
It appears as though this playoff run isn't starting with much of a chance at all. Wings coach Mike Babcock announced on Wednesday morning that ahead of Game 1 of Detroit's first round series with the Phoenix Coyotes, Modano will be sitting out as a healthy scratch.
Via Craig Custance, Babcock called it a "tough decision" and said that "we brought him here for this." Modano was brought in for the experience he can provide at this time of year, but at least for the start of Detroit's 2011 run, Modano won't be providing much of anything besides high fives and applause.
For more on the wings, check in with SB Nation's Winging It In Motown.
Mike Modano To Retire A Dallas Star After Signing Contract With Team
In a wonderful move by the Dallas Stars, Mike Modano will retire as a member of the team on Friday, when he signs a supposed one-day contract and officially announces his retirement at a press conference.
The Stars will sign Mike Modano to a one-day contract so he can retire a Dallas Star.
Sep 22 via web
We've heard in the past that the CBA doesn't allow one-year contracts. Ted Leonsis used that reasoning when explaining why his Washington Capitals didn't sign Olaf Kolzig for a day. (Hat tip to Japers' Rink on the link here.)
But now the Stars are doing it? Nobody is complaining because it's awesome, but we are curious. Perhaps ESPN's Pierre LeBrun has the real answer.
Cute indeed. Maybe it's really just a one-year deal that's not going to impact the team at all? Although if that were the case, it would be an over-35 deal and thus would count against the salary cap regardless of Modano's retirement. Or maybe Leonsis was wrong with what he said back in 2009 about Kolzig's situation.
Who knows. Regardless, we doubt the NHL is going to give the Stars a hard time about the situation. It's an awesome gesture and we're glad to see the team do it.
For more on the team and Mike Modano's retirement, check in with Defending Big D.
Sep 22 1:22p by Travis Hughes - 0 comments