Dallas Stars News: Mike Modano Inducted Into IIHF Hall Of Fame
It’s been a busy week for Dallas Stars legend Mike Modano. After accepting a job in the Minnesota Wild front office, he was also inducted into the IIHF Hockey Hall of Fame on Sunday for his contributions to the international growth of the game.
Two Dallas Stars players recently wrapped up play at the 2019 IIHF World Championship. And while John Klingberg and Radek Faksa both unfortunately came home without a medal, there was still a reason for Stars fans to celebrate.
On Sunday afternoon, just before the gold medal game between Finland and Canada, the International Ice Hockey Federation inducted their class of 2019 into the IIHF Hall of Fame. Included in the class was a certain Stars legend that most Stars fans could tell you all about.
The IIHF chose five players and one builder for the 2019 class and named the class back in February. Some of the names included former Buffalo Sabres goaltender Miroslav Satan and Hayley Wickenheiser, a former member of Canada’s women’s ice hockey team. The countries of Slovakia, Canada, and Russia were all represented in the class.
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But so was America, and that’s where the Dallas Stars come into play. Former Stars forward Mike Modano was named to the 2019 class for his contributions to growing the game of hockey on an international level.
The IIHF story that talked about each player had this to say about Modano:
Arguably the greatest player to come out of the United States, Mike Modano was both a fierce competitor and a gentlemanly player. His explosive speed and bullet-like snap shot were his trademarks over a career that lasted two decades on both the NHL and international stage.
Not only did the American-born forward have a long and prosperous career in the NHL (one that included 561 goals, 1374 points, and one Stanley Cup in 1499 career games), but he also succeeded on the international stage. That’s why he received this new honor.
Modano played for Team USA 11 different times in international competition. That included two trips to the Winter Olympics in 2002 and 2006 as well as winning a gold medal against Canada in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey.
He sits at the top of most major statistical categories among American-born players in the NHL and is a staple in the Dallas Stars franchise. His no. 9 was retired into the rafters of the American Airlines Center in 2014, coming just weeks after his induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame.
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The superstar forward will now head off to Minnesota to work in the Wild’s front office as an executive advisor. But on Sunday afternoon, another building block was added to the legacy of the greatest Dallas Stars player to ever do it. It’s another great achievement for the American and is one that should make fans proud (even if they aren’t happy with his most recent career decision).