Mike Modano Weekly Wrap-Up: Tuesday, February 18

With all the milestones achieved by Mike Modano this season, there can’t be too many left to surpass.  This week, he played in his 1,000th NHL game, all with the Stars, and was honored Sunday evening for that achievement as well as 1,000 career points and 600 assists accomplished earlier this season.  With his parents standing next to him prior to the San Jose contest, Modano accepted three Tiffany crystals from the NHL honoring the three career marks, an inscribed silver hockey stick from Stars GM Doug Armstrong and a custom-made Big Dog Chopper from Stars owner Tom Hicks and the Stars organization.

Tuesday, February 11 vs. Carolina (W, 2-1)

Stat line:
One assist
Plus/minus: +1
25:36 in ice time, 30 shifts
· 2:35 power play
· 1:26 shorthanded
15 of 28 faceoffs won (53%)
Three shots on goal

Notes:
· Modano vs. Carolina, career: 25 games, 14 goals, 14 assists, 28 points
· Modano played in his 1,000th career game in the NHL becoming only the second American to reach the milestone with one franchise joining Brian Leetch of the New York Rangers.
· Modano has registered points in 11 of his past 14 games and with 28 points over his last 20 games (10-18-28), he is ranked sixth in the NHL in points (63), fifth in assists (40), fourth in plus/minus (+28), tied for eighth in shorthanded goals (2) and tied for 16th in goals (23).  Among team leaders, he ranks first in points and assists, tied for first in goals, second in shorthanded goals, third in game-winning goals (4) and fourth in plus/minus.
· All five of Modano’s major career milestones have been set on home ice this year.

Quotes:
“We find ways to win.  It’s been fun and our confidence grows game by game.”
 Mike Modano on the Stars ability to comeback in the third period to win

“I don’t even keep track any more.”
 Stars head coach Dave Tippett on the achievements of Modano

“I’m enjoying the game a little bit more and having fun winning and our position as a team.  It makes everything easier to swallow.  You seem to enjoy things a little better when you’re older.  You don’t realize what’s happening when you’re 19 or 20.  Then, all of a sudden, 10 years have flown by and you don’t know where it’s gone.  When you get older, you feel fortunate.”
 Mike Modano

“I don’t know how you can get a better spokesman for the game.  He speaks from the heart (on serious issues), but he’s never been able to express his passion and love for the game before now.  I think sometimes as a player, when you’re such a gifted athlete, you take it for granted, but he doesn’t do that any more.  I think he’s learning how difficult it is to go back and be a champion.”
 Former Stars head coach Ken Hitchcock

“I think (Mike) is the Dallas Stars.  I know Neal Broten when he came in here was one of the originals and his name is always brought up.  But, Mike Modano is not done yet.”
 Former Stars teammate Guy Carbonneau

Friday, February 14 vs. Anaheim (L, 2-4)

Stat line
One goal
Plus/minus: -1
22:42 of ice time, 27 shifts
· 4:52 power play
· 2:29 shorthanded
9 of 19 faceoffs won (47%)
Two shots on goal

Notes:
· Modano vs. Anaheim, career: 42 games, 19 goals, 43 assists, 62 points
· Since Modano has returned from his concussion suffered in Philadelphia on Dec. 17, he has 11 goals and 18 assists for 29 points in 22 games for a 1.32 points per game average.  Prior to the concussion, he was averaging 1.06 points per game in 33 games.

Quotes:
“I think he’s one of the top three or four forwards in the game right now.  The big thing about Mike is how hard he works.  He competes hard every night, he competes harder physically than he used to.  He’s been as good a player for the last five or six years as anyone.”
 Los Angeles Kings head coach Andy Murray who served as an assistant in Minnesota when Modano came into the league

“Without a doubt, he should be right there.  You look at the things that he’s done for our team.  So many timely goals, minutes played in all situations. He’s a great player having a great year.”
 Stars head coach Dave Tippett on Modano being Hart Trophy candidate as NHL MVP

“He’s led us in a good way, not only on the ice, but off the ice.  It improves your game just by watching him.”
 Stars teammate Jason Arnott

Sunday, February 16 vs. San Jose (W, 3-1)

Stat line:
One assist
Plus/minus: +2
21:53 of ice time, 25 shifts
· 5:59 power play
· 1:34 shorthanded
7 of 21 faceoffs won (33%)
One shot on goal

Notes:
· Modano vs. San Jose, career: 44 games, 14 goals, 27 assists, 41 points
· Modano’s assist gave him points in each of the last four games (3-2-5) and points in eight of the last nine games (6-7-13).

Quotes:

The Ft. Worth Star-Telegram ran a story with quotes from various NHL sources on what they remember most about Mike Modano:

“I was coaching Prince Albert his first year in juniors there, and I remember looking at him before his first game and thinking, ‘God, just don’t get hurt.’  He was 16 years old, had braces and couldn’t have been more than 148 pounds soaking wet.  He was tiny, and I hoped he wasn’t going to be physically hurt.  He jumped right in and scored three points that night.  I didn’t worry about him much after that.”
 Stars assistant coach Rick Wilson

“I remember I met him in my first camp with the Stars.  I was in awe of him and very nervous, and I remember him bringing me over and talking to me.  It wasn’t exactly what he said that made the biggest difference, it was that he took the time to talk to me.  To me that was very big.  I’m a huge fan of his.”
 Jarome Iginla of the Calgary Flames

“I’ve known him since I was 17, when we were teammates in the World Juniors, and he’s such a great guy and a great teammate.  He’s one of those guys that has been great for the game.”
 Mathieu Schneider of the Los Angeles Kings

“When I was growing up, there was a limited supply of American guys to look up to who were superstars.  He was definitely one of them.  Everyone in my era certainly looked up to him.  That shows how great he’s been and how great he’s been over such a long period.”
 Chris Drury of the Calgary Flames

“What I remember most about him was the (2002) Olympics in Salt Lake City.  Mike was the best player in the Olympics, and there were some pretty good players in that tournament.”
 Ron Low, former coach of the Edmonton Oilers and New York Rangers

“What I always remember most is the last time we played them.  Whenever we play them, I always have a tough time not watching him when he’s on the ice.  He has no weakness in his game.”
 Paul Kariya of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks

“It is very hard to play against him.  With his speed and his stickhandling, he’s not easy to contain and keep an eye on.  As he’s gotten older, he’s become quicker.  I don’t know how, but that’s how I feel when I play against him.  I don’t enjoy playing against him.”
 Sergei Federov of the Detroit Red Wings

“I was in Philadelphia and we were playing against each other.  We were trying to hook each other.  That was when that was OK.  I was waiting to hook him, and he hooked me first.  And he gets loose and scores and I get a penalty.  I know I was mad, and I snapped at a ref.  It doesn’t make you mad that he did it, it was the fact that I had no chance at all of catching him that made me mad.”
 Stars head coach Dave Tippett