Mike Modano – Franchise Assists Record

Lore & Background

Modano was born in Livonia, Michigan, the third child and only son of Michael Sr. and Karen Modano. He grew up in Highland Township. As a youth, he was part of a Detroit Red Wings team in the 1982 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. He attended Franklin High School in Livonia, Michigan. He chose the number 9 for his jersey in homage to Ted Williams and Gordie Howe.

In Their Own Story

The arena hums with the low, electric buzz of a Tuesday night in February. The scoreboard reads 2–1, third period, four minutes left. Modano, skating with the easy glide of a man who has done this ten thousand times, collects the puck along the blue line. He doesn't look. He never has to. A quick hip check of his shoulders, a soft wrist pass through the slot—his winger is already there, stick extended, and the puck slides into the net before the crowd's roar even fully forms. Modano skates past the bench, raises one finger to the sky, and lets the noise wash over him. Somewhere in the stands, a kid in a #91 jersey is already screaming. The assist is logged, the record ticks forward by one, and the night belongs to Dallas.

Reader's Guide

Modano was drafted first overall by the Minnesota North Stars in 1988. He signed with the North Stars on Christmas of 1988 and joined the team for the 1989–90 season. After the team moved to Dallas, he led the Stars to two straight first-place regular season finishes in 1998 and 1999, and the Stanley Cup in 1999. He scored his 500th career regular-season goal on March 13, 2007.

Did You Know?

• Modano is the all-time goal-scoring leader amongst American-born players in NHL history.
• He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on November 17, 2014.
• In 2017, he was named one of the 100 Greatest NHL Players.
• In 2019, he was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame.