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The new captain of the Dallas Stars is a single, 33-year-old teen-ager who likes his house, his motorcycle, bad jokes and the Rolling Stones, loves hockey, reads James Patterson novels and is genuinely a decent human being.
He is also a self-admitted observer rather than a leader, a player who isn't
one to rah-rah or curse in a teammate's face.
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And Mike Modano doesn't see himself undergoing any radical personality alterations, even if he is the team's full-time captain for the first time in his career. Ticketmaster
"No, not at all," said Modano, who was promoted to the position after
nine-year captain Derian Hatcher signed with the Detroit Red Wings this summer.
"My role stays the same. It really hasn't changed."
Don't act so surprised.
Promoting a player who has spent his 14-year career with the team was an obvious
step for the Stars. Promoting a person who doesn't hang out much with NHL-types,
rotates from interested to disinterested and comes across as being as laid-back
as a recliner was a small risk.
But the Stars are secure in their decision because, when Modano is challenged,
he can carry a team in ways few others in the game can.
"His personality confuses people," said Philadelphia Flyers coach
Ken Hitchcock, who coached/prodded Modano from 1996 to 2002. "He really
is a terrific competitor. I don't have any doubt he will step up and take responsibility.
He is like anybody else. When you are an elite player, you relish this opportunity.
That is what you yearn for. You want to be noticed as a player and a leader."
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Modano almost had this title at the start of the 1994 season before then-general
manager Bob Gainey decided to give it to the laconic Hatcher. Modano would wear
the "A," as an alternate captain.
"There was a lot of pressure at that time, and that would have been one
more thing," Modano said. "I think Bob recognized that and said, 'Let's
move on and wait his turn.' This time, it was a good time and I was very open
to being a part of that."
The Stars want him to be a part of that.
Though he is a good citizen, is accommodating to a fault, smiles and signs autographs
and has his own foundation, Modano has not always been a part of everything.
Now, Stars general manager Doug Armstrong is trying to make him an active participant
in team decisions.
When goalie Marty Turco was holding out during training camp, Modano gave him
a call, both to feel him out and to encourage him. Ticketmaster
During the summer, Modano held a party at his house for the rookies who were
in town for a rookie camp.
But Modano also can be a bit of isolationist. Admittedly, he doesn't have a
stable of close friends in the league, or even in the Stars' dressing room.
It's just that being single in a married man's world leads to different social
lives.
"It's one end of the rainbow to the other," Modano said. Ticketmaster
His closest friends are golfing buddies and people he's met at social functions.
He was the first of the Stars to move out of the Coppell area to Dallas' Highland
Park neighborhood.
His critical comments last week about the Stars' off-season moves irked management.
And sometimes, he acts as if he doesn't care about a thing in the world.
In the same breath, though ... Ticketmaster
"That guy cares. You can't play the way he does and not care," said
Red Wings wing Brett Hull, one of Modano's closest friends in the NHL. "He
has the perfect personality for a [captain]. He never lets anything fluster
him. Even when we won the Stanley Cup, he was basically co-captain with Hatcher.
And, besides, the captain is way overrated anyway."
Maybe not totally overrated.
In the 1999-2000 season, Hatcher suffered a lacerated calf muscle on Dec. 17.
The diagnosis was that Hatcher would be sidelined six to eight weeks, and an
already struggling Stars team was written off. But after the "A" on
Modano's sweater was replaced by Hatcher's "C", Mo took off. Ticketmaster
In the time Hatcher was down, Modano scored 14 goals. From Jan. 20 to the end
of the season he had 46 points in 35 games. The Stars reached the Stanley Cup
Finals for the second consecutive season.
"Mike stepped up and took on the responsibility. He took it on and off
the ice," Hitchcock said. "He was completely dominant and just took
over games. I think he really took it on himself to carry the team. That's the
kind of leader he is."
The Stars are banking on it.