The End of an Era?

With only one or two days of the regular season left in the NHL, two iconic American born player are possibly calling it quits. These two iconic players were two of the core players that put United States hockey on the same level as countries like Canada and Russia. They have been apart of many memories that have occurred for USA hockey since the 1980 miracle. These two iconic American born players are Mike Modano and Keith Tkachuk. Mike Modano has been rumored to retiring at the end of this season, and after his final game at home in Dallas, the Stars honored Modano, with a video tribute. Modano was seen getting emotional on the bench as both the Dallas Stars and the Anaheim Ducks taped their sticks on the board to applaud Modano. Keith Tkachuk on the other hand has announced that this would be it at the end of the season. Tkachuk was also honored after his final home game in St. Louis. The St. Louis Blues played a video tribute for Tkachuk and Tkachuk took a lap around Scottrade Center with his 3 children.

Mike Modano was originally drafted in 1988, 1st overall by the Minnesota North Stars. At the time he was the 2nd American born player to be taken first overall in the NHL draft. He moved with the team in 1993 to Dallas has stayed the face of the franchise, captaining the team from 2003-2005 and being an alternate captain from 1995-2003 and then again from 2005-to now. Mike Modano just hasn't been the face of the Dallas Stars, but of USA hockey as a whole. Modano owns every major statistical category for American skaters other then goals scored. He is easy considered the greatest American player to ever play the game of hockey. Modano have been a finalist for multiple awards in the NHL. He also is a 7 time NHL all star and owns every major stat for the Dallas/Minnesota franchise. Modano also was on the Dallas team that won the 1999 Stanley Cup.

Keith Tkachuk was also a highly touted American skater, was drafted 19th overall by the Winnipeg Jets, in 1990. Tkachuk have a lot of success in the NHL. He twice scored 50 or more goals in a season and was the fourth player in NHL history to have scored 50 goals and receive over 200 penalty minutes in the same season. This stat alone shows that not only was Tkachuk a goal scorer, but he was also a hard nose player and would sacrifice his body for the better of his team. Tkachuk is currently third on the all time goals list for American born players behind leader Brett Hull and Mike Modano.

Modano and Tkachuk have been apart of 2 of the biggest moments in USA hockey history, behind the 1980 miracle on ice. Modano and Tkachuk were both on the 1996 World Cup, Gold medal team that beat the Canadians in a 3 game series. The Americans lost the first game on home soil, no one expected them to go into Canada and win both games. But just as the Americans have done before in 1960 and 1980 pulling off "miracles" the American boys did just that beating the Canadians twice on there home ice and taking home the 1996 World Cup of hockey. They were also part of the embarrassing finish of 6th place at the Nagano Olympics in 1998 but they came together and rebounded and finished in 2nd in Salt Lake City in 2002 to take home the silver medal in the Winter Olympic, even though they lost to Canada in the gold medal game.

Both Modano and Tkachuk will forever be remember not only for their accomplishments in the NHL , but for what they did to the game in the United States its immeasurable. Modano and Tkachuk together are two of the greatest American born hockey players to ever play the game of hockey, and they have paved the way for players such as Patrick Kane, Zach Parise and Dustin Brown and many others.

This year the United States Olympic hockey team finished in 2nd place yet again losing to Canada in an overtime thriller, but because of the road paved before them by players such as Modano and Tkachuk. United States hockey is on the rise again, and that is because of the road paved by players like Modano and Tkachuk. Herb Brooks would be proud and United States hockey fans should be excited for the future, because I am guaranteeing it will be a bright one.