For those of you not on Twitter, here's what just rolled across the ol' screen:
ESPN Dallas: Mike Modano now courted by Sharks, Wild as well as Red Wings
Published: Friday, July 09, 2010, 3:46 PM Updated: Friday, July 09, 2010, 3:49 PM
George Malik
Oh, goody. ESPN Dallas's Richard Durrett reports that long-time Dallas Stars captain Mike Modano no longer sees the Detroit Red Wings as his "only option," stating that the San Jose Sharks and Minnesota Wild have contacted him about joining their teams:
Modano said Minnesota may want to meet face-to-face with him soon, but no date has been set.
"It would be a fun storyline," Modano said, referring to the fact that he was drafted by the Minnesota North Stars in 1988 and moved with the franchise to Dallas. He played his final game of 2010 in Minnesota, donning an old North Stars jersey as he waved goodbye. "It's the same scenario. I'm listening to what everyone has to say and taking it all in. I still have to decide if I'm going to play."
Modano said he has no timetable to make a decision. He met with Detroit general manager Ken Holland and coach Mike Babcock earlier this week and left intrigued by the possibility of playing with the Red Wings, a team with a history of getting the most out of aging superstars. Modano has to figure out if he wants to go through the rigors of training camp, practice and games in a full season again. The Red Wings had discussed using him as a third-line center and on the second power-play unit. He could fill similar roles on the Sharks or Wild if discussions progress.
At his last game played last season right here in the land of 10,000 frozen ponds, yours truly asked him "Could you see yourself playing in another team's jersey like, say, the Wild?" His response was: "The one thing I've learned from my buddies in the business is that you never say never."
Perhaps he's just using the Wild and the Sharks as leverage in his negotiations with the Red Wings. However, perhaps he knew all along that he would come back to where it all began for him as the NHL is concerned to a much different hockey market today than we he left with the Northstars for Dallas.
I, for one, think it would be a story book ending to a great career. Even better than going back home to the state of his birth, Michigan.
And so, Wild fans, it begins. Our very own Brett Favre watch.
In my opinion, not only would Modano help to excite the Wild fan base and sell tickets, he would also provide much needed depth at center and would increase the number of overall goals scored by the Wild. An area of their game they need a ton of help with.
While they are at it, I say go after Mike's good friend and former team/line mate in Dallas, Jere Lehtinen, described on Wikipedia as follows:
Jere Kalervo Lehtinen (born June 24, 1973 in Espoo, Finland) is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward currently a free agent in the National Hockey League (NHL). He plays as a right wing. He was drafted 88th overall in the 1992 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota North Stars. Lehtinen handles defensive aspects of the game as well as offensive, hence he is a two-way forward for which he has won the Frank J. Selke Trophy three times as the league's best defensive forward.
Interesting note that he was drafted by the Northstars before they moved to Dallas. Great that he is a very good two-way forward. Granted his goal scoring has dropped way off over the last two seasons, put him on the 3rd line as Modano's wing man and watch the magic between these two line mates.
Sure the Wild would have to move some players, but opportunities like this don't come around often. I say pull the trigger. Sell tickets. Score more goals. Heck, even make a run at the playoffs and then, as we saw this year, it's any body's Stanley Cup then.
Modano would bring character, work ethic and leadership to the Minnesota Wild. Something that Chuck Fletch and Todd Richards are desperately looking for so that the rest of the room will buy in to the new, up-tempo offensive scheme.
And, as any fan that was in attendance for that final home game last year against the Stars, Modano can still play and still has wheels as demonstrated by the flapping jersey as he was streaking up and down the ice last April at Xcel Energy Center.
Wake up hibernating hockey fans, it may be getting a bit Wild around here!
Minnesota Wild Blogger • 
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