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A Dallas Stars' Reunion?: It could happen in Allen
BY Kevin Hageland, khageland@starlocalnews.com
ALLEN -- If the Allen Americans' promotional department needs an idea to sell tickets for the upcoming 2012-13 season, an interesting one materialized Tuesday at the team's annual media luncheon.
Namely, a reunion of players from the 1998-99 Stanley Cup-winning Dallas Stars.
The Americans wouldn't have to look far for participants to take the ice as Mike Modano, Ed Belfour, Craig Ludwig and Richard Matvichuk joined the franchise over the summer with Modano, Belfour and Ludwig signing on as minority owners while Matvichuk was hired as the team's defensive coach.
Though Modano appeared to be answering tongue-in-cheekily, the idea gained steam when more players were asked.
Belfour pondered for a moment before Matvichuk interjected, "Yes, yes he will play."
Though Belfour patrolled the pipes when the Stars won the Stanley Cup, he cautioned that any mini-comeback would take some time.
"I'd have to start with a couple practices first to see if I could still stop the puck," Belfour said. "See if I've still got any of that magic."
And goaltender might not be the position Belfour chooses to play.
"I used to be a defender too," he said. "Though I'm not really sure if that would work now because the first time I got hit I would probably club the guy over the head with my stick."
That might not be the only reason for Belfour to remain at his natural position.
"Eddie should definitely stay in net," said Darryl Bootland, Allen forward. "He's been my defensive partner (during training camp), so ... definitely stay in net."
Besides, this comeback squad would already be set on the blue line with Ludwig and Matvichuk as well as fellow owner Steve Duchesne, who was a defenseman in the NHL for 16 seasons and won his own Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2001-02.
"If Eddie comes back, we should all come back," Duchesne said.
Modano set for Hall of Fame induction
Assuming Modano never actually takes the ice for Allen, his place in American hockey history is already well established.
The latest evidence of that will come Monday at the Plaza of the Americas in Dallas as the center is inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
"Getting the call from the committee was humbling as was having Dallas chosen to host the ceremony," Modano said. "I'm going to have lots of teammates, coaches, family and friends coming, so I'm very excited."
Modano (widely recognized as the greatest American-born hockey player ever thanks to his lead in goals, points, playoff points and games played) will be part of the 40th class inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame along with Lou Lamoriello and Eddie Olczyk. To date, there are 153 enshrined members in the Hall.
Longtime ESPN anchor Steve Levy will host the event, which began traveling to different cities in 2007 after USA Hockey took over the selection process.
The U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Museum is located in Eveleth, Minn. Modano is plenty familiar with that state as he was selected No. 1 overall by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft and played for that team for four years before the franchise relocated and became the Dallas Stars in 1993-94.
Monday's ceremony will mark another milestone in Modano's career, but it won't quite reach the pinnacle of what he achieved six years after coming to Dallas.
"Going into the Hall of Fame will be close to winning the Cup," said Modano, who signed a one-day contract with the Stars and retired on Sept. 23, 2011. "But I think winning the Cup will always be No. 1 because of what we went through as a team and how close we became."
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