From the THN Archive: It's a Western showdown

They’re quiet, soft-spoken leaders; loyal, distinguished and cagey. They’re battle-worn soldiers in a game being transitioned to the next generation.

Mike Modano and Joe Sakic sharpened their teeth at 16 and 17 on the Saskatchewan prairies. In the 20 years since, they’ve crossed sticks in the faceoff circle countless times, always with the same organization, the same resolve.

Ever since ‘Burnaby Joe’ and ‘Michigan Mike’ played for Swift Current and Prince Albert in the WHL in 1986, they’ve witnessed the game evolve around their steady yet superstar careers.

They tore up the major junior ranks together, were baptized into a freewheeling NHL as teenagers, moved south with their relocating franchises, butted heads in international play, lived through the dead-puck era and are enjoying open space again in the new NHL.

Sakic almost left the Avs for the Rangers after signing an offer sheet as a restricted free agent in 1997. But he stayed. Modano could have signed elsewhere for more money as a free agent in 2005. He stayed.

Almost strangers off the ice, they spent an hour with us in a conference room at the Crescent Court hotel in Dallas to talk about their astonishingly parallel careers. The Hockey News correspondent Mike Heika sat down with the duo to reflect upon a past, present and future that are remarkably reflective.

Q Do you remember playing each other for the first time in the Western Hockey League?

A Sakic: Not really. You’re going back a while. The first time? No. But I do remember what he was like then. The guy just flew. He was the fastest guy out on the ice.

A Modano: I’m with him. I remember playing against him, but it was a long time ago. We didn’t have any key battles that I can remember.

THN: You are both players who have remained with the same franchise. Is that something that has always been important to you, or has it become more important as you’ve gotten older?

Sakic: It has probably gotten more important as I’ve gotten older. You never think about that stuff when you start your career. You just want to play hockey. But as you get older, it really does make it easier just to stay in one place. You’re comfortable, you like the city and the organization. It’s something that just feels right.

Modano: I feel the same way. As I’ve gotten older, it means more. This is a great place and we are treated very well here and that’s important. You’re content here, happy here.

THN: And you had a decision to make, didn’t you, Mike? There was the chance that you could have left the Stars after the lockout when you became an unrestricted free agent, yet you took less money to stay?

Modano: Yeah, that’s when you really were faced with a decision about what’s important to you and how do you want to live your life after hockey. I want to live here and I want to play for this franchise. That’s a decision I had to make.

THN: Joe, you never even got to unrestricted free agency, you always signed your deals before July 1.

Sakic: No, I knew what I wanted. It’s nice to be one of those few guys who are able to do this. I don’t think there’s too many left.

THN: Do you ever look back at the free agent offer sheet from the Rangers and think that things could have turned out differently?

Sakic: Well, it definitely could have gone either direction at the time, but now that I look back at it, I’m really fortunate that I was able to stay.

THN: Do you think you’ll stay in Colorado after you retire?

Sakic: Yeah, for the most part. I don’t see any reason to leave. My family loves it there and it’s become a real part of us.

THN: How about you, Mike? Are you living in Dallas?

Modano: Yeah, that was part of the decision, too. I was pretty sure I was going to live here no matter what, so it didn’t make sense, in the end, to go to another team.

THN: And while you both have stayed with the same franchise, you both have had to move once in your career. Mike, you were with Minnesota when the decision came in 1993 to move to Dallas. What was that like?

Modano: It was a little strange. When you mention Dallas, Texas, and hockey, I don’t think anyone knew a lot about the place. And the players didn’t want to leave Minnesota. We were all happy up there. Looking back, it seemed like it would be impossible to come down here and teach a whole new group of fans about hockey, but it’s turned out very well.

THN: Did that make it sweeter in 1999 when the building was full and the city was buzzing about the Stanley Cup?

Modano: It was tremendous. The building was full and really alive. We had the parade and that was fantastic. There was a big learning curve for the fans, but they really jumped on board. We had some great series against Edmonton and Colorado and I think that really showed people just how exciting the game could be. It was always great to skate out in that old building (Reunion Arena) in a playoff game.

THN: Was it tough on you to leave Quebec, Joe? That team really seemed to be building to something and the fans had really weathered the storm up there for a while.

Sakic: That lockout year (1994-95) was definitely our best team there and you could tell everyone was excited. But then we lost in the first round and we moved, it was just strange. I mean, that first year in a new city, nobody really even knows you and you can do whatever you want and nobody will even recognize you. It definitely felt different. But then, we had a really good team that first year and we traded for Patrick (Roy) and the city just started to buzz about it. And then when we won (the Stanley Cup), I really do think that had a big impact on the city. It just brought hockey to a new level.

THN: Do you ever look at the timing of events and think how strange they are? If you’d have stayed in Quebec for even one more year, you wouldn’t have gotten Patrick Roy. I mean, I just don’t think there’s any way Montreal would trade Patrick to the Quebec Nordiques.

Sakic: No, you’re right, if we would have stayed, he wasn’t coming there, but I guess that’s how things work out.

It was just meant to be and as the year went on, everything just built. After the (Denver) Broncos, we were the talk of the town and winning it and the parade, it really meant something to the community. I think in the (Colorado) Rockies day, they had a loyal base, but I don’t think it was anything like what we’ve had there now.

THN: Do you think you’ll retire with your respective teams?

Sakic: Nobody else would probably want us now.

THN: You both represented your countries during the golden era of international competition between the United States and Canada. Did you feel that rivalry building during the 1990s?

Modano: Our group (Team USA) all grew up together since we were 16 or 17 and I don’t think we realized it at the time, but I do think we really came together over the years and that culminated in the World Cup (in 1996). That was one of the most fun things I’ve ever done in hockey. That and Salt Lake (Olympics in 2002), those were exciting tournaments. The two games at the (Montreal) Forum, that was as good as it gets.

THN: Did you feel like the underdogs the whole time?

Modano: Pretty much. With Joe and those guys (on Team Canada), they always do things so well and they could probably have four teams over there, so it’s a little overwhelming. They’re fast, big, talented. I think one of the things that’s really difficult to explain to people down here is if you’ve never been up there to see how important hockey is, you don’t understand it. It’s just incredible the amount of players they produce up there and just how good they all are.

THN: How tough was that pressure for you guys, Joe? That first World Cup in 1996 was obviously pressure-packed and then Canada went through a couple of different management teams and the expectations became something that probably pushed on the players.

Sakic: Looking back, we didn’t feel it in the World Cup at the time. All I really remember was it was incredible competition. The rivalry obviously started to build and then, to get the best 2-out-of-3, I just remember the games were so close, the play was so up and down the ice and (U.S. goalie Mike) Richter was so good in the World Cup. It was disappointing (to lose), obviously, but I mean it was some of the best hockey I’ve ever been a part of.

THN: Did that set things up for 2002? There was a lot of pressure and Wayne Gretzky made his speech about the American journalists. It just seemed like everything was focused on Canada and the U.S.?

Sakic: (Gretzky’s rant) might have been big for the fans or the media, but it didn’t affect the players much. We just prepare and play to win. It really doesn’t matter if you’re the underdog or the favorite. You just want to win.

THN: Do you look back at the players that were on the ice during that era and just count the Hall of Famers?

Sakic: That’s why they were such great games. You take those players and mix it with the fact that we’re all playing for our countries, it just went to another level.

THN: Do you have a biggest moment in international competition?

Sakic: The one for me is where Mario (Lemieux) let the puck go through his legs to Paul (Kariya) and he slapped it home. People look back and that was a play that really will stick in your memory.

Modano: I think beating (Canada) in the World Cup. We don’t beat those guys too often, so that was pretty special. And probably the play of Mike Richter throughout the time I’ve been there. He was spectacular and since he’s been gone, well, goaltending has been a question (for the U.S.).

THN: You guys came in during a freewheeling era. Is today’s game similar to when you entered the game or is it a different game entirely?

Modano: I wouldn’t say it’s the same. When we came in, it was all over the place. You didn’t have the structure, no one blocked shots, no one did the little things that help teams win nowadays. I can’t remember watching a whole lot of video on anything back then. Good times, eh? You just showed up and played.

Sakic: It just seems like when we started, most of the ‘D’ was big and slow. Now, they’re fast and sometimes big and fast. It’s a lot tougher now. There’s backchecking now and just a lot more structure and defensive responsibility.

THN: Do you take pride in becoming a strong two-way player? Coaches definitely sell you both as shining examples of skilled players who have become responsible.

Modano: I’d rather go back to what we did at the start. But you’re told to play that way or you’re not going to play.

Sakic: You had to change, because the style of game changed… and you wanted your coaches to trust you out there, so you did what you were told. Plus, a lot of coaches put you out there against the other team’s best lines and I do find that more fun than going against another team’s checking line. I mean, facing Mike, that’s pretty much been our matchup for the last…I don’t know how many years. It’s nice, the pace is fast, you want to do better than the other guy both offensively and defensively. It’s something you look forward to. We have fun on the ice when we’re going against each other.

THN: Do you know each other off of the ice or has your relationship been pretty much limited to games?

Modano: We really don’t know each other off of the ice, but there’s a level of respect for each other. I’ve played with players who played with Joe and Joe’s played with players who have played with me and there’s a lot of similarities between us and our approach to the game. We’re both laid back in our approach to the game.

Sakic: Real laid back.

THN: Is that one reason you’ve both been able to deal with all the changes in the game and the league and all of the pressures of being a pro athlete?

Sakic: You can’t let the game stress you out. You have to enjoy it and relax.

THN: Who do you see as future stars of the Western Conference?

Sakic: I think the media is pretty much focused on the East with Crosby, Ovechkin and Malkin, but I think we have some good ones out here in (Wojtek) Wolski and Paul Stastny. You have a couple of kids in Anaheim and San Jose. (Jonathan) Cheechoo.

THN: Are there any players out there like you guys?

Modano: I think Eric Staal is similar, but I’m not really sure if there are any more than that.

THN: Maybe there aren’t any other players left like you guys?

Sakic: Lucky for them.

THN: Are you sick of seeing each other yet?

Modano: No, I actually enjoy it. When we play each other, you know it’s going to be a good game. There’s always a little bit of heated competition, but there’s a lot of respect out there, too.

Sakic: You know it’s going to be a fun game. Like I said, I go into it expecting to see Mike the whole time, so you do get up for the games.

THN: How long do you want to play?

Sakic: Mike, I think you’ve got four more years left on your deal. Don’t you?

Modano: I’m kind of taking it year by year right now.

THN: But 36 or 37 doesn’t seem that old right now, does it?

Modano: The way the game is going, I think you can play longer. If you stay healthy and take your days off, you don’t have the same wear and tear on your body as when there was all the clutching and grabbing. That game was frustrating and I had a hard time dealing with it. But I really feel better with the new game.

Sakic: I’m the same, year to year. There’s no set timetable. I’m going to play until I feel like I don’t want to play. It’s like Mike said, if you can stay healthy that goes a long way. And, you know what, the last couple of years the league has been good. It’s more free skating and it’s fun to play hockey again. Before that last lockout, there was five, six years…heck, eight years…where there were a lot of nights where you wondering what the heck was going on. It wasn’t a lot of fun.

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