Mike Modano among HOF inductees

Modano created his mark long before he and therefore the Gopher State North Stars settled to urban center and brought hockey to the Sun Belt.

Once he got there in 1993, he did not miss a beat.

Modano, the highest-scoring U.S.-born player in NHL history, joined old New Jersey Devils president and top dog Lou Lamoriello, and player-turned-broadcaster
dysfunction Olczyk, because the newest inductees to the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame on weekday night.

Modano lived up to his charge once being chosen with the primary choose of the 1988 NHL draft.

By the time he retired in 2011, the geographical area, Mich., native was the Stars' leader in games vie (1,459), goals (557), assists (802) and points (1,359). He conjointly holds franchise records with one hundred forty five contest points during a club-high 174 games.

Modano, World Health Organization vie his final NHL season with the port Red Wings, leads U.S.-born players in goals (561) and points (1,374).

Olczyk was in love the No. three choose within the 1984 draft by his town Chicago Blackhawks associated went on to play sixteen years within the NHL once beginning his career as an 18-year previous beginner.

Olczyk finished with 342 goals and 794 points in one,031 games with Chicago, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Winnipeg Jets, the ny Rangers, the la Kings and therefore the city Penguins.

He came to the Blackhawks for his last 2 years within the NHL and retired in 2000. Olczyk is currently NBC's lead ice hockey analyst.

Lamoriello is getting into the U.S. Hall of Fame as a builder, 3 years once his induction to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

"The Americans square measure here, if that is the thanks to say it, and here to remain in each approach," Lamoriello aforementioned.

Lamoriello's distinguished career started long before he joined the Devils and designed them into perennial winners. With New Jersey, Lamoriello has earned  3 Stanley Cup championships in twenty four seasons, and 2 different japanese Conference titles -- as well as last season.

Along with Modano, Lamoriello was conjointly a part of the U.S. team that won the laurel wreath within the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. Lamoriello served because the top dog of the yank squad that beat North American country for the title.

"We wished to alter what they thought people as players, that we tend to did not belong at their level," Modano aforementioned. "It took a protracted time, however we tend to invariably felt within the back of our minds that we tend to might prove plenty of nations wrong, that we tend to might play with them."

Since then, the u.  s. has remained among the hockey elite. The Americans earned  the laurel wreath at the 2002 Salt Lake town Olympiad and therefore the 2010 Games in Vancouver.

"After the '96 World Cup, the yank player is here," Lamoriello aforementioned. "That's once they got recognized, and therefore the approach you get recognized is once people have success. That was a protracted time past. currently there is nothing to differentiate."

Before that, Lamoriello had a 22-year career as a player, coach and athletic director at Providence faculty. He was inducted into the Providence faculty Hall of Fame in 1982 and joined the Devils 5 years later.

A big reason for the United States' development as a hockey powerhouse is however the sport has unfold at the youth level to several non-traditional areas, as well as urban center, wherever Stefan Noesen was a first-round draft choose in 2011 by the Ottawa Senators, and Seth Jones is foreseen to be one in all the highest 5 alternatives next year.

Modano vie an enormous role therein growth down south.

"In savvy currently, it has been a true exceptional transition the approach the sport has redoubled down here," Modano aforementioned. "I'm real happy with being a part of that once it initial started and looking at it evolve, see the recognition increase. it had been nice to envision and it had been fun to be a district of."

Olczyk, a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic team, is additionally serving to to grow the sport currently in his high-profile position on tv.

"I've simply been very lucky throughout my entire career, and i have worn plenty of hats," Olczyk aforementioned. "I was a disciple, i used to be a player, i used to be an instructor, broadcaster and a pa, therefore on any given night, I will have one in all those hats on. i really like the sport, and hockey has been my and my family's life."

That dedication and commitment is not lost on Modano, a mate of Olczyk's in international competition.

"Just a category guy, his approach to the sport and expertness," Modano aforementioned of Olczyk, his mate within the 1991 North American country Cup. "He was plenty of fun to be around, therefore we've invariably had that association since 1991. he is been exceptional for the sport and on TV, and what he is through with NBC. he is our face and voice of USA Hockey, I feel."

Also on weekday, Bob Chase-Wallenstein and Dick Patrick|St. Patrick|Apostle|patron saint} were conferred with the Lester Patrick Trophy. Chase, World Health Organization created his mark at WOWO -- a fifty,000-watt station in Fort Wayne, Ind. -- has had a good impact on the careers of the many current sports broadcasters, as well as Hockey Hall of Famer microphone "Doc" Emrick.

This year marks the sixtieth straight season that the 86-year-old Chase can do play-by-play on the radio for the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL. once he began vocation games for the Komets in 1953, the Negaunee, Mich., native was 3 months far from faculty at Northern Michigan.

Dick {patrick|Patrick|Saint {patrick|Patrick|Saint Patrick|St. Patrick|Apostle|patron saint}|St. Patrick|Apostle|patron saint}|St. Patrick|Apostle|patron saint} is that the third member of the Patrick family to earn this award named for his grandad -- connection uncle Lynn Patrick and relation Craig Patrick. Dick patron saint has helped hockey grow within the nation's capital throughout his thirty years with the Washington Capitals.

Murray Costello was honored with the ice-hockey player Award for his work that helped the Canadian Hockey Association and therefore the former freelance Hockey North American country organization get together to create the new Hockey North American country in 1994.

After the merger, North American country won four of subsequent 5 gold medals at the globe Junior Championship with Costello at the forefront. Costello conjointly oversaw the formation of the Canadian women's team and therefore the speedy development of the game that made-up the approach for the debut of women's hockey at the 1998 Olympiad.