Mike Modano is a hockey icon in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. He hoisted the Stanley Cup in 1999 with the Stars and is the all-time goal scoring and point leader among American born NHL players.
Oh, he is in the Hockey Hall of Fame, too.
Tyler Seguin is one of the most polarizing players in the game today and possesses breakneck speed that when paired with teammate Jamie Benn, has shown to be lethal.
Recently, both Modano and Seguin paid tribute to the late Gordie Howe, who died Friday at age 88.
The former Red Wings captain, known by many as simply "Mr. Hockey," was a 23-time All-Star and holds the record for most games and seasons played.
Modano and Seguin both took to The Players Tribune to pay their respects and share the memories they each had of Howe.
Having had his number retired by Dallas in 2014, Modano revealed Howe was the reason he wore number 9.
"I always wore number 9 because of Gordie Howe," Modano wrote. "Ever since I started playing junior hockey up in Saskatchewan with the Prince Albert Raiders, it had to be number 9."
"Gordie is such an icon that you don't need to watch YouTube to get an understanding of what he means to the game of hockey. His legend has been passed down by word of mouth, from junior hockey buses to NHL locker rooms."
"Gordie Howe will live on in NHL locker rooms as long as people are still playing hockey. I'll guarantee you right now, even 50 years from now, any time a guy has a goal, an assist and a fight, there will still be a rowdy little celebration in the room, and you'll hear Gordie's name."
Seguin also marveled at Howe's toughness, particularly his massive physique, and said "Gordie wasn't to be messed with."
"Gordie is just massive," Seguin wrote. "Gordie wasn't to be messed with. And he was just such a complete player on the ice. He was everything all at once. That's probably what I'll always remember about him. As a kid growing up, my father and my father's father talked a lot about Gordie, and he became a bigger-than-life figure for me."
