This Day in Hockey History
1988 - Mike Modano drafted 1st overall by Minnesota
With the first pick in the 1988 NHL Draft, the Minnesota North Stars select Mike Modano from the WHL's Prince Albert Raiders.
In 1,459 career games with the team (in both Minnesota and Dallas), Modano scores 557 goals and adds 802 assists for 1,359 total points, putting him first on the franchise's all-time scoring list.
He also leads the team to a Stanley Cup victory over the Buffalo Sabres in 1999, assisting on the team's final five goals despite breaking his wrist in Game 2.
Modano plays the final season of his NHL career in Detroit, and ranks second on the all-time scoring list for American-born players, behind only Brett Hull.
1974 - Kansas City, Washington awarded NHL franchises
Kansas City and Washington officially receive NHL franchises, giving birth to the Scouts and Capitals.
Only one team, of course, remains in its original city; the Capitals manage to survive a disastrous 8-67-5 record in their inaugural season and become a fixture in the sports scene of the nation's capital.
The Scouts, however, last only two seasons in Kansas City. They move to Colorado and become the Rockies for eight seasons before settling in New Jersey as the Devils in 1982.
Birthdays
1966 - Scott Mellanby
1969 - Bryan Fogarty
1981 - Derek MacKenzie
1989 - Keith Aulie