Mike Modano headlines a group of former North Stars and Wild players that will participate in an alumni game against alumni of the Chicago Blackhawks next NHL season.
Minnesota’s NHL alumni president Brad Maxwell, in an interview with 1500 ESPN on Tuesday, said the alumni game will take place at TCF Bank Stadium on Feb. 20, 2016. That’s the day before the Wild and Blackhawks play in an outdoor game at TCF Bank Stadium as part of the NHL’s Stadium Series.
Other players expected to participate, per Maxwell and a report from the Star Tribune’s Michael Russo are:
- Neal Broten
- Dino Ciccarelli
- Curt Giles
- Don Beaupre
- Basil McRae
- Jack Carlson
- Craig Hartsburg
- Giles Meloche
- Willi Plett
- Bobby Smith
- Andrew Brunette
- Wes Walz
- Darby Hendrickson
- Brad Bombardir
Rosters for the alumni game won’t be finalized for a couple of weeks.
Considering the North Stars moved to Dallas where they became the Stars in 1993, there’s already been some questions about whether the they should be part of an alumni game between the Wild and Blackhawks. But Dallas president CEO and alternate governor Jim Lites has no problem with it.
“The Stadium Series game is a pinnacle NHL event and we wish the Minnesota Wild the best with it this upcoming season,” Lites said Tuesday, according to Yahoo Sports. “Including the North Stars alumni in the event is appropriate as it’s a celebration of hockey in the state of Minnesota. Those players are very much a part of that culture and tradition, and it’s only fitting for them to be included in the alumni game.”
Perhaps the most exciting element of the game, for fans anyway, will be if the players are allowed to wear the old North Stars sweaters.
Stay tuned, the Wild will announce details in the coming weeks.
