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After 21 seasons in the NHL, Mike Modano made it official Friday, announcing his retirement as a player. It was fitting that his farewell press conference was in Dallas -- since that's where he spent the bulk of his playing career.

During his more than two decades as a player, he was an eight-time NHL All-Star who finished as the career leader among American-born with 561 goals and 1,374 points. He was a major contributor to the Stars' 1999 Stanley Cup championship, and he served as Dallas' captain from 2003-06.

Modano, the first pick of the 1988 Entry Draft, thanked many during his almost 30-minute address to a crowded room here at the Ritz Carlton. One of the first to be thanked was former Minnesota North Stars General Manager Lou Nanne, the man who drafted Modano.

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