The 1980s saw the NHL expand into one of the largest sports leagues in North America. Who were the best first overall NHL Draft picks from the decade?
Continuing on with this series, today’s article will be going over the top three first overall NHL Draft picks from the 1980s. This list will likely be the most controversial, as superstars such as Pierre Turgeon and Mats Sundin, who were both first overall picks during this time, were kept off the list.
As you will see below, the 1980’s first overall picks features a very impressive list of players.
3. Mike Modano (Minnesota North Stars, 1988)
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The Minnesota North Stars had high hopes when they selected Mike Modano first overall, but no one could have imagined that by the end of his career he would be highly regarded as one of the best American born players of all time. He would go on to play 20 of his 21 seasons for the Stars, although just four were spent in Minnesota due to the team relocating to Dallas after the 1992-93 season.
Modano had many spectacular seasons with the Stars, and was a big part in the Dallas Stars winning their first and only Stanley Cup to date in the 1998-99 season. That season saw him lead the team in scoring in the regular season with 34 goals and 81 points in 77 games, as well as playoff scoring with 23 points in 23 games. Although that season was the most success as a team, Modano’s personal best year came during the 1993-94 season, where he posted an incredible 50 goals and 43 assists for 93 points in 76 games.
The 2009-10 season saw Modano’s numbers decline, with just 30 points in 59 games. At the end of the season the Stars announced they would not be offering him a contract, which left his NHL future in doubt. However, he ultimately agreed to a one-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings. He appeared in just 40 games with the Wings that season, posting a career low 15 points, and announced his retirement shortly afterward.
Though his tenure as a Red Wing wasn’t overly memorable, his career as a whole certainly was. To this day, he ranks very high on many NHL leaderboards. He is 22nd all time in games played with 1499, 26th all time in goals with 561, and 24th all time in points with 1374. His special career was capped off in 2014 when he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.