Local kids at development camp

Reader Cody Eastwood sent me an article on some of the local kids who attended the just concluded Stars development camp. Needless to say - but I'll say it anyway - they are all influenced by Mike Modano. So, here's Cody's article.

Fruits of his labor
by Cody Eastwood

After losing arguably their most notable talent in the history of the franchise this past week, Mike Modano’s exit calls attention toward the new hometown flavor amongst the Dallas Stars’ development roster.

The camp’s roster is filled with future prospects from hockey-hotbeds such as Montreal, Toronto, and Calgary. But there seems to be another frozen-pond trend – Dallas area talent. Out of the 36 players participating in the just concluded camp, eight are from the United States. Half of those eight are from the Metroplex. There were only a total of four DFW natives over the previous two developmental camps before this summer.

Forwards Armond DeSwardt, Austin Smith, Locke Jillson and defenseman C.J. Ludwig are carrying the Metroplex hockey torch. Interestingly enough, all but one was born after Modano was drafted on June 11, 1988 (Locke Jillson was born May 11, 1988).

“My first time ever to see hockey was in Valley Ranch and he (Modano) came over and said ‘Hi’. I’ve been hooked ever since," said DeSwardt.

In his first NHL camp, DeSwardt moved to the Dallas area in 1998 and saw his new role model and the Stars win the Stanley Cup a year later.

“Modano has been my hero ever since I started playing hockey,” he said. 

As the tallest (6-foot, 5 inches) skater at this year’s camp, DeSwardt has shown tremendous progress at the junior level through two seasons. He increased his point production by 26 and scored goals for United States Hockey League’s Wenatchee Wild last season.

He did have some advice for DFW youth hockey players.

“You don’t need to move out of Dallas to make it to the next level," he said. "We have a lot of great coaches and programs in the area.”

As for Modano’s departure, he said: “It’s tough to see him go. We love Mike here in Dallas. If I had to see Modano in another jersey, it would probably be Anaheim.”

A fifth round draft pick (128th overall), Austin Smith is known as the first Dallas-born player to be drafted by the Stars back in 2007. The Coppell local began his passion after taking part in a Stars youth camp and eventually suited up for the Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas for two years. Smith has been an offensive machine in his young career, tallying 139 points over 133 games through one season in the British Columbia Hockey League and the last two seasons at Colgate University.

“He is certainly a talent I’m proud of and most Stars fans think he could be the first Dallas product to skate in the NHL,”  said a devoted Stars season ticket holder and Dallasite of nine years while watching the camp unfold. Entering his third straight development camp with the Stars, would Smith be where he is today without Modano’s influence?

Locke Jillson, who is from Highland Park, got hooked on hockey after seeing it for himself at Valley Ranch.

“My dad decided we should make the twenty-minute trip out there just to see what the heck it was,” said Jillson.

From there, Jillson looked up to who most Dallas-based hockey fanatics wanted to be – Mike Modano.

“He was a major reason," said Jillson. "He made it look so fast and fun. When I first started playing there was no way (my jersey) was going to be untucked.”

The former Dallas Stars Midget Major Triple-A club team member headed for the United States Hockey League in 2007, and then moved on to Cornell University. When he came back to the area, Jillson thought he had conquered every rink in the Dallas area…or at least he thought he had.

“I come back and there’s three more (rinks) that I haven’t played at," he noted. 

Jillson recalled the effect Modano had on his hockey career with one word, “hugely”. When asked if he had to see Modano in another sweater, he joked, “for some adult league team.”

C.J. Ludwig, who is in his first development camp with the Stars, moved to Little Elm when he was five years old and interacted as well as admired Modano around the locker room with his father, former Stanley Cup-winning Stars defenseman Craig Ludwig.

“I’ve learned things from him (Mike). He kind of led the way for me and my older brother,” said the 19-year-old Ludwig.

After suiting up for the Dallas Stars Midget Major Triple-A club from 2006-2007, Ludwig began honing his skills for two seasons with the USHL’s Omaha Lancers where he improved his stats as well, jumping from 8 points over 54 tilts in 08-09 to 24 points over 58 games last season.

During the Friday morning session, fellow Dallas Stars Midget Major Triple-A club teammates Locke Jillson and Ludwig shared a memorable moment, battling battled in the crease of Dallas’ 2010 first-round draft choice Jack Campbell.

“All three of us played in the USHL,” said Ludwig.

Campbell played for U.S. National Team Development Program, which played in the USHL.

“It is a reunion of sorts,” expressed Jillson.

The plan for Ludwig includes college at the University of Marquette the next four years. As C.J. looked up to Modano, he’s beginning to have more youth hockey players in DFW marvel at him as he paves the way for area talent.

“I’m doing hockey camps with a bunch of kids and everybody is looking up to me as of now,” said Ludwig.

Ludwig never tucked his jersey in like the majestic Modano.

“I was never like that like that pretty Mikey Mo,” Ludwig quipped with a grin.

Speechless at the fact Modano may throw on another sweater this fall, “there’s no way he is putting another jersey on.”

Every Stars fan will miss Modano on the ice, but his effect on the Dallas-Fort Worth hockey scene will never be lost. Without the red, white, and blue’s greatest scorer in Dallas, who would have inspired Armond, Austin, Locke, or C.J.? Let the Modano legacy live on.
 

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