NHL Free Agency 2012: Mike Modano is Not an Option - Get Over It

Then he retired.

That's not what this is about, though. What is this about? Make the jump.

Last night, Modano told Josh Rimer:

Yeah, about that Mike... you had your chance. You went to Detroit. The train left the station on that one. No one begrudges you wanting to go home to Michigan and finish up there, but don't try to sell the home ice thing now.

The likelihood is that he was kidding. For the love of everything holy, just let me believe he was kidding. This makes zero sense from a current talent level, roster spot, or cap and contracts perspective. Modano is his very own Eklund. Make it up, not looking at the reality of the situation.

The real problem? People are getting geeked out about it already:

Stop. Just stop. Take a big, deep breath in, remove yourself from the computer for a few minutes, and slap yourselves across the face.

Current Talent Level

Why do you even want the guy to come back? He has spent the last two seasons on IR, and cost his team over $2 million in the process. This isn't Mike Modano in his prime. This is Mike Modano over 40 and done with his career. Mike Modano the color guy, not the goal scorer.

Roster Space

See where this is going?

The roster is full. 100%, absolutely full. There are even players on two way deals that will be fighting for spots already penciled in with one way deal players. Say, for argument's sake, that you think Modano can beat out one of the NHLers already on the roster. You are taking yet another chance for one of the kids to crack the lineup away.

Which player are you paying to play in the AHL so Modano can take up space on the bench?

Cap and Contracts

This is where the fans lose out to people who are paying attention. CapGeek says the Wild have roughly $1.3 million in cap space. Maybe Modano takes a small contract to come back. Even if it is league minimum, he eats up the last remaining bit of cap flexibility the Wild have. You really willing to give that up for the nostalgia of Modano?

The final piece to the puzzle is that the Wild simply don't have a contract to waste on him. Russo says they are at 49 contracts. They only get 50. You want the last contract to go to Modano? Can I ask why? So he can sell a couple sweaters at the Hockey Lodge?

It's time to let the wet dream of Mike Modano in a Wild sweater go. He had his chance, and he passed. That should piss you off, not leave you pulling on his tshirt begging him to come back and handcuff the Wild for the season, dispalce someone who can actually still play, further bury the kids in the system, and cost the Wild a massive amount of money for zero production in maybe 40 games.

Just stop it.