from Katie Strang of ESPN,

"They have the pieces and the personnel, it’s just a matter of whether it will come together," said Modano, who helped bring Dallas its first Stanley Cup in 1999.

Trades for top playmaking centers like Seguin and Spezza don't come by often and they aren't easy to make, but Modano wasn't surprised Nill was able to pull it off in consecutive offseasons.

Modano, regarded as one of the best American-born centers to play the game, has known Nill for a long and knows him to be a savvy hockey mind. Nill knows the game, how to treat his players and understands the business side.

"I think it says a lot about Jim Nill. Good GMs around the league have a way of luring good players to play for their organization," said Modano, who amassed 561 goals and 1,374 points in 1,499 NHL games. "That comes with his history with the [Detroit Red] Wings, working with Kenny Holland, [Mike] Ilitch.

"You create some opportunities for individuals getting a second chance or reinventing themselves as players. He's kind of got that asset to him that he's able to do that and get them excited about being here. The stability with ownership here, that does a lot too."

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