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Modano: ‘No one really knows’ how Stars got Nill to come to Dallas

Jimm Nill, Tom Gaglardi, Jim Lites

Dallas Stars owner and Governor Tom Gaglardi, left, and president and CEO Jim Lites, right, present Jim Nill, center, with a team jersey after a news conference where Nill was introduced as the team’s new general manager Monday, April 29, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)

AP

Mike Modano is thrilled that Jim Nill agreed to take the Stars’ general manager gig.

He’s just not sure how they lured him away from Detroit.

“Jim Nill has been sought after for a long time from a number of teams in the league,” Modano told KESN-FM radio Dallas, as per the Morning News. “How we got him to agree to come to Dallas, no one really knows.”

It’s believed Nill, who served as Ken Holland’s assistant GM in Detroit for 14 years, has been at the top of a number of organization’s wish lists for quite some time.

It’s also believed he’s essentially had his choice of jobs.

In 2012, Montreal interviewed Nill twice before he turned down the gig (it eventually went to Marc Bergevin); he was also in the running for past GM openings in Calgary and Toronto.

Several media outlets have likened Dallas’ acquisition of Nill to landing a prized free agent -- his encyclopedic knowledge of the league and his cap management skills make him one of the NHL’s most well-rounded (and well-respected) front office people.

Just ask Modano.

“He’s one of the masterminds behind the Wings, him and Kenny Holland,” Modano explained. “He knows everything about the game. He knows personnel. He knows everything that’s going on.

“He’s so prepared and diligent with what he does. I think we were very fortunate and lucky.”