Tiidal Gaming Group, the parent company of Lazarus, have announced NHL Hall of Famer Mike Modano as an investor and newly appointed brand ambassador.

Modano is recognised as the most decorated American player in NHL history, winning 1999 Stanley Cup with the Dallas Stars and being selected in eight NHL All-Star Games. He also won a Silver Medal with the United States at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

“I am excited to join the fantastic team at Tiidal Gaming,” said Modano, adding: “The explosive growth in esports and the broader impact of gaming on entertainment is remarkable. When considering the engagement levels, shifting attention of younger demographics and the global nature of the space, it is impressive and cannot be ignored.”

Speaking of the appointment of Modano, CEO of Tiidal Gaming, Charlie Watson said: “We are thrilled to welcome hockey icon Mike Modano to our group. Mike has had a long and storied career as one of the NHL’s greatest players, and he couldn’t join us at a better time as he moves into his future as a sports executive.

“Having competed at the highest levels, Mike can not only serve as a mentor to our professionals, but he will be a big part of our push to continue building Lazarus Esports into a global brand.”

“He will be a big part of our push to continue building Lazarus Esports into a global brand”

The news comes following Tiidal’s recent announcement that that Neil Duffy, Chief Commercial Officer of World Gaming and the Collegiate StarLeague was joining their board of directors last month.

Earlier this year, Tiidal received an investment from New Wave Holdings Corp., with New Wave’s CEO, Tolga Onuk, and Chief Marketing Officer, Daniel Mitre appointed as strategical advisors to Tiidal. We recently spoke to Daniel from New Wave about that investment, and you can find out more about it here.

Esports Insider says: Mike Modano has become another name of the ever-growing list of celebrities and athletes to invest in esports. It will be interesting to see how his brand ambassador role works and if he helps improve the NHL’s fledgeling esports scene.