Steve Yzerman
Encyclopedia
Stephen Gregory "Steve" Yzerman (ˈaɪzərmən; born May 9, 1965) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey
player and current general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning
of the National Hockey League
. Yzerman played his entire National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Detroit Red Wings
and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
.
Prior to the 1986–87 season at the age of 21, Yzerman was named captain
of the Red Wings and continuously served for the next two decades (dressing as captain for over 1300 games), retiring as the longest-serving captain of any team in North American major league sports history. Once voted to be the most popular athlete in Detroit
sports history, locals often simply refer to Yzerman as "The Captain." Yzerman led the Wings to five first-place regular season finishes
and three Stanley Cup
championships (1997, 1998, and 2002).
Yzerman won numerous awards during his career, including the Lester B. Pearson Award
in 1989, the Conn Smythe Trophy
as the Most Valuable Player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1998
, the Selke Trophy
as the league's best defensive forward in 2000, and the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
for perseverance in 2003. He was a ten-time NHL All-Star, a First Team All-Star
in 2000, and a member of the All-Rookie Team
in 1984.
On July 3, 2006, Yzerman officially retired, finishing his career ranked as the sixth all-time leading scorer in NHL history, having scored a career-high 155 points (65 goals/90 assists) in 1988–89 which has been bettered only by Wayne Gretzky
and Mario Lemieux
. Yzerman's #19
jersey was officially retired on January 2, 2007 during a pre-game ceremony at Joe Louis Arena
in Detroit. On November 4, 2008, he was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. He also became an honoured member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009, his first year of eligibility, inducted alongside 2001–02 Red Wing teammates Brett Hull
and Luc Robitaille
.
On September 25, 2006, Yzerman was named as a Vice President of the Detroit Red Wings. He won a fourth Stanley Cup as the Vice President of Operations in 2007–08. He served as the team's Alternate Governor until he was hired away from the Red Wings to become the general manager for the Tampa Bay Lightning
in May 2010.
Yzerman has represented his country in several international tournaments as a member of Canada's national hockey team (Team Canada). In 2002
, Yzerman won an Olympic gold medal, making him one of few players to win an Olympic gold medal and the Stanley Cup in the same year. Yzerman was the general manager of Team Canada for the 2007 IIHF World Championship
, which they won. Yzerman was appointed Executive Director of Team Canada on October 7, 2008, for the 2010 Winter Olympics
. Team Canada went on to win the gold medal by defeating Team USA.
, British Columbia
, but grew up in Nepean, Ontario
(a suburb of Ottawa
, now a district in that city) where he attended Bell High School
and played for his hometown Nepean Raiders
Junior A hockey team. After one season with the Raiders, the Peterborough Petes
of the Ontario Hockey League
drafted him, and he played centre
for the Petes from 1981 to 1983.
The 1983 NHL Entry Draft
was the first for Mike
and Marian Ilitch, who had purchased the Detroit Red Wings in the summer of 1982. Jim Devellano, the Red Wings' then-general manager, wanted to draft Pat LaFontaine
, who had grown up outside Detroit and played his junior hockey in the area; however, when the New York Islanders
took LaFontaine third overall, Devellano settled on Yzerman, drafting him fourth.
Standing 5'11" and weighing just 160 pounds, the Red Wings were prepared to send Yzerman back to Peterborough for one more year, but "after one (training camp) season, you knew he was a tremendous hockey player," said Ken Holland
, the current Red Wings general manager who was a minor league goaltender for the Wings during Yzerman's rookie training camp. Yzerman tallied 39 goals and 87 points in his rookie season, and finished second in Calder Trophy (rookie of the year) voting. That season, Yzerman also became the first 18-year old to play in an All-Star Game (18 years, 267 days) since the current format was adopted in 1969, which stood as an NHL record for 27 years until Jeff Skinner
broke it by eight days.
, after the 1985-86 season, then-coach Jacques Demers named Yzerman captain of the team on October 7, 1986, making him the youngest captain in the team's history. Demers said he "wanted a guy with the Red Wings crest tattooed on his chest." The next season, Yzerman led the Wings to their first division title in 23 years.
During the 1988–89 season Yzerman recorded 155 points (65 goals/90 assists), a total that only Wayne Gretzky
and Mario Lemieux
have surpassed. Yzerman finished third in regular season scoring behind Lemieux and Gretzky, won the Lester B. Pearson Award
(MVP as voted by the NHLPA), and was a finalist for the Hart Trophy (MVP as voted by the NHL writers).
When Scotty Bowman
took over as coach in 1993, Yzerman initially chafed under Bowman's stern coaching style. Bowman, for his part, felt that Yzerman was not concentrating enough on defense; Bowman had long expected his forwards to be good back-checkers as well. Relations between the two became so strained that at one point, the Red Wings seriously considered trading him to the Ottawa Senators in 1994. However, Yzerman gradually became a better defender, and is now considered one of the best two-way forwards in the history of the game.
In 1995, Yzerman led Detroit to its first Stanley Cup
finals series since 1966, but the Red Wings were swept by the New Jersey Devils
. Before the start of the 1995–96 NHL season, Yzerman's leadership was called into question and soon he had to deal with rumors that he was about to be traded to the Ottawa Senators
, a deal that never materialized. Detroit finished the season with an NHL-record 62 regular season wins and were heavily favored to win the Stanley Cup. Yzerman scored perhaps the most memorable goal of his career in the 1996 playoffs, beating St. Louis Blues goalie Jon Casey
with a slap shot from the blue line to win the Western Conference Semifinals in double overtime of Game 7. However, the Red Wings fell short of their ultimate goal, losing in six games to the Colorado Avalanche
in the Western Conference Finals.
in 42 years by sweeping the Philadelphia Flyers
. The following year Detroit repeated the feat, sweeping the Washington Capitals
and winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup title. Yzerman earned the Conn Smythe Trophy
as playoff MVP. He handed the Cup first to the wheelchair-bound Vladimir Konstantinov
, who had been severely injured in a car accident just six days after the Cup victory in 1997.
On November 26, 1999, Yzerman became the 11th player in NHL history to score 600 goals. In 2000, he made the NHL All-Star First Team
and won the Frank J. Selke Trophy
.
In 2001–02
, Yzerman re-aggravated a knee injury, forcing him to miss 30 regular season games. Yet, he still finished sixth in team scoring. Yzerman's knee greatly pained him during the 2002 Stanley Cup Playoffs
, but this did not stop him from leading the Red Wings from an early 2-0 deficit in their opening round series to defeat the Vancouver Canucks
and St. Louis Blues en route to Detroit's sixth playoff series with the Colorado Avalanche to decide the Western Conference Championship. Detroit defeated Colorado in a seven game series and moved on to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they defeated the Carolina Hurricanes
to win their 10th Stanley Cup championship in their history. Rather than raising the Stanley Cup first, Yzerman passed the Cup to coach Scotty Bowman, who announced his retirement following the game.
. He missed the first 66 games of the 2002–03 season
but got an assist in his first game back on February 27, 2003.
On May 1, 2004, Yzerman was hit in the eye by a deflected slapshot by the Calgary Flames defenseman Rhett Warrener in a playoff game against the Calgary Flames
, breaking his orbital bone and scratching his cornea
. He underwent eye surgery following the incident, and was sidelined for the rest of the 2004 post-season. The eye injury also forced Yzerman to miss the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. Fellow Canadians Joe Thornton
(then of the Boston Bruins
) and Joe Sakic
(Colorado Avalanche
), who each wore the number 19 for their respective NHL clubs and who were now eligible to wear it for team Canada due to Yzerman's enforced absence, both refused the number out of respect for their injured countryman. Yzerman returned in the 2005–06 season, following the lockout, wearing a face shield.
On August 2, 2005, Yzerman signed a one-year deal with the Red Wings; this was his last contract signed as a player. On March 31, 2006 he scored his 691st NHL career goal, passing Mario Lemieux
for 8th place all-time. He scored his final NHL goal, the 692nd of his career, on April 3, 2006, in a game against the Calgary Flames.
On July 3, 2006, Yzerman announced his retirement. Shortly afterwards Sports Illustrated
published a special commemorative edition dedicated to Yzerman entitled "Yzerman: A Salute to Stevie Y", which featured Yzerman's first appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Yzerman currently holds the NHL record (19 seasons/20 years, and 1303 games wearing the "C") as the longest serving captain of a single team. In addition to being eighth all-time in regular-season goals and sixth in overall scoring, Yzerman finished his career seventh all-time in regular season assists, and eighth in all-time playoff scoring. He ranks second in nearly every significant offensive category in Red Wings history behind Gordie Howe
except assists; Yzerman has 1,063 assists to Howe's 1,020. Only Howe (1,687 games) and Alex Delvecchio
(1,550 games) played more games as a Red Wing than Yzerman's 1,514.
On January 2, 2007, the Red Wings retired Yzerman's jersey #19, before a game against the Anaheim Ducks
. As an additional honor the captain's "C" was added to the corner of his banner to forever commemorate him as "The Captain". The official retirement ceremony was hosted by Yzerman's long-time friend, former NHL goalie and ESPN
hockey analyst Darren Pang and featured such Red Wing luminaries as Gordie Howe
, Ted Lindsay
, Alex Delvecchio
(the three still-living Red Wings players to have their uniform numbers retired by the team), and Scotty Bowman
. For the ceremony, the active Red Wings players wore Yzerman throwback jerseys representing the Red Wings, Team Canada (Canada won gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games
), the Campbell Conference All-Star team and the Peterborough Petes
. Former teammate Vladimir Konstantinov
attended the ceremony, walking across the ice for the first time without a wheelchair since his last game in the 1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
On January 30, 2007, Hockey Canada named Yzerman the general manager of Team Canada for the 2007 IIHF World Championship
in Moscow (April 27-May 13), where they beat Finland with a score of 4-2 on Sunday May 13 to win the Championship. Yzerman is one of the most powerful figures in Red Wings history and NHL history, and is considered a hero outside hockey as well. On January 2, 2007, Yzerman was presented the key to the city of Detroit by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
at a luncheon prior to the jersey retirement ceremony. On January 13, 2007, Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm
(incidentally another Canadian-American
) visited Detroit and the Joe Louis Arena
and proclaimed the day as "Steve Yzerman Day” in the state of Michigan. On January 11, 2008, when the Red Wings visited Ottawa to play the Senators, Yzerman was inducted into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame. Yzerman received another honor when he was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
on February 11, 2008. Yzerman was voted as the NHL's greatest captain by the fans in the 2008–09 season.
On June 23, 2009, it was announced that Yzerman will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
. He was honored during the November 6–9 induction weekend alongside his former Red Wings teammates Brett Hull
and Luc Robitaille
, as well as Brian Leetch
.
, having assembled several rosters between 2007 and 2010 for Hockey Canada. However, after Red Wings general Ken Holland
, the general manager of the team since 1997, was given a contract extension to continue in his role, and with his path to GM also blocked by assistant GM Jim Nill, who himself had been given another long-term deal, it became clear that it would not be with the Red Wings. Not long after Holland received his extension, Craig Leipold
, owner of the Minnesota Wild
, and Jeffrey Vinik
, the then-new owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning
, sought to hire Yzerman as general manager. After turning down the Minnesota job before the 2009-10 season ended, Yzerman accepted the Lightning job, and was named the team's new vice-president and general manager on May 25, 2010. In the off-season, and early in his new reign, he re-signed Martin St. Louis
; signed defenceman Pavel Kubina
for his second tenure with the team; signed free agent
goaltender
Dan Ellis
to a 2-year contract; signed defenceman Brett Clark; and brought in left-winger Simon Gagné
in a trade that saw Matt Walker and a fourth-round pick in 2011 depart Tampa Bay. Mid-season he traded for Dwayne Roloson
and the Tampa Bay Lightning reached the Eastern Conference Finals, a year after they hadn't even qualified for the playoffs. Yzerman was nominated for the NHL General Manager of the Year Award
.
. Yzerman has acquired naturalized United States' citizenship
, due to his many years of residence in Michigan.
Not far from where Steve Yzerman grew up, the Nepean Sportsplex named one of its indoor ice surfaces the Steve Yzerman Arena in 1997 in his honour. This is the home rink of the CJHL's Nepean Raiders
, the Tier II Junior "A" team Yzerman played on during the 1980–81 season. The Raiders currently play in the Yzerman Division.
The CJHL
divisions have been renamed the Robinson and Yzerman divisions after two of its most prominent alumni, Yzerman and Larry Robinson
.
* = Stanley Cup Winner
in:
Yzerman was considered a leading candidate for the captaincy of Team Canada in 1998, along with Wayne Gretzky
and Ray Bourque
. Yzerman had led the Detroit Red Wings to the Stanley Cup during the previous season and he was one of the longest serving team captains. However, General Manager Bobby Clarke
instead selected Eric Lindros
.
In late 2005, after Yzerman ruled himself out of a third Olympic appearance, Wayne Gretzky announced that no one would be allowed to wear jersey #19 for Team Canada for the 2006 Olympics, in Yzerman's honor (#19 was later unretired by Yzerman when he managed Team Canada for the 2010 Olympics).
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player and current general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
of the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
. Yzerman played his entire National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
.
Prior to the 1986–87 season at the age of 21, Yzerman was named captain
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
of the Red Wings and continuously served for the next two decades (dressing as captain for over 1300 games), retiring as the longest-serving captain of any team in North American major league sports history. Once voted to be the most popular athlete in Detroit
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
sports history, locals often simply refer to Yzerman as "The Captain." Yzerman led the Wings to five first-place regular season finishes
Presidents' Trophy
The Presidents' Trophy is an award presented by the National Hockey League to the team that finishes with the most points in the league during the regular season. If two teams tie for the most points, then the trophy goes to the team with the most wins. The winning team is also awarded C$350,000...
and three Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
championships (1997, 1998, and 2002).
Yzerman won numerous awards during his career, including the Lester B. Pearson Award
Lester B. Pearson Award
The Ted Lindsay Award, formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players Association. It has been awarded 40 times to 23 different players since its beginnings...
in 1989, the Conn Smythe Trophy
Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged most valuable to his team during the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup playoffs. The Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded 46 times to 40 players since the 1964–65 NHL season...
as the Most Valuable Player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 1998
1998 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 1998 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championship of the National Hockey League , began in April, 1998 following the 1997–98 regular season. The sixteen teams that qualified, eight from each conference, played best-of-7 series for conference quarterfinals, semifinals and championships, and then the...
, the Selke Trophy
Frank J. Selke Trophy
The Frank J. Selke Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association following the regular season. It has been awarded 33 times to...
as the league's best defensive forward in 2000, and the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy
The Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association after each team nominates one...
for perseverance in 2003. He was a ten-time NHL All-Star, a First Team All-Star
NHL All-Star Team
The NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
in 2000, and a member of the All-Rookie Team
NHL All-Rookie Team
The NHL All-Rookie Team is chosen by the Professional Hockey Writers' Association from the best rookies in the National Hockey League at each position for the season just concluded based on their performance in that year...
in 1984.
On July 3, 2006, Yzerman officially retired, finishing his career ranked as the sixth all-time leading scorer in NHL history, having scored a career-high 155 points (65 goals/90 assists) in 1988–89 which has been bettered only by Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
and Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux, OC, CQ is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. He played 17 seasons as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 1984 and 2006...
. Yzerman's #19
19 (number)
19 is the natural number following 18 and preceding 20. It is a prime number.In English speech, the numbers 19 and 90 are often confused. When carefully enunciated, they differ in which syllable is stressed: 19 vs 90...
jersey was officially retired on January 2, 2007 during a pre-game ceremony at Joe Louis Arena
Joe Louis Arena
Joe Louis Arena, nicknamed The Joe and JLA is a hockey arena located at 600 Civic Center Drive in Detroit, Michigan. It is the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Completed in 1979 at a cost of $57 million, Joe Louis Arena is named after boxer and former heavyweight...
in Detroit. On November 4, 2008, he was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. He also became an honoured member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009, his first year of eligibility, inducted alongside 2001–02 Red Wing teammates Brett Hull
Brett Hull
Brett Andrew Hull is a former Canadian-American NHL player and the former Executive Vice President of the Dallas Stars. He is the son of Bobby Hull and nephew of Dennis Hull, both former NHL players. Hull is also known as "The Golden Brett," which is a play off of his father's nickname, "The...
and Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During his 19-season National Hockey League career, Robitaille won a Stanley Cup in 2001–02 with the Detroit Red Wings, and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, but is most known for his fourteen seasons,...
.
On September 25, 2006, Yzerman was named as a Vice President of the Detroit Red Wings. He won a fourth Stanley Cup as the Vice President of Operations in 2007–08. He served as the team's Alternate Governor until he was hired away from the Red Wings to become the general manager for the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
in May 2010.
Yzerman has represented his country in several international tournaments as a member of Canada's national hockey team (Team Canada). In 2002
Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics were held at the E Center in West Valley City and Peaks Ice Arena in Provo, Utah. Both the men's and women's tournaments were won by Canada, defeating the host USA in both games.-Men:...
, Yzerman won an Olympic gold medal, making him one of few players to win an Olympic gold medal and the Stanley Cup in the same year. Yzerman was the general manager of Team Canada for the 2007 IIHF World Championship
2007 IIHF World Championship
The 2007 IIHF World Championship were held between April 27 and May 13, 2007 in Moscow, Russia. It was the 71st annual world championship event run by the International Ice Hockey Federation...
, which they won. Yzerman was appointed Executive Director of Team Canada on October 7, 2008, for the 2010 Winter Olympics
2010 Winter Olympics
The 2010 Winter Olympics, officially the XXI Olympic Winter Games or the 21st Winter Olympics, were a major international multi-sport event held from February 12–28, 2010, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Richmond, West Vancouver and the University...
. Team Canada went on to win the gold medal by defeating Team USA.
Early years
Yzerman was born in CranbrookCranbrook, British Columbia
Cranbrook, British Columbia is a city in southeast British Columbia, located on the west side of the Kootenay River at its confluence with the St. Mary's River, It is the largest urban centre in the region known as the East Kootenay. As of 2006, Cranbrook's population is 18,267, and the...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, but grew up in Nepean, Ontario
Nepean, Ontario
- Recent quantity of snow :- History :Nepean Township, originally known as Township D, was established in 1792 and originally included what is now the central area of Ottawa west of the Rideau River. Jehiel Collins, from Vermont, is believed to have been the first person to settle in Nepean...
(a suburb of Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, now a district in that city) where he attended Bell High School
Bell High School (Ottawa)
Bell High School is a high school located in Bells Corners of Ottawa, Canada. Established in 1962 by the Carleton Board of Education as a public high school, it currently serves as one of the only two facilities with the prestigious OCDSB Gifted Program...
and played for his hometown Nepean Raiders
Nepean Raiders
The Nepean Raiders are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team from Nepean, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Central Canada Hockey League. The town of Nepean was granted expansion after the Cornwall Royals and the Hull Hawks left the CJHL for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League...
Junior A hockey team. After one season with the Raiders, the Peterborough Petes
Peterborough Petes
The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league.-History:...
of the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
drafted him, and he played centre
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
for the Petes from 1981 to 1983.
The 1983 NHL Entry Draft
1983 NHL Entry Draft
The 1983 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, on June 8, 1983. The NHL Entry Draft is the primary means by which players arrive in the National Hockey League. The St. Louis Blues did not participate in this draft, shortly after the league blocked the franchise's...
was the first for Mike
Mike Ilitch
Michael "Mike" Ilitch Sr. is an American entrepreneur and owner of the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers. In addition to his sports ownerships, he is the founder and owner of Little Caesars Pizza since 1959, which has become an international fast food franchise...
and Marian Ilitch, who had purchased the Detroit Red Wings in the summer of 1982. Jim Devellano, the Red Wings' then-general manager, wanted to draft Pat LaFontaine
Pat LaFontaine
Patrick Michael LaFontaine is an American former ice hockey center in the National Hockey League who spent his entire career playing for the league's New York-based teams; LaFontaine skated for the New York Islanders from 1983 until 1991, the Buffalo Sabres from 1991 until 1997, and the New York...
, who had grown up outside Detroit and played his junior hockey in the area; however, when the New York Islanders
New York Islanders
The New York Islanders are a professional ice hockey team based in Uniondale, New York. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
took LaFontaine third overall, Devellano settled on Yzerman, drafting him fourth.
Standing 5'11" and weighing just 160 pounds, the Red Wings were prepared to send Yzerman back to Peterborough for one more year, but "after one (training camp) season, you knew he was a tremendous hockey player," said Ken Holland
Ken Holland
Kenneth Mark Holland is a retired Canadian professional goaltender and current General Manager and executive Vice President of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Holland was drafted in the 12th round, 188th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1975 NHL Entry Draft...
, the current Red Wings general manager who was a minor league goaltender for the Wings during Yzerman's rookie training camp. Yzerman tallied 39 goals and 87 points in his rookie season, and finished second in Calder Trophy (rookie of the year) voting. That season, Yzerman also became the first 18-year old to play in an All-Star Game (18 years, 267 days) since the current format was adopted in 1969, which stood as an NHL record for 27 years until Jeff Skinner
Jeff Skinner
Jeffrey Skinner is a Canadian ice hockey player for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League . Selected seventh overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Skinner was the youngest player in the NHL during the season.-Early life:Skinner was born to lawyers Andrew...
broke it by eight days.
Becoming a leader
Following the departure of the previous captain, Danny GareDanny Gare
Daniel Mirl Gare is a retired National Hockey League player, most notably of the Buffalo Sabres. During a 14-year professional career, Gare also played for the Detroit Red Wings and Edmonton Oilers. He was a two-time All-Star right winger who twice scored 50 goals for the Buffalo Sabres,...
, after the 1985-86 season, then-coach Jacques Demers named Yzerman captain of the team on October 7, 1986, making him the youngest captain in the team's history. Demers said he "wanted a guy with the Red Wings crest tattooed on his chest." The next season, Yzerman led the Wings to their first division title in 23 years.
During the 1988–89 season Yzerman recorded 155 points (65 goals/90 assists), a total that only Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
and Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux, OC, CQ is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. He played 17 seasons as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 1984 and 2006...
have surpassed. Yzerman finished third in regular season scoring behind Lemieux and Gretzky, won the Lester B. Pearson Award
Lester B. Pearson Award
The Ted Lindsay Award, formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players Association. It has been awarded 40 times to 23 different players since its beginnings...
(MVP as voted by the NHLPA), and was a finalist for the Hart Trophy (MVP as voted by the NHL writers).
When Scotty Bowman
Scotty Bowman
William Scott "Scotty" Bowman is a retired National Hockey League head coach. He holds the record for most wins in league history, with 1,244 wins in the regular season and 223 in the Stanley Cup playoffs. He coached the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, and...
took over as coach in 1993, Yzerman initially chafed under Bowman's stern coaching style. Bowman, for his part, felt that Yzerman was not concentrating enough on defense; Bowman had long expected his forwards to be good back-checkers as well. Relations between the two became so strained that at one point, the Red Wings seriously considered trading him to the Ottawa Senators in 1994. However, Yzerman gradually became a better defender, and is now considered one of the best two-way forwards in the history of the game.
In 1995, Yzerman led Detroit to its first Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
finals series since 1966, but the Red Wings were swept by the New Jersey Devils
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Before the start of the 1995–96 NHL season, Yzerman's leadership was called into question and soon he had to deal with rumors that he was about to be traded to the Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, a deal that never materialized. Detroit finished the season with an NHL-record 62 regular season wins and were heavily favored to win the Stanley Cup. Yzerman scored perhaps the most memorable goal of his career in the 1996 playoffs, beating St. Louis Blues goalie Jon Casey
Jon Casey
Jonathan James Casey is a retired American ice hockey goaltender.Jon Casey was born in Grand Rapids Minnesota to James and Colleen Casey. He is the second of four children...
with a slap shot from the blue line to win the Western Conference Semifinals in double overtime of Game 7. However, the Red Wings fell short of their ultimate goal, losing in six games to the Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
in the Western Conference Finals.
The glory years
In 1997, Yzerman put to rest all doubts of his ability to lead a team to a championship as Detroit won its first Stanley CupStanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
in 42 years by sweeping the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. The following year Detroit repeated the feat, sweeping the Washington Capitals
Washington Capitals
The Washington Capitals are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Since their founding in 1974, "The Caps" have won one conference championship to reach the 1998 Stanley Cup...
and winning their second consecutive Stanley Cup title. Yzerman earned the Conn Smythe Trophy
Conn Smythe Trophy
The Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged most valuable to his team during the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup playoffs. The Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded 46 times to 40 players since the 1964–65 NHL season...
as playoff MVP. He handed the Cup first to the wheelchair-bound Vladimir Konstantinov
Vladimir Konstantinov
Vladimir Nikolaevich Konstantinov is a Russian retired professional ice hockey player who played his entire National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings. Previously, he had played for Soviet club CSKA Moscow...
, who had been severely injured in a car accident just six days after the Cup victory in 1997.
On November 26, 1999, Yzerman became the 11th player in NHL history to score 600 goals. In 2000, he made the NHL All-Star First Team
NHL All-Star Team
The NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
and won the Frank J. Selke Trophy
Frank J. Selke Trophy
The Frank J. Selke Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association following the regular season. It has been awarded 33 times to...
.
In 2001–02
2001–02 Detroit Red Wings season
The 2001–02 Detroit Red Wings season was the 76th National Hockey League season in Detroit, Michigan. The Wings scored 116 points, winning the Central Division, their third Presidents' Trophy, and home ice throughout the playoffs...
, Yzerman re-aggravated a knee injury, forcing him to miss 30 regular season games. Yet, he still finished sixth in team scoring. Yzerman's knee greatly pained him during the 2002 Stanley Cup Playoffs
2002 Stanley Cup Playoffs
The 2002 Stanley Cup playoffs, the championships of the National Hockey League, was played from April until June. The Detroit Red Wings defeated the Carolina Hurricanes four games to one to clinch the 10th championship in their history. It was the Hurricanes first ever appearance in the...
, but this did not stop him from leading the Red Wings from an early 2-0 deficit in their opening round series to defeat the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
and St. Louis Blues en route to Detroit's sixth playoff series with the Colorado Avalanche to decide the Western Conference Championship. Detroit defeated Colorado in a seven game series and moved on to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they defeated the Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...
to win their 10th Stanley Cup championship in their history. Rather than raising the Stanley Cup first, Yzerman passed the Cup to coach Scotty Bowman, who announced his retirement following the game.
Late career
That fall, Yzerman underwent a knee realignment surgery known as an osteotomyOsteotomy
An osteotomy is a surgical operation whereby a bone is cut to shorten, lengthen, or change its alignment. It is sometimes performed to correct a hallux valgus, or to straighten a bone that has healed crookedly following a fracture. It is also used to correct a coxa vara, genu valgum, and genu varum...
. He missed the first 66 games of the 2002–03 season
2002–03 Detroit Red Wings season
The 2002–03 Detroit Red Wings season was the 77th National Hockey League season in Detroit, Michigan. The Wings scored 110 points, winning the Central Division, but just one point behind the Dallas Stars for the Western Conference's first seed....
but got an assist in his first game back on February 27, 2003.
On May 1, 2004, Yzerman was hit in the eye by a deflected slapshot by the Calgary Flames defenseman Rhett Warrener in a playoff game against the Calgary Flames
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is the third major-professional ice hockey team to represent the city of Calgary, following the...
, breaking his orbital bone and scratching his cornea
Cornea
The cornea is the transparent front part of the eye that covers the iris, pupil, and anterior chamber. Together with the lens, the cornea refracts light, with the cornea accounting for approximately two-thirds of the eye's total optical power. In humans, the refractive power of the cornea is...
. He underwent eye surgery following the incident, and was sidelined for the rest of the 2004 post-season. The eye injury also forced Yzerman to miss the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. Fellow Canadians Joe Thornton
Joe Thornton
Joseph Eric Thornton is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League . He was selected first overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft and went on to play seven seasons with the club, five as its Captain. During the...
(then of the Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
) and Joe Sakic
Joe Sakic
Joseph Steven "Joe" Sakic is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player and current hockey executive. He played his entire National Hockey League career with the Quebec Nordiques/Colorado Avalanche franchise. In his 20-year tenure, Sakic won the Stanley Cup twice, captured numerous NHL...
(Colorado Avalanche
Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
), who each wore the number 19 for their respective NHL clubs and who were now eligible to wear it for team Canada due to Yzerman's enforced absence, both refused the number out of respect for their injured countryman. Yzerman returned in the 2005–06 season, following the lockout, wearing a face shield.
On August 2, 2005, Yzerman signed a one-year deal with the Red Wings; this was his last contract signed as a player. On March 31, 2006 he scored his 691st NHL career goal, passing Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux, OC, CQ is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. He played 17 seasons as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 1984 and 2006...
for 8th place all-time. He scored his final NHL goal, the 692nd of his career, on April 3, 2006, in a game against the Calgary Flames.
On July 3, 2006, Yzerman announced his retirement. Shortly afterwards Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
published a special commemorative edition dedicated to Yzerman entitled "Yzerman: A Salute to Stevie Y", which featured Yzerman's first appearance on the cover of Sports Illustrated.
Yzerman currently holds the NHL record (19 seasons/20 years, and 1303 games wearing the "C") as the longest serving captain of a single team. In addition to being eighth all-time in regular-season goals and sixth in overall scoring, Yzerman finished his career seventh all-time in regular season assists, and eighth in all-time playoff scoring. He ranks second in nearly every significant offensive category in Red Wings history behind Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe
Gordon "Gordie" Howe, OC is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League , and the Houston Aeros and New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association . Howe is often referred to as Mr...
except assists; Yzerman has 1,063 assists to Howe's 1,020. Only Howe (1,687 games) and Alex Delvecchio
Alex Delvecchio
Alexander Peter "Fats" Delvecchio is a former ice hockey player and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.After playing a single junior league season for the Oshawa Generals of the OHA Delvecchio joined the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League for the 1952 season, and helped the team to...
(1,550 games) played more games as a Red Wing than Yzerman's 1,514.
Front office
On September 25, 2006, the Red Wings named Yzerman a team vice president and alternate governor.Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
. As an additional honor the captain's "C" was added to the corner of his banner to forever commemorate him as "The Captain". The official retirement ceremony was hosted by Yzerman's long-time friend, former NHL goalie and ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
hockey analyst Darren Pang and featured such Red Wing luminaries as Gordie Howe
Gordie Howe
Gordon "Gordie" Howe, OC is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player who played for the Detroit Red Wings and Hartford Whalers of the National Hockey League , and the Houston Aeros and New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association . Howe is often referred to as Mr...
, Ted Lindsay
Ted Lindsay
Robert Blake Theodore Lindsay is a former professional ice hockey player, a forward for the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks of the National Hockey League . He scored over 800 points in his Hockey Hall of Fame career, won the Art Ross Trophy in 1950, and won the Stanley Cup four times...
, Alex Delvecchio
Alex Delvecchio
Alexander Peter "Fats" Delvecchio is a former ice hockey player and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.After playing a single junior league season for the Oshawa Generals of the OHA Delvecchio joined the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League for the 1952 season, and helped the team to...
(the three still-living Red Wings players to have their uniform numbers retired by the team), and Scotty Bowman
Scotty Bowman
William Scott "Scotty" Bowman is a retired National Hockey League head coach. He holds the record for most wins in league history, with 1,244 wins in the regular season and 223 in the Stanley Cup playoffs. He coached the St. Louis Blues, Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, and...
. For the ceremony, the active Red Wings players wore Yzerman throwback jerseys representing the Red Wings, Team Canada (Canada won gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympic Games
Winter Olympic Games
The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating...
), the Campbell Conference All-Star team and the Peterborough Petes
Peterborough Petes
The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league.-History:...
. Former teammate Vladimir Konstantinov
Vladimir Konstantinov
Vladimir Nikolaevich Konstantinov is a Russian retired professional ice hockey player who played his entire National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings. Previously, he had played for Soviet club CSKA Moscow...
attended the ceremony, walking across the ice for the first time without a wheelchair since his last game in the 1997 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
On January 30, 2007, Hockey Canada named Yzerman the general manager of Team Canada for the 2007 IIHF World Championship
2007 IIHF World Championship
The 2007 IIHF World Championship were held between April 27 and May 13, 2007 in Moscow, Russia. It was the 71st annual world championship event run by the International Ice Hockey Federation...
in Moscow (April 27-May 13), where they beat Finland with a score of 4-2 on Sunday May 13 to win the Championship. Yzerman is one of the most powerful figures in Red Wings history and NHL history, and is considered a hero outside hockey as well. On January 2, 2007, Yzerman was presented the key to the city of Detroit by Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick
Kwame Kilpatrick
Kwame Malik Kilpatrick is a former mayor of Detroit, Michigan. Kilpatrick's mayorship was plagued by numerous scandals and rampant accusations of corruption, with the mayor eventually resigning after being charged with ten felony counts, including perjury and obstruction of justice...
at a luncheon prior to the jersey retirement ceremony. On January 13, 2007, Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm
Jennifer Granholm
Jennifer Mulhern Granholm is a Canadian-born American politician, educator, and author who served as Attorney General and 47th Governor of the U.S. state of Michigan. A member of the Democratic Party, Granholm became Michigan's first female governor on January 1, 2003, when she succeeded Governor...
(incidentally another Canadian-American
Canadian-American
A Canadian American is someone who was born or someone who grew up in Canada then moved to the United States. The term is particularly apt when applied or self-applied to people with strong ties to Canada, such as those who have lived a significant portion of their lives in, or were educated in,...
) visited Detroit and the Joe Louis Arena
Joe Louis Arena
Joe Louis Arena, nicknamed The Joe and JLA is a hockey arena located at 600 Civic Center Drive in Detroit, Michigan. It is the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Completed in 1979 at a cost of $57 million, Joe Louis Arena is named after boxer and former heavyweight...
and proclaimed the day as "Steve Yzerman Day” in the state of Michigan. On January 11, 2008, when the Red Wings visited Ottawa to play the Senators, Yzerman was inducted into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame. Yzerman received another honor when he was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
Michigan Sports Hall of Fame
The Michigan Sports Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame to honor Michigan sports people. It was organized in 1954 by Michigan Lieutenant Governor Philip Hart, Michigan State University athletic director Biggie Munn, president of the Greater Michigan Foundation Donald Weeks, general manager of the...
on February 11, 2008. Yzerman was voted as the NHL's greatest captain by the fans in the 2008–09 season.
On June 23, 2009, it was announced that Yzerman will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame
Hockey Hall of Fame
The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
. He was honored during the November 6–9 induction weekend alongside his former Red Wings teammates Brett Hull
Brett Hull
Brett Andrew Hull is a former Canadian-American NHL player and the former Executive Vice President of the Dallas Stars. He is the son of Bobby Hull and nephew of Dennis Hull, both former NHL players. Hull is also known as "The Golden Brett," which is a play off of his father's nickname, "The...
and Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille
Luc Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During his 19-season National Hockey League career, Robitaille won a Stanley Cup in 2001–02 with the Detroit Red Wings, and played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers, but is most known for his fourteen seasons,...
, as well as Brian Leetch
Brian Leetch
Brian Joseph Leetch is a retired American professional ice hockey defenseman who played 18 National Hockey League seasons with the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Boston Bruins. He is generally considered one of the top defensemen in NHL history, being particularly noted for his...
.
Vancouver 2010 Olympics
In 2009, he was named Executive Director for the Canadian men's hockey team at the 2010 Winter Olympics. The Canadian team he put together went on the win the gold, the first gold won by a home team in ice hockey since the 1980 USA Olympic hockey team. Yzerman said he would consider coming back as head of the Canadian team in 2014. Yzerman went on saying that “I loved it, but it was very stressful. Given the chance to represent Canada and be the guy in charge, if somebody offered it to me, I didn't hesitate the first time, I wouldn't hesitate again."Leaving Detroit for Tampa Bay
Yzerman had expressed his desire to run a team while with the Red Wings front office since the later part of his playing career, and had gained experience in running a team through his work with Hockey CanadaHockey Canada
Hockey Canada, formally known as the Canadian Hockey Association, is the national governing body of ice hockey in Canada and is a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation. Hockey Canada controls a vast majority of ice hockey in Canada, with a few exceptions...
, having assembled several rosters between 2007 and 2010 for Hockey Canada. However, after Red Wings general Ken Holland
Ken Holland
Kenneth Mark Holland is a retired Canadian professional goaltender and current General Manager and executive Vice President of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Holland was drafted in the 12th round, 188th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1975 NHL Entry Draft...
, the general manager of the team since 1997, was given a contract extension to continue in his role, and with his path to GM also blocked by assistant GM Jim Nill, who himself had been given another long-term deal, it became clear that it would not be with the Red Wings. Not long after Holland received his extension, Craig Leipold
Craig Leipold
Craig Leipold is an American businessman. He is known for owning two professional ice hockey teams in the National Hockey League. He formerly owned the Nashville Predators and is the majority owner of the Minnesota Wild...
, owner of the Minnesota Wild
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League ....
, and Jeffrey Vinik
Jeffrey Vinik
Jeffrey N. Vinik is the current owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Tampa Bay Storm , as well as a minority owner of the Boston Red Sox...
, the then-new owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning
Tampa Bay Lightning
The Tampa Bay Lightning are a professional ice hockey team based in Tampa, Florida. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . They have one Stanley Cup championship in their history, in 2003–04. They are often referred to as the...
, sought to hire Yzerman as general manager. After turning down the Minnesota job before the 2009-10 season ended, Yzerman accepted the Lightning job, and was named the team's new vice-president and general manager on May 25, 2010. In the off-season, and early in his new reign, he re-signed Martin St. Louis
Martin St. Louis
Martin St. Louis is a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger and alternate captain currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League .-Playing career:...
; signed defenceman Pavel Kubina
Pavel Kubina
Pavel Kubina is a Czech professional ice hockey defenceman, and is currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning.-Playing career:Kubina started his professional career with HC Vítkovice of the Czech Extraliga...
for his second tenure with the team; signed free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
goaltender
Goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender is the player who defends his team's goal net by stopping shots of the puck from entering his team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring...
Dan Ellis
Dan Ellis
Daniel Ellis is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who currently plays for the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League...
to a 2-year contract; signed defenceman Brett Clark; and brought in left-winger Simon Gagné
Simon Gagné
Simon Gagné is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League . Prior to Los Angeles, he spent the first 10 seasons of his NHL career with the Philadelphia Flyers and another with the Tampa Bay Lightning.Drafted out of the Quebec Major Junior...
in a trade that saw Matt Walker and a fourth-round pick in 2011 depart Tampa Bay. Mid-season he traded for Dwayne Roloson
Dwayne Roloson
Albert Dwayne Roloson is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning in the National Hockey League . He has previously played for the Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Edmonton Oilers, and New York Islanders during his professional career...
and the Tampa Bay Lightning reached the Eastern Conference Finals, a year after they hadn't even qualified for the playoffs. Yzerman was nominated for the NHL General Manager of the Year Award
NHL General Manager of the Year Award
The General Manager of the Year Award is awarded annually to the top National Hockey League general manager as voted by "a 40-member panel that included all 30 general managers, five NHL executives and five media members." The current title holder is Mike Gillis of the Vancouver Canucks.-History:In...
.
Personal life
Yzerman and his wife Lisa Brennan (born 17 June 1965) were married on June 10, 1989, and have three daughters, Isabella Katherine (born 23 February 1994), Maria Charlotte (born 21 April 1998), and Sophia Rose (born 14 May 1999). They reside in Bloomfield Hills, MichiganBloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan, northwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,869...
. Yzerman has acquired naturalized United States' citizenship
Naturalization
Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen of that country at the time of birth....
, due to his many years of residence in Michigan.
Not far from where Steve Yzerman grew up, the Nepean Sportsplex named one of its indoor ice surfaces the Steve Yzerman Arena in 1997 in his honour. This is the home rink of the CJHL's Nepean Raiders
Nepean Raiders
The Nepean Raiders are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team from Nepean, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Central Canada Hockey League. The town of Nepean was granted expansion after the Cornwall Royals and the Hull Hawks left the CJHL for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League...
, the Tier II Junior "A" team Yzerman played on during the 1980–81 season. The Raiders currently play in the Yzerman Division.
The CJHL
Central Junior A Hockey League
The Central Canada Hockey League is a Canadian Junior "A" ice hockey league operating in eastern Ontario, Canada. The league is sanctioned by the Ottawa District Hockey Association and Hockey Canada and is a member of the Canadian Junior Hockey League...
divisions have been renamed the Robinson and Yzerman divisions after two of its most prominent alumni, Yzerman and Larry Robinson
Larry Robinson
Larry Clark Robinson is a former ice hockey player and coach in the National Hockey League. Robinson was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995 and is currently the defensive coach for the New Jersey Devils...
.
Awards and achievements
- NHL All-Star Game Roster - 1984 (first 18-year old to be selected to the roster), 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000
- NHL First Team All-StarNHL All-Star TeamThe NHL All-Star Teams were first named at the end of the 1930–31 NHL season, to honor the best performers over the season at each position.Representatives of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association vote for the All-Star Team at the end of the regular season.The career leaders in citations are...
- 2000 - Lester B. Pearson AwardLester B. Pearson AwardThe Ted Lindsay Award, formerly known as the Lester B. Pearson Award, is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's most outstanding player in the regular season as judged by the members of the NHL Players Association. It has been awarded 40 times to 23 different players since its beginnings...
- 1989 - Conn Smythe TrophyConn Smythe TrophyThe Conn Smythe Trophy is awarded annually to the player judged most valuable to his team during the National Hockey League's Stanley Cup playoffs. The Conn Smythe Trophy has been awarded 46 times to 40 players since the 1964–65 NHL season...
- 1998 - Frank J. Selke TrophyFrank J. Selke TrophyThe Frank J. Selke Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League forward who demonstrates the most skill in the defensive component of the game. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association following the regular season. It has been awarded 33 times to...
- 2000 - Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
Champion - 19971997 Stanley Cup FinalsThe 1997 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the Detroit Red Wings and the Philadelphia Flyers. Detroit was in the Final for the second time in three years while the Flyers were making their first appearance since the 1987 Final...
, 19981998 Stanley Cup Finals- Detroit Red Wings - 1998 Stanley Cup Champions :- Stanley Cup engravings :* Wally Crossman was oldest person engraved on the Stanley Cup at age 87....
, 20022002 Stanley Cup FinalsThe 2002 Stanley Cup Finals was contested by the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings and the Eastern Conference champion Carolina Hurricanes, making their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance. Detroit defeated Carolina in five games to win their tenth Stanley Cup championship...
, 20082008 Stanley Cup FinalsThe 2008 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven playoff series that determined the National Hockey League champion for the 2007–08 season. As a culmination of the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings defeated the Eastern Conference champion Pittsburgh...
(as executive) - Bill Masterton Memorial TrophyBill Masterton Memorial TrophyThe Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to ice hockey. The winner is selected by a poll of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association after each team nominates one...
- 2003 - Lester Patrick TrophyLester Patrick TrophyThe Lester Patrick Trophy has been presented by the National Hockey League and USA Hockey since 1966 to honor a recipient's contribution to ice hockey in the United States. It is considered a non-NHL trophy because it may be awarded to players, coaches, officials, and other personnel outside the NHL...
- 2006 - Sixth in NHL history in points, eighth in goals and seventh in assists
- First in Red Wings history in assists; second in points and goals; third in games played; second all-time in seasons and games played with only one NHL franchise
- Longest-serving captain for a team in league history (1,303 games)
- Number (19) retired with Detroit Red Wings - 2007
- Number (19) retired with Canadian Men's National Team - 2005 (though #19 was worn at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics by Joe Thornton)
- Named Vice President of Detroit Red Wings - 2007
- Named General Manager of Team Canada - 2008
- Was Ranked #6 in The Hockey News The Top 60 Since 1967 - The Best Players of the Post Expansion Era
- Inducted into Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame - January 11, 2008
- Inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame - February 11, 2008
- Inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of FameCanada's Sports Hall of FameCanada's Sports Hall of Fame is a hall of fame established in 1955 to "preserve the record of Canadian sports achievements and to promote a greater awareness of Canada's heritage of sport." It is located at Canada Olympic Park in Calgary, Alberta...
- 2008 - Inducted into the Hockey Hall of FameHockey Hall of FameThe Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Dedicated to the history of ice hockey, it is both a museum and a hall of fame. It holds exhibits about players, teams, National Hockey League records, memorabilia and NHL trophies, including the Stanley Cup...
- 2009 - Named General Manager and Vice President of the Tampa Bay Lightning- May 2010
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1980–81 | Nepean Raiders Nepean Raiders The Nepean Raiders are a Canadian Junior ice hockey team from Nepean, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of the Central Canada Hockey League. The town of Nepean was granted expansion after the Cornwall Royals and the Hull Hawks left the CJHL for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League... |
CJHL | 50 | 38 | 54 | 92 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | Peterborough Petes Peterborough Petes The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league.-History:... |
OHL Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada.... |
58 | 21 | 43 | 64 | 65 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 16 | ||
| 1982–83 | Peterborough Petes | OHL | 56 | 42 | 49 | 91 | 65 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 1983–84 | Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
80 | 39 | 48 | 87 | 33 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 1984–85 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 80 | 30 | 59 | 89 | 58 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1985–86 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 51 | 14 | 28 | 42 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 80 | 31 | 59 | 90 | 43 | 16 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 8 | ||
| 1987–88 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 64 | 50 | 52 | 102 | 44 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | ||
| 1988–89 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 80 | 65 | 90 | 155 | 61 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 2 | ||
| 1989–90 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 79 | 62 | 65 | 127 | 79 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 80 | 51 | 57 | 108 | 34 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 4 | ||
| 1991–92 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 79 | 45 | 58 | 103 | 64 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 12 | ||
| 1992–93 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 84 | 58 | 79 | 137 | 44 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 1993–94 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 58 | 24 | 58 | 82 | 36 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 1994–95 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 47 | 12 | 26 | 38 | 40 | 15 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 0 | ||
| 1995–96 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 80 | 36 | 59 | 95 | 64 | 18 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 4 | ||
| 1996–97* | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 81 | 22 | 63 | 85 | 78 | 20 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 4 | ||
| 1997–98* | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 75 | 24 | 45 | 69 | 46 | 22 | 6 | 18 | 24 | 22 | ||
| 1998–99 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 80 | 29 | 45 | 74 | 42 | 10 | 9 | 4 | 13 | 0 | ||
| 1999–00 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 78 | 35 | 44 | 79 | 34 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | ||
| 2000–01 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 54 | 18 | 34 | 52 | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2001–02* | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 52 | 13 | 35 | 48 | 18 | 23 | 6 | 17 | 23 | 10 | ||
| 2002–03 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 16 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 2003–04 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 75 | 18 | 33 | 51 | 46 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 0 | ||
| 2004–05 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | season not played due to 2004–05 NHL lockout | |||||||||||
| 2005–06 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 61 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 18 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 4 | ||
| OHL totals | 114 | 63 | 92 | 155 | 130 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 16 | ||||
| NHL totals | 1514 | 692 | 1063 | 1755 | 924 | 196 | 70 | 115 | 185 | 84 | ||||
- Boldface denotes career high in each statistics.
International play
Played for CanadaCanadian national men's hockey team
The Canadian national ice hockey team is the ice hockey team representing Canada. The team is overseen by Hockey Canada, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation, and participates in international competitions. From 1920 until 1963, Canada's international representation was by senior...
in:
- 1983 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships1983 World Junior Ice Hockey ChampionshipsThe 1983 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was the 7th edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was held in Leningrad, Soviet Union between December 26, 1982 and January 4, 1983...
- 1984 Canada Cup1984 Canada CupThe 1984 Canada Cup was a professional international ice hockey tournament played during the first three weeks of September 1984. The best-of-three final took place between Canada and Sweden, with Canada winning two games to nil...
- 1985 World Ice Hockey Championships1985 World Ice Hockey ChampionshipsThe 1985 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in Prague, Czechoslovakia from 17 April to 3 May. Eight teams took part, with each team playing each other once. The four best teams then played each other again. This was the 50th World Championships, and also the 61st European Championships of...
- 1989 World Ice Hockey Championships1989 World Ice Hockey Championships-Final Round:-Consolation Round:Poland was relegated to Group B.-World Championship Group B :Played in Oslo and Lillehammer March 30th to April 9th. The April 5th game between Norway and Austria was officially adjusted to 8-0 for Norway because of Siegfried Haberl's positive drug test...
- 1990 World Ice Hockey Championships1990 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships-Final Round:-Consolation Round:Norway needing to keep their final game within four goals, lost four to nothing to the Germans, and were relegated....
- 1996 World Cup of Hockey1996 World Cup of HockeyThe first World Cup of Hockey , or 1996 World Cup of Hockey, replaced the Canada Cup as one of the premier championships for professional ice hockey ....
- 1998 Winter OlympicsIce hockey at the 1998 Winter OlympicsIce hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics was played at The Big Hat and Aqua Wing Arena in Nagano, Japan.-Men's tournament:The 1998 Olympic men's ice hockey tournament was the first in which professional players from the National Hockey League were allowed to participate, allowing national teams to...
- 2002 Winter OlympicsIce hockey at the 2002 Winter OlympicsIce hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics were held at the E Center in West Valley City and Peaks Ice Arena in Provo, Utah. Both the men's and women's tournaments were won by Canada, defeating the host USA in both games.-Men:...
International statistics
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | P | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 1983 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships The 1983 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships was the 7th edition of the World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was held in Leningrad, Soviet Union between December 26, 1982 and January 4, 1983... |
Canada Canadian national men's hockey team The Canadian national ice hockey team is the ice hockey team representing Canada. The team is overseen by Hockey Canada, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation, and participates in international competitions. From 1920 until 1963, Canada's international representation was by senior... |
WJC | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | |
| 1984 1984 Canada Cup The 1984 Canada Cup was a professional international ice hockey tournament played during the first three weeks of September 1984. The best-of-three final took place between Canada and Sweden, with Canada winning two games to nil... |
Canada Canadian national men's hockey team The Canadian national ice hockey team is the ice hockey team representing Canada. The team is overseen by Hockey Canada, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation, and participates in international competitions. From 1920 until 1963, Canada's international representation was by senior... |
CC Canada Cup (ice hockey) The Canada Cup was an invitational international ice hockey tournament held on five occasions between 1976 and 1991. The tournament was created to meet demand for a true world championship that allowed the best players from participating nations to compete regardless of their status as professional... |
4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1985 1985 World Ice Hockey Championships The 1985 Ice Hockey World Championships took place in Prague, Czechoslovakia from 17 April to 3 May. Eight teams took part, with each team playing each other once. The four best teams then played each other again. This was the 50th World Championships, and also the 61st European Championships of... |
Canada Canadian national men's hockey team The Canadian national ice hockey team is the ice hockey team representing Canada. The team is overseen by Hockey Canada, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation, and participates in international competitions. From 1920 until 1963, Canada's international representation was by senior... |
WC Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European... |
10 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 6 | |
| 1989 1989 World Ice Hockey Championships -Final Round:-Consolation Round:Poland was relegated to Group B.-World Championship Group B :Played in Oslo and Lillehammer March 30th to April 9th. The April 5th game between Norway and Austria was officially adjusted to 8-0 for Norway because of Siegfried Haberl's positive drug test... |
Canada Canadian national men's hockey team The Canadian national ice hockey team is the ice hockey team representing Canada. The team is overseen by Hockey Canada, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation, and participates in international competitions. From 1920 until 1963, Canada's international representation was by senior... |
WC Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European... |
8 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 2 | |
| 1990 1990 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships -Final Round:-Consolation Round:Norway needing to keep their final game within four goals, lost four to nothing to the Germans, and were relegated.... |
Canada Canadian national men's hockey team The Canadian national ice hockey team is the ice hockey team representing Canada. The team is overseen by Hockey Canada, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation, and participates in international competitions. From 1920 until 1963, Canada's international representation was by senior... |
WC Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation . First officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics, it is the sport's highest profile annual international tournament. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the European... |
10 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 8 | |
| 1996 1996 World Cup of Hockey The first World Cup of Hockey , or 1996 World Cup of Hockey, replaced the Canada Cup as one of the premier championships for professional ice hockey .... |
Canada Canadian national men's hockey team The Canadian national ice hockey team is the ice hockey team representing Canada. The team is overseen by Hockey Canada, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation, and participates in international competitions. From 1920 until 1963, Canada's international representation was by senior... |
WCH World Cup of Hockey The World Cup of Hockey is an international ice hockey tournament. Inaugurated in 1996, it is the successor to the previous Canada Cup, which ran from 1976 to 1991... |
6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1998 Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 1998 Winter Olympics was played at The Big Hat and Aqua Wing Arena in Nagano, Japan.-Men's tournament:The 1998 Olympic men's ice hockey tournament was the first in which professional players from the National Hockey League were allowed to participate, allowing national teams to... |
Canada Canadian national men's hockey team The Canadian national ice hockey team is the ice hockey team representing Canada. The team is overseen by Hockey Canada, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation, and participates in international competitions. From 1920 until 1963, Canada's international representation was by senior... |
Oly. Ice hockey at the Olympic Games Ice hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games programme in 1924. The women's tournament was first held at the 1998 Winter Olympics... |
6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | |
| 2002 Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics Ice hockey at the 2002 Winter Olympics were held at the E Center in West Valley City and Peaks Ice Arena in Provo, Utah. Both the men's and women's tournaments were won by Canada, defeating the host USA in both games.-Men:... |
Canada Canadian national men's hockey team The Canadian national ice hockey team is the ice hockey team representing Canada. The team is overseen by Hockey Canada, a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation, and participates in international competitions. From 1920 until 1963, Canada's international representation was by senior... |
Oly. Ice hockey at the Olympic Games Ice hockey tournaments have been staged at the Olympic Games since 1920. The men's tournament was introduced at the 1920 Summer Olympics and was transferred permanently to the Winter Olympic Games programme in 1924. The women's tournament was first held at the 1998 Winter Olympics... |
6 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 2 | |
| Junior int'l totals | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | |||
| Senior int'l totals | 50 | 23 | 27 | 50 | 28 | |||
Yzerman was considered a leading candidate for the captaincy of Team Canada in 1998, along with Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Gretzky
Wayne Douglas Gretzky, CC is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and former head coach. Nicknamed "The Great One", he is generally regarded as the best player in the history of the National Hockey League , and has been called "the greatest hockey player ever" by many sportswriters,...
and Ray Bourque
Ray Bourque
Raymond Jean "Ray" Bourque is a former Canadian professional ice hockey player. He currently holds records for most goals, assists and points by a defenceman in the National Hockey League . Bourque has become near-synonymous with the Boston Bruins franchise, for which he played 21 seasons and...
. Yzerman had led the Detroit Red Wings to the Stanley Cup during the previous season and he was one of the longest serving team captains. However, General Manager Bobby Clarke
Bobby Clarke
Robert Earle Clarke, OC , better known as Bobby Clarke or, in later life, Bob Clarke, is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played his entire National Hockey League career with the Philadelphia Flyers and is currently an executive with the team...
instead selected Eric Lindros
Eric Lindros
Eric Bryan Lindros is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. Lindros played junior hockey in the OHL for the Oshawa Generals prior to being selected first overall in the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by the Quebec Nordiques...
.
In late 2005, after Yzerman ruled himself out of a third Olympic appearance, Wayne Gretzky announced that no one would be allowed to wear jersey #19 for Team Canada for the 2006 Olympics, in Yzerman's honor (#19 was later unretired by Yzerman when he managed Team Canada for the 2010 Olympics).
See also
- List of NHL statistical leaders
- Captain (ice hockey)Captain (ice hockey)In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
- List of NHL players with 1000 points
- List of NHL players with 500 goals
- List of NHL players with 1000 games played