USA Today article
December 13, 1996
by Kevin Allen
Detroit Red Wings fans might not have truly appreciated Steve Yzerman until they saw his luggage at the door last year.
Fourteen months ago, the Red Wings pondered trading Yzerman to Ottawa, figuring Sergei Federov was their No. 1 center and a Yzerman deal could fetch a top, young defenseman. But an unanticipated twist developed.
As rumors of the deal surfaced, fans reacted with outrage. Calls to talk shows on radio station WDFN-AM ran 4-1 against trading Yzerman, even though his decade as Red Wings captain was marked by many postseason failures.
What everyone - from the team to media and fans, and even to Yzerman - realized for the first time was that Yzerman quietly had become a Detroit sports icon. Trade talks died, smothered by pro-Yzerman sentiment.
”In terms of popularity, he’s either first or second in Detroit,” says WDFN talk-show host Mike Stone. ”It’s Barry Sanders and him. I don’t even think Grant Hill is there yet.”
