Detroit News article
July 4, 2006
by Vartan Kupelian

The rookie walked out of the restaurant at the team’s New York hotel with a befuddled look. That’s not all that unusual for a teenager making a first foray to the Big Apple.

He walked head down toward the bus, his attention riveted on the coins in the palm of his hand. He counted the change carefully, but couldn’t make any sense of what had just happened.

Just then, the late Sid Abel, at the time color analyst for the Red Wings and former general manager, coach and Hall of Fame center for the team, appeared from around the corner. Abel spied the young man’s predicament.

Steve Yzerman, the rookie, was trying to sort out how it could have cost him so much money out of his $20 bill to have breakfast. He muttered something about two eggs, toast and coffee — and a $14-plus tab, before the tip.

This was the fall of 1983, a long time ago, and a $20 bill still had some muscle — except maybe in a New York hotel.

Abel was coming around the corner because he’d been around the block — literally and figuratively — more times than he could count. He had breakfast at a nearby diner — two eggs, toast, juice and coffee for $3.99.

The rookie learned his lesson quickly but, then, he always was a quick study.

After 23 years in a Red Wings uniform, nobody can say Yzerman ever shortchanged his hockey team — or his adopted city.

Going fourth

Yzerman was picked fourth overall in the 1983 draft by the Red Wings.

Jimmy Devellano, general manager for the Wings, coveted Michigan native Pat LaFontaine (Waterford) because of his local ties. And, Jimmy D also had eyes for another prospect out of the Quebec League, Sylvain Turgeon. The Wings brass was less enamored with an American high school player, Brian Lawton. They preferred Canadians.

The draft moved along as expected. Lawton was the first choice, of the Minnesota North Stars. He was followed off the board by Turgeon, to Hartford. Both franchises have since relocated, and the reasons can be traced, in part, to the failures of that draft. The New York Islanders, up next, selected LaFontaine. The Wings, crushed, were left to draft a teenager from the Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League.

Yzerman was a terrific prospect but had endured some problems with injuries leading up to his draft year. That was a cause for concern.

And, he wasn’t all that big. But he could beat defenders one-on-one.

And he was plenty big enough where it counted — inside his chest.

On the day of the draft, the Wings proclaimed Yzerman would be the cornerstone of their rebuilding effort and, ultimately, the force behind their return to glory.

All managers say that on draft day. How often does it prove correct?

It did that day in the spring of 1983.

Good sign

Yzerman marked his NHL debut Oct. 5, 1983, with a goal and an assist against the Winnipeg Jets.

He went on to set team rookie records for goals (39) and points (87).

And, Yzerman played in the All-Star Game — in New Jersey, a few miles from where he was indoctrinated to the cost of a New York City breakfast.

Yzerman finished his rookie season as runner-up to goaltender Tom Barrasso, the fifth pick in the draft by Buffalo, in the Calder Trophy voting as the league’s top rookie. But Yzerman was named The Sporting News’ rookie of the year. He had helped the Wings to a 12-point improvement in the standings and their first playoff appearance since 1978.

It was a modest accomplishment, perhaps, but a sign of things to come.

Top appointment

The following season, 1984-85, Yzerman led the Red Wings with 59 assists and finished tied for second in team scoring with 89 points. The Red Wings again made the playoffs.

In his third season, Yzerman missed 29 games after suffering a broken right collarbone in a game against St. Louis in January.

With Yzerman gone for a long stretch, the Wings collapsed, finished 26 points worse in the standings and missed the playoffs.

That led to a purge of the coaching staff and the arrival of Jacques Demers behind the bench.

In 1986, the Wings had an early exhibition in Ontario. Demers had an appearance on Don Cherry’s television show, filmed in Hamilton, and drove there with a reporter while the team bus went ahead to the game.

Demers had something on his mind. As the coach, he had a significant decision to make. In many ways, it would prove to be the most important decision of his coaching career.

For most of the three-hour drive, the conversation revolved around who would replace Danny Gare as the next captain of the Wings.

There was little doubt Demers knew in his heart and mind who he preferred for the role, without ever saying the name.

What he was looking for was affirmation.

He would throw out a name and wait for a reaction. Another name, and another reaction.

After each candidate, he would say, “I know who I want.”

But was the player Demers wanted ready for the duty? After all, he was only 21 and would be, by light years, the youngest captain in the NHL.

Was Yzerman ready to be captain?

Demers knew the answer, and it didn’t take him long to make the appointment.

A few days later, he made the announcement. Yzerman would wear the “C.”

The decision proved Demers not only had a feel for the needs of his team, but also of the young player he had watched from the opposing bench for three seasons. From across the ice, Demers, as coach of the rival St. Louis Blues, had seen talent, leadership, heart, soul and dedication in a red jersey with the No. 19 on the back.

For the next two decades, Yzerman would prove the wisdom of that decision, and Red Wings fans would see it in every game.