Windsor Star article
September 26, 2006
by Dave Waddell
For much of his 22-year career with the Detroit Red Wings, Steve Yzerman was known as The Captain.
Now you can call him Mr. Vice-President after the Wings announced the 41-year-old has joined the team’s front office.
He’ll work with senior vice-president Jimmy Devellano, GM Ken Holland and assistant GM Jim Nill.
For me, initially, it’s going to be almost an education in how the business works and the management side of running a team,” said Yzerman, who retired July 3 after accumulating 692 goals and 1,755 points in his NHL career.
“What I’ll be doing is spending time with Kenny and Jim Nill and Jimmy D. in the hockey department and observing how they operate, whether it be contract negotiations, player analysis, just sitting in, listening and watching hockey.
“I think I also have some freedom as far as the business side of the organization.”
Steve Yzerman has been named team Vice President for the Detroit Red Wings. He will work closely with Senior Vice President Jim Devellano, GM Ken Holland and Assistant GM Jim Nill on pretty much anything and everything. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that they already reached their decision regarding Yzerman’s role with the team, but I am. Yzerman did get a pretty nice job right away, Gordie Howe wasn’t so lucky.
“It has been apparent for the last decade that Steve would play his entire career with the Red Wings,” said Ilitch. “After retiring as the longest serving captain in NHL history and the on-ice leader of our franchise for 23 years, it is only fitting that he join our management team in a meaningful position. I’m confident Steve will bring the same passion and dedication he displayed on the ice to our management team and help us make the Detroit Red Wings the best we can be.”
Thanks to George at Snapshots for the link.
ESPN.com sports ticker
September 25, 2006
Steve Yzerman is back with the Detroit Red Wings.
The Red Wings on Monday named Yzerman as the team’s vice president and stated that the former captain will work in all aspects of the organization.
“It has been apparent for the last decade that Steve would play his entire career with the Red Wings,” team owner Mike Ilitch said. “After retiring as the longest serving captain in NHL history and the on-ice leader of our franchise for 23 years, it is only fitting that he join our management team in a meaningful position.”
Yzerman, who retired on July 3, collected 692 goals and 1,063 assists in 1,514 career games - all with Detroit. The Red Wings’ captain for a league-record 20 seasons, Yzerman ranks sixth on the NHL’s all-time list with 1,755 career points.
“I’m confident Steve will bring the same passion and dedication he displayed on the ice to our management team and help us make the Detroit Red Wings the best we can be,” Ilitch said.
Bob Duff of the Windsor Star has an article up in the Ottawa Citizen in regards to the team’s first training camp without Yzerman since 1983. Most of the quotes in the article are from his former teammates Tomas Holmstrom and Kris Draper.
“I’ve been here for 10 years and he’s been around for what, 22 or 23 years?” winger Tomas Holmstrom wondered. “That’s amazing.
“Hopefully, he’ll come up and play some golf, so at least we can see him.”
“He was suffering a lot,” Holmstrom said. “He couldn’t play as well as he wanted to.
“There was a lot of pain that he was going through, especially with his (surgically repaired right) knee. You could see how much it hurt him.
“Before he had the bad knee, he could do so much with the puck. And even with the bad knee, he could be our best player still.”
Yzerman’s leadership influence will certainly be missed by the team.
“That’s the one thing you always knew,” centre Kris Draper said. “Through an 82-game season and playoffs, you were going to face adversity. And usually when we faced adversity, Stevie was the guy who stepped up and kind of calmed the waters.
“He was always a calming influence on us and we realize that we don’t have that this year.”
The Detroit Red Wings are selling a special ticket package for fans to obtain upper bowl tickets to Yzerman’s retirement ceremony on January 2nd, 2007. For more information, check out the Wings website here.
You must purchase at least 10 individual seats at one time. These seats can be 10 for one game or 1 seat for 10 games, it doesn’t matter. You can pick the games (they have a schedule on that page). By doing this, you’ll be guaranteed TWO upper bowl seats to the retirement ceremony. These seat locations will be based on availability.
