Detroit Free Press article
November 11, 2006
by Helene St. James
None of his former mates calls him “Mr. Yzerman.”
He might wear a suit to work every day, he might roll in at about 1 p.m. and he might have his own cubicle, but there are limits.
Steve Yzerman has been a front-office man for the Detroit Red Wings for about six weeks now. He considers his transition from player to civilian a great one, even if he’s still recognized more as the former.
Monday he was honored with the Lester Patrick Award in recognition of his outstanding service to hockey in the USA. As usual, Yzerman deflected attention away from himself.
“I’m grateful to be recognized for playing the game here in Detroit,” he said. “My contribution to hockey in the United States was just playing the game; I don’t think I did anything extraordinary.”
Yzerman did win three Stanley Cups and the 1998 Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP.
Now Yzerman, 41, is learning the business side of hockey, as an assistant to general manager Ken Holland. Yzerman attends most home games, went on the Dallas-St. Louis road trip last month, comes to the arena weekdays, reads scouting reports and sometimes lobs a crazy trade at his boss.
“I throw these ideas at Kenny all the time, and he listens, and then he explains why some things are done or why they’re not done,” Yzerman said. “It’s just not as easy as we all want it to be to do things.”
Yzerman sometimes stops by the locker room to say hello or grab something to drink. Teammates such as Nicklas Lidstrom, who took over the captaincy from Yzerman, accept Yzerman has a new job — “We’ve seen his office, so it’s got to be true,” Lidstrom said — but don’t use his title or anything.
“No,” he said with a smile. “We haven’t stretched it that far yet.”
Not once has Yzerman been tempted to join practice. His skates are in his basement. He spends his free time helping out with breakfast and ferrying his three daughters to horseback riding, soccer, tennis and lacrosse.
“I’m enjoying a post-playing career,” Yzerman said. “Life has slowed down a little bit. The schedule isn’t as hectic.”
