Detroit News column
January 1, 2007
by Terry Foster
The debate regarding the true Mr. Red Wing will go on forever. Many older fans say the title belongs to Gordie Howe, who scored 801 NHL goals, led the league in scoring six times and was league MVP six times.
The youngsters throw their support behind Steve Yzerman, who scored 692 goals and led the Wings to three Stanley Cups before retiring after last season.
It’s Mr. Hockey against the Captain.
The newspapers and websites are going all out when it comes to discussing all that is Steve Yzerman before the big event tomorrow evening and I’m not complaining. Here’s what they’re saying…
Plenty of players are remembering their favorite moments with No. 19 as seen in this Detroit News article:
“The guy is a living legend,” said center Sean Avery, a former Wing now with the Los Angeles Kings.
“Some of us were watching the world junior tournament the other day, and you see people talking about him and the players wearing his number and talking about him, and you realize what an impact he made.”
…
“The most fun I had was when we were on the same line because he was easy to read,” said Fedorov, who won three Stanley Cups with Yzerman before signing a free-agent contract with Anaheim in 2003 (Fedorov is now in Columbus).
“He played and skated so well, it was easy to play with him. I scored my first goal with Stevie assisting on it. Those kind of memories stick with you forever.
“(Goalie) Tim Cheveldae passed the puck to the red line and we were able to break down against Slava Fetisov (with New Jersey then) two-on-one, and Steve passed the puck and I had almost an empty net against (goalie) Sean Burke.”
…
Avery’s favorite player growing up was Brett Hull.
“But being around Yzerman on an everyday basis, I went from No. 16 to No. 19,” Avery said. “He’s an amazing player. Just the way he carried himself, the guy was an unbelievable leader.”
Avery switched to No. 19 when he was traded from Detroit to the Kings.
…
“I just happened to pass him in the hallway at the (Centre Ice) rink,” Williams recalled the other day.
“He stopped, shook my hand, introduced himself, and told me to keep working hard and doing what I’d been doing. I couldn’t believe Steve Yzerman knew who I was.”
Williams would become more familiar with Yzerman’s leadership over the years.
“Those first few seasons, whenever I would be sent down (to the minors), Steve would be one of the first guys who would come over and tell me to go down there and work hard, and do my job, and I would eventually be back. It meant a lot to me, it really did; it gave me some confidence.
“And the thing is, he would always know how you did, how you’d been playing. He has a good sense of humor and he’d know you had 15 goals, but he’d remind you about the minus-7, or something like that, too.”
The Associated Press’ article basically mentions all of Yzerman’s big accomplishments over the years and finished with this:
“It’s going to be a good time with all the old friends and former players coming back for it,” said Nicklas Lidstrom, who replaced Yzerman as Detroit’s captain. “Just a great accomplishment for the organization. He’s one of the greatest players ever in the league.
“He just retired last year and already they’re retiring his jersey. That shows you how much the organization thinks of him.”
Lidstrom, who has won four Norris Trophies as the league’s top defenseman, was Yzerman’s teammate for 15 seasons.
Another former Yzerman teammate, Red Wings’ defenseman Chris Chelios, had a two-and-a-half story banner saluting Yzerman placed on the side of his “Cheli’s Chili” restaurant and bar in downtown Detroit, adjacent to Comerica Park.
The Detroit Red Wings organization was hard at work today making sure everything is all set for tomorrow’s big ceremony honoring No. 19.
It was easy to tell today that something big is about to happen at Joe Louis Arena - despite it being New Year’s Day there were dozens of workers present, preparing for tomorrow’s big jersey retirement ceremony for former captain Steve Yzerman. Several red carpets were being vacuumed, and spotlights were being tested.
This is all the information that the Detroit Red Wings website has provided about tomorrow’s event.
A Who’s Who of former Red Wings stars are ready to return to the Motor City on January 2 for the retirement of Steve Yzerman’s No. 19 jersey. The list of former Wings teammates from Yzerman’s career include his predecessor as team captain, Danny Gare, as well as several members of Detroit’s 1997, 1998 and 2002 Stanley Cup Championship teams.
Cup winners scheduled to attend are Brett Hull, Igor Larionov, Mike Vernon, Steve Duchesne, Larry Murphy, Joe Kocur, Doug Brown and the entire coaching staff of Scotty Bowman, Dave Lewis and Barry Smith.Yzerman’s number will join the five retired numbers already hanging from the rafters of Joe Louis Arena, and all will be represented as Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio and Ted Lindsay will attend, while members of the Terry Sawchuk family and the Sid Abel family will be on hand to welcome Yzerman to this elite group.
Fans are reminded that the Joe Louis Arena doors open at 5 p.m. on Jan. 2. They are encouraged to arrive early in order to obtain special Steve Yzerman Night giveaways at the door and to be in their seats for the start of the retirement presentation, which will begin at 6:30 pm.
