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.