MLive.com article
January 2, 2007
by Ansar Khan

Hall of Famers, record-setters and Stanley Cup champions are among the host of great players who’ve donned the Detroit Red Wings jersey the past 81 years. Only a select few earned the privilege of having their number retired and raised to the rafters.

“We aren’t like a lot of teams that just retire sweaters as a PR gimmick or to sell tickets,” Red Wings senior vice president Jimmy Devellano said. “You have to be a very, very special player for that to happen.”

Steve Yzerman was that type of player. A Detroit sports icon who revived a once-proud franchise and was the longest-serving captain in NHL history, Yzerman is referred to by legions of fans as 19. Tonight, that number will be retired and hoisted to the rafters at Joe Louis Arena in what promises to be a special ceremony before the Red Wings play the Anaheim Ducks. The festivities begin at 6:30.

“Aside from the Hall of Fame, this is the next-greatest honor you can get,” Wings defenseman Chris Chelios said. “I know he doesn’t like the limelight or all these personal accolades, but I think he’s got to be very proud of what’s going to happen. I’m nervous for him and at the same time proud of him. What better guy to receive this? It’s going to be a great evening.”

Yzerman will be the sixth Red Wing to have his number retired, joining Terry Sawchuk (1), Ted Lindsay (7), Gordie Howe (9), Alex Delvecchio (10) and Sid Abel (12).

“For the guys that have been fortunate enough to play a number of years with him, it’s a huge thrill for us to be a part of it,” Wings forward Kris Draper said. “You look up and see the jerseys that are already there, Stevie’s belongs right beside them.”

As soon as Yzerman announced his retirement on July 3 after spending his entire 22-year career with the Wings, the organization began preparing for this night. The long list of former players and coaches who’ll attend includes Howe, Lindsay, Delvecchio, Brett Hull, Igor Larionov, Mike Vernon, Steve Duchesne, Larry Murphy, Joe Kocur, Doug Brown, Danny Gare, Scotty Bowman, Dave Lewis and Barry Smith.

Some will make speeches, some will present gifts. Video tributes will be shown. And there are sure to be some surprises. Yzerman is such a huge star in his native Canada that CBC will be televising the ceremony nationally north of the border (it can be seen locally on Fox Sports Net Detroit). Wings players will watch from the bench. They got a bit of a preview four weeks ago when the St. Louis Blues retired Hull’s number.

“Stevie’s not an emotional guy, but I expect to see some emotion from him,” Wings defenseman Mathieu Schneider said. “What he’s meant to the city and this organization, a player like that comes along once or twice in a lifetime. He’s synonymous with Detroit.”

Yzerman was named a club vice president in September. He’s learning all aspects of management — scouting, player evaluation, contract negotiations, business and marketing — while working with Devellano, general manager Ken Holland and assistant GM Jim Nill.

“From our era, they’re always going to remember Stevie Yzerman as a class act, probably one of the best, if not the best ambassador for any sport, right up there with (Wayne) Gretzky, (Michael) Jordan, Cal Ripken Jr.,” Chelios said. “Hockey was fortunate to have Steve Yzerman for 23 years representing the NHL.”

The Wings were fortunate to get Yzerman with the fourth overall pick in the 1983 NHL entry draft. He was the first player Devellano drafted as the club’s GM, less than a year after Mike Ilitch purchased the team from Bruce Norris.

“It was just what the franchise needed, to get a gem of a player like that,” Devellano said.

A prolific offensive player the first half of his career, Yzerman finished second to Howe on the franchise’s career list in goals (692) and points (1,755). After Bowman arrived in 1993 and molded Yzerman into a complete player, the team finally got over the top, winning three Stanley Cup championships in a six-year span from 1997-2002.

“He sacrificed personal stats and his own goals so the team could win in the ’90s,” Wings goaltender Chris Osgood said. “We always had an offensively potent team, but after we lost to New Jersey (in the 1995 Cup finals) we knew we had to change our style of play and he led the charge to do that.”

Many players said Yzerman’s finest moment came during the 2002 playoffs, when his calming words and inspired performance on a painfully damaged knee propelled a first-round comeback from a 2-0 series deficit against Vancouver. The Wings went on to win the Cup.

“He closed the doors (in the locker room) and it was just the players and he said, `Let’s not panic,’ just nonchalant, like he knew we were going to win,” Draper said. “Great leaders just have a great feeling for their teammates. There’s no slamming things or anything like that.”

Said Wings goaltender Dominik Hasek: “He didn’t speak very often, but when he talked everybody listened.”

Osgood wasn’t with the team at the time but knew he was witnessing something special.

“He willed that team back to win the series,” Osgood said. “He always scored big goals, that’s what a superstar is, not a guy that scores when you’re leading 5-1. He seemed to always be there when you need him.”