I am pleased to announce the two randomly selected winners. I assigned each email a number (1-66). The two winning numbers were generated by Random.org. The first number won the Detroit Free Press book called “The Captain.” The second number generated received the book entitled Nineteen: A Salute to Yzerman.

Winner of “The Captain” = #3 = Ryan of Chicago

Winner of “Nineteen” = #40 = Andrew of Ontario (LGW member: superstarsingh)

I have sent emails to the two winners asking for further contact information and they should be receiving their prizes within the next week. Congrats!

I’d like to thank all 66 contestants and the many more who have visited this website since it first started a week ago. Out of those that sent their contact information, we had 16 Michigander contestants, 19 other US residents, four Canadians, and one person from Ireland, Russia, and Germany.

Click on the link below to read the winners favorite Yzerman moments and memories…

Ryan of Chicago:

As far as my favorite Yzerman memory or character I’m torn between two - and these are both really obvious - but totally stand out in my mind. The first is the jaw-dropping and heart-wrenching determination by Stevie Y during the 2002 cup run - when he had to use his stick as a crutch, man, it gives me the chills just thinking about it. I just remember seeing him off the ice during those playoffs and he couldn’t even walk!! Talk about the ultimate warrior. The other standout Stevie memory I have highlights a different side of his career. Through all of the talk of his leadership, class, resilience, two-way play, and unselfishness it seems easy to forget what a brilliant clutch scorer he was. And of course the ultimate for me is that game 7 of the 1996 playoffs against St. Louis, tied 0-0 in double OT. Stevie skates down and roofs the winner from outside the blue line. I know he’s had a million prettier goals, but man…. The main memory I have of watching that goal is mimicking his wonderful reaction in my
parents basement - giddily skipping, screaming, flailing and throwing myself onto the ground writhing in exuberant ecstasy, like I was the one who scored the goal. Something tells me the whole Detroit area was doing the same thing - it was a moment I’ll never forget. Just explicating these memories is making me miss him dearly. Being born in 1980, Steve Yzerman was the captain of my all-time favorite sports team as long as I can remember. His retirement had a shocking coming-of-age effect on me. It was truly the end of an era, the end of my childhood. And while I’m enjoying this new era… well, there’s just something missing - but I guess I don’t have to explain that to anyone reading this.

Andrew of Ontario:

My fave Yzerman moment is the double ot goal against St. Louis, I dont even need to explain that one, it put every Red Wing fan on the planet into an absolute FRENZY and my second one has to be Bettman handing him the cup in 1997 and just seeing the look in his eyes and that smile on his face to realize that he finally won a cup.