Phoenix Coyotes first round draft pick Kyle Turris scored two goals when Canada took on Slovakia in the World Junior Championship tournament yesterday. Despite scoring the only two goals of the game, Turris was more excited about meeting lifelong idol and role model Steve Yzerman at last year’s NHL draft.
Turris, drafted third overall by the Phoenix Coyotes, has always been a fan of Yzerman. You know how it works: posters in the bedroom, videos, wears No. 19.
So when Yzerman walked over last summer and introduced himself, Turris found himself going blank. (Turris’s family adviser Kurt Overhardt arranged the meeting; once Turris becomes a professional, Overhardt will become his agent.)
“It was about 15 minutes before the draft started,” said Turris. “I was sitting in the front row, and all of a sudden I saw Stevie Y comes around the table and comes right at me. I was just watching him and he came over to me, right over to the rail, and said ‘Hey, Kyle, I’m Steve.’ ”
“I just about crapped my pants. I couldn’t believe it. I was in shock. And I kind of jumped the rail and talked to him for about 10 minutes. It was incredible, it was unbelievable. He was really down to earth. It was one of the highlights of my hockey career.”
Growing up, Turris played both lacrosse and hockey wearing No. 19 in honor of his childhood hero. After big games, Turris would try to emulate Yzerman’s moves the next day.
“I had everything about him, posters of him in my room, Don Cherry’s videos of his big goals, the big slap-shot goal [in the 1996 playoffs against the St. Louis Blues],” Turris said.
It’s likely Turris will meet Yzerman again as he plays for the University of Wisconsin. His teammate Brendan Smith was drafted by the Wings in the first round of the NHL draft in June so its probable Yzerman will stop by to check on a team prospect.
Before the WJC game, Wayne Gretzky called the team to offer up some words of encouragement, but the Globe and Mail wonders how more encouraging it would’ve been for Turris had Yzerman called instead.
“When we were told that we were going to have a surprise guest calling us just before we came over here, a lot of the guys were guessing who it would be,” Turris said. “Someone said Wayne Gretzky and he was right.”
The uplifting call energized Turris and his teammates before embarking on their long journey to Europe.
But imagine how many goals Turris would have scored if he was on last year’s team when Steve Yzerman placed the good-luck phone call to the team. The answer is the youngster would have been over the moon because the former Detroit Red Wings captain has always been No. 1 with Turris.
Bob Duff at the Windsor Star talked to Yzerman about the upcoming World Junior hockey tournament.
Detroit Red Wings vice-president Steve Yzerman is slated to board a plane for the Czech Republic Christmas night to take in the World Junior hockey tournament, but admits it’s unlikely to tell him much about the draft-eligible players skating in the event.
“It’s really not a tournament for 18 year olds,” Yzerman said. “It’s a tournament for 19 year olds. The younger players, they don’t get much ice time.”
Yzerman recalled his own experience playing for Canada in his draft year at the 1983 World Junior in Leningrad, where his teammates included Mario Lemieux, the top player chosen in the 1984 draft, but Canada only won a bronze medal. “People look at that and wonder how we could have lost, but the truth is, Mario and I hardly got on the ice,” Yzerman said.
Steve Yzerman will also be inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame next year on February 11th. Tickets are a bit more expensive than the Ottawa induction. The induction will be held at the Max M. Fisher Music Center.
Tickets are $250 for a 5 p.m. reception with inductees, 6 p.m. dinner and the 7:30 p.m. induction ceremony; $150 for the dinner and ceremony only; or $35 for a balcony-level ticket to the ceremony.
The other inductees are Peter Karmanos, Frank Beckmann, Desmond Howard, Clarke Scholes, Norm Ullman, Ray Scott, Greg Barton, Glen Rice, Turkey Stearnes and Sammy Washington.
Tickets can be purchased at detroitsymphony.com or by calling (313) 576-1111. For more information, visit michigansportshof.org.
Bleacher Report has a cute Twas the Night Before Christmas story, NHL style, and Yzerman snuck in there.
More rapid then Crosby the players they came, Gare whistled and shouted, and called them by name;
“Now Savard! now, Trottier! now, Gretzky and Goulet! On, Bossy! on, Yzerman! on, Stastny and you too Messier!
To the arena, we will once again score! and these 1-0 games will happen no more!”
On January 11, Steve Yzerman will be inducted into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame.
Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame dinner and Steve Yzerman induction ceremony: Nepean native Steve Yzerman will be inducted into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame on Friday, Jan. 11. Tickets are $100 per person or $800 per eight-person table. The former Red Wings captain will be on hand for a special video tribute and for the ceremonial faceoff at the Senators’ home game against Detroit on Saturday, Jan. 12.
If you can afford the pricy cost for a dinner seat, visit CapitalTickets.ca.
