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!”