NHL.com article
April 1, 2001
by Phil Coffey

Age is a state of mind.

Just ask Steve Yzerman, 36-years-old. And Yzerman certainly does’t play like he is one of the NHL’s elder statesmen. If you require proof about that, simply check out the initial selections for the 2002 Canadian Olympic Hockey Team, where a Mr. Wayne Gretzky and some of the top talent evaluators around saw fit to include the Detroit Red Wings captain in the first group of players.

And, please keep in mind that Yzerman is the current holder of the Selke Trophy as the League’s top defensive forward. “Old” guys normally don’t win that kind of award.

“I don’t know why he doesn’t get mentioned for the Selke more often,” teammate Brendan Shanahan said of Yzerman. “Here’s a guy who plays against the other team’s top lines night in and night out. He’s among the top in the League in plus-minus, and he chips in with goals. What more do you have to do?”

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Associated Press article
October 16, 2000

The Red Wings’ slow start this season now looks like the least of their problems.

Detroit captain Steve Yzerman will be out of the lineup indefinitely after undergoing surgery Monday to repair torn cartilage in his right knee.

“He said it felt strong enough to play, but he had to play with pain,” Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman said.

The Red Wings (2-3), who play St. Louis on Tuesday at home, did not give a timetable on when Yzerman would return from the arthroscopic procedure.

Teammate Brendan Shanahan said it’s good Yzerman had the surgery now.

“If there was a good time do it, it’s good to get it over with early in the season,” he said. “It’s a huge loss. … Steve contributes so much offensively and defensively.”

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USA Today article
October 17, 2000
by Kevin Allen

The Red Wings, struggling to find their game in the early going, have lost captain Steve Yzerman “indefinitely” because
of arthroscopic knee surgery to repair damaged cartilage.

“We don’t think he will be out long, but he did have surgery,” Detroit general manager Ken Holland said. “We just don’t know.”

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