Steve Yzerman told the Grand Rapids Press this week that he is enjoying his current role in management.

“Not at all. I really enjoyed my playing career. It was somewhat sad to retire, but I also was relieved because I knew it was time to retire,” said Yzerman, 42. “I really enjoy being around the game and being part of the organization. I have zero interest in playing the game again.” …

“For me to be around them and see how they’ve handled things is really beneficial to me,” Yzerman said. “I find it very interesting every day.”

And as a fan of the American Hockey League, Yzerman enjoys attending an occasional Griffins game.

“I know we’re all really pleased with how our players from Grand Rapids developed,” he said. “Our players are here playing in a good system with a good organization, and it’s benefiting us.”

I hated to see Yzerman retire but now that he has, I’m just pleased he has no regrets and has no desire to play anymore.

On November 1st, Steve Yzerman will make an appearance at the Grand Rapids Griffins game, which starts at 6pm. The Griffins are the Detroit Red Wings’ AHL affiliate.

Steve Yzerman will be on the ice during the first intermission to kick off the Fifth Third Bank Stick Drive for the Griffins Youth Foundation.

Want to buy tickets to the game? Visit this website.

On Wednesday (Oct 10th), Steve Yzerman spoke at the Joyce Center for the Drop the Puck reception hosted by Notre Dame.

“You don’t know how important the success of this team is to not just hockey in Indiana, but hockey in the United States,” Yzerman said to a crowd dotted with No. 19 Red Wings jerseys. “With the alumni base and fan base that Notre Dame has across the country, this team could bring a lot of exposure to the sport.”

Then he turned to Jackson and chuckled.

“Not to put any pressure on you, Coach, but it’s true,” said Yzerman. “It’s up to you to save hockey in the United States.”

The Detroit Red Wings opened up a new suite at the Joe called the Comerica Bank Legends Club designed for executives who want the feel of a suite, but can’t afford a corporate suite. Steve Yzerman talks about the CBLC in a video clip that you can watch embedded on a Detroit News page.

You can read more about the CBLC in this Detroit News article.

The Detroit News had a great roundtable discussion with the big names in the Detroit Red Wings management including the team owner, GM, assistant GM, and VP. One of the many topics discussed was Yzerman.

News: How close was Steve Yzerman to being traded?

Devellano: There were talks. Steve Yzerman knows that. I’ve told him that. But as I told Stevie, even while it was going on, ‘Look, Steve, if you’re going to be dealt to Ottawa, we have to get something real good now to replace you and a whole lot more for the future.’ Ottawa couldn’t deliver on it. I don’t even think they could pay the contract, could they, Scotty?

Bowman: No, I don’t think so. I remember Jimmy saying, ‘You’re just spinning your wheels, because Mike Ilitch would never trade Steve Yzerman.’ And I remember Mike coming to me after my first year here — because Steve got injured that year — and saying, ‘You haven’t even seen what this guy can do.’

News: Did it ever come to your desk, Mr. Ilitch?

Ilitch: No, and I didn’t want it to come. (Laughter.) I’d heard the rumblings, but…

On his role in management after retiring as a player:

News: Touch on Steve (Yzerman) for a second. What’s his role going forward? Is it still being defined?

Devellano: Steve and I and Mr. Ilitch used to have these talks, so when we finally sat down to try to figure out just how we could utilize a guy like Steve, the more we talked, the more we felt like, you know what, let’s utilize him in every area that he would like to be involved in. Whether it be scouting, whether it be helping in Grand Rapids with the young players, whether it be marketing, maybe helping Mike Babcock with a certain problem player, or working with Kenny and Jimmy Nill on contracts.

We told Steve he can be as involved in every area of the franchise as he wants to be, and he can put in as much time as he feels he wants to. It’s kind of evolving.

Holland: For Steve, it’s how much time you can commit, because there’s a lot of down time, when not much is going on. But you need to be there every day, just to talk about things. Certainly, Steve can be right beside me.

Ilitch: He’s happy, though. He loves it. And he could end up being an owner, too, one day. He might be part of a group one day, who knows?

News: It seems you’ve always got room for another brain in the braintrust.

Devellano: Absolutely. And you know, it’s a little bit like what I’ve said about Scotty Bowman. Steve’s presence means so much, his presence to the fans, to the players, to the coaching staff, to us. Just like Scotty, I think his presence just elevates our organization, I really do.

Ilitch: Because he cares so much.

Holland: He’s a Red Wing. He can be as involved as he wants to be.

David Shoalts of the Globe and Mail wrote an article earlier this week stating that Scotty Bowman had been offered the job as president of the Toronto Maple Leafs and that he had a week to make his decision. Bowman emailed TSN and contacted David saying that this, in fact, was not true and he has no such offer on the table. David went on “The Fan” (a Toronto radio show) to explain his story and sources. I won’t get into the Bowman story here, but David says that if Bowman does get the position, he’d be interested in taking Steve Yzerman on board as the GM.

Shoalts: Well, they talked about having, as assistant coaches, coming in, people like Craig Ramsay [who has since been hired by the Boston Bruins] and Igor Larionov, um…As a head coach, it was pretty vague, it was funny, but, you know…He’s also close to, he had a really good relationship with Steve Yzerman, when Yzerman played for him in Detroit. Yzerman would like to be a GM, but he’s always said, you know, he’s not interested in pushing aside Ken Holland, who’s not going anywhere, I don’t think, in Detroit, and Ken has a natural successor behind him in Jim Nill, who’s a very good hockey man…

So, this would seem, to me, pretty intriguing for a lot of people, and there are a lot of people around the league who would be dying to work for Scotty Bowman, in fact, one guy I talked to the weekend specifically said, “I hope he gets the job, I hope it happens, because I’d love to work for him.”

Thanks to George @ Snapshots for the transcript of the interview. Personally, I think Bowman is too old for this kind of position and he doesn’t want all that stress (he turns 74 this year). Plus, it would really surprise me to see Yzerman leave Detroit, especially this soon for a GM position. He is enjoying the role he currently has and the city of Detroit loves him. Why would he leave for the Maple Leafs?

New England Hockey Journal
July 30, 2007
by Stan Fischler

Scotty Bowman on Steve Yzerman as a front office aide: “Steve was active with discussions on free agents and at the trade deadline. He’s feeling his way around. He’s watched a lot of players in the Red Wings system and knows a lot about those players. That’s a good place to start.” …

Steve Yzerman attended a luncheon held by the Ilitch Charities for Children as the charity gave $22,000 in scholarships to worthy players in the Little Caesars AAA Hockey Program and Little Caesars Amateur Hockey League.

Ilitch Charities for Children (ICC), a non-profit, charitable foundation established by the Ilitch family in 2000 to support children’s causes in the areas of health, education and recreation, today announced the Little Caesars AAA Hockey Scholarship winners for 2007. Emily Nelson of Harper Woods, this year’s female recipient, will receive a $5,000 scholarship to the college or university of her choice. Twin brothers Nathan and Nicholas Taurence of Trenton are this year’s male recipients. Each will receive a scholarship of $2,500. The students received their scholarships at a luncheon July 26 at Hockeytown Cafe, where current Detroit Red Wings player Kirk Maltby, Assistant General Manager Jim Nill and Vice President Steve Yzerman were in attendance with other guests and dignitaries.

“We are pleased to honor these outstanding students and hockey players,” said Christopher Ilitch, chairman of ICC and president & CEO of Ilitch Holdings, Inc. in presenting the awards. “Emily, Nathan and Nicholas hold themselves to the highest standards, both academically and athletically. They truly exemplify the qualities the Little Caesars Hockey Program is built upon — dedication, teamwork and pride.”

Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press interviewed former head coach and current team consultant Scotty Bowman about his life after coaching. One of the questions concerned Steve Yzerman learning and working in management.

Q: How do you think Steve Yzerman has done in his new role?

A: He seems to enjoy it. He was pretty active with the discussions on the free agents and at the trade deadline. He’s feeling his way around. He likes to watch hockey. He’s watched a lot of players in their system — he knows a lot about those players, and that’s a good base to start.

According to an article in The Detroit News, recently signed defenseman Brian Rafalski finally met Steve Yzerman (aside from the times they played on the ice as opponents).

Rafalski, who has been in the league since the 1999-2000 season, has had his share of on-ice meetings with Steve Yzerman .

But on Tuesday, he got his first shot at meeting the Red Wings legend off the ice.

“I grew up watching him,” Rafalski said. “I hope I’m not dating myself, or him.”