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.

Mathieu Dandenault of the Montreal Canadiens remembers his NHL line during his rookie season, one that happened to include Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman.

And Dandenault recalled he had a fast start in the NHL.

“I played with Stevie Yzerman my rookie season and I scored five goals in my first 12 games,” Dandenault said. “I was a scratch a lot of the time that year, but when I started the season I was with him. It was amazing. But I ended up the season with five goals because I went to the fourth line. I started the season with Yzerman and finished with Stu Grimson.”

According to two Detroit News columnists, Sidney Crosby has a lot in common with Steve Yzerman.

It’s not in the way they play the game. Crosby’s style is much different from the way Yzerman played. It’s in the way they handle themselves and what they say. Crosby won’t be fazed by the ‘C’, just as he hasn’t been bothered by all the attention and expectations. He has been the focal point wherever he has gone and he has worn the ‘C’ at every level he has played.

“I’m just going to keep everything the same,” Crosby said earlier this week. “I’ve always tried to lead by example. As far as playing with emotion, I think I always have played with emotion, and I need to keep playing like that.”

Crosby isn’t the kind to stop and consider where he is in his career.

“I don’t really think about it, to be honest,” he said. “There’s not too much time to think about it. I think I’m always looking to improve and get better.

“I have to focus on the things that are really important. and I don’t think it’s really important to worry about that too much.”

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.

Steve Yzerman observed the Red Wings prospect practice on Saturday and then briefly talked to some of the prospects including Evan McGrath and Darren Helm.

“He was always my idol growing up,” McGrath said. “Seeing a guy like that put in as may years as he did and (accomplish) as much as he did, it really makes you push a little harder. Steve’s been a great person to me and a great player and just a great mentor.”

Added Helm: “Every time I shake his hand, I am always nervous. He has such a huge influence on the hockey world and in the city of Detroit. To meet him and to know him is just such a huge honor for me.”

The Detroit Free Press recently interviewed former Detroit Red Wings player Brendan Shanahan (currently of the NY Rangers). Two of the questions and corresponding answers mentioned Steve Yzerman.

Q: Now that you’re rubbing elbows with fashionistas, who was the best-dressed Wing while you were in Detroit?

A: “I’ll give it to the Captain, but I’ll have to give his wife credit because she shops for him.”

Q: Whom among the Wings do you keep in touch with?

A: “It’s tough as teammates in the off-season with schedules and geography and families. But I keep in touch with Yzerman, and I hung out with Nick Lidstrom at the All-Star Game. Kris Draper and I will exchange e-mail every now and then. When Dan Cleary scores a goal, I usually get a message from him. Really, almost all of the guys I played with over the years will send little messages throughout the year, as I do to them. Text messaging has become an accepted part of my life.”

Pittsburgh Penguins phenom Sidney Crosby hopes to become a leader and play for just one team like Steve Yzerman and Mario Lemieux.

So far in his early career, Crosby feels at home in Pittsburgh and would like to emulate hall of fame players Mario Lemieux and Steve Yzerman by staying with the same franchise for his entire career.

“That would be nice. I look at those guys and I think that says a lot to stay with one organization.

“You see their situations, and the way they went through tough times. But, there were also good times for them at the end.”

Despite the added pressure heading into the new season Crosby’s goal is to win the Stanley Cup.

“It’s always been a dream to play in the NHL and one day hoist the Cup, and everyone knows it’s the captain who gets that opportunity.”

I asked some of the Yzerman contest entrants to talk about Steve Yzerman. All of them were asked three questions: (1) When did you become an Yzerman fan? (2) You live in __ (someplace outside of Michigan). Why did you become an Yzerman fan? (3) What quality do you admire most in Yzerman?

Al of Florida (LGW member: Viperar)

1. I became an Yzerman fan when I became a Red Wings fan in 1992 (I am only 20) so thats basically my entire life hahaha. His class and skill on the ice, and silent leadership have always been an inspiration to me, and I am today studying International Politics, which involves tons of leadership,and can only hold Yzerman’s behavior as the number 1 importance to me.

2. I have only lived in Florida since 1998, I lived in Michigan before that so I guess this question is kinda null.

3. His silent leadership. In a sport like hockey with bigshot hotmouths running around, he not only showed them up with skill, but kept his mouth shut which made it better. Of course he would speak when his team needed it, and re-inspired Red Wings fans everywhere.

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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?