Guide Note

Future Hall-of-Fame member Steve Yzerman played professional in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings for 23 seasons.

Fast Facts

1. Born: May 9, 1965
2. Position: Center
3. Birthplace: Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada
4. Played 23 seasons for the Detroit Red Wings, 19 as captain
5. #19 jersey retired by the Wings in 2007
6. Rumored to manage the Canadian men's hockey team at the 2010 Winter Olympics¹

In September of 2008, Red Wings fans who had subscribed to the team's mobile alerts were sent a text message stating that Yzerman would come out of retirement and return to the Wings in November. Although the message brought a good laugh to the Captain, he assured fans that the announcement was untrue. It was later revealed that the texting company, Textopoly, had mistakenly sent the message to fans.²

Yzerman played junior hockey with the Peterborough Petes in the Ontario Hockey League starting in 1981. He was drafted fourth overall by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1984 NHL draft. Although expected to play his first couple seasons in the minors, Yzerman earned a full roster spot for the 1984-1985 season. He finished his rookie season with 39 goals and 48 assists and was selected for the runner up for the Calder Trophy for the NHL's Rookie of the Year. He also earned his first of 10 NHL All-Star Game selections, making him the youngest ever to be selected.

Prior to the 1986 season, Yzerman was named captain of the Red Wings. At the time he was the youngest player ever to be captain of a NHL team.

The Red Wings went through a series of unsuccessful seasons in the 1980s, earning the nickname "Dead Wings." Yzerman led the team out of the slump in the mid 1990s, carrying them to their first Stanley Cup Finals appearance in 1996. The Wings however lost in four games to the New Jersey Devils.

The Wings entered the playoffs again in 1997, hungry for the championship. They again reached the finals, where they swept the Philadelphia Flyers to bring the Stanley Cup back to Detroit for the first time in 42 years. The Wings repeated as champions in 1998, defeating the Washington Capitals in the finals.

The Wings returned to the Stanley Cup finals in 2002, defeating the Carolina Hurricanes in seven games to win their third Cup in six seasons.

Following several injuries that kept him out of the lineup, on July 3, 2006, Yzerman announced in a tear filled press conference that he would be retiring from the game. He also announced that he would continue with the Wings, but in a management role rather than a player. Yzerman was named Vice President of the Red Wings shortly there after. His 20 years as captain is the record for the longest serving captain in NHL history.

In a January 2, 2007 ceremony in Detroit, Yzerman's #19 jersey was retired by the Red Wings. The event was held before a scheduled regular season Wings game and was attended by dozens of current and former players, coaches and Red Wings management. The same day, Yzerman was given a key to the city of Detroit, and January 2nd was renamed Steve Yzerman Day in Detroit.

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