The Captian Steve Yzerman Retired Today.
He will be missed in HOCKEYTOWN
You spell CLASS with the Captian
Red Wings' Yzerman retires
WebPosted Mon, 03 Jul 2006 12:24:34 EDT
CBC Sports
After months of speculation, Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman announced his retirement from hockey Monday, ending an illustrious 22-year National Hockey League career.
Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman talks with reporters in the team's dressing room in Detroit, Thursday, May 4, 2006. Yzerman, 40, said that he wants to make a decision relatively quickly, maybe as early as next week, on whether to retire from hockey. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Associated Press Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman talks with reporters in the team's dressing room in Detroit, Thursday, May 4, 2006. Yzerman, 40, said that he wants to make a decision relatively quickly, maybe as early as next week, on whether to retire from hockey. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Associated Press
The 41-year-old Yzerman, widely regarded as one of the classiest players in the game, spent his entire 22-year career with the Red Wings, who drafted him fourth overall in 1983.
Yzerman led Detroit to three Stanley Cups (1997, 1998, 2002) and playoff appearances in each of the last 15 years of his career, and his 20 seasons as Detroit captain is an NHL record.
Only Hall-of-Famer Gordie Howe holds as many franchise records.
"My intention throughout the season was to retire, play one last year," Yzerman said. "I really enjoyed my final season here with the Red Wings.
"I thought about it a lot, about coming back and playing this season. This is the right decision for me at this time. I really have no doubt about that."
A series of career-threatening knee injuries over the last few years and a scary eye injury at the end of the 2003-04 season, combined with a long layoff from the game because of the lockout, seemed to suggest Yzerman would not be back for the 2005-06 season.
But the veteran forward signed a one-year deal with the Red Wings last August and stepped up his play as the season wore on.
Yzerman scored 14 goals and racked up 34 points in 61 games, playing a big role in guiding Detroit to an NHL-high 58 victories and the Presidents' Trophy with a league-leading 124 points.
He seemed ready to hang up the skates after the Red Wings were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by Edmonton, but he wanted to wait until the free agency deadline of July 1 to make a final decision.
"I really enjoyed the season," Yzerman said. "It ended in disappointment, but that's the one great thing about sports in general. There's no predicting what's the outcome."
Yzerman's prolific career earned him piles of awards. He was a 10-time all-star. He also captured the Lester B. Pearson Award honouring the league's outstanding player (as voted by the players) in 1989, the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1998 and helped Canada win gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.
One of Detroit's most popular professional athletes and affectionately known as The Captain, the soft-spoken Yzerman is the Red Wings' all-time leader in playoff scoring. He ranks first in assists and second only to Howe in games played, goals and points in the regular season.
He also finished last season with more career regular-season and playoff points than any active NHL player.
In 1,514 career games, Yzerman recorded 692 goals and 1063 assists for 1,755 points — good enough for sixth on the all-time NHL points list, just 16 behind fifth-place Marcel Dionne.
http://www.cbc.ca/story/sports/national/2006/07/03/yzerman-retirement.html
He will be missed in HOCKEYTOWN
You spell CLASS with the Captian
Red Wings' Yzerman retires
WebPosted Mon, 03 Jul 2006 12:24:34 EDT
CBC Sports
After months of speculation, Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman announced his retirement from hockey Monday, ending an illustrious 22-year National Hockey League career.
Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman talks with reporters in the team's dressing room in Detroit, Thursday, May 4, 2006. Yzerman, 40, said that he wants to make a decision relatively quickly, maybe as early as next week, on whether to retire from hockey. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Associated Press Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman talks with reporters in the team's dressing room in Detroit, Thursday, May 4, 2006. Yzerman, 40, said that he wants to make a decision relatively quickly, maybe as early as next week, on whether to retire from hockey. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) Associated Press
The 41-year-old Yzerman, widely regarded as one of the classiest players in the game, spent his entire 22-year career with the Red Wings, who drafted him fourth overall in 1983.
Yzerman led Detroit to three Stanley Cups (1997, 1998, 2002) and playoff appearances in each of the last 15 years of his career, and his 20 seasons as Detroit captain is an NHL record.
Only Hall-of-Famer Gordie Howe holds as many franchise records.
"My intention throughout the season was to retire, play one last year," Yzerman said. "I really enjoyed my final season here with the Red Wings.
"I thought about it a lot, about coming back and playing this season. This is the right decision for me at this time. I really have no doubt about that."
A series of career-threatening knee injuries over the last few years and a scary eye injury at the end of the 2003-04 season, combined with a long layoff from the game because of the lockout, seemed to suggest Yzerman would not be back for the 2005-06 season.
But the veteran forward signed a one-year deal with the Red Wings last August and stepped up his play as the season wore on.
Yzerman scored 14 goals and racked up 34 points in 61 games, playing a big role in guiding Detroit to an NHL-high 58 victories and the Presidents' Trophy with a league-leading 124 points.
He seemed ready to hang up the skates after the Red Wings were eliminated in the first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs by Edmonton, but he wanted to wait until the free agency deadline of July 1 to make a final decision.
"I really enjoyed the season," Yzerman said. "It ended in disappointment, but that's the one great thing about sports in general. There's no predicting what's the outcome."
Yzerman's prolific career earned him piles of awards. He was a 10-time all-star. He also captured the Lester B. Pearson Award honouring the league's outstanding player (as voted by the players) in 1989, the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 1998 and helped Canada win gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.
One of Detroit's most popular professional athletes and affectionately known as The Captain, the soft-spoken Yzerman is the Red Wings' all-time leader in playoff scoring. He ranks first in assists and second only to Howe in games played, goals and points in the regular season.
He also finished last season with more career regular-season and playoff points than any active NHL player.
In 1,514 career games, Yzerman recorded 692 goals and 1063 assists for 1,755 points — good enough for sixth on the all-time NHL points list, just 16 behind fifth-place Marcel Dionne.
http://www.cbc.ca/story/sports/national/2006/07/03/yzerman-retirement.html
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