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Yzerman new Wings' Vice-President

September 25, 2006

Detroit Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch today named Steve Yzerman Vice-President of the NHL team. Yzerman will work with the management team of Senior Vice-President Jim Devellano, General Manager Ken Holland and Assistant General Manager Jim Nill on all aspects of the Red Wings organization. "It has been apparent for the last decade that Steve would play his entire career with the Red Wings," said Ilitch. "After retiring as the longest serving captain in NHL history and the on-ice leader of our franchise for 23 years, it is only fitting that he join our management team in a meaningful position. I'm confident Steve will bring the same passion and dedication he displayed on the ice to our management team and help us make the Detroit Red Wings the best we can be." Yzerman, who announced his retirement on July 3, 2006, completed a remarkable 23-year career. He played 1,514 games (10th all-time), scored 692 goals (eighth all-time) and tallied 1,063 assists (seventh all-time). His 1,755 career points rank sixth all-time in NHL history.

Yzerman, seen here at his retirement press conference, accepted VP position with team.

As impressive as Yzerman's statistics are, it's his title as the longest serving captain in NHL history that may encapsulate his illustrious career. His 20-year reign as captain of the Wings began in 1986-87. Yzerman supplanted Danny Gare as the youngest captain in franchise history when he was named captain at just 21-years-old. Mike and Marian Ilitch purchased the team in June 1982 and soon after appointed Jim Devellano general manager. Devellano used his first pick as Red Wings' general manager to select Yzerman fourth overall in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft. He's the Red Wings' all-time leader in assists and ranks second all-time in goals and points. Only Gordie Howe (1,687) and Alex Delvecchio (1,549) played more games in a Red Wings sweater.

That's sweet, that he's still doing things with the Wings. Now, he only needs to run for mayor of Detroit.

Yzerman to be named Team Canada GM

Sources have confirmed that Hockey Canada will name retired Detroit Red Wings star Steve Yzerman as general manager of Team Canada for the 2007 World Hockey Championships in Moscow this spring.

Yzerman is expected to be named to the post when he returns from vacation next week.

Though he wasn't available for comment Thursday, Yzerman has held talks with Hockey Canada.

He'd talked with the officials about getting involved with Team Canada. Yzerman's appointment also follows Hockey Canada's recent pattern of involving former NHL greats, such as Wayne Gretzky, with the national team.

"I've had some general discussions with (Hockey Canada president) Bob Nicholson that at some point maybe taking a role if the opportunity is there," said Yzerman, who was part of the gold-medal winning Canadian Olympic team in 2002 as well as the 1998 team.

Since being named a vice-president with the Wings, Yzerman has been learning the business side of the game under the tutelage of Detroit general manager Ken Holland and his assistant Jim Nill.

Holland served as Team Canada general manager last spring while Nill was the general manager when Canada won the gold medal in 2004. Both also served as Team Canada assistant general manager at the world championships the year before taking over the top job.

Having seen Yzerman from the perspective of teammate and a budding executive, Nill has been most impressed by the 41-year-old's calm demeanor in all situations. It's a quality that would come in handy in a pressure-packed tournament where the nation expects nothing less than a gold medal.

"Situations never bothered him," Nill said in an earlier interview.

"He's played in some of the biggest pressure games there are, but he always expected to win."

Holland said earlier that getting involved with Team Canada was a personal career highlight and a great learning experience.

"It's the first time I've got to represent my country, so I took great pride in that," Holland said.

"From the Detroit Red Wings standpoint, it was a very useful experience.

"Jim and I have been involved with Team Canada the past four years and from that we've got a lot of in-depth information on players we never would've got.

"Getting involved with Team Canada was a tremendous experience."
http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/story.html?id=aa8ac972-61da-4515-bd56-8158d6ebf33a&k=37493