Editing Steve Yzerman (section)

==Playing career==

===Early years in Detroit (1983–1986)===
Yzerman was born in [[Cranbrook, British Columbia|Cranbrook]], [[British Columbia]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/player/steve-yzerman-8452578 |title=Steve Yzerman |website=NHL.com}}</ref> As a youth, he played in the 1977 [[Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament]] with a [[minor ice hockey]] team from [[Nepean, Ontario]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf |title=Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA |year=2018 |website=Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament |access-date=2019-01-13 |archive-date=March 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306085544/https://www.publicationsports.com/ressources/files/439/Joueurs_Pro.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> He attended [[Bell High School (Ottawa)|Bell High School]] and played for his hometown [[Nepean Raiders]] Junior A hockey team. After one season with the Raiders, the [[Peterborough Petes]] of the [[Ontario Hockey League]] (OHL) drafted him, and he played [[centre (ice hockey)|centre]] for the Petes from [[1981–82 OHL season|1981]] to [[1982–83 OHL season|1983]].<ref name=Spotlight>{{cite web |title=Legends of Hockey - Spotlight - One on One with Steve Yzerman |url=https://www.hhof.com/htmlSpotlight/spot_oneononep200904.shtml |website=Hockey Hall of Fame |date=November 5, 2010 |access-date=May 9, 2020 |archive-date=June 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200622202833/https://www.hhof.com/htmlSpotlight/spot_oneononep200904.shtml |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The [[1983 NHL Entry Draft]] was the first for [[Mike Ilitch|Mike]] and [[Marian Ilitch]], who had purchased the Detroit Red Wings in the summer of 1982. [[Jim Devellano]], the Red Wings' general manager at the time, wanted to draft [[Pat LaFontaine]], who had grown up outside Detroit and played his junior hockey in the area. However, when the [[New York Islanders]] selected LaFontaine third overall, Devellano "settled" on Yzerman, drafting him fourth.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/25638 |title=Steve Yzerman: NHL's All-Time Great Leaders, Part II |website=Bleacher Report |first=Matt |last=Eichel |date=May 27, 2008 |access-date=November 14, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://detroitsportsnation.com/listicle/shawnd/5-steve-yzerman-moments/24787/4/ |title=The Day it All Started |website=Detroit Sports Nation |first=Shawn |last=Delacourt |date=February 6, 2015 |access-date=November 14, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114145326/https://detroitsportsnation.com/listicle/shawnd/5-steve-yzerman-moments/24787/4/ |archive-date=November 14, 2017 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

The Red Wings were prepared to send Yzerman back to Peterborough for one more year, but "after one (training camp) session, you knew he was a tremendous hockey player", said [[Ken Holland]], the former Red Wings general manager who was then a minor league goaltender for the Wings during Yzerman's rookie training camp.<ref name=Spotlight/><ref>{{cite book |author=Detroit Free Press |title=The Captain: Steve Yzerman: 22 Seasons, 3 Cups, 1 Team |publisher=Triumph Books |page=15 |year=2006 |isbn=978-1-57243-935-1}}</ref> Yzerman tallied 39 goals and 87 points in his rookie season and finished second in [[Calder Memorial Trophy]] voting.<ref name=Spotlight/> That season, Yzerman also became the first 18-year-old and youngest player to play in an [[National Hockey League All-Star Game|NHL All-Star Game]] (18 years, 267 days) since the current format was adopted in 1969. This stood as an NHL record for 27 years until [[Jeff Skinner]] broke it by eight days.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Cotsonika |first1=Nicholas J. |title=Steve Yzerman's NHL All-Star debut unexpected |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/steve-yzerman-was-third-youngest-player-to-appear-in-all-star-game/c-286258500 |website=NHL.com |access-date=November 16, 2017 |date=January 31, 2017}}</ref>

===Rise to stardom (1986–1996)===
Following the departure of Red Wings captain [[Danny Gare]] during the [[1985–86 NHL season|1985–86 season]], Red Wings head coach [[Jacques Demers]] named Yzerman captain of the team on October 7, 1986, making him the youngest captain in the team's history.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Captain: Steve Yzerman: 22 Seasons, 3 Cups, 1 Team |author=Detroit Free Press |publisher=Triumph Books |year=2006 |isbn=978-1-57243-935-1 |page=25 |chapter=Captain, My Captain |quote=Red Wings coach Jacques Demers named Steve Yzerman team captain on October 7, 1986.}}</ref> Demers said he "wanted a guy with the Red Wings crest tattooed on his chest".<ref>{{cite web |title=Wings of Legend: Steve Yzerman |url=http://www.detroitredwings.com/history/wol/wol-steveyzerman.jsp |website=NHL.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060812064817/http://www.detroitredwings.com/history/wol/wol-steveyzerman.jsp |archive-date=August 12, 2006 |access-date=May 9, 2020}}</ref> During [[1987–88 NHL season|the next season]], Yzerman scored his then-career high 50th goal against the [[Buffalo Sabres]] on March 1, 1988. However, during the same game, Yzerman suffered a knee injury which caused him to miss the rest of the regular season.<ref name=Fachet/><ref>{{cite web |first=Ansar |last=Khan |title=On eve of Hall of Fame induction, former Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman looks back |url=https://www.mlive.com/redwings/2009/11/on_eve_of_hall_of_fame_inducti.html |website=MLive |date=November 8, 2009 |access-date=May 25, 2020}}</ref> Despite his absence, the Red Wings would win their first division title in 23 years.<ref>{{cite web |first=Dam |last=Rosen |title=When Yzerman bought in, overall success followed |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/when-yzerman-bought-in-overall-success-followed/c-504907 |website=NHL.com |date=November 5, 2009 |access-date=May 9, 2020}}</ref>

During the [[1988–89 NHL season|1988–89 season]], Yzerman recorded 155 points (65 goals and 90 assists), finishing third in regular season scoring behind [[Mario Lemieux]] and [[Wayne Gretzky]]. He won the [[Lester B. Pearson Award]], the MVP as voted by the [[National Hockey League Players' Association]], and was a finalist for the [[Hart Memorial Trophy]], the MVP as voted by the NHL writers.<ref name=Spotlight/>

When [[Scotty Bowman]] took over as head coach in [[1993–94 NHL season|1993]], Yzerman initially chafed under Bowman's stern coaching style. Bowman, for his part, felt that Yzerman was not concentrating enough on defence; Bowman had long expected his forwards to be good back-checkers as well. Relations between the two became so strained that at one point, the Red Wings seriously considered trading him to the [[Ottawa Senators]].<ref>{{cite web |first=Sean |last=McIndoe |title=Celebrating the NHL Trades That Weren't |url=https://grantland.com/the-triangle/nhl-trades-didnt-happen/ |website=Grantland |date=February 17, 2015 |access-date=May 11, 2020}}</ref> However, Yzerman gradually became a better defender and was considered one of the best two-way forwards in the history of the game.<ref name=Spotlight/>

In [[1994–95 NHL season|1995]], Yzerman led Detroit to its first appearance in the [[Stanley Cup Finals]] since [[1965–66 NHL season|1966]], but the Red Wings were swept by the [[New Jersey Devils]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Red Wings Win Series, Reach the Final Step |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-06-12-sp-12239-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |date=June 12, 1995 |access-date=May 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Alex |last=Yannis |title=New Jersey and the Cup - Perfect Together |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1995/06/25/sports/1995-stanley-cup-finals-new-jersey-and-the-cup-perfect-together.html |website=The New York Times |date=June 25, 1995 |access-date=May 11, 2020}}</ref> The next season saw Detroit finish with a then NHL-record 62 regular season wins and were heavily favoured to win the Stanley Cup.<ref name="1995-96">{{cite web |first=John |last=Matisz |title=Almost Famous: 1995-96 Red Wings weren't quite ready for prime time |url=https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/1968321 |website=theScore |date=April 7, 2020 |access-date=May 11, 2020}}</ref> Yzerman scored perhaps the most memorable goal of his career in the [[1996 Stanley Cup playoffs|1996 playoffs]], stealing the puck from Wayne Gretzky and beating [[St. Louis Blues]] goaltender [[Jon Casey]] with a slap shot from the blue line to win the Western Conference Semifinals in double overtime of Game 7.<ref>{{YouTube|NAOYjVxP2wc|Steve Yzerman scores in 2nd OT!}}</ref> However, the Red Wings fell short of their ultimate goal, losing in six games to the [[Colorado Avalanche]] in the Western Conference Finals.<ref name="1995-96"/>

===Stanley Cup titles (1996–2002)===
In [[1996–97 NHL season|1997]], Yzerman put to rest all doubts of his ability to lead a team to a championship as Detroit won its first Stanley Cup in 42 years after sweeping the [[Philadelphia Flyers]]. The following year, Detroit repeated the feat, sweeping the [[Washington Capitals]] and winning their second consecutive Cup title. Yzerman earned the [[Conn Smythe Trophy]] as playoff MVP. He handed the Cup first to [[Vladimir Konstantinov]], who had been severely injured in a car accident just six days after the Cup victory in 1997 and was using a wheelchair.<ref name=Spotlight/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hhof.com/htmlSpotlight/spot_oneononeTmRedWings9698.shtml |title=Legends of Hockey - Spotlight - Detroit Red Wings - 1996-98 |website=Hockey Hall of Fame |access-date=May 11, 2020}}</ref>

On November 26, 1999, Yzerman became the 11th player in NHL history to score 600 goals.<ref name=Spotlight/><ref>{{cite web |title=Wings Win, Yzerman Gets 600th |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/wings-win-yzerman-gets-600th/ |website=CBS News |date=November 26, 1999 |access-date=May 11, 2020}}</ref> In 2000, he made the [[NHL All-Star team|NHL All-Star first team]] and won the [[Frank J. Selke Trophy]] as the league's top defensive forward.<ref name=Spotlight/>

[[File:Stanley Cup Red Wings and Bush.jpg|thumb|right|With the Stanley Cup present (l), U.S. President [[George W. Bush]] receives a commemorative jersey and mini-Cup from 2002 Stanley Cup Champion Steve Yzerman.]]
In [[2001–02 NHL season|2001–02]], Yzerman re-aggravated a knee injury, forcing him to miss 30 regular season games, though nonetheless still finished sixth in team scoring.<ref name=Timeline>{{cite web |first=John |last=Kreiser |title=Yzerman timeline: from Red Wings legend to general manager |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/steve-yzerman-nhl-career-timeline/c-306894276 |website=NHL.com |date=April 19, 2019 |access-date=May 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=2001-02 Detroit Red Wings Roster and Statistics |url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/DET/2002.html#all_skaters |website=Hockey-Reference.com |access-date=May 11, 2020}}</ref> Yzerman's knee greatly pained him during the [[2002 Stanley Cup playoffs|2002 playoffs]], but this did not stop him from leading the Red Wings from an early 2–0 deficit in their opening round series to defeat the [[Vancouver Canucks]] and St. Louis Blues en route to Detroit's fifth playoff series with Colorado, and the third time the two teams had battled to decide the Western Conference Championship.<ref name=Spotlight/><ref name="2001-02 Red Wings">{{cite web |first=Wayne |last=Coffey |title=2001-02 Red Wings voted No. 10 Greatest NHL Team |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/2002-detroit-red-wings-greatest-nhl-teams/c-289645006 |website=NHL.com |date=May 29, 2017 |access-date=May 11, 2020}}</ref> Detroit defeated Colorado in a seven-game series and moved on to the Stanley Cup Finals, where they defeated the [[Carolina Hurricanes]] to win their tenth Stanley Cup championship in their history.<ref name=Spotlight/><ref name="2001-02 Red Wings"/> Rather than raising the Stanley Cup first, Yzerman passed the Cup to head coach Scotty Bowman, who announced his retirement following the game.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/scotty-bowman-ninth-championship-greatest-nhl-moments/c-292537134 |title=Bowman kept coaching retirement secret until after Stanley Cup win |website=NHL.com |first=Dave |last=Stubbs |date=November 5, 2017 |access-date=November 14, 2017}}</ref>

===Final years (2003–2006)===
During the offseason, Yzerman underwent a knee realignment surgery known as an [[osteotomy]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Yzerman undergoes knee surgery |url=https://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2002/08/02/Yzerman-undergoes-knee-surgery/14781028318941/ |website=UPI.com |date=August 2, 2002 |access-date=May 11, 2020}}</ref> He missed the first 61 games of the [[2002–03 NHL season|2002–03 season]], but returned on February 24, 2003, at home against the [[Los Angeles Kings]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Yzerman makes season debut tonight vs. Kings |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/2003/0224/1513702.html |website=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press |date=February 24, 2002 |access-date=May 11, 2020}}</ref> After the season, Yzerman won the [[Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy]] for perseverance.<ref>{{cite web |title=2002-03 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy Winner -- Yzerman, Steve |url=https://www.hhof.com/LegendsOfHockey/jsp/SilverwareTrophyWinner.jsp?tro=BMT&year=2002-03 |website=Hockey Hall of Fame |access-date=May 12, 2020}}</ref>

On May 1, 2004, Yzerman was hit in the eye by a deflected slapshot by the [[Calgary Flames]] defenceman [[Rhett Warrener]] in a [[2004 Stanley Cup playoffs|playoff]] game, breaking his [[orbital bone]] and scratching his [[cornea]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Conroy scores only goal of the game |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap/_/gameId/240501005 |website=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press |date=May 1, 2004 |access-date=May 12, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Joe |last=Lapointe |title=ROUNDUP: N.H.L. PLAYOFFS; Red Wings Lose Yzerman, And Flames Win the Game |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/02/sports/roundup-nhl-playoffs-red-wings-lose-yzerman-and-flames-win-the-game.html |website=The New York Times |date=May 2, 2004 |access-date=May 12, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Eye injuries sideline Yzerman |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2004-05-03-0405030133-story.html |website=Chicago Tribune |date=May 3, 2004 |access-date=May 12, 2020}}</ref> Yzerman underwent eye surgery following the incident, and was sidelined for the remainder of the 2004 playoffs.<ref>{{cite web |title=Yzerman Has Surgery for Eye Injury |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-may-03-sp-nhlreport3-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |agency=Associated Press |date=May 3, 2004 |access-date=May 12, 2020}}</ref> The eye injury also forced Yzerman to miss the [[2004 World Cup of Hockey]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Steve Yzerman Unable to Participate in World Cup of Hockey 2004 Due to Injury Vincent Lecavalier Named to Team Canada's Roster Fellow Canadians |url=https://www.hockeycanada.ca/en-ca/news/2004-nr-072-en |website=Hockey Canada |date=May 10, 2004 |access-date=May 12, 2020}}</ref> [[Joe Thornton]] (then of the [[Boston Bruins]]) and [[Joe Sakic]] (Colorado), who each wore the number 19 for their respective NHL clubs and who were now eligible to wear it for team Canada due to Yzerman's enforced absence, both refused the number out of respect for their injured countryman.<ref>{{cite web |first=Brian |last=La Rose |title=2004 World Cup of Hockey Rosters |url=http://www.habsworld.net/2004/08/2004-world-cup-of-hockey-rosters/ |website=HabsWorld.net |date=August 20, 2004 |access-date=May 12, 2020}}</ref> Yzerman returned in the [[2005–06 NHL season|2005–06 season]], following the [[2004–05 NHL lockout]], wearing a visor.<ref>{{cite web |first=Ansar |last=Khan |title=Red Wings' Todd Bertuzzi will 'think about' wearing a visor after being struck in the eye with a stick |url=https://www.mlive.com/redwings/2013/01/red_wings_todd_bertuzzi_will_t.html |website=MLive |date=January 31, 2013 |access-date=May 12, 2020}}</ref>

[[File:Steve Yzerman (Columbus OH, 2005).jpg|thumb|left|upright|Yzerman with the Red Wings during his final NHL season.]]
On August 2, 2005, Yzerman signed a one-year deal with the Red Wings; this was his last contract signed as a player.<ref>{{cite web |title=Yzerman signs one-year deal |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2122708 |website=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press |date=August 2, 2005 |access-date=May 12, 2020}}</ref> On March 31, 2006, he scored his 691st NHL career goal, passing Mario Lemieux for eighth place all-time.<ref name=Timeline/><ref>{{cite news |title=Yzerman passes Lemieux on goals list |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/yzerman-passes-lemieux-on-goals-list-1.580981 |website=[[CBC Sports]] |date=March 31, 2006 |access-date=August 6, 2006}}</ref> Yzerman's humility was evident in an interview prior to his achievement when he was quoted saying, "I don't really know the significance. If anything, it shows how good [Lemieux] is; he played almost five years less than I did."<ref>{{cite web |title=Yzerman's 690th goal ties Lemieux for eighth on all-time list |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap?gameId=260327019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170908063540/http://www.espn.com/nhl/recap?gameId=260327019 |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 8, 2017 |website=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press |access-date=March 11, 2013 |date=March 27, 2006}}</ref> He scored his final NHL goal, the 692nd of his career, on April 3, 2006, in a game against the Calgary Flames.<ref name=Spotlight/> Yzerman played his last professional hockey game on May 1, 2006, a loss to the [[Edmonton Oilers]] in Game 6 of the first round of the [[2006 Stanley Cup playoffs|2006 playoffs]] and knocking Detroit out of the playoffs.<ref name=Timeline/><ref>{{cite web |title=Oilers use four third-period goals to oust top-seeded Red Wings |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/recap/_/gameId/260501006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181117151359/http://www.espn.com/nhl/recap/_/gameId/260501006 |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 17, 2018 |website=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press |date=May 2, 2006 |access-date=March 19, 2021}}</ref>

On July 3, 2006, Yzerman announced his retirement from the NHL.<ref>{{cite web |title=Longtime Red Wings captain Yzerman retires |url=https://www.espn.com/nhl/news/story?id=2508103 |website=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press |date=July 3, 2006 |access-date=May 12, 2020}}</ref> Shortly afterwards, ''[[Sports Illustrated]]'' published a special commemorative edition dedicated to Yzerman entitled "Yzerman: A Salute to Stevie Y."<ref>{{cite book |title=Sports Illustrated, The 2006 Steve Yzerman Tribute Issue |isbn=1580608779}}</ref>

Yzerman holds the NHL record as the longest-serving captain of a single team&nbsp;– he spent 19 seasons and 1,303 games wearing the "C".<ref>{{cite book |author=Detroit Free Press |title=The Captain: Steve Yzerman: 22 Seasons, 3 Cups, 1 Team |page=11 |year=2006 |publisher=Triumph Books |isbn=978-1-57243-935-1}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Jonas |last=Siegel |title=NHL 100: 'C' is for captain |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/hockey/nhl/nhl-100-iconic-captains-1.4013287 |website=CBC Sports |agency=The Canadian Press |date=March 7, 2017 |access-date=May 12, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Mark |last=Falkner |title=Yzerman rules: Wings GM applies lessons from 14-year Cup drought |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/in-depth/sports/nhl/red-wings/2019/10/03/wings-yzerman-applies-lessons-from-stanley-cup-drought/3780552002/ |website=The Detroit News |date=October 3, 2019 |access-date=May 12, 2020}}</ref><ref name=Captain>{{cite web |first=John |last=Kreiser |title=Follow the leader: The NHL's 10 best captains |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/follow-the-leader-the-nhls-10-best-captains/c-640779 |website=NHL.com |date=September 1, 2012 |access-date=May 13, 2020}}</ref>  In addition to being eighth all-time in NHL regular-season goals and sixth in overall scoring, Yzerman finished his career seventh all-time in regular season assists and eighth in all-time playoff scoring.<ref name=Spotlight/> He also ranks second in nearly every significant offensive category in Red Wings history behind [[Gordie Howe]], except for assists&nbsp;– Yzerman has 1,063 assists to Howe's 1,020. At the time of his retirement, only Howe (1,687 games) and [[Alex Delvecchio]] (1,550 games) had played more games as a Red Wing than Yzerman's 1,514. He is now fourth in games played for the franchise, behind Howe, Delvecchio, and [[Nicklas Lidström]] (1,564 games), who was his teammate for the final 12 seasons of his career.<ref name="Career Leaders">{{cite web |title=Detroit Red Wings Career Leaders |url=https://www.hockey-reference.com/teams/DET/leaders_career.html |website=Hockey-Reference.com |access-date=May 12, 2020}}</ref>