Editing Steve Yzerman (section)

===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>