Detroit Red Wings: Five players Steve Yzerman needs to move on from
By Bob Heyrman
Friday the Detroit Red Wings announced they were signing the “captain” the former legend Steve Yzerman to become the eleventh General Manager in franchise history.
Steve Yzerman has proven his worth on the ice that has taken him to a Hall of Fame career after he retired he immediately transitioned into an advisor and Vice President with the Detroit Red Wings front office working alongside his mentor Ken Holland.
He worked in this role from the summer of 2006 until 2010. At the time the Detroit Red Wings had an All-Star team assembled in their front office. Ken Holland ran the franchise, Jim Nill and Steve Yzerman both waiting in the Wings with the legendary Jimmy Devellano overseeing the entire group.
During the press conference, Steve Yzerman mentioned he decided to leave the franchise and head to the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010 because Ken Holland had been the teams’ longtime General Manager. Holland wasn’t on the bubble at that time after winning three Stanley Cups and appearing in back to back Cup finals in 08/09.
Yzerman laughed when he said, Holland was in place and Jim Nill was second in line to become the next GM of the team, and he didn’t expect to have an opportunity to become the Wings GM until he was about 100 years old. Jim Nill eventually took over the Dallas Stars, and Yzerman headed to Tampa Bay while the Detroit Red Wings started their descend to the bottom of the standings triggering a lengthy rebuild.
Steve Yzerman joined the Lightning in 2010 and started to sculpt a franchise into a perennial playoff team, although they haven’t had much playoff success other than beating the Wings out year after year in the first round and during that period of time the unit is stockpiled with talent.