Steve Yzerman facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Steve Yzerman
Hockey Hall of Fame, 2009
Yzerman in 2012
Born	(1965-05-09) May 9, 1965 (age 60) Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Right
Played for	Detroit Red Wings
National team	Canada
NHL Draft	4th overall, 1983 Detroit Red Wings
Playing career	1983–2006
Medal record Representing  Canada Men's ice hockey Olympic Games Gold 2002 Salt Lake City World Cup Silver 1996 Canada World Championships Silver 1985 Czechoslovakia Silver 1989 Sweden Canada Cup Gold 1984 Canada World Junior Championships Bronze 1983 Soviet Union

Stephen Gregory Yzerman (born May 9, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played all 22 seasons of his amazing NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings. Many people consider him one of the greatest hockey players ever. He is a true legend in Detroit sports and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

After he stopped playing, Yzerman worked in the Red Wings' front office. He then became the general manager for the Tampa Bay Lightning. He also led Team Canada as executive director in two Olympic Games.

At just 21 years old, Yzerman became the captain of the Red Wings. He was captain for 20 years, playing over 1,300 games. This made him the longest-serving captain in North American major league sports history. Fans in Detroit often call him "Stevie Y" or "The Captain." Yzerman led the Red Wings to three Stanley Cup championships in 1997, 1998, and 2002.

Yzerman won many awards during his career. These include the Lester B. Pearson Award in 1989 for being the most outstanding player. He also won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1998 as the most valuable player in the Stanley Cup playoffs. In 2000, he received the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league's best defensive forward. He played in ten All-Star Games.

On July 3, 2006, Yzerman retired from playing professional hockey. He finished his career as the sixth all-time leading scorer in NHL history. His jersey number 19 was retired by the Red Wings on January 2, 2007. In 2009, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 2017, Yzerman was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" of all time.

After his playing career, Yzerman became a vice president for the Red Wings. He won another Stanley Cup in 2008 as an executive. In 2010, he became the general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He returned to the Red Wings as general manager in 2019.

Yzerman also played for Team Canada in many international tournaments. In 2002, he won an Olympic gold medal. This made him one of the few players to win both an Olympic gold medal and the Stanley Cup in the same year. He also led Team Canada to gold medals as executive director in the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting Out in Detroit (1983–1986)

Yzerman was born in Cranbrook, British Columbia. As a young player, he played for the Nepean Raiders Junior A hockey team. He then played for the Peterborough Petes in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) from 1981 to 1983.

In the 1983 NHL Entry Draft, the Detroit Red Wings chose Yzerman fourth overall. The team was impressed with him right away. In his first season, Yzerman scored 39 goals and 87 points. He finished second in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy, which is given to the best rookie. Yzerman also became the youngest player to play in an NHL All-Star Game at 18 years old.

Becoming a Star (1986–1996)

On October 7, 1986, Yzerman became the youngest captain in Red Wings history. Coach Jacques Demers said he wanted a player who truly loved the Red Wings. In the 1988–89 season, Yzerman had an amazing year. He scored 155 points, with 65 goals and 90 assists. He won the Lester B. Pearson Award as the league's most outstanding player.

When Scotty Bowman became head coach in 1993, Yzerman learned to play better defense. He became known as one of the best "two-way" forwards. This means he was great at both scoring and defending.

In 1995, Yzerman led Detroit to the Stanley Cup Finals for the first time in nearly 30 years. The next season, Detroit won a record 62 regular season games. Yzerman scored a famous goal in the 1996 playoffs. He stole the puck from Wayne Gretzky and scored in double overtime to win a key game.

Winning the Stanley Cup (1996–2002)

With the Stanley Cup, U.S. President George W. Bush receives a jersey and mini-Cup from Steve Yzerman in 2002.

In 1997, Yzerman led Detroit to their first Stanley Cup in 42 years. They won again in 1998, making it two championships in a row! Yzerman won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP. He famously handed the Cup first to Vladimir Konstantinov, a teammate who had been badly injured.

On November 26, 1999, Yzerman scored his 600th career goal. In 2000, he was named to the NHL All-Star first team. He also won the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league's best defensive forward.

In 2002, Yzerman played through a painful knee injury during the playoffs. He still led the Red Wings to another Stanley Cup championship. After the win, Yzerman passed the Cup to coach Scotty Bowman, who then retired.

Final Seasons (2003–2006)

Yzerman had knee surgery and missed most of the 2002–03 season. When he returned, he won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for his perseverance. This award recognizes a player who shows great sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.

In 2004, Yzerman suffered an eye injury from a deflected shot. He had to miss the rest of the playoffs and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. Out of respect, other players who wore number 19 refused to wear it for Team Canada. Yzerman returned in 2005–06, wearing a visor to protect his eye.

Yzerman with the Red Wings during his final NHL season.

On July 3, 2006, Yzerman announced his retirement. He finished his career as the longest-serving captain of a single team, playing 19 seasons and 1,303 games with the "C" on his jersey. He ranks high in NHL history for goals, assists, and total points.

Managerial Career

Detroit Red Wings Executive

On September 25, 2006, the Red Wings named Yzerman a team vice-president. On January 2, 2007, the Red Wings retired Yzerman's number 19 jersey. A special "C" was added to his banner to honor him as "The Captain." Many hockey legends attended the ceremony. His former teammate Vladimir Konstantinov even walked across the ice without a wheelchair for the first time since his injury.

Yzerman also received the key to the city of Detroit. The Governor of Michigan declared "Steve Yzerman Day" in his honor. He was inducted into the Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame and the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame. In 2009, he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Leading the Tampa Bay Lightning

In May 2010, Yzerman became the general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. He made many smart moves, signing and trading for key players. He drafted future stars like Nikita Kucherov and Andrei Vasilevskiy. The team reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 2015. In 2015, Yzerman won the NHL General Manager of the Year Award.

Return to Detroit

On April 19, 2019, Yzerman returned to the Red Wings as their general manager.

Team Canada Leadership

Yzerman also played a big role with Team Canada. In 2007, he was the general manager for the team that won the IIHF World Championship.

In 2008, Yzerman was named executive director for the Canadian men's hockey team for the 2010 Winter Olympics. The team he built won the gold medal. He led Team Canada to another gold medal at the 2014 Winter Olympics. This was Canada's second straight gold medal in men's hockey. In 2014, he was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame.

International Play

Yzerman (centre foreground) during the 2002 Winter Olympics

Yzerman proudly played for Canada in many international tournaments:

• 1983 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships
• 1984 Canada Cup
• 1985 World Ice Hockey Championships
• 1989 World Ice Hockey Championships
• 1990 World Ice Hockey Championships
• 1996 World Cup of Hockey
• 1998 Winter Olympics
• 2002 Winter Olympics

For the 2006 Olympics, Wayne Gretzky announced that no one would wear Yzerman's jersey number 19 for Canada. This was a special honor for Yzerman.

Personal Life

Yzerman and his wife Lisa Brennan have three daughters. They live in Michigan. Yzerman became a naturalized United States citizen after living in Michigan for many years.

The Nepean Sportsplex, near where Yzerman grew up, named one of its ice rinks the Steve Yzerman Arena in his honor. This is the home rink for the Nepean Raiders, the junior team Yzerman played for.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

International Play Statistics

Awards and Achievements

Yzerman speaking to the media during his induction ceremony into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame

• NHL All-Star Game Roster – 1984, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, 1999, 2000
• NHL First Team All-Star – 2000
• Lester B. Pearson Award – 1989
• Conn Smythe Trophy – 1998
• Frank J. Selke Trophy – 2000
• Stanley Cup Champion (as player) – 1997, 1998, 2002
• Stanley Cup Champion (as executive) – 2008
• Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy – 2003
• Lester Patrick Trophy – 2006
• Ice Hockey World Championships Scoring Leader – 1990
• Longest-serving captain for a team in league history (19 seasons, 1,303 games)
• His number 19 jersey was retired by the Detroit Red Wings on January 2, 2007
• Named Vice-President of Detroit Red Wings – 2006
• Inducted into Ottawa Sports Hall of Fame – 2008
• Inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame – 2008
• Inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame – 2008
• Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame – 2009
• Named General Manager and Vice-President of the Tampa Bay Lightning – 2010
• Inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame – 2014
• Named to the Order of Hockey in Canada by Hockey Canada – 2014
• NHL General Manager of the Year Award – 2015
• Named on the 100 Greatest NHL Players list for the NHL's Centennial Anniversary – 2017
• Named General Manager and Executive Vice-President of the Detroit Red Wings – 2019

Images for kids

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  Banner for Yzerman's number 19 hangs alongside other retired Red Wings numbers at Joe Louis Arena.