from John Niyo of the Detroit News,

It wasn’t the first thing Steve Yzerman said upon his return. But it was the point he kept coming back to Friday as his long-awaited homecoming was made official.

The Captain is back as the Red Wings’ general manager, and amid all the trumpeted fanfare, there was the same measured leader we all remember.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do,” Yzerman said, seated on the dais between his new boss, Chris Ilitch, and his old one, Ken Holland, another reminder of how much has changed over the last decade — and how much hasn’t. “And depending on your age, you know that this takes time. We’ve been through this before, and I caution everyone — and temper the excitement — that this is going to take time.”

It was time. Few will argue that, including Holland himself ultimately, which was something Ilitch went out of his way to say as he announced a contract extension for the longtime GM in his new role as a senior vice president.

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from Shawn Windsor of the Detroit Free Press,

Steve Yzerman is finally coming home. No wonder Detroit Red Wings fans were crying when news broke Friday morning.

No wonder they were cheering. And celebrating. And texting and calling each other to revel.

"Did you hear?"

"Can you believe it?"

The Hall of Fame center and longtime Wings captain is taking the helm of the franchise he helped turn into Hockeytown, replacing current general manager Ken Holland.

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