Wow. The man's barely skated since he retired, but the Red Wings are reporting that Steve Yzerman will play in the Alumni Showdown:
DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today announced that former captain Steve Yzerman has committed to the team’s alumni roster for the 2013 Maple Leafs vs. Red Wings Alumni Showdown™ on Tuesday, Dec. 31, at Comerica Park as part of the 2013 SiriusXM Hockeytown Winter Festival™.
“Steve is one of the greatest Red Wings players ever,” said Red Wings general manager Ken Holland. “His presence at the Alumni Showdown makes a great day even better.”
The longest-serving captain in NHL history, Yzerman first donned his iconic ‘C’ on Oct. 7, 1986, making him the youngest captain in franchise history. Originally drafted with the fourth choice of the 1983 NHL Entry Draft, Yzerman jumped immediately to the NHL the following season and led the Red Wings in scoring as a rookie, becoming the first 18-year-old in NHL history to make the All-Star Game. His early career was defined by his offensive ability, when he posted six straight 100-point seasons from 1987-93, including a career-high 155 points (65-90-155) in 80 games in 1988-89.
After helping Detroit to deep playoff runs on several occasions, Yzerman first raised the Stanley Cup in 1997 and ended a 42-year championship drought for the Red Wings – a feat he would repeat with the team in 1998. While still pacing the team offensively, Yzerman continued to develop as a leader and a two-way player, capturing the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league’s best defensive forward in 2000. The Cranbrook, British Columbia, native would lead Detroit to a third Stanley Cup in 2002 and the team’s fifth President’s Trophy under his captaincy as the NHL’s top regular-season club in 2005-06, his final season in the NHL.
Yzerman retired as the sixth all-time leading scorer in NHL history and still ranks among the Red Wings’ all-time greats with 1,514 games played (4th), 692 goals (2nd), 1,063 assists (1st) and 1,755 points (2nd). A 10-time NHL All-Star, Yzerman was also honored with the Lester B. Pearson Award (1989), Conn Smythe Trophy (1998), Selke Trophy (2000), NHL First Team All-Star (2000), Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy (2003) and the Lester Patrick Trophy (2006). His No. 19 jersey was retired by Detroit on Jan. 2, 2007, and he was inducted to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.
The latest Red Wings’ alumni roster can be found at www.DetroitRedWings.com/AlumniShowdownRosters. Fans can secure their chance to see Yzerman and his former teammates in action by purchasing tickets at www.DetroitRedWings.com/2014WinterClassic or by calling 313-471-7600. Each ticket is good for both games of the New Year’s Eve doubleheader (1 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.). The contests are the final events of the 2013 SiriusXM Hockeytown Winter Festival™ before the 2014 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Mich., on Jan. 1, 2014.
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