from Nicholas J. Cotsonika of NHL.com,
The Detroit Red Wings are entering a transition period with Steve Yzerman in his first season as general manager.
The Red Wings have missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs three seasons in a row after a streak of 25 consecutive appearances, their longest such stretch since they failed to qualify in five consecutive seasons from 1978-83.
"I know everyone feels his presence already, just him being around, him being back with our organization," center Dylan Larkin said. "Everyone's on their toes. Everyone's prepared. It's a great thing to have."
Yzerman played his entire 22-season NHL career as a center for the Red Wings from 1983-2006, winning the Stanley Cup in 1997, 1998 and 2002. He won the Cup again with the Red Wings in 2008 as vice president before leaving for the Tampa Bay Lightning, for whom he was GM from 2010-18 and senior adviser last season.
"Obviously, knowing who he is, you're nervous when you're around him," Larkin said with a laugh. "But he's a great guy. He's a classy guy, and he does the right things all the time. He's here to help us and help our organization, and he's back home. So we're thrilled."
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