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Entering his 24th year with the Detroit Red Wings and his first as the team's vice-president, Yzerman will work with the management team of Senior Vice-President Jim Devellano, General Manager Ken Holland and Assistant General Manager Jim Nill on all aspects of the Red Wings' organization.
Yzerman, who announced his retirement as a player on July 3, 2006, completed a remarkable 22-season career in the National Hockey League -- all with the Red Wings. He played 1,514 games (10th all-time), scored 692 goals (eighth all-time) and tallied 1,063 assists (seventh all-time). His 1,755-career points rank sixth all-time in NHL history.
As impressive as Yzerman's statistics are, it's his title as the longest serving captain in NHL history that may encapsulate his illustrious tenure as a player. His 20-season reign as the team's captain began in 1986-87. Yzerman supplanted Danny Gare as the youngest captain in franchise history when, at 21 years old, he was named captain.
Mike and Marian Ilitch purchased the team in June 1982 and soon after appointed Devellano as general manager. He used his first draft pick to select Yzerman fourth overall in 1983. He is the Red Wings' all-time leader in assists (1,063) and ranks second all-time in goals (692) and points (1,755). Only Gordie Howe (1,687) and Alex Delvecchio (1,549) played more games in a Red Wings' sweater.
Yzerman is the ninth professional athlete to play 22 or more seasons for one team, joining hockey players Delvecchio and Stan Mikita (Chicago Blackhawks); and baseball players Al Kaline (Detroit Tigers), Cap Anson (Chicago Colts), Stan Musial (St. Louis Cardinals), Mel Ott (New York Giants), Brooks Robinson (Baltimore Orioles) and Carl Yastrzemski (Boston Red Sox).
On January 2, 2007, the Red Wings retired Yzerman's No. 19, sending it to the rafters at Joe Louis Arena during a pre-game ceremony. Yzerman's number is the sixth Detroit number to be retired, joining legends Gordie Howe (9), Delvecchio (10), Ted Lindsay (7), Terry Sawchuk (1) and Sid Abel (12). | 