Stephen Gregory Yzerman (/?a?z?rm?n/; born May 9, 1965) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League. Yzerman played his entire National Hockey League (NHL) career with the Detroit Red Wings and is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame.Prior to the 1986–87 season at the age of 21, Yzerman was named captain of the Red Wings and continuously served for the next two decades (dressing as captain for over 1300 games), retiring as the longest-serving captain of any team in North American major league sports history. Once voted to be the most popular athlete in Detroit sports history, locals often simply refer to Yzerman as "The Captain." Yzerman led the Wings to five first-place regular season finishes and three Stanley Cup championships (1997, 1998, and 2002).Yzerman won numerous awards during his career, including the Lester B. Pearson Award (Most outstanding player) in the 1988–89 NHL season, the Conn Smythe Trophy (Most Valuable Player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs) in 1998, the Selke Trophy as the league's best defensive forward in 2000, and the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance in 2003. He was a ten-time NHL All-Star, a First Team All-Star in 2000, and a member of the All-Rookie Team in 1984.On July 3, 2006, Yzerman officially retired, finishing his career ranked as the sixth all-time leading scorer in NHL history, having scored a career-high 155 points (65 goals/90 assists) in 1988–89 which has been bettered only by Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. Yzerman's #19 jersey was officially retired on January 2, 2007 during a pre-game ceremony at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. On November 4, 2008, he was inducted into the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame. He also became an honoured member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009, his first year of eligibility, inducted alongside 2001–02 Red Wing teammates Brett Hull and Luc Robitaille.On September 25, 2006, Yzerman was named as a Vice President of the Detroit Red Wings. He won a fourth Stanley Cup as the Vice President of Operations in 2007–08. He served as the team's Alternate Governor until he was hired away from the Red Wings to become the general manager for the Tampa Bay Lightning in May 2010.Yzerman has represented his country in several international tournaments as a member of Canada's national hockey team (Team Canada). In 2002, Yzerman won an Olympic gold medal, making him one of few players to win an Olympic gold medal and the Stanley Cup in the same year. Yzerman was the general manager of Team Canada for the 2007 IIHF World Championship, which they won. Yzerman was appointed Executive Director of Team Canada on October 7, 2008, for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Team Canada went on to win the gold medal by defeating Team USA. Yzerman was again appointed Executive Director of Team Canada on March 5, 2012, for the 2014 Winter Olympics. Team Canada went on to win their second straight gold medal by defea
Currently acting General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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Invited to attend Team Canada's 5-day Olympic orientation camp on Aug 15th that starts in Vancouver. [August 2005]
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Announced his retirement as a player on Monday, July 3, 2006. [July 2006]
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Steve Yzerman is mentioned in the Kid Rock song "Devil Without a Cause", "I'm in it to win it like Yzerman". Kid Rock is from Detroit - where Steve played hockey for the Detroit Red Wings.
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Had his number 19 retired by the Detroit Red Wings on January 2, 2007 before a game against the Anaheim Ducks.
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Announced his retirement from hockey finishing his career ranked 6th all-time in NHL career points.
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Retired from playing hockey in 2006.
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Won the World Cup in 2004.
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Named to the World Cup roster for Team Canada, along with 13 other NHLers who also won gold in the 2002 Olympics, in Salt Lake City.
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Served as the captain of the Detroit Red Wings until 2006, but is now the Vice President/Alternate Governor for the Red Wings organization.
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Center with the National Hockey League's Detroit Red Wings, 1983-1984 thru 2005-2006.
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Has dual Canadian/American citizenship.
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Became the 3rd player to win a Gold Medal and a Stanley Cup in same season. Only teammate Brendan Shanahan (2002 Team Canada & Detroit Red Wings) and Ken Morrow (1980 Team USA & New York Islanders) accomplished the feat.
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Steve & his wife Lisa have three daughters, Isabella Katherine (b. 1994), Maria Charlotte (b. 21 April 1998), Sophia Rose (b. 14 May 1999).
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Became a U.S. citizen [14 May 2001]
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His paternal grandfather emigrated to Canada from the Apeldoorn area of the Netherlands in 1901.
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Is the 3rd of 5 children.
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Was A 1st Round Draft Pick (4th Overall) in 1983 Draft.
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He won the Conn Smythe Trophy as Playoff MVP in the 1998 Playoffs and the Frank Selke Award for best defensive player in 2000.
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He was born in Cranbrook, British Columbia, but raised in Nepean, Ontario.
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Steve grew up in the Ottawa suburb of Nepean, Ontario. The city celebrated Steve Yzerman day on November 2, 1996 and renamed the Nepean Sportsplex's hockey rink to the Steve Yzerman Hockey Arena.
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In November 2000, scored his 1,500th point on the 20th, played in his 1,200th game on the 24th, and scored his 600th goal on the 26th.
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Set team rookie records for goals (39) and points (87), 1983-1984.
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He was runner up for the Calder Trophy to Tom Barrasso and was selected to the NHL All-Rookie Team in 1983-1984.
Thanks
Title
Year
Status
Character
One Week
2008/I
special thanks
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
Rome Is Burning
2006-2010
TV Series
Himself
The Hour
2009
TV Series
Himself
Farewell from Moscow: The Igor Larionov Farewell Game