Yzerman enters the Hall

Tonight is a great night to be a Red Wings fan. No, the Wings haven’t won the Stanley Cup yet. Nor are they playing a game tonight. Three members of the 2002 Stanley Cup championship team are going into the Hall of Fame: Luc Robitaille, Brett Hull, and #19 Steve Yzerman. To enter into the Hall of Fame is a huge achievement and a top to cap off a great career. For the many Red Wings fans, with Yzerman going into the hall, it feels like an achievement for us as well.

When Yzerman joined the team in the 1983 draft, he wasn’t even the Wings first choice. Then GM Jim Devellano wanted to draft Pat LaFontaine, until LaFontaine was drafted third by the Islanders. Despite this, Yzerman that season became the youngest player to become an All-Star at the age of 18. In 1986, Yzerman was named captain, making him the youngest captain in team history, 22. Despite his early success, the team considered trading Yzerman after he initially didn’t fit Coach Bowman’s style of play. After adapting to Bowman’s style, Yzerman led the Wings to great success. In 1995 he led the Wings to the team’s first Stanley Cup appearance since 1966. Although the Wings lost, they were headed in the right direction. In 1997, Yzerman finally took the team over the hump by claiming the team’s first Cup in 42 years. As a player he won three Stanley Cups, one Lester B. Pearson Award (MVP), and one Conn Smythe Trophy (Finals MVP). He also made it to 10 All-Star games, finished 6th in points, 8th in goals, and 7th in assists. Number 19 became the man and will always be the man.

For the many Red Wings fans, Yzerman brought hockeytown back. He put the prestige back into the Wing Wheel. When the Wings won the division in 1988, they hadn’t won one since 1937. He is one of the main reasons why the Wings are still the dominant team that they are today. As a kid, I never paid attention to the game of hockey. I only watched football and basketball. That is, until Yzerman took the Wings to the Cup finals in 1995. From that day forward I became a fan and actually watched hockey.


THANKS STEVIE Y FOR 22 GREAT YEARS!