STEVE YZERMAN
The greatest hockey player of all time...
Stevie has accomplished so
much in his
career. Throughout the eighties, he was known as the third best offensive
player in the NHL, behind Gretz, and Mario Lemieux. In 1989, he was voted by
the players as the league's Most Valuable Player, earning him the Lester B.
Pearson award. He didn't win the Hart, the media's choice as top player, but
who knows better than the players who the best player is? The media? I think
not. Also, Yzerman scored 155 pts that year. This is the highest total ever,
outside the remarkable accomplishments of Mario Lemieux and Wayne.
The longtime captain of the
Wings has
distinguished himself in other ways as well. Recently, under Scotty Bowman,
Yzerman has upped his defensive game to remarkable heights. He has
blocked shots, stayed back, worked every penalty killing situation; making him
a tough player to play against. And on top of this, he still managed to
register 95 points in '96 and 85 points in '97. This was second to the great
Sergei Fedorov in '96, who had
much more ice-time than Steve and played with more offensively skilled
linemates. Steve played with Bob Errey (recently waived by Detroit), Marty
Lapointe and Darren McCarty. These are good, solid, grinding players, but
hardly major offensive forces. And in '97, Shanahan outdid Yzerman, and the
story of linemates was similar. Both enjoyed each other as linemates for
much of the season
but Bowman's shenanigans probably kept both of them from reaching 100 pts, as
what may have happened had they been kept on the same line.
Another reason I classify
Stevie Y as the best
player ever in the game is his longevity and dedication. He is currently in
his fourteenth season with the Detroit Red Wings and his twelth as Captain.
At the start of next season he will have tied the NHL record for longest tenure
as a team's Captain. He is second among active players for years with one
team, only bettered by Boston Captain, Ray Bourque. Steve has given his career
to the city of Detroit. He never stops scoring, passing, trying, going.
He is the last Wing left from the 1980s. Throughout the playoff losses,
upsets, 40 point seasons and trading of companions, Stevie has been there. And
he has never given up. Steve Yzerman has given Red Wing fans, his hometowns of
Cranbrook, B.C. and Ottawa, Ont., wife, daughter, and parents something to be
proud of.
Steve Yzerman's Career Stats |
Jeff Glasgow's Wings Page is good but
not as good as mine.
Go back to my Red Wings page.
