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Post by Score on Jan 2, 2007 14:37:01 GMT -3
When Steve Yzerman has his No. 19 uniform retired on tonight at Joe Louis Arena, it will be the culmination of a process that began almost 25 years ago.
Followed by a match-up featuring the Red Wings and the Anaheim Ducks lice on CBC at 8:00PM
Drafted in 1983 by the Detroit Red Wings when it was a moribund franchise that had only made the playoffs once in the previous 13 seasons, Yzerman was the first player taken by the team's then new owners, Mike and Marian Ilitch.
Yzerman's 1,063 assists are the most in Red Wings history, his 692 goals and 1,755 points are second only to Gordie Howe, and his 1,514 games are third behind Howe and Alex Delvecchio.
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Post by Krang7 on Jan 2, 2007 14:52:12 GMT -3
Truly a legend in hockey, one of the best to ever lace up the skates. The thing that makes Stevie Y all the more important was his leadership skills and his dedication to the team's that he played on, whether it was the Wings or the national teams he suited up for. It's too bad he couldn't have played in the Olympics last time around, he could have helped motivate some of those overpaid floaters that we had on our team.
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Post by HockeyChick21 on Jan 2, 2007 22:33:15 GMT -3
Very nice ceremony, lasted about a hour and 20 mins...cried through most of it...was really well done.
Way to go Stevie, thats where your number belongs
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Score
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Go Rocket!
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Post by Score on Jan 3, 2007 0:16:22 GMT -3
Steve Yzerman spent his entire career trying to avoid the spotlight. Even when the Detroit Red Wings retired his No. 19 jersey Tuesday night, the native of Cranbrook, B.C., deflected credit during a ceremony at Joe Louis Arena. Yzerman praised his family, the franchise's front office, former coach Scotty Bowman and former teammates. Then, the usually stoic Yzerman got emotional when he addressed his adoring fans. "My jersey is going to go up there and I hope as you watch it go up, and when you come back and see it, you give yourself a pat on the back because you're a big reason why that jersey is up there," he said. "It doesn't represent what I did, but what we did as an organization." "I feel like my image as a great leader is greatly overblown because I played with some of the greatest hockey players," said Yzerman, a comment that was met by groans in the sold-out crowd. "I stand here humbly saying 'Thank you.' Any personal success I had was because of the great players I played with." On a puck-shaped podium at center ice in the middle of a red-carpeted "C," Red Wings captain Nick Lidstrom presented Yzerman and his family with a trip to Austria to watch the 2008 Euro Cup finals. Owner Mike Ilitch gave him a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe. "You helped build Hockeytown," Ilitch said. "When people hear your name, they think 'Red Wings."'
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