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Biography[]

Steve Yzerman was drafted, aged 19, by the Detroit Red Wings in 1983, and was an immediate success. He scored 87 points in his rookie season, and impressed everyone with his leadership, perhaps moreso than his ability. Yzerman then scored 89 points the following year.

Yzerman was selected Captain of the Detroit Red Wings in 1986, a position he holds to this day. At 21, he had become the youngest captain in NHL history. He is currently the longest serving captain of any NHL team ever.

Between 1987 and 1993, Yzerman came into his own as a point scorer. He scored 50 goals or more in five of those six seasons. He scored more than 100 points in each. His best season was 1988-89, when he scored 65 goals and 90 assists for 155 points. This is the highest number of points scored in a season ever, whose name is not Gretzky, or Lemieux.

1997-98 saw Yzerman dip below a point per game for the first time in his career (other than the 1994-95 lockout season). Since 2000, Yzerman has been dogged with injury problems, yet has continued to play for his beloved Wings.

Yzerman has won three Stanley Cups with Detroit, and was a key contributor to the Wings' rivalry with the Colorado Avalanche. He is so popular, that even Colorado Avalanche fans have respect for him.

Aged 41 this year, all things suggest that 2005-06 will be his final season in the NHL. He is a shoe-in to get into the Hockey Hall of Fame as soon as he is eligible. If he retires at the end of this season, the Red Wings are likely to retire the Number 19 jersey in his honour.

In his career, he has played 1,514 games, scored 692 goals, 1,063 assists, totalling 1,755 points. Those statistics put him up with the legends of the game. Yet, Yzerman is not about statistics. He played the game for the fun and enjoyment of it. He remains a true ambassador not just for Hockey, but for any professional sportsman.

Statistics[]

                                            --- Regular Season ---  ---- Playoffs ----
Season   Team                        Lge    GP    G    A  Pts  PIM  GP   G   A Pts PIM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1981-82  Peterborough Petes          OHL    58   21   43   64   65   6   0   1   1  16
1982-83  Peterborough Petes          OHL    56   42   49   91   33   4   1   4   5   0
1983-84  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    80   39   48   87   33   4   3   3   6   0
1984-85  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    80   30   59   89   58   3   2   1   3   2
1985-86  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    51   14   28   42   16  --  --  --  --  --
1986-87  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    80   31   59   90   43  16   5  13  18   8
1987-88  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    64   50   52  102   44   3   1   3   4   6
1988-89  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    80   65   90  155   61   6   5   5  10   2
1989-90  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    79   62   65  127   79  --  --  --  --  --
1990-91  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    80   51   57  108   34   7   3   3   6   4
1991-92  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    79   45   58  103   64  11   3   5   8  12
1992-93  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    84   58   79  137   44   7   4   3   7   4
1993-94  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    58   24   58   82   36   3   1   3   4   0
1994-95  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    47   12   26   38   40  15   4   8  12   0
1995-96  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    80   36   59   95   64  18   8  12  20   4
1996-97  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    81   22   63   85   78  20   7   6  13   4
1997-98  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    75   24   45   69   46  22   6  18  24  22
1998-99  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    80   29   45   74   42  10   9   4  13   0
1999-00  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    78   35   44   79   34   8   0   4   4   0
2000-01  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    54   18   34   52   18   1   0   0   0   0
2001-02  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    52   13   35   48   18  23   6  17  23  10
2002-03  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    16    2    6    8    8   4   0   1   1   2
2003-04  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    75   18   33   51   46  11   3   2   5   0
2005-06  Detroit Red Wings           NHL    61   14   20   34   18   4   0   4   4   4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
         NHL Totals                       1514  692 1063 1755  924 192  70 111 181  80

References[]


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Steve Yzerman

http://www.cbc.ca/gfx/topstory/sports/yzerman_steve020220getty.jpg

Position: Centre

Team: Detroit Red Wings (1983-)

Uniform Number: 19

Years in League: 22

Age: 40

Height: 5'10"

Weight: 187

Shoots: Right

College/Junior Team: Peterborough (OHL)

Selection: 1st Round, 4th Overall, 1983

Drafted By: Detroit Red Wings

NHL Debut: 1983

Salary: $5,849,823

Date of Birth: 09/05/1965

Place of Birth: Cranbrook, BC

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