If Gordie Howe was Detroit’s Hockey Golden Boy, Steve Yzerman was its War-scarred General.

He was never the loudest.

Never the biggest.

Yet on the ice, he skated like the city itself was depending on him, and for that, Detroiters lovingly nicknamed him “The Captain” – a brand that would go on to define him his entire career.

By 1983, the Detroit Red Wings were floundering, known as a drab franchise nicknamed the “Dead Wings.” by cynical fans

Regardless, it was into that wreckage that 18-year-old Steve Yzerman of the Peterborough Petes bravely went – undeterred and determined to help turn the team around.

Drafted 4th overall, Yzerman not only topped the charts in his rookie season with the Red Wings – he quickly became known for how he moved: graceful, smart, hungry.

In him, Detroiters began to see something they desperately needed: hope.

By 1986, three years into his career, Yzerman was captain of the Red Wings, not to mention the franchise’s youngest player in history.

Little did anyone know, he would go on to wear the “C” for 20 straight seasons – the longest captaincy in NHL history.

The 1980s and early 1990s were tough years for the Red Wings.

They came close to the Conference Finals in 1987 and again in 1995 – but something always went wrong.

Regardless, through it all, Yzerman never cracked.

He showed up, skated through injuries, and carried the weight of a city that had not seen a Stanley Cup since 1955.

Detroit knew pain, no doubt about it…but Yzerman wore it like armor.

Things changed for the Red Wings by the mid-1990s, especially under the leadership of legendary coach Scotty Bowman.

Through Bowman, Yzerman became a defensive two-way center – not just a flashy scorer.

His personal glory was traded for team wins, and he slowly became even more formidable: a leader who didn’t just inspire, but one who bore every burden for his team.

By 1997, the Red Wings’ drought had ended:

For the first time in 42 years, they won a Stanley Cup.

Then, in 1998, the team found even more in the way of glory with Yzerman winning the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, followed by another cup win in 2002 thanks to a Hall of Famers’ dream team that Yzerman held together with duct tape and steel tendons, skating throughout the playoffs with a severely injured knee.

Yzerman retired in 2006 with his legacy fully written:

·      692 goals

·      1,063 assists

·      1,755 total points

He was also 6th all-time in scoring at the time of his retirement.

And yet, no number can even begin to describe the impact Yzerman has had on the hearts and minds of native Detroiters.

For Detroit, he represents loyalty.

He endured rebuilding, early exits, and even brutal injuries, yet he never threw in the towel.

Instead, he was the kind of player who could look reporters in the eye after a loss and say “It’s on me” – absolving the rest of his team of any responsibility.

It was just the kind of man he always strived to be.

Yzerman left the Red Wings for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010, becoming a championship contender and executive of the year.

Yet Detroit knew the clock was ticking, and by 2019, he had returned to the team who gave him everything.

Today, Yzerman is the Red Wings’ General Manager – no longer scoring goals but

rebuilding a broken franchise with the same quiet discipline that first made him a legend.

Yzerman was more than a hockey player.

He’s a man that allowed the city to come along with him on the journey through his adolescence into his glory years.

A man who took hits, took blame, took losses, and through it all…never backed down.

For that, he will always have a special place in the hearts of Detroit hockey fans.

Victoria Jackson (Editor In Chief)

Victoria Jackson is a lifelong student and sharp-eyed documentarian of all things Detroit, from its rich musical roots and cultural icons to its shifting neighborhoods, storied architecture, and underground legends. With her finger firmly on the pulse of both the city’s vibrant past and its rapidly unfolding future, she brings a deeply personal, historically grounded lens to every piece she writes.

Published on: June 21, 2025