By Paul Harris
Steve Yzerman’s return to Detroit was orchestrated by Ken Holland, the man whose job he is taking, at least nominally.
“Nobody has worked harder to bring Steve to the Detroit Red Wings than Ken Holland,” owner Chris Ilitch said.
At Friday’s news conference at Little Caesars Arena that officially announced Yzerman as the Wings' executive vice president and general manager, Ilitch reiterated how Holland – general manager for 22 years, now its senior vice president – put what’s best for the team ahead of his own interests in pursuing Yzerman. The glory-days captain stepped down from being the Tampa Bay Lightning general manager to a consultant position before the start of the 2018-19 season.
The new Senior Vice President and Executive Vice President & General Manager. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/LttGjW9Nln
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) April 19, 2019
Not only are Holland and Yzerman colleagues with a mutual admiration and respect, they have known each other since Yzerman’s first training camp with Detroit as a player in 1983 – when Holland was a minor league goaltender in the Red Wings organization. They are close friends.
“I respect and consider Steve as one of the top general managers in the National Hockey League,” Holland said. “Steve and I have met a few times and have had many conversations over the last two or three weeks.”
The Wings asked Tampa Bay owner Jeff Vinik for permission to talk to Yzerman in March.
“It’s a real exciting day to see Steve Yzerman come back to where he belongs, with the Detroit Red Wings,” said Holland.
Steve Yzerman on Friday: "we will get back to where we’re accustomed to being."
(Twitter photo: Detroit Red Wings)
Yes, Yzerman is back “home,” where so many Red Wings fans have clamored for him to return, as the team’s run as an NHL dynasty ran out of steam. The downward spiral ultimately led to the Wings missing the playoffs and being among the NHL’s worst teams in each of the past three seasons.
'Temper your enthusiasm'
There will be no quick fix just because Yzerman runs the show.
“We’ve been through this before. I urge everyone to temper your expectations. It will take time,” Yzerman said. “If we follow the process, do the job right, and with a little bit of luck, we will get back to where we’re accustomed to being.”
Yzerman said he is impressed with the development of young forwards Dylan Larkin, who is expected to be named captain before next season; Anthony Mantha; Andreas Athanasiou and Tyler Bertuzzi. Yzerman also said he likes the team’s coach, Jeff Blashill, who Holland signed to a two-year contract extension late in the season.
Yzerman added that he was first impressed by Blashill in 2013, when Detroit’s American Hockey League affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins – who were coached by Blashill – defeated the Syracuse Crunch in the Calder Cup Final to win the AHL championship.
Yzerman, 53, had been the general manager of the Lightning since 2010. Their season ended with a first-round sweep by the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night.
The Lightning reached the conference final during his first season in Tampa Bay and qualified for the playoffs five times in his eight years as GM, but didn’t win the Stanley Cup.
Olympic gold
Yzerman also served as Team Canada’s executive director in 2010 and 2014 – assisted by Holland, assembling teams that won Olympic gold medals both years.
Yzerman was a special assistant to Holland from 2006-10.
He was the longest-serving captain in NHL history, for 20 seasons from 1987 until his retirement in 2006. Yzerman played 22 seasons for the franchise and is its second leading all-time scorer with 1,755 points (692 goals, 1,063 assists in 1,514 games). He won three Stanley Cups as a player and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.
“When I left, I thought Kenny would be the general manager for however long and then Jim Nill" – Holland’s longtime assistant, now GM of the Dallas Stars – "would be the Red Wings general manager,” Yzerman said.
He then added with a smile: “It looked like I would be 100 by the time I got the chance. I feel like I’m 100 now.”
Red Wings fans don’t care.
Paul Harris is a freelance writer and former Detroit News reporter.
