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For 27 years, Steve Yzerman was a fixture for the Detroit Red Wings. On Tuesday, he jumped south for a new hockey opportunity.
NHL.com reports that Yzerman is leaving his post as the Red Wings’ Vice President of Hockey Operations to become the General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning. Here are some fast facts on the Hall of Fame career of “Stevie Y”:
– Born on May 9, 1965 in Cranbrook, British Columbia
– Selected as the 4th overall pick in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft by the Red Wings
– Played all 23 of his NHL seasons in Detroit and won three Stanley Cups over that span
– Retired from the ice in 2006 and moved on to become the Red Wings’ Vice President of Hockey Operations, where he helped the franchise capture another Stanley Cup in 2008
– Played for Canada’s Olympic hockey teams during the 1998 and 2002 Winter Olympics, earning a gold medal at the Salt Lake City games
– Inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009
– Served as Hockey Canada’s executive director at the 2010 Winter Olympics, leading the country to a gold medal in men’s hockey
(Source: NHL.com)