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Posts Tagged Steve Yzerman

Nicklas Lidstrom Reaches 1,500 Games Milestone

Oct 22

Posted by EB in News | No Comments

Nicklas Lidstrom, the Captain of the Detroit Red Wings, will reach the 1,500 regular season games played milestone tonight against the Washington Capitals. Leading into the game, Lidtsrom has a regular season output of 255 goals, 856 assists to total 1,111 points. His production matches his smart play as he has a plus 432 rating, the highest plus-minus rating in the NHL since 1991-1992.

Lidtsrom’s milestone is accompanied by his resume of success. Seven Norris Trophys in the last 10 seasons of play, first European-born player to win the Con Smyth Trophy (2002) and has risen the Stanley Cup 4 times (1997, 1998, 2002, 2008).

The 1,500 games played milestone will put Lidstrom at 14th overall, surpassing last year’s teammate Mike Modano who has 1,499. Lidstrom’s next jump will come at 1,514 games which would tie long-time teammate and friend Steve Yzerman. It is possible that Lidtsrom at the completion of this season, could surpass 10th overall Alex Delvecchio at 1,549 games. It seems like the records are Detroit Red Wings dominant. Chris Chelios is 5th overall with 1,651 games while the most games played is held by Mr. Hockey himself Gordie Howe. Howe has played 1,767 games.

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Steve Stamkos signs 5 year deal with Lightning

Jul 20

Posted by Chris in News | No Comments

Former Rocket Richard Trophy winner Steven Stamkos signed a five year, $37.5 million contract extension with the Tampa Bay Lightning yesterday that will count as a $7.5 million cap hit each season toward the salary cap.

“Steven is extremely important to this franchise and is part of the foundation of our hockey team,” general manager Steve Yzerman said in a statement.  “We are very pleased to have him signed and look forward to seeing him in a Lightning uniform for years to come.”

Terms of the contract fluctuate yearly and are heavily stocked with bonuses. Stamkos will receive $4 million this upcoming season with a $4 million signing bonus. In 2012-13, Stamkos will receive $5 million with a $3 million bonus, $8 million in 2013-14 and 2014-15, and $5.5 million in the final year of the contract. All said and done, Stamkos could earn $8 million per season for the next four seasons, ranking him right there with some of the NHL’s elite talent, such as Dany Heatley, Joe Thornton and Jason Spezza – all of whom will make $8 million this upcoming season.

Stamkos exploded in his sophomore season in 2009-2010 when he scored 51 goals, tying Sidney Crosby as co-league leaders at the end of the season. Those 51 goals alone where five points more than Stamkos scored throughout his entire rookie season.  Stamkos followed up that performance with 45 goal and 91 points this past year, solidifying him as one of the games most prolific and dangerous goal scorers.

After signing Stamkos, the Lightning have 21 players under contract with $7.3 million available in cap space. Forward Teddy Purcell, a restricted free agent, will have his arbitration hearing today unless an agreement is reached before then. Purcell could command between $2 and $3 million a season after having a breakout season last year. After Purcell, the Lightning will likely focus their attention on another forward to round out their roster.  

This signing is a great move by Yzerman, who is set to begin his second full season as the team’s general manager. The number is cap friendly to give the Lightning some wiggle room but still gives Stamkos his due credit as one of the league’s elite goal scorers. The five-year term of the contract gives Yzerman a lot of time to build a winner, although only a handful of pieces may be needed after the team advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals this season after missing the playoffs the season before. As much as Vinny Lecavelier is the team’s franchise player, Stamkos is an essential part to the team’s success and Yzerman recognized the need to sign him. This contract is a win-win for both sides.

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Steve Stamkos rumors heat up prior to draft, free agency

Jun 21

Posted by Chris in Rumors | 1 Comment

What team wouldn’t want a player who is one year removed from scoring 50 goals on their team? And what would a team be willing to sacrifice to obtain that player?

Questions are abound concerning the future of Tampa Bay Lightning center Steven Stamkos, a restricted free agent come July 1 if Tampa Bay can’t lock up the gifted goal scorer before then to a contract extension. And rumors circulating on the internet indicate that Tampa Bay might not be able to.

Some reports indicate that Stamkos and the Lightning are not close to reaching a deal, and as the days move closer to the draft and free agency, the likelihood that Tampa Bay trades his rights becomes higher. If Stamkos does make it to July 1 without signing a contract extension, it’s nearly 100 percent certain that someone will deliver an offer sheet for Stamkos. At that point the Lightning could choose to match the offer sheet or they could choose to let Stamkos get away in exchange for a compensation package of draft picks.

After reaching the Conference Finals this season, Tampa Bay probably doesn’t want draft picks in exchange for Stamkos. With aging veterans like Martin St. Louis on their roster, the Lightning have the tools and the desire to win now, not after years of rebuilding with potential draft picks. The alternative for Tampa Bay involves trading away the rights to Stamkos in exchange for roster players ready to contribute immediately. This actually seems like a legitimate scenario, and here’s why.

Consider who the general manager of Tampa Bay is and the model he is used to seeing on the ice. Teams like the Detroit Red Wings, Vancouver Canucks and San Jose Sharks have been very successful in recent years building teams around depth and defense rather than one or two superstars, like the Capitals or Rangers. General manager Steve Yzerman may choose to trade away Stamkos in order to solidify the depth on his roster.

Yzerman may have another move up his sleeve as well. Free agent forward Brad Richards has supposedly expressed interest in returning to Tampa Bay where he won a Stanley Cup in 2003. Could Yzerman attempt to trade away Stamkos in exchange for second-and-third line depth players and then sign Richards to a deal? Hockey Gods help the East if Yzerman can swing an incredible move like that.  

Teams supposedly interested in Stamkos include the Islanders, Rangers, Red Wings and, of course, the Maple Leafs. As a Canadian, Stamkos may relish the opportunity to play for a Canadian team like the Leafs. The Islanders have the cap space and a lot of young talent, but would Stamkos be willing to sign with a team seemingly so far away from winning a championship? The Rangers likely do not have enough cap space to absorb Stamkos while the Red Wings are probably the least likely team to extend an offer sheet to anyone, although they might be able to work up a juicy trade package, but cap space would still be a huge concern.

Heed any rumors regarding Stamkos with a grain of salt. As arguable Tampa Bay’s greatest offensive weapon, the team will do everything in their power to re-sign Stamkos to a long term deal and alot can happen over the next few days. If a contract appears unlikely, however, Yzerman may opt to explore other options and get the maximum in return. Expect trade talks to heat up the closer we get to the draft this Friday.

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Hockey World Blog Season Previews 2010: Tampa Bay Lightning

Sep 14

Posted by Chris in Season Previews | No Comments

Key Offseason Losses: Antero Nittymaki, Alex Tanguy, Ryan Craig, Kurtis Foster

Key Offseason Additions: Dan Ellis, Simon Gagne, Dominic Moore, Pavel Kubina, Randy Jones, Brett Clark

Last Season Ranking: 12th in East

Offense:

Vincent Lecavalier and Martin St. Louis have been the foundation of this team for several years now, but last season, former number one draft pick Steve Stamkos gave Lightning fans 51 reasons to hope for a better and brighter future. In only his second year in the league, Stamkos tied Sidney Crosby for the league lead in goals with 51 and added 44 assists for 95 total points. These are the three players who will lead the charge again this season.

steven-stamkosStill, what hindered this team was their lack of depth. Newly crowned general manager Steve Yzerman quickly took care of those issues with several decisive moves. On offense, Yzerman added forward Simon Gagne through a trade with the Philadelphia Flyers. Gagne will help give Tampa Bay two sturdy scoring lines and will certainly help on the power play. Although injury-prone, Gagne is capable of producing at nearly a point-per-game pace during the season.

Both Ryan Malone and Steve Downie will both be called upon to continue their physical style of play this season, but both players are capable of producing offensively as well. Malone notched 21 goals last year while Downie tallied 22 and also added 208 penalty minutes and a plus-14 as well. Both of these players not only give Tampa a physical prowess, but they help give the team that additional scoring depth that will help them win.

Dominic Moore, a free agent signing, will not only bring secondary scoring depth to the lineup but he also works hard and has a good defensive game as well – which Tampa sorely needs.

Defense:

Yzerman made some adjustments on defense as well by adding some grit with the addition of defenseman Pavel Kubina. As a former Stanley Cup winner, Kubina not only lends a veteran presence, but he plays tough and can also chip in 30-40 points per season, which will hopefully help fill the void left by the departed Kurtis Foster. The team also inked blueliners Randy Jones and Brett Clark. Both players have been in the NHL long enough to help bring some experience to the team while giving Tampa more options on the blue line.

Sophomore Victor Hedman, the second-overall draft choice during the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, should benefit from the experience of an entire NHL season under his belt. Another season under the wing of veteran defenseman Mattius Ohlund should help Hedman continue to improve rapidly.

Goaltending:

It goes without saying that goaltending has been nothing short of a mess in Tampa in recent years, which is why signing Dan Ellis was essentially the first move that Yzerman made as general manager. With the departure of Antero Nittymaki, the team needed a reliable goaltender and Ellis will hopefully fit the bill. While his stats haven’t been spectacular the past several seasons, he has been relatively consistent and should be a good addition to Tampa’s lineup. Hopefully some healthy competition stirs up between Ellis and backup Mike Smith, causing both players to work hard and play their best.

Season Outlook:

A lot of the pieces seem to be falling into place for the Tampa Bay Lightning and they very well could prove to be one of the most improved teams this season. General manager Steve Yzerman made it a point to add depth to the roster and sign a steady number one goaltender. The team’s additions may be enough to sneak them into the playoffs this season, but if nothing else, the moves made by Yzerman should give the team the foundation to build a contender in the years to come.

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Yzerman Accepts Job as Tampa Bay Lightning GM

May 25

Posted by Matt in News | No Comments

Steve Yzerman has accepted the job of General Manager with the Tampa Bay Lightning organization. The news will be made official with a press conference which will take place later this afternoon. Yzerman takes over the role from Brian Lawton, who was fired in April.

After retiring from a successful playing career in 2006, Yzerman went on to become Vice President of the Detroit Red Wings. He held that position for four seasons, being part of another Stanley Cup Championship in 2008, as well as learning the business from some of the greats, including Red Wings GM Ken Holland and Assistant GM Jim Nill.

Steve added to his tremendous resume in 2009 when he as appointed Executive Director of the Men’s Canadian hockey team for the 2010 Winter Olympics. His player and coaching selection molded one of the most powerful teams in the Olympics, and the eventual Gold Medal winners.

While the Tampa Bay Lightning have continued to struggle since winning the Stanley Cup in 2004, they have several pieces in place to become a contender. Highly skilled veteran forwards Vincent Levavalier and Martin St. Louis are being complemented nicely by the former number one draft pick, and 50 goal scorer, Steve Stamkos. On defense, the Lightning feature young defensive stud Victor Hedman who had a fine rookie season and will be expected to carry an increased load next season.

It will be interesting to watch Yzerman refine the Lightning squad in the coming months and years. One thing is certain though, Yzerman knows how to win. We should expect the winning ways to return to Tampa Bay before too long.

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Should He Stay or Should He Go?

Jul 24

Posted by Eddie in Rumors | No Comments

Newly elected NHL Hall-of-Famer Steve Yzerman has served as Vice President/Alternate Governor in the Detroit Red Wings front office since retiring in 2006. Hockey fans know that The Captain deserves to have a shot at becoming a General Manager of a NHL club in the future. He is even having his first chance of making real decisions over a hockey team as he is currently serving as Executive Director of the 2010 Canadian Olympic team. 

What caught my attention was a recent blog posted here that brought to my attention that Yzerman was hoping to be considered for the Chicago Blackhawks GM position, which eventually went to Stan Bowman, son of former Red Wings coach Scotty Bowman.

Who would be the first team to give him a shot as General Manager?

Who would be the first team to give him a shot as General Manager?

 

Now, depending on how he organizes the Olympic team will determine how soon and who will want him as a General Manager. He already has been groomed in one of the best organizations in sports, but he is miles away from replacing Ken Holland as General Manager. The MLive.com blog also reiterated that Assistant GM Jim Nill’s contract is up in two years, and the Red Wings will be sure to evaluate their front office at that time.

But it got me thinking, if Yzerman wants to run his own team, how would Detroit fans react? Me personally, I’d be happy to see him with any team outside the Central Division and preferibly the Western Confernece. Let him turn around the New York Islanders. Let him run the Phoenix Hamilton Coyotes.

He’s gonna be facing a lot of pressure in the fall when he has to put together the Canadian Olympic team. He win’s a Gold Medal in Vancouver next February, then I think he’s qualified enough to run a NHL club.

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Say It Ain’t So, Joe

Jul 9

Posted by Eddie in News | No Comments

Joe Sakic holding the MVP trophy in the 2004 All-Star game

Joe Sakic holding the MVP trophy in the 2004 All-Star game

Joe Sakic, one of the most respected captains and players in NHL history retired today. Playing in the NHL is a dream just about every hockey player has since they were 8-years old. For those who are fortunate and skilled enough to make it to the league wishes they have the 20-year career Sakic had. Growing up a Detroit Red Wings fan, I’ve had a natural hate and distaste for the Colorado Avalanche. But one of the players I couldn’t really hate but respected was Joe. He to fans in Denver was what Steve Yzerman was to us in Detroit. Strangely enough, both wore the No. 19. He was one of the great leaders and scorers in the NHL. In his career, he was fortunate to win the Stanley Cup in 1996 and 2001.

In terms of raw numbers, he’s eighth in points (1,641), 11th in assists (1,016) and 14th in goals (625). I can promise you he will be a first ballot Hall-of-Famer when he becomes eligible in 2012. Denver’s No. 19 will be raised to the Pepsi Center rafters in the season opener for the Av’s, which is truly deserved. He will become the third Avalanche player to have their number retired, joining Patrick Roy and Ray Bourque.

A 13-time NHL All-Star, Sakic has an NHL-record eight playoff overtime goals and wore the captain’s “C” for 16 seasons, which places him second behind Yzerman’s 20 seasons in terms of longest serving captains in NHL history.

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