Brian Bradley

Brian Bradley, a two-time All-Star with the Tampa Bay Lightning, announced his retirement on September 23, 1999. He was another victim of the NHL's most dangerous injury heading into the new millennium -post-concussion syndrome.

Suffering from daily headaches as a result of a concussion suffered during the 1997-98 season with Tampa Bay, the first star in Lightning history was as only able to participate in just 14 games in his last two seasons in the NHL.

"Unfortunately I have to retire due to post-concussion syndrome," said Bradley. "I really appreciate the time spent in the NHL and wish I could continue playing. However, I am fortunate to have played in the NHL for as long as I did and I appreciate the experience of playing with some great players, and great people."

Bradley was the Lightning's first star player. He retired as the all-time leader in goals (111), assists (189) and points (300). Those totals included Bradley's All Star year as a member of the inaugural Lightning team in 1992-93 which saw him set an expansion team record among non-WHA teams during the 1992-93 season with 42 goals. He also represented the Bolts in the 1994 All Star game.

Bradley began his career as a standout in junior with the OHL's London Knights. After three spectacular years with the Knights, and a incredible 1985 World Junior Championships in which Bradley dominated with a 9 goal, 15 point effort, Bradley was selected 52nd overall by the Calgary Flames.

Concerns about his size and strength would follow Bradley for his entire career, but especially so in the early years. Despite showing tremendous skill and ability at the minor league level, the Flames didn't have room for the smallish center on their already deep lineup which included smallish centers like Dan Quinn, Carey Wilson and Steve Bozek to go along with hulking Joel Otto. Bradley only got into 45 games in 4 years with the Flames organization.

Bradley was determined to play in Calgary come the 1987-88 season, only he knew it wouldn't of the NHL variety. Bradley committed to a year of apprenticeship under Dave King and the Canadian National Team which was based in the Alberta city. More importantly, 1988 was an Olympic year and the Olympics were going to be played in Calgary! What an opportunity for Bradley to make a name for himself right in front of the Flames own fans!

Bradley had a strong year but a so-so Olympics. He pitched in 7 assists in 7 Olympic games but his ice time and effectiveness were hurt by the late addition of a few NHL players loaned to the team for the Olympics. Earlier in the year Bradley was one of the team's key go-to guys that won the famed Isvestia tournament. Teamed with Serge Boisvert and Wally Schreiber, Bradley's line was arguably the best two way line on the team. But with the addition of NHL talent like Steve Tambellini, Jim Peplinski and Ken Yaremchuk, Bradley's line was asked to fulfill more of a defensive role. The last minute addition of the fringe NHLers cost the team its chemistry and probably a medal, as they finished 4th overall.

Very quickly after the Olympics the Vancouver Canucks acquired Bradley in a lopsided trade. The Flames dumped Bradley, Kevan Guy and Peter Bakovic in exchange for Canucks tough guy Craig Coxe. Landing Bradley for Coxe was shocking enough for Canucks fans, but getting Guy and Bakovic as throw ins too was that much more amazing.

The Canucks were hoping Bradley would be their Knight in shining armor as the team reunited the playmaking center with his two wingers from his junior days with the London Knights - Jim Sandlak and Dave Lowry. Lowry and Sandlak had been busts up until that point, as they were being counted on to supply offense. It was hoped that Bradley could come in a create some old magic, this time at the NHL level.

The experiment didn't work out however. Shortly afterwards Lowry was moved St. Louis and Bradley and Sandlak didn't click like hoped. Bradley showed promise in his time in Vancouver though. He chipped in 18 and 19 goals in his two full seasons, as well as 45 and 48 points. He showed great puck skills and creativity, as well as speed, but was too easy to knock off the puck because of his lack of size, strength and balance. He also lacked good positional play which hurt him and his team when he didn't have the puck. He appeared in 193 games in parts of four seasons with the Canucks and recorded 51 goals and 81 assists.

Bradley was traded to Toronto in January 1991 for defenseman Tom Kurvers. Bradley had 10 goals and 32 assists in 85 games for the Maple Leafs, showing brief moments of brilliance accompanied with extended periods of nothing.

The Lightning selected Brian in the 1992 expansion draft and he immediately made every one of his former teams look silly for not giving him a better chance. He was an exciting player in 1992-93, scoring 42 goals and adding 44 assists for 86 points, easily a career high. Could it be that Bradley finally was given the right opportunity to shine? Or was he just the beneficiary of being a rare offensive player on an expansion team that no one cared to check? Either way, Bradley was in the right place at the right time!

Bradley's production would slip a in 1993-94, as he scored only 24 goals but added 40 assists. Teams began to focus more and more on the playmaking center as league parity meant every game was essential.

Bradley returned to his dominating form by 1995-96 when he scored 23 goals and a career high 56 assists for 79 points. However things went downhill quickly after that for Bradley. A controversial wrist injury seemed to be taking longer to heal than expected, and some players, most notably Dino Ciccarelli, questioned Bradley's heart and commitment to the team. This sparked a war of words in newspapers between the two, and tore apart the dressing room.

Ciccarelli was soon traded and rumours had it Tampa was looking to move Bradley as well, thus eliminating both bad seeds. Bradley however never was moved. When he finally returned from the wrist injury he was quickly injured again, this time suffering the serious concussion that would end his career.

So what was Brian's career highlight?

"Playing in my first All-Star Game was one of the big highlights,” said Bradley of the 1993 game played in the Montreal Forum. “I remember being very nervous, but Wayne Gretzky and other guys made me feel like I belonged.”

Bill Beveridge

It is very sad that some excellent goalers will never be recognized for their abilities because they played for a bad team. A few, like Roy Worters and Chuck Rayner, have been , but Bill Beveridge hasn't.

Beveridge was born in 1909 and played his hockey in his hometown of Ottawa with local teams. Naturally, the Ottawa Senators owned Beveridge, but oddly enough, Jack Adams of Detroit wasn't satisfied with Clarence "Dolly" Dolson despite making the playoffs in 1928-29 and asked Ottawa for Beveridge on a loan basis.

Ottawa agreed and Beveridge had a bad rookie season with Detroit and Adams refused to purchase him, thus Beveridge was back as Ottawa's property. However, during the 1930-31 season Alex Connell wasn't playing well and manager-coach Dave Gill decided to go with Beveridge for 8 games. He lost every one of them and his goals against average was a sorry 3.69.

When Ottawa suspended operations for the 1931-32 season, Beveridge found himself in the minors with Providence. He led the Canadian-American league in wins that year.

Ottawa was back in the NHL for 1932-33 and Connell had the Senators doing fairly well early in the season. However, Connell injured his knee in a December game against Chicago and Beveridge became the Senators goaler. He did very well in his first 8 games, getting 3 shutouts. But both the Senators and Beveridge faded after that. When Connell came back, he was sub-par and so he was benched by coach Cy Denneny and Beveridge was the Ottawa goaler for the rest of the season. Even Beveridge didn't do well at that point and the Senators plummeted to the cellar where they finished.

He toiled valiantly in front of his inexperienced and old defense in 1933-34, but after this season, the Senators folded until 1992-93 when they would return to the league. After a bad year in St.Louis with the sickly Eagles, the Montreal Canadiens drafted him when the Eagles folded, and sold him to their rivals, the Maroons who needed a goaler when Alex Connell retired temporarily. He had a good year, but the strain of goalkeeping got to him and he quit when Tommy Gorman got Lorne Chabot from Chicago.

Beveridge couldn't get back in the line-up when Chabot took over. Chabot played so well that he won the job. However, Chabot was 35 and it was time for him to retire, so Beveridge was not out of a job just yet. Even though Connell came back in 1936-37, he was inconsistent and after a 5-0 humiliation by the Canadiens, Gorman called Beveridge back and he played very well as the Maroons almost nipped the Canadiens for second place in the Canadian Division. Beveridge's great goalkeeping beat Boston in the playoffs, but after a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to the New York Rangers in which Dave Kerr, the former Maroon, time and again foiled Maroon forwards with sensational saves, the Maroons lost heart and bowed 4-0 to the Rangers in what would be the Maroons final playoff game.

As the result of selling players and trading youngsters like Toe Blake, when Lionel Conacher retired
it weakened the defense and it wasn't surprising when the Maroons plummeted to the cellar and gave up the most goals against in 1937-38. Crowds were few and the team lost money. When the Maroons folded after that season, Beveridge's NHL career, it seemed, was over.

He spent 4 years in the minors, some of those years successfully. Then World War II was in full swing and NHLers did their duty and forsook the NHL for the sake of their country. With so many now joining the military, suddenly ex-NHLers were needed in the NHL, and when Jimmy Franks, New York Rangers goaler, was injured, Beveridge was an NHLer once more. He was welcomed back with a shower of rubber as Chicago bombed the Rangers 10-1.

Ironically, he got the Rangers only shutout that season, a 4-0 shutout over the Toronto Maple Leafs. But now it was Beveridge's turn to do his duty to his country, and he joined the Canadian Army. He played for the Ottawa Commandos of the Quebec Senior League the next few seasons and then retired. He was at the Senators opening game when Ottawa returned to the NHL in 1992-93,and saw Don Beaupre get the first shutout for a Senators goaler in 50 years during the 1994-95 season, just before he died February 13th, 1995.

NHL Playoff Heroes

Glenn Anderson - Why isn't this playoff warrior who was once compared to Rocket Richard and Guy Lafleur in the Hockey Hall of Fame?

Bob Baun - Bob Baun will forever be remembered for just one goal - he scored a playoff over time goal on a broken leg.

	Mud Bruneteau - A very good hockey player, Mud Bruneteau's career is overshadowed by a single goal he scored. It was the game winning goal in the longest game in NHL history.
	Ken Doraty - A minor league player with major league Stanley Cup over time heroics, "Cagie" Ken Doraty scored some memorable goals.

John Druce - With 14 goals in 15 playoff games in 1990, John Druce was the unlikeliest of playoff heroes.

Ken Dryden - One of hockey's most interesting people, Ken Dryden was Montreal's dominant goal keeper through 6 Stanley Cup championships in the 1970s.

	Shorty Green - Back in 1925, Shorty Green led the NHL's first labour dispute, costing not only Hamilton a Stanley Cup championship, but its franchise.
	Wayne Gretzky - Once an Oiler, always an Oiler. The Great One lived up to his nickname, and may be the greatest athlete ever.

	"Sudden Death" Mel Hill - Mel Hill became immortalized in NHL playoff history when he scored three overtime winning goals in the same series against the Rangers back in 1939.
	Reggie Leach - "The Riverton Rifle" was one of hockey's most feared shooters, especially in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

	Claude Lemieux - Claude Lemieux may be one of the dirtiest players of all time, but he's also one of the most decorated.
	Al MacInnis - The big shooter Al MacInnis won the Conn Smythe trophy in Calgary's 1989 Stanley Cup championship. He may be the best Flame of all time.

Ulcers McCool - An unknown goalie from Gonzaga University led the Toronto Maple Leafs to a surprise war time Stanley Cup.

Lanny McDonald - A legend with both the Leafs and the Flames, the wildly popular mustachioed McDonald represents all that is good about hockey.

Kirk McLean - Kirk McLean became my personal favorite goalie in the early 1990s. He was never better than in 1994 when he came within a whisker of defeating the New York Rangers for the Stanley Cup.

	Mark Messier - The hometown boy was the the passion and intensity of the Edmonton Oilers dynasty
	Alfie Moore - In the afternoon he was enjoying himself to much at a Toronto tavern, wishing he had tickets to the opening game of the 1938 Stanley Cup finals. By evening he was the starting goaltender.

Bob Nystrom - Best remembered for his Stanley Cup winning goal in 1980, the hard hitting Bob Nystrom was a very important piece of the Islanders early 1980s dynasty.

Bobby Orr - "The perfect hockey player." Bobby Orr revolutionized the game so that players like Gretzky and Lemieux could raise the bar even higher.

Bernie Parent - In 1974 and 1975 Bernie Parent put together perhaps the most impressive back to back NHL campaigns in league history..

Steve Penney - A la Ken Dryden, Steve Penney came out of nowhere to lead Montreal to a Cinderella playoff run in 1984. He disappeared quickly thereafter.

Maurice "Rocket" Richard - Montreal's incomparable Rocket Richard was far more than just a great hockey player - he represented all of Quebec.

Patrick Roy - The greatest goaltender of all time? The Montreal Forum was St. Patrick's cathedral for many years before moving on to Colorado.

Also See:

Flyers Anthem Singer Kate Smith - Red Wings' Octopus - TSN's Maggie the Monkey

Curt Bennett

Curt Bennett was the first American bred player to score 30 goals in an NHL season, doing so in the 1975-76 season with the Atlanta Flames.

"My best years were with Atlanta. I led the team in goal scoring 1975-76, and 1974-75. When I scored 31 goals in 1975, I was the first American bred player to score 30 goals or more in the NHL. I scored 34 the next year. I had to work hard to stay in the league and was always in good shape."

Curt Bennett was born in Regina, Saskatchewan on March 27, 1948, but grew up in Rhode Island. The move to the United States came when Curt was just 3 months old as his father, Harvey Sr., was a goaltender for the Providence Reds of the American Hockey League. Curt remained in Cranston until he was 21, being a high school hockey star at Cranston East and later a collegiate star at Brown University. He excelled at both defense and forward while at Brown and was an All-American choice at defense in 1970.

During his sophomore year at Brown, 1968, Curt was drafted 16th overall by the St. Louis Blues. However it wasn't until Curt graduated from Brown University in 1970 before the Blues saw him turn professional. Bennett spent his first pro season playing left wing with the Kansas City Blues, the Blues farm team. He played well in the CHL, scoring 19 goals and 42 points in 63 games. He even got a late season call up and scored his first two NHL goals in 4 games before appearing in 2 1970-71 playoff games.

Curt was unable to use his rookie glimpses of success as a springboard to full time NHL employment in 1971-72. He split the season between the Blues and their farm team, this time with the WHL's Denver Spurs. He scored just 3 goals and 8 points in 31 quiet regular season games with the Blues, and no points in 10 playoff games. During the summer, the Blues sent Curt packing to the New York Rangers to complete an earlier trade for troubled tough guy Steve Durbano.

Bennett played briefly with the New York Rangers, appearing in limited ice time in 16 games, and picking up just one assist. He was then traded to the Atlanta Flames in exchange for Ron Harris.

It was in Atlanta that Curt blossomed into a full time NHLer. In his first of two stints with the Flames he topped the 30-goal mark twice and twice represented the Flames at the NHL all star game. Curt was a consistent 20 goal man while rarely missing a game due to injury. A big man, playing at 6'3" and 195 lbs, Curt wasn't noted as the toughest guy in hockey, but he did use his size when needed.

"I came into the league when Americans had to use their fists instead of scoring goals. This was good because I had a tough time scoring goals," said Curt.

Late in his career Curt rejoined St. Louis for parts of two seasons before returning to Atlanta for one more season to close out his NHL career. Ironically Curt's last NHL season was in 1980 with the Atlanta Flames, the organization's last year in the state of Georgia (They made the move Calgary after that season).

"The media talk in Atlanta was, 'Hell, if Curt can't play for the Flames anymore we're going to get rid of them," joked Curt.

Bennett retired from the NHL with 152 goals, 182 assists and 334 points in 580 regular-season games.

While his NHL days were done, his hockey days were not. He played the next two seasons in Nikko, Japan, as a player-coach for the Furukawa Electric Ice Hockey team. His brother, Harvey Jr. - a veteran of 268 NHL games himself - also played with him. A third brother in this great hockey family, Bill, also breifly played in the NHL - 31 games with Boston and Hartford.

"I was fast, smart, tough and good under pressure -- but only during practice," joked Curt as he described his own play.

While the two 30 goal seasons and a penalty shot goal on Bernie Parent in 1977 are career highlites for Bennett, he had fond memories away from the big show too.

"I think I enjoyed the international games the most, though. I played for Team USA in the Canada Cup and in the World Championship games in Prague in 1978, and Moscow in 1979. When I retired in 1980, I played two years in Japan. The international flavor of hockey is what I most remember."

Curt also enjoyed his two All Star games.

"I also played in two All-Star games representing Atlanta. Those were the most fun hockey because the event was more a celebration of hockey rather than a battle."

Curt, who was also a talented tennis player, worked in real estate in the Atlanta area following his hockey days.

Fern Flaman

"He's the toughest defenseman I ever played against."

That ringing endorsement came from no other than Mr. Hockey himself, Gordie Howe. And he was talking about Ferny Flaman, the Scott Stevens of his day.

Flaman was a rugged, no-nonsense defenseman with the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs for 15 National Hockey League seasons. He scored just 34 career goals, but Flaman was known more for his vicious body checking, his aggressive play and his uncanny shot blocking ability.

Fern Flaman Biography - Boston Bruins Legends

Red Wings continue to ignore Larry Aurie's jersey retirement

Last week the Red Wings held a first class event when they retired Steve Yzerman's #19 to the rafters of Joe Louis Arena. Stevie Y joined legends Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio, Terry Sawchuk, Ted Lindsay and Sid Abel.

Very few people noticed that Detroit's other retired jersey remains out of sight.

Bruce MacLeod noticed. The writer for the Macomb Daily Tribune tried to get to the bottom of it.

Larry Aurie was the first star in Detroit, captaining the team to the first two Stanley Cup championships in the 1930s. Problem is, no one remembers. He played so long ago he actually started in Detroit when the team was named the Cougars and later the Falcons.

Jack Adams was so impressed with the mighty mite that he retired the jersey long before it was practice to actually honor the jersey in the rafters. But for some unknown reason, Aurie and his jersey never has gotten proper due. Without explanation, his jersey remains hidden, although #6 also remains out of circulation. Only Aurie's cousin, Cummy Burton, has worn #6 in Detroit since.

And as MacLeod notes, the Illitch family seems to be distancing themselves from Aurie altogether. All publications have been altered to exclude Aurie as officially retired. The Illitchs remain tight-lipped as for the reason why, but it is interesting to note the erasure of Larry Aurie seems to coincide with increasing pressure from the Aurie family to properly honour the Red Wings great.

Hockeytown still loves Probert

The Windsor Star's Bob Duff nicely captured a nice side story from Tuesday night's Steve Yzerman jersey retirment. The side story - Bob Probert's return to Hockeytown.

The ovation was compelling and passionate.

For Steve Yzerman?

Yeah, his too.

On Tuesday, the night the Detroit Red Wings honoured Yzerman by retiring his No. 19 sweater, the Hockeytown faithful also embraced the return of Windsor's Bob Probert to Joe Louis Arena.

Duff asked about Probert's favorite moments as a Red Wing. Not surprisingly, they revolve around fights.

"One that sticks out and it was a big thing, was when I fought (Belle River's Tie) Domi, our second fight in New York," Probert said.

"He had cut me over the eye in the first fight and did this thing with his hands, like he was wearing the heavyweight championship belt.

After the second fight, when I beat Domi, I looked over at our bench and there was Yzerman, standing on the bench, giving the heavyweight belt sign with his hands.

Probert also reveals how he aided good friend and former Bruise Brother Joe Kocur in his return to the Red Wings and the NHL in 1996.

"Joe was playing in an over-30 league (in 1996) and looking to get back into the NHL," Probert said. "He knew that the Wings were looking for toughness. (Chicago) was in town to play Detroit and he came down to see me the morning of the game. 'You've got to get into it tonight and help me out,'" he told me.

"That night, I speared (Jamie) Pushor and fought (Brendan) Shanahan and the next day, Joe got a call from the Red Wings."

Kocur won two Stanley Cups after his return to Hockeytown.

"He still thanks me for that," Probert said.

Of course, Probert is also remembered for his off ice problems, namely substance abuse. These days he's keeping busy by keeping hockey in his life. He plays in many charity alumni games and teaches at hockey schools, though he still has trouble crossing international borders due to his past.

"I'm living life," he said. "I'm busy, but I'm having a lot of fun."

Steve Yzerman Honoured

The Detroit Red Wings will honour Steve Yzerman by retiring his familiar #19 jersey on Tuesday, January 2nd.

Gordie Howe, Alex Delvecchio and Ted Lindsay will be among the Red Wings on hand Tuesday night for Steve Yzerman's jersey retirement ceremony. The game will be televised across Canada on a special weeknight edition of Hockey Night In Canada.


Heroic. Unselfish. Intelligent. Leader. Complete. These are just a few of the adjectives used to describe Hockeytown's Steve Yzerman.

Once he was scoring machine that used to single-handedly destroy the opposition with mind-boggling individual efforts night after night. Later he became forever remembered as the grizzled veteran captain that puts the team ahead of himself and accepts responsibility for all situations on the ice.

Steve Yzerman is a winner.

Stevie Y came out of junior hockey straight into the Detroit Red Wings camp in 1983. The Nepean, Ontario native was an outstanding center with legendary junior coach Dick Todd and his Peterborough Petes of the Ontario Hockey League, from 1981 to 1983. He had 91 points in 56 games in his second year with the Petes, but his numbers were far from what a future NHL phenom would have had because Peterborough skated four lines, each having equal playing time.

Jim Devellano, the Wings GM at the time, had originally set his sights on Michigan native Pat LaFontaine for the 1983 draft, but his plans were foiled when LaFontaine was taken 3rd by the Islanders. With some disappointment, the Red Wings were left with the small Yzerman with the 4th overall pick. (Brian Lawton and Sylvain Turgeon went 1 & 2, respectively.)

Any notion of disappointment or concern about his size quickly disappeared. Yzerman arrived at training camp in 1983, "he immediately was our best player," said Devellano, who opened camp already deciding Yzerman would return to Peterborough. Instead Yzerman jumpstarted the Motor City, immediately giving the Wings hopes that finally they had found the player that would lead them back to respectability. In his rookie season, Yzerman scored 39 goals and 87 points and announced to the hockey world the Y-man had cometh.

Steve's great play would continue, but it was in the spring of 1987 when Yzerman first began is catapult to superstardom. That year he led the Wings deep into the playoffs, scoring 18 points in 16 games. He followed that up the next season by registering his first 50 goal and 100 point campaigns, and he did that in only 64 games.

The following season saw his point totals explode to the level that only Gretzky and Lemieux dared to enter. In 80 games Stevie Y scored 65 times while assisting on 90 others for 155 points! All three of those stats are Red Wing team records. For his efforts, Yzerman was voted by the players as the best player in the league that season, winning the Lester B. Pearson Trophy.

Proving that the previous season was no strange fluke, Yzerman duplicated his scoring feats by registering 62 twine-twisters with 65 assists for 127 points.

Despite the incredible offensive output by the Cranbrook, BC-born superstar, Yzerman never once made either the First or Second All Star Team. Nor did he win an Art Ross as the scoring leader. That's what happens when Gretzky and Lemieux were also around in their primes. No one, not even Stevie Y, could obtain their status or touch their trophies. Once you include the great Mark Messier as well, players as great as Steve Yzerman were unthinkably left off of Team Canada's national teams at Canada Cups.

Back in Detroit, despite being the one-man highlight film, the Red Wings had little playoff success to speak of.

This one man show of offensive fireworks would continue until the 1993-94 season when something happened in Yzerman's career. He sacrificed his own scoring exploits to become one of the best two way players in the history of the game.

While this transformation coincided with the arrival of Scotty Bowman, who gets much of the credit for the reworked masterpiece, it was Yzerman who deserves full credit. Dating back to his junior days he was always a solid two way player. Now he opted to focus his gifts equally all over the ice as opposed to just on offense. Stevie Wonder would turn from a rather one-dimensional offensive machine into one of the greatest two way players in the history of the sport.

Yzerman became perhaps the most complete player of the 1990s, continuing his offensive production, though at a lower rate, while dominating his defensive zone with vigor. In the process, Yzerman became a leader. He knew that becoming a more complete player was what was necessary for him to succeed and the Wings to win. His example spurred great things in Hockeytown.

Soon after this transformation, the Wings have began a mini-dynasty. Three Stanley Cups in five years, including back-to-back championships.

In 1995, Yzerman led Detroit to its first Stanley Cup finals series, the first for the team since the 1960s, but they were swept by the New Jersey Devils. In 1996, Detroit finished with an NHL record 62 regular season wins but they lost in the Conference finals to the eventual champions Colorado Avalanche.

In 1997, Yzerman led Detroit to its first Stanley Cup in 42 years by sweeping the Philadelphia Flyers in 4 straight games. The following year Detroit repeated the feat, taking four in a row from the Washington Capitals. Yzerman's leadership and 24 points earned him the Conn Smythe trophy as playoff MVP. In an act of class, Yzerman handed the Cup first to the paralyzed Vladimir Konstantinov, a Red Wing defenseman who had been injured severely in a car accident just six days after the Cup victory in 1997.

Playoff frustrations would haunt the Red Wings in the following years, but they would regain the silver chalice in 2002. That year Yzerman turned in one of the most amazing seasons by any player in NHL history. Due to a hobbling knee injury, Yzerman, almost literally playing on one leg, led Canada to its first Olympic gold medal in 50 years before leading the Wings to their 3rd Stanley Cup championship in five years.

Steve Yzerman is no longer the high scoring one-man show of the Detroit Red Wings. Instead he is one of the game's most complete players ever. He is one the greatest leaders the ice has ever known. And most importantly, he is the captain of the 3 Stanley Cup Championships.

One of the NHL's true all time greats, Steve Yzerman is what hockey is all about.

The 41-year-old Yzerman is a Detroit sports icon, the longest-serving captain in NHL history (19 seasons). He and Gordie Howe are widely regarded as the greatest players in franchise history. Yzerman ranks seventh on the NHL's career list in goals (692) and assists (1,063) and sixth in points (1,755).


Around The Web
Eric Adelson at ESPN.com's The Magazine has a heart touching story about Stevie Wonderful and a very special friend, Braxton.

ESPN.com has an incredible photo gallery that is simply a must see.

The Globe and Mail's Eric Duhatschek has plenty of praise for Stevie Y.

NHL.com has no shortage of coverage. Paul Kukla shares his memories via his NHL.com blog. Phil Coffey also looks at Yzerman's night to remember.

Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun remembers Yzerman for what he was - hockey's ultimate leader.

This Detroit Free Press headline sums it up nicely though sadly - Yzerman Takes Center Stage One Last Time.

Lastly, here's a nice YouTube.com tribute:




Other Detroit Red Wings Legends

It used to be Gordie Howe was the undeniable king of hockeytown. I don't know, I think Steve Yzerman is sharing that throne nowadays. The Red Wings have featured a lot of NHL greats in recent years, but also throughout their long NHL history. Here's a look back at some of the all time greats and other notables in Red Wing history.

	Pete Babando - Pete Babando Stanley Cup heroics have stood the tests of time. His double overtime goal in game 7 of the 1950 Stanley Cup finals is still talked about to this day.
	Alex Faulkner - The first "Newfie" to leave the island and play in the National Hockey League, Alex Faulkner will always be Newfoundland's favorite hockey playing son.
	Danny Gare - This Buffalo sparkplug teamed with Don Luce and Craig Ramsey on the Sabres' other great line during the 1970s
	Paul Henderson - A solid though ordinary player, Paul Henderson became forever a hockey immortal thanks to his 1972 Summit Series heroics

	Gordie Howe - Forget about Gretzky or Lemieux. Old time hockey fans will insist Gordie Howe is the greatest of all time, with great merit. Mr. Hockey could do it all
	Syd Howe - Before Detroit Red Wings fans had ever heard of Gordie Howe, Hockeytown was celebrating the greatness of the unrelated Syd Howe.

Red Kelly - A superstar defenseman with the Detroit Red Wings, he later became one of the most cerebral centers in hockey history while with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

	Tony Leswick - This undersized pest made a big name for himself as a defensive specialist. He was particularly well known for his battles with Rocket Richard.
	Dale McCourt - One of the most important figures in NHL draft history, McCourt was a bit of a bust in the National Hockey League.
	Bucko McDonald - Nearly forgotten as a hard hitting stay at home defenseman, Bucko McDonald's claim to fame may be the fact that he coached Bobby Orr as a youth and was instrumental in his development.

Bob Probert - Hockey's ultimate tough guy rarely lost a battle on the ice. Unfortunately he's lost more than a few off of it.

	Marcel Pronovost - A fearless, rugged rearguard with Detroit Red Wings and later the Toronto Maple Leafs, Pronovost won 5 Stanley Cups
	Terry Sawchuk - Though modern fans will likely choose Patrick Roy or Dominik Hasek, veteran fans will tell you Terry Sawchuk is the greatest goaltender of all time.
	Norm Ullman - Even though he was inducted in the Hockey Hall of Fame, Norm Ullman remains one of hockey's most underrated stars.
	Steve Yzerman - What more can be said about Stevie Wonder? He was one of hockey's greatest players and classiest people.

Introducing Pittsburgh Penguins Legends and Minnesota North Stars Legends

The Legends of Hockey Network would like to officially welcome the legends of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Minnesota North Stars to their new home.

There has been a lot of talk over the years about the Penguins extinction, and it is starting to sound more and more as though Kansas City will be the new home for Sidney Crosby and all. Regardless if that happens or not, I wanted to honor the great players and characters of the Pittsburgh Penguins over the past 40 years

Syl Apps Jr. - Hockey has many great families. The Apps family has to be near the top of the list, with three generations of dominant hockey players.

	Les Binkley - A long time minor league goalie finally got his chance thanks to 1967 expansion. He was one of the early fan favorites.
	Tom Barrasso - Right out of high school, Tom Barrasso turned in one of the most amazing rookie seasons in NHL history. He would continue on to have a stellar career complete with 2 Stanley Cups.

	Michel Briere - The Pittsburgh Penguins have always looked to the Quebec leagues for star players. Before Lemieux and Crosby there was Michel Briere. Unfortunately tragedy struck.
	Mario Lemieux - Magnificent is the perfect word to describe Mario Lemieux. Number 66 is the most gift player to ever play the game of hockey.
	Gilles Meloche - In the 1970s and 1980s he played for the Seals, Barons, North Stars and Penguins. No wonder why his 351 career losses is only 1 loss off of the all time record.

Joey Mullen - One of the greatest American born players in hockey history, Mullen helped the Calgary Flames and Pittsburgh Penguins win Stanley Cups..

	Ron Schock - One of the forgotten Penguins of the 1970s, Schock has some interesting insight into life before and after expansion in 1967.
	Bryan Trottier - The best two way player of his generation, Hall of Famer Trottier was slightly overshadowed by line mate Bossy but forever appreciated.

Flying just a bit under most people's radar, the Dallas Stars are having a fine NHL campaign. It'll soon be 14 years since the Minnesota North Stars went south to the Lone Star State. The big money era may have brought the Stanley Cup to Texas, but Minnesota will always be the State of Hockey.

Here's a look back at a few Legends of the Minnesota North Stars:

	Cesare Maniago - Post-1967 expansion fans in Minnesota and Vancouver loved to Hail Cesare!
	Dennis Maruk - Dennis Maruk was a feisty but talented little player who played good hockey for some of hockey's baddest teams.
	Brad Maxwell - An aggressive, skilled defender who had his career cut short by injuries, Brad Maxwell is a candidate for best North Stars defenseman ever.
	Gilles Meloche - In the 1970s and 1980s he played for the Seals, Barons, North Stars and Penguins. No wonder why his 351 career losses is only 1 loss off of the all time record.
	Bobby Smith - The former junior hockey and Minnesota North Stars legend helped the Habs win a surprise Stanley Cup in 1986..
	Tim Young - A tremendous passer with an above-average understanding of the game, Tim Young is now as forgotten as the Minnesota North Stars.