OT: Yzerman takes Tampa GM Job

Submitted by Wolverine96 on

According to the Toronto Globe and Mail, Steve Yzerman has accepted the General Manager Position for the Tampa Bay Lightning...

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/report-yzerman-takes-tampa-bay-gm-job/article1579914/

Personally, I wish Stevie Y all the best.  Hopefully he is successful in Tampa Bay and can one day return home to the Red Wings.

kdhoffma

May 25th, 2010 at 9:52 AM ^

I dismissed this a few weeks ago when speculation began... just did not see Stevie leaving for such a terrible franchise... guess I was wrong.  Wish him nothing but the best though, hope he can turn them around.

Blue-Chip

May 25th, 2010 at 9:52 AM ^

The Captain has always been a class act.  I'll miss having him on the Wings staff, but it's hard to blame him for taking a better job.  I wish him all the best.

MGoJen

May 25th, 2010 at 9:57 AM ^

When you want to be a GM and a spot opens up, you have to take it.

Stevie Y will always be a Detroit sports icon to me, though.  He was always my dad's favorite player, and a lot of the memories I have of my dad (who died when I was eight) are of him celebrating and shouting, "He shoots, he scoresssss, STEVIE Y!" at the television.

Yostal

May 25th, 2010 at 10:05 AM ^

No one is ever going to think of the Captain as anything other than a Red Wing.  Gordie Howe played for the Aeros and the Whalers, but he's still a Red Wing.  Ted Lindsay was exiled to the Blackhawks, but he's still a Red Wing.  The Captain is the Captain and I hope he is as successful as a GM as he was as a player.  I genuinely believe he will be.

Wolverine In Exile

May 25th, 2010 at 10:35 AM ^

Steve obviously wanted to get a decision making job in hockey, he proved himself as evaluator of team building and coach selection with the Team Canada gig (2007 worlds and 2010 olympics), has a significant amount of experience now working in the Wings front office, and saw the writing on the wall with Holland and co. getting extensions. I like to think as well that he chose to go to a team in the opposite conference to prevent direct competition against the Wings.

My only thing I worry for him is that his family is pretty rooted in Bloomfield and his daughters are only 16, 12 and 11... thats a tough set of ages to move a family around with so if they stay in detroit, he's going to be doing the commuter GM dance a la Matt Millen.

Wahlberg

May 25th, 2010 at 2:04 PM ^

Actually I bet it's assistant gm Jim Nill gets the first shot at it. If Yzerman does a fantastic job in the death hole that is Tampa maybe, but otherwise I know the organization really likes Nill as well.

For the record I want him back in Det as soon as possible but just saying there's Holland and his assistant to look out for.

Clarence Beeks

May 25th, 2010 at 11:36 AM ^

Ugh.  It doesn't surprise me at all that he took one of the vacant jobs this offseason, but I wish he would have ended up anywhere else.  They have a ton of talent in that system, but the ownership situation in Tampa Bay is a mess.  Best of luck, Stevie Y.  You're going to need it with that crew.

Clarence Beeks

May 25th, 2010 at 6:14 PM ^

Well then, I take it back.  My prior post was definitely referring to the prior ownership group (i.e. Oren Koules' group).  Somehow I missed that news, but admittedly I don't pay much attention to the Lightning now that I'm no longer a STH.  Glad to see that he's getting a fresh start with a new ownership group.  That actually really is a great franchise and a great fanbase.  I hope it works out well for all involved.

Baldbill

May 25th, 2010 at 11:41 AM ^

He will take the job and the best of luck to him. He will always be welcome in Detroit. You can't blame the guy for taking a chance to grow and improve himself, even if we (Red Wings fans) are sad to see him go.

Blueisgood

May 25th, 2010 at 2:24 PM ^

I really don't think they're a terrible franchise. They were only 8 points out of a playoff spot, and they have a pretty good core to work around with Vinny, Stamkos, Hedman, and St. Louis ( if he comes back as he's a UFA) They have new owners and they are like 16/17 million under the cap. They're goalie, Mike Smith, didn't do a bad job with the team that they had, and if they want to the can go pick up someone like Turco. If the new owners will spend the money I could see Tampa back in the playoffs next season depending on what the owners will allow.

Its hard to see him leave though. Didn't think it would be, but it is. Hope he has good success there and makes a return to Detroit one day. Not sure when that'll be, as someone else said Jim Nill would seem to be the next logical canidate as long as he's been there. Either way, Good luck Stevie Y. You've made us Wings fans spoiled. I didn't really start watching hockey until I was like 11-12 years old, which was the year of the 95-96 lockout, so I've really seen nothing but success.

Tater

May 25th, 2010 at 2:47 PM ^

I live in the Tampa Bay area, but the hockey team hasn't gotten me too excited the last couple of years.  This development will definitely make me a lot more interested in the "Bolts" now.  Congrats to Stevie Y and the Tampa Bay Lightning.  This is a win/win for both parties.

Also, he will have plenty of experience for when an opening in Detroit does arise.  And his first order of business will be to clean up the aftermath of the knee-jerk contracts given after the Stanley Cup year.  This team is almost back to square one now.  Thankfully, I think Yzerman has the talent to get things going almost immediately.

MidMichWolverine1

May 26th, 2010 at 4:47 AM ^

will always be a Red Wing and will someday return. But in the meantime, I wish him luck and will be  Lightning fan because of him. Maybe the experience he'll get there will help him  towards the day he triumphantly returns to the Wings to continue a great winning tradition!!