Steve Yzerman the player

[Jaromir Blogger]

Yzerman became the prototype for the two-way center that dominates the NHL today. The way Patrick Roy made butterfly goaltending the standard, Yzerman was the leader in creating a dominant era for centers that play all phases.

I've told this anecdote before, but the Stars never win a Cup without Yzerman. Modano was the template for 80s high flying scoring center until Hitchcock demanded he round out his game to match Yzerman. Without Yzerman's progression pushing him, Modano never leads that team to back-to-back Cup appearances.

What higher praise can you place on a rival than to say you had to mimic him to find success?

He also may have had a big influence on Sakic in the same way.

Crosby reminds me so much of those two (more Sakic, though).

 

[vladdy16]

Points for a hockey player are like Wins to a pitcher, or RBI's to a hitter. They mean something but they are also circumstantial.

Stats are often used to promote the medias hyperbole about Gretzky and Lemieux, etc, etc.

But in reality, Yzerman would be tied with a handful of players as the most impactful player of his generation. There is nobody ahead of him.

If I were building a team, I'd take Yzerman over anyone without hesitation.

With that said, I think younger posters would be surprised by how much of a role player/grinder post injury Yzerman was.

He didn't dominate through the neutral zone, and he wasn't a possession maniac, he was just always there, chipping away. 1st period, 3rd period, game 1, game 7.

Eventually there'd be a loose puck and he'd pounce on his chance, the crowd lifting from their seats, the goalie out to challenge, Yzerman with a head fake, the goalie frozen, but Yzerman can't complete his weight transfer and fires his shot into the goalies chest. The Red Wings are out-shooting their opponent 2-1, but the game is still tied, and Yzerman goes back to chipping away...

Yzerman produced like Nick Diaz fights. He lives it to the point that he is always there, pushing the pace, until you fall off and get beat in a basic way you never imagined you could be.