THANKS #19

hardcorehockeyfan

If Steve Yzerman has indeed, played his last game in the NHL, I want to be one of the first to publicly thank the man for his long term service!!! Whether you adore or loathe the Red Wings, Stevie is one of those guys you just could not hate!!! Time after time, the man came back from devastating injuries, and still was probably the most professional of all professionals!!! Yzerman is the epitome of everything Detroit, and if he retires, the game will go on without him, although his spirit will always be on that Red Wings bench!!!

nightcrawler

I'll second that. What an awsome guy.

He really is one of the all time greats.
_

Boopotts

Great player, class guy. Too bad he had to spend his final year with this bunch of tin men. What a pitiful, pitiful performance on the part of the Wings, and on that weenie Datsyuk in particular. Congratulations to the Oilers and their fans; you outworked the Wings in every phase of the game and you deserve to advance. Nothing fluky about this one-- the Wings just got outplayed.

hardcorehockeyfan

The Wings were outplayed, but being outplayed, they still were there in every game to the end. I do not want to start a bad light on this thread, but that game tying goal was hit with a high stick and kicked in, play should have been whistled dead, and if not, the refs again blew a call as plain as day. It was obviously kicked in with a kicking motion. It seems too much lately, that BIG games are decided by blown calls. I saw it in this game, I saw it in the Lakers/Suns game, and the Super Bowl, something just is not adding up!

Boopotts

<< <i>The Wings were outplayed, but being outplayed, they still were there in every game to the end. I do not want to start a bad light on this thread, but that game tying goal was hit with a high stick and kicked in, play should have been whistled dead, and if not, the refs again blew a call as plain as day. It was obviously kicked in with a kicking motion. It seems too much lately, that BIG games are decided by blown calls. I saw it in this game, I saw it in the Lakers/Suns game, and the Super Bowl, something just is not adding up! >>




That's fine, but the larger point is that it shouldn't have come to that. And 'being in it until the end' is laudable if you're the 8 seed, but it's NOT fine if you should have quietly dispatched your opponent in five games.

Here's hoping Holland can trade Datsyuk to Pitt. for either Malone or LeClaire.

RedHeart54

Yzerman was the first and only player I ever collected seriously (starting in about 1991). It's hard to believe he's on the brink of retirement.

hardcorehockeyfan

Pulling his cards from packs years and years ago, and realising how much his cards were worth in 1989, that really got me into the card business, back then, I pulled cards for the Red Wings, Tigers, and Lions, my hoard of Yzerman's really helped out. I used to get my $4 allowance each week, run up to the store, buy a Pepsi and spend the rest on card packs, I believe they were 35 cents then! I started collecting back around '85, and the hockey, baseball, and football issues are what allowed me to start off with almost no money, doing card shows with a neighbor, I would made a dollar here, make a dollar there, do a trade here, do a trade there. It went from flea market type cardshows at a local church, to the granddaddy at the time in my area, the Gibraltar Trade Center. What really helped me out, was my oldest brother, he enlisted in the Marines, and let me have his cards, wish I can have the Marinos, Montanas, and Mattinglys back. After a little bit of time and a job at a party store, I was able to buy higher end products, and the rest is history!

Knuckles

He looks like he has another two years + in him the way he played tonight hurt and all. He'll make the best decision for himself and the Red Wings though.. total class.

Speaking of class in a quick interview after the game Ryan Smyth wasn't going on about how they won and how it was great he admirably spoke of Yzerman instead, nothing but kind words of course.

hardcorehockeyfan

They way he played in the playoff series, and at the end of the season, showed that he still has it in him. Thing is, every single year lately, he is out for some length of time because of injury. One has to wonder how much more his body can take. And if anyone would leave the game and not just "take up a spot," it is Yzerman, he would make no rash decisions, and he would not make a decision that does not benefit the team. That is one sign of a true professional!!!!

Boopotts

<< <i>They way he played in the playoff series, and at the end of the season, showed that he still has it in him. Thing is, every single year lately, he is out for some length of time because of injury. One has to wonder how much more his body can take. And if anyone would leave the game and not just "take up a spot," it is Yzerman, he would make no rash decisions, and he would not make a decision that does not benefit the team. That is one sign of a true professional!!!! >>




Yzerman has to be so disgusted with team 'Rent A Swede' right now that I doubt coming back has even crossed his radar. I know I'd be done if the alternative was playing with this group of part timers for another year.

Please, Ken Holland, GET RID OF #13! If you do nothing else please trade this clown!

hardcorehockeyfan

Team rent-a-Canadian did not fare too well with the goals either!!

Stingray

Will definetly miss him, been watching him since I graduated from High School, seem eons ago. He sure did give us some great memories, mine will be him scoring that OT (3 OT?) goal against Toronto and the the whole team piling up in the corner to celebrate.


Stingray

fiveniner

Great Player,Leader and Human Being.