Yzermania19

I heard some season ticket prices will be going up, and others will be coming down. As for single-game tickets, I haven't heard anything yet. Red Wings to raise season ticket prices

I was kind of wondering the same thing, since Pittsburgh is playing the Caps in the second outdoor game on 1/1/11 (<-- hey, lookie that!). Yes, I know the other game they played was not in Pburgh (was in Buffalo), but still...it's their second Winter Classic in like, three years.

Somehow I think Stevie might try to not make any trades with the Wings just to avoid having it look like collusion. But then, as someone earlier put it, business is business. If it benefits both teams, who cares if it's Detroit and Tampa, or Tampa and Calgary, or Detroit and Boston, etc.

FTW.

Yeah, most likely, but it makes for interesting discussion.

Oh I know, I was just wondering how far "the rules" go and whatnot. I'm sure Stevie leared a few, ahem, "techniques" from Kenny regarding "hanging out," as you put it.

I wonder if this is the first time the hiring of a general manager has resulted in an increase in season ticket sales and renewals...*ponder*

I agree with Centerice and Hockey13Playa, if it wasn't a vacation, they may have just been down there to support Stevie during the presser. Reminds me of a funny Stevie said on the radio yesterday. When asked about poaching any Wings players or personnel, he replied, "I'm pretty sure that would be considered tampering." The show host said, "nothing like getting you fined in your first few days on the job!" Stevie chuckled and said, "Yeah, maybe there's some kind of one-week grace period in which I could plead ignorance." Sorry, I thought Drapes was UFA too. Oops.

Draper and Osgood are BFFs and most likely returning from a vacation. Stevie's not even in Florida now - he came home for a day yesterday then left for Toronto today for the NHL draft combine. But personally I wouldn't have a problem with either of them signing with Tampa. They would give that team strong veteran presence, and it would free up a couple of roster spots for younger players here in Detroit. However, the most likely Wing I could see signing with Tampa is Maltby. Draper and Homstrom are possibiities too. Maybe Lilja. But I don't think Ozzie would - he still has another year left on his contract and the Wings need him to back up Jimmy. Regarding the tampering issue - is it considered tampering if the players are UFA? If Stevie wants to talk to Maltby, for example, after July 1, he's UFA - he's not under contract to the Wings, and the Wings don't have to give permission to another team to talk to him nor does another team have to give the Wings compensation if he's signed.

I could just see that happening!!! JWillie goes to Tampa to play for Stevie and just tears up the league! Okay, maybe not. I mean, we are talking about Jason Williams...

Just listing the Wings' UFA's...not necessarily players Stevie would be interested in. LOL I think he's smarter than signing Jason Williams.

I wouldn't hesitate to wear my Yzerman sweater to a Wings game! To me - amd many, many others - Stevie always has been, and always will be a Red Wing, no matter where he goes or how long is gone from Detroit. For almost 30 years, he was synonymous with Detroit hockey. As for that Lightning sweater - ummm, no. Stevie never played for the Lightning, so I don't think having a sweater with his name and number - and the C - on it would be right. Just my opinion, but I definitely wouldn't do that.

For some reason, this just made me ROTFLMAO!! I don't think Stevie's going to raid the Wings' cupboards, but I wouldn't be surprised to find a couple players land in Tampa for next season. Jason Williams, Tomas Holmstrom, Kirk Maltby, Todd Bertuzzi, Andreas Lilja and Brett Lebda are all UFA, so they currently have no ties to any team. They can negotiate with any team and I would imagine that they're considered fair game and that it wouldn't be "poaching" if Stevie contacted any of them. I can easily see Maltby going to Tampa - the Wings are not going to sign him and he played for years with Stevie. I'm sure if Stevie called him he'd be on a plane in a second. I know Lidstrom is also UFA but I left him out of this because I think Tampa has a better chance of having a white Christmas than Stevie does of signing Nick to play for the Bolts. Nick is like Stevie, in that he will never play in another NHL team's uni. There are only two things that will happen with Nick Lidstrom - he will either sign another contract with the Wings, or retire. He's not playing anywhere else.

A couple of the posters on the HFBoards said Vinik may have thrown an ownership stake at Stevie? Hmmm...

After initially feeling like I got punched in the chest, I realize this is the best thing for Stevie. Of course I am like everyone else who would have loved to see him stay in Detroit and just bide his time until he got the Wings GM job, but I think deep down most of us knew that with the best GM in the NHL at the helm in Ken Holland, that just wasn't going to happen any time soon. And Stevie knew it, too. I am very very very happy for Stevie! It saddens me to see Stevie leave the Wings organization, but I am comforted by the fact that this is something he has always wanted to do. He is realizing a dream! How cool is that? He's shown he can put together a winning team for a tournament, but managing a team is a whole different animal and Stevie has learned from the best. Will he be a good NHL GM? Who knows, but he has certainly earned the right to try. I may just be paying more attention to what the Tampa Bay Lightning do this season...I've already friended them on Facebook. LOL I wish him all the best in Tampa Bay! Just not so much when they play the Wings...I love Stevie, but I will always be a Red Wings fan (and somehow I suspect Stevie is, too).

I've also heard Ron Hextall's name thrown in the mix in the last day or so. Here is yet another excellent post by Mlive's Snapshots blogger George James Malick who says everyone just relax and look at the facts, which he points out in the following article: And I think this quote from Stevie himself is very telling, without saying much: Here's the link to the whole article - No need to freak out about Red Wings VP Steve Yzerman's "no comment" status

Shanny was awesome! He still is. That video is a classic! I really miss him here in Detroit.

While I would understand if Stevie left to take a GM job elsewhere (as devastating as it would be), I hope he holds on and sees what goes down over the next few years in Detroit. As I said before, if he's willing to wait he might get the reward he really wants - the GM job with the Wings. He may just have to sit tight for several years, and it all depends on whether he's willing to do that or not. He's only 45 years old - even if he had to wait 10 years (and personally I don't think it would take that long) he would be the same age Ken Holland is now. Personally I would wait, but alas I am not Stevie. BTW - I found this courtesy of Mlive's Red Wings Snapshots blog by George James Malick. It's part of a column from St. Petersburg Times writer Damian Cristodero -

Too baggy. As a plus-size girl, I am acutely aware of clothing that is too tight and how, unless you have not an ounce of extra fat on your body, clothing that is too tight can make you look like a sausage in its casing. Not a good look for anyone. Besides, baggy clothing can hide a multitude of sins, and be very cool (temperature-wise) when it's hot outside. Sports team jersey with a player's name or without?

Me too. In my perfect world, Stevie sticks around long enough to become the Wings GM after Ken Holland either retires or decides to take the promotion to team president that Ilitch wants to give him. And you know, that may still happen. It all depends on how long Stevie is willing to be patient and wait. He's got a sweet gig with the Wings already, and they give him the flexibility that lets him go off and be the GM of Team Canada whenever he wants. Of course, I'm sure Ilitch doesn't want him going anywhere, so who knows what was promised to Stevie. If he's been told there's a chance of him taking over the helm of the Wings in the next 10 years, he may just stick around until that happens. Anything beyond that, he may begin to look elsewhere. But I am so glad he's staying, at least for now. I know I'm not the only Wings fan who is not quite ready to let go of Stevie just yet. It just somehow wouldn't be right. Like a brother leaving to be a part of another family or something.

Here is the latest from ESPN - Link - Washington Captials GM George McPhee says Bruce Boudreau is staying put; Stevie Y's future - ESPN

He may just go somewhere else to get his feet wet in the NHL GM pool then when Ken Holland hangs up his hat, he could come back and manage the Wings. And yes I do believe the reason he is getting this attention is because of the Olympics and also the success he had with the World Championships, too (a gold medal and a silver medal). He has proven he can build a winning team, at least for a tournament. He deserves the chance to build an NHL team. I think all of us had hoped, in a perfect world, Stevie would simply be patient, doing his thing for the Wings and managing the occasional Canadian team while Ken Holland sat in the big chair. But that's not realistic. We are fortunate we've had him in Detroit for this long, and it's looking like the time to let him go is coming sooner than we'd like. That doesn't mean it's going to be any easier to see him working for someone else.

Just now on the Satellite Hotstove on Hockey Night in Canada, Pierre LeBrun said he spoke to Stevie today and while he won't comment specifically on being a candidate for the Tampa Bay GM job, he said he wants to be a GM and he knows that it's going to have to be somewhere other than Detroit, because of Ken Holland's contract extension. So it sounds like it's just a matter of time before Stevie leaves. That makes me sad - to think of Stevie working for another NHL team is depressing. But if that is what he wants to do and he knows it won't happen in Detroit, then I suppose he would have to move on. So I guess the question is no longer IF he leaves Detroit, but WHEN.

I have heard Stevie say in interviews he doesn't want to uproot his family while his daughters are still in school, which means at least another 4-5 years. However, Stevie also said that all bets are off if the right offer came along. So if Tampa makes him an offer he can't refuse, who knows? He certainly seems to be ready to make the jump to GM, and it doesn't look like that will happen any time soon in Detroit, so yes, it may just depend on how long Stevie's willing to wait. He's got a sweet job here with a lot of freedom and maybe running the World Championships and Team Canada for the Olympics will be enough for now, but eventually he's going to want to run an NHL team. I'm a huge Yzerman fan and I would love for him to stay with the Wings and never go anywhere else, but I also want him to do what is best for his career. If that means leaving the Wings, then so be it. But Ilitch loves Stevie like a son and who knows how hard he will try to keep Stevie here. In other words, only time will tell.

No no no no no no no no NO PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, NO!!!!