What Current NHLers Were Influenced by Yzerman?

[BeeRYCE 2]

I know alot of players rate Steve Yzerman as their idol and major influence.

I can think of:

Sidney Crosby

Vinnie LeCavalier

Joe Thornton

Jason Spezza

I know there are more, help me out. It's just crazy how the best players today looked up to Stevie amongst other players. 3 of the best hockey players in the world today (Thornton, Sid, Vinnie), look up to him, and I know this from interviews.

Not Mario, not Wayne, not Messier... YZERMAN.

[Production Line 1]

To many to think of. We will still be hearing his name as influences for the next 10 years...

[glasgowcelticwing 18]

I know alot of players rate Steve Yzerman as their idol and major influence.

I can think of:

Sidney Crosby

Vinnie LeCavalier

Joe Thornton

Jason Spezza

I know there are more, help me out. It's just crazy how the best players today looked up to Stevie amongst other players. 3 of the best hockey players in the world today (Thornton, Sid, Vinnie), look up to him, and I know this from interviews.

Not Mario, not Wayne, not Messier... YZERMAN.

Yeah , it's cool the way that all the best used Stevie as a roll model. Says alot for them and it say's a hell of a lot for the Captain.

Stevie Yzerman = One of the greatest Hockey and Wings players ever .

[Detroit # 1 Fan 2,204]

Kyle Turris will for sure be. Stevies his Idol

[zettsyukwall415 0]

You can add Doug Weight and Chad LaRose to that list.

[StaticWithABeat 0]

Tim Gleason and Jeff Friesen too.

[redwingschick33 0]

I can't tell you what other NHLers were inspired by Yzerman, but I compiled a list of all the prospects and their quotes in the 2007 NHL Draft media guide at my blog: http://www.behindthejersey.com/2007/06/10/...many-prospects/

[BringHomeTheCup! 0]

In the intrest of time, I here is the offical list of players who weren't influenced by Yzerman:

Players Who Weren't Influenced by Steve Yzerman:

[Booster313 138]

There are far too many to list but I will throw out Joe Sakic seems how Stevie is the reason for his #19. Oh theres Sean Avery too. As well as anyone who ever played for the Wings post 1983

[T-Ruff 47]

Daniel Alfredsson also mentioned that his favourite player is Steve Yzerman...

[hawkupaloogie 0]

There are far too many to list but I will throw out Joe Sakic seems how Stevie is the reason for his #19. Oh theres Sean Avery too. As well as anyone who ever played for the Wings post 1983

i thought sakic chose #19 because of bryan trottier.

[oilandwingsfan 3]

Jarret Stoll, for sure. Here's a quote from an Oiler program a few months back:

Q: Your childhood hero was Steve Yzerman. Any particular reason why he appealed to you as a youngster?

Stoll: I think he was so well respected. Anytime people talk about Steve Yzerman they talk about respect and class. Obviously his leadership abilities are at the forefront right there. He could score, he could play well defensively, and he played his whole career with one organization.

I liked his number when I was a little kid. I wore number 19 when I was growing up. For all those reasons, he's probably the one player I respect the most.

Q: Do you remember the first time you played against your childhood hero (Steve Yzerman)?

Stoll: We lost 8-1 in Detroit. It was cool to play against him but we were chasing the puck all night. One of the faceoffs I asked him for his stick and he brought it over after the game - that was pretty cool. It's something I'll never forget and shows what kind of person he is off the ice.

Q: You actually played against Yzerman in his last game ever, eliminating Detroit in last year's playoffs.

Stoll: Obviously the whole playoff run was exciting in itself but to beat Detroit in round one when they were highly favoured as regular season champions was great. To see him battle throughout the playoffs with his bad knee and still compete as one of their best players in the series was something very special. It was an honour to shake his hand at the end of the series.

I would say that based on Jarret's development in the past two years that Stevie Y most definitely had an major influence on him. Stoll is developing to be more of a leader and power player nowadays.

[toby91_ca 620]

I know alot of players rate Steve Yzerman as their idol and major influence.

I can think of:

Sidney Crosby

Vinnie LeCavalier

Joe Thornton

Jason Spezza

Wrong......his was Wayne Gretzky.

[HenrikRules40 14]

Wrong......his was Wayne Gretzky.

I could have sworn that he wore #19 because of Stevie.

[Booster313 138]

i thought sakic chose #19 because of bryan trottier.

[/quote

I'm pretty sure during the big Detroit vs. Colorado days Sakic was quoted in saying that Stevie has been a big influence on him and that's why he chose his number 19.

[toby91_ca 620]

I could have sworn that he wore #19 because of Stevie.

Well, he actually does wear 19 because of Yzerman, but not because Yzerman was his favourite player. Yzerman was his brother's favourite player and his brother told him that he should wear 19.

Thornton's favourite team was the Leafs and his favourite player was Wayner.

[ben_usmc 253]

I'd love for someone to show proofs of these people because my roomate doesn't believe that Stevie Y had such impact, but I've heard a few times about Thorton

[toby91_ca 620]

I'd love for someone to show proofs of these people because my roomate doesn't believe that Stevie Y had such impact, but I've heard a few times about Thorton

Some info on Joe Thornton.

http://www.jockbio.com/Bios/Thornton/Thornton_bio.html

This seems to suggest Wayne was Sakic's idol growing up, but not sure why he chose #19, could be because of Stevie. Someone mentioned they thought it was because of Trottier. I think Steve picked #19 because of Trottier, not sure about Sakic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sakic

Edited June 18, 2007 by toby91_ca

[eva unit zero 271]

Some info on Joe Thornton.

http://www.jockbio.com/Bios/Thornton/Thornton_bio.html

This seems to suggest Wayne was Sakic's idol growing up, but not sure why he chose #19, could be because of Stevie. Someone mentioned they thought it was because of Trottier. I think Steve picked #19 because of Trottier, not sure about Sakic.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Sakic

It's unlikely Sakic chose 19 because of Stevie; Sakic was 15 when Yzerman was a rookie-meaning Sakic was already wearing the number at that point. More likely he ended up with 99 in a similar way that Gretzky ended up with 99. Wanted to wear the number, but it wasn't available, so he picked something similar.

[Wingsfan4life19 26]

I've also heard that john madden was influenced by Stevie, especially during playoff time.

[Hank 0]

I don't know if Yzerman was his idol but Pavel Bure said in his biography that Steve Yzerman and Mario Lemieux were the two best hockey players he's ever seen in his life. That's a pretty big endorcement considering that Bure might be one of the top 5 purest goal scorers to ever play the game.

[Opie 308]

I don't know if Yzerman was his idol but Pavel Bure said in his biography that Steve Yzerman and Mario Lemieux were the two best hockey players he's ever seen in his life. That's a pretty big endorcement considering that Bure might be one of the top 5 purest goal scorers to ever play the game.

And how quickly he fell off the face of the earth.

Amazing how all of the sudden he just was no longer in the NHL.

[Hank 0]

And how quickly he fell off the face of the earth.

Amazing how all of the sudden he just was no longer in the NHL.

Yup. His knees never recoverd and he basically faded away with little fanfare. Too bad considering that guy was one of the most exciting players I've ever watched.

[Opie 308]

The playoff run he had with the Canucks was awesome. I remember yelling look out for the Russian Rocket to my bro in law all the time he hates Vancouver!!

[Hank 0]

It's unlikely Sakic chose 19 because of Stevie; Sakic was 15 when Yzerman was a rookie-meaning Sakic was already wearing the number at that point. More likely he ended up with 99 in a similar way that Gretzky ended up with 99. Wanted to wear the number, but it wasn't available, so he picked something similar.

Joe Sakic was actually given #88 at the start of his career. The Nordiques wanted to give him a number that portrayed him in the same class as Gretzky or Lemieux. But eventually, they decided against it, because of all the pressure that comes with a number like that. In the end they gave him #19 as they felt Yzerman's level was closer to Sakic's potential.

P.S. Yzerman did choose #19 after Brian Trottier who he's mentioned, several times, as his boyhood hockey idol.

Edited June 20, 2007 by Hank