Yzermania19

I have always considered myself to be a Red Wing fan AND an Yzerman fan, to the point that if Stevie had ever left to play for another team, I would have bought a sweater with his name and that #19 on it, regardless of what team's crest was on the front.  I never thought about whether I would have become a fan of the team, although I certainly would have wanted Stevie to succeed.

I will always be a Red Wings fan and they will always be my #1 team.  However, now that Stevie's in Tampa, I guess I have become a fan of the Lightning.  I certainly am paying more attention to what they are doing than I ever have for any other team, aside from the Wings, and they are now my favorite Eastern Conference team (sorry, Ottawa...you've been bumped!).  I want Stevie to succeed as a GM, so that means I want the Lightning to succeed.  

However, I hope it never comes to a Red Wings/Lightning Stanley Cup final, because I'm sure I'll be conflicted.  I mean, I rooted for Canada in the Olympics because Stevie was running the team!  I just couldn't bring myself to want him to lose!  

I don't see any problem with being a fan of more than one team.  The Red Wings are, by far, my favorite and #1 team, but that doesn't mean I don't watch - and cheer - for others.  For example, when the Wings are knocked out of the playoffs, I always pick another team to follow for the rest of the playoffs, and if that team goes on to win the Cup, I'm genuinely happy for them (all the while wishing it could be the Wings, of course).  And there are certain teams that I pay a little attention to, and am happy for when they win.  I think most of us on this board would put the Wings as their #1 team, and I don't doubt that there are many who would say the Wings are their only team.  But that doesn't make them better Wings fans, just as being a fan of more than one team makes anyone a lesser Wings fan.

Maybe it's my Red Wings bias showing but I have to give the edge to Stevie - he has more goals, more points, more Cups and he was captain of the Wings longer than Joe was the captain of the Avs.  Joe didn't change his game halfway through his career to become more of a two-way center (regardless of the reason he did it).  Also, Stevie suffered that horrific knee injury early in his career and went on to play another 18 years on a knee that was steadily deteriorating and required multiple procedures over the years just to keep it in semi-working order.  Not to mention his heroic performance in the 2002 playoffs when it finally did give out and his comeback after a knee realignment surgery that old people get just so they can walk.  

In terms of leadership and respect, I think they're pretty close but I would still give the edge to Stevie.  He is the epitome of a class act and has the utmost respect throughout the league.  Do you think the fans of Tampa Bay would have gone just as gaga over Joe being named the GM as they did over Stevie?  I don't.

However, Joe and Stevie are pretty dang close.  They're both well-respected, class individuals who are similar in that they led their teams with a quiet authority and never really drew all the attention to themselves.  Stevie might be in the top spot, but Joe isn't even a full step behind him.

Somebody stop him! He is poaching our team!

teehee...maybe he learned from Ken Holland too well.     If he wants any more Wings, he should look at the unrestricted free agents the Wings probably aren't going to sign, like Maltby.  

Hey, here's a thought - maybe a couple of the guys (Martin and Verbeek, perhaps) told Stevie, "look, you get a GM job, I want to come work for you."  Maybe Stevie's just making good on a couple of promises.  

If the Wings are willing to let them talk to Steve (or any other team, for that matter), and they want to go, then there's nothing underhanded, secretive, sneaky, poachy or raid-like about it.  Just like the Lightning approaching the Wings to get permission to talk to Stevie last month that set all this in motion.  It's really no different - just a mutual decision between the heads of two corporations.

Geez, if people are making this big a deal about front office people, I hate to see what will happen when Stevie comes to the Wings for the first time with a trade proposal.  Yeesh.  

A ******?  Please.  This happens all the time in business, and hockey is a business.  An example - two former colleagues of mine started their own firm a couple of years ago and took HALF the people from their old firm with them.  Now that's what I call raiding the cookie jar.  But it happens!  And I'm sure it happens a lot more in pro sports than any of us hear about.  We're just hearing about this because it's the Wings and it's Stevie.  That's all.  If it was Joe Blow GM of the Podunkville Pirahnas or something it might be a footnote at the end of one of George Malick's columns, if that.

Just for the record, I am an Yzerman fan and a Red Wing fan.  Stevie is the reason I became a Red Wing fan.  I understand his concern is now Tampa Bay and I feel like I now have a second team to cheer for.  I want BOTH teams to succeed.  However, I am not surprised that he is asking for permission to talk to a couple of guys from the Wings team.  Not at all.  And no, it doesn't bother me.  I don't consider that raiding.

Besides, the Wings could have said no when Stevie asked to talk to Martin and Verbeek, and he would have understood.  He's on the other side of the table now.

I'd hardly call asking the Wings for permission to talk to two guys "raiding" the organization.  This kind of stuff is done all the time in hockey, and for all we know other GM's have asked to speak with other Wings' execs.  We just haven't heard about it because the other GM's aren't Stevie.  

Also, just because he is asking for permission to talk to these guys, it doesn't mean they'll accept his offer.  Ryan Martin probably will, but Stevie's allegedly offering him a promotion over his current Wings job (assistant GM vs. capologist), and like Stevie, Martin probably knows there's not a lot of room to move up in the Wings' organization.

We didn't exactly "suck" last season.  The first half was rough because at one point we had half of our regular lineup out with injuries, and didn't have Franzen, who was on fire, unitl February, as someone pointed out.  The Wings had one of the best records in the league after the Olympic break, and surpise! They had everyone back by then!

Yes, we lost in the second round but all but one of those games were by one goal, and I still maintain the craptastic officiating had something to do with the losses (not blaming the refs, just saying that they were a factor - the Wings definitely didn't play up to par at times against the Sharks).  

If we didn't have all those injuries during the first half of the season, and if we didn't have to play so dang hard to make up ground just to get to the playoffs, I think we'd be in the Cup Final instead of Chicago.  I really do.  The Wings could beat either of the teams in the Final.

Lidstrom showed this season that he is slowing down, but just a bit.  He is still the best defenceman in the NHL and it's my opinion that if they want to contend for the Cup next year, the Wings need Lids back.

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.