Lightning's Yzerman: Red Wings a 'special franchise'

TAMPA -- Steve Yzerman readily admitted this is an emotional series, because even as his allegiance to his new team shows, his admiration for his old one glows.

One of the most enticing story lines in the first-round playoff series between the Detroit Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning centers on Yzerman, who left the Wings five years ago to become general manager in Tampa. The meeting between the two clubs, starting Thursday with Game 1 at Amalie Arena, is one for which Yzerman has been prepared.

"There are other teams I'd rather be playing," he said today, "but I figured at some point in my managerial career, if I can survive, we'd probably face one another."

Yzerman has that one right: The Wings and Lightning have, since realignment two summers ago, cohabited in the Atlantic Division. Tampa finished this season as the division's second seed and Detroit as the third, setting the wheels of destiny in motion.

Wings players and coaches don't see it as a distraction because, as Detroit coach Mike Babcock put it, "Steve and I aren't playing.

"He's a good man. I got a ton of respect for him. He's competitive, and so am I."

Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg spoke of what he learned from the last few seasons of Yzerman's playing career sitting next to him in the locker room - specifically, "how he prepared himself every day, how he was always there for his team."

Yzerman - he's turning 50 on May 9 - debuted with the Wings for the 1983-84 season, finishing as runner-up for rookie of the year. He was named captain in 1986. By the time he led the Wings to Stanley Cups in 1997 and 1998, all that had to be said around Detroit was "Stevie" or "the captain," and it was understood to mean Yzerman.

He retired in 2006, joined the Wings front office as an understudy to general manager Ken Holland, then leaped when the Tampa Bay job was offered four years later.

After watching his current team and his former team practice, he chatted for a few minutes with Holland and Babcock.

"I have very close relationships with everyone in the organization, the majority of people," Yzerman said. "And will continue to have that forever, I hope. Everything that we went through as an organization - again, in this series, we both want to win. Our organization wants to win, the Red Wings want to win. Our fans want to win, the Red Wings fans want to win.

"I expect it to be very good hockey. Our team plays a similar style to the Red Wings. They have fantastic players, extremely talented forwards, so I expect it to be really good hockey and a good series that should be good for our league."

Scouting report: Who has the edge?

It is only Yzerman's third foray into the playoffs as GM. As a player, he helped the Wings stretch their streak of making the playoffs to 15 consecutive seasons before he left. Now that number stands at 24.

"They've proven to be and continue to be, and it looks like they're set up from our viewpoint, to remain a strong franchise for a long time," Yzerman said. "They're really one of the best franchises in pro sports over the last 30 years and that's going to continue. To make the playoffs as many times - you just look at this year, the Stanley Cup champions missed the playoffs, and they've got a heck of a team. Boston has a heck of team with 96 points or so, missed the playoffs.

"It's really a hard thing to do. The fact that they keep doing it is incredible, and it looks like it's just going to continue. They're a special franchise."

Contact Helene St. James: hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames.

Stevie Y

In Tampa: Lightning vice president and general manager since 2010.

In Detroit: Wings center in 1983-2006 (captain in 1986-2006) and team vice president in 2006-2010. Won Stanley Cup in '97, '98 and 2002.

Born: May 9, 1965, in Cranbrook, British Columbia. Age 49.

Raised: Nepean, Ontario, a suburb of Ottawa. (A rink there is named in his honor.)

Family: Wife Lisa and daughters Isabella, Maria and Sophia.

Acquired: Detroit's first pick (fourth overall) in the 1983 NHL entry draft.

Height/Weight: 5-feet-11, 185.

Awards: Lester B. Pearson Trophy, 1988-89 (players choice as MVP); Conn Smythe Trophy, 1997-98 (playoff MVP); Frank J. Selke Trophy, 1999-00 (defensive forward); Olympic gold medal, 2002; Bill Masterton Trophy, 2002-03 (for dedication to hockey); Hockey Hall of Fame, 2009.