They stood face to face, deep in conversation like they’ve been a million times before. The NHL’s GM meetings had just wrapped up and the Boca Beach Club conference room was emptying out, with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman holding court with reporters.



Steve Yzerman and Ken Holland were on the opposite side of the room, almost hidden by a large plant, sharing thoughts for a lengthy period of time before going their separate ways. And right now, those ways couldn’t be more separate.



Yzerman has put his Lightning team very much in contention for a Stanley Cup, using every trick he learned during his time under Holland. Yzerman convinced two of his biggest stars in Steven Stamkos and Victor Hedman to sign contracts for less than market value, a move the Red Wings once employed in order to max out their Stanley Cup chances. At the end, nobody made more than Nicklas Lidstrom and Lidstrom never made what he was worth. It was part of the reason why the Red...