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Time certainly flies by fast.
It was on this day in 2019 that the Detroit Red Wings welcomed back franchise icon Steve Yzerman, the beloved former captain who led the club to three Stanley Cup championships and earned multiple accolades during his playing career, as their new general manager.
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Yzerman was tasked with a significant challenge: returning to a team with a nearly depleted prospect pool and a roster burdened by several cumbersome contracts tied to underperforming players.
Former general manager Ken Holland, who had held his position since shortly after the club’s 1997 Stanley Cup victory, initially stepped aside to accept a role as Senior Vice President, only to depart soon after and become the new GM of the Edmonton Oilers.
“I’m extremely excited to be back in Detroit with the Red Wings,” Yzerman said during his introductory press conference at Little Caesars Arena. “This city, Red Wing fans, the state of Michigan were incredibly supportive of me throughout the ups and downs of my playing career.”
“I am very excited to return to the organization and join the Red Wings again, and with our goal of getting the team back in contention for Stanley Cups and the championship that is expected and has come to be expected in Detroit.”
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Yzerman took over as the general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2010 and transformed them into a juggernaut that is still led mostly by players he drafted or otherwise acquired, including Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and head coach Jon Cooper.
With Yzerman at the helm of the Red Wings, his first selection months later in the 2019 NHL Draft was German defenseman Moritz Seider, who has since blossomed into the club’s best defender and firmly put himself into consideration for the Norris Trophy thanks to his performance in the recently completed 2025-26 campaign.
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While the Red Wings suffered through their worst season in over three decades in Yzerman’s first year and shockingly moved back to fourth overall in the NHL Lottery rather than landing the top pick, their pick of Lucas Raymond turned out to be a blessing in disguise.
Among other notable selections Yzerman has made in the NHL Draft over the years, who have become regulars on the roster, include Simon Edvinsson, Albert Johansson, Marco Kasper, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka, while Nate Danielson and Michael Brandsegg-Nygård got their first tastes of NHL action this past season.
Emmitt Finnie, a seventh-round pick from 2023, played in all 82 games in 2025-26 and registered 30 points.
Additionally, several players are waiting in the wings, like goaltenders Sebastian Cossa and Trey Augustine, along with forwards Max Plante, Carter Bear, and Amadeus Lombardi.
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Perhaps his two best trades have been the acquisitions of Alex DeBrincat, who became Detroit’s first 40-goal scorer since the 2008–09 season, and goaltender John Gibson, who was arguably the league’s best at his position for several months this year, helping Detroit build a comfortable cushion in the playoff race by the end of January.
However, the unfortunate fact is that despite improving in the standings every season (aside from 2024-25) since Yzerman’s return, the Red Wings still have not qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Regardless, the chances of Yzerman leaving his role by any means other than his own accord remain exceptionally low, as he has the full backing of ownership and his long-term vision for the team.
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