Steve Yzerman is the adoptive son of Detroit and he took a position as the General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning in May of 2010. After 23 years as a Detroit Red Wing and four years as an apprentice to General Manager Ken Holland. Stevie learned the ropes of the National Hockey League from the business stand point and took his team to one win from the Eastern Conference Finals in 2010.
There are quite a few things from a business stand point we can learn from Stevie.
1. Do not burn bridges
Stevie will always be remembered as a Red Wing. He signed my puck at the team practice in Troy and even used his number 19 on it. He will always be a member of the Red Wings family no matter how far he travels or whose team he is employed by. He is adopted by the city of Detroit and by the Red Wings family for bringing hockey back and using his perseverance to win three Stanley Cups and be in the office for the fourth. He has not burned bridges but he still has the connections he once had and probably uses them. Just because you leave an employer that you have been with forever does not mean you lose the connections you once had.
2. Surround yourself with people who can help you
Stevie won a gold medal with Team Canada in the 2010 Olympic Games in Vancouver. Canada, his native country put him in a very pressure packed situation. He had taken the time to surround himself with A players so his team can have success down the road. I am pretty sure the Red Wings believe in this philosophy and this is how it was passed along to him. He did not graduate from high school yet he has a Masters degree in the NHL. You learn from the best and you can have long term goals. He sees the future and I am pretty sure he believes this philosophy.
3. You can always come home
Detroit will always be home for Stevie Y. He has done the right things for this city and always kept the windows of opportunity to success open. Mike Illitch will probably always think of him as an adoptive son since he has been through every phase of hockey with the Red Wings. He speaks highly of the Detroit area and has had many life experiences here. So when his paths cross again or maybe not with Detroit he knows he can always come home because people will always respect him. He never brought a scandal to Detroit but he brought grit, determination and was a quiet leader. He is doing the same thing with Tampa Bay and seems to be just as loyal.
This video is a really great because it shows what he has learned about the business, his team, what he hopes to accomplish and everything great Steve Yzerman brings to the table.
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Over the Boards by Jamie Favreau 