Steve Yzerman Quotes (83 Quotes)

I hope people like me and appreciate me the way I am.

I think I'll make a decision after the playoffs. Let's see how they go and go from there.

I tried to get through the first part of camp, that was my concern, and got through it and I was feeling pretty good,

We have two tables on our airplane that are set up with the games.

I also feel I adapted. I was willing to try to fit into any role. The way I figured, it was always up to me to prove my worth, that I deserved to be here.

His work ethic is really a good example for the younger guys. Just the experience of being through three Olympic Games will really help settle things down.

I'm exhausted trying to stay healthy.

One of the advantages, one of the special things, about playing in Detroit or Montreal is guys like Gordie Howe walk in the room. I didn't know he was here tonight, it was kind of a coincidence to get that assist on a night that he's here.

This injury is dictating the end of my career, whether that's this year, next year or whatever, ... I was able to rehab it and I want to find out if I can still play. Then when I retire I won't have to look back and think I could have had another year or two. I like playing the game, so if it means working hard and getting back in shape to play one more year, I think it's worth it. I know it's worth it.

It was the right thing to do. I would've loved to play in the Olympics again, but I believe it's time for me to step aside. It's time to let other guys play.

Obviously there was concern. You fear for the guy's life.

We're worse off without Pavel, ... We still should have a pretty strong lineup, but there's no question we don't have the depth we had a year and a half ago.

I don't know if I've ever had a memorable body check. It's not really part of my game.

Concentrate on more specific things -- on playing well defensively, on keeping our goals-against down, on our penalty kill and power play. Concentrate on those and make sure we're sharp. The wins will take care of themselves and we'll be ready for the playoffs.

We used to play a lot outdoors, not in leagues, but just in our spare time.

Since the season ended, I've let things settle down, and I have to talk to the coaching staff and management. I really don't want to turn this into a big drama. So I plan on making a definite decision relatively quickly.

It's too bad that decision had to be made ... I always thought he would retire a Red Wing. I think we will be seeing more of this kind of movement now with the salary-cap system.

We've had a good season and given ourselves a lot of hope for the playoffs.

I'm getting one more opportunity to play for the Stanley Cup so I'm pretty thrilled about that.

When it gets to this point, it's just hard to pull the trigger.

I'd love to do it one more time. . . . I'll never get tired of doing this.

I had 15 months there to debate it and back forth. At times, I was certain I was going to play and there were other times I was certain I wasn't going to play, ... Until the lockout ended and I had a chance to sit down with Kenny Holland to kind of discuss, 'Does it make sense for me to come back, economically, for the organization, personnel wise What do you want to do with this team'

I've been hit hard a few times, been hit really hard a few times, but I don't think I've ever left a memorable, lasting impression on anyone I've ever hit.

If anything, it shows how good he was because he played probably four or five years less than I did. So, that's quite an achievement by him than anything I've done.

Everybody keeps saying it's great. It's not great. It's not hockey.

He's a really good guy. He's a popular guy. I think it's a matter of teams wanting him.

Personally, I'd prefer to continue playing the overtime after tie games.

It's almost like you see too much, because when it happens for real, everything flies at you so fast, you never get a sense of the ice and where everyone is at that one moment.

He created a turnover. I think they were just heading up ice, so we caught them going the right way. Danny made a real nice pass over the stick right onto mine. The goalie went for the poke-check. Fortunately, I had my head up.

For me at this stage, now, I've got to play really well to keep up and make sure I'm playing well enough to deserve to be on that line.

Darren McCarty is a big video game guy, and he brings his systems with him on the road.

Before training camp, I had a couple of conversations on the phone and he threw some questions at me, ... In practices here, the way he wants things done is different. Like we were working the power play and penalty killing, and he has some different ideas on where he wants you to go and why he wants you to do it. So for me, I'm just trying to pay attention. ... I'm just trying not to make mistakes.

I played with them a fair bit two years ago I enjoy playing with them,

I'm never gonna play again, and I know I'm really, really going to miss it.

I honestly don't think I've been in a fight in over ten years. And any of the fights that I did participate in, weren't of any note.

Just knowing that I'm walking in there, not because of what I've done in the past but because they want me to be a part of it. Hearing that, I'm happy to be back.

We have to keep our goals-against down.

As a kid in British Columbia, going back a long way, I learned to skate.

You know, I'm comfortable with it and in some ways I look forward to it, ... As much as I'd like to compete, it's difficult. It gets old. You're battling guys are big and strong and fast. You're fighting time. So in some ways, when it's over, I'll have a sense of relief. It's a lot of work and I enjoy doing it, but again I look forward to when it's over as well.

It's obvious that finishing first doesn't guarantee anything. I don't think where you finished in the standings is tremendously important in the playoffs.

We have to get better at that. All of the Stanley Cup winning teams throughout the past few seasons, when they needed to play defense, they did it. If you can play defense, that's when you know it's game over.

He's asking a lot of questions, picking everybody's brain, trying to get a feel for everyone, ... He's very serious, very attentive to the details of each drill we did, stressing a high tempo and skating, and I assume that's something that's going to be stressed throughout training camp and the season.

The 70's hair with the long on the sides, just doesn't look good coming down the sides of the helmet.

I just have to make a decision, then live with it for a few days. And if I'm comfortable with it, stick with it. If not, I can change my mind.

Regardless of how the game is played, there will be low-scoring games, and good teams have to win 1-0 or 2-1 (in the playoffs).

We've given ourselves a lot of hope.

I don't know that I'd agree I was our best player.

I think it's a fair way to replay the game. I know they debated which was the best thing to do. They felt, you know, if we're going to make the fans come back, give them a whole game.

You're so wrapped up in the game, and then they score with a minute to go, I don't really have a whole lot of thoughts other than, it just came to a quick end. As far as my personal situation, it's best to wait a few days, then I can pretty much make a quick decision.

I look forward to a lot more free time, at least initially, with my wife, Lisa, and our three children.