Steve Yzerman Reaches Incredible Milestone: 1,514 Games as a Player and 1,000 as GM

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Chris Gerics
October 19, 2024 (8:20 PM)

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In what was already an illustrious and accomplishment-filled career, Steve Yzerman added another achievement to his resume reaching 1000 games as both player and GM.

The career of Steve Yzerman is legendary. Having over 1700 career points in 1514 games, winning three Stanley Cups, a Lester B. Pearson Award, Conn Smythe Trophy, Selke Award, and Masterton Trophy, and being the face of one of the greatest dynasties that professional sports have ever seen alongside Sergei Fedorov, Nicklas Lidstrom, Thomas Holmstrom, Dominik Hasek, Brendan Shanahan, Chris Osgood, Chris Chelios amongst a list of Hall of Famers and legends of the sport.

Since retiring he has made his way into the front office as a general manager and has found great success there as well, winning GM of the Year with the Tampa Bay Lightning and creating the path for a dominant dynasty he unfortunately didn't stick around to see as Tampa won the Stanley Cup a year later. Drafting the likes of Nikita Kucherov, Andrei Vasilevskiy, Brayden Point, Ondřej Palát, Anthony Cirelli and others, Yzerman set the Lightning on a path to glory they've only recently started to stray from. He returned to Detroit to become their GM where he has stayed ever since, although he hasn't found the same amount of success as he did as a player.

He hit another huge milestone of his career as GM of the Red Wings when he managed his 1000th game as their front office boss, joining an exclusive list of former players turned executives:

Three-time Stanley Cup Champion with the Detroit Red Wings

Steve Yzerman is just the sixth man to accomplish the feat, joining Bobby Clarke, Bob Gainey, Bob Murray, Bob Pulford, and Doug Wilson. Arguably the most accomplished player of the other five, Yzerman has been a household name for over thirty years and is regarded as one of the greatest players not only in Detroit Red Wings history but of the entire NHL.

Sitting seventh all-time in points, ninth in assists, and 10th in goals, Yzerman cemented himself as one of the league's best not only on the ice but off the ice and being highly regarded by teammates and opponents alike. Winning three Cups with the Red Wings, first in 1997, then repeating the feat the following year in 1998. It took him a few years to get another but in 2002 was able to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes to take home their third Championship in their dynasty. Over that timespan, Yzerman scored 119 goals and 266 assists while also being the team's long-time captain.

It's a massive accomplishment for Yzerman and adds to his legacy not only as a player but as an executive. He will go down in history as one of the most dominant players to ever play the game, and one of the smartest, and savviest GM's of all-time.