Steve Yzerman recently retired. Would you consider him the greatest captain ever to play the game?

Answer 1

Have we forgotten Wayne Gretsky already?

Answer 2

I am Red Wing fan and a Steve Yzerman fan and I'd have to put him tied for the best with Mark Messier. Gretzky could score, but when it comes to being a leader nobody tops these two. Their drive, determination, and passion are what make them stand out. Both were always in the thick of it no matter how rough it got. Unlike Gretzky, neither Stevie Y or Mess skated away from the rough stuff. If anything would put Yzerman over Messier, it would be his ability to play injured and come back from injury. When Detroit won the cup in 2002, Yzerman could barely walk, yet he found the heart to lead Detroit to their third cup in 6 years. And then he played three more season after having knee surgery that was usually reserved for the elderly. The Detroit Free Press writer Mitch Albom put it best in Tuesday's paper when he wrote, " His right knee is beyond bad. You swear it only works because it must be connected to his heart." Twenty-three years with one team. Twenty-one as Captain. The love of an entire city. A city that booed the great Scotty Bowman when he wanted to trade Yzerman. I don't think that Mark Messier could even top that. Thanks Stevie Y for 23 Great Years!!!

Answer 3

I think Steve Yzerman was one of the greatest captains of all time. He stayed with the same team for so long and he brought and kept a lot of people there that normally would have left. Some of the now veteran players would have left a lot sooner if it werent for him. Someone on her mentions Bourque. I think he was great until he traded to the avalanche. I know everyone wants to win a stanley cup, but to play for the Bruins for so long and then in the last season you play, you leave them and tell them there is no way they were going to win, I dont think that is a good team captain at all. It worked for Bourque but that is one thing that is ruining the league and all sports. People play for a team for 20 years and decide that the team they are running sucks to bad to win, so they leave. I liked it more when people stayed true to the team they were on, just like Yzerman did. He brought the championships back to detroit instead of moving to a stacked team so he could win.

Answer 4

Yes.
People can mention Gretsky all they want, but what made Gretsky great was numbers.
The reason Yzerman's numbers don't rank up with Gretsky's was because he decided that winning was more important than numbers.
Back in the 90s, Yzerman was a major scorer, but he chose to give up his numbers to lead his team to focus more on defense.
The choice may have cost him some scoring records, but it helped him lead the Wings to 3 Stanley Cup victories in 6 years.
Yzerman is the league's longest serving captain. He stuck with one team when Detroit was known as the Dead Wings. His sacrificial leadership makes him the best, and he will be sorely missed.

Answer 5

This question is impossible to ask, because I haven't been around to see all the captains who've played. If playing with heart is a measure of how great a captain is, I don't think you'll find one that played with more heart than Stevie Y. Messier was a spectacular player, but I think he always played on stacked teams. Yzerman made more out of less IMO.

Answer 6

Stevie Y was an incredble captain. He's definitely top 5. Others would be Gretzky, Messier, Lemieux and probably Joe Sakic. I can only speak on the players I am old enough to know (I'm only 30). If I had to rank those five I would say Messier, Lemieux, Yzerman, Gretzky, and Sakic.

Answer 7

First to all of those that answered Gretzky, go back to the drawing board. While I cannot repute his offensive prowess he was hardly the leader that Stevey Y was never mind the only two captains better that Stevey (yes I am putting him in 3rd) Mr Messier and Mr. Bourque. Not necessarily in that order. Y had an amazing career and did not get nearly enough credit outside core hockey fans, unfortunately he will never be as well known as Gretzky, Lemouix (sp?), and maybe even lindros. And none of those three could LEAD a team like Stevey.

Answer 8

what Steve Yzerman did for Detroit red wings and their fans nobody even comes close to Stevie Y...he is truly the greatest team captain of all time...and to the people saying its Wayne Gretzky get a life just because he scored 2800Pt's dint make you a great captain..

Answer 9

my top three: yzerman, mario lemieux, and messier. not in any particular order. yzerman lead a team that was dead last to being at or near the top in the nhl for ten years. he was the best thing to happen to detroit since gordie howe. he played much bigger than what he is. he was the longest serving captain in the nhl for one team. i admire him for bowing out when he felt it was time to go. he will go down in history as one of the best captains. no doubt that there will never ever be a greater leader than him in the wings organization. he could lift a team w/o saying much. from what i know about his leadership style, he said very little and led by example.

Answer 10

Heck no. Messier was so good his nickname WAS "The Captain".

You show me the player in the NHL who has the balls to guarantee a win in a do-or-die game 6 when your team is on the brink of elimination in the conference finals against the hated Devils, and then go out and seal it with a NATURAL HAT TRICK in the third period. Its that kind of play that made Mark Messier the greatest captain to ever skate in the NHL.

Answer 11

Mark Messier is easily the greatest captain. He brought the Cup to New York ending a 54 year drought. And what about that bold guarentee in Game 6 saying, "We will win tonight." And he went on to score a hat-trick. Mark is nicknamed "The Captain" for a reason. Go Rangers!!