Steve Yzerman Players Quotations

Playoff hockey is the best way to market your team. It's the best way to grow your fan base and give hope to your players and for them to develop.

We penalize and suspend players for making contact with the head while checking, in an effort to reduce head injuries, yet we still allow fighting. We're stuck in the middle and need to decide what kind of sport do we want to be. Either anything goes and we accept the consequences, or take the next step and eliminate fighting.

Having the best players in the world playing in the Olympics is good for hockey. Regardless of who wins, you're talking about growing the sport. It's the biggest worldwide event as far as hockey goes. It's important we continue it.

He's a bright guy. Known him for a long time, so I'm not surprised at all. I think it's great for former players to be as involved as they can in the PA, especially a guy with a legal background.

Some of the best young players in the game are Canadian, ... I don't care how many years you have played and how much success you have had. This is the only year that matters. ... To me, I have to earn the place.

Every country's players play a similar style, every country is a little bit unique in how they play. I think those guys are really comfortable together on the ice. Whether it's just communication or just knowing the player a little bit better, I'm not sure, but it worked well with the Russians.

I follow what's going on in the game, who's going where and what former players are doing, ... Whether you're in scouting or management or coaching, you have an impact and it matters how your team does. You make sure you do your job well because you have a potential to make a difference. Just being a part of an organization -- whether it be the Olympic program, or just your own club -- maybe you're not on the ice, but it still matters to you.