Tampa Bay, excluding the playoffs the past three seasons, has hired the former star of the Detroit Red Wings Steve Yzerman as Executive Director.
Yzerman served as vice president with the Detroit Red Wings, the only team for whom he played during his illustrious career that has opened the doors of the Hall of Fame. He recently led Canada to the conquest of the Olympic gold medal in his role as Executive Director for the Vancouver Games.
Last month, the new owner of the Lightning, Jeff Vinik, fired coach Rick Tocchet and general manager Brian Lawton after the team had missed the playoffs for a third straight season.
Yzerman had little hope of access to the post of Director General in Detroit in the short term because two of its executives, Ken Holland and Jim Nill, seem to have long term contracts.
“I love my work and my contribution to this organization,” said Yzerman earlier this month after eliminating the Red Wings in the second round of the playoffs.
Yzerman, 45 years old, from Cranbrook, British Columbia, has become one of the best players of the complete history of the NHL. He won the Stanley Cup three times and remains one of the most popular figures in Red Wings, where he has long been the captain.
In the Lightning, Yzerman inherits a team that finished the last season with a record of 34-36-12 and has changed coaches three times in two years.
Since the conquest of the Stanley Cup in 2004, the Lightning has not passed the first round of the playoffs.
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