Yzerman on Howe: “Wherever I go in the world…they talk about Gordie Howe”

 

By @MichaelCaples –

DETROIT – Steve Yzerman was already in Detroit when he found out that Gordie Howe had passed away.

The Wings’ No. 19 had just finished a workout with Kris Draper. Seems fitting that two of the players responsible for Detroit’s continued hockey success would be together around the time one of Hockeytown’s founders passed away.

To the players who were fortunate enough to call themselves Red Wings, Gordie Howe was a consistent presence in their lives. Mr. Hockey made sure that he was at Joe Louis Arena often, and that he was getting to know the next crop of players sporting the Winged Wheel.

“I think the first time I actually met him was just down the hall, walking when I was drafted – my first time literally walking down to the locker room,” Yzerman said. “A small group of people, which included Gordie, walking by, and he just walked up and introduced himself, shook my hand, and as he does with everyone, took some time to talk, tell a couple stories of when he was 18 years old, and from that point on, just a nice man.

“Always thoughtful, time to spend, as much time as he could with anyone, tell stories, talk about the Red Wings, talk about the NHL and his experiences. For someone, one of the best athletes in the world at his time, in his era, one of the best hockey players, two or three to ever play, to be that humble and polite and respectful to people was good for us all to learn from.”

 

 
When Yzerman was asked for his favorite memory from his relationship with Howe, he went back to the early years of their friendship.

“Well, we played, I forget what it was, maybe after my first year, we went out to charity fundraiser in Halifax, and I had forgotten my shin pads,” Yzerman said. “We were all getting dressed before the game, and he said, ‘Here, go ahead, you can wear my shin pads.’ So Gordie gave me his shin pads, and I don’t even think he played, and I wore Gordie’s shin pads and he just left and I carried them around all summer long and in the fall, I just drove back up and returned his shin pads.

“So I got to wear his shin pads…not many guys can say that.”

MORE: Gretzky on Howe: “He was like a second father” | Legends pay homage to Gordie Howe at Joe Louis Arena visitation (with photos)

It was generous acts like that – along with Howe’s sincerity and thoughtfulness – that left a lasting impression on members of the Red Wings’ locker room.

“Gordie would kind of come and go here in Detroit, come to the games and whatnot,” the Wings’ No. 19 said about No. 9. “Whether it was me or any of our teammates or anybody in the building, he was more than happy to sit and talk with anyone. He always had time for people. Being a player here in Detroit, and particularly when I came in the 80s, and you would still see Ted around, Alex was around a little bit, but you would see the former Red Wings players and these are hall-of-fame guys, some of the best guys to play in the league, and you would walk around this building and bump into them – if you didn’t know them you couldn’t tell if they were the Zamboni driver or a hot dog salesman by the way they conducted themselves.

“They were very humble guys, very polite and very respectful, and that’s the way they all were. They were from a different era, and they set the tone for what it’s like to play here and kind of how a Red Wing should act and treat people.”

 

Yzerman said he was honored to be a part of the visitation for Howe at Joe Louis Arena on Tuesday.

“Well, I’m very honored to be here. I’ve known Gordie since I was 18 years old, I got to play with Mark in Detroit towards the end of his career and then work with him in the front office, got to know Gordie’s wife – Colleen always took the time to say hi and spend a couple minutes with me along the way. I’ve known this family for a long time, and to be a part of this organization as well, I’m very honored to be here.”

He also wasn’t surprised in the slightest that Mark Howe said they will stay for every single visitor who comes by The Joe, no matter how long it takes.

“Yeah, I talked to Mark about that too, I said, ‘It looks like you’re going to have a busy day,’ and he said they’ll stay until the last person,” Yzerman said. “I’m not surprised. If you had a chance to run into Gordie, or even Mark, they always had time for everybody. I know Gordie really appreciated being here, being a Red Wing, and loved to be here and wanted to be here. I’m not the least bit surprised.”

While later generations of Red Wings fans see Yzerman as the foundation for a Red Wings dynasty, the Wings’ former captain said from his perspective, Howe is just as important to the franchise, if not more.

“…Wherever I go, anywhere in the world, and people talk about the Red Wings, they talk about Gordie Howe. They really do. Anywhere, people from Gordie’s generation, how they got into hockey, why they became Red Wings fans, was Gordie’s team, but mainly because of Gordie Howe.”