Mike Brophy

Veteran hockey columnist Mike Brophy writes Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday on Sportsnet.ca and appears regularly on Hockeycentral.

Steve Yzerman was a big part of the braintrust who brought hockey gold to Vancouver.

Why Steve Yzerman?

Are you kidding me? How about, why not Steve Yzerman?

There is no proven, sure fire formula for selecting the general manager of a hockey team, so if you are faced with the task of hiring one, it makes complete sense to lean toward somebody who knows a thing or two about winning.

As the new general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Yzerman, now 45, will be able to walk into the room and get his players attention because they know, if nothing else, he has been there and done that.

"I think right away Steve brings instant credibility to the Tampa Bay organization," says Kris Draper, Yzerman’s longtime teammate with the Detroit Red Wings. "It is a big loss for the Red Wings. He was very influential as a player and always had a positive presence as an executive for the Wings. He did a great job with Team Canada and will bring that enthusiasm to Tampa Bay."

Yzerman, as you probably know, was a terrific player for 21 years, captaining the Red Wings to three Stanley Cups and winning another as an executive. Early in his career he was regarded as a gifted offensive star, but there were questions about his ability to lead and to win. Under the guidance of Scotty Bowman, however, Yzerman transformed himself into a solid two-way player who put more of an emphasis on team results as to personal stats.

That is when he became a winner.

Upon retiring after the 2005-06 season, Yzerman moved directly into a management position with the Wings, working with GM Ken Holland and assistant GM Jim Nill, as well as veteran executive Jimmy Devellano. The good news is he was able to watch and learn from some of the most highly regarded men in the business. The bad news, though, was there really wasn’t much room for advancement in the Detroit organization. Holland isn’t going anywhere soon and Nill should be a leading candidate for any GM post that comes open.

Having led Team Canada to the gold medal at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, Yzerman was considered the hottest available candidate for any GM opening. My understanding is he played his cards well, using his leverage, to get a five-year deal that makes him the second highest paid executive in the NHL. He kept turning the job down with the Lightning until new owner Jeff Vinik, a Boston-based businessman, gave him what he wanted. The deal could involve part ownership of the club.

So why would Yzerman settle for Tampa Bay, a team that vastly underachieved last season and failed to make the playoffs for the second straight season? Well, let’s start with the fact the team has three star forwards – Vinny Lecavalier, Martin St. Louis and Steven Stamkos – to build around. Add to that a defence that has Victor Hedman, the No. 2 pick in the 2009 NHL entry draft, and that’s not a bad starting point. Tampa Bay also has the sixth overall pick in the 2010 draft.

The Lightning does have some question marks, to be sure. Goaltending is an issue with Antero Niittymaki and Mike Smith, and the defence is thin, even with the presence of veteran Mattias Ohlund.

Also, there is the question of Lecavalier being able to bounce back from what was unquestionably an off-year for him. Surely for the Lightning to compete for the Stanley Cup, which they won in 2003-04, they need a revived Lecavalier hitting on all cylinders. The Lightning’s captain is on an 11-year deal that pays him $85 million and back-to-back seasons of 67 and 70 points just isn’t cutting it.

"Steve understands the situation," said another NHL team’s GM. "He knows he needs to get Vinny back to where he was a few years ago, but think about it. If he can do that, with Lecavalier and Steven Stamkos, he might have the best 1-2 punch in the NHL."

Given the success he enjoyed as a player both in the NHL and on the international stage, as well having been able to rub shoulders and learn from the best GM in the NHL in Holland, I say Yzerman is ready for the challenge. He has always had an amazing work ethic, dating back to the first time I met him at the OHL draft in Toronto when he was chosen by the Peterborough Petes as a 16-year-old. Even back then there was something special about the kid. He was small, but determined and it was that determination and dedication that carried him into the NHL as an 18-year-old and made him the perfect captain of a team desperately trying to recapture the glory years.

I watched him grow into one of the most accomplished players the NHL has ever seen and then, because of his passion for the game, continue to strive toward winning championships as an understudy to Holland.

Now it is time for him to step out of the shadow and be his own man. The Lightning may have paid a steep price to get their man, but Steve Yzerman is worth the risk.