Ted Kulfan The Detroit News
DETROIT -- The Red Wings cleaned out their lockers Thursday, and the intrigue of who'll be filling them next season began.

Personnel decisions that appeared to be fairly clear-cut days ago suddenly aren't as definite.

Though still expected to be leaning toward retirement, Steve Yzerman, 40, appeared to leave the door open while talking with reporters.

Yzerman said he believed he could compete physically, enjoyed playing and said he was weighing the options of retiring or returning to play.

"I go back and forth every hour of what I want to do," Yzerman said. "I haven't really spent a lot of time thinking about it. I want to let things settle down. I don't want to turn this into a big drama. I plan on making a decision relatively quickly.

"I'm doing to do the best thing for the team and the best thing for me, and they're one in the same, really."

Coach Mike Babcock said he had no doubt Yzerman could contribute next season and said the organization would back Yzerman in whatever decision the forward made.

Whether Manny Legace returns to be the goalie largely depends on the front office and in what direction general manager Ken Holland wants to go.

But Legace threw a curveball into things when he said he'd prefer to return as the starter.

"I want to start somewhere," said Legace, who added he wouldn't be satisfied being a backup on the Wings. "I love playing. I don't want to be back on the bench again. I want to start."

Legace knows he has to play better in the playoffs.

"I didn't make it visible to everybody I could play," Legace said. "I didn't play bad, but I didn't play good. I didn't play great. I played average."

Holland didn't talk to the media. He said Wednesday the Wings will evaluate the goaltending in organizational meetings in the weeks ahead.

The Wings aren't expected to bring back both Legace and Chris Osgood next season but could bring back one.

Also, defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom was named a finalist for the Norris Trophy (league's best defenseman), which he is expected to win for a fourth time in his career, and Pavel Datsyuk was named a finalist for the Lady Byng Trophy (sportsmanship).