John Niyo / The Detroit News
After 22 remarkable seasons, including the last 19 as the longest-serving captain in NHL history, Steve Yzerman made it official Monday at Joe Louis Arena: He's retiring.

"I've enjoyed my career immensely here in Detroit," Yzerman said. "I've finally made a definite decision. I've decided to retire, to hang up my skates."

Yzerman, 41, has been an iconic star for the Red Wings franchise. He is second only to Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe, on the club's all-time list in goals (692) and points (1,755) -- totals that rank seventh-best among all NHL players.

But more than that, Yzerman has built a legacy as a leader.

Selected fourth overall in the 1983 entry draft, Yzerman wasted little time in establishing himself as one of the game's most gifted talents. He led all NHL rookies in scoring in 1983-84 and became the youngest player ever to appear in the league's All-Star Game.

Two years later, at the age of 21, new coach Jacques Demers anointed Yzerman the youngest captain in Red Wings history. And over the next two decades, the soft-spoken kid from Ontario transformed a once-proud organization that had been dubbed the "Dead Things" into one of the league's most valuable franchises, winning three Stanley Cup championships.

But the triumphs didn't come without considerable pain and heartache, and none felt the brunt of it more than Yzerman, who was hounded by injuries throughout his career and year after year was the one who stood before the cameras trying to explain why the team had come up short again in the playoffs.

"It was a burden for all of us in the mid-'90s," Wings general manager Ken Holland said. "We had this collection of talent -- Steve was the crown jewel -- and we kept having great regular seasons and disappointing playoffs."

Finally, in 1997, they had something more than that when the Wings ended a 42-year drought by sweeping the Philadelphia Flyers in the Stanley Cup Finals. Fittingly, it was Yzerman who accepted the holy grail from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman that night as the Wings clinched the championship in front of a roaring sellout crowd at Joe Louis Arena. Yzerman hoisted the Cup overhead, then skated over and presented it to owner Mike Ilitch.

"The last five years, you didn't want to be recognized," Yzerman said later in a champagne-soaked dressing room. "I put a hat on, glasses on, tried to hide. A couple of years ago, I went to Las Vegas after the playoffs. I was at the craps table. Two old guys from Windsor came by and recognized me. I heard one of them say, 'You don't want to play at this table. There's no luck at this table.'

"They always say, 'He's a good player, but he hasn't won the Cup.' Now they can't say that anymore. No matter what, they can't say it."

Instead, in the years that followed, the talk about Yzerman was about how he'd transformed his game and the sacrifices he made for his team. A decade after back-to-back 60-goal seasons solidified his status as one of the game's elite offensive players, Yzerman won the Selke Award as the league's top defensive forward.

Two years later, hobbling on a knee that would soon need major reconstructive surgery -- Yzerman had played without a posterior cruciate ligament since 1988 -- the Wings' captain helped lead Team Canada to an Olympic gold medal and the Wings to a third Stanley Cup title in six years.

Then he had a leg bone sawed in half and realigned so he could continue playing.

"I mean, how's that for leadership?" said teammate Kris Draper, shaking his head.

Finally, though, the pain in his knee and his diminished role with the team this past season led Yzerman to seriously contemplate retirement. He nearly hung up his skates in December, but decided against it. And though he passed on an invitation to play for Team Canada again at the Olympics, he was one of the league's most productive scorers down the stretch.

In the playoffs, he played a vital role again for the Wings, though another injury -- a torn ribcage muscle -- forced him to miss Games 4 and 5 against Edmonton in the first round. He returned for Game 6, playing well despite the pain, but it wasn't enough to avoid the Oilers' stunning series upset.

"It's a shame we didn't follow his lead," the Wings' Chris Chelios said.

Yzerman's late-season resurgence only made his retirement decision that much more difficult, a fact he admitted a few days after the season ended when the Wings gathered for their team picture and to clean out their lockers for the summer.

"(My wife) and I talk about it a lot and we go back and forth," Yzerman said. "Throughout the season I'd leave here after a game thinking, 'Quit now.' And then there'd be another game where I'd think, 'I've got to call Kenny and tell him I want to play again next year.' "

The final call was Yzerman's to make. But in the end, the call he made was to call it quits.

After 22 remarkable seasons, including the last 19 as the longest-serving captain in NHL history, Steve Yzerman made it official Monday at Joe Louis Arena: He's retiring.

Yzerman, 41, has been an iconic star for the Red Wings franchise. He is second only to Mr. Hockey, Gordie Howe, on the club's all-time list in goals (692) and points (1,755) - totals that rank seventh-best among all NHL players. But more than that, Yzerman has built a legacy as a leader.

Selected fourth overall in the 1983 entry draft, Yzerman wasted little time in establishing himself as one of the game's most gifted talents. He led all NHL rookies in scoring in 1983-84 and became the youngest player ever to appear in the league's All-Star Game.

Two years later, at the age of 21, new coach Jacques Demers anointed Yzerman the youngest captain in Red Wings history. And over the next two decades, the soft-spoken kid from Ontario transformed a once-proud organization that had been dubbed the "Dead Things" into one of the league's most valuable franchises, winning three Stanley Cup championships.

But the triumphs didn't come without considerable pain and heartache, and none felt the brunt of it more than Yzerman, who was hounded by injuries throughout his career and year after year was the one who stood before the cameras trying to explain why the team had come up short again in the playoffs.

"It was a burden for all of us in the mid-'90s," Wings general manager Ken Holland said. "We had this collection of talent - Steve was the crown jewel - and we kept having great regular seasons and disappointing playoffs."

Finally, in 1997, they had something more than that when the Wings ended a 42-year drought by sweeping the Philadelphia Flyers in the Stanley Cup Finals. Fittingly, it was Yzerman who accepted the holy grail from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman that night as the Wings clinched the championship in front of a roaring sellout crowd at Joe Louis Arena. Yzerman hoisted the Cup overhead, then skated over and presented it to owner Mike Ilitch.

"The last five years, you didn't want to be recognized," Yzerman said later in a champagne-soaked dressing room. "I put a hat on, glasses on, tried to hide. A couple of years ago, I went to Las Vegas after the playoffs. I was at the craps table. Two old guys from Windsor came by and recognized me. I heard one of them say, 'You don't want to play at this table. There's no luck at this table.'

"They always say, 'He's a good player, but he hasn't won the Cup.' Now they can't say that anymore. No matter what, they can't say it."

Instead, in the years that followed, the talk about Yzerman was about how he'd transformed his game and the sacrifices he made for his team. A decade after back-to-back 60-goal seasons solidified his status as one of the game's elite offensive players, Yzerman won the Selke Award as the league's top defensive forward.

Two years later, hobbling on a knee that would soon need major reconstructive surgery - Yzerman had played without a posterior cruciate ligament since 1988 - the Wings' captain helped lead Team Canada to an Olympic gold medal and the Wings to a third Stanley Cup title in six years.

Then he had a leg bone sawed in half and realigned so he could continue playing.

"I mean, how's that for leadership?" said teammate Kris Draper, shaking his head. Finally, though, the pain in his knee and his diminished role with the team this past season led Yzerman to seriously contemplate retirement. He nearly hung up his skates in December, but decided against it. And though he passed on an invitation to play for Team Canada again at the Olympics, he was one of the league's most productive scorers down the stretch.

In the playoffs, he played a vital role again for the Wings, though another injury - a torn ribcage muscle - forced him to miss Games 4 and 5 against Edmonton in the first round. He returned for Game 6, playing well despite the pain, but it wasn't enough to avoid the Oilers' stunning series upset.

"It's a shame we didn't follow his lead," the Wings' Chris Chelios said.

Yzerman's late-season resurgence only made his retirement decision that much more difficult, a fact he admitted a few days after the season ended when the Wings gathered for their team picture and to clean out their lockers for the summer.

"(My wife) and I talk about it a lot and we go back and forth," Yzerman said. "Throughout the season I'd leave here after a game thinking, 'Quit now.' And then there'd be another game where I'd think, 'I've got to call Kenny and tell him I want to play again next year.'."

The final call was Yzerman's to make. But in the end, the call he made was to call it quits.