Yzerman: Well, first of all I'd like to thank everyone for making the effort to come in today, maybe it's not the optimal day to make this announcement, maybe not what you planned for the day, but I appreciate your effort in getting here on a holiday weekend. For me, it's a day of mixed emotions, and I know there are a lot of referees who'll be relieved by my forthcoming announcement.

I'd like to start off first by saying I've enjoyed my careeer inmensely here in Detroit, we've been through a lot here together with the three gentlemen here with me, Mr. and Mrs. Ilitch, Lisa, I was drafted in June of 1983 and immediately upon being drafted I took great pride in being a part of this organization, and the city, and Jimmy D, and I talked about reaching multiple goals, and Stanley Cups, and we didn't quite reach that number, but we haven't given up on that success, and being a part of the organization, and being a part of that, and the success of the organization...

I'm here, obviously, because I've made a definite decision on my future, and I feel very relieved and very comfortable to let everybody know that I've decided to retire, to hang up my skates, and I feel really good about that, actually.

My intention throughout the season was to retire, to play one last year, and my hope was to have one last successful playoff run culminate in winning the Stanley Cup, but I've had an extremely enjoyable year, from the coaching staff, and the players, I really enjoyed the season, and while it ended in disappointment, that's the one great thing about sports, there's just no predicting what's going to be the outcome. I really enjoyed my final season with the Red Wings and I thought a lot about coming back and playing, but this is the right decision for me at this time, and I have no doubt about that.

There are thousands of people I need to thank. I'll start with the local media: Some of you have been here for my entire career; some have come in and out like a player does. For all the media who've followed the Red Wings, I really appreciate the way you, I'm looking for the right world, the normality with which you covered the Wings, the regular people that came down here, and the people who we had to deal with on a daily basis, I appreciated how you treated me, and how you treated our organization very fairly, and I'd like to thank you all.

And, obviously, the fans, most importantly, that've supported the team before, throughout my career, and beyond now...It is a specail place to play, and it is a special city to live in when you're an athlete, and to go on the road, and Drapes and Murph and the other guys here, it's just such a calming influence and a great motivation to have the support we have. I've never once felt it was a burden, the expectations of our fans have been nothing but a positive, and a great motivator for the players...Wings fans throughout North America, and Michigan, they've supported me and the Red Wings through various disappointments, everyone has stuck by us, and to everyone, I want to say thank you.