Yzerman lifts team's spirits

By Ted Kulfan / The Detroit News

CALGARY, Alberta — Steve Yzerman visited his teammates Sunday afternoon at Joe Louis Arena before they departed for Calgary.

Yzerman was struck in the left eye by a puck midway through 1-0 loss to the Flames on Saturday in Game 5 of a Western Conference semifinal series. He had surgery Saturday night to repair multiple fractures in the orbital bone.

“Steve looked remarkably well considering what I thought I would see,” Wings Coach Dave Lewis said.

The Wings said Yzerman is out for the remainder of this series, but aren’t saying he’s done for the rest of the playoffs.

“You never know with Steve,” Wings General Manager Ken Holland said.

Said defenseman Mathieu Dandenault: “He’s bummed, obviously, but he looked better than we thought he would. ... He just wished us the best. He wanted to come out on the flight, but because of the air pressure and everything, he had to stay home.

“It was just nice to see him out of surgery and walking around.”

Yzerman turns 39 May 9, but nobody around the Wings’ dressing room thought the injury would force him to retire.

“He has that burning desire to play hockey, and he’s always had that,” said forward Steve Thomas, who was with Yzerman at Henry Ford Hospital, where the surgery was performed. “There’s no doubt in my mind he can play another year.”

Holland said he’s had no discussions with Yzerman about next season.