In this 1984 article from The Hockey News, Jim Devellano predicts a Red Wings Stanley Cup win in 1990, which didn't end up happening. It's no wonder that Steve Yzerman won't even say playoffs or bust nowadays.
In this 1984 article from The Hockey News, Jim Devellano predicts a Red Wings Stanley Cup win in 1990, which didn't end up happening. It's no wonder that Steve Yzerman won't even say playoffs or bust nowadays.
Steve Yzerman doesn't often like to talk about the details of his Detroit Red Wings rebuild. He doesn't like to attach timelines or dates, or even say playoffs or bust. And he really — really — doesn't like to call it the "Yzerplan" as so many fans and pundits do.
Asked in Friday's press conference whether he uses the fan-coined term, Yzerman said he didn't. Then when a journalist used the term in their question, Yzerman doubled down.
"I don't use the term, the Yzerplan, just so you know," said Yzerman emphatically. "Whoever coined that phrase, I don't use it."
Why not? Part of this probably has to do with humility. After all, the Captain himself knows that a good leader deflects all the praise and absorbs all the criticism. How can anyone do either with their name slapped all over the rebuild. But Yzerman's overall reluctance to tag names and timelines to his rebuild might also have something to do with history.
It might have something to do with Jim Devellano.
For the better part of the 1970s, the Dead Wings had no pulse. They made the playoffs twice from 1967 to 1983. They lost many trades trying to bring in veteran talent for rookies who played better elsewhere. The state of Detroit hockey was bleak.
Back in 1982-83, Devellano was hired to bring back life to the Red Wings, and he was candid about his plans. In 1983, he went on a T.V. hit in Toronto and said that the Red Wings were practically an expansion team based on talent. Then, he estimated that they would put all the pieces of a rebuild together by 1990.
At first, Devellano's projections seemed sage. A year after his comments, Yzerman and his 87-point rookie season showed that the Dead Wings had been reborn. So, Devellano doubled down himself.
In this February 1984 article from The Hockey News' Bob McKenzie, Devellano broke down his rebuild plans and held firm that the Red Wings would win the Stanley Cup in 1990. Forget saying playoffs or bust, this was a GM calling a championship shot.
Devellano was wrong. As you probably know, the Red Wings didn't win the Stanley Cup in 1990. In fact, 1990 was the last season they missed the playoffs before the famed 25-year playoff streak from 1991 to 2016. Detroit got close, making two conference finals in 1987 and 1988 and losing to Wayne Gretzky's Edmonton Oilers. As for Devellano's Stanley Cup aspirations, he'd have to wait until 1995 to see the Red Wings make a Stanley Cup Final at all and 1997 to see them win it all.
What Devellano's sales pitch didn't account for is the fact that no rebuild is the same. There are too many complex variables and moving parts to ever carbon copy a previous example.
Decades later, Yzerman has become well aware of the difference between rebuilds. His version in Detroit is unique from his previous process in Tampa Bay, where a number of top draft picks helped him build one of the NHL's deepest teams.
"This situation compared to Tampa is a little bit different," Yzerman said Friday. "Again, when I got there in 2010, we got to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2015. They had already had the first and the second pick in the draft; they acquired (Steven) Stamkos and (Victor) Hedman, and part of the allure of going down there was 'My god, they got those two pieces to build around.' They had to do the suffering to get that, that's a good starting point. And they had some pretty darn good veterans there as well.
"So, a little different situation starting off (in Detroit). But, I can't say five years in that I'm thrilled with exactly all the decisions I've made or how things have played out, but I plan to stick with what we're doing."
Yzerman won't call his rebuild the Yzerplan any time soon, nor will he guarantee a playoff spot. Whatever extra promises a general manager makes only invite the criticism of being wrong. And in a business where wrong gets held against you, it's no wonder that Yzerman tries to be right.
So, try not to call it the Yzerplan, at least not around Yzerman himself.
"To Have Steve Yzerman in Detroit" by Bob McKenzie
Feb 17, 1984 / Vol. 37, Issue 20
It was about a year ago and Detroit Red Wing general manager Jimmy Devellano was on a post-game television show in Toronto, having watched his team lose yet another game to the Maple Leafs.
Clearly, he was not happy. His team was struggling badly and, while he knew he hadn’t taken on an easy job when he became GM of the Red Wings in the summer of the 1982, he never expected things to be this bad. But they were and Jimmy D. was asked when he expected the Red Wings to put it all together.
“About 1990,” snapped Devellano, who then proceeded to blatantly describe his team’s shortcomings. “We don’t have enough players who can play in the NHL. We lack talent. This is basically an expansion team.”
To most viewers, Devellano’s outburst was merely a product of his frustration but, in light of the reference to 1990, it seemed as though he was saying the Red Wings might never be competitive again. After all, 1990 might as well be 2001, which is why not too many general managers worry about an eight-year game plan. Job security just isn’t that great.
But Devellano does.
“When I made that 1990 remark,” Devellano says, “people laughed at me. They said I was frustrated, that I couldn’t handle the losing. Well, I said it because I meant it.”
And Devellano is still saying it. “The Detroit Red Wings will win the Stanley Cup in 1990.”
It’s all part of Devellano’s master plan, an eight-year schedule that he claims will build the Red Wing franchise from the “expansion” club of 1982 to a Stanley Cup team worthy of mention in the same breath as the New York Islanders.
“It took the Islanders eight years to win the Cup,” says Devellano, who played an important role in scouting much of the Isles’ top talent. “That’s where I got 1990 from. There’s no reason why we can’t do the same thing in Detroit.”
Steve Yzerman is just 18 years old (he’ll be 19 on May 9). He’s a good-looking kid with confidence and maturity far beyond his years, which explains why he scored his 30th goal of the season on Feb. 5 and. along with Buffalo Sabre goalie Tom Barrasso, is considered a leading candidate for NHL rookie-of-the-year honors. It also has something to do with the fact he is the youngest player ever to have played in an NHL All-Star game—he picked up an assist in the Jan. 31 game at New Jersey.
Steve Yzerman is more than a good, young hockey player. He represents something Detroit hockey fans haven’t had since the Gordie Howe era—hope. Oh, sure, the Red Wings have had some stars—Marcel Dionne and Mickey Redmond—in the lineup since 1970-71, Howe’s last year as a Red Wing.
But they’ve also had 12 different men behind the bench. They’ve missed the playoffs 12 of the past 13 seasons and what was once considered one of the finest franchises in pro sports literally fell apart, punctuated by lousy drafting, hideous trading, outlandish management policies and an absentee owner, Bruce Norris.
Steve Yzerman is the first sign that the new Red Wing regime—owner Mike Hitch, GM Devellano and coach Nick Polano—is on the right track, ready to right the wrongs of the past decade. Yzerman is, aside from the center on the Wings’ top line with Ron Duguay and John Ogrodnick and the team’s second leading scorer (30 goals and 29 assists in 54 games), Devellano’s safety valve. When the wolves are at his door. Devellano can look down the bench and point to an 18-year-old with star qualities and say, “There’s more where he came from.”
On the other hand, Devellano is grateful that the Wings had the opportunity to make the kid from Nepean, Ont., the fourth player taken in last summer’s entry draft. The script could have easily developed differently.
“Every night when I go to bed,” Devellano says, “I say a prayer and thank God for (Peter-boro Petes coach) Dick Todd. Thank God for Dick Todd and the fact he only used Steve Yzerman on every fourth shift and only sometimes on power plays.”
For those unfamiliar with the Peterboro Petes of the Ontario Hockey League, it is a team that stays competitive each year because of its workmanlike approach to the game. A list of the Petes’ top alumni illuminates the picture—Scotty Bowman, Roger Neilson, Bob Gainey and Doug Jarvis, to name a few. The theme is teamwork, which explains why coach Dick Todd uses four lines on a regular basis and has more than one power-play unit. It’s a concept that is at odds with many junior hockey operations, which are founded on the star system—get a top line and turn ‘em loose.
“I’m convinced that if Steve Yzerman played for a team other than the Petes and was double shifted, killed penalties and played on every power play, he would have shown that he deserved to be picked No. 1 overall in the draft. We picked No. 4. That’s why I thank God for Dick Todd.
“The only reason we got Yzerman is because he was more difficult to get a scouting handle on than the other top picks. I watched him a lot. but I still had a tough time comparing him because he didn’t play as much as the others (Brian Lawton, Sylvain Turgeon and Pat LaFontaine). Everybody knew he was an intelligent kid with good offensive skills and a good attitude. But there was some question as to whether he was strong enough to play in the NHL.”
As it turned out, concerns for Yzerman’s physical well-being were blown out of proportion. He’s not real big—5-foot-11, 170 pounds—but he’s strong on his skates and he certainly doesn’t look out of place. His ability to handle the physical aspects of the game has not been a factor.
“I guess you could say I’m surprised at how well he’s done,” says John Ogrodnick, Yzerman’s left winger and the Wings’ leading scorer. “He’s got so much composure for an 18-year-old. He never panics out there. He’s just one smooth hockey player.”
Yzerman’s agent, Gus Badali, figures his client’s success was unavoidable.
“Would you think I’m a liar if I said I wasn’t the least bit surprised at how well Stevie is doing,” Badali says, reiterating Devellano’s contention that Yzerman would have been much more highly accclaimed had he received more ice time in Peterboro. “And that’s not a criticism of Dick Todd, of course. Stevie never once complained about ice time and I know a lot of kids with his talent would have in the same situation.
“Really, he’s the type of kid that’s almost too good to be true. He has a lot of the same qualities I’ve seen in Wayne (Gretzky, another Badali client of some note). When I first saw Stevie, he looked more like a rock star than a hockey player: He had really long hair and and it stuck way out at the sides, too. But there’s no question he’s a hockey player.”
Yzerman came to the Red Wing training camp aiming to make the team, but had he been returned to Peterboro he wouldn’t have been shattered. As far as the Red Wings were concerned, he had to play himself off the team and, given the lack of quality players, that would have been tough.
“It was a really great situation,” says Yzerman, who will still be eligible for junior hockey next season. “There was no real pressure put on me. It’s been a game-to-game thing all season. When I came here they didn’t expect me to tear up the league.”
It became apparent early that Yzerman had all the physical requirements to play in the NHL. The question, and this is asked of all 18-year-olds playing in the NHL, is whether he was emotionally prepared. He is.
“I think when you’re 18 and faced with playing in the NHL. it requires a lot more selfdiscipline off the ice.” says Yzerman, who shares a house with teammates Claude Loiselle and Lane Lambert. “You have to take care of yourself, use your head, don’t do anything that’s counter productive. You see a lot of 18-year-olds who have the talent to play, but they can’t take care of themselves.
“I like living on my own. I like my freedom and I feel very independent.”
On the ice, each game that passes gives Yzerman more confidence. Playing with Ogrodnick and Duguay doesn’t hinder the development process either.
“They’ve been great,” Yzerman says of his linemates. “They’ve helped me out a lot. They’re patient with me and because they’re such talented players, it brings up my skill level, too.
“Early in the season, I didn’t try to beat too many guys one on one. I just wanted to get the puck to my wingers but they told me to start carrying it more.”
As a result, Yzerman has shown off some pretty slick moves. In the All-Star game, he split the defense on a one-on-two and only a rolling puck that got too far ahead of him spoiled what could have been the prettiest play of the game.
He’s slick off the ice. too. During a Hockey Night in Canada between-periods interview at the All-Star game, host Briar. McFarlane suggested Yzerman take advice from linemate Ron Duguay. Yzerman said, “Yeah, and then I’ll score all the time.”
Red Wing fans, who have supported the club extremely well this season—they’re averaging close to 17,000—despite a few bad stretches, realize Yzerman is something special. It hasn’t taken him long to see the flip side of that.
“I love playing here,” he says. “The fans have been great. They’ve been so supportive and there’s such an optimistic attitude with everyone. This is a great hockey city, a great place to play. “
When you’re discussing the rebuilding of the Red Wings, you can’t overlook the man at the top. Mike llitch, who turned a dream into a million-dollar pizza business, has given the Wings something they needed badly—an injection of enthusiasm, drive and stability.
“The owner cares, we care and the people care,” explains Ogrodnick. “Even when we hit rough spots on the ice. which we do from time to time, nobody gets too down. Everyone has the feeling that the team is going in a good direction.”
“The real strength of this team,” Devellano says, “is its ownership.”
In other words, llitch, unlike many men in his position, is going to give Jimmy D. his chance. If the Wings show a little improvement each season, then Devellano can build toward his goal of 1990. If the Wings regress or get badly bogged down, then Hitch will do what is required to turn his business around. But for the time being, Devellano operates with security afforded to few general managers of low-level NHL teams.
“It’s difficult to be patient, but the only way to build this team is through the draft.” Jimmy D. says. “We just won’t trade a draft pick, any draft pick. We’ve got to come up with another Steve Yzerman next year and the year after that.
“I’ve only been here for one draft and we’ve got Yzerman and Lane Lambert from it. That’s good. You need at least two guys from each draft to step in and play. That’s what we did with the Islanders. It works.”
So in the meantime, Devellano will patch up his lineup with aging free agents—Brad Park, Bob Manno, Rick MacLeish et al—and wait for the kids to arrive.
.”I’m not a cocky guy. but I do believe in myself,” he adds. “I’ve shown a lot of patience and I’m not scared to make a move. I’ve made two significant trades since I came here. I traded Mark Kirton to Vancouver for Ivan Boldirev. This will be the 10th season that Ivan has scored 20 goals. Kirton is in the minors. I traded Mark Osborne, Mike Blaisdell and Willie Huber to New York for Eddie Mio, Ron Duguay and Eddie Johnstone. Everybody said then that I got skinned. Well, I never got skinned.
“Mio and Johnstone have had injuries, but so has Huber and Blaisdell is in Tulsa. So if you want, you can call it Duguay for Osborne. I think that’s a good deal for us. I’d make it again.”
If Devellano ever had any second thoughts about trading a draft choice, they were dispelled at the All-Star game when Yzerman lined up between Ogrodnick and Minnesota North Star winger Brian Bellows.
“I looked at that line and realized it could have been here in Detroit,” Devellano says. “The Wings gave up the right to pick Bellows in the Don Murdoch-Greg Smith trade with Minnesota. That’ll never happen again as long as I’m here.
“This could be the best franchise in hockey. It’s 58 years old and right on the Canadian-U.S. border where hockey interest is high.”
Devellano’s reasoning is tough to argue. Everybody knows the best way to build a team is through the draft, but a general manager’s resolve must be strong. The Hartford Whalers, for example, have but one pick in the first five rounds of this summer’s entry draft. They will continue to apply band-aids and magic potions where a long recuperative period is the only answer. Therefore, their future would appear bleak, though they’re at about the same level as the Wings are right now. But with the the Red Wings, there is at least hope.
“One or two more guys like Yzerman,” says Red Wing captain Danny Gare, “and this team is on its way. And if anybody can get them, it’s Jimmy D.”
No one is happier about the Red Wings’ new stability than NHL president John Ziegler, a former Red Wing employee who lives in Ortonville, 45 miles north of Detroit.
“I’m always pleased to see the Red Wings do well,” he says. “But what really impresses me is that the media and the fans are demonstrating a great deal of patience and understanding with the new ownership.
“Looking back, a lot of the Red Wings’ problems were caused by reacting to impatience. I’m impressed with the tremendous marketing and customer relations Mr. Hitch has implemented, which has resulted in increased attendance.”
Off the ice, the organization is sound. It’s run first class in every respect and it’s simply a matter of waiting for the on-ice product to significantly improve. If Devellano acquires talent in the draft, his plan should work. If the Wings don’t win the Cup in 1990, they should at least be a lot more competitive than they are now.
Even Ziegler must be happy that one of the low-level NHL clubs is attempting to use the entry draft as it was meant to be used, as the great equalizer.
“Absolutely,” says the president. “People forget that. Really, it’s nothing new. It’s been like that since 1967. Then when someone comes along and decides to build a team through the draft, it’s like they’ve discovered the wheel. Those who have deviated from it, though, have had to pay the price.”
So what better place to rediscover the wheel than in Detroit? ■
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