"Y"

Say it ain't so Stevie Y!

I read an article on TSN.ca yesterday by hockey insider Bob McKenzie (no relation to Doug, you hoser) which speculated that my boyhood idol may not last the entire NHL season before hanging up the skates.

I have been a Steve Yzerman fan since I was 9 years old! He led me out of a royal blue and white induced coma that had me cheering for the local Maple Leafs and took me away to Hockeytown USA where my allegiance has lied for the past 19 years.

I knew that this would be Yzerman's final season but I held out hope that he would last until the end. My optimism ran so high that I even dished out $100 for tickets to go see my Wings play in Calgary in April so that I can tell my 3-year-old son that he got to see one of the greatest hockey players of all time play in one of his final games.

I will continue to hold out hope that Bob McKenzie has been takin' off to the great white north a little too much lately and that he's simply speculating on Yzerman's desire to retire now as opposed to finishing out the season.

So, Stevie Y, if you're reading this (as I'm sure this is an important part of your day) I emplore you to hang in there for a few more months and give hockey fans around Canada and the US the opportunity to give you a proper farewell tour. You are truly one of the greatest- in my mind, THE greatest- player to carry the NHL torch and you deserve a proper send off.