Pundits predict Yzerman's future

The Hockey News' Ken Campbell and others are predicting Steve Yzerman will leave Detroit within a few years.

"Why, oh why Stevie Y?"

“I guess I would just say that I’ve got certain things that I want to accomplish in hockey and that opportunity may or may not be here in Detroit,” Yzerman said. “I’m really happy doing what I’m doing and I’m enjoying working in the organization and trying to add value and help out. I’ve learned a ton and I will continue to learn just by being around. But I have goals and because the organization is so deep in the management level and our guys are successful and they’re young, at some point, we’re going to have to sit down and discuss it.”

Campbell goes on to write Holland is an excellent GM, and Jim Nill, assistant GM, and Yzerman, vice-president, could easily be GMs for other teams.

But that can’t work with three people who are all not only capable of being GMs, but also of doing a very good job at it. Holland, hands-down, is the best GM in the game today and is only 52, which puts him in about the middle of the pack when it comes to age among GMs. He’s not going anywhere and there’s nothing to suggest he will lose his acumen for judging talent and managing a salary cap anytime soon.

Yzerman has proved over the past three years he has both the skill and the desire to be a GM. The Red Wings have already lost Scotty Bowman from their front office and the betting here is sometime shortly after the 2010 Games, Yzerman will be making tracks out of Detroit as well.

Seriously though, I understand why he wants to leave. Still I'd be very sad if he left the Red Wings organization. He's been there is whole major league hockey career. I can't imagine him anywhere else.