The Tampa Bay Lightning have given vice-president and general manager Steve Yzerman a four-year extension with the club. Yzerman had one-year remaining on his current deal.
“Since the day Steve agreed to serve as our vice president and general manager, he has worked tirelessly to transform our hockey department and establish the groundwork for sustained success”, said team owner Jeff Vinik in making the announcement. “We are very pleased with Steve’s job performance thus far, and I am fully confident Steve remains the right person to continue to lead us.
“Organizationally, we remain committed to playing at the highest levels each season – regularly competing for the Stanley Cup – and I am very pleased that Steve has elected to be our leader for the next several years.”
The Lightning finished 28th in the NHL in the 2012-13 season. However with shrewd moves including the hiring of head coach John Cooper and trading for Ben Bishop at the end of last season, and signing Valterri Filpulla last summer, Yzerman has put the Lightning back into the playoffs this season, and battling for home-ice advantage in the first round.
With 93 points so far this year, the Lightning sit just four points back of their likely first round opponent, the Montreal Canadiens for second in the Atlantic Division. The Lightning also have a game in hand as the battle for home ice in that series looks like it will go down to the wire.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to continue the process we started four years ago and would like to thank Jeff Vinik for entrusting me with the responsibility of leading the Tampa Bay Lightning,” Yzerman said. “I’m very excited about what lies ahead for our organization and truly enjoy working with a fantastic group of people in Tampa Bay.”
John Cooper has gotten talk as a potential coach of the year candidate, and Bishop has gotten talk as a Vezina contender thanks to their strong seasons.
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Yzerman though. He bought out former franchise player and captain Vincent Lecavalier last summer, and traded current captain and reigning Art Ross Trophy winner Martin St. Louis at the trade results. However the cap space to sign the productive Filpulla, and the return of Ryan Callahan and draft picks, have made both moves seem shrewd at this point.
Steve Yzerman was also the general manager of Hockey Canada, and won his second gold medal as a GM at the 2014 Sochi Olympics.
The Hockey Hall of Famer has a great reputation around the hockey world.
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