Steve Yzerman is coming home to become general manager of the Detroit Red Wings, the franchise announced on Friday.
The hiring of the former Detroit star also marked the end of Ken Holland's 22-year stint as general manager. Holland signed a multiyear deal to become the club's senior vice president.
Yzerman, 53, spent his entire 22-year Hall of Fame playing career with the Red Wings. He served 20 years as team captain and scored 692 goals and 1,063 assists (1,755 points) during a 1,514-game career that ended in 2006. He played on three Stanley Cup-winning teams in Detroit. Now he is taking over a team that has missed the playoffs in three straight seasons.
"I'm extremely excited to be back in Detroit with the Red Wings," Yzerman said during a press conference. "This city, Red Wing fans, the state of Michigan were incredibly supportive of me throughout the ups and downs of my playing career. I am very excited to return to the organization and join the Red Wings again and with our goal of getting the team back in contention for Stanley Cups and the championship that has come to be expected in Detroit."
--T.J. Oshie will be out indefinitely after suffering an upper-body injury in Thursday's playoff game, Washington Capitals coach Todd Reirden announced.
A hit from Carolina Hurricanes forward Warren Foegele sent Oshie headfirst into the boards, and he left the ice holding his arm and shoulder.
Reirden said Oshie won't play in Game 5 on Saturday and that the team would know more about a timetable for his return after Oshie saw the doctor on Friday. To take his place on the roster, the Capitals recalled right winger Devante Smith-Pelly from the AHL's Hershey Bears.
--The New York Islanders will continue their quest for the Stanley Cup without defenseman Johnny Boychuk, who is expected to miss 3-4 weeks with a lower-body injury, the team announced.
Boychuk was injured Tuesday when he blocked a shot by Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson in the second period of the Islanders' Game 4 win to sweep the series.
Boychuk, 35, had 19 points (three goals, 16 assists) in 74 regular-season games during his fifth season with the Islanders.
--The Philadelphia Flyers joined the New York Yankees in choosing to no longer play the 1939 Kate Smith recording of "God Bless America" during home games, the team announced.
The team is also covering up a statue of the singer outside the arena.
"We have recently become aware that several songs performed by Kate Smith contain offensive lyrics that do not reflect our values as an organization," the Flyers said in a statement, according to CNN. "As we continue to look into this serious matter, we are removing Kate Smith's recording of 'God Bless America' from our library and covering up the statue that stands outside of our arena."
--Field Level Media
