GP
G
A
Pts
PIM
+/-
Shots
S PCT.
81
22
63
85
78
+22
232
9.48
  
  • Stevie finished the season tied for 13th in the league in points and tied for 3rd in assists. He finished with a good +22.
  • On the team, he was tied for 1st in games played, 4th in goals, 1st in assists, and 2nd in points. He tied for 3rd in power play tallies.
  • Stevie was selected as the starting centre for the Western Conference all-star team. He was 3rd in voting, but Joe Sakic and Peter Forsberg were both injured, which gave Stevie the duty to play on the top line. This marked the 8th all-star appearance for Stevie, incidentally, Stevie is still the youngest player ever to play in an all-star game. He was 18 back in January, 1984.
  • In the fall of 1996, the Wings signed Yzerman to a 4-year, $18-million contract. A no-trade clause, which means the Wings have agreed NOT to trade him, kicked in on his 32nd birthday, so he'll definitely be finishing his career in Detroit. After retirement, Stevie plans to stay with the Wings organization, preferably as general manager.
  • Steve became only the 18th player to record 1 300 points, which he did on January 5th, 1997against Chicago. 
  • The Detroit Red Wings went 38-26-18 for 94 points in 82 games. That was good enough for 2nd in their division, 3rd in their conference, and 5th overall.
  • The Detroit News launched a new biography of Steve Yzerman, called Heart of a Champion: The Steve Yzerman Story.
Stanley Cup Playoffs 

 
GP
G
A
Pts
PIM
+/-
Shots
20
7
6
13
4
+3
65
 

  • Stevie has done what all greats have done. Detroit defeated Philadelphia 2-1 in game 4 of the finals to take the series, and the Stanley Cup. Yzerman assisted on the game-winning goal in the second period. It was the most beautiful goal I had ever seen, with the exception of the Game 7(OT) goal against St. Louis in the 1996 Conference Semifinals. He was also the one to take the final faceoff of the season.
  • The world then knew what Stevie could do. All Stevie fans have known this since 1983. Many people have become new Yzerman fans due to this championship win. He is a first class leader, a true champion, and a team player, who thinks of his teammates before himself.
  • Detroit is tremendously lucky to have Stevie because he will never be replaced. Joe Louis, Cecil Fielder, Grant Hill, Barry Sanders, Stevie has passed every single one of them in popularity. Pretty soon, they'll probably rename the Joe Louis Arena to The Steve Yzerman Arena, hehe.
  • In the playoffs, he not only produced the points, but also the defense game after game after game. Mike Vernon beat Stevie by just 2 votes for the Conn Smythe trophy. On the team, he was 1st in games played, 4th in goals, 6th in assists, and 3rd in points. Overall, Yzerman was 12th in points and goals.
     Conference Quarterfinals

Detroit vs. St. Louis
Game 1: St. Louis leads series 1-0
Game 2: Series tied 1-1
Game 3: St. Louis leads series 2-1
Game 4: Series tied 2-2
Game 5: Detroit leads of series 3-2 (Yzerman scores an 80-footer)
Game 6: Detroit wins series 4-2

     Conference Semifinals

Detroit vs. Anaheim
Game 1: Detroit leads series 1-0(OT)
Game 2: Detroit leads series 2-0(OT)
Game 3: Detroit leads series 3-0
Game 4: Detroit wins series 4-0(OT)

     Conference Finals

Detroit vs. Colorado
Game 1: Colorado leads series 1-0
Game 2: Series tied 1-1
Game 3: Detroit leads series 2-1
Game 4: Detroit leads series 3-1 (6-0 victory)
Game 5: Detroit leads series 3-2 (6-0 loss)
Game 6: Detroit wins series 4-2

     Stanley Cup Finals

DETROIT RED WINGS VS. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Game 1: Detroit 4, Philadelphia 2 (Yzerman scores a 60-footer)
Game 2: Detroit 4, Philadelphia 1 (Yzerman scores another nice goal)
Game 3: Detroit 6, Philadelphia 1 (Yzerman scores the tying goal)
Game 4: Detroit 2, Philadelphia 1 (Yzerman assists on McCarty's game-winning goal)