7 years ago, Steve Yzerman returned to Red Wings. So what's changed?

Remember April 19, 2019? It was Good Friday, and a great Friday for the Detroit Red Wings as one of the most beloved players in franchise history returned to the fold.

A month earlier, the Wings had been eliminated from earning a berth in the NHL playoffs for a third straight year, but a playoff drought was expected back then – the franchise's 25 straight seasons of advancing to the playoffs had ended in 2017, and hard times were inevitable.

That was supposed to be alleviated by the return of Steve Yzerman, whose attachment to the franchise began on June 8, 1983, when he was drafted at No. 4 overall, grew in adoration as he led the way in burying the "Dead Wings" era and eventually captained the franchise to three Stanley Cups, and won a fourth as a member of the team's front office. Yzerman left the organization in 2010 to accept the general manager position of the Tampa Bay Lightning, but stepped back from that position in 2018 in the last year of his contract. That cleared the way for Yzerman's return to Detroit, aided by Ken Holland's decision to step aside in his role as GM.

Christopher Ilitch, Ken Holland, Marian Ilitch and new Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman after the press conference Friday, April 19, 2019 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Mich.

Yzerman took on a monumental task. Here is a look back, on the seventh anniversary of his hiring, at how Yzerman has shaped the team, and what lies ahead.

Picking up the pieces

Yzerman inherited a scrap heap of a roster, and it wasn't even clear when he took over that the first-round picks from three of the four previous years (2015's Evgeny Svechnikov, 2016's Dennis Cholowski and 2018's Filip Zadina) would turn out to be busts, a huge blow for the franchise. Dylan Larkin, Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Bertuzzi and Anthony Mantha offered hints of a better future, but overall, the roster was weighed down by players well past their prime. There certainly wasn't what had awaited Yzerman when he joined the Lightning: A No. 1 overall pick (from 2008) in centter Steven Stamkos and a No. 2 overall pick (from 2009( in defenseman Victor Hedman.

Fear of failure

At the time of his return, Yzerman exuded enthusiasm.

"I like being a general manger,” he said. “I like being in charge. To come back to the Red Wing organization, it wasn’t a difficult decision. I know where the organization is at, but there are so many positives here I think this is an awesome opportunity not only personally but professionally. It’s a chance again to rebuild a team.

"I’m not afraid. I don’t want to fail. I’m going to do everything I can to do a good job. I enjoy doing this and I believe in the process, I believe in this organization and ownership, and I believe in the people that are here. I believe we are going to be successful. I hope we win a Stanley Cup."

Getting to work

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider (53) looks to pass the puck against New Jersey Devils center Cody Glass (12) during the second period at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Saturday, April 11, 2026.

Yzerman's immediate priority was drafting. He made his first selection on June 21, 2019, drafting German defenseman Moritz Seider at No. 6. Seider would start a string of outstanding first-round draft picks by Yzerman, one that continued in 2020 with Lucas Raymond. The Raymond pick was notable because that was the year the pandemic shuttered the season on March 12, at which point the Wings were at the bottom of the NHL standings – and then were pushed back to pick fourth by the NHL draft lottery. Simon Edvinsson (No. 6) followed in 2021 and Marco Kasper (No. 8) in 2022; the rest are still in development. It's worth noting the Wings have either been pushed back or stood pat in the lottery, and haven't drafted higher than No. 4. Contrast that with Atlantic Division rivals that in recent years have come out of rebuilds: The Buffalo Sabres drafted first overall in 2018 (defenseman Rasmus Dahlin) and 2021 (defenseman Owen Power); the Montreal Canadiens had the top pick (Juraf Slafkovsky) in 2022.

Tough signings

Andrew Copp (18) of the Detroit Red Wings skates with his tongue out during the first period of the game against the Philadelphia Flyers at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Thursday, April 9, 2026.

With 32 teams in the NHL, it has become harder to improve a team via free agency. This is an area where Yzerman's record isn't great: None of Andrew Copp (five years, $28.13 million in 2022), J.T. Compher (five years, $25.5 million, 2023), Justin Holl (three years, $10.2 million, 2023) and Mason Appleton (two years, $5.8 million, 2025) have worked out to expectation. Nor has re-signing Michael Rasmussen (to a three-year extension that runs through 2027-28 for $12.8 million).

Showtime

Detroit Red Wings right wing Patrick Kane (88) shoots the puck against New Jersey Devils during the first period at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Saturday, April 11, 2026.

On the flip side, taking a chance on Patrick Kane in November of 2023 has turned out to be a great gamble. For around $3 million-$4 million per season, Kane, who turned 37 in December, has provided steady offense, and has shown that even in the twilight of his career, he's a clutch performer, as well as a top scorer down the stretch.

Trading places

Yzerman was a conservative trader his first several years, understandably so as the team could not afford to give up the sort of assets (high round picks/prospects) that yield impact players. That changed as the likes of Larkin, Seider and Raymond pushed the team into competitive finishes. On July 9, 2023, Yzerman traded Dominik Kubalik, a prospect (Donovan Sebrango) and a first-round pick to the Ottawa Senators for Michigander Alex DeBrincat, a former (and future) 40-goal scorer. Another key trade that significantly improved the team happened on June 28, 2025, when Yzerman sent goalie Petr Mrázek and two draft picks to the Anaheim Ducks for goaltender John Gibson.

Detroit Red Wings right wing Alex DeBrincat (93) defends New Jersey Devils center Marc McLaughlin (21) during the first period at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Saturday, April 11, 2026.

Among the trades that didn't work out: Flipping Mantha to the Washington Capitals for Jakub Vrana, whose off-ice issues caused him to miss significant time. And Yzerman has been tight-lipped on why he threw in a second-round pick to trade away Jake Walman in June 2024 to the San Jose Sharks in a deal that yielded only "future considerations" (code for next to nothing) in return.

What lies ahead

Yzerman turns 61 on May 9. He's in a position, thanks to his long and strong ties to the Red Wings franchise, that he'll dictate when he steps down or aside. He's incredibly driven – he showed that during his 22 years playing for the Wings, as he endured early rough years, disappointments in the playoffs, and then the championship years. Towards the end of his playing days, he essentially was playing on one good leg, having battled chronic right knee issues throughout the latter part of his career.

It's hard to picture Yzerman not finishing what his goals were on April 19, 2019, when he said that, "we want to be a good playoff team. We want to be a team that can compete for the Stanley Cup championship."

It was clear at the time Yzerman appreciated his second coming with the franchise: "To be able to come back, I’m honored," he said. "It’s important that I do a really, really good job, and I intend to do that."

That mission statement hasn't changed, even as the timeline has grown to seven years without reaching the playoffs.

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Steve Yzerman success and failure in 7 years with Detroit Red Wings