Steve Yzerman retired from the game of hockey on July 3, 2006. Shortly after, he assumed the duties of general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning in May 2010.
Before he hung up the skates, Yzerman was one of the elite players in the league with the Detroit Red Wings, a player that put up massive offensive numbers comparable to Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux.
In his career, he had six 50-goal seasons, the most of any Red Wings player. We look back at the Red Wings who scored 50 goals in a season.
The Detroit Red Wings have had a handful of 50-goal scorers in history
Yzerman had several 50-goal seasons with Detroit. His first came during the 1987-88 season when he scored 50 goals and 52 assists for 102 points. His 50th goal came against Danny Gare and the Buffalo Sabres on March 1, 1988.
That season, he scored one power-play goal, six short-handed goals, and six game-winning goals. His second 50-goal campaign came in the 1988-89 season when he scored 65 goals and 90 assists for 155 points in 80 games.
Among those 65 goals were 17 power-play goals, three short-handed goals, seven game-winning goals, and two overtime goals. He would finish third in the Most Valuable Player voting.
Yzerman was not finished as he would go into a tear again in the 1989-90 season. He would produce 62 goals and 65 assists for 127 points in 79 games, including power-play goals, seven short-handed goals, eight game-winning goals, and one overtime goal.
He would again reach the 50-goal plateau in the 1990-91 season, recording 51 goals and 57 assists for 108 points. He produced 12 power-play goals, six short-handed goals, and four game-winning goals.
Yzerman continued his hot streak as he would again score at will during the 1992-93 season. He would score 58 goals and 79 assists for 137 points. His 58 goals included 13 power-play goals, seven short-handed goals, and six game-winning goals.
Another player with multi-50-goal seasons is Mickey Redmond. His first came during the 1972-73 season when he would produce 52 goals and 41 assists for 93 points in 76 games. Among his 52 goals were 15 power-play goals and seven game-winning goals.
His achievement would come at the hands of the Toronto Maple Leafs as he would score two goals in an 8-1 thrashing at Maple Leaf Gardens.
His second 50-goal season came in the 1973-74 season as he would score 51 goals and 26 assists for 77 points in 76 games. His production included 21 power-play goals and nine game-winning goals.
There were a few players who scored 50 golas for Detroit only once.
One of those players is the dynamic Russian Sergei Fedorov, who scored 56 goals and 64 assists for 120 points in the 1993-94 season.
He would go on to win the Most Valuable Player award and the Selke Award for best defensive forward. His 56 goals included 13 power-play goals, four short-handed goals, 10 game-winning goals, and two overtime goals.
Also that season, teammate Ray Sheppard would score 50 goals. His 52 goals and 401 assists for 93 points included 19 power-play goals, five game-winning goals, and one overtime goal.
Red Wings forward John Ogrodnick joined the 50-goal club in the 1984-85 season, scoring 55 goals and 50 assists for 105 points in 79 games. He would score 15 power-play goals, one short-handed goal, and six game-winning goals. He is now a member of the Red Wings Alumni Association.
The last of the 50-goal scorers in Detroit Red Wings history is Danny Grant. On August 27, 1974, Detroit acquired the forward Grant from the Minnesota North Stars for Harry Boucha.
He immediately made an impact as he would score 50 goals and 37 assists for 87 points during the 1974-75 season.
He would score his 50th on a rebound off a Rick Martin shot, giving the Red Wings a 5-2 win against the Maple Leafs at the Memorial Auditorium on April 4, 1975. His 50 goals included one short-handed goal and six game-winning goals.