Stevie Y, wonders where!

“I guess I would just say that I’ve got certain things that I want to accomplish in hockey, and that opportunity may or may not be here in Detroit,” -- Red Wing great Steve Yzerman looking a little further down the calendar

He's been synonymous with the Red Wings since he arrived in the NHL, but while he may be retired from the rigours of the battles on the ice for a few years now, Steve Yzerman still is seeking a rewarding place in the game in his post on ice career.

In a story that will have them talking in Detroit today, Yzerman does a little thinking out loud and suggests( quietly we're sure as that is his nature) that his next career move may require that he leave the Red Wing nest.

Yzerman who has been involved with Hockey Canada in addition to his duties in the Red Wings front office over the last three years has noticed that the upper management offices aren't particularly populated by old men and that promotion may be hard to come by in the near future in Detroit.

He's been on a learning curve in Detroit since he put away his blades and feels he's ready to move on to the next phase of his career, with a number of goals in mind and we suspect with the same drive and determination to reach them that he had as the Red Wings captain.

Now that he's floating his name out there for NHL owners to consider, we figure he'll be finding that the phone calls will begin to come in from time to time, sounding him out on potential prospects that would be a good combination for him.

One of which may be an even more involved participation with Hockey Canada as they gear up for the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

While many in Detroit may think it the unthinkable that Stevie Y bids them goodbye, he has far too many hockey smarts to remain in a potted plant role for much longer.

It would be a smart owner that gives him a call to pick his brain, sound him out and measure him up for a possible position. If nothing else ask him to show you his ring collection, that might help in answering any questions about success or leadership quite nicely.