He'll be back.

27 years.

Steve Yzerman was a Red Wing for 27 YEARS. That's longer than a lot of you have been alive. I use the word "was" with a heavy heart. Although we all knew it could happen, hell, it was likely to happen, but we were all in denial. Hopefully he brings the Lightning back to life. On the flip side, I now have an Eastern Conference team to root for.

Yay.

I think Stevie will be back. He just need to get some time being a GM, and when Kenny Holland finally ends his long and storied career, Stevie will be ready to step in. Then, we can go back to giving the guy 10 minute standing ovations at the Joe. In the meantime, hopefully he doesn't do SO well that we get a Red Wings/Lightning Stanley Cup Final. How would we all feel if we had to trounce the team that our hero, our savior, our CAPTAIN for God's sake now manages? It would be like punching your best friend in the grill for no specific reason. Like taking your dog out back and...and...well lets just say it would be an "Old Yeller" moment, to be sure.

Hurry back Steve, we miss you already.