Wings Give Yzerman New Deal

May 5, 1998 / 10:41 PM EDT / CBS/AP

Detroit Red Wings captain Steve Yzerman has signed a three-year contract extension, team officials announced Wednesday.

Yzerman's contract, which had been in a holding pattern since February, now runs through the 2002-2003 season. It will give Yzerman 20 seasons with the Red Wings.

"Twenty years is nice," Yzerman told The Detroit News. "But what I'm most pleased about is this team will be very competitive over the course of the next four seasons. I'm excited about playing for a team that will be a contender."

Combined with the last year of his current contract, the deal will pay Yzerman an average of $7.5 million for the next four seasons, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Yzerman, 34, is entering his 17th season in the NHL, all with Detroit. He has been the Red Wings' captain since the 1986-87 season, making him the longest-serving captain in NHL history.

In the NHL record books, Yzerman ranks 11th in goals with 592. He is 10th in assists with 891 and ninth in points, 1,483.

He is eight goals shy of becoming the 11th player in NHL history to reach the 600 mark.

He said he's never considered playing for another team.

"I've always envisioned playing my entire career in Detroit," he said.