Steve Yzerman

Steve Yzerman, Detroit Red Wings legend, will become the Tampa Bay Lightning's sixth general manager this afternoon, replacing dismissed GM Brian Lawton and following in the footsteps of former GM's Jay Feaster, Rick Dudley, Jacques Demers and Phil Esposito.

We've been waiting, waiting, waiting...  And early this morning a news release from the Lightning announced the scheduling of a press conference for this morning.  Various reports have also come out, and Jeff Vinik's wish of silence can no longer be kept in check.

Of course, at this point, this silence has turned into a  hell of a marketing tool, as the hriing is not only a huge name -- but there is huge hype around someone finally filling the position.

Steve Yzerman's name had been tied to the Lightning GM role since a report surfaced weeks ago from TSN.  Other names that had come out of the woodwork had been Pierre McGuire, Ron Hextall, Doug Risebrough and dark-horse candidate Claude Loiselle.  But the one truth that prevailed since rumors first sprung up about Yzerman, was the truth of silence.  Jeffrey Vinik did not want negotiations playing out in the media, or names leaked to the media. 

[Note by John Fontana, 05/25/10 11:16 AM EDT ]  Sportsnet.ca's Nick Kypreos reports via Twitter that Yzerman rejected the Lightning job multiple times, until the offer became too good to refuse.  An ownerships take in the club is also potentially there.

[Note by John Fontana, 05/25/10 1:36 PM EDT ]As it stands right now, www.tampabaylightning.com will be streaming the press conference live online.  The NHL Network will also have it.  It's likely Bay News Nine or Bright House Sports Net will be presenting the presser

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Kwame Kilpatrick

Defense attorney Michael Alan Schwartz reacted with dismay today after his client, former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, was sentenced to 1/2 to 5 years in prison for violating probation.

Schwartz said Kilpatrick had been singled out for special treatment, “and that's not the way this is supposed to work.”

He said he considered this a political case from the beginning. “They wanted to destroy this man … and that's what they did to him.”

Schwartz said the prosecutor's office was not interested in restitution, but aimed to “destroy one human being because they didn't like him.”

Schwartz acknowledged that Kilpatrick's lifestyle in Texas with the large house and large cars may have upset some people but said, “Listen, that is not a violation of probation.”

He also said he thought the judge had made up his mind.

Schwartz said Kilpatrick “was fully aware that this could happen.”

He said Kilpatrick's talk to the judge was his “sincere honest, feeling.”

Schwartz said that Kilpatrick was not shirking responsibilities. “He indicated it's his fault…these things happened due to his stupidity.”

Schwartz clarified that the stupidity concerned Kilpatrick's confusion about the probation rules, and not a willful desire to defy the court.

When he hired Kilpatrick, Peter Karmanos indicated he was giving him another chance.

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