Calgary Flames
Yzerman vowed to return, with a visor, but didn't get the chance.
With the league canceling the season over its labor woes Wednesday, Yzerman -- along with a handful of NHL legends -- might have been pushed into retirement.
Yzerman, who ranks sixth with 1,721 career points and is the longest-serving captain in league history, said he would consider retiring if the work stoppage was longer than one year.
"There's no immediate need to make a decision on whether I want to continue to play," said Yzerman, who turns 40 in May. "It looks like I'll have a lot of time to think about it."
Mario Lemieux (39), Mark Messier (44), Brett Hull (40), Ron Francis (42 in March), Dave Andreychuk (41) and Chris Chelios (43) also could have played for the last time in the NHL. "I think they would probably not want to end their careers without trying next year," said Scotty Bowman, the winningest coach in league history.
Then, Bowman added: "Maybe some of the guys have had enough."
Lemieux has said repeatedly he plans to play a couple more years after the labor impasse is resolved, but he has struggled to stay healthy because of various injuries and ailments. He played just 10 games last season, missed most of the previous one and has played only one full season since 1996-97.
"I feel I can play a few more years," Lemieux insisted. "I feel I can still play at a high level."
Former NHL player Mickey Redmond said even though some of the aging stars might want to play more, their bodies might not be up to the challenge.
"The difficult part for a lot of them, at their ages, will be trying to stay in condition to compete," Redmond said.
Glen Sather, the New York Rangers president and general manager, said the prolonged lockout makes Messier's return less certain. Sather said he had talked recently to New York's captain, who in 1994 led the Rangers to their first Stanley Cup since 1940.