Steve Yzerman bestowed high praise on a member of the opposition in advance of the Stanley Cup Final.
A three-time Stanley Cup winner as captain of the Detroit Red Wings, Yzerman - now general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning - knows a thing or two about excelling in the sport and matching up against the very best hockey has to offer.
And what he sees in Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks is a superior version of himself.
"The reality is, Jonathan's bigger, stronger, faster," Yzerman said Tuesday. "Just a better hockey player."
Like a good Canadian, Toews later took a humble stance.
Jonathan Toews says Steve Yzerman's comment about him being a better player is "pretty much untrue."
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 2, 2015
Already with two Cups to his name and only 27 years old, Toews - who has recorded nine goals and nine assists in 17 playoff games - could slot himself among the all-time greats with another championship, and possibly a second Conn Smythe Trophy to boot.
His all-around game is the envy of Yzerman and his GM peers, and it's quite high praise for Toews to be labelled as better than the Hall-of-Fame center at this point in his career.
Perhaps Yzerman can impart some wisdom to his own players in regards to slowing down someone of that ilk, keeping Toews from adding more professional acclaim at Tampa Bay's expense.
