The origin of Stephen Yzerman's number 19

Stephen Yzerman wore the number 19 from his beginnings in the Ontario Hockey League to the National Hockey League. He originally wished to wear the number 9 of his role model Gordie Howe, but it had already been retired in Detroit since 1972. He therefore decided to add a 1 in front of the 9 to imitate another of his idols, Bryan Trottier.