Seven players have had the honor of having their uniform number officially retired from play ; one of them is Steve Yzerman , who played for the Red Wings from 1983 to 2006 , and was the longest-serving captain in North American major league sports , with a tenure of 19 years .
Six players have had the honor of having their jersey number officially retired from play ; one of them is Steve Yzerman , who played for the Red Wings from 1983 to 2006 , and was the longest-serving captain in North American major league sports , with a tenure of 19 years .