June 02--TAMPA, Fla. -- Jonathan Toews minded his manners at the table Tuesday during Stanley Cup media day at Amalie Arena.
In fact, the Blackhawks center was a bit embarrassed upon learning that Lightning general manager and Hockey Hall of Famer Steve Yzerman had called him a "bigger, stronger, better hockey player."
"I want to call him Mr. Yzerman, but I know he'd probably get mad at me if I said that," Toews said. "I take that with a grain of salt. I think everyone here knows that's pretty much untrue, but it means a lot to hear any sort of praise from a guy like that."
The two became acquainted in 2007 during the World Championships in Moscow, when Toews was 18 and fresh out of the University of North Dakota. Yzerman, who won three Stanley Cups with the Red Wings during his 22-year career, called Toews one of that team's best players.
Toews returned serve by calling Yzerman a "tremendous person" and said the compliment was special. Starting Wednesday, though, Toews will try to match Yzerman's career Cup total against a team Yzerman was instrumental in building.
Like Yzerman, who became a captain at 21, Toews also began wearing the "C" on his sweater at a young age (20). Toews also wears No. 19 in part because of Yzerman.
"That speaks for itself and how good of a career Johnny has had when a player of that magnitude says something like that about you," Blackhawks right winger Patrick Kane said. "We all have a lot of respect for (Yzerman) and what's he done. We're at the point now where we are competing against him and trying to steal one from him."
Asked if he ever would have believed during his youth that he'd receive such praise from one of his idols, Toews said, "I definitely wouldn't have believed it and I don't think much has changed right now."
He's back: The Dallas Stars won the Stanley Cup in 1999, the year before Lightning left winger Brenden Morrow arrived as a rookie. They advanced the next season but lost to the Devils. Beginning Wednesday, Morrow will get his second crack at winning hockey's top prize.
"It's been a long time coming," Morrow said. "Going to the Final in my rookie season, the Stars just coming off the Stanley Cup, you're a little naﶥ at the time and you think it's going to happen every year for you."
And don't think Morrow doesn't appreciate the Blackhawks, who stand in his way.
"They're fast and Father Time is catching up to me," Morrow, 36, said. "Chasing them around is going to be tough."
He said it: "What they've done the last five or six years has been impressive. That's what we see ourselves doing. Obviously it's going to be a huge challenge." -- Lightning's Steven Stamkos on the Blackhawks.
