-- Some nights, he's 25 again, moving without pain, skating freely. And other nights, well, the other nights are starting to wear on Steve Yzerman, who feels it in his heart and in his head, and especially in his scarred right knee.

Realities are dawning on the Red Wings' longtime captain, which is why he recently pulled himself from consideration for the Canadian Olympic hockey team, and why speculation swirls that he might not make it through his 23rd and final season with the Wings. Yzerman hates to talk about retirement because it shifts the focus from a team that's winning and from players who are excelling.

"I have no plans to retire in the near future," Yzerman said, before forcing a smile. "But the plan could change. I don't want to say much more, other than (retirement) is something to ponder."

Obviously, Yzerman can play for the Wings as long as he wishes. There's no debate on that, and there shouldn't be. It would be great to see him keep playing, improving after an early-season groin injury and then making his standard impact come playoff time.

But this is Yzerman's final struggle as a player and perhaps his most difficult, because there's no guideline to follow. His age (40) and physical limitations have reduced his role, and even after a fun night like Tuesday, when he scored his fourth goal this season in a victory over New Jersey and the crowd chanted "Ste-vie!" like old times, Yzerman talked in quiet, reflective tones.

On his decision to call Team Canada general manager Wayne Gretzky and bypass the Olympics, Yzerman said: "I felt it was the right thing to do. It's just time to let other guys play."

For every aging athlete, it's different, trying to figure out when it's best to go. For Yzerman, it's truly unique. Few in Detroit ever have gripped one team for so long, so tightly. Yzerman is among the last of the sports icons -- his 20 years as the Wings' captain is the longest streak in NHL history.

The fans still appreciate him, and so does the team. That's why it's hard to picture Yzerman stepping away midseason. I don't believe that's his intention, but even he acknowledges it can't be ruled out.

"I don't think it's preposterous to say that," he said. "I think that just comes with the territory for anybody at a certain stage of their career. You start thinking about things. You can't help it, particularly on a day when you're not thrilled with how it's going. It creeps more into you then. But for the most part, I'm enjoying it. I don't want to make it an issue because we're trying to win games."

As he talked, he stood in the Wings' workout room, his shirt soaked after a stint on the exercise bike. Practice had ended an hour earlier, and the room was nearly empty. In moments like these, Yzerman looks determined to play to the end -- unless his body and performance tell him otherwise.

"Some nights the knee feels good, but you get degenerative changes, and I'm seeing a little bit of that now," he said. "I don't want to keep talking about (retirement possibilities) because then it becomes like (Green Bay's) Brett Favre and everyone asks about it. People have the right to ask, but I just don't know. Some days, I do question my decision to come back. Other days, I'm glad I'm out here, and I feel like I could play forever."

It always seemed he would, even after a neck surgery and a knee surgery and another knee surgery and another knee surgery and a shattered orbital bone from getting struck in the eye with a puck. If that mishap in the playoffs on May 1, 2004, followed by the yearlong NHL lockout didn't drive Yzerman out, nothing would.

Yzerman isn't trying to be evasive about his future. He said he truly doesn't know how his body will hold up. But realistically, he has been skating on purchased time ever since he underwent a radical osteotomy (knee realignment) on his ravaged right knee in 2002, a surgery never before performed on a high-profile professional athlete.

Yzerman sat out a game last week on the West Coast because the knee ached, then came back two nights later and played well against Los Angeles. He generally plays less than 12 minutes a game on a third or fourth line, a tricky transition for a longtime star.

He says he still enjoys the game, still loves the competition. And when he does what he did Tuesday night -- taking a pass from Dan Cleary and skating in alone, faking once, twice, then scoring -- there seems no reason to leave early.

Hopefully, there won't be. Center Robert Lang is out with a groin injury and Yzerman has picked up Lang's power-play time. But he has no desire to stand in the way of anyone else's progress. The Wings have young players and new players, and some such as Jason Williams and Mikael Samuelsson warrant more time.

Of course, Yzerman is reluctant to admit how valuable he can be in other areas, in leadership and dissecting opponents, especially during the playoffs.

"When I decide to retire, it's going to be because I can't compete hard enough, or I'm not effective enough, to warrant a position on the team," Yzerman said. "Other guys are playing in situations I customarily play in, but I think it's important as the captain to accept whatever role I'm given and play well. People have to understand, it's a different Detroit Red Wings now. Things are changing around here. We all have to accept that. I have to accept that."

Yzerman has talked with general manager Ken Holland and coach Mike Babcock, and by accepting a reduced role, he actually has expanded it, setting an example for others. No one appreciates it more than Babcock, who's 42, slightly older than Yzerman but without near the clout in this town.

"He could make it real hard for me, but he's been nothing but beyond classy and professional," Babcock said. "He's never come to me and said, 'Hey, I need more ice time.' If he wasn't a top-notch individual like he is, it'd be harder to deal with."

"I understand what (Babcock) is trying to accomplish, and I have to assist in any way I can," Yzerman said. "I can't be selfish and demand what I want. I've always talked about the right thing to do, what's best for the organization. I have to live by that."

That's why the departure decision will be so tough, whenever it comes. Yzerman says there's no timetable, only the next night, the next practice and the next game. He still relishes everything and takes nothing for granted. It's the perfect act of leadership, even if it's one of his last.

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