TAMPA, Fla. -- When the puck drops Thursday for Game 1 between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Detroit Red Wings, it will have a bit of extra meaning for one particular hockey executive.

Lightning vice president and general manager Steve Yzerman won four Stanley Cup championships (three as a player) during his 27 years with the Red Wings, and now that his current team is facing his former one, no one will blame him if he's a bit torn.

“Yeah, I would prefer to play other teams,” he said with a smile. “Obviously, I have tremendous respect for the organization -- from top to bottom. They’ve been one of the elite franchises in professional sports for a long time, and continue to be and will be beyond this year. I have great admiration for them. I expect it to be good hockey. These teams are similar in the way they play the game, similar styles and it should be entertaining hockey.”

This is the first time the Red Wings and Lightning have faced each other in the playoffs, and even though he joined the Bolts in 2010, Yzerman will always have Red Wings blood running through his veins.

“I’m not employed by them but I still have a close attachment,” Yzerman said. “Honestly, I’m going to have a relationship with the organization my entire life. I’ll have an affinity for them forever. I was there for a long time and everything we accomplished there.”

Yzerman credits his long tenure with the Red Wings organization for shaping his hockey mind and how he runs the Lightning. Prior to his current position with Tampa, and following an impressive 22-year playing career, Yzerman spent four seasons as vice president with the Red Wings, working alongside general manager Ken Holland and senior vice president Jim Devellano.

“I learned a lot and it’s greatly influenced how I perform in my job and the decisions I make," Yzerman said. "It’s had a tremendous impact in the way I want, the vision I have for our team, the way we want to play. It’s impacted every decision I make.”

Yzerman also played for Red Wings coach Mike Babcock, and the two spoke Wednesday after practice. When asked what it would be like to play against Yzerman in the playoffs, Babcock downplayed it.

“Well, Steve and I aren’t playing,” Babcock said. “He’s a good man. I have a ton of respect for him. He’s competitive and so am I. I want to win and he wants to win, so it’s real simple.”

While he was generous with his time, answering plenty of questions about his relationship with the Red Wings organization, Yzerman wanted to focus on other aspects.

“Let’s play hockey,” he said.