Steve Yzerman stepping down as GM of NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning

Steve Yzerman announced Tuesday that he is resigning as general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning after building them into a perennial contender, handing the reins to longtime assistant Julien BriseBois just two days before training camp.

Yzerman will move to a senior adviser role working under BriseBois and he said he was “100 percent committed” to the Lightning this season. Owner Jeff Vinik joined both men at a news conference in Tampa, Fla.

Yzerman, 53, spent the past eight seasons as Tampa Bay’s GM, a tenure that included five playoff appearances, three trips to the conference final and an appearance in the 2015 Stanley Cup Finals. BriseBois, 41, had been an assistant to Yzerman since they joined the Lightning in ’10.