“And with the 53rd pick in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, the Detroit Red Wings select, from Vestaras, Sweden, Nicklas Lidstrom.”
I was going back and forth on how to do justice to one of the finest careers in the history of hockey, and I arrived at an important conclusion; I can’t. But saying nothing at all does little good, so I will attempt to highlight the career of the best defenceman since Bobby Orr. Will he hang up his skates at the conclusion of the 2012 NHL Playoffs as is expected to be announced tomorrow? Maybe. But I, and most fans as well, hope not.
The Red Wings During Lidstrom’s Time
The Red Wings scouting department through the 90’s changed the way hockey teams scout in Europe. Consider these steals:
Johan Franzen at #97, Filppula at #93, Ericsson at #291, Zetterberg at #210 (Seriously, was this guy hiding in a barn or something? ), Datsyuk at #171 (See above), Holmstrom #257, Fedorov #74 (Ridiculous) and Konstantinov at #211.
But when the Red Wings selected Nicklas Lidstrom, way off most teams’ radars, with the 53rd pick, the ingredients for the dynasty of the late 90’s and early 2000’s was born. The team was so far and away the best of the last two decades that they won an incredible 875 games. The next closest, the New Jersey Devils, won 70 fewer games in that span. With Lidstrom the Wings played in six Stanley Cup Finals, winning four of them. They also had the magical 65-win season in the mid-90’s. Yes, hockey is a team game, but let’s see what the individual accomplished.
Awards and Trophies
To truly appreciate how important Nick, we need to look at many criteria. First, let’s take a look at some of his personal accolades before delving into other stats.
World Championships, Gold Medal, 1991
NHL All-Rookie Team, 1992
Stanley Cup winner, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2008
NHL All-Star, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
NHL First Team All-Star, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 20011
Norris Trophy, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2011 (Second most, behind Bobby Orr, and the First European-born and trained to win)
Conn Smythe Trophy, 2002 (First European-born player to win this trophy)
Olympic Gold Medal, 2006
Olympic All-Star Team, 2006
Named “Best NHL Player of the Decade” (2000’s) by Sporting News and Sports Illustrated
Names “Best European-trained Player in NHL History” by Hockey News
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Clearly he has the hardware to make the case to be the sport’s second greatest defender as no other defenceman can match the above list. But it’s not just about awards and records. With a look at some important stats you can see what an important piece he was, and this on the greatest hockey team over the past two decades. Here are some interesting tidbits for you:
- With 1564 games played, he is the current active games played leader at any position in the NHL, and the all-time leader in games played by a European-born player
- 264 goals, 878 assists, 1142 points, good for fifth in history for a defenceman
- +450 in the plus/minus category
- Most points by a swedish born player
- Oldest d-man to record a hat trick, Lidstrom joins former Red Wings greats Alex Delvechio and Steve Yzerman as the only three players (for any team) with over 1500 games having played exclusively for just one team throughout their careers.
- 12th all-time in playoff points at any position
What the Numbers Won’t Tell You
Stats and awards can only tell you so much. I didn’t want to just run down everything the guy has done, you can just Google it, I tried to show what I feel are some of his greater accomplishments. But what won’t show up on any stats chart is his style of play. He is always playing against the top lines from around the NHL, having the job of shutting down opponents best players. He is described as a smooth, calming presence on the blue line, always cool and excellent under pressure. Being on a team that was highly successful, he was never the type of guy that was a prima dona, craving the spotlight. He is refreshingly not self-absorbed. He respects his teammates, which has made him so successful, and has earned admiration from players around the league, and fans of teams from around the NHL. It is hard not to like the guy.
I truly believe Nicklas Lidstrom is the greatest defenceman since Bobby Orr. You may find someone with more goals, or a higher plus minus, but when you put everything together Lidstrom is my number two. Stats are not everything. One must consider the team a player plays for, his role within the team’s plan, the team’s style of play and contributions that are non-quantifiable.
I welcome any comments, but let’s celebrate the career of one of the greatest players the game has ever seen – and that is not debatable!
…and that is the last word.
