Nicklas Lidström

Lore & Background

Lidström began his career in Avesta, Sweden, playing with Skogsbo SK before moving to VIK Västerås HK of the Swedish Elitserien. He was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings 53rd overall in the 1989 NHL entry draft and joined the team in the 1991–92 season, scoring 60 points in his rookie season and finishing second in Calder Trophy voting. He was selected to the 1992 NHL All-Rookie Team. Lidström served as alternate captain from the 1997–98 season and was named captain after Steve Yzerman retired, becoming the first European captain in franchise history. He led the Red Wings to the Western Conference Finals in his first year as captain, losing to the eventual Stanley Cup champion Anaheim Ducks. In the 2007–08 season, Lidström surpassed Peter Forsberg as the second-highest scoring Swedish-born NHL player, trailing only Mats Sundin. He signed a contract extension through the 2009–10 season and later helped the Red Wings win the Stanley Cup in 2008, becoming the first European-born-and-trained captain to win the Cup. Lidström suffered a broken nose in the 2008–09 pre-season and began wearing a visor. He missed the 2009 All-Star Game due to tendinitis and was suspended one game by the NHL. In the 2009 playoffs, he suffered a testicle injury requiring surgery but returned for the Stanley Cup Final, which the Red Wings lost in seven games.

Reader's Guide

Lidström's significance lies in his sustained excellence over 20 seasons with a single team, the Detroit Red Wings. He won the James Norris Memorial Trophy seven times, a feat matched only by Doug Harvey and exceeded only by Bobby Orr. He was nominated for the Norris 12 times in his last 14 seasons, finishing no lower than sixth place in voting in his final 16 seasons. Lidström won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in 2002, becoming the first European to receive the honor. He played in six Stanley Cup Finals, winning four championships, and the Red Wings never missed the playoffs during his career, tying Larry Robinson for the longest streak of playoff appearances by a player. Lidström is the all-time leader in games played with a single NHL team by a European-born player. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2014 and the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2017, he was named one of the '100 Greatest NHL Players' in history. His durability is noted by his consistent ranking among NHL leaders in ice time per game, including a career-high average of 28:07 minutes in the 2005–06 season.

Did You Know?

• Lidström won the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2002, becoming the first European to receive the award.
• He played 263 playoff games, the second-most in NHL history behind Chris Chelios.
• He missed only 17 games in 12 and a half seasons from 1994–95 to 2003–04.