Chance for Lidstrom/Alfredsson to make history?

[Guest jaytan]

I don't know if this topic's been brought up yet, but I couldn't find it.

Obviously, the Wings still have a very long ways to go, and the Senators aren't in the finals yet either, but having both Detroit and Ottawa in the Conference Finals got me thinking.... Has a European-born captain ever won the Stanley Cup? For that matter, has one ever even played in a Stanley Cup Final? I can't think of any examples.

If I'm right, it would be pretty remarkable for Lidstrom if he could do it in his first season as captain, and after replacing the most storied captain in hockey history.

[Kp-Wings 3]

It would be a first if a European captain won the Cup.

Personally, I would love it. Why? Because nothing would please me more then to see these racists assholes like Don Cherry have to shove it up their ass that a Canadian captain didn't win a Cup. It would just kill him, and it would be good revenge for all his year of racist ranting he does every Saturday night.

[omnipotent_hudler 0]

Personally, I would love it. Why? Because nothing would please me more then to see these racists assholes like Don Cherry have to shove it up their ass that a Canadian captain didn't win a Cup. It would just kill him, and it would be good revenge for all his year of racist ranting he does every Saturday night.

QFT

I'll be rooting for the Sens if Detroit goes out to Anaheim(though, this has a lot more to do with my hatred of Pronger)

[Jocu 0]

From memory, no European captain has one it.

I also believe the only US born captain to win it is Derian Hatcher.

[puckloo39 5,686]

No European Captain, but the odds look pretty good of that happening this season.

Guess who the first European born and trained #1 goalie was who won a Cup?

(back ups don't count)

Edited May 18, 2007 by puckloo39

[nicknik 0]

Fingers crossed that we see a Detroit-Ottawa final so that a European captain WILL win for sure.

(And can't wait for the reaction from Don Cherry et al to that!)

[wingsfan40 0]

It seems like this is long over due but no examples come to mind....Lets hope Lids goes down in history for yet another great achievement, there is no better replacement for Steve then our Nick.

[glasgowcelticwing 18]

I don't know if this topic's been brought up yet, but I couldn't find it.

Obviously, the Wings still have a very long ways to go, and the Senators aren't in the finals yet either, but having both Detroit and Ottawa in the Conference Finals got me thinking.... Has a European-born captain ever won the Stanley Cup? For that matter, has one ever even played in a Stanley Cup Final? I can't think of any examples.

If I'm right, it would be pretty remarkable for Lidstrom if he could do it in his first season as captain, and after replacing the most storied captain in hockey history.

I agree, What an achievement it would be for Lids to be the first European captain to win the Cup in his first season as captain.

[norrisnick 1]

It helps that the Wings have pretty much cornered the market on "1st European born/trained to..." accolades.

1st Euro born/trained Hart - Fedorov

1st Euro born/trained Selke - Fedorov

1st Euro born/trained Pearson - Fedorov

1st Euro born/trained Norris - Lidstrom

1st Euro born/trained Conn Smythe - Lidstrom

1st Euro born/trained Cup winning goalie - Hasek

[YoungGuns1340 1]

It helps that the Wings have pretty much cornered the market on "1st European born/trained to..." accolades.

1st Euro born/trained Hart - Fedorov

1st Euro born/trained Selke - Fedorov

1st Euro born/trained Pearson - Fedorov

1st Euro born/trained Norris - Lidstrom

1st Euro born/trained Conn Smythe - Lidstrom

1st Euro born/trained Cup winning goalie - Hasek

Haha, thats priceless. Props to Wings scouting for almost all of that.

At any rate, this is the reason Im rooting for Ottawa over Buffalo. An Ottawa-Detroit final would ensure a European captain can win the cup and will also put a stop to all that bulls*** about "soft Euro teams not being able to hoist it." Don Cherry will likely have a meltdown, but Id love to see the Wings an their 60% Euro roster win the cup.

[Guest jaytan]

Well, it is bound to happen eventually. Look at how many teams are naming European guys captain these days. There weren't really many players coming from there until the wall came down, so a lot of the early guys have become veterans and been shaped by playing in our league.

I think the Wings have so many firsts in these categories because we've been on top for so long and never get a chance to draft very high. Therefore, we're forced to rely on great scouting and finding guys overseas that nobody else knows about. We'd never get a chance at a Heatley, Nash, Crosby, et cetera.

[Normy P 0]

I was just pondering this earlier. It would be simply amazing to see Nicklas Lidstrom make history on a team full of Swedish talent!

[SweWings 45]

It helps that the Wings have pretty much cornered the market on "1st European born/trained to..." accolades.

1st Euro born/trained Conn Smythe - Lidstrom

I think he's the only Euro EVER to have won it...

[Guest jaytan]

Yep. No other European player has won the Conn Smythe.

But a bunch of them have won the Hart and the Art Ross....

Edited May 18, 2007 by jaytan

[betterREDthandead 58]

Personally I think it's more just coincidence that a European captain has never won the Cup than any reflection on the leadership abilities and desire for the Cup of Europeans. As some Stone Agers would have us believe. Sure would be nice to add another one to NN's list of firsts. There wouldn't be a more deserving candidate than Lidstrom, either. Oh, and how about first European goalie to win Conn Smythe? I believe Hasek should be a front-runner for that.

[Dabura 12,232]

What better guy to kill the trend than Nick?

[YoungGuns1340 1]

I think he's the only Euro EVER to have won it...

Yep, its been Giguere, Richards, and Ward since then.

[FinRedWing 172]

If Lidstrom would do it - It would be historical

If Alfredsson would do it - It would just be annoying

[ladystanley 0]

That would be sweet.

[ladybugblue 0]

guys like cherry and al the other supporters of the foolish "soft euros can't be like tough canadian boys" theory, are getting louder and louder as they desperately hold on to this cockamamie notion, knowing it's getting more and more untrue everyday. they refuse to get with the times and those times, they are a, you know, changin'. get with 'em don.

Cherry actually really likes Alfredsson and has been calling the Senators to go all the way all playoffs. I don't know if some of that has to do with it being a Canadian team or not. The problem is not nationality but type of play for guys like Cherry. They like guys that have that sandpaper element and are quite physical and not so much finnese (sp). Alfredsson this year has been hitting a lot more than in the past and that is what he likes to see. I don't know if that will win championships but as a fan of the Sens it is an element that I have seen working against opponents and intimdating them more than I thought it would.

[MacK_Attack 108]

There's never been a European trained player to captain a team to the Stanley Cup, but there's been two European-born players to do so.

Chuck Gardiner (Great Britain) & Johnny Gottselig (Russia) both captained Chicago to Stanley Cups.

There's probably been more, but details are sketchy in the really early years as to where/when some players were born.

Edited May 19, 2007 by MacK_Attack

[Kp-Wings 3]

There's never been a European trained player to captain a team to the Stanley Cup, but there's been two European-born players to do so.

Chuck Gardiner (Great Britain) & Johnny Gottselig (Russia) both captained Chicago to Stanley Cups.

There's probably been more, but details are sketchy in the really early years as to where/when some players were born.

These guys were both basically considered Canadians though. But yeah, your right, I guess a European born captain has won the Cup before.

Nick will be the first European trained Captain to win it. Yes, I said will.