96warrior 11 Report post Posted January 10, 2008 http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&a...rticleid=349056 Lidstrom may be the NHL's perfect player To learn all you need to know about Nicklas Lidstrom, just listen to his coach. “He is so professional that he tapes his stick better than anybody I’ve ever seen,†Mike Babcock, who is in his third season behind the Detroit Red Wings’ bench, told NHL.com. “He does everything better, and it’s without effort.†For 15½ NHL seasons, the rest of the League has marveled at the specimen that is Nicklas Lidstrom. He’s a three-time Stanley Cup champion, an Olympic gold medal winner, the only European to ever win the Conn Smythe Trophy, and a five-time Norris Trophy winner. He even was given the nickname “Norris†by a member of the Red Wings’ training staff. Later this month, Lidstrom will start in his eighth All-Star Game. It will be his 10th All-Star appearance. At 37-years-old, he’s already played in more than 1,200 games, and he could finish with over 1,000 points if he plays just another two seasons. Lidstrom, the once unheralded defenseman out of Sweden whom the Red Wings nabbed in the third round, with the 53rd overall pick, in the 1989 Entry Draft, is, for all intents and purposes, the National Hockey League’s vision of perfection. “He’s the best player,†Babcock said. “No one is as good as him.†For good reason, too. No one in the last 20 years of the NHL has been as durable as Lidstrom, who has missed only 22 games throughout his entire career. Lidstrom has fortunately avoided the injury bug that stings even the best in the League. “My off-season conditioning, the way I take care of myself and prepare, is a big part of it,†Lidstrom told NHL.com. “And, my style. I’m not the physical defenseman looking for the big hit. I’m staying in my position. I know I can take my guy into the boards and neutralize him that way instead of going for the big hit.†Lidstrom is as good of a positional player as there ever has been in the NHL. “He doesn’t make mistakes,†Babcock said. “He just doesn’t make any mistakes.†Not only that, Lidstrom is one of the best skaters in the League. “I don’t ever remember him getting trapped up the ice,†Hall of Fame coach Scotty Bowman told NHL.com. “His stats are not as a result of him taking chances, and he’s always playing against the best players. That’s probably what the most unique thing is, he’s had this career playing against the other teams’ best.†Even while playing against the best, Lidstrom is a marvelous plus-372 for his career, including a plus-43 in the 1993-94 season. He was a plus-40 last season when he scored 13 goals and dished out 49 assists. This season he’s plus-34 with 40 points. “That’s a great stat for him,†Bowman said of Lidstrom’s plus-minus rating, “because he plays half the game, and both ends of the rink.†Both are almost true. Lidstrom, who most certainly does play on both ends of the ice, is averaging roughly to 27 minutes of ice time per game this season, the same way he did last season and the season before that and the season before that. In 2002-03 Lidstrom averaged more than 29:20 per game. He was near 29 minutes in each of the previous two seasons, as well. “It’s the consistency that stands out,†Bowman said. “He doesn’t get flustered and he’s in so many key situations.†That’s because Lidstrom thinks the game better than most, and his instincts are impeccable. He says they come from experience. Intelligence has a lot to do with it, too. “He’s smart, I tell ya,†Babcock said. “He’s the same every day. That’s what puts him in a league separate from everyone else.†Lidstrom, though, will have you believe he actually does pull his hockey pants on one leg at a time, just like everyone else. Despite all of his accolades Lidstrom is as humble as can be. He doesn’t think he pays as much attention to detail as everyone believes he does. “I don’t even pay attention to how I tape my stick now,†Lidstrom said. “It’s just part of my routine.†Despite winning five of the last six Norris trophies, Lidstrom said he, too, went through a rough adjustment period getting used to the new rules once the League returned from the lockout in 2005. Only Lidstrom’s struggles barely showed because of his rare style. He finished with a career high 80 points in 80 games during the 2005-06 season, but also rang up a career high 50 penalty minutes. In 80 games last season he was boxed for 46 minutes. Fifty and 46, though, hardly are alarming numbers when it comes to penalty minutes. “I try to play my position right all the time. That helped me adjust to the new rules, where you have to be skating all the time,†he said. “We work on it daily. It’s not just trying to get better and better, but keep where you’re at right now. You don’t want to lose that feeling, that timing, and the quickness.†He hasn’t even come close, leading some to speculate Lidstrom could play another 10 years. If he remains healthy, why not? “He’s got the best stick in the NHL. He slides on the offensive blue line as good as anybody. He skates effortlessly,†Babcock said. “He’s great. He’s just great.†Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BeeRYCE 2 Report post Posted January 10, 2008 This is old news. Lidstrom is a phenom and has been for years now. He is the epitome of a perfect player/person. He doesn't make mistakes. Ever since the new millenium, he has been our UNANIMOUS MVP. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
interminded 1 Report post Posted January 10, 2008 You mean since the newmanium.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
toby91_ca 620 Report post Posted January 10, 2008 http://www.nhl.com/nhl/app/?service=page&a...rticleid=349056 “He is so professional that he tapes his stick better than anybody I’ve ever seen,†Mike Babcock, who is in his third season Didn't Babock say the same thing about Datsyuk and once before about Lidstrom I think? The guy has to come up with a new line. Also, both can't tape their stick better than anyone he's ever seen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
interminded 1 Report post Posted January 10, 2008 Didn't Babock say the same thing about Datsyuk and once before about Lidstrom I think? The guy has to come up with a new line. Also, both can't tape their stick better than anyone he's ever seen. Maybe they'll make a trophy out of it once: The Nick Lidstrom Memorial Trophy: Awarded to the player who tapes their stick better than anyone else in the Nationale Hockey League Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Reds4Life 51 Report post Posted January 10, 2008 (edited) Nick should get a new trophy named after him. edit: interminded was 'lil faster Edited January 10, 2008 by Reds4Life Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
T.Low 1,011 Report post Posted January 10, 2008 You mean since the newmanium.. : Nice one. Good little article. Even if its old news, its still always nice to read. Thanks for the link. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
irishtemper14+25 11 Report post Posted January 10, 2008 yea i always like reading about our players getting credit Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dallas27 7 Report post Posted January 10, 2008 You mean since the newmanium.. Newmans' party was a year early...I think. I'm pretty sure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
norrisnick 1 Report post Posted January 11, 2008 Didn't Babock say the same thing about Datsyuk and once before about Lidstrom I think? The guy has to come up with a new line. Also, both can't tape their stick better than anyone he's ever seen. No. It's only ever been in reference to Lidstrom. A poster tried applying the quote to Datsyuk once, but that was a reading comprehension problem. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GMRwings1983 8,804 Report post Posted January 11, 2008 Didn't Babock say the same thing about Datsyuk and once before about Lidstrom I think? The guy has to come up with a new line. Also, both can't tape their stick better than anyone he's ever seen. Hell, Babcock was 1 drink away from saying the same thing about Samuelsson. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ProfessorLidstrom5 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2008 (edited) <--------------DUDE Edited January 11, 2008 by ProfessorLidstrom5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
55fan 5,133 Report post Posted January 11, 2008 No. It's only ever been in reference to Lidstrom. A poster tried applying the quote to Datsyuk once, but that was a reading comprehension problem. Then they should have been more clear. I was also sure that it was applied to Dats. Not that I'm saying my comprehension skills are great. I'll let others be the judge: Dats article Back to topic, Nick is beyond one in a million. I'm glad to see him getting the attention he deserves. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
up2here 41 Report post Posted January 11, 2008 Newmans' party was a year early...I think. I'm pretty sure. A year early and thus....quite lame. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chase 0 Report post Posted January 11, 2008 The funny thing about the stat of him only missing 22 games his entire NHL career is that Bowman use to rest Lids during the last game of the regular season before the playoffs, just to rest him. So not all of those 22 games he missed were due to injury. Thats remarkable IMO. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Izzy24 44 Report post Posted January 12, 2008 You mean since the newmanium.. Newmans' party was a year early...I think. I'm pretty sure. A year early and thus....quite lame. These are my everyday balloons. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
datsyukismyfriend 4 Report post Posted January 12, 2008 A year early and thus....quite lame. lol. nice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
