Nicklas Lidstrom likely will be Red Wing next season, too

[HankthaTank 1,100]

Nicklas Lidstrom hoists another Stanley Cup, and then a few days later, wins his seventh Norris Trophy (best defenseman) and maybe even is a finalist for the Hart Trophy (MVP) … Then he heads to Sweden and announces his retirement.It would be an ideal way to end his legendary career.But what if the Wings don't win the Stanley Cup?

Lidstrom likely will still win the Norris Trophy. But what does he do this offseason when his contract runs out?

The guess is Lidstrom, who'll be 41 on April 28, will return. The reasons: The Red Wings still are Stanley Cup contenders.

The Lidstroms like living in Metro Detroit.

And, there's a carrot dangling in front of Lidstrom — tying Bobby Orr with eight Norris Trophies.

While Lidstrom is the most important potential unrestricted free agent for the Red Wings, there are others.

detnews

Interesting look at the possibilities this off season. We all know he would return if he does come back next season, which at the level he can play I don't see why he doesn't play another few seasons. Just all depends on the situation with his kids in Sweden I am sure.

Edited March 8, 2011 by HankthaTank

[Rick D 390]

There was a post on here the other day that quoted him saying. He will play as long as he is a top 4 d-man.

I hope he stays for a couple more years.

Edit:

Here is the earlier thread with the quote...

Edited March 8, 2011 by Rick D

[mmamolo 287]

At the rate he is playing this year, and with the team the Wings will have next fall, I can't see him not returning. But ultimately the NHL season is a grind and we don't know how emotionally drained Lidstrom will feel at the end of this season. Personally, I don't think he is the type that would walk away from the game when he is still so dominant. Despite his calm and quiet demeanor he's such a competitor and I really do think he'll be back even if they win the cup. But that's just my opinion.

[sleepwalker 512]

There was a post on here the other day that quoted him saying. He will play as long as he is a top 4 d-man.

He has actually said something similar to that is a couple different interviews in the last couple months. He made it sound like, as long as he feels he is still playing as good as he wants to, and is still getting get tons of ice time on the top lines, then he will keep playing until he doesn't..

Which is reassuring, because he is looking really good this season.

Edited March 8, 2011 by sleepwalker

[puckbags 863]

He has actually said something similar to that is a couple different interviews in the last couple months. He made it sound like, as long as he feels he is still playing as good as he wants to, and is still getting get tons of ice time on the top lines, then he will keep playing until he doesn't..

Which is reassuring, because he is looking really good this season.

I'm trying to think of a season when he didn't look good lol. Last year would've been one of his so called worst seasons and he was still a top 5 d man in the league.

[Miss Wing Queen 154]

There was a post on here the other day that quoted him saying. He will play as long as he is a top 4 d-man.

I hope he stays for a couple more years.

Edit:

Here is the earlier thread with the quote...

Well then, I guess he is just going to become the Dick Clark of defensemen because I don't see that changing for a loooonnnngg time.

Ken Holland would be happy too, since he won't have to think about retirement either (seeing as he's jokingly said in the past, he'll retire when Nick does).

[HankthaTank 1,100]

Agreed. If it's based on him being a top 4 d-man, we shouldn't worry about Nick going anywhere for quite a little while here. Just consistently one of the best conditioned, best prepared, and just simply the best. Perfect Human....no more fitting of a nickname has been attached to someone.

[evilzyme 769]

There's a few angles we need to look at too here, his son moved to Sweden and is organized with his grandparents right now. Did Nick have any agreements that he would meet with his son the following year, like "I'll play this last season and then i'm coming home to you, in the meantime please stay with your grandparents and allow me to do this for me." We all know Nick is able to return and play at NHL level above and beyond, but we need to put his real life infront of the sport also. Do I believe he'll return next year? Not if we win the cup, I think he'll pack his bags and leave on a good note. If we don't win the cup? Depends on our offseason pickups and whom's returning, if we have enough cap space and these new young guys emerge I could see him coming back. Depends if the motivation and family is there, I would love to hold on to him as long as possible but I also felt this way to Stevie also. It's hard to see them go, completely different stories, but damnit.

[Theophany 110]

There's a few angles we need to look at too here, his son moved to Sweden and is organized with his grandparents right now. Did Nick have any agreements that he would meet with his son the following year, like "I'll play this last season and then i'm coming home to you, in the meantime please stay with your grandparents and allow me to do this for me." We all know Nick is able to return and play at NHL level above and beyond, but we need to put his real life infront of the sport also. Do I believe he'll return next year? Not if we win the cup, I think he'll pack his bags and leave on a good note. If we don't win the cup? Depends on our offseason pickups and whom's returning, if we have enough cap space and these new young guys emerge I could see him coming back. Depends if the motivation and family is there, I would love to hold on to him as long as possible but I also felt this way to Stevie also. It's hard to see them go, completely different stories, but damnit.

See, I don't understand why everyone thinks that if the Wings win the Cup this year he'll retire.

Let's think about it this way:

1) You just won the Cup. AGAIN.

2) You still feel like you can compete in the NHL at the very least as a #2 defenseman, and the organization still has a tremendous amount of faith in you.

3) You've said in interviews that as you keep winning Cups, the desire to get there again is even greater than it was in the past.

4) Your team isn't going to be another Chicago; literally every guy on the team is either easy to replace with guys in GR, or is signed long-term.

It's just one of those things that I think too many people assume because it would be a "nice end to the story". Most athletes don't care about that kind of stuff. Most athletes care about making money and playing the game they love while still being competitive. Lidstrom has never said that he'd end his career if the Wings won another Cup, and everything that he's said leads me to believe that if the Wings did win another Cup, he'd be even more likely to come back.

[wingnut40 176]

He's only allowed to retire when he has 7 Stanley Cups and 9 Norris Trophies...because I say so.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Assuming Lidstrom wins the Norris, has there ever been an NHL player to retire after winning an individual major award? Honest question.

I think Lidstrom plays such a low effort game that he still has another two years in him if he wants to keep playing. if Kronwall showed any ability to be a #1 DMan, I'm sure Lidstrom's retiring choice would be so much easier, but I'm assuming he doesn't want to leave the DRW SOL.

[Guest mjtm77]

Hope he dose not ask for 6 mil agian....

[Electrophile 3,554]

I am reminded of something that was said about George Washington when he chose to leave the presidency after serving two terms -- "Part of grace is knowing when to leave." Nick doesn't strike me as the sort of person who would stick around long past his shelf life just to say that he was still playing. He's very much cut from the same cloth that Steve was, and Steve knew when it was time to step down, and he did.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Hope he dose not ask for 6 mil agian....

I hope he does not dose anything worth 6 mil. But when you're winning a trophy for the NHL's best defensemen and there are NHL DMen making 7+ mil a season, you can ask for whatever you want. Lidstrom is currently top 3 in points as a DMan, who cares if he wants 6mil plus, we need him.

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

Nicklas Lidstrom is never allowed to retire.

Edited March 9, 2011 by SouthernWingsFan

[egroen 384]

Assuming Lidstrom wins the Norris, has there ever been an NHL player to retire after winning an individual major award? Honest question.

I think Lidstrom plays such a low effort game that he still has another two years in him if he wants to keep playing. if Kronwall showed any ability to be a #1 DMan, I'm sure Lidstrom's retiring choice would be so much easier, but I'm assuming he doesn't want to leave the DRW SOL.

Ken Dryden retired at the age of 31 after winning his 6th Stanley Cup in 8 years and a Vezina that year to become a lawyer.

[Konnan511 1,736]

Ken Dryden retired at the age of 31 after winning his 6th Stanley Cup in 8 years and a Vezina that year to become a lawyer.

Well that's different, Montreal low-balled him out of there and wouldn't give him a raise after being amazing.

[egroen 384]

Well that's different, Montreal low-balled him out of there and wouldn't give him a raise after being amazing.

He's an extremely unique case - pretty much his entire career (winning a Conn Smythe the year before winning the Calder).

[HankthaTank 1,100]

Assuming Lidstrom wins the Norris, has there ever been an NHL player to retire after winning an individual major award? Honest question.

You have asked this before but I am sure plenty have retired after winning something like a Cup or an individual award. Assuming you are talking about the Norris, I don't think that would be enough to retire for Nick especially knowing he can probably notch his 8th and 9th pretty soon after

[Earthhuman 8]

Hope he dose not ask for 6 mil agian....

Even the 6 million was a cut from his last contract, right? And he has looked better this season. You can't have it both ways, he was never low-balled himself as far as I'm aware of, I don't see that continuing.

Look at it this way, could you spend the 6 million any better? When you ask that, it starts to look more like the discount it is.

[HankthaTank 1,100]

Look at it this way, could you spend the 6 million any better? When you ask that, it starts to look more like the discount it is.

THIS. He will likely take 1 year contracts for the rest of his career and if it's 6 mill everyone of those years????

Yes, please. I mean honestly.....

[NeverForgetMac25 483]

Hope he dose not ask for 6 mil agian....

:nonono: Jesus!

These comments blow my mind. Its so easy for anyone here to talk about money when its not theirs. Any team in their right mind would pay upwards of $7.5-$8 million per for a Norris Defenseman in the NHL, yet people ***** because they feel Nick (who's taken paycut after paycut) should make even less than $6. Get real people.

[wingslogo19 281]

:nonono: Jesus!

These comments blow my mind. Its so easy for anyone here to talk about money when its not theirs. Any team in their right mind would pay upwards of $7.5-$8 million per for a Norris Defenseman in the NHL, yet people ***** because they feel Nick (who's taken paycut after paycut) should make even less than $6. Get real people.

Amen, well said Mac

[SouthernWingsFan 854]

:nonono: Jesus!

These comments blow my mind. Its so easy for anyone here to talk about money when its not theirs. Any team in their right mind would pay upwards of $7.5-$8 million per for a Norris Defenseman in the NHL, yet people ***** because they feel Nick (who's taken paycut after paycut) should make even less than $6. Get real people.

Bingo.

When Lidstrom re-signed for another year, the absurdity in here for how much he signed for was beyond stupid, when (1) Lidstrom took a pay cut (2) he could easily make more on other teams and (3) he could have easily asked for more money.

[Broken 16 381]

Jebus... the guy said he hopes Lidstrom doesn't ask for 6 million. Frankly so do I. He never said he wasn't worth it. Put away the uzis. Wow...

Edited March 9, 2011 by Broken 16