The Detroit Red Wings have scheduled a press conference for Thursday, May 31, 2012, beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET in the C.C. Olympia Club at Joe Louis Arena. Participants at tomorrow’s press conference will include Red Wings Executive Vice President & General Manager Ken Holland and team captain Nicklas Lidstrom.
I'm preparing for the worst.....but I'm not ready for this.
I hope not, but I've seen more than one source saying he's retiring and one source saying he's staying. I don't know what to think, so I will assume the worst until tomorrow. It looks pretty bleak to me.
They were quite good this season before everyone and their mother got hurt all at once. I'm not going to lie and say it's not a big deal that we're losing Lidstrom and Stuart at minimum, probably a couple more. However, they still have plenty of good players and $20 million of cap room to get replacements. Helm and Abdelkader will be re-signed. Nyquist and Brendan Smith will be full-time players and they have Jarnkrok, Jurco, and a couple other prospects that are a season or two from seeing the big leagues. This is what Holland has been preparing for. He's been setting himself up to be able to do this. If it's September and the Wings have not added at least one very, very good defenseman and at least one very, very good forward, ok, I'll be more concerned about our chances. But not right now.
tl;dr: Losing Lidstrom is a big blow, but it's coming at probably the most opportune time. It's not time to write off next season yet.
I don't think it's that simple. It's a more complex fix than just saying, "Let's add a defenseman and we'll be fine." The team as a whole needs a facelift, offensively, defensively, philosophically, everything. Teams have figured us out and have structured their rosters to beat us. San Jose and Nashville were assembled specifically to do that. Now we have to adjust a bit. We're not going to change our style of play, but we need players with a different skill set. This was going to happen with or without Lidstrom.....I just wish it were happening with him still here. No one can replace him. Without him, it means we have to put the full-court press on the best defensemen available. Thankfully, we have the resources to do so. I think the team will still be good, but it will no doubt be interesting to see how good.
I think our forwards had a lot to do with our defensive struggles too though. Case in point Jiri Hudler following two other Red Wings into the corner while his man stands in front of an open net. Their team defense was pretty good all of last season until they hit the injury bug. Just as important as solid defensemen are forwards like Helm and Datsyuk who work their asses off to backcheck. We need more of them.
Saving a goal and helping the Wings preserve a 4-2 win in Game 2 that tied the 1997 Western Conference Finals with Colorado. Detroit would win the series in 6 and win their first Stanley Cup in 42 years: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR-E0zLh_pg
Down 2-0 in the first round to the Vancouver Canucks in 2002, Lidstrom's goal from center ice changed the series. Detroit would win the series in 6 and go on to win the Stanley Cup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BEwvuNBp08
Another goal from center ice, this time in Game 6 of the first round of the 2008 playoffs against Nashville. Detroit would win the game and clinch the series and go on to win the Cup: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vp2eTuoUz3Y
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I'm preparing for the worst.....but I'm not ready for this.
This is going to be our biggest offseason since the lockout. A bunch of players leaving and lots of money to spend.
tl;dr: Losing Lidstrom is a big blow, but it's coming at probably the most opportune time. It's not time to write off next season yet.
Lets go Kings.
Saving a goal and helping the Wings preserve a 4-2 win in Game 2 that tied the 1997 Western Conference Finals with Colorado. Detroit would win the series in 6 and win their first Stanley Cup in 42 years:
Down 2-0 in the first round to the Vancouver Canucks in 2002, Lidstrom's goal from center ice changed the series. Detroit would win the series in 6 and go on to win the Stanley Cup:
Another goal from center ice, this time in Game 6 of the first round of the 2008 playoffs against Nashville. Detroit would win the game and clinch the series and go on to win the Cup:
His hat trick last season, the first and only one of his career:
A bunch of videos of career accomplishments and highlights can be found here: http://video.redwings.nhl.com/videocenter/console?id=179864&lang=en&navid=DL|DET|home