After Lidstrom notched two goals against Anaheim in Game 1, I overheard a number of radio callers refer to Nick as "The Captain." The radio host, Pat Caputo, found this quite interesting. Is it acceptable for there to be another "The Captain" in Detroit, other than, well, the original?
I had no immediate reaction to people calling Nick "The Captain" simply because he currently wears the "C". It's the truth - he is the captain. It's a true badge of honor for Nick that Red Wing fans would seemlessly put him in that category. I recall during the late 90s, Ken Holland was singing the praises of the great Red Wings. He said Yzerman would be considered the best Red Wing of all time, next to Gordie Howe. Then he added the kicker, with Nick Lidstrom following right behind. At the time, we all knew Lidstrom was an all-star, perhaps even a Hall of Famer. But the Red Wings organization is littered with Hall of Famers: Sid Abel, Delvecchio, Howe, Lindsay, Sawchuk, etc. Would Lidstrom's exploits surpass all those but the legendary Howe and Yzerman?
In my estimation, it's possible he's surpassed even Yzerman. When Yzerman was out with an injury and then later retired, the team hardly missed a beat. Perhaps it was random coincidence that, when Yzerman went down with an injury in '94, Fedorov stepped up to win the Hart trophy and lead the team to 100pts. Or when his career slowed down in the mid-2000s, Zetterberg and Datsyuk were ready to take over. The fact remains that when Lidstrom went out with an injury last season, the team crumbled. It was something like a 1-9-1 record in that span. All this is coming from a lifelong Yzerman fan - somebody who has a #19 jersey in the closet. Lidstrom may in fact be the better, more valuable player than Yzerman.
Of course, Lidstrom will never replace Yzerman in the heart's of most fans. Yzerman was the guy who symbolized the team's resurgence. With Yzerman in charge, the wings went from NHL laughingstock to perennial title contenders and 18 straight seasons (and counting) in the playoffs. Lidstrom came along when the team was already good, and his no-nonsense style will never sell many products or pitch fast-food. I should also mention that, with Yzerman out in '94 (Fedorov's Hart season), the wings crashed out in the 1st round. No doubt Yzerman's playoff heroics cemented his status. I'm thinking that Lidstrom's playoff heroics may eventually trump Stevie Y's.
For all his awesomeness, Yzerman's best seasons were with less talented rosters. It wasn't until Stevie Y was past his prime that the wings won the Cup in '97. Lidstrom was 26. It's like the battle of the two most unassuming hockey players of all time. No doubt Nick would say Stevie Y is the best Wing of all time, and vice versa. Maybe that's what makes them so beloved. It's truly a golden age of hockey in Detroit.
Good posting, but I'd like to add one thought...
ReplyDeleteAccording to my guru of NHL wisdom, Barry Melrose, Stevie Y was the ultimate leader in the locker room and universally respected as one of the premier captains/leaders in the game. I think Nic's Swedish personality might have less fire than #19, but I'd be curious to hear about his locker room presence. I have a feeling that, just as Yzerman was leading the team out of the depths of the Norris, the team was learning how to be a winner. Now, with Nic's veteran, calming presence, he leads by example and emits the confidence that the team picks up on. With Nic's Wings, excellence is expected. With #19's it was new and had to be learned and subsequently taught.
True. Yzerman's leadership ability was as much a reason for his popularity as anything. He was a quiet, unassuming guy who racked up 50 goals/season. That's the type of personality that Detroiters love.
ReplyDelete