Star defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom retired today after 20 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings, ending one of the best blue-liner careers in hockey history.
The four-time Stanley Cup champion and seven-time Norris Trophy winner as the league’s best defenseman made a very emotional announcement as he said goodbye to the NHL.
From the AP:
“My drive and motivation are not where to need to be to play at this level,” Lidstrom said.
The 42-year-old Swede set an NHL record by playing 1,564 games with a single team. He had put retirement on hold in each of the previous two years by signing one-year contracts.
“I’ve been dreading this day since I became manager in 1997,” Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said.
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