One of the NHLs All-Time greats is hanging up his skates.
Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom made the announcement on Thursday morning that the 2011-12 season was his last in the league, ending a brilliant 20-year career. His place in the Hockey Hall of Fame is imminent, after seven Norris Trophies as the NHLs best defenseman, four Stanley Cup championships, and countless other accomplishments.
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Sharks head coach Todd McLellan, who was an assistant coach in Detroit for three seasons from 2005-08 while handling the power play on which Lidstrom was a key component, reacted to the news.
I think you have to look at it from two perspectives. One is the hockey perspective, and I think were all disappointed that were losing a Hall of Fame, all-star playerone that was so dominant for so many years, so thats the really sad part, McLellan said. But, then you have to look at it from a family perspective. You have to appreciate that hes had a satisfying career, and that hes going to spend time with his boys and his wife. You have to respect him for that. Its a happysad day when you think about it, but what a remarkable career.
McLellan was part of the Red Wings 2008 Stanley Cup team in the season prior to his being named head coach of the Sharks, so he has a unique perspective on how Lidstrom conducted himself on a day-to-day basis both on and off the ice.
I think youll hear specifically from the Detroit people is what a great human being this guy is; what a good person he is, great teammate, how he cared about people, how professional he was.
San Jose Sharks
The obvious is on the ice. The way he can read plays and the way he can shake off forecheckers and the impact he had on the game for all 20 of his yearsone of the best players ever to play. But the unnoticed or unseen is how he carries himself around people and in the locker room. Just a remarkable man. Really, really remarkable.
Kings success no surprise
The Los Angeles Kings are just three wins from their first Stanley Cup, defeating the New Jersey Devils in Game 1 in Newark on Wednesday, 2-1 in overtime.
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They are now a perfect 9-0 on the road in the playoffs, and could become the first eighth seeded team to win it all.
I asked McLellan, whose Sharks team beat Los Angeles in six games in the first round last season, if he is surprised by the Kings run.
Not really. Think of it this waythe trouble we had beating them last year, they didnt have Anze Kopitar (injury), they didnt have Jeff Carter, they didnt have Mike Richards, Jarret Stoll was suspended for a game, and Justin Williams was playing on a bad shoulder. Thats five of their top six forwards.
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They had us on the ropes, so Im not surprised at all. Its more surprising that they struggled to get in during the season.
The Kings ended up as the eighth seed after losing two games to San Jose to close out the regular season, including an overtime loss on April 7 at HP Pavilion. Incidentally, their last road playoff loss came in San Jose in Game 1 of the first round last year.