Nick Lidstrom talks return to Hockeytown as Wings honor his HHOF achievement

 

By @MichaelCaples –

DETROIT – The Red Wings’ iconic No. 5 was back in town Tuesday evening, as Detroit celebrated Nick Lidstrom’s Hockey Hall of Fame induction by playing a game in his honor.

Prior to a ceremonial puck drop, Lidstrom spoke with members of the media to discuss a variety of topics, starting with Tuesday’s #NickNight festivities.

“It’s always special coming back here to The Joe, especially game night, getting a chance to get back on the ice and look up in the stands again – I’m looking forward to tonight’s game and the ceremony before, too,” Lidstrom said roughly an hour and a half before puck drop.

The former Red Wings’ captain said he certainly misses being a part of a game-day atmosphere at Joe Louis Arena.

 

“I miss the camaraderie in the locker room, being with your teammates, the guys you have a special bond with,” Lidstrom said. “I also miss the game situations – the game’s on the line, you’re up a goal or down a goal – when it really matters. I miss those moments too, when you have to compete, I miss that part.”

“It was fun,” Lidstrom said of watching today’s morning skate. “It was fun being back and it was fun just feeling that atmosphere again, being in the locker room and seeing the guys after the morning skate. Just getting a chance to say hi to them was very nice.”

Lidstrom said he has been pleased with what he’s seen out of this year’s Red Wings squad, while acknowledging the difficulties they face in an incredibly balanced NHL. Detroit is currently in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, but at the same time, only one point out of fourth, and six points out of second.

“I think they have a very good team, very fast team, but the league is so close now,” Lidstrom said. “You look at the standings, if you lose a couple games you can drop, if you win a couple games you can move up – it’s such a tight race. It makes it real exciting. It’s almost like playoff hockey now and you have 20 something games left to play, and every game matters, every point matters, and that’s making it exciting hockey.”

Playoff hockey made for a good transition into Lidstrom talking about what he cherishes most from his own career – team accomplishments over individual ones.

“I always think about the championships,” Lidstrom said. “Winning Stanley Cups – you set up a goal in September in training camp and you reach that goal the following year in June. Those are some of the great memories that I cherish, but also being able to play for a lot of years, not missing many games, and being part of such a great organization, too. Being a part of the Red Wings throughout my whole career here, that’s something I cherish as well.”

He did admit that it’s easier to think about his own accomplishments these days, however. First European captain of a Stanley Cup-winning team, seven Norris Trophies, a Conn Smythe trophy, four Olympics…the list goes on and on.

“Yeah probably more now than when I was playing,” when asked if he thinks about that long list more these days. “When you’re playing, you’re always thinking about the next game, the next season, you’re always focusing on what’s ahead. Now you can look back and enjoy it in a different way. You can enjoy winning the first Norris Trophy, you can enjoy some of the accomplishments I had as an individual. What it really comes down to it, the whole year, you’re thinking about when you won with a team. Winning as a team, winning with the guys, like I said earlier, you set up that goal and you reach that goal with the guys, with the guys you battled with for 80-some games and then you have the playoffs – those are the memories I really cherish.”

He’s excited to see the Hockeytown fans tonight, as well.

“They meant a lot,” Lidstrom said. “It meant a lot playing for such a great organization, but for the fans as well. Pretty much always playing in front of a sold-out crowd here at The Joe; the fans demanded a lot, but I think that helped us set the standard for our team. They wanted us to succeed, they wanted us to have a good team, they wanted us to play well, and I think that helped the team move forward and play well.”

Lidstrom also said he’s excited to participate in this Friday’s alumni showdown between the Red Wings and Avalanche outdoors at Coors Field in Denver. He said the rivalry between the two teams – and the infamous game that ignited such a heated rivalry – was a remarkable experience.

“That game in particular, but we lost to the Avalanche the year before in the playoffs, I think we lost in six games, but then we came back and played real well the following season. That game could have been a turning point – how we played against them. Nothing was really said before the game, and everything that happened sort of just happened. I think we showed to ourselves that we could beat them, we could be a team that can take that next step, and that game was a big stepping stone for our team, to beat them the way we did in March, and set us up for a good run in the playoffs.”