Nicklas Lidstrom to make Retirement Anouncement after 20 NHL Seasons

Source: Sports Illustrated

Tigers: Raburn to Toledo

   Real Quick, Tigers have optioned Ryan Raburn to Toledo. No idea why it has taken this long, but it has been done. However, it has brought up a lot of concerns. We don't have a consistent team. Worth and Kelly haven't lived up and don't seem to starter-like qualities.
   Now everyone seems to be all happy do to the Raburn thing, and now want to pick up someone big like Vladimir Guerrero or Bobby Abreu. Well... getting that one "big guy" isn't going to do anything. Haven't you learned? No offense, but just look at recent years with the Tigers when we added Sheffield, Damon, or even Cabrera and Fielder. Those players are not a single solution. There are a lot of things wrong with the team which are preventing us from being a solid contender. Let's work on a little bit of everything.
 
But seriously, Tigers, you really need to make my day today. Because...
  

Nicklas Lidstrom to make Retirement Announcement after 20 NHL seasons: End of my childhood, end of an era.

*This may be the hardest post to write. I blame any spelling errors due to my eyes filled with tears and my running emotions making me a bit incoherent.

Today, I recieved a text a little before 4:00 that read, "BREAKING: Red Wings press conference @ 11:00 am. Ken Holland and Nicklas Lidstrom expected in attendance."

My stomach just dropped...
 

   I turned 22 this past Sunday. Nick Lidstrom began his NHL carrer in the 1991-92 season. I don't know Red Wings Hockey without him. Really.
   What makes this harder than Chris Osgood leaving, is the fact that pretty much any hockey fan will agree that this is huge. Osgood was my personal favorite and sadly had a gap with the Wings, while Nick Lidstrom is the captian. The guy who has played with the Wings since 1991. Numerous awards and often consider THE best defensive players ever. Compared to Bobby Orr, Lids even has his own style of playing which many players today try to copy.
   I could sit here listing everything he has ever accomplished, but I can't even recall everything nor would anyone care to read it. Everyone knows he has done A LOT.
   It's hard to imagine a team without Nick. When Yzerman retired, we had a dynasty that he helped create-- now, that dynasty is closing-- we have a completely different team here. This leaves Tomas Holmstrom as the last guy who was with the team for the '97 Stanley Cup championship. He is going to break my heart too now, isn't he? The wings have made the playoffs every year he has played with us. It's the end of my childhood. End of an era...

Dave Sanford Getty Images
Why did they both have to retire after a first round exit?

   It's just so hard let him go. Even if he wasn't the same player as he was before, he is still better than 95% of the bums out there.

   I should be happy for Zetterberg (because without a doubt he is going to be the captain-- open for debate? Young guy instead?), but man, what a rough year for me. First Brian Rafalski, then Ozzie, Kris Draper, and now Nick Lidstrom. All my favorites. But now what's next? Franzen? Kronwall? Brendan Smith?! Ugh, my heart hurts a lot right now.

   I don't care to go into much detail on just how much he has meant to this team, organization, and city. Every season, he has been so vital to our sucess and he does it with CLASS. I'm just going to leave with a few of my favorite memories of Nicklas with the Wings (not even going to touch his time with Sweden or anything.

• Being the first European Captian to hoist the cup (2008).
• Nick Lidstrom is so amazing, he drives his kid to school on a game day.
• When asked was imperfections the team's captain has, Tomas Holmstrom replies. "Nick? No, he's perfect."
• Some random game in the 07-08 season, Nick Lidstrom was mistakenly called for a high-sticking penalty done by Brian Rafalski. Despite Rafalski trying to explain to the refs it was him, Nick said to him, "It's okay, Brian, you can do it without me" (um, slightly paraphrased) then took the blame, and went in the box without argument. 
• How impressive it is for someone to have to go all the way back SIX seasons to find a game where Lidstrom was a -5 in a game in the Rory Fitzpatrick Ad:

*sigh*
Nick, it's going to be a hard adjust without you. You were so much of what this teams has become and I'm sad to see you leave. Don't forget about us, and take care, Captian.