By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close
Marks on 10 June 2012
Edit Thread
hollabackenny said:
amp316 said:
hollabackenny said:
amp316 said:
hollabackenny said:
One of the greatest hockey players ever retired today.
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=633292


Don't you think that one of the greatest ever is pushing it?  Great player, but not one of the greatest ever.


Not at all. Please elaborate. 

A hall of famer yes, but not one of the greatest of all time.  Gretzky, Lemieux, Hull, Esposito, and Howe are guys that I think of when someone says greatest of all time.  He's not even the greatest Red Wing of all time.  Yzerman was even a better player than him.  Let me guess, your a Wings fan?

Everyone you just listed is a forward so it's obvious they'll have better stats than Lidstrom. There aren't many D-man that can post over 1,000 points in their career which Lidstrom did. So I'd say he's right up there with Orr, Chelios, Bourque etc. On top of that he's won the Norris trophy 7 times and the Conn Smythe Trophy once as well as make the all star team 12 times. And no, I'm a Minnesota Wild fan, I just know a great player when I see one. 


And the Wings made the playoffs every single year (20 years) that Lidstrom played. Of course some of that is Yzerman, Shanahan, Fedorov, Datsyuk, etc. but Lidstrom was always there and strong on the defensive end. And their goaltending was guys like Osgood, Vernon, Hasek (at an older age), etc. so good but no goalie that could steal a game really.