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Detroit Red Wings: Top 15 Moments from the Past 15 Years

By Jeff Maling

DETROIT, MI - APRIL 09: Former Detroit Red Wing Steve Yzerman #19 enters a ceremony honoring Joe Louis Arena on April 9, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. The Detroit Red Wings beat the New Jersey Devils 4-1 in the last NHL game at the arena. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DETROIT, MI - APRIL 09: Former Detroit Red Wing Steve Yzerman #19 enters a ceremony honoring Joe Louis Arena on April 9, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. The Detroit Red Wings beat the New Jersey Devils 4-1 in the last NHL game at the arena. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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5. Number 5

Nick Lidstrom had his number retired on March 6, 2014 in a ceremony at Joe Louis Arena.  Affectionately known as the perfect human, Lidstrom spent his entire career with the Detroit Red Wings.  He is a 7 time Norris trophy winner as the NHL’s best defenseman and hands down the best rearguard in the history of the Red Wings.

I never got to see Bobby Orr play (most older people tell me he was the best) but in all of my years of watching hockey, I’ve never seen any defenseman as good as Nick Lidstrom. He was great in every aspect of the game, hence the nickname.

One of the most amazing statistics of Lidstrom’s hall of fame career is that he averaged 25.7 penalty minutes per season.  For a top pairing defenseman playing against the best offensive players in the league, this is mind boggling.

Hilariously, when Lidstrom joined the Red Wings in 1991, he requested to have No. 9 because that was the number he wore in Sweden. After a good laugh and a look at the rafters of Joe Louis Arena, he was given No. 5 instead.

A few months before his number retirement ceremony, Detroit native Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers gave Nick Lidstrom one of his best moments ever at Joe Louis Arena. Nick Lidstrom was one of the all time greats if not the greatest. Wisely, Steve Yzerman recently offered him a job.

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