After winning four Stanley Cups, being a seven time Norris Trophy Winner, a 12 time All Star and after being arguably one of the best defensman of all time, not only in Detroit Red Wing history, but in the entire National Hockey League, Nicholas Lidstrom officially stepped down after 20 years on Detroit Ice.
Lidstrom’s retirement brings about the end of an era of a group of Red Wing players that my generation (those in their early 20’s to early 30’s) grew up watching win back to back Stanely Cups in 1997 and 1998. He will now join the ‘hung up their skates club? with the great Steve Yzerman, Darren McCarty, Kris Draper, Chris Osgood, Brendan Shannahan, Brett Hull and many others.
Just like when Stevie Y retired and the Captian ‘C? was handed over to Lidstrom, it will now be handed over to a new leader. (My guess is Henrik Zetterberg.)
It’s interesting though because Lindstrom’s retirement got me thinking of my own life when I came to the ‘end of an era.? After college and even before many of my ‘teammates? (friends) decided being a group of misfit players (bachelors) we could never win a Stanley Cup. So many of them went on to commit themselves to a team and get married to wonderful wives.
This left me standing on the blue line in my own zone, so I too decided to join the retirement of single life and commit myself to a team. On September 3, 2011 I married my wife Noell. On that day not only did I ‘join a team,? but when that ring was placed on my wife’s finger and I said ‘I do? I was given a ‘C? for captain status. My wife was given an ‘A? for assistant captian.
Well I recently had an another ‘end of an era? moment in late April and found out Team Keiser will be adding another player to our roster in December.
That’s right. I am going to be a daddy. While the news was very shocking, to both my assistant captian and I, we knew the contract was already negotiated with no trade agreement by our owner, general manager and coach (God the the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.) Otherwise known as ‘The Trinity.?
I have to admit this was a cross check from behind that I didn’t see coming and rattled my brain a little giving me a small concussion. I thought we were going for a second or third round draft pick and going to wait a couple years before bringing in a rookie, but apparently our coach is teaching us how to adapt to a different gameplan.
So we will welcome this rookie to the big leagues and show him or her how to ‘lace em up? and take a hit by the bodychecks of life. How to play both offense and defense, how to be a team player and the importance of listening to the coach.
Just like Yzerman and Lidstrom were great captains of the Red Wings and led their team by example and with humility. I am hoping to lead my team in like manner. Remaining humble and knowing we can only win a Stanley Cup if we follow the gameplan of our owner general manager and our coach.