Erik Nicklas Lidstrom is a Swedish former professional ice hockey defenceman and current vice president of hockey operations for the Detroit Red Wings.
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36 Facts About Nicklas Lidstrom
2.
Nicklas Lidstrom played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, which he captained for the final six seasons of his career.
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3.
Over his 20 NHL seasons, Lidstrom won four Stanley Cup championships, seven James Norris Memorial Trophies, one Conn Smythe Trophy as the playoff MVP, and was voted into 12 NHL All-Star Games.
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4.
Nicklas Lidstrom was the first European-born-and-trained captain of a Stanley Cup-winning team, as well as the first European player named playoff MVP.
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5.
Nicklas Lidstrom is the all-time leader in games played with a single NHL team by a European-born player.
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6.
Nicklas Lidstrom was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on 9 November 2015.
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7.
In 2017, Nicklas Lidstrom was named one of the "100 Greatest NHL Players" in history.
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8.
Widely considered one of the greatest defencemen of all time, Nicklas Lidstrom was awarded the Norris Trophy seven times, a feat matched by only two other players: Doug Harvey and by Bobby Orr.
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9.
Nicklas Lidstrom was nominated for the award a total of 12 times in his last 14 seasons in the NHL, the first three times finishing as the runner-up, and won it in seven of his last ten.
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10.
Nicklas Lidstrom played his entire 20-year NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings, finishing his career with the second-most Stanley Cup playoff games played in NHL history, with 263 appearances.
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11.
Nicklas Lidstrom won three consecutive Norris Trophies from 2001 to 2003 to become the first defenceman since Bobby Orr to win three straight.
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12.
Nicklas Lidstrom began his career in Avesta, Sweden, playing with Skogsbo SK, before moving on to play with VIK Vasteras HK of the Swedish Elitserien.
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13.
Nicklas Lidstrom scored 60 points in his rookie season, finishing second to Pavel Bure in voting for that year's Calder Trophy.
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15.
Nicklas Lidstrom became the fourth defenceman in NHL history with as many as five Norris Trophy wins, joining Hockey Hall of Famers Bobby Orr, Doug Harvey and Ray Bourque.
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16.
In doing so, Nicklas Lidstrom became the first European-born-and-trained captain to win the Stanley Cup.
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18.
However, in the midst of dealing with tendinitis that had been bothering him all season, Nicklas Lidstrom chose to sit out All-Star weekend, along with teammate Pavel Datsyuk.
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19.
On 15 October 2009, in a game against the Los Angeles Kings, Nicklas Lidstrom became the first European-born defenceman to reach 1,000 points after recording two assists in the game.
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21.
Nicklas Lidstrom is second all-time in games played in a Red Wing uniform, behind only Howe.
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22.
On 23 April 2010, Nicklas Lidstrom played in his 237th career playoff game, moving past Mark Messier into sole possession of third place on the NHL's all-time list.
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23.
On 27 April 2010, a day before his 40th birthday, Nicklas Lidstrom had three points in a Game 7 win over the Phoenix Coyotes in the first round of the 2010 playoffs, pushing his active playoff points lead to 171 points, and tying him for 17th on the all-time playoff points list with fellow countryman Peter Forsberg.
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24.
On 18 January 2011, Nicklas Lidstrom was named a team captain in the 2011 NHL All-Star Game in Raleigh, North Carolina.
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25.
On 22 October 2011, in a game against the Washington Capitals, Nicklas Lidstrom became the 14th player in the history of the NHL to play 1,500 games.
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26.
Nicklas Lidstrom is the first player not being born in North America, and therefore the first Swedish and European player, as well as the first player to accomplish this in his 20th NHL season.
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27.
Nicklas Lidstrom played in his 1,550th game on 12 February 2012, against the Philadelphia Flyers, surpassing Alex Delvecchio's previous Red Wing record of 1,549 games.
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28.
On 31 May 2012, Nicklas Lidstrom announced his retirement from the NHL via a press conference with Red Wings Owner Mike Ilitch and General Manager Ken Holland present.
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29.
On 28 February 2014, Nicklas Lidstrom was inducted into the Michigan Sports Hall of Fame.
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30.
At the 2006 Winter Olympics, Nicklas Lidstrom was a major factor in Sweden's win over Finland in the finals, scoring the gold medal-clinching goal, thus earning him a spot on the Olympic All-Star team.
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31.
Nicklas Lidstrom made his Olympic debut with Sweden at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan.
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32.
Nicklas Lidstrom made his third World Championships appearance in 2004, but only appeared in two games.
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33.
In doing so, Nicklas Lidstrom became a member of the Triple Gold Club, adding an Olympic gold medal to go with his previous Stanley Cups with Detroit and his World Championship gold medal in 1991.
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34.
Nicklas Lidstrom played for Sweden in the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, serving as team captain in what would be his final Olympic appearance.
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35.
Nicklas Lidstrom announced his retirement from Olympic competition following Sweden's loss to Slovakia.
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36.
Nicklas Lidstrom is married to Annika, with whom he has four children.
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