Red Wings' Lidstrom makes history with Cup win

PITTSBURGH -- Few remember anymore, but nine years ago, Nicklas Lidstrom thought about leaving the Detroit Red Wings to return to his native Sweden.

It wasn't a money grab either. In the pre-salary capped NHL, the Red Wings weren't about to lowball their rising star on the blue line, the second runner-up for the Calder Trophy in his rookie season and a player they projected would one day win a Norris Trophy.

No, Lidstrom considered it purely for personal reasons. His children were approaching school age; if they grew up in the Detroit area, would they ever be able to settle back into Swedish life, upon the end of his playing career? Lidstrom discussed the topic with family and friends and ultimately was convinced he could have the best of both worlds -- a professional life in North America; and remain true to his Scandinavian roots.

Lidstrom's decision altered the course of many lives and the direction of an NHL organization. Where would the Red Wings be without Lidstrom leading the way? Maybe no Stanley Cup in 2002 -- he was chosen playoff MVP that year. Maybe no place in the history books, as the first European-born, European-trained captain of a Stanley Cup winner.

"It's something I'm very proud of," said Lidstrom, after he received the Stanley Cup from commissioner Gary Bettman Wednesday night after the Red Wings closed out the Pittsburgh Penguins here in a 3-2 nail-biter, which them the best-of-seven series in six hard-fought games. Playing against a high-octane Penguins' attack that obliterated three Eastern Conference opponents, the Red Wings won their fourth Stanley Cup in 11 years with defense, pure and simple. They surrendered just 10 goals in six games, with Lidstrom leading the way.

"The main thing is, we didn't get rattled," said Lidstrom. "Experience has a lot to do with that. That gives the whole team some calmness -- that we're not going to panic."

In the opening period, the Swedish trio of Lidstrom, Niklas Kronwall and Zetterberg killed 93 seconds of a two-man advantage, an opportunity that could have changed the tone and tenor of the game.

That efficient kill demonstrated the Red Wings' twin trademarks -- skill and poise -- both of which are embodied in Lidstrom's play. He doesn't have the "wow" factor of a Sidney Crosby. He just gets the job done, in the same calm fashion as the rest of his team.

"He wows you because he never has a bad game and never makes a mistake night after night after night, year after year after year," said Red Wings' general manager Ken Holland. "That's how I get wowed. When he does have a bad game, we talk about it in the coaches' room -- 'Holy cow, Nick had a bad night tonight' -- because you never see it."

Up until now, there have been European scoring leaders and European rookies of the year; European MVP winners and Europeans chosen first overall in the annual NHL draft entry, but no European captains. Apart from 1999, when Derian Hatcher of Sterling Hills, Mich. was captain of the Dallas Stars' Stanley Cup championship team, that has been the exclusive domain of Canadians.

It was the final barrier that needed to fall in what has, for decades now, been a cosmopolitan league. Coach Mike Babcock agreed that it was a watershed moment.

"In my mind, his steadying force was instrumental," said Babcock. "Never mind his skill level -- just who he is as a man."

Altogether, 23 different players dressed for at least one playoff game for the Red Wings this spring -- nine Canadians, seven Swedes, three Americans, two Czechs, one Russian and one Finn -- a true melting pot. The old taunt about the chicken Swede? Finally put to rest. The days when teams established an unofficial quota on Europeans? Long gone.

"Nicklas Lidstrom is the best player in the world and we've got the other two guys named Datsyuk and Zetterberg aren't bad either," said Drake. "So it's totally a myth. We proved that wrong this year. I think we realize how bad these guys want to win."

A couple of days ago, Lidstrom was asked: apart from himself, whom would he be happiest for, if the Red Wings prevailed? Lidstrom answered: For the first timers and cited Drake, a 39-year-old, with 19 years in the league, who was originally drafted by Detroit 116th overall in 1989 and came back this year, after a 16-year absence, to win a championship with the Red Wings.

Lidstrom gave the Cup first to Drake after he'd received it from commissioner Gary Bettman.

That's the essence of leadership -- looking out for everybody, all the way down the line, from the stars to the role players.

Sometimes, it takes a question out of left field to get a player to stop and think in the middle of a rapid-fire interview. Lidstrom did exactly that when asked before the game about the road not taken -- and what might have happened had he gone home so many years ago instead of staying in the Motor City.

"Kind of a tough question," he said, with a thin smile. "Probably I'd be playing back in Sweden. It would have been different for sure; but I still would have won two Cups."

And now he has won four -- and this one might be the sweetest of them all.

(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)