Confirmed with Link: Lidstrom hired as VP of Hockey Ops!

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

No Nick and Yzerman never gets a cup. Hands down the single most important player of the era and its not close.

I love Lidstrom but no… no he’s not the most important player on the pre-cap Wings. He was very important… but Yzerman was definitely more important and I’d put more emphasis on Shanahan and what he brought in the late 90s over Lidstrom. Konstantinov was arguably on Lidstrom’s level as a defenseman too.

He was undoubtedly the most important post lockout… but honestly that 01-02 team of nine hall of famers loses in the first round if Steve Yzerman doesn’t turn it on and put the team on his shattered back and one working leg. The Lidstrom mid-ice bomb broke Vancouver’s and Cloutier’s back… but they would have been comfortably ahead and maybe won by that time if Yzerman didn’t dominate offensively and defensively while skating on a leg that he noticed limped on when walking to the rink

 

[lilidk]

There's such a thing like teleDoctor , Lidstrom going to be teleVP. Progress

 

[SCD]

There's such a thing like teleDoctor , Lidstrom going to be teleVP. Progress

teleDoctor is progress?

 

[Stony Curtis]

They have enough of a presence in Europe that this is warranted. It's also a pretty clear indicator that they plan on increasing that presence.

Do we know if the Wings are the first team to hire a VP for European operations? I can see many teams following suit.

 

[lilidk]

teleDoctor is progress?

It is , don't know if it's good . Covid changing our lives.

 

[TCNorthstars]

They have enough of a presence in Europe that this is warranted. It's also a pretty clear indicator that they plan on increasing that presence.

Do we know if the Wings are the first team to hire a VP for European operations? I can see many teams following suit.

He isn't just for European Operations is he? Isn't he over all Hockey Ops?

 

[Rzombo4 prez]

What exactly would you say a VP of Hockey Ops actually does?

 

[Stony Curtis]

He isn't just for European Operations is he? Isn't he over all Hockey Ops?

Sure, but I can't imagine that he won't be more heavily involved in the European ops, since that's where he'll be based. I could be wrong....

 

[lilidk]

A lot of people working from home lately, using zoom or other to communicate. It's new reality.
I have never understand why scouts needs to go to game , they could be more productive just watching tapes.

 

[GoBoltz56]

It's a created position specifically for Lidstrom to learn how to be an executive and be involved with hockey again. He's not a "european executive" specifically, as he will be involved in all facets and meetings via video calls or traveling to Detroit on a regular basis. They're just letting him remain living in Sweden to be with his family, and since he's there, he will give input on the Swedish prospects development and maybe do some scouting. As others mentioned, everyone is working virtually now. Even Yzerman was wearing a sweatshirt with a fake green screen background at the press conference.

 

[Revenge of Gru]

I love Lidstrom but no… no he’s not the most important player on the pre-cap Wings. He was very important… but Yzerman was definitely more important and I’d put more emphasis on Shanahan and what he brought in the late 90s over Lidstrom. Konstantinov was arguably on Lidstrom’s level as a defenseman too.

He was undoubtedly the most important post lockout… but honestly that 01-02 team of nine hall of famers loses in the first round if Steve Yzerman doesn’t turn it on and put the team on his shattered back and one working leg. The Lidstrom mid-ice bomb broke Vancouver’s and Cloutier’s back… but they would have been comfortably ahead and maybe won by that time if Yzerman didn’t dominate offensively and defensively while skating on a leg that he noticed limped on when walking to the rink

This is simply hilarious. Ridiculous but hilarious. Lidstrom was the best Red Wing in history not named Gordy. Yzerman was the second best forward on those cup winning teams. At that point in his career Sergei was vastly superior. Yzerman was never the same after his knee injury and he likely wasn't as good as Feds before that. He was a great captain and all but it is a myth that he was the best player on those teams. He simply wasn't.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

What exactly would you say a VP of Hockey Ops actually does?

Look, I already told you. He deals with Steve Yzerman so the scouts don't have to! He has people skills. He is good at dealing with people. What the hell is wrong with you people?

 

[lilidk]

Between Lidstrom and Konstantinov, I believe the best pare ever, who was faster skater

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

This is simply hilarious. Ridiculous but hilarious. Lidstrom was the best Red Wing in history not named Gordy. Yzerman was the second best forward on those cup winning teams. At that point in his career Sergei was vastly superior. Yzerman was never the same after his knee injury and he likely wasn't as good as Feds before that. He was a great captain and all but it is a myth that he was the best player on those teams. He simply wasn't.

No, the myth is that he sacrificed his talent and whatnot to be a two-way grindy forward. He was a PPG two-way elite C. Yzerman, at his worst, was pretty close to PPG.
It's arguable whether Konstantinov or Lidstrom was better as a defenseman in the mid 1990s.

And I was apoplectic more because Yzerman wasn't "carried" to a cup. Yzerman drove that bus as much or more than Lidstrom did in 94-02. After 02 and definitely after the lockout, it was the Nick Lidstrom show. But mid 30s Yzerman was still an elite elite elite player.

In the history of the Wings, it's

Howe
Yzerman
Lidstrom

Yzerman gets in this weird place where he gets simultaneously too much credit for a lot of things and not anywhere near enough credit for others.

Sergei was vastly superior? Superior, yes. But statistics tell a different story about that.

And Yzerman before his knee injury in the late 80s? He was the third best player in hockey behind Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. Yzerman was ludicrous before his injury. He was basically

 

[jfrank21]

What exactly would you say a VP of Hockey Ops actually does?

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

Between Lidstrom and Konstantinov, I believe the best pare ever, who was faster skater

I'll say Lidstrom simply because he was a much smoother skater. He was built like a damn race horse with his thigh muscles. It's part of why he hardly ever got muscled off the puck. Konstantinov was far stronger overall though.

 

[Oddbob]

A lot of people working from home lately, using zoom or other to communicate. It's new reality.
I have never understand why scouts needs to go to game , they could be more productive just watching tapes.

You see way way more going to games then you will ever see watching tapes. Video only covers where the action is, but there is lots of stuff to pay attention to that the camera doesn't pick up.

 

[Lil Sebastian Cossa]

You see way way more going to games then you will ever see watching tapes. Video only covers where the action is, but there is lots of stuff to pay attention to that the camera doesn't pick up.

Agreed. The camera won't watch a player when the puck isn't by him. But honestly, your player is going to spend more of his time on the ice without the puck than with it. So, you want to be able to watch him and see that he's playing a smart game. You can see his skating speed and ability to catch up or otherwise. Also, for something like when the Wings scouted Zetterberg... they were actually there to see some other guy and then Zetterberg just kept having the puck find him (like all great players, the puck just seems to be where they are) and they wondered who that tiny Zetterberg kid was.

 

[lilidk]

You see way way more going to games then you will ever see watching tapes. Video only covers where the action is, but there is lots of stuff to pay attention to that the camera doesn't pick up.

That is true , but you spend so much time just for one game. Remember how we got Datsyuk, nobody else saw him

 

[FabricDetails]

My guess is that he's going to try out whatever he wants to work on or in more professional terms, wherever he thinks is the best fit for him. Much like Stevie did when he first started.

I wouldn't be surprised if perhaps his long game is to be the President for Vasteras IK or something like that.

 

[dalem177]

Sergei was vastly superior? Superior, yes. But statistics tell a different story about that.

AND I remember multiple comments about Federov along the lines of "He can change the game anytime he's on the ice, if he wants to." No one ever said anything like that last part about Yzerman. Like we've been shown the last couple years with Mantha, pure ability is not everything. You need the drive to use it to its maximum every shift.

I missed his early career, but what I do remember about Yzerman is his unstoppable will to crush it every game, crushed eye socket and sawn-in-half leg be damned. That's a leader. It's also one of the reasons I like Larkin so much. I'm not as concerned with his skill level so much as I am with his will and drive, and using those as a lens through which to focus his leadership. I like most of what I've seen so far there.

-dale

 

[TCNorthstars]

That is true , but you spend so much time just for one game. Remember how we got Datsyuk, nobody else saw him

And our scouts wouldn't have seen him either if they were just watching tapes of the guy they initially went to see.

 

[Revenge of Gru]

No, the myth is that he sacrificed his talent and whatnot to be a two-way grindy forward. He was a PPG two-way elite C. Yzerman, at his worst, was pretty close to PPG.
It's arguable whether Konstantinov or Lidstrom was better as a defenseman in the mid 1990s.

And I was apoplectic more because Yzerman wasn't "carried" to a cup. Yzerman drove that bus as much or more than Lidstrom did in 94-02. After 02 and definitely after the lockout, it was the Nick Lidstrom show. But mid 30s Yzerman was still an elite elite elite player.

In the history of the Wings, it's

Howe
Yzerman
Lidstrom

Yzerman gets in this weird place where he gets simultaneously too much credit for a lot of things and not anywhere near enough credit for others.

Sergei was vastly superior? Superior, yes. But statistics tell a different story about that.

View attachment 498158

View attachment 498157

And Yzerman before his knee injury in the late 80s? He was the third best player in hockey behind Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. Yzerman was ludicrous before his injury. He was basically

No, the myth is that he sacrificed his talent and whatnot to be a two-way grindy forward. He was a PPG two-way elite C. Yzerman, at his worst, was pretty close to PPG.
It's arguable whether Konstantinov or Lidstrom was better as a defenseman in the mid 1990s.

And I was apoplectic more because Yzerman wasn't "carried" to a cup. Yzerman drove that bus as much or more than Lidstrom did in 94-02. After 02 and definitely after the lockout, it was the Nick Lidstrom show. But mid 30s Yzerman was still an elite elite elite player.

In the history of the Wings, it's

Howe
Yzerman
Lidstrom

Yzerman gets in this weird place where he gets simultaneously too much credit for a lot of things and not anywhere near enough credit for others.

Sergei was vastly superior? Superior, yes. But statistics tell a different story about that.

View attachment 498158

View attachment 498157

And Yzerman before his knee injury in the late 80s? He was the third best player in hockey behind Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux. Yzerman was ludicrous before his injury. He was basically

Stats are nice but they don't replace actually watching hockey. Lidstrom was at worst top 5 defenseman in NHL history. Some would argue top 2. Yzerman was the 2nd best forward on his team. He was one of the all time great players but he isn't in the class of Lidstrom. Yzerman benefited from some years in the high flying 80s but in that era Mario and Wayne were the best and Yzerman wasn't in the same stratosphere. In the 90s Yzerman fell further down the list behind guys like Forsberg and Fedorov ect... At no point was Steve Yzerman the best in the game at his position. Nick was for almost the entirety of his career. He is arguably the best 2 way defenseman of all time.
Simply look at the minutes Lidstrom played in those seasons. No Red Wing skater played more. Nick was far and away the most important player in the era. We hadd multiple goalies. Multiple #1 centers. Nick was the cornerstone of a dynasty.

 

[ricky0034]

I love Lidstrom but no… no he’s not the most important player on the pre-cap Wings. He was very important… but Yzerman was definitely more important and I’d put more emphasis on Shanahan and what he brought in the late 90s over Lidstrom. Konstantinov was arguably on Lidstrom’s level as a defenseman too.

He was undoubtedly the most important post lockout… but honestly that 01-02 team of nine hall of famers loses in the first round if Steve Yzerman doesn’t turn it on and put the team on his shattered back and one working leg. The Lidstrom mid-ice bomb broke Vancouver’s and Cloutier’s back… but they would have been comfortably ahead and maybe won by that time if Yzerman didn’t dominate offensively and defensively while skating on a leg that he noticed limped on when walking to the rink

Yzerman's one thing as the captain and all but this post is a good example of why Lidstrom kept losing the Norris till he'd built up enough of a reputation at 31

just the absolute fetishization of physical play it takes to rank a Winger like Shanahan in the same universe of importance let alone above

 

[theYman]

Coaching staff needs to go. I'm not buying what Blashill is selling anymore. And Tanguay? What a joke.