Who do you miss more, Nick or Zetts?

kook10

Registered User
Jun 27, 2011
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Lids by a mile - he never really lost the smarts, grace and skill (maybe a bit of speed). I love Z, but while he never took a shift off he was laboring like an old Stevie Y for a long time.
 

jprenkert

Registered User
Mar 7, 2014
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Metro Detroit
Hank was good but id say they miss Lids way more. The season after he retired, you could tell they missed that. With hank retiring, its like whose next up. I dont miss him. He was a great 2 way center on pair with Bergeron. Still think 91 needs to be retired over 40 everyday. Hank didnt do enough to me for jersey retirement.
 

Winger98

Moderator
Feb 27, 2002
22,756
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Cleveland
I miss seeing Lidstrom control the play like no other for 30 minutes a night. The guy was a machine back there.

I liked watching Z more, though - especially in the playoffs. I'm not sure I remember seeing one elite player so consistently get under the skin and shadow other elite players. Z didn't just outplay whoever was across from him, he pissed them off. It was fun and weird to watch.
 

Kronwalled55

Detroit vs. Everybody
Jan 7, 2011
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Lidstrom was on another level. The guy won a Norris in his 40s.

I still say he was the greatest defensemen to ever play the game. The offensive mindset, the amount of minutes, and the quality of competition he shut down every game. Truly unreal.
 
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Bench

3 is a good start
Aug 14, 2011
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I think @Winger98 summed up my feelings extremely well.

As I read all of your responses, I keep tilting my choice back and forth. And ultimately we are all so lucky to have seen both of these players compete together during peak years. What a treat. I really miss both of them on the ice so damn much.
 

SoupGuru

Registered User
May 12, 2007
18,544
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Spokane
Lidstrom was a generational talent. He read plays before they were even started. He knew what you were going to do before you did. Look at his offensive numbers and realize he was defensive defenseman. He was "chipping in" on offense when he could. He was an incredible player.

Zetterberg was a really good player
 
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Bench

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Lidstrom was a generational talent. He read plays before they were even started. He knew what you were going to do before you did. Look at his offensive numbers and realize he was defensive defenseman. He was "chipping in" on offense when he could. He was an incredible player.

Zetterberg was a really good player

I agree with everything you said about Lidstrom but I'll quibble about the Zetterberg comment. Z, at his peak, was a top 2 player in the world with Datsyuk. Those 2 were dominant on both sides of the puck.

There was a span there where other fans could not believe after enduring Yzerman and Fedorov that somehow the Wings now had another completely dominant duo.
 

Lazlo Hollyfeld

The jersey ad still sucks
Mar 4, 2004
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Lidstrom was on another level. The guy won a Norris in his 40s.

I still say he was the greatest defensemen to ever play the game. The offensive mindset, the amount of minutes, and the quality of competition he shut down every game. Truly unreal.
It's incredible what a heads up player he was. It's how he almost never got hit in spite of everyone targeting him.

He so rarely looked down I'm not sure he'd recognize his skates if they weren't on his feet.
 

turkleton85

Registered User
Dec 12, 2017
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Both were absolutley awesome, lidstrom of course is one of the best players to ever play the game. Z on the other hand is severly underrated at times, and his playing style and tenaciousnes were so much fun to watch. Its a tie for me

Z was all heart and soul, and i'm glad that with larkin we have a guy who is stepping into this mold. You just can't not love a guy who is leaving it all on the ice every game
 

newfy

Registered User
Jul 28, 2010
14,718
8,241
Lidstrom without a second thought. Z might be number 5 on my favorite wings I've watched list. Might.

I gotta agree with you on that. Aand thats not really a knock on Zetterberg either, the wings have had some awesome players the last 30 years. Yzerman, Fedorov, Datsyuk and Lidstrom are all ahead and then I could see the Z argument at number 5. But then theres still guys like Shanahan who had multiple 40 goal seasons and could fight heavyweights. You've got Konstantinov whose time was short but he definitely made his mark. I wouldnt put them ahead of Zetterberg but from an entertainment stand point the Bruise Bros were fun to watch and so was McCarty in those cup years, plus the comeback story in 2008.

So yeah Zetterberg might be number 5, I think hes number 6 for me (behind Shanny) but he isnt a runaway from Vlad either.

Darren McCarty. Haven't won a cup without him on the roster dating back to 1955.

I met McCarty at a wings game and we were talking and my bro mentioned that it was awesome when he came back in 08. DMacs reply was "Buddy, Kenny has never won a f***ing cup without me" lol
 
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brentashton

Sofa Counterweight
Jan 21, 2018
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Nick. A real machine on the back end. As many others have said you build teams out from this position of strength. He was generational. Z is a close second and one of my all timer faves, but you asked us to choose, so i did.
 

313ryans

Registered User
Nov 23, 2016
19
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If you put together a best ever Wings team from players across all eras, Z probably makes the team. 5 is the undisputed #1 Dman and plays top minutes for this team.
 

Bondurant

Registered User
Jul 4, 2012
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Phoenix, Arizona
Lidstrom. Elite player. One of the all time greats at his position and a key player for so much greatness.

Wish the Babsocks crew made a Perfect Human pair.
 

ManwithNoIdentity

Registered User
Jun 4, 2016
6,932
4,298
Kalamazoo, MI
Lidstrom, period and I don't even have to second guess. He's one of the complete players we'll maybe never have again but at the same time Hank is a hero and will be loved forever

Either way we were beyond blessed to have Nick, Stevie, Dats, Hank and players like Shanahan/Fedirov all in that small amount of time

you sir, must not be impressed by much.



Why do I still get racked with anxiety still watching this years later
 
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The Wizard of Oz

Registered User
Feb 24, 2013
807
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Michigan
Lidstrom could come back right now and be our best defenseman.

So, him.
Selfishly I wish he played until he was Chelios’ age and we all know he could have done it. But I respect his reasons once you’re not the best of the best it’s hard to lower your own standards. Still, the guy would’ve been a top 4dman for at least another 5 seasons with that genius hockey IQ. Would’ve loved to have him in that Chicago series. Z was done, battered, and broken. I would’ve liked to see him hit 1000pts but it is what it is. He earned the right to retire with the pain he endured. To answer the question I miss Stevie the most.
 

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