It was a no-brainer inducting Nicklas Lidstrom into the Hockey Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility amid a class of NHL blueliner talent. That honour became official at the annual HHOF ceremony in downtown Toronto on Monday.
In his entrance speech, Lidstrom quoted a Swedish saying: “Things never turn out the way you imagined.” In his case, he never imagined joining the HHOF and being part of the special ceremony Monday night. He has an air of humility and calmness in speaking and in playing the game.
Dubbed in all seriousness “The Perfect Human” by his former Detroit Red Wings teammates, Lidstrom goes down in history as one of the greatest defensemen of all time. He built his reputation in today’s “modern” NHL of parity. The most highly decorated of the HHOF’s Class of 2015, Lidstrom’s most noteworthy hockey achievement is his seven Norris trophies. Only Bobby Orr’s eight surpasses him.
The seven came from 2001 to 2011; the Swede’s age went from 31 to 41 over that period. No other NHLer racked up that many trophies over the 20-year span of his glorious career. Nobody has been at the absolute top of a given position for so long in today’s NHL.
