Lidstrom: the second best Red Wing all time?

wingfanjim · 06-05-2008, 01:59 AM

It is pretty close. However, I will say this. If Stevie Y doesn't sustain the catastrophic knee injuries he did (especially the one in March of 88) he might still be playing and would have some INCREDIBLE numbers. He lost a lot of playing time in his career due to injuries (broken collarbone in 86, knee in 88, knee in 91, herniated disc in 93, knee again in 95, ankle in 97, groin and a knee again in 98, knee again in 2000...twice, ankle in 2001...twice, knee in 2002...three times, groin in 2004, groin in 2005).

If he had stayed healthy...especially his back and his knees, just think of the type of numbers he would have had. He started breaking down towards the end of his career because of his knees. His injuries may have been the difference between winning possibly 1-3 more stanley cups over the span of his career.

What if he had been fully healthy in 87 when the Wings played the Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals? A host of other what-ifs could be asked.

Lidstrom has been blessed with incredible health due to his style of play. If Yzerman would have been as blessed, this wouldn't even be a contest. In fact, Lidstrom might not have been wearing the C tonight because Yzerman might have still been playing.

06-05-2008, 01:59 AM	#16 (permalink)
wingfanjim 10,000+ posts Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: East Lansing Posts: 19,947 Mark Dantonio	It is pretty close. However, I will say this. If Stevie Y doesn't sustain the catastrophic knee injuries he did (especially the one in March of 88) he might still be playing and would have some INCREDIBLE numbers. He lost a lot of playing time in his career due to injuries (broken collarbone in 86, knee in 88, knee in 91, herniated disc in 93, knee again in 95, ankle in 97, groin and a knee again in 98, knee again in 2000...twice, ankle in 2001...twice, knee in 2002...three times, groin in 2004, groin in 2005). If he had stayed healthy...especially his back and his knees, just think of the type of numbers he would have had. He started breaking down towards the end of his career because of his knees. His injuries may have been the difference between winning possibly 1-3 more stanley cups over the span of his career. What if he had been fully healthy in 87 when the Wings played the Oilers in the Campbell Conference Finals? A host of other what-ifs could be asked. Lidstrom has been blessed with incredible health due to his style of play. If Yzerman would have been as blessed, this wouldn't even be a contest. In fact, Lidstrom might not have been wearing the C tonight because Yzerman might have still been playing.