Final Bow: Lidstrom Retries

            Hours before Nicklas Lidstrom took a seat in front of the Detroit media to announce his plans for retirement, the Detroit Red Wings tweeted this:

            The purpose of the link was to show the length of Lidstrom’s tenure with the organization and the league; however, the song the link lead to was much more significant. Neither commissioner  Gary Bettman nor Detroit general manager Ken Holland can accurately describe Lidstrom’s career, but Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch can. In a lyric, “It’s such a GOOD VIBRATION.”

The 12-time NHL All Star defenseman finished with four Stanley Cups, seven Norris Trophies, and one Conn Smythe Trophy. Internationally, the 42-year-old won gold medals in the Olympics and World Championship. Lidstrom broke several records for the league and several more for the Red Wings but more importantly, he garnered respect from teammates and opponents for the way he carried himself on and off the ice.

            In 20 seasons, Lidstrom was nominated for the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy six times. The Swedish defenseman accumulated a mere 514 penalty minutes in more than 1,500 regular season games.  The captain’s “C” that he wore on his sweater for his final six seasons could have also stood for “class,” something he never left home without.

            His teammates referred to him as the “perfect human.” Off the ice, the 42-year old made one of the most difficult transitions appear as seamless as one of his breakout passes from the defensive zone.  In 1991, when Lidstrom arrived in Hockeytown, he was forced to acclimate himself with a new culture, new language, and new team. He did it, as he did everything, to perfection.

            Now, the most decorated defenseman of his era must adjust to a new lifestyle yet again. Detroit, on the other hand, is forced with the equally challenging and nearly impossible task of finding a player to fill Lidstrom’s void.    

            Regardless of who takes Lidstrom’s locker stall and fills his position in the lineup, the Red Wings will never completely replace him. And for as long as Joe Louis Arena stands, good vibrations will resonate to the rafters where his revered #5 will undoubtedly hang beside the numbers of the greatest players to ever play the game.  

Mustaches and Holtby

            For one month in the year, I felt powerful. I felt as though men and women alike were caught in my web of seduction. Then December 1^st came and I shaved off my half-inch of mustache hair. After taking a few selfies, I took a glance in the mirror and was faced with a harsh reality. I was powerless without the ‘stache. And although I could still hang out in front of the weight room and sell tickets to the gun show, nobody would be willing to buy them as long as my upper lip shadow wasn’t there to serve as a reminder that I am, deep down, essentially a clone of this man.

Fantastic photo of Ron Burgundy taken from woldfitness.com

This analogy encapsulates my feeling about certain players in the NHL playoffs. Much like Max Talbot did a few years ago with the Pittsburgh Penguins, the occasional “average” player will put on an exhibition in the playoffs and send a hoard of fans rushing to the team store to buy their jersey. Unfortunately, these are the same fans you see years later hanging out in the arena concourse leaning against the wall trying to hide the fact that they dropped $200 on the jersey of a player who has been scratched (but not necessarily sniffed) more than a lottery ticket. 

With that, I would like to introduce to my candidate for the player who I believe will burn out after the 2012 NHL playoffs and spend next season riding the pine.

If only for one more game, my vote goes to Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals. In my opinion, the 22-year old goalie is a playoff form of Steve Mason. He’s sweet for the moment, but by next season, he will join the ranks of the burnouts. Here are some statistics that reflect his performance in the regular season compared to the playoffs:

Regular Season:

Games Played – 7

Save Percentage - .922

Goals Against Average – 2.49

Playoffs:

Games Played – 13

Save Percentage - .935

Goals Against Average – 1.95

            Needless to say (but I’m going to anyways because I believe if I continue to use hip language I’m basically a lock for first-pick in my next game of playground basketball), this guy is “turnt” up right now.

            Maybe it’s the beard that is propelling this guy forward or perhaps he is still riding the adrenaline rush that comes with playing in the NHL. Either way, I find it hard to believe his parents will be buying season tickets at the Verizon Center next season. In fact, I think their reaction to learning their son is headed back to the minors might look a lot like this. 

            The chances are that as Holtby plays more, opposing teams will learn and exploit his weaknesses just like they did with Mason.  Holtby makes ill-advised decisions when coming out to play the puck. Playing against a team that likes to dump the puck, such as the New York Rangers, it’s a dangerous style.  Another huge weakness is his rebound control. Holtby gives up so many “juicy rebounds” that Pierre McGuire salivates each time the puck comes into the zone. Don’t get me wrong, I think he is crazy good right now, but I don’t think he will be as sweet as the hockey nation seems to believe.

           With this I bring you back to my mustache. Similar to the popularity I encountered in November with the 'stache, Holtby is experiencing an equally awe-striken month. However, the heavy hammer of reality cannot linger at the bottom of the toolbox. Eventually, Holtby will fade away into a crowd of average players. So when the Capitals' run for the Stanley Cup draws to a close and Holtby shaves his beard, what will be left is the face of a young goalie who just took the ride of his life. If he wishes to ride again, Holtby must clear some pretty tall expectations.