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Nicklas Lidstrom ranked No. 1 on best all-time Swedish NHLers list

Aug 2, 2018, 11:58 EDT

Whenever there’s a chance to talk about Nicklas Lidstrom, you gotta take it. According to NHL.com, Lidstrom is the best Swedish player ever to play in the NHL.

“Nicklas Lidström is undoubtedly one of the best defenders ever in the ice hockey,” writes Sports Illustrated’s legendary sports journalist Mike Farber about ‘Lidas’ who in 20 seasons led Detroit into a dynasty with four Stanley Cup triumphs and a constant top position in the world’s toughest hockey league . He is, writes Farber, a live instruction manual. Since 2015, Nicklas Lidström, who has also won World Cup and Olympic Gold, has been elected in the Hockey Hall of Fame. That is justification.” – The English translation of NHL.com/sv writer Janne Bengtsson’s post on Lidstrom.

Coming in after Lidstrom are the names you’d expect, like Mats Sundin, Peter Forsberg, and the Sedins. Short-time former Red Wings Borje Salming and Daniel Alfredsson also made the list, and current Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg ranked tenth.

Lidstrom played his entire 20-season career with the Red Wings, scoring 264 goals and amassing 1142 points. He became the first European born and trained player to captain an NHL team to the Stanley Cup in 2008 and he played a key role on three other Wings championship teams throughout their dynasty. Lidstrom also won the Norris Trophy seven times, putting him second all-time behind only Bobby Orr.

Honestly, while this list only ranks the best Swedes to play in the NHL, there’s certainly an argument to be made that Lidstrom is the best European ever to come across the pond.