Nicklas Lidstrom to remain with Detroit Red Wings as Scout -NHL offseason Update
Nicklas Lidstrom might not be playing on the ice anymore but will certainly be a part of the Detroit Red Wings as the former captain and elite defenseman signed on with the club to be their scout, most likely in the European region, announced the club on
Sunday, July 8, 2012.
It was during a session of the Detroit Red Wings prospects camp that the team’s assistant general manager, Jim Nill, made the news public.
"We haven't really sat down [and determined] to what extent, but he'll be in the organization and do everything he can to help us out," Nill said. "We might bring him back here. It depends on the situation. His terms. We wanted to keep him in the organization."
Lidstrom was definitely a loyal Red Wing as the native of Vasteras, Sweden, spent all his 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit club, registering 1,142 points (264 goals, 878 assists) in 1,564 regular season games played.
With Nicklas Lidstrom leaving an almost irreversible gape in the squad in terms of leadership and defensive qualities, Detroit Red Wings are reported to have set their eyes on 24-year-old Brendan Smith.
"Brendan is an elite player, and we know he can play in the league," Jim Nill added. "There's going to be some growing pains, but that's part of the system we're in."
It was during the later part of the 2011-2012 NHL regular season that Smith really got to shine after all other attempts to keep the Red Wings club on top failed.
"I think the biggest thing is, they threw me in the line-up when some of our big D went down and it was at the end of the year, where everybody has played 60-some games," Smith said. "And I thought I did well.
With the eye of Nicklas Lidstrom, Detroit Red Wings can definitely rest in terms of the fact of finding the best talent around Europe for the club in the upcoming years. Next year’s entry draft is already being regarded as full of talent, forcing Lidstrom
to work right from day one.
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