Nicklas Lidstrom: The Pursuit of Perfection

by Nicklas Lidstrom, Gunnar Nordstrom, Bob Duff

Overview

Nicklas Lidstrom is nothing short of a Hockeytown deity, and his number 5 hangs high in Detroit as a symbol of leadership, longevity, and unparalleled defensive talent. The beloved Red Wings captain opens up about his life and career for the first time in the English language in this authorized biography which spans the Hall of Famer's entire NHL journey. Nicklas Lidstrom: The Pursuit of Perfection takes fans on a memorable tour which includes Lidstrom's early life in Sweden, his 20 seasons in Detroit and four Stanley Cup championships, and his taste of Olympic gold with the Tre Konor. It also includes insights on more personal matters and unique challenges Lidstrom faced as well as photos from Lidstrom's personal collection.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781629378398
Publisher:	Triumph Books
Publication date:	11/03/2020
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	481,105
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.90(d)

About the Author

Nicklas Lidstrom won four Stanley Cups and seven Norris Trophies during his 20 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015. Gunnar Nordstrom is a Los Angeles-based journalist covering the NHL for the Expressen newspaper in Sweden. He is the author of several books, including Lidstrom: Captain Fantastic, published by Sportforlaget. Bob Duff has written extensively for the Windsor Star, MSNBC.com, and Hockey Weekly. He is the author of several books about hockey, including If These Walls Could Talk: Detroit Red Wings, with Ken Daniels.

Table of Contents

Author's Note vii

1 The Perfect Human 3

2 The Best Draft of Them Ail 23

3 Heartbreak in Hockeytown 45

4 The Cup Finally Arrives 65

5 Norris Nick 97

6 A Generational Talent 117

7 The Greatest Team 141

8 The Golden Goal 165

9 A Historic Captaincy 191

10 One More Cup 211

11 Soaring to the Finish 229

12 The Ultimate Honor 249

Appendix: Nick by the Numbers 273

Acknowledgments 277

Editorial Reviews

08/26/2019

The career of Swedish-born NHL superstar Lidstrom—a Hall of Fame defenseman who won four Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings—is detailed in this unsophisticated memoir that’s longer on statistics and anecdotes than insight. In a sometimes nonlinear way, Lidstrom, with sportswriters Nordstrom and Duff, recounts his childhood growing up as part of a middle-class family in a small Swedish town. Lidstrom began playing street hockey as a seven-year-old, and soon dreamed of playing in the NHL. That dream was realized in 1989, when the then-17-year-old was drafted, beginning a two-decade affiliation with the Red Wings (his teammates nicknamed him the “Perfect Human”). Lidstrom’s historic achievements (also listed in a three-page appendix) are interspersed with stories from coaches and fellow players. The prose is unexceptional (“Like all babies, he cried after emerging from his mother’s womb.”), yet the bigger disappointment is the by-the-numbers approach to his life. The narrative works best when he writes about his little-known private life, as with his humble post-retirement role coaching and doing scut work for his kid’s team. Of interest mainly to Lidstrom’s fans, this volume fails to make the sport and the magnitude of his achievements vivid. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

"Nicklas Lidstrom is the greatest player I ever played with. He was just consistently the workhorse of our hockey team, kind of the backbone of the whole team.” —STEVE YZERMAN, longtime Detroit Red Wings captain


“Nick Lidstrom is a true role model. He’s someone for our community, for Hockeytown, to trust, to admire, to respect. As good of a player as he was, he was a better man and better teammate.” —MIKE BABCOCK, former Red Wings head coach


“I’m aware of what a big part Nick played in my career, both on and off the ice. I have not played with anyone better. Just look at what he has accomplished. It’s mind-boggling.” —HENRIK ZETTERBERG, former Red Wings captain


“He was just a wonderful player. One of a kind. As to who’s the best ever, it’s tough to rate this guy here and that guy there. I will say I don’t rate anyone ahead of Lidstrom.” —SCOTTY BOWMAN, former Red Wings head coach


“I don’t think people realize, still, how good he really was. There’s no one like him, and there probably never will be another guy like him.” —NIKLAS KRONWALL, Red Wings defenseman


“He is the best I ever played against. If you go back 100 years and start counting Bobby Orr and others, Lidstrom is top five, for sure. But during my career, and if you include Shea Weber, Zdeno Chara, and Drew Doughty, my No. 1 is Nicklas Lidstrom.” —EVGENI MALKIN, Pittsburgh Penguins forward


“The mark Nick left on the NHL and the hockey world is that he was a picture of perfection. Not only was Nick one of the best players to ever play his position, but he is also one of the greatest gentlemen to ever play in the NHL.” —PIERRE McGUIRE, analyst for the NHL on NBC


“Nick Lidstrom was obviously a legend in this league and in the hockey world. He was somebody I looked up to as a young player. I really wanted to be him. I’m not close to being there, but I’m working hard at it.” —DREW DOUGHTY, Los Angeles Kings defenseman

From the Publisher