DET to Retire Nicklas Lidstrom's No. 5 Tonight (Mar. 6)

[frinkprof]

The Red Wings will lift a number 5 banner to the rafters in a ceremony before tonight's game vs. the Avalanche.

Lidstrom joins Gordie Howe's number 9, Sid Abel's number 12, Ted Lindsay's number 7, Alex Delvecchio's number 10, Terry Sawchuk's number 1 and Steve Yzerman's number 19.


NHL.com story:

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=708197

[burn_baby_burn]

Well deserved.

[Money Baer]

I wish we retired numbers, too!

It will be special a moment to see number 5 go up!

[Komskies]

Well deserved and a no-brainer for a player like Lidstrom. He had a prolific career and is easily a top-10 defender of all time, if not top 5. Nice that they do it against Colorado as well since they had such a strong rivalry during the Lidstrom years.

Congrats Nick.

[Locke]

Complete no-brainer.

[lanny9]

What took so long??? lol

[Jacks]

I would say he is top 5 of all time, possibly top 3. As a total package I can't think of anyone outside Bobby Orr who I'd rather have.

[Enoch Root]

It's great that they're doing it so quickly - I never liked teams waiting years before putting the numbers up.

Entire career with the Wings and possibly the 2nd best defenseman of all time - get the jersey up there while the fans that watched him for 20 years are still here.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Jacks

I would say he is top 5 of all time, possibly top 3. As a total package I can't think of anyone outside Bobby Orr who I'd rather have.

I'd probably take him #1. He did it over two of the more modern eras of NHL hockey.

[saXon]

Al MacInnis - Forever a Flame, yet St. Louis erects a statue in his honor.

Nick Lidstrom - Detriot retires number.

Bravo Flames. Bravo.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by saXon

Al MacInnis - Forever a Flame

Nick Lidstrom - Detriot retires number.

Bravo Flames. Bravo.

MacInnis' number was retired.

[saXon]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

MacInnis' number was retired.

http://www.thehockeynews.com/article...r-a-Flame.html

http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=617091

MacInnis was the starting point of the 'Forever a Flame' program.

[Huntingwhale]

My favourite player of all-time. Well deserved for him and his family.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

MacInnis' number was retired.

Originally Posted by saXon

http://www.thehockeynews.com/article...r-a-Flame.html

http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=617091

MacInnis was the starting point of the 'Forever a Flame' program.

In St. Louis.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by saXon

http://www.thehockeynews.com/article...r-a-Flame.html

http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=617091

MacInnis was the starting point of the 'Forever a Flame' program.

I understand that it was started with him, but didn't we still retire his number regardless?

[saXon]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

I understand that it was started with him, but didn't we still retire his number regardless?

[Locke]

I think we're having a failure to communicate.

Al MacInnis' number has been retired by the St. Louis Blues, not by the Calgary Flames.

[saXon]

Regardless, that's great for Lidstrom. One of the finest D men in league history. Well deserved.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by saXon

Ah, okay. All this time I thought his number was retired. I don't see what's wrong with retiring numbers... They are more special that way.

Thanks for the clarification saXon.

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

Oh good, more crying about Forever a Flame...................