NHL roundup: Lidstrom announces his retirement
Despite remaining one of the National Hockey League's best defenseman, Nicklas Lidstrom has decided to end his stellar playing career.
Nicklas Lidstrom spent his entire 20-year career with the Detroit Red Wings.
"My drive and motivation are not where to need to be to play at this level," Lidstrom said at his retirement press conference, holding back tears.
Lidstrom, 42, is one of the all-time hockey greats. He has won four Stanley Cups with Detroit, where he began playing in the 1991-92 season. He's also won seven Norris Trophies, which is awarded annually to the league's top defenseman.
Lidstrom is one of two players -- Doug Harvey is the other -- to win seven Norris Trophies. Bobby Orr won the award a record eight consecutive times. Lidstrom won as recently as the 2010-11 season.
The native of Sweden has been the Red Wings' captain since 2006. The Swede holds an NHL record by playing 1,564 games with one team. He put off retirement in each of the previous two years by signing one-year contracts.
In his final season, Lidstrom had 34 points and a plus-21 rating that ranked among the league leaders. He missed 11 games with a bruised right ankle and was out for another game with the flu.
---The Calgary Flames have hired Bob Hartley as their new head coach, the team announced on Thursday.
Hartley, who also coached the Atlanta Thrashers and Colorado Avalanche, spent the past season in Switzerland coaching Zurich. He returns to the NHL for the first time since being fired by the Thrashers after an 0-6-0 start in 2007.
---The Columbus Blue Jackets have re-signed center Derek MacKenzie to a two-year contract.
MacKenzie, 30, has 19 goals and 26 assists with 92 penalty minutes and a plus-18 rating in 193 career NHL games. He spent the majority of his career with the Blue Jackets, but also played for the Atlanta Thrashers.
Last season, MacKenzie had seven goals and seven assists in a career-high 66 games, and led the team with a plus-4 rating.
