Top 5 NHL stories of 2012

Look back at the NHL in 2012, there is emptiness. There were the accomplishments of Evgeni Malkin, Steven Stamkos and Erik Karlsson; big moves like Rick Nash going from Columbus to Broadway; the endless Phoenix Coyotes saga. But what did we get this fall and early winter? Nothing. No hope. No anticipation. No build-up to the best stuff. Just labor battles and cancellations. As we count down the top five stories of 2012, we can only wonder what stories were never written and never will be. — By Nicholas J. Cotsonika

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4. Nicklas Lidstrom retires — The Perfect Human retired perfectly. There was no doubt that Nicklas Lidstrom could still outperform the vast majority of defensemen in the NHL, especially because of his ultra-efficient style, brains over brawn. But the captain of the Detroit Red Wings had set his own standard, and that was a straight line of excellence from 1991-92 to 2011-12: seven Norris Trophies, four Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe, incredible ... more
4. Nicklas Lidstrom retires — The Perfect Human retired perfectly. There was no doubt that Nicklas Lidstrom could still outperform the vast majority of defensemen in the NHL, especially because of his ultra-efficient style, brains over brawn. But the captain of the Detroit Red Wings had set his own standard, and that was a straight line of excellence from 1991-92 to 2011-12: seven Norris Trophies, four Stanley Cups, a Conn Smythe, incredible statistics. He never missed the playoffs, and at 42, he would not risk staying too long. To him, saying he had "only diminished some" meant he had diminished too much already. He wouldn't have to wait out another lockout, either. A shame: The 2004-05 cancellation might have cost him another Norris — it came in the middle of his run of six in seven seasons — and eight would have tied him with Bobby Orr. less