Lidström, Nicklas (1970-…), a Swedish-born hockey star, ranks among the greatest defensemen in the history of the National Hockey League (NHL). From 2001 to 2008, Lidström won the James Norris Memorial Trophy six times. He won the trophy again for the 2010-2011 season. The trophy is awarded to the league’s outstanding defenseman for the season. He was the first European player to win the trophy. In 2002, Lidström became the first European to win the Conn Smythe trophy as Most Valuable Player in the play-offs.
Lidström played his entire NHL career with the Detroit Red Wings. In 2002, he won the Conn Smythe Trophy as the outstanding player in the play-offs for his role in leading Detroit to the Stanley Cup championship. Lidström also was a star on Red Wing teams that won the Stanley Cup in 1997, 1998, and 2008.
Lidström was born on April 28, 1970, in Västerås, Sweden. He was selected by Detroit in the third round of the 1989 NHL draft. Lidström played hockey in Västerås from 1987 until 1991, when he joined the Red Wings. He starred on the Swedish team that won the gold medal in the 2006 Winter Olympic Games. Lidström announced his retirement from the NHL following the 2011-2012 season. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015.
