After Lidstrom's horrible season last year the "Talk" was he considering retirement in the summer. Now that he is having another Norris Trophy season does he go out on top or continue to play and if so, for how long??

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Dobber Hockey Pool Regular Season Champ 07/08, 08/09, 09/10, 10/11 and Playoff Champ 10/11

I bet he plays another 2 years... Just a guess though. He's still playing at a very high level. It might drop suddenly at some point a-la Marty Brodeur. But I'll get 2 years for Lidstrom...

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WISCONSIN YAHOO! 1 yr, 12 teams, H2H
G, A, +/-, PIM, PPP, SOG, W, GAA, SV%, SO
Daily starts: 2C, 2LW, 2RW, 4D, 2G, 4BN, 2 IR
Used 23/25 moves
--------
C) Giroux(RW), Datsyuk(LW), Bergeron, Peverley
LW) Ovechkin(RW), Pacioretty, Stalberg
RW) Perry, Iginla, Okposo
D) Pietrangelo, Subban, Phaneuf, Karlsson
G) Rask, Khudobin
IR) Spezza

I'd say one more year.

That talk about him possibly retiring could ONLY have been in uninformed fantasy hockey circles. It was quite the opposite, really, only talk about how fit and hungry he still was. That he would re-sign was a no-brainer. The only question was for how much. He can keep going for Chelios like years if he wants to, because he's pretty much at the same fitness level (according to Chelios himself in several interviews), but that's not going to happen. My gut as a Wing nut says at least two more years.

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GO WINGS!

12 team H2H dynasty, most categories under the sun, incl. hits/blocks. Main team, farm

C: Kopitar Backstrom Stepan Cammalleri Little Bolland Laich Johnson
LW: Parise Lupul Erat McDonald Martin Silfverberg Nyquist Schwartz Morin Nieto Conacher
RW: PKane Doan Pominville Nash Clowe Lupul Rinaldo Stafford Rattie Stone Chiasson Ritchie
D: Green Suter Seabrook Dillon Beauchemin Schenn Letang Schultz Hamilton McNabb Rielly Harrison
G: Bryzgalov Pavelec Holtby Neuvirth Nihlstorp Lack CalPickard Andersen Stalock Sateri Eriksson
IR: Halak

The guy continues to amaze. I would believe that he has another 60 point year in him followed by an expected 40 points.

So good.

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Sneeze Girl: retired (Brett Favre'd)
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9 Keeper, 7 Teams:

1 G, 1 A, 1 PPA, 1 PPG, 2 GWG, 1 SHG, +/-

3 WIN, -1 LOST, 5 SHUTOUT, -0.5 GA, 0.3 SV, -0.2 SHOT

his style of play helps alot. hes not a banger but is a very good positional player so id say at least 2 more years.

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10 team Keeper Roto League
4C-4LW-4RW-6D-2G-5bench-unlimited farm.

C= crosby,m.koivu,malkin,zajak,grabovski,j.jokinen,
LW= ovechkin,nash,s.gagner,dubinsky
RW= downie,hemsky,callahan,voracek,perry,mueller
D= green,doughty,phaneuf,wisniewski,girardi,karlsson
G= rask,lundqvist,ward,price

FARM=kreider,grachev,petrov,enroth,kuznetsov,ennis ,rundblad,bjugstad,radulov,montoya, adam,t.erixon,cowan,s.elliot,j.faulk,cormier,petro v,orlov,stone,eakin,grigorenko,silfverberg,brodin, atkinson

--G,A,P,PPP,SHP,GWG,PIMS,+/-,SOG,hits,FOW,blocks-Wins,GAA,SV%,saves,SO

Yes, 60 and 45 and out, especially if he wins the Norris this year. Awesome, may never be another like him. And this new NHL (that stresses offense from the defense again) could very well extend his productive career even longer.

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DobberHockey Rules
14 Team Keeper, points only, best 12 skaters 2 dman 2 G count. Playoffs count.
F - Crosby, C.Smith, Wheeler, Parenteau, Hudler, Clowe, Grabovski, Atkinson, Frolik, S. Kostitsyn, Marchand, Peverley, Tavares, Read, Brouwer, Bickell, Gionta, Setoguchi
G - Anderson, Hiller, Markstrom, Brodeur
D - Letang, Del Zotto, I. White, Kronwall, Brodin, Nikitin

I think the biggest determining factor in how long he plays will be if the wings win the cup. I read something that Ken Holland said Lidstrom will only sign one yr deals from now on despite Holland trying to persuade him otherwise.

"I asked him about a two-year deal, but he said, 'Let's just do it year by year,'" said Holland. "I would sleep better if I could have done a two-year deal."

If the Wings win this year he will retire in my opinion and I would say the same about next year.

this article has a couple of sections about retiremant talk by Lidstrom and its clear that he wants to win another cup before he hangs them up.

"You look up there and you see all the Cups, I want to hoist another one," said Lidstrom. "That's part of my motivation, to be able to win again. That is what's driving me. I still enjoy the game, I enjoy the competitiveness."

If the Wings weren't a contender, we're not sure Lidstrom would still be playing. Knowing that the Wings have a chance, that's what keeps bringing him back.

"Nick's not interested in being part of a bad team," said Babcock.

Another motivation? "I just enjoy playing the game," said Lidstrom.

Whether it's a game, a practice or a pregame skate, he loves it all. Every single day.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/column...rre&id=5918807

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ASKL - 10 Team dynasty,G/A=1,PIM=.1,+/- =.2 SOG=.05 (W=2,SO=3) Keep 12F 6D 2G 8BN + farm
F-Perry,Ryan,Giroux,Stastny,Ribeiro,Krejci,Plekanec, JvR,Bergeron,Fleischmann,Grabovski,Cammalleri
D-Letang,Chara,Edler,Boyle,Giordano,Gardiner,
G-Rinne,Crawford
Bench-Bernier,Reimer,Parenteau,Callahan,Downie,Kulemin, Meszaros,Nikitin
Farm- Namestnikov,Khoklachev,Rundblad,Despres,Jensen, L.Adam,Barberio,Galiev,Telegin,Hertl,Aberg

I've been blasted in other forums (not on this site, mind you) for calling Lidstrom a "generational" talent. I suppose the term "generational" has been thrown around too much in some cases, but to me Lidstrom has been by far the best defenseman of his generation and, in my opinion, the second best defenseman of all time (after Orr). Nothing against Bourque, who was very, very good as well, but I have always thought Lidstrom was better than Bourque.

Anyway, generational talent or not, he will go down as one of the game's best when he retires.