DETROIT — Nicklas Lidstrom chose to return to the Red Wings instead of retiring. The star defenseman signed a $6.2 million, one-year contract Tuesday instead of hanging up his skates at the age of 40.
“I feel good about the decision,” Lidstrom said. “I’ve already started working out for next season.”
Lidstrom was contemplating calling it a career, acknowledging it did cross his mind during the season.
“I did have a thought that this might be it, this might be the last season,” he said. “Health-wise, it wasn’t a tough decision. It was more of the family end of it.”
Lidstrom has spent all of his 18 NHL seasons with the Red Wings, winning four Stanley Cups. He is coming back for at least one more season because he believes the storied franchise has a shot to win it all.
“We can compete with the Blackhawks, for example,” he said, referring to Chicago, which leads Philadelphia 2-0 in the Stanley Cup Finals. “They’re playing well, but we could’ve been in the same boat.”
The Swede had nine goals and 40 assists for 49 points last season, his second-lowest total in 14 seasons, and wasn’t a finalist for the Norris Trophy for just the second time in more than a decade. The Associated Press
