Day Twelve--Five

As time is wearing on and the NHL is no closer to starting the season than they were a few weeks ago, I'm trying my hardest to forget that there just may not be a hockey season this year.  Thankfully, the Tigers have extended THEIR season by making the playoffs, so I can continue to live in my little ignorant cocoon for a while longer and pretend we WILL see hockey.

Actually, I'm not too sure I WANT to see what the Red Wings will/would be like this year because of the retirement Nick Lidstrom.  He is arguably the best European to ever play in the NHL and (depending on who you talk to) is the first or second best defenseman to ever play the game.  (The other number one or two is Bobby Orr.)  Watching Lidstrom play, one would get the impression that his position was an easy one to have because the man was so smart and was so good that it didn't look like he put any effort into what he was doing.  If another comes along that is as good or better than Lidstrom, I don't think I will be alive if it happens--he was that good.  So, for today, I give you FIVE (the number he wore):

(Lidstrom became the first European captain of a Stanley Cup winning team--in 2008.)