Red Wings Made a Historic Captain Decision 20 Years Ago Today

On Aug. 23, 2006, the Detroit Red Wings had a problem most franchises would love to have.

How do you replace Steve Yzerman?

Detroit’s answer was Nicklas Lidstrom.

The Red Wings named Lidstrom their new captain on Aug. 23, 2006, handing the “C” to the Hall of Fame defenseman following Yzerman’s retirement. There was no replacing what Yzerman had meant to the franchise, of course. He had been Detroit’s captain for 19 seasons and had become so closely associated with the organization that calling someone his “replacement” almost felt unfair.

Lidstrom did not try to become Yzerman.

That turned out to be precisely the point.

Nicklas Lidstrom Gave the Red Wings a Different Kind of Captain

Yzerman’s leadership had become part of Red Wings mythology. Lidstrom was quieter, almost relentlessly composed, and rarely seemed interested in drawing attention to himself.

Detroit did not need another version of No. 19. It needed someone capable of taking over one of the most important leadership positions in hockey without pretending the previous era had never happened.

Lidstrom was about as safe a bet as a hockey team could make.

The Red Wings’ official history lists Lidstrom as captain from 2006 through his retirement in 2012. His appointment also made him the first European-born captain in franchise history.

Then he did something bigger.

In 2008, Lidstrom captained Detroit to the Stanley Cup, becoming the first European-trained captain to raise the Cup.

That is what makes the decision look so obvious now. It was not simply a ceremonial reward for a great player who had been around a long time. Detroit chose a captain capable of preserving the standard Yzerman had helped create.

There is an important distinction there.

Great teams do not necessarily need captains with identical personalities. They need captains whose teammates believe in them.

Detroit had that with Yzerman. It had it again with Lidstrom.

Twenty Years Later, Detroit Has a Very Different Captain Question

The anniversary lands at an interesting time because the Red Wings once again have captaincy hanging over the organization, only under circumstances that could hardly be more different.

Dylan Larkin remains Detroit’s captain and No. 1 center. He has also requested a trade.

The request has not resulted in a deal, leaving open the increasingly realistic possibility that Larkin could report to training camp still wearing the “C” for Detroit.

That would have sounded absurd a few months ago. Now it needs to be treated as a legitimate possibility.

The uncertainty became even greater when Steve Yzerman stepped down as Detroit’s general manager in July and moved into an advisory role. The next leader of hockey operations may inherit a decision that goes well beyond whether Larkin should be traded.

If he is moved, Detroit may eventually need to choose another captain.

And unlike 2006, there is no Lidstrom standing in plain sight.

Moritz Seider would undoubtedly enter that discussion. Lucas Raymond has become one of the franchise’s foundational pieces. The organization could also decide there is no reason to rush, something Detroit has done before when it went without a captain between Henrik Zetterberg’s departure and Larkin receiving the “C.”

For now, Larkin still holds the position. NHL.com continues to list him as Detroit’s captain while noting that his trade request remains unresolved.

That makes this anniversary more than a history lesson.

Twenty years ago, the Red Wings were replacing one legendary captain and somehow found another Hall of Famer ready for the job. There was uncertainty about whether anyone could follow Yzerman, but very little uncertainty about who Detroit trusted to try.

The Red Wings may soon face that decision again.

This time, the answer is nowhere near as obvious.