Photo: Bildbyrån
Nicklas Lidström has always been a thorough professional who has made himself popular and liked by basically everyone.
However, there are exceptions. Former NHL defenseman Ľubomír Višňovský feels irritated when he thinks about the Swede.
Nicklas Lidström54, is one of Sweden’s most prominent hockey players ever and one of the greatest backcourt icons in NHL history. He has won Olympic gold and World Cup gold with Tre Kronor and the Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings. “Lidas” has been voted the best European player in the NHL by The Hockey News magazine and in 2015 he was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. In 2022, Lidström was named Sweden’s best player ever at the Tidernas hockey gala.
The opponent’s words about Nicklas Lidström
Nicklas Lidström also has an extremely good reputation around the world. He is a true gentleman and has rarely gotten into a dispute on the ice. Therefore, it is somewhat surprising now that one of his former competitors in the NHL, the Slovak defender Ľubomír Višňovskýgoes out in the media and says that he is angry with the Swede.
READ MORE: Mats Sundin is forced to choose Peter Forsberg or Nicklas Lidström
The reason? That “Lidas” won the Norris Trophy, the award that goes to the NHL’s best back, a total of seven times. The last time he won was in 2011. Višňovský, who played for the New York Islanders, thinks it was a crazy decision. He believes that he should have received the award himself as he was the defenseman who scored the most points that season.
– I won it comfortably by six points ahead of Nicklas Lidström, who already had six awards by then and just said goodbye to his career. I had a balance of +18, he was -2, but despite that I didn’t win, he told NHL.com.
Lidström “took” Višňovský’s trophy
So Ľubomír Višňovský is still a little putt that he didn’t win that award more than 13 years ago. He never received the Norris Trophy during his playing career, however, he was named Slovakia’s best defensive player six times.
READ MORE: Peter Forsberg names Sweden’s best hockey player of all time
He played for the Islanders, Los Angeles Kings, Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks during his career. Višňovský still follows the NHL and has two backs that he loves a little extra: Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes.
– I love that style. I actually played the current style in the old hockey era. Today it would have been much easier for me, he says.
What do you say about this? Does he have the right to be mad at Nicklas Lidström or is he just grumpy? Write what you think in a comment on Sportbibeln’s Facebook page.
Share