February 12, 2012: Detroit Red Wings Nicklas Lidstrom, second from the left, acknowledges the crowd after it was announced that he is playing his 1,550th game during the first period of their NHL hockey game against the Philadelphia Flyers in Detroit, Michigan. (Reuters)
Detroit, MI – Detroit Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom will announce his retirement from hockey at a Thursday morning press conference.
That's according to Free Press, which reported that a source close to the situation acknowledges the 42-year-old is ready to hang up the skates for good following a 20-year NHL career.
Lidstrom completed this past season with 11 scores and 34 points in 70 regular-season games -- his 17th campaign tallying double digits in goals -- but failed to score a point in five postseason contests.
Selected by the Red Wings in the third round of the 1989 draft, Lidstrom has compiled 264 goals with 878 assists for 1,142 points in 1,564 NHL games. He is third in franchise history in assists and fourth in points.
The native of Sweden also has 54 goals and 129 assists for 183 points in 263 Stanley Cup playoff games. He captured the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP in Detroit's 2002 championship run, and became the first European player to captain his team to a title in 2008.
In addition, Lidstrom represented his home country in four Olympics, winning a gold medal at Torino in 2006.
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