Red Wings Legend Undergoes Surgery

It’s been almost 13 years since Detroit Red Wings icon Nicklas Lidstrom suited up for the team. So, if you were looking at the list of Red Wings players undergoing offseason surgery to fix an injury, you wouldn’t expect to find him among that group.

Yet there was Lidstrom at the IIHF World Championship on Friday, his right arm encased in a sling.

Nicklas Lidström har opererat axeln – armen i mitella https://t.co/A0651Dha4x

— Sportbladet (@sportbladet) May 9, 2025

“I had surgery on my shoulder,” Lidstrom explained to TV presenters Frida Nordstrand and Håkan Södergren during a broadcast on Sweden’s Viaplay. “It’s an old injury that I’ve reopened. They had to operate on it.

“I had the surgery four weeks ago and will have the sling for two more weeks. In another two months I might be able to play some padel. We’ll see how it feels.”

Red Wings Lidstrom An Iron Man As Player

Even though he recently turned 55, it was still a bit shocking to see Lidstrom in need of a medical device. On the one hand, the man known as the Perfect Human was an NHL superstar. Lidstrom won seven Norris Trophies as the NHL’s best defenseman. He also won a Conn Smythe Trophy as MVP of the NHL playoffs to go with his four Stanley Cup wins.

On the other hand, the former Red Wings captain was an iron man as a player. During his 20-season NHL career, Lidstrom would play 97.08% of his games with the Red Wings (1,564 of 1,611).

No surprise for The Perfect Human. 👏

Congratulations to @NicklasLidstrom on being named to the NHL Quarter-Century team! pic.twitter.com/mDLCND3toS

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) May 8, 2025

“A bit sad, but at least it’s done now,” Lidstrom said. “I’ve had problems for several years so it’s nice to have an operation and fix that.”

Lidstrom was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015. Today, he is serving as vice-president of hockey operations for the Red Wings. He was recently named to the NHL’s Quarter Century Team, which covers the years 2000-2025.