As the search begins for the next GM of the Detroit Red Wings, assessing the core cause of this once-mighty franchise’s demise is going to be hotly debated.
Who, or what, is to blame?
The Yzerplan? Sure, that will get a lot of votes.
Ownership? Another strong candidate.
However, when you get right down to it, there’s one element of change in Red Wings history that can be pinpointed as the moment it all began to unravel.
In fact, we can even establish the exact day when it all changed.
May 31, 2012. That was the day when Nicklas Lidstrom announced his retirement.
Since losing their generational defenseman, the Red Wings have lost their way.
Red Wings Flounder Without Nick
Sure, you can mock that statement. Of course the team was going to decline minus the man known as the Perfect Human.
No one could have envisioned the franchise going off the cliff the way it has, though.
All of Detroit’s other stars left, and the Wings kept on winning. They won without Sergei Fedorov. Survived the dismantling of the Russian Five.
Kept on winning without Steve Yzerman, Brendan Shanahan, Brett Hull, even Scotty Bowman.
The one constant through all of those changes was Lidstrom. He just kept on keeping on, winning Norris Trophies, maintaining this team’s level of excellence.
Then he went away, and it all went downhill without him.
Lidstrom patrolled the blueline for the club from 1991-92 through 2011-12. There were four Stanley Cup wins over that span, more than any other NHL franchise.
During Lidstrom’s tenure, Detroit won more games (986) than any NHL team. The Red Wings were also first in points percentage (.650), goals scored (5,690), regulation wins, and power play (20.3%).
The Wings were third in penalty kill (84.1%), eighth in goals against, and sixth in five-on-five goals. They showed a goal differential of +1,237.
All Downhill Since Lidstrom’s Departure
Now, let’s do the math from the first season after Lidstrom (2012-13) through the end of the 2025-26 campaign.
Over that span, Detroit rates 28th overall in the NHL with a 466-465-146 record. The Wings are 20th on the power play (19.4%) and 30th on the penalty kill (78.4%). They are also 30th in goals against, 28th in goals scored, and 29th in five-on-five goals.
The Wings show a goal differential of -442.
We know that Detroit is stuck in a 10-season playoff drought. What we also know is that without Lidstrom, they’ve won one playoff series in 14 years.
With Lidstrom in the lineup, Detroit won 32 playoff series.
Yes, during Lidstrom’s era, the Red Wings were blessed to suit up many great players. But none were greater than the Perfect Human.
You can’t argue with the numbers.