Detroit — Nicklas Lidstrom’s instinctual perception of hockey allowed him to play with such effortless simplicity, his greatness often was discounted.
Eventually, Lidstrom’s performance was acknowledged as approaching perfection.
Sergei Fedorov played one of the most complete games of any forward in NHL history. He did it at such a high level for the Red Wings, he could bend the sport to his will.
The induction of Lidstrom and Fedorov in the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday, with events beginning in Toronto on Friday, is spurring a walk down memory lane, including for Steve Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan, two former teammates already enshrined, along with their great coach, Scotty Bowman.