Let’s get something crystal clear right from the beginning: Nicklas Lidstrom is a once-in-a-generation talent and is irreplaceable.
That said, it isn’t altogether crazy to believe that Danny DeKeyser may be the closest thing the Detroit Red Wings will get to Nick Lidstrom 2.0.
Though DeKeyser has only 29 NHL games under his belt (27 regular-season games and two playoff games), he has displayed a level of hockey sense and defensive awareness many veteran NHL defenders never reach.
Like Lidstrom, DeKeyser appears to have a preternatural understanding of the game and his role within it.
Though only 23 years old, DeKeyser approaches the game from a particularly mature standpoint. He recognizes his role is to control the puck defensively, in the simplest possible way—be that throwing it off the glass and out of the zone, or carrying it to the red line.
This kind of calm awareness was also displayed early on by Lidstrom and became the hallmark of his incredible talent.
What made Lidstrom such an outstanding defensive player wasn’t just his awareness o ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Matt Hutter
Why Detroit Red Wings’ Danny DeKeyser Could Be the Next Nicklas Lidstrom
November 5th, 2013 by Matt Hutter Leave a reply »
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