When Nicklas Lidstrom strides to the stage Monday to deliver his Hall of Fame induction speech, Bryan Murray, Nick Polano and Jim Lites might be thinking back to 24 years ago when they weren't sure if he even deserved a contract offer from the Red Wings.
"We went to the World Championship in Finland in 1991," said Murray, who at the time was Red Wings coach and is now general manager of the Ottawa Senators. "Detroit had already drafted him and wasn't sure if he could play or not. So I went over with Nick Polano and Jim Lites and watched him against the Russians.