Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom and teammate Brian Rafalski may be creeping up there in age, but neither defenseman has started thinking about life without hockey, reports the Detroit News.
"As I've gotten older I've learned not to take work home as much," Rafalski told the paper. "I don't spend as much time at the rink as I used to, just so that I am fresher when I do come here. If you are surrounded by something all the time, it can wear on you. I get my all my work done, but I'm always one of the first guys out of the locker room.
"And on the ice, a lot of what we do has become second nature, it's just experience and you can't replace that. You just know what's going on out there. You see a guy like Nick, he was like that at an early age and it's just made the game so much simpler for himself throughout the years. If you can be mentally agile like that and learn those things, you can last a long time."
Rafalski, a three-time Stanley Cup winner, has entered his third-season with the Red Wings. The 36-year-old has two-years left on his contract after this season.
Lidstrom, a lifetime Red Wing, can become an unrestricted free agent after this season. While he has no desires to play for another team, he likely won't decide how much longer he'll play until after the season.
"We'll see what happens with that," Rafalski said. "But long-term, I'm not leaving Detroit. I am going to be here a long time. I am going to play as long as they will have me."
Files from:
Detroit News
[ From the Editor ]
It's pretty obvious that neither Lidstrom nor Rafalski will ever play for another team. Rafalski's locked in, but a lot of attention will be put on Lidstrom as we inch towards the end of the season. I've followed the Red Wings closely over the last few years --I'll be at their game on Saturday-- and I can definitely see Lidstrom playing at least two more seasons beyond this one. He definitely can play the game at an elite level. Ultimately, it'll come down to a family decision; but knowing Nick, all his focus is on the season. -- David Pagnotta
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