Report: Lidstrom to be Next Captain

The Detroit Free Press reported on Wednesday that defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom will be named the next captain of the Detroit Red Wings.

The team has not made a formal announcement and head coach Mike Babcock said that the decision has yet to be made.

“I’m not saying Nick Lidstrom won’t be the captain but what I am telling you is that we haven’t spent one second on it yet,” Babcock told the Canadian Press. “Anything written about it at this point is pure speculation.”

“When I get back I’ll meet with (GM) Kenny (Holland), Steve Yzerman and also with our veteran core, Chris Chelios, Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Kris Draper, have a chat, and do what’s best for our hockey club.”

The question of who would succeed longtime captain Steve Yzerman is one that has been asked since long before he announced his retirement on July 3. Along with Lidstrom, veteran Draper and young star Zetterberg have been considered frontrunners for the captaincy.

If Lidstrom is named captain, both of the team’s alternate captain positions will be available.