Didn't Nik Borschevsky have some sort of spleen issue when he was with the Leafs? Nik Borschevsky de-spleened an entire generation of Detroit Red Wings fans back when the Leafs and Wings played more than once every other year (seriously, WTF is up with that?) and actually met up from time to time in the playoffs. I recall after that game that the local punditry (and probably Don Cherry, for that matter) said that Niklas Lidstrom's defensive gaffe on that goal (and probably his positional, rather than physical, style of play) showed that Europeans did not have what it took to be NHL defensemen.
I recall after that game that the local punditry (and probably Don Cherry, for that matter) said that Niklas Lidstrom's defensive gaffe on that goal (and probably his positional, rather than physical, style of play) showed that Europeans did not have what it took to be NHL defensemen. Lidstrom had fairly decent numbers prior to that game: 164 games, 18 goals, 83 helpers, +43. Including 11 G, 49 A, and at +36 in his rookie year. Sounds like whoever said that was just down on Lidstrom's "sophomore slump". Stats.
