The Detroit Red Wings just announced that a press conference will be held on Thursday morning at Joe Louis Arena. The purpose? It's not clear, but the announcement states that general manager Ken Holland and captain Nicklas Lidstrom will be involved in the press conference, which is set to begin at 11 a.m. ET.
In all likelihood, this press conference will be about Lidstrom's future and whether or not he is returning for his 21st season in the NHL. For reference, last year when he announced his return, Lidstrom did so over a conference call. When that particular media event was announced, it was clear he wasn't going to retire over the phone, and he did end up coming back.
With the Red Wings calling an actual press conference at Joe Louis Arena, speculation suggests that it may be for Lidstrom to announce his retirement. That's just speculation, but would Lidstrom hold an in-person presser to simply announce he is returning? I suppose it's possible, but based on what he did last year, it would be a surprise.
At this point, you can bet all Red Wings fans are hoping that the difference in how the announcement is made results in the same announcement in the end -- that Lidstrom is coming back. However, it's a real possibility that this could be the end of the road for Lidstrom, and that is really hard to fathom given what a run it's been.
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