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Will Friday’s game be Lidstrom’s last?

Detroit Red Wings v Phoenix Coyotes

GLENDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 06: Nicklas Lidstrom #5 of the Detroit Red Wings in action during the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on February 6, 2012 in Glendale, Arizona. The Coyotes defeated the Red Wings 3-1. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

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The Detroit Red Wings are just one loss away from being eliminated going into Game 5 on Friday.

Detroit has certainly been competitive against the Nashville Predators in this first round series and we don’t want to imply that the Red Wings losing on Friday is somehow inevitable or even probable. However, every time they get into a situation where the next game could be their last, it’s hard not to think of Nicklas Lidstrom. He’ll turn 42 on April 28 and it’s entirely possible that he’ll decide to retire this summer.

“I’ve been hearing that same story for five years now,” Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. “I’d be shocked if he retired, but I’ve been shocked before.”

As Babcock said, this certainly isn’t a new story and Lidstrom is still good enough to play in the NHL. If he wants to extend his career to the 2012-13 campaign, the Red Wings will almost certainly offer him a new contract. However at some point, he will call it quits.

For his part, Lidstrom has said that he isn’t thinking about the possibility of Friday being his last contest. He just wanted to go out there and have a good game. Maybe he can even help get the Red Wings’ struggling offense back on track and record his first point of the series.