By the Numbers: How #53 Became One of the Quietest—and Smartest—Picks in NHL Entry Draft History
Hockey fans love a good number. Goals, Stanley Cups, banners, records, jerseys—we track everything. But sometimes a number doesn’t matter right away. Sometimes it takes years for its meaning to sink in. Number “53” is one of those numbers. At the 1989 NHL Entry Draft, the Detroit Red Wings selected Nicklas Lidström with the 53rd overall pick. No bold headlines the next morning. Just another third-round selection. And yet, looking back now, it’s one of the most important picks the draft—and the Red Wings organization—has ever seen.
Looking Back at the Draft Board
The 1989 NHL Entry Draft had plenty of talent at the top. Mats Sundin went first overall and became a Hall of Famer. Stu Barnes, Bill Guerin, Bobby Holik, and Mike Sillinger all played over 1,000 NHL games. These were good players—real NHLers. But here’s the part that still feels hard to believe: Nicklas Lidström played more NHL games than anyone taken before him. All 1,564 of them came in a Red Wings uniform. None of the first 52 draft picks in 1989 matched that total. Not one.
That’s why number “53” matters. It’s not revisionist history or clever storytelling—it’s right there in the numbers.
A Career Built on Doing Things Right
Lidström never tried to steal the spotlight. He just showed up, made the right play, and did it again the next shift. Over 20 seasons, that approach added up to 264 goals, 878 assists, and 1,142 points, numbers that place him among the most productive defensemen the game has ever seen. Then there’s his +450 career plus-minus. That stat tells you everything you need to know. When Lidström was on the ice, Detroit usually won the shift. Night after night. Season after season.
Winning Comes With Consistency
The team success followed. Four Stanley Cups. Seven Norris Trophies. A Conn Smythe Trophy in 2002. And as captain in 2008, Lidström became the first European-born player to lift the Stanley Cup, a moment that reflected how much the game—and the league—had changed. He also changed how defense was played. Young players didn’t just watch his highlights; they studied his footwork, his stick positioning, his patience. He made defending look calm, controlled, and repeatable.
Cool Fact: Throughout his 20-year career with the Detroit Red Wings, Nicklas Lidström never once missed the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Why #53 Still Resonates in Hockey Conversations
The story of number “53” isn’t about what scouts missed—it’s about what Detroit got right. Passed over 52 times, Nicklas Lidström arguably became the best player from the 1989 NHL Entry Draft and one of the greatest defensemen in hockey history.
In the end, number “53” stands as a reminder every hockey fan understands: greatness doesn’t always announce itself on ‘Draft Day’—but when it shows up, the numbers never forget.