–After taking some time to decide if he had the motivation and commitment to prepare for another season, Nicklas Lidstrom signed a one-year, $6.2 million contract on June 20. Even at age 41, the seven-time Norris Trophy winner as the league’s top defenseman is indispensable for a team that still has designs on winning the Stanley Cup. Lidstrom won his seventh Norris on June 22 in a close vote over Nashville’s Shea Weber.

–The Wings lost their second assistant coach in a month when Paul MacLean was hired as Ottawa’s head coach on June 13. MacLean was an assistant in Detroit the past six seasons.

–The NHL is considering radical realignment for the 2012-13 season, a move that would benefit the Wings. They would likely move to the Eastern Conference, where their travel would be reduced, most of their road games would start earlier and result in better TV ratings, and they would have more games against Original Six rivals Toronto, Montreal, Boston and the Rangers.

QUOTE TO NOTE
“He can play on the power play, he’s a competitor. He’s a guy that thinks the game. He’s got the skills. He competes well.” — Wings general manager Ken Holland, on Ian White.

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