Nicklas Lidstrom retired Thursday after 20 seasons with the Red Wings, ending one of the best careers in NHL history. The four-time Stanley Cup champion and seven-time Norris Trophy winner as the league's best defenseman fought back tears as he made the announcement. "My drive and motivation are not where to need to be to play at this level," Lidstrom said. The 42-year-old Swede set an NHL record by playing 1,564 games with a single team.

Addressing the media in a news conference before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals, commissioner Gary Bettman said he is optimistic the Devils' financial situation will be resolved within the next few weeks. Bettman said that team owner Jeff Vanderbeek is close to refinancing the club's debt.

Gary Bettman expects negotiations with the players' association on a new collective bargaining agreement to begin in a couple of weeks. In news conference before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals between the Kings and Devils, Bettman said Wednesday that talk of a lockout is nothing more than speculation at this point since labor and management have not met. "Time will tell how this all sorts out," Bettman said. "I am hopeful this all sorts out easily because labor peace is preferable to the alternative."

Rangers GM Glen Sather is still having a tough time dealing with his club's elimination in the Eastern Conference finals. Sather is still looking to build a champion in New York. He saw the Rangers reach the NHL final four, but they were knocked out in six games by the Devils. "We just got knocked out a couple of days ago," said Wednesday at the NHL general managers meeting before the opener of the Stanley Cup finals. "It's tough enough to go to bed at night and get up the next morning. You've got to adjust. It's like having a death in the family."

The NHL will not discipline players on the Coyotes after conducting an investigation of their postgame actions and comments following their season-ending, overtime loss in the Western Conference finals, league executive vice president Colin Campbell said Wednesday night before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup finals.

Rangers head coach John Tortorella blasted the media for criticizing his team's shot-blocking ability. "I think the people that are writing about us with our shot blocking ... I think they're idiots," Tortorella said Wednesday during an interview on ESPN NewYork 98.7's "The Michael Kay Show."

Red Wings defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom will announce his retirement after 20 NHL seasons with the Wings at a press conference Thursday afternoon, a source told ESPN.com on Wednesday afternoon. "He's going to announce tomorrow his decision for next year. I'll let Nick, he's played 20 years, he can make his own announcement," Detroit GM Ken Holland told reporters after the GMs met in New York before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final.

Blackhawks GM Stan Bowman commented publicly for the first time since pictures emerged of Patrick Kane apparently partying at the U. of Wisconsin earlier this month. "We've discussed it with Patrick and we've handled it internally," Bowman said Tuesday on a conference call to announce the signings of Johnny Oduya and Jamal Mayers. "We're obviously disappointed how it played out and Patrick is aware of that fact."

Bob Hartley, who won a Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2001, will be named the next head coach of the Canadiens, The Hockey Writers' website reported Monday. The Hockey Writers based the report on a source, and said that Eric Veilleux would become Hartley's assistant coach. According to the report, the announcement of Hartley's hiring will come later this week.

Even if Devils goaltender Martin Brodeur wins his fourth Stanley Cup championship, he's leaning toward coming back next season. Brodeur, 40, is slated to become a free agent at the end of the season. But the 18-year veteran has reiterated that he doesn't want to hang up his skates anytime soon.