Just call him Captain Lidstrom

Nicklas Lidstrom will be the next captain of the Red Wings, replacing Steve Yzerman, the Free Press has learned.

But the team is holding off on a formal announcement, according to a person in the organization, to make a big splash before the season starts. Training camp opens Sept. 15 in Traverse City.

Lidstrom, 36, joined the team for the 1991-92 season. He is the longest-serving member of the squad and arguably the Wing's best player. In June he won his fourth straight Norris Trophy as the league's best defenseman.

Teammate Henrik Zetterberg, the team's second-leading scorer last season behind Pavel Datysuk, also was thought to be in the running for the captaincy. At the Wings' request, Zetterberg sat next to Yzerman in the locker room to learn from the veteran leader.

But Zetterberg, who is 10 years younger than Lidstrom, will have to wait his turn.

Meanwhile, news out of Philadelphia this week suggested that Peter Forsberg was likely to take over the captain's 'C' previously worn by former Red Wing Keith Primeau. If it holds true, by season's start there will be six Swedes captaining NHL clubs.

Lidstrom wasn't available for comment, but earlier this summer he told the Free Press it would be an honor to become captain. He would further swell the ranks of Swedish club commanders, joining Toronto's Mats Sundin, Ottawa's Daniel Alfredsson, Vancouver's Markus Naslund and Los Angeles' Mattias Norstrom.

Lidstrom, who has been an alternate captain the past few years, is a natural successor. Like Yzerman, he is quiet, but his words command tremendous respect in the locker room. Like Yzerman, he leads by example.

Yzerman had worn the 'C' since 1986-87, when at 21 years he became the youngest captain in franchise history.

Now the Wings are busy planning Yzerman's official retirement ceremony and are likely to announce the date within a month. Considering everything he has meant to the organization from his rookie season in 1983-84, the Wings don't want to rush anything and won't be ready for opening night. Nothing short of perfection will do for the Wings on the night Yzerman's No. 19 is hoisted to the rafters at Joe Louis Arena.

The Wings have plans for the man behind the number, too, and within two weeks members of management plan to sit down with Yzerman and discuss his role in the front office in the years ahead.

Yzerman, 41, retired last month after 22 NHL seasons.