Forget, for just a second, that Nicklas Lidstrom is a highly-touted pro hockey player, and that he’s won four Stanley Cup titles and seven Norris Trophies.

He’s also one of the most-decorated and loved athletes in Detroit sports history with a résumé that’s second to none outside of Joe Louis Arena.

And while he has had his recognition, locally – appearing once as grand marshal at America’s Thanksgiving Parade and driving a pace car at Michigan International Speedway – when it comes to being the face of the NHL, Lidstrom has taken a back seat.

Until now.

If you haven’t seen it, Lidstrom, Anaheim forward Corey Perry and one deceased cephalopod appear together in a new TV commercial for Honda about passionate fans.

Filming for the commercial was shot in mid-November – during the Red Wings’ three-game road trip to California – outside of the Los Angeles Sports Arena.

“It took a whole night, it was a lot of shooting,” Lidstrom said. “You think it will be quicker, but everything from lighting to being in the right spots to saying the right things and walking the right steps, everything. It took a lot longer than I anticipated.”

Lidstrom was approached about the car commercial during training camp by his agent.

“I didn’t know the extent of it, but, sure, it sounded like a fun thing to do,” he said. “And when they explained briefly what it was that we would be doing, I thought it was a fun thing to try out.”

While the filming took all night, Lidstrom assured us that only one octopus was used on the windshield of the Honda Pilot.

“That in itself took probably an hour just to make sure it got to the right spot and was sliding down slowly,” Lidstrom said. “I believe they only used the one, but I think they were toying around with it to make it slide down and stick on the windshield.”