When Detroit Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg went to the sideline suffering from concussion-like symptoms, Pavel Datsyuk went to the head of the class.
Datsyuk has been simply dominant since Zetterberg was injured Saturday in Dallas. In the 12 periods since Zetterberg was hurt, Datsyuk has produced four goals and two assists. He scored the tying goal and drew a helper on the winner against the Stars and he netted the tying goal against the San Jose Sharks as Detroit rallied for a 3-2 win on Thursday.
“He’s great,… rookie forward Teemu Pulkkinen said. “I’ve been here seven games and he’s scored seven goals.…
Datsyuk has figuratively put the rest of the Wings on his back and carried them through this difficult Western road swing with a 3-1-1 record.
“He’s a leader and he’s dominant,… center Riley Sheahan said. “He’s one of the best players in the NHL. To have a guy like that on your team to learn from is amazing and he’s been doing such an amazing job for us.…
Singling out moments or identifying criteria to define Datsyuk’s dominance isn’t something the Wings spend their time analyzing. They just know that his game has gone to another level in the past week.
“It’s tough to really pinpoint what he’s doing differently,… Sheahan said. “He’s hands down one of the best players that I’ve ever seen play. To watch a guy like that is incredible and you learn so much.
“I think just lately he’s been doing some crazy things on the ice. It’s - I don’t know how to pinpoint what he’s been doing differently because he’s always playing so well. The last few games though he’s just been a powerhouse out there.…
A chronic knee issue scuttled much of Datsyuk’s season last year, the second time in three years that he’s been significantly hurt. So when he started this season by suffering a shoulder injury in Detroit’s pre-season opener against Pittsburgh, there were legitimate questions posed as to whether at 36, Datsyuk was nearing the end of the line as a dominant force in the league.
“I try to forget and you try to remind me,… Datsyuk said of his injury woes. “It’s nice to be with team and to be together at this time and to play together.
“I just enjoy this time.…
Are we seeing the best that Datsyuk has to give right now?
“Who knows?… Datsyuk said. “I hope not.
“I hope I can improve myself more.…
Detroit coach Mike Babcock admitted that after last year’s knee issues, he wondered about Datsyuk’s future as a high-end performer.
“I just think for him as a veteran player your off-season gets to be more and more important,… Babcock said. “When you lose the pop in your legs it makes it hard for you, the league is going so fast.
“But Pavel’s worked hard enough and he’s committed. To me he’s the best two-way player in the world for sure. There’s other guys close to as good but no one does both (offense, defense) as good. He’s a gifted, gifted guy.
“He has the skill to wow you and the determination to shut you down.…
Babcock believes that linemates Darren Helm and Tomas Tatar have re-energized Datsyuk.
“Helmer gives them electric speed and tenacity and that leads to turnovers and Pav obviously is what he is and Tats is determined, shoots the puck and is heavy on the puck.
“Right now they have a good mix. I think it’s a really dominant line.…
Datsyuk doesn’t dispute his coach’s theory.
“Always when you play well you have fun and more energy comes through,… Datsyuk said. “They are really young. They have energized me, they keep me energized, and they do a lot of jobs for me, and I do a lot of jobs for them.
“We have fun.…
For the rest of the Wings, the fun is derived from the knowledge that they get to enjoy Datsyuk’s special skills on a daily basis.
“He’s a special player, he’s one of the best in the world,… goalie Jimmy Howard said. “I’m just thankful he’s on our side every night.…
Pay The League The NHL fined San Jose Sharks forward Logan Couture $5,000 for his slew foot of Red Wings defenseman Brendan Smith with 3:57 to go in Thursday’s game.
The Wings indicated after the game that Smith was OK and should be able to answer the bell Saturday at Nashville against the Predators.
Back To Gus Jonas Gustavsson will get the start Saturday afternoon as the Wings finish their six-game road trip against the NHL-leading Predators. It’s his second start in three games, but with the stretch drive underway, it’s uncertain how often Gustavsson will see action. He understands that’s life as a back-up goaltender.
“It’s all about the team,… Gustavsson said. “It’s not about me first of all. I’m just going to try and take advantage of the opportunities I get and work hard in the practice.
“It’s only six weeks or so left in the season, so we’ll see what happens. That’s not really in my focus, either. I’m just going to do whatever I can when I get the chance and show that I can be out there. Then we’ll see how many chances I can get. “But in the end it’s all about the team getting points and getting a good position to get a good playoff run going.…
Making Their Points Thursday’s win at San Jose gave the Wings at least one point against all of the 29 other NHL teams.
Detroit has collected at least two points against 26 teams, taking a solitary point off of Anaheim, Montreal and Tampa Bay. The Wings have claimed a season-high seven points at the expense of Buffalo, six off of New Jersey and five from Toronto.
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