The last place Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk wanted to be on the eve of their Stanley Cup playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning was front and center, talking about himself and his future.
“Now it’s just more focus on the playoffs, let the fun begin,… Datsyuk said, but that’s not the case, and he willingly shouldered some of the blame for that.
“I just take responsibility for this one,… Datsyuk said. “I don’t think it will be a distraction.
“With us together we will make a good run.…
When rumors were first floated that Datsyuk would leave the Detroit Red Wings and head home to Russia after the conclusion of the current season, Datsyuk went public with his thoughts in an attempt to quell the fervor.
“Because I watch information go around and it more bother me, bother me,… Datsyuk explained. “I wanted to be fair with everybody, especially my fans.…
Instead, all he’s done is further muddy the waters.
At this point, it’s abundantly clear that Datsyuk doesn’t know for certain what his plans are for next season.
“It’s hard to make a 100 per cent decision now,… Datsyuk acknowledged.
The desire to return to his homeland is understandable. Datsyuk has always been up front about his wish to play at least one season before he’s done in hockey in front of the Russian fans. As well, he has a teenaged daughter from his first marriage living there that he seldom gets to see.
At the same time, Datsyuk is one of the world’s best hockey players and a determined competitor who wants to skate as long as he can and challenge himself against the best hockey players on the planet.
“I have tough time,… Datsyuk said. “I want always to play at home, but I know this is best league and I want to play here with the best organization.
“They’ve helped me, supported me. I want to stay as much as possible with this organization.…
He also understands that if he skips town, Datsyuk would shoulder the Wings with a $7.5 million salary cap at a time when four of the club’s young players – goalie Petr Mrazek, forwards Riley Sheahan and Teemu Pulkkinen and defenseman Danny DeKeyser – are headed into restricted free agency and up for new deals, and this is tearing him up inside, that he would hurt the team that’s done so much for him.
“Yeah, I’m really troubled by this one,… Datsyuk admitted. “I make a mistake. “I need to sign year by year (instead of the three-year deal he inked).
“Now this has happened and I need to process about it more.…
In a long-ranging discussion, Datsyuk couldn’t put his finger on any one detail or series of events that need to occur to make his mind up one way or another, though he did allow that a long playoff run by the Wings could sway him to stay on and finish out the final season of his contract.
“It probably have chance,… Datsyuk said. “You never know what happens. It’s hard to make a decision on what happens tomorrow, today. But everything is possible.
“It’s not final decision 100 per cent.…
He’s excited by the prospect of getting the playoffs underway Wednesday at Tampa Bay’s Amalie Arena, recognizing that it could possibly be his final spring in the tournament for Lord Stanley’s mug.
“For me it’s every day playoffs are special,… Datsyuk said. “Now it’s maybe a little bit more. I’m just more focused. It’s game by game. Everybody talk about make it in the playoffs, consecutive, consecutive, 24, 25 (years).
“We need (to be) looking forward. We need to win one series to another one, to another one. We fight for Cup, not just making the playoffs.…
And sooner or later, when it’s all said and done, that’s when Datsyuk will sit down and make the decision that will impact the direction of both his life and his hockey career.
“I’m not really thinking about it now about what would make it 100 per cent,… Datsyuk said. “Now it’s more focus on playoffs.
“I would appreciate it if we would finish today and we just talk about playoff. Of course when season is over we come back and talk more.…
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