It was a tough call for Henrik Zetterberg to make.
It was also the right call. Knowing that, it’s made it easier for the captain of the Detroit Red Wings to accept that he won’t be serving as captain of Sweden during the upcoming World Cup of Hockey.
Zetterberg bowed out of that role after suffering a knee injury while working out in preparation for the tournament.
“Well, the easy part is it was only one decision to make,… Zetterberg said of his choice to step away from the World Cup. “It wasn’t like I could have gone and played through it and then come back here. So it was the only decision to make but still, it’s hard to make because you want to be on that team.…
At 35, Zetterberg realizes that his time to play for his country is fast slipping away.
“This is probably . . . there’s a good chance this was my last chance to play for Team Sweden,… Zetterberg said. “And the team we had and just a tournament like World Cup, it doesn’t come around that often, so that was a hard part.
“It was a tough day when I had to make that call.…
At the same time, he knows it was the right call. Zetterberg’s first priority is to the Red Wings, the team that signs his paycheck.
“The easy part is it was only one decision to make,… Zetterberg said. “It wasn’t like I could have gone and played through it and then come back here. So it was the only decision to make but still, it’s hard to make because you want to be on that team.…
Regardless, there’s no second-guessing going on in Zetterberg’s mind. He knows that he made the correct decision.
“I think now when I said no to the World Cup, it gives me time to come back 100 per cent for the season starting,… he said. “We’ve got plenty of time now. I didn’t have that if I was going to the World Cup.
“Missing camp, obviously it’s not optimal. You want to be up there, you want to be with the guys and skate with them but if I’m not, I will still be up there, maybe not participating as long.…
At this juncture, Zetterberg remains uncertain as to when he will be able to get back on the ice again.
“It’s a feeling progress,… Zetterberg said. “I’m doing some work here now since I got back and we’re getting there. It’s not perfect but it will be eventually.
“Basically when I’m pain-free, that’s when I can go back to skating. I’ve got to be able to do stuff off the ice before I go out on the ice.…
Critical of NHL Maybe it wasn’t just family reasons that led Pavel Datsyuk to bolt the Red Wings and return to his native Russia to play in the KHL for SKA St. Petersburg.
Speaking to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Datsyuk, who is about to play for Russia in the World Cup of Hockey, was critical of today’s NHL game.
“There are not many creative players now,… Datsyuk said. “It’s less and less every year. There’s lots of talent, but teams are playing more systems.
“Hockey is so different now. With the new rules in the NHL, you have to be good defensively. And if you play fast, you have more time to work offensively.…
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