New Line Combination Sparks Wings Comeback
By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, December 11, 2008

Despite finding a way to win, the Red Wings had been playing sloppy defensively, giving up early leads, and struggling to find energy in a lot of games so far this season. Head coach Mike Babcock had seen enough from a team that should be dominant, and decided to juggle the lines for two practices earlier this week to see what new combinations might create a spark. So when the Wings once again fell behind 2-0 in the first period last night at Joe Louis Arena, the coach made the change and found a new line that produced a lot of energy and scoring chances: Henrik Zetterberg, Marion Hossa, and Dan Cleary.

The newly formed trio was on the ice often and were buzzing, helping to jump-start Detroit’s come-from-behind 4-3 overtime win against the Calgary Flames. Henrik Zetterberg scored a huge goal halfway through the third period to cut the Flames lead to 3-2, giving the Wings much needed momentum. Zetterberg carried the puck down center ice, passed to Cleary on the right wing and went hard to the crease, where he knocked in a rebound that Calgary rookie goalie Curtis McElhinney failed to squeeze.

Zetterberg scored a goal for the second straight game after scoring only one in the previous ten games when he was playing on the second line with fellow Swedes Johan Franzen and Mikael Samuelsson.

Coach Babcock hasn’t said whether or not he would stick with the new lines or go back to his previous combinations Friday night against Dallas. Hossa has been effective on the top line with Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom, but his move to a line with Zetterberg seemed to strengthen the top two lines last night.

With the latest two goals, Henrik now has 13 goals and 13 assists for 26 total points in 25 games played this season. He is on pace for 42 goals and 42 assists for 84 points in 76 games this year. It would be a eight point decline from his career high 92 points from last season.

Zetterberg Tops at Getting Calls

By Bruce MacLeod, Macomb Daily Sports Writer, December 6^th, 2008

As far as drawing opposition penalties in hockey … there are two ways. Either be a pest and cause or be so dangerous of a scoring threat that opponents opt to take a penalty instead of risking a goal.
Meet Henrik Zetterberg. He's the Detroit Red Wings' resident expert at creating power plays by drawing opposition penalties this season.

Entering tonight's game Zetterberg led Detroit by a wide margin in penalties drawn with 19 in 23 games played. The next highest total is 10 by Marian Hossa followed by Pavel Datsyuk with nine.
Last season, Datsyuk led the Red Wings with 47 penalties drawn. Zetterberg was second with 41.
This season, Zetterberg has been on fire of late drawing penalties, creating 19 Detroit power plays in the past 18 games. He didn't draw any in the first seven games of the season.
While pests like Sean Avery (23), Aaron Voros (23) and Jordin Tootoo (21) were leading the league in penalties drawn through Dec. 1, Zetterberg's style of penalty drawing was more tactical than in-your-face.
"They'd rather take a penalty than give up a good scoring chance," said Zetterberg. "I think if you have the puck a lot, you will draw a lot of penalties. Protecting the puck, so they want to hook you, they have to hook you. If you have a step on them, they have to hook you. You have to be strong."
Creating power plays is a significant contribution for a Red Wings team that leads the NHL in power-play conversions. Of the 19 power plays that Zetterberg has created, five ended with a Detroit goal.

Rock Z Vote

By George James Malik December 04, 2008

As NHL.com confirmed Greg Wyshynski's findings regarding Henrik Zetterberg's status as "out" of the All-Star Game's starting three forwards, there's no better time to encourage Red Wings fans to get out and vote for Hammerin' Hank before fan balloting ends on January 2nd, 2009. Get out and vote for Hank!

Z’s Scoring Drought

By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, December 4, 2008

It might be time to re-unite the “Eurotwins!”

Despite still being on better than a point-per-game pace, Henrik Zetterberg has scored only one goal in the past ten games, including a six-game goal-less streak. His lone goal was a power-play goal against Columbus four games ago. He has also been held to four shots or less in the last ten games.

Additionally, six of Zetterberg’s eleven goals and six of his thirteen assists have come with the man-advantage this season. Obviously, playing on the second line without longtime line-mate Pavel Datsyuk is affecting Z’s even strength numbers. 

While Henrik’s current line-mates and fellow Swedes Johan Franzen and Mikael Samuelsson are on pace for career years, Zetterberg seems to be struggling to find chemistry with the two. Zetterberg’s role on this line is to carry the puck into the zone and try to generate offence. Opposing defenses know this and are often double-teaming him as he crosses the blue line. In previous seasons, Datsyuk would sometimes be the creative and slippery puck-carrier, allowing Z to gain speed, find openings, and take quality shots. When Franzen and Samuelsson enter the zone with the puck they often dump it into the corner or in Samuelsson’s case, shoot it into defenders or the goaltender.

Zetterberg’s retelentless but frustrating battle through numerous defenders on each shift is still having positive affects however: Henrik has earned his team many power-plays, having drawn an amazing 19 penalties in the past 18 games.

As good as the Red Wings offence has been I believe it could be better, especially even-strength. Re-uniting Zetterberg with Datsyuk would create instant chemistry. I am certain that newly acquired star forward Marion Hossa would still be effective on the second line.

If head coach Mike Babcock sticks with his lines, Hank is on pace to score 35 goals and 42 assists in 75 games this season. It would be the first time in his six-year career that his statistics would decline. I think the Wings could increase the effectiveness of its top two lines by making some changes.