January 2008
Red Wings Forward Zetterberg Scores Early Goal against Coyotes in Return to Lineup
Associated Press, NHL.com, Jan 30, 2008
Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg returned to the
Zetterberg, who sat out two games and missed NHL All-Star festivities last weekend due to back spasms, scored a goal 3:54 into Wednesday night's game against the Phoenix Coyotes.
Zetterberg, who has 29 goals and 33 assists for a Red Wings-leading 62 points, missed the final 19 games of the regular season last season and five games in late December this season because of back problems.
He was voted by the fans as a starter to the All-Star game, but decided to rest his back instead of playing. He also missed last year's All-Star contest, for which he was selected as a reserve, because of a sore wrist.
Zetterberg scored Wednesday when his attempted pass from the left corner went in off goalie Ilya Bryzgalov.
By Bill Roose,
Henrik Zetterberg, who has been listed as day-to-day with a sore lower back said Tuesday afternoon that he expects to play when the Red Wings host the Phoenix Coyotes Wednesday at Joe Louis Arena.
“It feels pretty good. I skated good yesterday and skated even better today,” Zetterberg said. “I think it’s a green light for tomorrow.
Zetterberg missed five games at the end of last month with the same back soreness. Despite missing seven games, he still leads the team with 28 goals and 61 points.
For the second straight season, Zetterberg turned down an invitation to participate in the All-Star game. Fans voted him to the Western Conference starting lineup, along with his Wings’ teammates Pavel Datsyuk and Nicklas Lidstrom.
While three Red Wings and coach Mike Babcock were enjoying the All-Star festivities in Atlanta last weekend, Zetterberg focused on getting healthy.
“It was a good break with four days off,” he said. “It’s been a good break for the legs, the body and also the mind.
“You’ve got to be careful of what you do off of the ice, too. But the worst thing you can do is lay still on your couch and watch TV. You have to move around and activate your body; otherwise it’s just going to get worse.”
Zetterberg missed the final 19 games of the regular-season last year. He returned for the playoffs, playing in 18 games, scoring six goals with eight assists.
“He’s playing,” Babcock said. “I’m not taking it easy on him one bit. If he’s playing, he’s playing. If he’s not playing, he’s not playing. Him and I discussed that this morning and he’s not going to play (just) 14 minutes. He seems to be feeling real good.”
“I really turned the corner well, and stayed to feel better and better. But you always want to get back to skating and see how it reacts to that. I don’t see why I should feel bad.
Dave Waddell, The
Just over a week's rest for Henrik Zetterberg's sore back has proven the magic elixir the Detroit Red Wings were hoping for.
Zetterberg was back on the ice Monday for practice and he was zipping around and battling for the puck like there'd never been anything wrong.
"I skated pretty good today and I feel confident I'm going to play on Wednesday (versus
The centre had complained of a stiff back after getting checked in a game Jan. 19 in
However, unlike when he missed five games in December with a bad back, Zetterberg said this time the injury wasn't related to his previous back problems.
"When you hurt your back and you're not doing anything like picking up your laundry bag, that's really tough," Zetterberg said. "You don't really know what to do.
"But if you hurt yourself playing the game that's different thing. You can handled that lot easier.
"When I got hurt in a battle, I wasn't really worried about it because it was a hockey injury."
Zetterberg is confident he is protecting himself against missing 19 games like he did last season with an inflamed disc in his back.
Much of his workout regime is aimed at strengthening his back muscles.
"I've been working on it the whole year and it's something I need to keep doing, the stability muscles close to the spine," Zetterberg said. "Basically I'm working to be overall stronger in the core. I'm a lot stronger this year than last year.
"If I keep going like I am now, and then have another good summer working on it, it might not be a problem anymore."
Zetterberg added he's also found staying active on off days is helpful to his back.
"I think the big key for me when I don't play hockey is to move around a lot," Zetterberg said. "Not to be sitting or laying on the couch for a long time. Keep doing stuff and keeping all the muscles moving."
By Ted Kulfan, The When Henrik Zetterberg's back acted up last season, the Red Wings thought he could return in a matter of days. It wound up being six weeks, just in time to start the playoffs.
The Wings hope that's not the case this season.
Zetterberg missed Tuesday's game against the Kings and won't be available to play tonight in
But given Zetterberg's history, there's growing uneasiness.
"It's a bit of a concern just because you never know when it's going to flare up," general manager Ken Holland said.
Zetterberg missed the last 19 games last season because of an inflamed disc, and five this season in late December because of an aching lower back. That injury was triggered when he bent down to pick up a laundry bag.
"I'm still positive," said Zetterberg, whose current injury occurred when he was hit late in the third period of Saturday's game at
"But you never know."
Wings management also is remaining optimistic -- at least publicly.
"Hank told me the back is feeling better than it did the other day. And with these days off and rehabilitation, we're optimistic he'll be ready to go when we return from the break (next) Wednesday,"
Over the months, Zetterberg has seen a variety of specialists in
"None of them believe surgery is needed, that surgery is even an option,"
Developing core strength and a regimen of exercises to strengthen the affected area have been recommended, and Zetterberg adhered to the game plan over the summer.
This is the second consecutive season Zetterberg has been selected for the All-Star game and had to decline.
Last season he was bothered by wrist tendinitis.
"Of course I'm disappointed," Zetterberg said after the Wings completed their morning skate Tuesday.
"Being voted by the fans (as an All-Star starter), I was really looking forward to going. We decided it was probably best not to go. We have to get this squared away and get healthy."
Back Halts Zetterberg's All-Star Bid
By Helene St. James, Free Press, January 23, 2008
Henrik Zetterberg has felt his back act up before, and he knows the danger of playing through such pain.
So he and the Red Wings on Tuesday decided the best recourse is to take a week off, even though it means he'll miss Sunday's All-Star Game.
"We've got to get this figured out so that he can be healthy and help our team be successful," coach Mike Babcock said. "It's important for us that he feel good. You can't play like you can if you're hurt. So he's done for the All-Star break."
Zetterberg's latest instance of pain erupted when he was hit in the third period of Saturday's game at
"Of course you're concerned," said Zetterberg, who is the club's top scorer with 28 goals and 61 points. "But I think we're doing the right thing. Before
Zetterberg, whose dad, Goran, is along for the trip, will stay with the team as it finishes tonight at Anaheim, then fly back to Detroit where he and team doctors will determine what to do next.
Zetterberg pulled out of last year's All-Star Game because of a sore wrist.
"I'm disappointed," he said. "Especially this year, I was voted in by fans. I was really looking forward to going. But it's best not to go, and we'll get this squared away and get healthy for the rest of the year."
It has become a disturbing trend in his still-young career to miss games because of back problems. He was sidelined the last 19 games of the regular season last year because of an inflamed disk and missed another five in late December when pain flared up after he picked up his laundry bag. Though the pain he feels now, he said, is different from what he dealt with last March, everything is centered on his lower back.
"I think this is more muscular," he said. "Last year it was a disk problem. But it's all connected, and that's why you have to be a little bit cautious. If you leave the spasms and don't do anything about it ... eventually it will pull on your back, and then you can get disk problems. That is why we're a little more cautious this year."
Zetterberg said he hadn't needed pain medication since Saturday night.
Babcock referred to playing without Zetterberg as "a good test"; it is, of course, one the Wings would rather face now than in three months.
"We've got to make sure he's healthy going down the stretch here," goalie Chris Osgood said. "He's been hampered by his back a few times this year -- played sore quite a bit. It's important for him and for us to go into the playoffs with him healthy. We're fortunate now because of where we are in the standings. Obviously we want to win games and make sure we stay ahead of the pack, but that is a luxury we have -- we're not battling with other teams. We can afford to rest Hank sometimes and make sure he is healthy for when we're getting ready for the playoffs."
Zetterberg Out for All-Star Game
By Ted Kulfan,
Henrik Zetterberg is officially out for the Red Wings next two games and the All-Star Game. Zetterberg's aching back was no better Tuesday morning, so rather than risk anything more serious, the decision to sit Zetterberg the rest of the week was made. "Zetterberg's done for the trip," coach Mike Babcock said. "We've decided as a group here to give him at least two days off (the next two games) and the All-Stare break, and give him a chance to freshen up. We have to get this figured to get him healthy and have him help this team be successful." Zetterberg missed 5 games around the Christmas break because of an aching back after reaching down to pick up his laundry bag. He missed the final 19 games last season with an inflamed disc. Zetterberg said this injury occurred while getting hit late in the third period Saturday in
Zetterberg Out for a Week, has Pulled Out of All-Star Game
By Helene St. James, Free Press, January 22, 2008
Henrik Zetterberg confirmed this morning he has pulled out of the All-Star Game because of a sore back.
“Of course I’m disappointed,” Zetterberg said after having to pull out of the All-Star Game for a second straight year (last year it was because of a sore wrist). “Especially this year, I got voted in by fans, and I was really looking forward to going. We decided it was probably best not to go and get this squared away and get healthy for the rest of the year.”
Zetterberg will also miss tonight's game against the Kings, and Wednesday's game at
“Zetterberg’s done for the trip,” Mike Babcock said. “We decided if we give him these two days and the All-Star break, it gives him a chance to freshen up. We’ve got to get this figured out so that he can be healthy and help our team be successful. Good test for us, though.”
Zetterberg’s back sidelined him the remaining 19 games of the regular season last spring. He missed five games in late December when pain flared up simply because he picked up his laundry bag. This latest setback happened after he was hit during the third period of Saturday’s game at
Ken
(It’s) a statistic unique to THN.com that measures meaningful goals. We're not concerned with who scores the sixth goal in a 6-1 game. We're more concerned with the players who can be counted on to contribute when it matters most.
And since goals should be worth more than assists, goals in this system count for one point, assists for a half. And points are awarded only when the following goals are scored: the first goal of a game, a goal that puts the team ahead or into a tie, game-winning goals, overtime goals and shootout goals.
Some goals are worth more than one point. For example, the first goal of the game is always worth two points, one for the first of the game and another for putting the team ahead. So if a player scores the shootout winner in a 1-0 victory, that player receives four points - one for the first goal of the game, one for putting his team ahead, one for the game-winner and one for the shootout.
RK. NHL RK. NAME TEAM FIRST AHEAD TIE GWG OT SOG TOTAL G A G A G A G A G A G 1 3 Jarome Iginla Cgy 6 6 16 11 5 6 6 4 1 2 49.5 2 6 Henrik Zetterberg Det 9 5 14 11 5 5 5 4 3 48.5 3 11 Pavel Datsyuk Det 8 8 11 14 2 5 5 8 4 47.5 4 Sidney Crosby Pit 6 10 10 21 7 5 10 1 2 47.5 5 2 Ilya Kovalchuk Atl 3 4 11 8 12 2 4 3 1 2 2 42.5
Zetterberg's Back Acting Up again; he may have to miss All-Star Game
By Helene St. James, Free Press, January 21, 2008
Bad news from this morning's skate at the
Zetterberg, the team's leading scorer with 28 goals and 61 points, and a plus-20 rating, in 44 games, missed five games in late December because of back spasms, and his back problems cost him the last 19 games of the regular season last year.
Zetterberg, visibly in pain as he talked Monday, said he was hurt when he got hit during the third period of Saturday's 6-3 victory at
He is doubtful for Tuesday's game at
Zetterberg, who was voted in as a starter by fans for this Sunday's All-Star Game in
"I think you don't want to miss 19 games," he said, meaning better to miss an All-Star Game than risk aggravating anything. "That's my main concern. I don't want to let it go that far. I just have to do the things we do to not make that happen. I don't right now what that is, but we just have to stay on top of it."
Zetterberg may feel much better by week's end, but there's little question it's risky to send him off to play in
Zetterberg may miss All-Star Game
By Ansar Khan, Mlive.com, January 21, 2008
Henrik Zetterberg would hate to withdraw from the NHL All-Star Game for the second straight year because of an injury. But he's not going to risk doing further damage to his troublesome back.
Back spasms might prevent Zetterberg from playing in tonight's game in
"You don't want to go as far as last year, when I missed 19 games,'' Zetterberg said. "You need to just be on top of it, take the days (off) you need and not be stubborn and go out and do something stupid.''
Zetterberg said he hurt his back on a hit during the third period in Saturday's 6-3 victory in
He said he'll decide in a couple of days whether to go to the All-Star Game. He was voted in as a starter, leading Western Conference forwards in votes. He missed last year's game, which would have been his first appearance, because of tendinitis in his left wrist.
As he carefully bent down to tie his shoelaces after getting treatment at the Toyota Center, the practice facility where the team skated, Zetterberg admitted "it's a challenge'' to move around. But, he added, "I also know it can turn around quick. Just have to keep doing treatment and hope for the best.''
On a positive note, he doesn't believe it's as serious as the last flare-up, Dec. 20 in
"This one happened when I got hit, it didn't just happen when I picked up my laundry bag (like the previous injury),'' Zetterberg said. "In one way it's a good thing; we know when it happened and how it happened. I think people with back problems know, when you least expect it, that's when it happens. But this time it wasn't anything like that.''
Zetterberg missed the final 19 games of the regular season last year due to an inflamed disc.
Red Wings coach Mike Babcock, who'll coach the Western Conference All-Stars, said the club won't tell Zetterberg to skip the event.
"He knows his body better than I know, and based on how he's feeling he'll make those decisions,'' Babcock said.
By Ansar Khan, Mlive.com, January 21, 2008
Update from Monday's practice: Henrik Zetterberg's back has flared up again, forcing him to miss practice. He's listed as questionable for Tuesday's game in
Zetterberg said it was caused by a hit -- he's not sure by who -- late in Saturday's game in
He said he'll decide later in the week whether to go to the All-Star Game. Tendinitis in his wrist forced him to pull out of last year's All-Star Game.
"You don't want to miss 19 games again, that's my main concern,'' Zetterberg said. "I don't want to let it go that far. You just have to do the things we do to not make that happen. We don't know right now what that is, but we just have to stay on top of it and make a decision.''
Wings' Henrik Zetterberg is a Star in Sweden but not in U.S.
By Shawn Windsor, Free Press, January 20, 2008
Last year, the hosts of a popular home-makeover television show arrived at Henrik Zetterberg's house in Bloomfield Hills to begin remodeling his kitchen. As cameras showed viewers the inside, hosts talked with Zetterberg and his girlfriend, singer/model Emma Andersson, about the project.
It was MTV "Cribs" meets IKEA. And almost no one saw it, at least not in the
His ascension in hockey-mad
The Wings just became the first team in NHL history to win 30 games in the first half of the season. There are many reasons for this, including, most notably, the sublime presence of another unheralded Wing, Nicklas Lidstrom, arguably the most dominant defenseman in the history of hockey.
Yet Zetterberg's torrid and willful start to the season (he led the league in scoring before back spasms benched him around Christmas) is as responsible as much as anything else. Despite his 5-foot-11-inch, 195-pound frame, Zetterberg is a relentless, defensive-minded point machine, plays with the sort of grit perfectly suited to
Then why isn't he taking this town by storm?
That's a question the Red Wings' brass asks itself often. Earlier this fall, the topic came up over lunch, said Wings general manager Ken Holland.
"It was me, Scotty Bowman, Steve Yzerman and Mike Babcock. Someone mentioned that people feel because he is European, it is not the same,"
In other words, there are those who suggest
(Kris)Draper played with Yzerman and Fedorov when they were in their primes, just as the team began its Stanley Cup runs in the mid-90s.
"And Hank is right there," he said. "He does it at both ends of the rink."
It's hard to fathom that in a sports-mad town an athlete performing at a superstar level could be doing it in a vacuum, but that is almost what is happening.
"People in
Zetterberg, at the moment, doesn't mind the anonymity. In fact, he looks forward to returning to
"I don't know if I'm that guy that likes attention," he said.
An early start
Zetterberg tried on his first pair of skates at age 2. They were double-bladed.
"I didn't do much," he recalled. "I just (stood) on the ice."
Two years later, he began skating with a local club. Two years after that, he joined his first team. Except for a six-week stint cleaning lanes at a bowling alley when he was 17, that's all he has done since -- skate.
He was a small, wiry player with deceptive speed and uninhibited along the boards. Besides, he always seemed to have the puck, which is what caught the attention of Jim Nill, the Wings' assistant general manager.
"He was a skinny little kid when Nill saw him,"
The Wings drafted him in the seventh round in 1999. They had no idea if he would make it to the NHL. They also had no way to gauge his will.
"That's where he's like Stevie,"
That drive is what makes Zetterberg so difficult to move off the puck and pin against the boards.
"If you grow up small and have no muscles, you learn somehow," he said.
Zetterberg joined the Wings in 2003, the year after the last Stanley Cup. He slipped into the background easily, even though he played well. After all, there were Hall of Famers walking around the locker room.
The next season, a goalie controversy dominated the news. And the next season was the lockout. He returned after the year away and lit up the league with 85 points. Fans were slow to return.
Last year, he picked up his play even more, and for roughly a 20-game stretch, played as well as anyone in the game.
"From about Game 40 to Game 60," said Babcock, "he was the best. No question about it."
Then he got hurt. He returned for the playoffs and had 14 points, despite recovering from a balky back. And then, this October, as the Lions were making a run, as
"I've been telling people all year they don't know what they are missing," said Wings radio announcer Ken Kal. "It's amazing. Every night when you look the stat sheet, he is there. He always has a couple of points. You don't notice it sometimes because he is not flashy."
After missing five games in December with back spasms, Zetterberg lost the lead in scoring -- he is currently sixth, only 10 points behind Ilya Kovalchuk before Saturday's games. By comparison, the Pistons' leading scorer, Richard Hamilton, is 38th in the NBA in that category.
Still, Zetterberg knows the biggest difference between him and someone like
"You have to win to become a star," he said, "and I haven't won yet."
Anonymity in the
Zetterberg sat down for this story inside a lounge at Joe Louis Arena. It was lunchtime, and the team had just finished practice. Over the course of the interview, several players walked by his table. No one could resist mocking him, making faces, taking verbal shots at him. They weren't used to seeing him talk for more than a few minutes at his locker.
"Not with the North American media anyway," he said.
In
"Sometimes you just want to hide," he said.
But here he walks around the Somerset Collection freely. He eats at local restaurants in peace. The most intrusive cameras in his life are the ones sent from his home country to watch his kitchen get turned into a high-end IKEA showcase.
Life on the ice is what thrills him here -- a nightly ride against the best players in the world.
"The speed, the fast decisions," he said.
Those things are what brought him to
He grew up watching Wayne Gretzky. He knew little of Yzerman. Now he is being compared to him. Not in the way he plays, but in the way he competes.
"I think people thought going into last year's playoffs that we were a nice little team that has some skill, but not big enough, not tough enough to win," Holland said. "But internally, we think this is an evolution."
No player in Hockeytown epitomizes that more than the scrawny, seventh-round pick from
300th Career Point for Z
By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, January 19th, 2008
Henrik Zetterberg scored a goal, his 28th of the season, and added two assists (32nd and 33rd) in tonight’s 6-3 victory over the Sharks tonight in
Hank scored the opening goal of game 6:53 into first period. Streaking to the crease all alone from the left wing, Z knocked in a nice backhanded pass from Pavel Datsyuk, who was near the far-side of the right face-off circle.
Later in the game, Zetterberg recorded his 300th career point at 15:27 of the second period, assisting on Tomas Holmstrom’s power-play goal, which made it a 5-2 game. Henrik becomes just the to collect over 300 career points. Coincidentally, Zetterberg’s 200th career point happened just over a year ago. It was also an assist on a power-play goal by Tomas Holmstrom against the Sharks in
Z added another assist on Dan Cleary’s third period 2-on-1 goal, the Red Wings sixth of the night. Skating down ice with the puck against Shark’s defenseman Craig Rivet, Henrik sent the puck across the slot to Cleary, who one-timed it past goalie Evgeni Nabokov. The play gave Hank a (plus/minus) +2 in the game.
With the goal and two assists tonight, Zetterberg is one pace for a career-high 49 goals and 58 assists for 107 points and a +35 in 74 games this season. His best season to date was 2005-06 when he had 39 goals, 46 assists, 85 points, and a +29 in 77 matches.
By George James Malik January 19, 2008
The Detroit Free Press's Jamie Samuelssen believes that the loss of Hockeytown's luster is indicated in the lack of "star power" that Henrik Zetterberg possesses in the
January 19, Detroit Free Press: Question: How big of a star is Henrik Zetterberg? Where would you put him on the all-time list of Red Wings and where does he place now in
Samuelssen: The answer here totally depends on the interpretation of the question. If we're talking about quality of the player, Zetterberg is off the charts. He has it all as a hockey player.
But I read the question, and re-read it, and it asks how big of a star he is.
If this was 1998 and this was still Hockeytown, he'd be huge. He'd have replaced Sergei Fedorov already and would be the number two star on the team behind Steve Yzerman. But because the sport has slipped in
If I think about who are bigger "stars" in the
Many Wings fans agree on the fact that Wings organization has to work a little harder to make Zetterberg, Datsyuk, and Lidstrom household names, because they're most definitely worth the price of admission
Zetterberg Scores Game-winning Shootout Goal
Associated Press, January 17, 2008
Henrik Zetterberg scored the only goal of the shootout to lift the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks on Thursday night.
Zetterberg scored the winning goal in the shootout by slipping a backhander between Luongo's pads after a fake.
"I could have gone high, but he opened up the five-hole," Zetterberg said. "Luongo played a great game."
The Canucks' goaltender praised Zetterberg's move.
"It was a simple, yet brilliant play," Luongo said. "He carried from his forehand to his backhand, waited for the opening and put it five-hole."
From A to Z, Zetterberg's Game is Complete
By Larry Wigge, NHL.com, Jan 17, 2008
He’s shifty. He’s skilled. He’s swift. He’s solid and accountable at both ends of the rink.
And, oh yes, Henrik Zetterberg is very, very smart.
We’ve seen the Detroit Red Wings’ star center dazzle with his stickwork and speed. We’ve marveled at his ability to do so many things at a fast pace, always on the move.
From a distance, the 27-year-old native of
"When he stepped on the ice for the first time in the NHL, he was already one of the more skilled players in the League," said St. Louis Blues goaltender Manny Legace, who played behind Zetterberg for the first time in 2002-03 and had to face his many head-shaking moves in practice for three years before joining the Blues. "No offense to Sidney Crosby or Vinny Lecavalier or anyone else, but there is no better player in the NHL now than Hank.
"He does everything
Legace was asked if he wanted me to use "arguably" in that quote, but he said it wasn’t needed. Then he added one more thing to Zetterberg’s attributes – the intangible look of a Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Michael Jordan or Magic Johnson.
"It’s the fire in Hank’s eyes and the passion in his belly," Legace said. "I’ve seen bigger players try to take liberties with him and he’ll just stand there face-to-face and give the other guy the look."
"I don’t consider myself scary," Zetterberg said matter-of-factly. "Would you be afraid of me?"
Not that he would knock my block off, but beat my butt in an athletic competition? You bet.
Everyone always goes back to the long wait on draft day in 1999 before the Red Wings finally selected Zetterberg, in the seventh round, No. 210 overall, in the Entry Draft. And look at him now, with 27 goals and challenging for the top spot in the NHL’s scoring race – which would, by the way, be the first scoring title for a Red Wings player in 45 years, or since Gordie Howe did it in 1963.
"He can pass and he can shoot at an elite level. That’s what makes him so difficult to stop, because you don’t know what he’s going to do," said Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom. "Seeing that kind of skill coming at you again and again makes defenders back off and creates openings for his teammates."
When watching Zetterberg, you quickly notice the hands, the quick feet, the ability to create while at top speed, the instincts. But what stands out most is Zetterberg's consistency, strength and work ethic.
"You’re never going to outwork Hank, that’s for sure," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said.
"There isn’t a stronger player on his skates than Zetterberg," said Blues coach Andy Murray. "No one knocks him off his feet and no forward has the kind of stamina that he has. He could still thrive playing two-minute shifts and playing the kind of 28- to 30-minute games defensemen like Chris Pronger, Scott Niedermayer and Nicklas Lidstrom play."
The irony is that Zetterberg fell through the cracks in 1999 because he was deemed too slight and fragile for life in the NHL at a time when bigger was better and teams were able to trap and obstruct smaller players who weren't equipped to fight through the hands and arms and stick-checks.
"I was 5-11, but I was only about 165 pounds when I was drafted," Zetterberg laughed.
He wasn’t even thinking about the draft in June 1999, when he slipped all the way to the seventh round.
”I was on vacation with my parents on the
"I remember thinking that Zetterberg was too skinny, too frail to take the pounding he'd receive in the NHL," said former Calgary Flames General Manager Craig Button. "You have to give the Wings credit for is sticking to their guns and drafting for skill and talent up and down the draft."
"He wasn't even on our list," former Philadelphia Flyers GM Bob Clarke told me.
Zetterberg is as quiet and unflappable in an interview as he is on the ice. He laughs at the “too small” comments. Sort of giving scouts and skeptics the same look that Legace talked about.
"I was a small kid," he said. "But I wasn’t the last kid chosen in a pickup game. I had skills and I really worked at making them better and better.
"I remember as a kid I always tried to not get hit and to hold onto the puck until I spotted an open teammate."
That keep-away attitude was not selfish. It was selfless.
When he was 13 he chose hockey over soccer and added
"Hakan was trying to show me another player," Nill laughed when I asked him about his first reaction to seeing Zetterberg. "But there was this little Zetterberg guy, who always seemed to have the puck."
Still does. And he does so much more as well.
By Larry Wigge, NHL.com, Jan 17, 2008
Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg are young and they like life in the fast lane. Speed. Excitement. A challenge on the ice.
"I think we both like to see the challenge of competition at a fast pace," Zetterberg said. "You should see how big Pavel's eyes get when the action gets fierce. Mine probably do, too. Clearly, we both see a lot of the same things on the ice and wonder how we can translate that into making something happen out there."
Even after Zetterberg was named rookie of the year while playing for Timra IK in the Swedish Elite League in 2001, he still saw the skills and size of NHL players only on TV and occasionally in a pickup game against a European NHL star. The next season he was named player of the year in the Elite League. By the time the 2002 Olympics rolled around, Zetterberg had filled out and got his first real taste of what life would be like at the next level.
"I remember going on the ice for the first time to take a faceoff at the Olympics in
Thirty pounds stronger since draft day, Zetterberg now is a legitimate MVP candidate.
"Henrik, he's a complete player," Red Wings GM Ken Holland said. "He's got great hands, great instincts, he's great in traffic and he really sees the ice well. Over the years I've seen a lot of great players who don't work hard enough to be better. I always tell our scouts, 'Tell me when a smaller guy shows you he can do it and when a bigger guy shows you he can't. It’s clear Henrik always plays bigger than his size."
For Goran Zetterberg, Henrik’s dad and coach of the hockey team back home in Njurunda, and his mom, Ulla, who is an office supervisor, the dream of seeing their son play in the NHL was second to playing for the Swedish National Team and Olympic Team. When asked what his best moments in hockey are so far, Zetterberg quickly picked his first Olympic appearance at
"But," Zetterberg added, "I just missed the Red Wings’ Stanley Cup run in 2002. I think I could find a place right there at the top with the Olympics for a chance to lift the Stanley Cup in victory."
Zetterberg Plays, Despite the Flu
By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, January 12, 2008
Henrik Zetterberg missed this morning’s skate at
With the assist tonight, Zetterberg now has 136 goals and 161 assists for 297 career points in 321 games played and passes Red Wings legend Marcel Pronovost for 29th place on
Hank is closing in on some personal milestones this season. With three more points he will have 300. He needs 13 goals in the next 36 games to reach 40 goals in one season for the first time in his career. If he gets more 14 goals this season he will have 150 career goals for the Wings. Only 20 other players have ever scored that many goals in over 80 years of
Zetterberg Voted a Starter for 2008 All-Star Game in
By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, January 8, 2008
Henrik Zetterberg has been named a starter at the 2008 NHL All-Star game on January 27th at the Philips Arena in
“It’s going to be exciting! It’s always nice to have (Datsyuk) with me, it makes it a lot easier for me out on the ice. I’m proud to go, and I’m glad the fans appreciate what I do,” said Zetterberg. "I don't think there's a whole lot of pressure to go down there. Just be yourself and have a lot of fun and enjoy those days. You have enough pressure when you're playing in the regular-season, so those few days, go down there and just relax and enjoy your stay."
Henrik led all Western Conference forwards with 326,244 total votes from fans around the world. He is currently seventh in NHL scoring with 26 goals and 28 assists for 54 total points in 39 games played. Zetterberg recently missed five games with back spasms. He was 2nd in scoring behind only Vincent Lecavalier of the Tampa Bay Lightning prior to his injury.
Red Wings Captain Niklas Lidstrom led all Western Conference players with 477,787 votes and will be playing in his 8th straight All-Star game. The other Western Conference starters are Jerome Iginla and Dion Phanuef of the Calgary Flames and Goalie Roberto Luongo if the Vancouver Canucks.
Wings keep Zetterberg's charitable donations 'in-house'
By George James Malik, Mlive.com, January 08, 2008
Last season, the Detroit Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg was unable to appear at a Lowe's in New Hudson, MI as part of an appearance promoting his donation of smoke detectors to low-income families throughout Metropolitan Detroit, so Niklas Kronwall appeared in his stead. The Red Wings have decided to keep Zetterberg's goodwill "in-house" this time around:
January 8, DetroitRedWings.com: Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg will distribute more than 2,000 smoke detectors to local fire departments at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 9 at Joe Louis Arena. He serves as the Red Wings' spokesman for the team's annual smoke detector collection, which provides life-saving detectors to low income families throughout metro
Zetterberg will meet with representatives from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives (ATF), The State of Michigan Fire Marshals Office and members of various fire departments following practice to donate the detectors to residents who are unable to afford the devices for their own homes. The fire departments will assist in distributing the detectors in homes throughout the area.
Redwings.nhl.com, January 7, 2008
Question: How does it feel to be one of the league’s top players?
Amit Sharma,
Zetterberg: Hi Amit! Thanks for the question. Of course it feels good to have a good year, and it makes thing a lot easier to sometimes go down to the rink and know that you’re playing good. The way to get there is playing with good players and work hard. It’s been a good year so far and if I hadn’t played with good players, I wouldn’t be where I am right now.
Question: What music is in your ipod right now?
Deri Powers,
Zetterberg: Hi Deri! In my ipod right now, it’s a big mix of music. Some days I listen to a lot of Swedish music. Lars Winnerbäck is one and Ulf Lundell is another. But I like all kinds of music, so it’s tough for me to point out one that I really listen to. Right now before I go down to the game in my car I listen to a lot of Bob Dylan music, that’s kind of what it’s been lately.
Question: When do the players know it’s time for a shift change?
Mark Visger,
Zetterberg: Hi Mark! I think we know when we’re going to change because we’re real tired, and also Coach Babcock wants us to be not over, like, 40 seconds. It’s tough sometimes to stay under that. This year it’s been on me a lot because I have two long shifts. I just like to be out there because I think it’s so much fun to be there, but also sometimes I get too tired so I’m gonna try to keep them a little bit shorter. But usually it’s 35 seconds or 45 seconds tops, it’s around there you have to go change.
Question: Which team do you enjoy playing against the most?
Kris Ramachandran,
Zetterberg: Hi Kris, hello in
Zetterberg helps Red Wings get 3-1 win against
From The Hockey News, January 6, 2008
Henrik Zetterberg opened the scoring just 50 seconds into the first period. He streaked down the slot unchecked, and beat Khabibulin on the stick side after taking a pass from Andreas Lilja. Zetterberg's goal (his 26th of the season) was his 14th in 25 games against
Zetterberg played his third game after missing five due to a back injury. He has points in each of his last eight games (five goals, eight assists).
Lilja and Zetterberg both Advance in Bet
By Helene St. James, Free Press, January 6, 2008
If you saw Henrik Zetterberg smile just a bit slyly after scoring to help lead Detroit past Chicago, 3-1, Sunday night at the United Center, here’s why: It was because of who set him up.
Andreas Lilja made a nice pass to ensure Zetterberg’s goal 50 seconds into the first period ,after taking a pass from Hudler (who had originally gotten the puck from Zetterberg).
“As soon as Huds passed it to me I saw the D come to me and I had no choice, I had to give it to him,” Lilja said.
Lilja, it turns out, has a bet with Zetterberg, which is why he joked he hesitated to pass.
“We’ve got an inside bet,” Lilja said, smiling. “He’s got to reach 50 goals before I reach 15 points, so actually, I didn’t really want to pass to him, but I had to.”
Zetterberg has 26 goals to Lilja’s nine points. Another bet already has been settled. “He had to go to 25 goals before I reached 12 points; that was over pretty quick,” Lilja said.
He wouldn’t, by the way, reveal what was at stake.
Z is Back with Two Assists
By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, January 2, 2008
Henrik Zetterberg picked up right where he left off prior to missing the past five games with back spasms, collecting two assists in the Red Wings 4-1 win over the Western Conference’s second ranked Dallas Stars tonight in Detroit.
Hank got his 26th and 27th assists to go with his 25 goals in 36 games. The first of his two helpers came 12:01 into the first period on Dan Cleary’s 13th goal of the season. Prior to leaving the ice at the end of his shift, Zetterberg passed the puck on to Valtteri Filppula who forwarded it on to Cleary to give the Wings a 1-0 lead.
Later, just 4:32 into the third period, Z maneuvered near the top of the left face-off circle with the puck, attracting the attention of the Star’s defense and goalie Marty Turco, then sent a nice pass to Dallas Drake moving towards the net from the right side. Drake made the game 3-0 with his first goal of the season.
With the two assists, Zetterberg now has 52 points this season. Having missed five games, Henrik has slipped from 2nd to tied for 6th amongst league scoring leaders. He had nine points in five games prior to his injury. Zetterberg now trails the NHL leader Vincent Lecavalier by six points.
Zetterberg Ready for Wednesday
By Ansar Khan, Mlive.com, Tuesday January 01, 2008
Henrik Zetterberg will return to the lineup Wednesday at home against
"I feel ready to go,'' Zetterberg said after Tuesday's practice. "I felt good the last couple of days. Been practicing pretty good here, so I'm ready to go.''
Asked if Zetterberg would play, coach Mike Babcock said: "At this point it sure does, but we'll see again tomorrow morning, we always do that anytime it's a back thing. He should be ready to go.''
Zetterberg was skating on a line with Jiri Hudler and Mikael Samuelsson.
Posted by George James Malik January 01, 2008
Detroit Red Wings centre Henrik Zetterberg will play vs. the Dallas Stars on Wednesday after missing five games with back spasms, but Mike Babcock isn't going to break up the Datsyuk line to accommodate him:
January 1, Detroit News: Zetterberg has missed the last five games with back spasms. But after a second consecutive pain-free day of practice on Tuesday, the Wings declared him ready to play Wednesday when
"That's the plan, I feel ready to go," Zetterberg said. "I felt real good the last couple of days, been practicing pretty good and I'm ready to go."
Said coach Mike Babcock: "At this point, it sure does (look like Zetterberg will play). We'll see again (Wednesday), but he should be ready to go."
January 1, Detroit Free Press: Zetterberg, who skated on an line with fellow injured forwards Tomas Holmstrom (knee) and Kirk Maltby (back) on Monday, traded in a grey sweater for a red one on Tuesday. He played with Jiri Hudler and Mikael Samuelsson.
"I feel ready to go," Zetterberg said. "Felt good the last couple of days. Been practicing pretty good here, so I'm ready to go tomorrow."
Wings coach Mike Babcock had Pavel Datsyuk on a line with Valtteri Filppula and Dan Cleary. With Filppula, Hudler and Samuelsson all contributing consistently recently Babcock doesn't feel compelled to reunite Zetterberg and Datsyuk, who formed the NHL's best line this season with Holmstrom.
"I've been talking about it forever and no one ever wants me to do it," Babcock said of splitting up Zetterberg and Datsyuk. "To me, for us to be the team we're capable of being, in the end they gotta play apart. But we gotta have enough development of our players so they can. They gotta have guys to play with."
By George Sipple, Free Press, January 1, 2008
The three injured Red Wings practiced in gray sweaters Monday at Joe Louis Arena, but Zetterberg, who has missed four games with back spasms, was the only one able to go full speed as the team prepared to host St. Louis.
"Second day skating now and I hope to be back real soon," Zetterberg said. "Obviously not tonight, but see how it feels tomorrow; maybe next game."
Zetterberg said an MRI showed there's nothing wrong with the disk that has bothered him in the past.
"That relieved me a little bit," he said. "So it's nothing to do with that. That's real positive."
Zetterberg and Holmstrom said the Wings' continued success has helped their recovery, because they don't feel the need to rush back.
