March 2010
Milestone Games for Pavel Datsyuk (600) and Henrik Zetterberg (500) On Tap
By Chris McCosky, The Detroit News, March 30th, 2010
How about this production from two players at the midpoint of their careers: 1,100 games, 401 goals, 653 assists, two Stanley Cups, four Lady Byngs, two Selkes and a Conn Smythe.
Not bad for one player taken in the sixth round and the other in the seventh.
"Obviously," general manager Ken Holland said with a bit of a snicker, "they have exceeded our expectations by a significant amount."
Pavel Datsyuk, drafted in the sixth round in 1998, was to play his 600th NHL game Tuesday night. Henrik Zetterberg, a seventh-round pick in 1999, was to play in his 500th.
That those two would be the ones to take the torch from Steve Yzerman, Igor Larionov, Chris Chelios, Kris Draper and Nicklas Lidstrom and carry on the Red Wing’s tradition of success never entered Holland's thoughts on draft day.
"When you draft players in the later rounds, you are hoping they can someday become NHL players," Holland said. "To take a guy in the sixth round and another in the seventh and see them develop into two of the premier two-way forwards in the game, it's extraordinary. They have exceeded our hopes by a long way."
It's been a pleasant surprise to Zetterberg, as well.
"Coming here a few years ago, we had a pretty outstanding team," Zetterberg said. "Coming in and being able to play with those guys was awesome and I learned a lot. Now, as the years went by, me and Pav have played more and gotten more opportunities. It's been special."
Zetterberg, 29, and Datsyuk, 31, magical on the ice, are also fairly close off the ice.
"It's because we were the only young guys when we first got here," Zetterberg said. "There were a lot of veterans who had been playing here a long time so me and Pav kind of found each other on and off the ice and it's grown from there."
The success of the "Euro Twins," as they have been dubbed in the past, hasn't come as any surprise to Lidstrom.
"The first time I saw Hank was the Olympics in 2002 in Salt Lake City," Lidstrom said. "He was playing in Sweden then, but I saw right away he had the skills and potential to be good here, too. And Pav, the first time I saw him, just the skill -- the things he could do one-on-one and individually. Both kept getting better and better with ice time and confidence."
Lidstrom has been pleased how both have grown to embrace their leadership roles, as well.
"They both signed long-term deals, so they want to stay here, they want to be part of this organization and I think that says a lot about the two of them," Lidstrom said. "They learned a lot from the older guys who have been here, seeing what they did and now taking over that role themselves. As they've gotten older, they've gotten more experience and more responsibility getting to be assistant captains and leaders now for our team."
Zetterberg signed a 12-year deal in January 2009 and Datsyuk signed a seven-year deal in 2007.
So, with any luck, they should be still wearing Red Wings sweaters when they play their 1,000th game.
"We have a chance, if we stay healthy enough and play well enough to do that, to end our careers here," Zetterberg said. "Now, with the salary cap, players can't stay with one team long enough. But me and Pav have had the privilege to find a spot and build a home here and hopefully we can spend the rest of our careers here."
Joint Milestones for Red Wings' Eurotwins
By Helene St. James, Free Press, March 31, 2010
Kris Draper remembers when he first saw the two Red Wings playing together, which prompted a nickname that sticks to this day, even now that the pair, as Mike Babcock put it, "are getting old."
Tuesday's 5-4 victory against the Oilers was the 600th career game for Pavel Datsyuk, whose two assists included setting up the game-winner, and the 500th career game for Henrik Zetterberg, who also had an assist. Both have played their entire NHL careers with the Wings, who plucked Datsyuk in the sixth round in the 1998 draft and brought him to Detroit in 2001. They took Zetterberg in the seventh round in 1999 and had him in Detroit in 2002.
"It's a big point for us," Datsyuk said of the milestones. "I'm happy I play with this team, and I think Hank happy, too. We play many games together and have lots of fun."
They're likely to hit several more round numbers together, as Datsyuk, 31, has four seasons left on his contract, and Zetterberg, 29, has 11 left on his. Over the years they've become bona fide stars and, especially since 2006, team leaders -- taking over as Steve Yzerman and Brendan Shanahan left. Both became alternate captains under Babcock and started to "drive the bus," the coach says.
"My first year here, that wasn't their job, we had veteran players," Babcock said. "And the next year, at the start we stumbled a little bit until they kind of decided that they were comfortable with that. They've just come of age. ... We made them go head-to-head every single night, and we believe that's how you win in the end -- your best players have got to be your best players."
A big part of their story lies off the ice, too -- as a young Swede came to Detroit in 2002 and met a young Russian. Soon the two were rooming together and spending hours kicking around a soccer ball.
That's why to the team veterans, they'll always be the Eurotwins.
"The first time they played together, you could see how excited they both were, and that's how they became the Eurotwins," Draper said.
Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg Reach Milestones on Same Night
By Ansar Khan, Mlive.com, March 30, 2010
Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, with their similar styles, comparable talent and close friendship, will forever be linked in Detroit Red Wings history.
So it was somewhat fitting each reached a different milestone on the same night Tuesday, as Datsyuk played his 600th NHL game and Zetterberg his 500th.
They were late-round gems from Europe drafted one year apart -- Datsyuk 171st overall in 1998, Zetterberg 210th overall in 1999. Datsyuk joined the Red Wings in 2001-02, Zetterberg a year later. Together, they ushered the franchise into a new era after the departures of several future Hall-of-Famers.
“Just having the chance to play with (Steve) Yzerman, (Chris) Chelios, (Nicklas) Lidstrom, (Kris) Draper, (Igor) Larionov, (Sergei) Fedorov … I can go on and on. You learn a lot, try to pass that on as much as you can. It’s a fun responsibility. I’m looking forward to many more years here.’’
Both hope to spend their entire career with one organization, which is becoming increasingly difficult in the salary-cap era. Zetterberg signed a 12-year contract last season. Datsyuk will have four years remaining on the seven-year deal he inked in 2007.
“I just have to be healthy enough and play well enough, and if I do that, there’s a pretty good chance that I will be here,’’ Zetterberg said. “Now, with the cap, players can’t stay on the team long enough. Both me and Pav had the privilege to find a spot and build a home here and hopefully we can spend the rest of our careers here.’’
Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom noted the impact Datsyuk and Zetterberg have had on and off the ice.
“They work hard off the ice and on the ice, but they have the skill to go with it, too,’’ Lidstrom said. “By signing long-term deals, both want to stay a part of this organization. It says a lot about the two of them that they wanted to play for one team their entire careers.’’
Datsyuk and Zetterberg began to blossom before Mike Babcock took over as coach in 2005-06 and then reached another level.
“They just come of age. I just happened to be the coach when that happened,’’ Babcock said. “We really pushed them hard to be good with and without the puck, just by how we played them, head-to-head every single night (against other teams’ best players).’’
“They’ve become dominant players in the league. They haven’t been as much this year, scoring-wise, but we believe the brightest part of the season is still ahead of us.’’
Datsyuk has 24 goals and 40 assists this season while Zetterberg has 23 goals and 43 assists.
By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, March 24, 2010
With a goal and an assist in tonight's 4-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues, Henrik Zetterberg now has 7 goals and 10 assists for 17 points in the past 11 games. He has 23 goals and 42 assists for 65 points in 65 games played this season. He is currently on pace for 27 goals and 47 assists for 74 points in 74 games this year.
Zetterberg has accumulated .
Red Wing Henrik Zetterberg is Peaking at Right Time By Rob Otto, Mlive.com, March 23, 2010 When the Red Wings need him most, Henrik Zetterberg is playing at his best. Zetterberg scored two goals and added an assist as Detroit beat the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins 3-1 last night. In his last 19 games, Zetterberg has scored 10 goals and assisted on 14 more. In the 44 games he played before that, Zetterberg managed only 12 goals and 27 assists. Detroit has taken advantage of that offensive surge by winning eight of 11 games since the Olympic Break. Zetterberg is also helping in other ways. He blanketed Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby through the entire game on Monday. Gary Bettman's golden child was so frustrated that he cross-checked Zetterberg in front of the Detroit net. That wasn't a smart idea. Todd Bertuzzi and even goalie Jimmy Howard made sure Crosby knew it with a few shoves of their own. It looks like Zetterberg is even helping with team unity. Henrik Zetterberg Leaves Mark on Penguins By Chris McCosky, The headline belongs to Zetterberg. Not only did his line score all three goals -- he got two of them -- but he also shut down Crosby, who had three shots on goal and was a minus-3 for the night. "We did a good job as a five-man unit," said Zetterberg, who scored his 21st and 22nd goals of the season. "You have to minimize his ice and be around him all the time because he's so dangerous when he has the puck. You know, the more you play against him the more you are used to playing against him, and we've played against him a lot the last couple of years." It was more than a week ago when Babcock, in an attempt to get Zetterberg going, decided to move Valtteri Filppula, a center by trade, up to play wing on his line. He might have gotten more than he bargained for. Zetterberg has three goals and an assist since the move and Filppula two goals and two assists. "I just know Z has played way better here of late, has way more battle in him, way more legs and is skating way better," Babcock said before the game. "So has that been due to Fil or is it just the determination of Z? I don't know the answer to that." Zetterberg does -- it's both. "I hadn't played that well this season, but I am feeling better lately," Zetterberg said. "Fil definitely helps because he can make a lot of plays, he skates with the puck and hangs on to it all over the ice. And since Bert has been with us, he's played good as well, being in front of the net and making plays. "It's an easy line to play with and it's clicking." A frustrated Zetterberg wasn't bothered by any of it. "Just a lot of feeling and a lot of emotion after a game, nothing more," he said. "If it was reversed, I probably would have done the same thing." Henrik Zetterberg Dominates at Both Ends of Ice, Leads Red Wings Past Penguins, 3-1 By Ansar Khan, Mlive.com, March 22, 2010 While making an observation about Henrik Zetterberg’s recent play, Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock posed a question before Monday’s game. Zetterberg’s line has been dominant the past two games. Red Wings against Penguins' Sidney Crosby By Ansar Khan, Mlive.com, March 22, 2010 The Red Wings liked the feistiness goaltender Jimmy Howard displayed after the final horn Monday, when he rushed to teammate Henrik Zetterberg’s defense and began roughing it up with Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby following Detroit’s 3-1 win at Joe Louis Arena. By Kevin Allen, Numerous subplots highlighted Monday's Pittsburgh Penguins-Detroit Red Wings game, including another entertaining Henrik Zetterberg vs. Sidney Crosby battle. Zetterberg had two goals and an assist and finished the game with Crosby cross-checking him several times near the "I think the puck was there somewhere," Zetterberg said. "We were battling. ... ( Zetterberg said the game felt like a postseason contest because of the intensity. "He competes hard," Throughout the game, Red Wings-related tidbits for Tuesday morning By George Malik, Mlive.com, March 23, 2010 In the foreign language department, Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg spoke to Aftonbladet's Per Bjurman after the Wings' 3-1 win on Monday, and he lamented the fact that he didn't register a "Gordie Howe Hat Trick" because he wasn't penalized for his little sparring match with Sidney Crosby: March 23, Aftonbladet (roughly translated): Yes, he was a bit grumpy and gave me seven or eight cross-checks in the back in the final seconds of the game. When the final whistle happened, I had enough and had a little scrap with him. But then, of course, Jimmy Howard, our goalie, came in," said "Zata" with a laugh when we talked to him afte the final whistle. Associated Press, March 22nd, 2010 For the Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins to play again this season, it'll have to be in a third straight Stanley Cup final between the teams. "Hopefully that will happen," Red Wings star Henrik Zetterberg said with a grin after Zetterberg scored his second goal early in the third period and had an assist, lifting Sidney Crosby's frustration level seemed to reach a boiling point in the final seconds, leading to him cross-checking Zetterberg in the back in front of "I knew it was him without turning around," Zetterberg said. "It was like a playoff game," Zetterberg said. Crosby has just five goals in 18 games, including the playoffs, against Against the rest of the league, Zetterberg deflected credit for containing "We're doing a good job as a five-man unit," Zetterberg said. Crosby wasn't too interested in praising how well Zetterberg matches up with him, saying standout defensemen Brian Rafalski and Nicklas Lidstrom are factors. "A lot of guys play you tough," he said. "And, a lot of guys don't have Rafalski and Lidstrom back there." Two Goals and an Assist Move Zetterberg Past Gallant and Libett on Detroit’s All-time Scoring List. By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, March 22nd, 2010 Henrik Zetterberg had an assist and scored two big goals, including the game winner, to carry the Detroit Red Wings to a 3-1 win over the defending Stanley Cup Champion Pittsburgh Penguins tonight at the Joe Louis Arena. The Wing’s opened the scoring with just under a minute remaining in the 1st period. Zetterberg moved the puck out of Detroit’s end. Todd Bertuzzi moved it along to Valtteri Filppula who made a nice toe-drag and snuck a shot between the legs of defenseman Sergei Gonchar and past goalie Marc-Andre Fleury. Zetterberg scored his first goal of the game 7:38 into the 2nd period, when he took a pass at the left faceoff circle from Captain Nicklas Lidstrom on the point. Henrik then deked past Gonchar and lifted a backhanded shot from the hashmarks. The shot bounced off the back of Bertuzzi who was screening at the crease. Z followed his initial shot and roofed a second backhander into the open net of Fleury’s glove side. The first shot on the eventual game-winning goal was reminiscent of Hank’s overtime winner two nights ago in Vancouver. The Pens scored later to make a one-goal game going into the 3rd period. Then, just 1:20 into the 3rd, Zetterberg received a pass from Filppula at center ice, carried it into the offensive zone, and then flicked a wrister from about 35 feet between Gonchar and Mark Eaton and over Fleury’s right shoulder. The insurance goal was Henrik’s 22nd of the season. On his second tally of the game, Zetterberg moved two places up the , passing long-time forwards Gerard Gallant and Nick Libett, with 468 career points (205 goals and 263 assists) in 496 career games for the franchise. The two goals, the assist, and +2 tonight give Hank 22 goals and 41 assists for a team-leading 63 points and +11 in 64 games this season. He has 6 goals and 9 assists for 15 points and +6 in the last 10 games and is now on pace for 26 goals, 46 assists, 73 points and +13 in 73 games this year. 
“Z’s played way better here of late, does way more battling, skating way better,’’ Babcock said. “So is that due to (new linemate Valtteri Filppula), or is that just the determination of Z?’’
Probably a little of both. And when Sidney Crosby is tossed into the mix, Zetterberg’s determination and intensity are raised to an even higher level. The same can be said about
Zetterberg, flashing his playoff MVP form of 2008, scored two goals and added an assist, all the while blanketing and frustrating
“Always when you play against a good player, it’s fun, because it’s not just defense, you play a lot of offense, too,’’ Zetterberg said. “It’s a good battle, and I think we both enjoy it.’’
“We were battling and then after the whistle, Howie came and rescued me,’’ Zetterberg said.
Crosby, who was booed every time he touched the puck and serenaded with chants of “
“We’re doing a great job as a five-man unit,’’ Zetterberg said. “We have to minimize his ice, be on him all the time. He’s a good player when he has the puck. The more you play against him, the more you get used to playing against him.’’
“There are lots of guys who play tough. There are a lot of guys who don’t have (Brian) Rafalski and Lidstrom on the back end, either,’’
Holding a precarious 2-1 lead, Zetterberg delivered a huge goal just 1:20 into the third period off a harmless-looking rush, firing a wrist shot from the slot past Marc-Andre Fleury.
Zetterberg made it 2-0 at 7:38 of the second period. He took a pass in the corner from Lidstrom, cut in front of the net and flipped in the rebound of his own shot while Bertuzzi was in Fleury’s face.
“He’s playing aggressive, he’s getting in there and taking over the play right now,’’ Bertuzzi said. “He’s carrying the puck, he’s got his room, he’s skating well. When you got him and Pavel (Datsyuk), a one-two punch going that fast and that good, it’s unbeatable.’’
“He does that stuff all the time. Somehow he gets away with it,’’ Howard said. “Z doesn’t take any of that. He went right back at him, and I stepped in there, too.’’
Said Zetterberg: “I saw Jimmy coming in with his glove and
Zetterberg and Crosby have a history dating to the 2008 Stanley Cup finals, when
“I don’t know if he gets away with it,’’ Zetterberg said. “He plays with a lot of emotion, a lot of heart. Sometimes, it comes out the wrong way.’’
Zetterberg said of the cross-checks: “I might be doing the same thing if (the score) were the other way.’’
Crosby, the player
Said Zetterberg of the atmosphere: “This is the way we like it. It’s loud. Every time we go on the ice, the crowd is with you and helping a lot. It was like a playoff game and it was fun to play.’’
Zetterberg scores twice, lifts Red Wings past Penguins 
Zetterberg Scores Buzzer-beater in Overtime
By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, March 20th, 2010
You just knew it was going to be Henrik Zetterberg’s night tonight in Vancouver after a poor performance in yesterday’s 3-2 shootout loss in Edmonton, in which Z’s line gave up two goals in the first five minutes of the game.
You could tell it was going to be different for Zetterberg tonight. His line, with wingers Valtteri Filppula and Todd Bertuzzi, came out flying. All three scored huge goals in the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 overtime win tonight in Vancouver.
The Canucks got out to a 2-0 lead after one period. The ZBF line put on the pressure and got the Wings on the scoreboard when Bertuzzi scored his first goal in twenty games 12:34 into the second period.
Later, with the score tied at two-a-piece and just under three minutes remaining in the second period, Nicklas Lidstrom was called for a holding penalty putting Vancouver on the power-play. Killing the penalty, Zetterberg won a battle with Ryan Kesler along Detroit’s endboards in the right corner. Wing’s defenseman Niklas Kronwall took the puck and was able to send a clearing pass up ice to Filppula, who scored on a breakaway to give Detroit a 3-2 lead. Z’s helper on the short-handed goal was his 40th assist of the season.
With the assist (262nd of his career), Henrik passed legendary Hall-of-Famer Sid Abel for 15th place on the with 464 points in 495 career games.
The Red wings were able to hold on and force overtime after Daniel Sedin scored a third period goal for the Canucks to tie the game at 3-3.
With only three seconds remaining in overtime, Filppula cycled the puck back to Zetterberg along the left boards and into the corner of the offensive zone. Vancouver defenseman Christian Ehrhoff had lost his stick checking Zetterberg behind the net. Z powered around Ehrhoff in the left faceoff circle and lifted a backhanded shot high on the glove side of Canuck’s goaltender Roberto Luongo, who was screened by defenseman Kevin Bieksa. The shot hit the roof of the net to beat the buzzer with just .3 of a second left on the clock to give the Red Wings the much-needed victory.
The winning shot was Hank’s9th shot of the game in 23:14 minutes played. He was a +3. The game-winning goal was Zetterberg’s 20th tally of the season. Henrik now has 20 goals and 40 assists for 60 points in 63 games played this season. He has 4 goals and 8 assists in the last 9 games and is now on pace for 24 goals, 46 assists, and 70 points in 73 games this year. -Henrik Zetterberg (on scoring game-winning goal against Vancouver with .3 seconds left in overtime) March 20th, 2010 -Nicklas Lidstrom (on Zetterberg’s nine shots and +3 effort against Canucks) March 21st, 2010. By Daniel Sallows, Bleacherreport.com, March 15th, 2010 When it comes to finding talent in the late rounds of the NHL Entry Draft, no team has done it better than the Detroit Red Wings over the years. While the Atlanta Thrashers used their first overall pick in the 1999 draft to select Patrik Stefan, the Wings took Henrik Zetterberg in the seventh round, 210th overall. The script is still being written when it comes to just how good the 29-year-old Zetterberg can be, but so far so good, as the Swede has a Stanley Cup, an Olympic gold, a World Championship, and a Conn Smyth Trophy on his resume. Henrik has also racked up nearly a point a game over his 492-game NHL career, scoring 202 goals while adding 260 assists. The Wings are going to be good for a long time to come thanks to drafting this guy late in 1999. Henrik Zetterberg Snaps Out of Production Funk as Red Wings Beat Wild, 5-1 By Ansar Khan, Mlive.com, March 12, 2010 The Detroit Red Wings played with urgency from the drop of the puck Thursday and maintained that desperation for 60 minutes as Henrik Zetterberg led the way with a determined effort. The Mysterious Struggles of Datsyuk and Zetterberg By Michael Rosenberg, Freep.com, March 11th, 2010 "Both of those guys, in my opinion, are the best two-way players in the world." - Red Wings general manager Ken Holland, speaking about Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, June 5, 2008 That comment has stuck with me, for a few reasons. One is that Holland said it on the ice in Pittsburgh after the Red Wings had won the Stanley Cup. He said it even though Pittsburgh had two more touted young stars, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Holland is not prone to overstatement, and certainly not to gloating, yet he said it on Crosby and Malkin's home ice. And mostly, I remember it because it did not seem like an opinion. It seemed like a statement of extraordinary fact. Zetterberg and Datsyuk had been absolutely dominant that spring. They had owned the playoffs. Lately, I've thought about Holland's statement for another reason: Nobody would say that today. And as the Wings enter their most important regular-season stretch run in two decades, the simple fact is that they need Zetterberg and Datsyuk to play close to their best. Datsyuk has played better since the Olympic break, but Zetterberg is struggling. Datsyuk is averaging less than a point a game for the first time since 2003-04. Zetterberg has 18 goals and 35 assists in 58 games. Two years ago, he had 43 goals and 49 assists in 75 games. He is eighth in the league in shots, but he isn't converting. "It hasn't been my best season," Zetterberg said. "I've had my chances. I haven't been executing, haven't been scoring the way I can. There is nothing I can redo." What happened to these guys? Normally when great players take a step back, you can come up with a pretty good reason: age, injuries, loss of desire, selfishness or some combination. None of those applies here. Nobody has ever questioned their work ethic. They say they are healthy. They are team guys. They care desperately. Maybe it was just too hard to sustain their level of excellence. Remember, the Wings went deep into the playoffs the last three years. They played more games than most teams, and those extra games were the most physically taxing and draining games anybody played. This year, because of the Olympic break, the schedule was condensed. Maybe Datsyuk and Zetterberg are just worn out. They both denied it; it sounds like an excuse. Oh, Datsyuk admitted that "we've played a lot of games -- you can feel it" and called the schedule "kind of not fair." But I don't think he really meant unfair; I think he meant it is not ideal. He pointed out that it's the same for everybody. Zetterberg acknowledged that the slump has affected him mentally. "It's a lot easier when you're scoring goals," he said. "When things aren't going well, you start thinking. You wonder why nothing is going the way it should." Datsyuk has scored goals in three straight games. Perhaps the break is all he needed (even though he spent much of it playing for Russia). But coach Mike Babcock said Wednesday that he hoped the line of Zetterberg, Dan Cleary and Valtteri Filppula could provide the Wings with similar production. "We need him to be better," Babcock said of Zetterberg. Even Zetterberg would agree with that. The question is: Can he get back to his old level of production before the Wings run out of time? "If it was that easy," Zetterberg said with a smile, "I would be playing better." Henrik Zetterberg's Slump Spurs Line Change By Chris McCosky, The Detroit News, March 11th, 2010 Henrik Zetterberg didn't pull any punches. When asked what he felt about his season overall, he said, "It hasn't been fantastic, that's for sure. It's something I am not happy about, but you can't look back. I just have to keep going, work hard and do things right." There are many NHL players who would happily take Zetterberg's numbers this season -- 18 goals and 53 points in 58 games. But for Zetterberg -- who has four straight 30-plus goal seasons -- they are well below his standard. "After getting back from the shoulder injury, it's been better," Zetterberg said. "After the Olympic break I felt good. I just have to get more points on the board to help the team win. I don't really count chances, but I've had enough to where I should be able to score some goals." In an effort to kick-start not only Zetterberg and the second scoring line, but the entire team, coach Mike Babcock has moved Valtteri Filppula up with Zetterberg and Danny Cleary. The immediate goal is to invigorate Zetterberg, who has six goals and seven assists, with a minus-2 rating in the last 12 games. He only got off two shots against Calgary. "We need him to be better," Babcock said. "That doesn't mean he has to carry the weight of the world around on his back. Just dig in and find a way to be better, to be harder. Hopefully as a coach I am putting him with players he needs to help him out." Moving Filppula to wing gives the second line more speed and should create space and plays for Zetterberg. A secondary benefit of switching Filppula to the wing is that it could open up more playing time for Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Filppula. All three could take extra shifts centering the third line. "What we often do there is overplay the other centers, rotate them in on that third line once in a while," Babcock said. "All three of those guys played 18 minutes (against Calgary), which is good. But they can probably play another minute or minute and a half. I can put them on the other line and spread it out more." Henrk Zetterberg's Fallen Production Prompts Red Wings to Shake Up Second Line By Ansar Khan, Mlive.com, March 11, 2010 In a season that has presented the Detroit Red Wings with a stream of challenges, their latest, most pressing task is getting Henrik Zetterberg to return to form. What’s Wrong with Z? By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, March 10, 2010 Watching Zetterberg play last night in the Red Wings 4-2 loss to the Calgary Flames, a team they are battling for the 8th seed in the Western Conference standings, you have to wonder what is wrong with Hank? Z is definitely not playing the way we are used to seeing. And he has looked off of his game for big parts of this season. It certainly appears that he has lost a step or two, has a weaker stride, and is gliding around a lot instead of skating hard. Hank seems to be trailing behind most plays on defense and not aggressively back-checking. He is getting knocked off of the puck vice skating around defenders. He is not moving his feet and he is getting beat to loose pucks. He even seems to be fatigued or unconfident. He is shooting from low percentage areas, and losing a lot of face-offs (or getting thrown out of the face-off circle altogether). I think it’s obvious, Zetterberg is playing hurt and it is drastically affecting his game. Remember, he didn’t have a pre-season. Henrik started the year playing with a growing injury. Then, he missed eight games in the middle of the season with a separated shoulder, at a time when the Wings were already reeling from numerous injuries to several key players. It could be the lingering effects of these injuries, or a new one, that is hampering Z’s ability to be a difference maker. It looks like a lower-body injury based on his inability to find that extra gear to drive around other players or to the net. Its possible that Hank was rushed back too early from both of his ailments. Detroit’s management has had no choice. This is a team desperate for every point in the standings that it can scrape up. And the Wings also have struggled with a severe lack of scoring depth. They need Zetterberg to be in the line-up to give them two quality scoring lines, whether he is 100% healthy or not. Z may only be playing at 70%, but it is better than not having him at all. If Detroit is going to make it into the playoffs for the 19th consecutive season, Henrik has to play. They can’t afford to rest him. Surely Zetterberg needs the rest. Of course he is worn down. He just played in the Olympics, which is like playing in the Stanley Cup Finals. Speaking of, the Red Wings have been in the Cup Finals for the past two years. That’s two straight very arduous playoff drives and two very short summers to recover. Certainly, he is feeling that. Add that with all of the injuries the team has had to make up for. It’s amazing this team is still in the playoff hunt. They have had to do more with less all year, especially Zetterberg, who has been playing with mix-and-match linemates all season. He used to be a “Euro Twin” on the top line with Pavel Datsyuk. But since the begininng of last season head coach Mike Babcock has tried to force the split and delegates Zetterberg to 2nd line duties with a variety of checking wingers and 2nd line “scorers”. Hank is not getting much chance to develop chemistry with his line mates. And even when it is obvious that he doesn’t have chemistry with Todd Bertuzzi or Jason Williams, Babcock seems unwillng to make moves. Z doesn’t have any snipers or finishers. He also doesn’t have a set-up man. Dan Cleary isn’t getting pucks to Henrik for scoring chances. Neither is Bertuzzi, nor Williams. The Red Wings lack of depth combined with Zetterberg’s apparent injury problems have resulted in reduced offensive numbers that have some critics actually questioning Hank’s heart. Reading some forums and blogs, you would think that ever since Zetterberg got his big contract last season he has become lazy or unmotivated. Some go so far as to say that he has six million a year for twelve years, he has already won a Stanley Cup, a Conn Smyth trophy, an Olympic Gold Medal, and a World Cup. Oh, and he has a hot fiancee. So, he has no reason to try hard anymore. This is a ridiculous claim. Why would one of the hardest working, two-way forwards in the league (the guy who shuts down the other teams top scorers on a nightly basis) all of a sudden quit trying? This is an Assistant Captain who is being groomed to be the next Captain of the Detroit Red Wings. He has done nothing in the last six years but display the kind of character and determination it takes to earn that respect and be rewarded with a lifetime contract. You can tell by listening to the comments that Zetterberg makes to the media that he is disappointed in his own play this season. It is definitely not due to a lack of effort. The guy is playing hurt and busting his ass. Lst, despite the noticeable difference in Hank’s play, and his subsequent lower statistics, his dip in production may actually be more of a perception based on expectations. In actuality, Zetterberg has 21 points in the last 21 games, and 5 points in 4 games since the Olympics. He is on pace for about 23 goals and 45 assists for 68 points in 74 games by the end of the season. Last year he had 31 goals and 42 assists for 73 points in 77 points. The reality is, Z isn’t a point per game player and hasn’t been since he played on a line with Datsyuk in 2007-08. This year, Henrik is playing close to his career average .93 points per game. If you would like him to be a 40 goals 80-90 points-a-year guy, I suggest getting Hank a playmaker to play on the 2nd line. It’s too late to do it this year, and it may result in the Wing’s missing the playoffs. Maybe that’s what it will take for them to get rested, refocused, and reloaded for next season. Zetterberg could use the break as well. Is Zetterberg Overpaid? By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, March 5, 2010 At a salary cap hit of 6.08 million dollars a year, are the Detroit Red Wings over-paying Henrik Zetterberg? The question has come up a lot recently in blogs and forums. With the Wings barely holding onto the 8th and final playoff position in the Western Conference, fans and critics are looking at Zetterberg and Datsyuk to “earn their paychecks” and carry the team into the post-season. Let me start by saying that Datsyuk and Zetterberg lead the team in goals and points. Datsyuk has 17 goals/ 52 points in 61 games (.85 points per game.) Zetterberg has 17 goals/ 50 points in 55 games (.91 points per game.) Datsyuk is well off of his career .98 points per game average. Z is only .02 off of his career .93 points per game. While Henrik is on pace for just 22 goals, 44 assists, and 66 points in 74 games, his career average is only 29 goals, 36 assists, and 65 points a season. So, the perceived drop-off is based on expectations set by Zetterberg’s performances in the 2005-06 and 2007-08 seasons. It’s pretty fair to say higher expectations were set when To answer the question I decided to do some research. I took a list of the top 50 points leaders amongst NHL forwards so far this season and merged it with a list of the top 50 highest paid (salary cap hit) NHL forwards this year. It ends up being a list of 80 forwards. I wanted to see how much money these guys were making per point. The average dollars per point equals $105,000. Amazing how much these guys are getting paid! Zetterberg is the 28th highest paid per point at $122,000. So, he is paid more than the average. That being said, Z’s .91 points per game is better than 28 of the 52 forwards that get paid less per point. So, on the average, Henrik gets paid about the same as other elite players producing the same as him. Zetteberg’s $per point is comparable to: Jerome Iginla, Jason Pominville, Jason Arnott, and Andy McDonald. Z’s points-per-game is better than all of them. Zetterberg’s 50 points are equal to: Stephen Weiss, Bobby Ryan, Jussi Jokinen, and Maxim Afinogenov. Z’s points-per-game is better than all of them. Zetterberg’s .91 points-per-game is comparable to: Marian Hossa, Paul Stastny, Nik Antropov, Vinny Lecavalier, and Jarome Iginla. Z’s $-per-point is better than Hossa, Lecavalier, and Iginla. Zetterberg has the 24th highest salary cap hit amongst NHL forwards. He is getting paid less-per-point than eleven players who earn more per year. It’s Time for Datsyuk and Zetterberg to Drive the Bus By Helene St. James, Free Press, March 4, 2010 Mike Babcock is fond of the expression “driving the bus” when it comes to discussing the leaders on the Red Wings. In my opinion, that starts with Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. They’re the two highest paid forwards on the team, they’re the team’s superstars. Datsyuk, however, isn’t found among the top 30 scorers in the NHL. He barely makes the top-40 cut, coming in, as of Thursday morning, at 38th in the league with 52 points in 61 games. Zetterberg ranks 45th with 50 points in 55 games, but he did miss eight games because of a separated shoulder in January. Injuries have played a huge role in why the Wings are on the bubble, but now all the significant players are back. And that puts the onus on Datsyuk, who makes $6.7 million, and Zetterberg, who makes $7.4 million, to put the Wings on their shoulders.. There are quite a few players who could be playing better, but Datsyuk and Zetterberg are the two who have got to start getting it done. Henrik Zetterberg says 200th Goal Took too Long By David Goricki, Henrik Zetterberg downplayed his milestone 200th goal after the Red Wings lost to the Vancouver Canucks, 6-3, Wednesday night in their first game back at Joe Louis Arena from the Olympic break. Zetterberg, 29 and in his seventh season with the Wings, beat Olympic gold medalist Roberto Luongo with a wrist shot from the bottom of the left circle early in the second period for his 17th goal to pull the Wings even at 2. "Lilja made the pass and it was just a race for the puck between me and the 'D," Zetterberg said. "I had Luongo bite on the fake and then I me and the 'D,' just tried to hit the net. "It (200th goal) should have come earlier with the kind of players I play with and the team I'm on. I don't think it's that big of an achievement to get 200 goals at this point." Red Wings Draw Coach Mike Babcock's Ire in Loss to Canucks By Tom Kowalski, Mlive.com, March 03, 2010 Red Wings center Henrik Zetterberg said the team gave away the puck too much. Zetterberg Scores 200th Career Goal Against Luongo By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, March 3rd, 2010 Henrik Zetterberg scored his 200th career goal and also recorded an assist against Canadian Olympic gold medalist goalie Roberto Luongo, in the Detroit Red Wings 6-3 loss against the Vancouver Canucks at the Joe Louis Arena. Vancouver scored again to make it a 2-1 game after one period. Then, just 1:47 into the 2nd period, Zetterberg scored his 200th career goal to tie the game for a second time. Henrik took a pass from fellow Swede defenseman Andreas Lilja at center ice. Z attempted a pass to Williams on the right wing but the pass attempt hit the leg of Canucks center Kyle Wellwood and bounced over the blue line. Zetterberg then tipped the puck past defenseman Nolan Baumgartner as he tried a poke check. Hank picked up the rolling puck to the outside of the defender, made a shoulder-fake in the left face-off circle getting Luongo to freeze, and then delayed, firing a shot from the left of the crease over the outstreched leg of the netminder, showing tremendous patience. With the two points tonight, Zetterberg now has a team-leading 17 goals and 33 assists for 50 points in 55 games this season. Henrik has 200 goals, 255 assists, and 455 career points in 487 total games, currently ranking .
Disappointed by his decline in production, Zetterberg responded with one of his best performances of the season, contributing a goal and two assists in a 5-1 victory against the Minnesota Wild at Joe Louis Arena.
The three-point night was Zetterberg's second-most productive game of the season (he had five points against Anaheim on Nov. 14) and tied him with Pavel Datsyuk for the team lead with 56 points.
"You always want to contribute and help the team win,'' Zetterberg said. "I haven't really been doing that like I have the last few years. When you're going through a slump, you just have to keep going, shoot the puck a little more and work a little harder, do the little things right and, hopefully, it will turn.''
Zetterberg said he realizes he is one of the players who must lead the way in getting this team to the playoffs.
"I always put pressure on myself. I try not to care what other people are saying,'' Zetterberg said. "You just have to believe in yourself and keep going and do the best you can.''
Red Wings coach Mike Babcock tried to spark Zetterberg by moving fast-skating, playmaking third-line center Valtteri Filppula to his wing, opposite Dan Cleary.
"No one is challenging himself more than Z is,'' Babcock said. "These are proud guys. They know how good they're capable of being. He wants to be that good every night.
"We tried to give him as much help as we could tonight with linemates. Fil's a good passer, we just felt that might be a good situation for him. Good for him. He's got to feel good about himself, and that's real important.''
Said Zetterberg: "He's really skilled, offensively and defensively, he can make plays. It's fun to play with him. We'll see how long it lasts.''
Zetterberg followed with his 19th goal at 10:15, converting a pass from behind the net by Patrick Eaves.
He has not played like one of the top two-way forwards in the NHL. His production is down sharply from his peak two seasons ago. He has not been as hard to play against or as strong on the puck as he typically is.
"It's not been a fantastic season, for sure. It's something that I'm not happy about," Zetterberg said. "You can't look back, you just have to keep going. I got 16 games left. Just got to work hard and do things right."
Red Wings coach Mike Babcock moved third-line center Valtteri Filppula to the wing on Zetterberg's line, with Dan Cleary, in Wednesday's practice. Babcock hopes Filppula will help spark the line with his speed and playmaking ability Thursday night against the Minnesota Wild at Joe Louis Arena.
Zetterberg, with 18 goals and 53 points, is tied for 42nd in the league in scoring. He has a higher points per game average (.914) than Pavel Datsyuk (.875). But Datsyuk has been more effective the past several weeks, particularly after the Olympic break.
Zetterberg said he feels better about his play since returning from a separated shoulder Dec. 17 that sidelined him for eight games.
"I think I've had enough chances that I should be able to score some goals," Zetterberg said.
Part of the reason for Zetterberg's offensive decline can be attributed to injuries to teammates such as Johan Franzen, Tomas Holmstrom and Cleary that limited the team's secondary scoring options. But everyone has been healthy for a while now.
"There's been a number of things, injuries and all those things, but I can't deal with that now," Babcock said. "All I can deal with is what we got right here in front of us, and we need (Zetterberg) to be better.
"In saying all that, that doesn't mean carry the weight of the world around on your back. It just means dig in and find a way to do better and compete harder. And hopefully as a coach I'm giving him the players he needs to help him out."
Babcock has used Todd Bertuzzi and then Jason Williams on Zetterberg's wing over the past several games. They are shooters, Filppula is not. Filppula's job is to get Zetterberg the puck.
"We know (Filppula) is not going to shoot it. Maybe Z will shoot it (with) Cleary at the net," Babcock said.
"I don't think it was effort, it was just too many mistakes,'' Zetterberg said. "It's a game where you have to take the positive and leave the negative and go win the next game.''
One of those positives was Zetterberg's 200th career goal, a beauty that came when he faked a shot to pull goalie Roberto Luongo out of the net and then buried the shot behind him.
Zetterberg, though, was in no mood for celebration.
"It should've come earlier,'' he said about career goal No. 200. "It's not that big of an achievement to get 200 at this point.''
