Hank added an assist on Brian Rafalski’s empty-netter. Zetterberg now has a goal and five assists for a team-leading six points in six games.

Henrik Zetterberg steps up, delivers game-winning goal for Red Wings vs. Kings

By Ansar Khan, Mlive.com, October 15, 2009

The first five games of the regular season were like training camp for Henrik Zetterberg, who missed most of the preseason with a strained groin.
In Game No. 6 on Thursday, Zetterberg scored his first goal, which proved to be the game winner in a 5-2 victory against the Los Angeles Kings at Joe Louis Arena.
Missing Pavel Datsyuk due to an upper-body injury, the Red Wings needed Zetterberg to deliver with his strongest game. Coach Mike Babcock hopes his performance is a sign the star forward is rounding into form.
“I thought it was good, he answered the challenge and I thought he got stronger as the game went on,” Babcock said. “When you miss training camp, you have no legs. It doesn’t matter what you do or how much you rode the bike. So, it’s very important for them to get their legs. They can’t contribute offensively like they will once they get their legs.”
After the morning skate, Babcock said Zetterberg needed to reach another level.
“Bert (Todd Bertuzzi) had a real good game the last home game (Saturday). Cleary seems like he’s getting his legs,” Babcock said. “Now Z’s got to get to another level. That’s just the bottom line.”

Injury Gives Red Wings More Worries

By Kevin Allen, USA Today, October 15th, 2009

Although Babcock clearly said everyone had to pick up their game, he did single out Henrik Zetterberg for a special mention. Zetterberg doesn't have a goal yet, and he's been a minus-player.
"Z has to get to another level -- that's the bottom line?", Babcock said
What exactly does he need to do?
"He has to skate," Babcock said. "That's easy for me to say, but any time you don't play in training camp, it takes you…"
Babcock didn't finish the thought, preferring to say that Zetterberg, bothered by a groin injury in training camp, has started to play better, evidenced by 10 shots over his past two games.
Because of their injuries, Babcock said Zetterberg and Cleary "have had their training camp over the last five games."

Wings' top Lines Still are Off to Slow Start

By Chris McCosky, Detroit News, October 14, 2009

The Wings' top six forwards, Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Todd Bertuzzi, Dan Cleary, Valtteri Filppula and Ville Leino, have four goals and are a combined minus-10 in five games.

"It's early," Zetterberg said. "The first two games we didn't play well. The last two we were better and tonight (a 6-2 loss to Buffalo) we were awful. We just have to bounce back and get a rhythm going."

Zetterberg hasn't scored yet, but has four assists. He's minus-2. Datsyuk has only two assists and Bertuzzi, who leads the team in giveaways, has one assist.

"We need them to score," coach Mike Babcock said.

Zetterberg said it wasn't time to panic.

"We've got to score some goals," he said. "We're having chances. I should have scored two goals tonight. I am just not finishing it off. You have to be a little more desperate when you have chances. You have to put them in."

ZETTERBERGFAN'S TAKE:

Hank missed nearly the entire pre-season with a groin injury and he clearly is not up to speed yet. Bertuzzi is leading the team in turnovers and Zetterberg is having a hard time keeping up with the play. This has resulted in a few goals against and can account for the minus-2.

As for offense, the goals will come. Z has been getting his shots, but doesn't have that extra step right now to make a move and drive the net. I think it's obvious he is still recovering, conditioning, and building chemistry with his new linemates, particularly Bertuzzi.

Henrik has always been magic on the top line with Datsyuk, and there is no reason to think he won't be again. Expect them to have a break out game soon.

Red Wings Look for Production from Top Line

By Ansar Khan, Mlive.com, October 13, 2009

…the team also needs its stars to deliver. And they are off to a slow start.
Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg have no goals after five games. Datsyuk, who finished fourth in the NHL with 97 points in each of the past two seasons, is skating well but has only two assists. Zetterberg has four assists and has had his share of chances with a team-leading 17 shots, but he has not finished.
The players who form the top line (Datsyuk, Zetterberg and Todd Bertuzzi) have no goals.
"We've got to score some goals," Zetterberg said after Tuesday's 6-2 loss to the Buffalo Sabres. "We had a few chances. I should have had at least one or two today. It's not just finishing off, you have to be a little more desperate when you have your chances. You've got to put them in, otherwise, you will not score now. I had a few chances I should have put in. Just have to go back to work again and make sure we score next time."

Red Wings' Mike Babcock shifts Todd Bertuzzi to line with Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg

By Ansar Khan, Mlive.com, October 11, 2000

(Mike) Babcock made some line changes following Johan Franzen’s knee injury. He reunited Datsyuk and Zetterberg, who had been centering separate lines, and replaced their usual sidekick, Tomas Holmstrom, with Bertuzzi.
The 6-foot-3, 225-pound Bertuzzi wants to show he still can be a first-line forward. He was regarded as the league’s top power forward when he played on a dominant line with Markus Naslund and Brendan Morrison in Vancouver several years ago.
Bertuzzi needs to limit his turnovers, he’s tied for the team lead with six, and adjust his game to play with Datsyuk and Zetterberg.
“I have to drive the net, stay in front of the net, try to create some space for them, make sure defensively I’m responsible,” Bertuzzi said. “The way they play, it’s just a matter of time before we get a handful (of goals).”
Babcock’s preseason plan was to reduce ice time for Datsyuk and Zetterberg to keep them fresh. But Datsyuk played 22:28 and Zetterberg 21:59 on Saturday while matching up against Washington’s top line.

Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg Reunited.

By Ansar Khan, Mlive.com, October 10, 2009

Johan Franzen's knee injury has prompted Red Wings coach Mike Babcock to reunite Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg, at least for now.
“I wouldn’t count on it staying like that,'' Babcock said following today's morning skate, during which he had Datsyuk centering Zetterberg and Tomas Holmstrom.

Red Wings can't shake last season's problems

By Ansar Khan, Mlive.com, October 04, 2009

The second line is searching for some chemistry after being intact for only one exhibition game due to nagging groin injuries for Henrik Zetterberg, Dan Cleary and Todd Bertuzzi. Bertuzzi committed a couple of turnovers that led to goals on Friday. The line was better on Saturday, teaming up for an even-strength goal and contributing to a power-play goal.

Recap: Blues 5, Red Wings 3

By Helene St. James, Freep.com, October 4th, 2009

Globe Arena, Stockholm Sweden- Henrik Zetterberg's line with Todd Bertuzzi and Dan Cleary, each a minus-two the previous night, made it 2-0 when Bertuzzi passed to Zetterberg and Cleary tipped Zetterberg's shot.

Z's two cents: The Wings were called for five penalties, the last a hooking call on Pavel Datsyuk. "I don't know how, really, to put it," Zetterberg said, "to see Pav get a hooking penalty and nothing is called against him. He's got such great balance, and I think he doesn't get enough penalties (drawn) and all of a sudden he's in the box. For me, I can't understand that."

Some Red Wings not ready

By Chris McCosky, Detroit News, October 3rd, 2009

Stockholm, Sweden --Mike Babcock saw this coming. He talked on Thursday about how certain players on his team might not be ready to play.

"It's tough when you miss training camp," Babcock said. "Missing training camp makes great players good and good players average."

On Friday, in the Wings' 4-3 season-opening loss to the St. Louis Blues, two of his top players, both of whom missed most of training camp because of groin injuries, were very average.

Henrik Zetterberg and Dan Cleary each was minus-two for the game. Both seemed a step slow and their line, as well as the Wings' power play, suffered because of it.

Todd Bertuzzi was the third member of that line. He was also a minus-2 and made neutral-zone turnovers on the Blues' last two goals.

Zetterberg didn't seem overly concerned.

"My body is good, just have to play better."

ZETTERBERGFAN'S 2009-10 SEASON PREDICTIONS

By Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com, October 1st, 2009

Last year, Henrik Zetterberg had four goals, four assists, and was a (plus/minus) +7 in four pre-season games but then went on to have a somewhat disappointing year, based on previous expectations, with just 31 goals, 42 assists, for 73 points, and only a +13 in 77 games. He did pick up his game in the playoffs, scoring 11 goals and 13 assists with a +13 in 22 games, leading the Red Wings to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second straight post-season.

Hank didn’t really have a preseason this year. Nursing a sore groin since training camp, he has skated in just one exhibition game against Swedish Elite Club Farjestads. Zetterberg registered a goal and an assist in the win.

There are no reports of Zetterberg having any problems with his lower back or wrist tendonitis, which have both been chronic problems in past years. It looks like Henrik is relatively healthy going into the regular season. If he can stay injury-free he should recapture the team’s goal-scoring title that he lost last year to hired-gun Marian Hossa.

I expect Zetterberg to play over 75 games again this year, missing a few games with minor ailments. With that many games played and the departure of scorers; Hossa, Jiri Hudler, and Mikael Samuelsson, Henrik should be able to match or surpass his numbers from a few years ago, in which he scored a career high 43 goals. Don’t be surprised if he once again leads Detroit in scoring. With just his 17^th goal this season, Zetterberg will reach the 200 career goals mark.

Z could very well match his career-high 49 assists from 2007-08, even with new linemates Todd Bertuzzi and Dan Cleary. I would say it’s more likely that he will get 43 to 45 helpers this year.

I was not very accurate with last years predictions, but I am going to put myself out there again this time around and say Hank racks up about 48 goals and 45 assists, once again falling a little short of a 100 point season, but surpassing his career-high of 92.

If Zetterberg plays only 68 games this season he will get to 500 for his career. He should finish closer to 510.

Henrik needs just 11 career points to pass Slava Kozlov (415) for 18^th on Detroit’s all-time scoring list. Z will likely finish 12^th on that list at the end of this season, passing Kozlov, Tomas Holmstrom (424), Syd Howe (435), Sid Abel (463), Gerard Gallant (467), Nick Libbett (467), and Red Kelly (472) as a Red Wing.

A year ago I said, “58 regular season wins, 124 points, Presidents Trophy, defeat the San Jose Sharks in the Conference Finals, and go on to defeat the Montreal Canadians in six games to win back-to-back Stanley Cups.”

I was wrong. The Wings won 51 regular season matches for 112 points and 1^st place in an improved Central Division, but did not win the President’s Trophy (San Jose), and lost the Stanley Cup in seven games to the Penguins.

This time I say, 52 regular season wins, 114 points, and they defeat the San Jose Sharks in the Conference Finals, and go on to defeat the Boston Bruins in seven games to win back the Stanley Cup.