Quotes

"I'd like to say it was skill, but you don't practice saves like that. It was unintentional if I hit the puck. I just swung my arm. Uh, I don't know. Pretty lucky, I'd say."

–Edmonton Oilers netminder Nikolai Khabibulin (on his highlight reel glove save on Henrik Zetterberg) November 6^th, 2010.

"I grew up watching (Wayne) Gretzky and (Jari) Kurri, those two can both pass, so I compare Pav and Z to them. Different era, but kind of the same combination. Obviously, (Gretzky and Kurri) are going to get more points. The game was a lot more wide open, not as good defensively back in the '80s.”

-Red Wings veteran goalie Chris Osgood, who grew up an Edmonton Oilers fan, (on how much more impressive Datsyuk and Zetterberg's point totals would have been during the NHL's wide-open offensive era of the 1980s and early '90s.) November 1^st, 2010

"It was great to see Z, four-point night for him. It's important that your high-end guys that are supposed to score, score, so they feel good about themselves and it's an injection of energy for them."

- Red Wings Coach Mike Babcock (on Z’s game against Ducks) October 23rd, 2010

"It was nice to get some pucks behind the goal line. I think we have been creating some chances but the puck hasn't really gone in for us before. It was nice to get one of these games where basically everything goes in. It's good for the confidence."

–Henrik Zetterberg (on his 4 point game against Anaheim) October 23^rd, 2010.

"I just checked their stats before the game. If we played 80 games against them, they would probably have 200 points, those guys."

- Anaheim winger Teemu Selanne (on Zetterberg’s and Datsyuk’s offensive production against the Ducks) October 23^rd, 2010

"It was good to get it out of the way and hopefully we'll see more coming. You've just got to hope for it, you've got to keep going. I've had good chances during the year but the puck hasn't gone in. So you've just got to keep shooting and it makes it easier when you get a pass like that."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on scoring his first goal of the season on a 2-on-1 rush with Pavel Datsyuk) October 22^nd, 2010

“One thing I know about those guys (Zetterberg and Datsyuk), they're proud guys, they'll get themselves going.”

- Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock (on top players slumping) October 16^th, 2010

"Especially when you have a lot of chances, you want to make something better out of it, but you got to keep going and it will come. But, point-wise, just for me, I want to have a little bit more. I think I had the chances to score a few goals. But that's the way it is. Sometimes, the puck will go in; sometimes, it won't. Just got to keep going, keep shooting the puck and it will turn around. We (himself and Datsyuk) know we're doing good things. We just got to score some more goals."

–Henrik Zetterberg (on slumping) October 16^th, 2010

"He can forget about the Lady Byng now."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on gentlemanly player Pavel Datsyuk fighting Anaheim’s Corey Perry) October 8^th, 2010

“I don't see that so much but it is an honour to be compared to him."

- Oilers rookie winger Magnus Paajarvi (on Phoenix Coyotes Ray Whitney comparing him to Henrik Zetterberg.) October 8^th, 2010

"We have a good team, and we're excited. But you have to play good. You can't just sit here and say everything is so much better this year."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on the Red Wings’ being Stanley Cup contenders in 2010-11.) October 7^th, 2010.

“Both mine and Pav’s goal is to win the Stanley Cup, but to do that we have to produce on offense and defense. We get a lot of ice time, power play and five-on-five, so we should be up there in scoring. But if we end up top five or top 15, I don’t think that’s anything we care about.”

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on he and Pavel Datsyuk needing to perform.) October 7^th, 2010.

“I know how (Datsyuk) thinks out there, and he knows how I’m thinking, and Homer is doing his thing, creating space.”

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on playing on the top line with Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom again.) October 7^th, 2010

“Last year, they were stars. This year, they have a chance to be superstars again. We believe playing them together will help their confidence and help each other. When you’re feeling real good about yourself and you play with someone else, you make them better.”

-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock, (on Datsyuk and Zetterberg playing together.) October 7^th, 2010.

“It’s helped us before, I see no reason it not help us this time. I’m happy that we, for first time, actually played whole training camp together. It’s nice, but we need lots of work, nothing comes easy. Now, there’s going to be lots of attention on us.”

-Pavel Datsyuk, (on playing on the same line with Henrik Zetterberg again.) October 7^th, 2010.

“They do things fast and up-tempo, a lot of give-and-go, and they both have the ability to hold onto (the puck) very long, move it well, pass well. They do a lot of similar things. It causes some headaches. Playing against them, you didn’t know how to defend them. You had to pick one guy or two. It left everybody else available. They’re smart and they move well with the puck. That’s kind of a key. Some people lose a little bit of their speed when they get the puck. They do things with it; skating, getting shifty, losing checks, getting separation from guys.”
-Red Wings Future Hall-of-Famer Mike Modano, (on having played against Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datysuk.) October 7^th, 2010

"I told him I wanted him to retire but he didn't listen to me…No, of course not. I want him to play for many years to come."

-Henrik Zetterberg (joking, when asked about having Red Wings Captain and future Hall-of-famer Nicklas Lidstrom back for his 19^th season in Detroit.) September 18^th, 2010.

"I'm not well-informed of the economic or practical issues, but, personally, I don't think people would go to the games against foreign teams. Sure, it'd be fun to see a Russian team with all their stars, but who wants to pay 250 Swedish Kronor ($35) to see Timra play against any German team? Right now in the league there's a fight every year for relegation (to the Allsvenskan). The economies, arenas and prerequisites [exist]. Stick with them and keep an open league.”

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on consideration to dissolve the Swedish Elite League to start a 24-team super-European league to compete with the KHL.) September 15^th, 2010.

“It’s nice to see him in red and white. He was flying out there. It’s great to have him as part of the team.”

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on the addition of future Hall-of-Famer and Michigan native Mike Modano to the Detroit Red Wings.) September 9^th, 2010.

"You know, he had his injuries as well, last season, and I think Hank is going to come out with a good start."

-Red Wings Captain Nicklas Lidstrom, (on expectations for Zetterberg this season.) September 2^nd, 2010.

“It was a good summer. The wedding turned out great. Had a blast for three days; perfect weather, and fun group was there. Been many years since we had this long of a break. I stayed here in Detroit for three weeks after the season and basically did nothing. You had the whole summer to do your workouts and really get ready for the season. I think that's important to have, and we haven't had that chance the last few years. I was mentally drained. It’s been a lot of hockey over these last three years. Just to have an extra month to go away from hockey and think about something else was nice. It’s been many years since we’ve had this long of a break.”

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on the 2010 off-season and getting ready for 2010-11.) September 2^nd, 2010.

"I was home (Sweden) for three months, and that's enough. You miss home here (Bloomfield Hills). You want to go back and then come back to this life. You spend nine or 10 months (here) the last eight years, so this is more home than Sweden. It's fun to go back and see friends and family. But when you've been there for a few months, you want to be here."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on where “home” is) September 2^nd, 2010

“When it was the middle of July you just want to get back. In your body it was enough and you just want to get back. That drive everyone has right now is good.

I want to play better. I want to produce more and help the team more. I feel a big hunger to come back and play hockey. It’s been awhile since we’ve had a chance to start the year together. We look forward to it. We talked about it this summer and we are excited to get things rolling again."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on getting ready for 2010-11 and reuniting with Pavel Datsyuk on Detroit’s top line, after two seasons on separate lines) September 2^nd, 2010.

“I think you know the answer to that.”

-Henrik Zetterberg, (when asked if he had a preference of linemates) September 2^nd, 2010.

"I wasn't prepared at all. I was mentally exhausted, that was what the reason was. There was so much hockey and short summers over the past three seasons. It was a tough year in Detroit and the Olympics made the season even longer. I didn't have the energy to expend or reload in terms of the mental part and I wasn't prepared at all to play in the World Championships. It was clearly a down season, and I wasn't really prepared. I didn't feel the same physically, and not in my head, either. The times that I've participated in the World Championships, they were unbelievably fun and I definitely see myself playing in the World Championship in the future, and I think the majority of NHL players do."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on declining invitation to play for team Sweden in World Championships.) August 21^st, 2010

"I'm very disappointed, because you don't know how many Olympic games you can get the chance to play in. On paper we had a team that could've gone a really long way but we weren't good enough when the time came. I get a failing grade. It didn't go as I'd imagined at all. It didn't go as well in that instance as I'd intended. It's clear in retrospect that there were things that could have been differently, but it's easy to be the [Monday morning quarterback] and find fault. We played the same way in Turin and we won gold then."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on Team Sweden’s and his own play in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.) August 21^st, 2010.

"Bengt-Ake was my coach when we won both the Olympic gold and the World Championships, and he was the coach that I won the most with in my international career. I'll always remember that."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on the Swedish National Team parting with head coach Bengt-Ake Gustafsson.) August 21^st, 2010

“It was right to change the national team's coach. Everything has its time, and it's necessary for the renewal of a team or teams. It was a really good meeting. He laid forward his thoughts and so on. It was a little Swedish, a little clearer in terms of roles on the team. Everybody won't play on the power play, for example. We're the ones who play in North America, and are more used to playing at the international level, and what's required to point out and think about. It's important to have communication between players and coaches, not just before the World Championships without having contacted or called and checked [your] situation during the year's time. Then you get insight into how everything works."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on meeting with Swedish National Team’s new head coach Per Marts.) August 21^st, 2010

"It's an honor to be here, and I was absolutely and obviously going to show up when Kenny asked. Kenny is a fantastic hockey player. He and Lidas (Nicklas Lidstrom) are the best defensemen I've played with. Yes, he's a great matchmaker. Without Kenny, I wouldn't be married today. He put in a good word for me. Emma was in daycare with Kenny when she was little, and Kenny's parents know Emma's parents. That's the way it went."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on playing in an exhibition game commemorating long-time NHL'er and Rogle BK assistant coach Kenny Jonsson in Angelholm, Sweden.) August 21^st, 2010.

"Absolutely, it's something I always strive toward and I think it looks really interesting this year. We got to keep the team together and got Mike Modano and Jiri Hudler is back. The extra rest we've had, I think it's going to be very important, and now I'm itching to get started again.”

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on Detroit being Stanley Cup contenders in 2010-11.) August 12^th, 2010.

“It was hugely successful and great to see all our friends and loved ones. It was really relaxed and we offered a little fun for everybody who came. I think it was a great event for everybody who came. It was a fantastic wedding and we didn't spare a thing. It was a full pour."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on his wedding to Emma Andersson) July 23^rd, 2010.

“Henrik is genuinely nice, charming and shy. He gives me security, and we complement each other well. I bring out the playfulness in him, and he makes me feel like the world's best and most loved person. And Henrik will be a fantastic dad. We want at least a year together before we welcome a new family member.”

-Emma Andersson, (on why she married Henrik Zetterberg) July 23^rd, 2010.

"We think it’s insanely fun."

-Emma Andersson, (on her wedding with Henrik Zetterberg) July 23^rd, 2010.

“All of us meet with each other during the course of the season, but this will be another different circumstances, which are enormously fun. Weddings are among the most exciting [of events], and this will be really cool. It's going to be full speed for three days."

-Red Wings Swedish defenseman Niklas Kronwall, (on attending Zetterberg’s wedding to Emma Andersson.) July 22^nd, 2010

"Last October or November, the league requested and we sent all the paperwork in about the negotiations. Since the Kovalchuk thing, no one has said boo to us about it."

–Detroit General Manager Ken Holland. (justifying the “life-time” contract for Henrik Zetterberg, after the NHL chose to void Ilya Kovalchuk's 17-year, $100-plus-million contract with the New Jersey Devils because the last five seasons' worth of $550,000-salary payments officially circumvented the collective bargaining agreement.) July 21^st, 2010

"I gave [Ken Holland] a big hug. I thought it was wonderful because I didn't want to lose those players. You have to understand, these were young players who won Cups for us. We didn't want to lose these guys. There was criticism. And maybe they're right. Maybe they have a point. But each team has to do what they have to do to satisfy their market and their ownership."

- Red Wings VP Jimmy Devellano (justifying the “life-time” contract for Henrik Zetterberg, after the NHL chose to void Ilya Kovalchuk's 17-year, $100-plus-million contract with the New Jersey Devils because the last five seasons' worth of $550,000-salary payments officially circumvented the collective bargaining agreement.) July 21^st, 2010

"I'm going to start Pav and Z together, for sure. I think they both need more confidence. I think they need to be the dominant players they were. Now, don't get me wrong, they're great players, but I didn't think neither one was as great as they've been in the past. By putting them together and getting their confidence to a level, I think that will help our team. I think Pavel had a good year, but I didn't think they were as dominant. Neither one had 90 points. I think you'll see them really be back next year."

-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock, (on reuniting Zetterberg and Datsyuk on Detroit’s top line, after two seasons on separate lines) June 28^th, 2010

“It’s a great organization and they’ve got many Swedes (Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg, Niklas Kronwall, Tomas Holmstrom, Johan Franzen, Jonathan Ericsson, Andreas Lilja, and Matthias Ritola) . I like Henrik Zetterberg. He's a highly skilled center and a good two-way forward, I like him."

-Red Wings draft pick Calle Jarnkrok, Brynas IF, 51^st overall, (on being a Red Wings fan) June 26^th, 2010

"We will have a few more weeks to rest up and, the most important thing; We will have an extra few more weeks of off-ice workout. I needed this break and we'll take care of the body for a few weeks, here, and go back at it, again."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on declining invitation to play for team Sweden in World Championships.) May 10^th, 2010.

"I really don't want to think about that. He hasn't made a decision yet. For now, he's still a part of the team. I'm hoping he will be here next year. We will try to convince him to stay. But it’s up to him and his family and he’ll make that decision. Nothing more for us than to pray and wait and see. For this one, we do (Swedes pray).”

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on convincing Red Wings Captain and future hall-of-fame defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom to not retire this year.) May 9^th, 2010.

"You have to credit Hank for that. He brings it both ways every game. The way he's committed to the defensive end can frustrate you; I know from having played against him in the past. It's tough. If he was ever given the green light to be an offensive player, he'd have 120 points a year."

-Linemate Todd Bertuzzi (on Zetterberg shutting down the Sharks’ top line of Patrick Marleau, Joe Thornton, and Dany Heatley, a line that wound up with five shots on goal and a combined minus-6, in game four of the series.) May 6^th, 2010.

"My skate did not leave the ice, so I did not have a kicking motion. It was a battle with their D and I just tried to stop to be in position to play it with the stick, but he kind of pushed me and of course you're a little off-balance and it's tough to be completely still with your skates. But I wasn't kicking.''

-Henrik Zetterberg (on his apparent goal against the Sharks,at 9:47 of the first period being disallowed after a lengthy video review.) May 4^th, 2010

“We had a lot of confidence in the group going out. We felt we were playing good. Just had to keep going, playing with patience and keep throwing pucks at the other net. It's always when you have a lead; automatically the other team kind of has to charge a little bit. I think without knowing it you back off a little bit and you just have to keep going and keep playing. We had some good chances today. Could have gotten that fourth (goal), but we didn't. You've just gotta win one game. Win the fourth one and go back to San Jose and start a new game there. Have to refocus and win one game. It's not the situation we wanted to be in, but we're just going to keep playing and thinking good things. You know win one game, then win two games and we're right in the mix.”

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on blowing a 3-1 lead in the third period and falling down 3-0 in round two of the playoffs against the San Jose Sharks.) May 4^th, 2010

"Well, this is the best time of the year. This is what you are playing those 82 games for, the postseason. And I've been fortunate enough to play with the real good players every time when the postseason is coming. And I've learned a lot throughout the years. And I really enjoy it. Of course, the experience helps. And many players in here have been in that situation, and we know what we have to do. We just got to go out and execute and play good hockey, and do not panic. You know, if you play well, you have a good chance of winning. If you are not playing well, you will probably lose. So it's up to yourself to play good hockey."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on playing in the playoffs) April 22^nd, 2010.

"Tremendous! He's just a smart, fast, quick hockey player who loves the game."

-Legendary Hall-of-Famer Gordie Howe, (on Zetterberg leading all playoff scorers in round one.) April 21^st, 2010.

"The way he can play, it seems like he is turning it up to a different level, once you hit the playoffs. He has been our go-to guy here for a few years.

He's been playing real well. He's strong on the puck, he plays hard at both ends of the ice, and he's out there late in games, he's killing penalties, and he's setting power plays up. So he's a big key to our team."

-Red Wings Captain Nicklas Lidstrom, (on Zetterberg leading all playoff scorers in round one.) April 21^st, 2010.

"Obviously he was inspired tonight, I thought the same thing for Game 2. He's been real good at playoff time each and every year. He seems to score at a higher rate and obviously it's real important that your best players play."
-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock, (on Zetterberg leading all playoff scorers in round one.) April 21^st, 2010.

"He's been always real good in the playoffs. It looks like it's going to be this playoffs as well."

-Linemate Valtteri Filppula, (on Zetterberg leading all playoff scorers in round one.) April 21^st, 2010.

"He's a good player, he's a top player, he's proven in the past he can do special things. He's certainly a special player, without a doubt."

-Phoenix Coyotes Head Coach Dave Tippett, (on Zetterberg’s play in round one of the playoffs.) April 21^st, 2010.

“(The Phoenix Coyotes) are good in front of their goalie, taking a lot of ice away, it’s tough to get pucks on the net. Just got to find ways to do it from different angles, and go there for the second chances. It was nice to see the puck bounce off him a few times and go in. It was a real team effort. Bert is doing a lot of good things and he doesn't get enough credit. He does a lot of work for me and Fil and it was nice to see him get some points on the board because he deserves it.”

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on getting his first career playoff hat trick with help from linemates Todd Bertuzzi and Valtteri Filppula.) April 17^th, 2010.

“Z probably got tired of the guy across from him (Shane Doan) competing. He’s a proud guy and thinks he’s a good player. If the guy across from you plays harder than you, he’s going to have some success. If Z plays like he can play, he’s going to have success. In the second and third periods I thought he took over.”

-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock, (on Zetterberg getting his first career playoff hat trick) April 17^th, 2010.

“It’s fun to follow. Jonas likes hockey, so he’s come to a good city for that. I’m still looking to find a pair of skates for him so he can come and skate with us guys for a practice. We’re trying to make some for him.”

-Henrik Zetterberg said with a smile (about 6’10” Swede Jonas Jerebko of the Detroit Pistons) April 1, 2010.

"Coming here a few years ago, we had a pretty outstanding team. Coming in and being able to play with those guys was awesome and I learned a lot….It's been special. 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. Now, as the years went by, me and Pav have played more and gotten more opportunities. 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. 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. 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.’’

-Henrik Zetterberg, (On playing his 500^th career game) March 30^th, 2010.

"It's a big point for us. I'm happy I play with this team, and I think Hank happy, too. We play many games together and have lots of fun."

-Pavel Datsyuk, (on Zetterberg and Datsyuk reaching 500 and 600 career games.) March 30^th, 2010

"The first time I saw Hank was the Olympics in 2002 in Salt Lake City. 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. 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. They work hard off the ice and on the ice, but they have the skill to go with it, too. 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.’’

-Red Wings Captain Nicklas Lidstrom, (on Zetterberg and Datsyuk reaching 500 and 600 career games.) March 30^th, 2010

“They just come of age. I just happened to be the coach when that happened. 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. My first year here, that wasn't their job, we had veteran players. And the next year, at the start we stumbled a little bit until they kind of decided that they were comfortable with that. …We believe that's how you win in the end, your best players have got to be your best players."

-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock, (on Zetterberg and Datysuk’s career progression.) March 30^th, 2010

"Obviously, they have exceeded our expectations by a significant amount. When you draft players in the later rounds, you are hoping they can someday become NHL players. 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."

- General Manager Ken Holland, (on Zetterberg and Datysuk’s career progression.) March 30^th, 2010

"It's because we were the only young guys when we first got here. 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."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on how he and Datsyuk became the “Eurotwins”) March 30^th, 2010.

"The first time they played together, you could see how excited they both were, and that's how they became the Eurotwins.”

-Red Wings veteran Kris Draper, (on Zetterberg and Datsyuk starting their careers.) March 30^th, 2010.

“He’s playing aggressive, he’s getting in there and taking over the play right now. 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.’’

-Red Wings forward Todd Bertuzzi (on Zetterberg’s play and statistics improving late in the season). March 22nd, 2010

“Z’s played way better here of late, does way more battling, skating way better.is that due to (new linemate Valtteri Filppula), or is that just the determination of Z?’’

-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock (on Zetterberg’s play and statistics improving late in the season). March 22nd, 2010

"It was like a playoff game,"

-Henrik Zetterberg (On going head-to-head and shutting down Penguins Star Sidney Crosby.) March 22nd, 2010 after Detroit's 3-1 victory against Pittsburgh.

"I knew it was him without turning around. I think the puck was there somewhere. We were battling. I don’t know if (Crosby) gets away with it. He plays with a lot of emotion, a lot of heart and sometimes it comes out the wrong way. He wants to win, so you have to be there all of the time."

“He was a bit (pissed) 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) came in and rescued me. (laughing) I saw Jimmy coming in with his glove and Crosby wasn’t there anymore.’’

-Henrik Zetterberg (on Sidney Crosby cross-checking and slashing at Zetterberg’s back, and then getting face-washed by Wing’s Goaltender Jimmy Howard after the buzzer sounded to end the game.) March 22nd, 2010 after Detroit's 3-1 victory against Pittsburgh.

“He does that stuff all the time. Somehow he gets away with it. Z doesn’t take any of that. He went right back at him, and I stepped in there, too.’’

-Red Wings Goalie Jimmy Howard (on Sidney Crosby cross-checking and slashing Zetterberg several times in front of the Red Wings net.) March 22nd, 2010 after Detroit's 3-1 victory against Pittsburgh.

“Always when you play against a good player, it’s fun, because it’s not just defense, you play a lot of offense, too. It’s a good battle, and I think we both enjoy it.’’

-Henrik Zetterberg (On going head-to-head with Penguins Star Sidney Crosby.) March 22nd, 2010 after Detroit's 3-1 victory against Pittsburgh.

"We're doing a good job as a five-man unit. 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.’’

-Henrik Zetterberg (deflecting credit for containing Sidney Crosby) March 22nd, 2010 after Detroit's 3-1 victory against Pittsburgh.

"He competes hard. We both do. We have pride in our games. A lot of guys play you tough. There are a lot of guys who don't have Rafalski and Lidstrom back there."

-Pittsburgh Penguins Superstar Sidney Crosby (frustrated and unwilling to give Henrik Zetterberg credit for continuously shutting him down head-to-head.) March 22nd, 2010 after Detroit's 3-1 victory against Pittsburgh.

“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.’’

-Henrik Zetterberg (on the playoff type atmosphere at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.) March 22nd, 2010 after Detroit's 3-1 victory against Pittsburgh.

"Hopefully that will happen."

-Red Wings star Henrik Zetterberg said with a grin. (On the Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins only chance to play again this season being in a third straight Stanley Cup final between the teams.) March 22nd, 2010 after Detroit's 3-1 victory against Pittsburgh.

“Their D broke their stick, so (Filppula) put it down to me and I had a step on him. I didn’t know how much time was left, but it was enough.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on scoring game-winning goal against Vancouver with .3 seconds left in overtime) March 20th, 2010

"He was dominant throughout the game. It's tough to get the puck away from him when he's playing like that and he got rewarded at the end."

-Nicklas Lidstrom (on Zetterberg’s nine shots and +3 effort against Canucks) March 20th, 2010.

"No one is challenging himself more than Z is. 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. (Filppula’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.''

-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock (on Zetterberg contributing a goal and two assists in a 5-1 victory against the Minnesota Wild to end a scoring slump.) March 12th, 2010

"You always want to contribute and help the team win. 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. I always put pressure on myself. I try not to care what other people are saying. You just have to believe in yourself and keep going and do the best you can.''

-Henrik Zetterberg (on having just 18 goals and 53 points, and being tied for 42nd in the league in scoring this late in the season.) March 12th, 2010

"After getting back from the shoulder injury, it's been better. 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. I've had my chances. I haven't been executing, haven't been scoring the way I can. There is nothing I can redo. It's a lot easier when you're scoring goals. When things aren't going well, you start thinking. You wonder why nothing is going the way it should."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on having just 18 goals and 53 points, and being tied for 42nd in the league in scoring this late in the season.) March 11th, 2010

"If it was that easy I would be playing better."

-Henrik Zetterberg (when asked if he can get back to his old level of production before the Wings run out of time.) March 11th, 2010

“It's not been a fantastic season, for sure. It's something that I'm not happy about. 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."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on having just 18 goals and 53 points, and being tied for 42nd in the league in scoring this late in the season.) March 11th, 2010

“There's been a number of things, injuries and all those things, but I can't deal with that now. 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. We know (Filppula) is not going to shoot it. Maybe Z will shoot it (with) Cleary at the net."

- Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock (on Zetterberg needing to improve offensively to help the team make the palyoffs.) March 11th, 2010.

"Lilja made the pass and it was just a race for the puck between me and the 'D. 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."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on scoring career goal Number 200 in his 487th career game in a 6-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks) March 3rd, 2010.

"So all of the sudden, Jayna (Hefford) has this weird look on her face. I'm like, 'What?' She said, 'He just walked in.' I turned around and he was there. I was pretty shy to ask because I don't want to bother those guys."

-Team Canada forward and Gold Medalist Meghan Agosta (on meeting her idol, Henrik Zetterberg, and getting him to sign her Zetterberg jersey in Vancouver at the 2010 Winter Olympics) February 24th,2010.

“It’s pretty awesome just to be among everyone here tonight. It’s been a great night seeing everyone…pretty good players! Mats Näslund was from the same town as me, and obviously Peter (Forsberg) was a big idol, too, and to have been able to play with him in a few tournaments has been great.”

“The Russian players were my big idols and to be here and see them all is very special. It’s been great to meet them and shake their hands. Of course, I’ve also played with Igor (Larionov). I didn’t know who all the members of the Triple Gold Club were, but now that I see them, I’ve realized how special it is to be a part of it.”

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on having exclusive membership in the Triple Gold Club and meeting with former idols at the induction ceremony in Vancouver at the 2010 Winter Olympics.) February 22nd, 2010.

“The Stanley Cup is the whole season, playing 82 games plus 20 games for the playoffs. It’s a grind. Coming to the Olympics, if you play good you play six games. You have to be real good for those six games and everything has to click. Basically, all of the nations here have a good enough team to beat anyone. It’s the same feeling when you win it. It feels pretty good.

-Henrik Zetterberg (on the difference between winning the Stanley Cup and winning the Olympic Gold Medal.) February 22nd, 2010.

“It’s special both winning the Stanley Cup and the Olympic Gold with the same players. It’s fun and it’s something special you always will remember.”

“It is fantastic, and I still have a chance to win more.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on winning both with Swedish/ Detroit Red Wings teammates Nicklas Lidstrom, Tomas Holmstrom, Niklas Kronwall, and Mikael Samuelsson.) February 22nd, 2010.

"I think this is when the tournament really started. We wanted to have a good game, a 60-minute game and we did. We're looking forward to the quarterfinal now."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on Sweden’s 3-0 win over their rivals, team Finland in Vancouver at the 2010 Winter Olympics) February 22nd, 2010

"For us this rivalry is bigger than Canada and U.S. and of course for the North Americans their rivalry is bigger. So, we are looking forward to this game and we know we've got our country behind us."

–Henrik Zetterberg (on Sweden’s rivalry with Finland) February 20th, 2010.

“He still has the magic in his stick and really good eyes. It’s a pleasure to play with him.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on playing on a line with Swedish Legend Peter Forsberg, in Vancouver, at the 2010 Winter Olympics.) February 17th, 2010.

“I feel I can play better. I know I have to do more. I think both me and Pav feel pressure. It's real important we get on a good streak here and get some points, because we need them to get into the playoffs. Me and Pav know we have to step up."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on both Pavel Datsyuk and himself struggling offensively) February 6th, 2010.

“The assistance we receive from fire departments throughout the state and the work they do is tremendous. I am proud to, once again, be part of such a worthwhile cause. Our fans have been very supportive of this program and with all of us working together, we can help get smoke detectors into the homes of those in need.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on, for the fourth year, serving as the Spokesman for Smoke Detector Awareness) January 22nd, 2010.

"That's who's been coming through all year (role players). We wouldn't have any wins if it wasn't for those guys. It's not like our big guys are scoring like crazy. It's been a team thing all year long. Because our power play's been like it was tonight again, just stagnant and standing around a lot, we need those guys.

- Red Wings coach Mike Babcock (on Datsyuk and Zetterberg not producing as expected.) January 21, 2010.

"It's not just Pav, it's the same for me. But there's no excuses. It doesn't matter if we have players injured or not, we should be able to create chances and score some goals. We just got to be more assertive when we get the chances."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on slumping despite being reunited with Pavel Datsyuk on the top line since returning to the lineup after missing eight games with a separated shoulder) January 20th, 2010

"Being back with Pav and Tommy, they're two guys I've been playing most games in this uniform, so of course it will help a little bit. I'm going to do my best to do everything tomorrow."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on being reunited with his old linemates Pavel Datysuk and Tomas Holmstrom upon his return from missing eight games with a separated shoulder) January 7th, 2010

"It's really tough. It's never fun to be injured, especially when the team is losing. That makes it a lot tougher."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on missing eight games with a separated shoulder) December 30th, 2009.

“I never been through this many injuries on one team in one year. Nothing you can do, just have to battle through it. When we call come back we’ll have a strong team.’’

-Henrik Zetterberg (on all of the games missed by key players due to injuries this season.) December 18th, 2009.

“It was a clean hit. I reached for the puck instead of going for his body, and he made a good hit. Next time I won’t do the same thing.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on a hard shoulder-to-shoulder open-ice check by Tampa Bay Lightning Defenseman and fellow Swede Matthias Ohlund that knocked Zetterberg out of the game.) December 16th, 2009.

"That was unfortunate. I'm not trying to hurt anybody. I like to play hard."

-Tampa Bay Lightning Defenseman Matthias Ohlund (on a hard shoulder-to-shoulder open-ice check that knocked fellow Swede Henrik Zetterberg out of the game.) December 16th, 2009.

“He’s got a shoulder problem. He got hit and then he fell on his shoulder. He’s probably upset with himself. He shouldn’t have got hit like that. But, what do you do?’’

-Red Wing’s Head Coach Mike Babcock (on a hard shoulder-to-shoulder open-ice check by Tampa Bay Lightning Defenseman Matthias Ohlund that knocked Henrik Zetterberg out of the game.) December 16th, 2009.

"In those situations, there's always a lot of bodies in front of the net, and if you shoot from behind the net, most of the time it will hit someone. I just was hoping it would hit somebody and one of our guys would put it in, but it went straight in off (Blues defenseman Barret) Jackman.''

-Henrik Zetterberg (on flipping the puck in front of the net on his backhand from behind the goal line to tie the game with less than a minute remaining.) November 29th, 2009

“When no one can figure out what’s going on, they say put Pav and Z back together. I’ve talked to Pav and Z, we’ve gone through it. We think this is the best way to allow our team to win. We’ve talked a ton about (mixing up lines), because you say to yourself, ‘Why would you stay (the same). What we do is go through the scoring chances, go through the game. Z said to me, '(Ville) Leino’s giving me so many opportunities, we got to put one in the net.’ We just got to break the bubble and stay with it. If we weren't playing, if we weren’t working, we’d change everything. But we don’t feel that’s the case. We just got to keep our attitude good and keep banging away. If you start forcing stuff, that erodes your structure. You don’t want that. Just keep playing.’’

-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock (on not re-uniting Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg on the top line when the team in struggling to produce offense.) November 28th, 2009

“(I) know what (Thanksgiving) all about now. It’s a big holiday here. I like the atmosphere, watching the parade. And the turkey is getting better and better.”

“I’ll pick (father) up at the airport. He’ll probably be pretty tired, so we’re going to stay home and watch some football. I didn’t know anything about football the first time I came here, but now it’s fun. I watch football every Sunday, especially the Thanksgiving games.’’

-Swede Henrik Zetterberg (on Thanksgiving traditions) November 25th, 2009

"I had a lot of chances. I think I had five shots in the first (period) on one shift," he said. "I've just to keep going. I got two nice passes from Clears (linemate Dan Cleary) and they ended up in the net. It was nice to finally get some."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on his three goals and two assists in a 7-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks) November 13th, 2009

""He's playing as good as he ever has right now. Shift after shift he's out there against the other team's top line. Z just kind of took it over tonight. He's been playing really strong for us of late and he had some chances early. He stuck with it and he really came through when we needed him the most."

-Detroit defenseman Niklas Kronwall (on Zetterberg’s three goals and two assists in a 7-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks) November 13th, 2009

“Any time we're playing the players in the League who are dominant players, whether it's (San Jose's Joe) Thornton or (Anaheim’s Ryan) Getzlaf, Z always lifts his game, and he did tonight."

-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock (on Zetterberg’s three goals and two assists in a 7-4 win over the Anaheim Ducks) November 13th, 2009

“Obviously a clean (hit). (Smiles.) Just in the heat of battle, whichever guy is deserving at that point. There's not really one guy. I'd most like to get a good lick on every one of those skilled players, the slimy ones you think you have lined up but they get out of it somehow. I've never seen Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg get hit hard. I want to know how to get one of those guys.

-Manny Malhotra, San Jose Sharks Checking Line Forward (on which player he would most like to deliver a good hard hit on.) November 6th, 2009

“You have to be confident, otherwise you might as well not shoot. That’s a new move. I haven’t really tried it before. Just sometimes you have to try something different and it worked tonight.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on emulating Pavel Datsyuk's backhand-to-forehand deke to score on Shark’s netminder Evgeni Nabokov in the shoot-out) November 6th, 2009

“It was a huge honor to have a chance to play with him, especially in (his) last few years. I sat next to him in the locker room. I learned a lot from him on and off the ice. He always gave it his all, he was a huge inspiration for me and I will always remember him. I think he always showed (leadership) on the ice. He was never big on speaking, but when he said something, everybody listened, and it was always the right words. He always stepped up when we needed him in big games, whether the situation was defense or offense, he was always able to come through.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on Steve Yzerman’s induction into the Hockey Hall of Fame) November 5th, 2009

“I'm not saying Datsyuk and Zetterberg are Joe Paterno and Bobby Bowden and will never win another Stanley Cup. Just realize that players get injured more in their 30s and begin a downward arc in their production.”

- John Buccigross, ESPN, (on Datsyuk and Zetterberg not being considered amongst the NHL’s elite players.) October 22nd, 2009.

"That's a pretty huge honor. That's something I will remember forever. It's a great feeling. It's huge. No one deserves it more than him. As I've said before, he's our best player night in and night out. It's a lot of fun to be able to play with him for a few years."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on deflecting in a shot-pass by Red Wings Captain Nicklas Lidstrom, giving Lidstrom his 1000th career point.) October 16th, 2009

“I was looking to make a shot-pass to Hank and it was a perfect deflection by him.”

-Red Wings Captain Nicklas Lidstrom (on getting his 1000th career point by assisting on a goal by fellow Swede Henrik Zetterberg.) October 15th, 2009

“I thought it was good, he answered the challenge and I thought he got stronger as the game went on. 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. Now Z’s got to get to another level. That’s just the bottom line.”

-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock (on Zetterberg’s play to start the season.) October 15^th, 2009

"We've got to score some goals. 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."

"It's early. 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. We've got to score some goals. I should have scored two goals tonight. I am just not finishing it off.”

-Henrik Zetterberg. (on not scoring a goal in the first six games of the season) October 14^th, 2009

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

-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock. (On Zetterberg missing nearly the entire pre-season due to a strained groin) October 3^rd, 2009

“It was cool! It was the first time the fans have cheered me so much in (Lofbergs Lilja Arena in Karlstad). To come here and play in Sweden is fun, and it’s extra fun to face a Swedish team (Färjestads BK).”

-Henrik Zetterberg. (on scoring a goal and an assist in an exhibition game against the Swedish Elite League Chamlions) September 30^th, 2009

"It's not going to be a vacation, that's for sure. We are going to have to do a lot of things while we are there. At the same time a lot of family and friends are going to be coming to the game and you want to spend some time with them. You also want to spend some time with teammates, too. We don't have time to do it all."

-Henrik Zetterberg. (on opening the 2009 season with two games at Stockholm’s Globe Arena against the St. Louis Blues.) September 29^th, 2009

"I would say the Red Wings could be the second national team back home. People are really fired up for this. We have a lot of fans back in Sweden that probably we didn't know about and they'll all come out now."

"A lot of people back in Sweden have stayed up late over the years to watch the Red Wings play and now they have an opportunity to see us play live in prime time and they don't have to go overseas to do it. It's very special to do this."

-Henrik Zetterberg. (on opening the 2009 season with two games at Stockholm’s Globe Arena against the St. Louis Blues.) September 29^th, 2009

"He gets back to Sweden, maybe smells that fresh air, or something like that, will make him feel better."

-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock. (on Zetterberg’s sore groin healing in time for the season opener at Stockholm’s Globe Arena against the St. Louis Blues.) September 28^th, 2009

"It's Zetterberg who is probably the most famous of the Wings in Sweden, mostly because they still remember him as a superstar from the Swedish Elite League. He was by far our best player when he left for Detroit. There's also the fact that there's some 'flash' around his name. He's considered very good-looking, and he's got the famous Swedish fiancée, Emma Andersson.”

“In our city, and in our county, he is more than a rock star. People here just call him Zata. That's all. He is very, very famous. Hank is the king there and Emma the queen."

-Christer Jonasson of Swedish Radio, (on Zetterberg’s celebrity status in Sweden) September 27^th, 2009

"You learn to live with it, but sometimes, yeah, you wish you had a little more privacy."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on his celebrity status in Sweden) September 27^th, 2009

"Yeah, when Homer was growing up it was the '60s. I was able to watch NHL games on television."

-Henrik Zetterberg (joking about veteran teammate Tomas Holmstrom, who couldn't watch NHL hockey games on TV when he was a kid growing up in Pieta, Sweden. The only hockey games shown in those days were Swedish National team games. September 25^th, 2009

"When you are in a game you want to play as much as possible. If a coach wants you to play less minutes, he knows it's not popular with the player but it might be good in the long run. Players want to play as much as possible."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on Coach Mike Babcock wanting to reduce top line players minutes.) September 24^th, 2009

“Depth is going to be key. I can’t be playing (Henrik) Zetterberg and (Pavel) Datsyuk 22 minutes a night. I’m going to have to play them 18 minutes a night. You can’t continue to play that amount of hockey and ask your guys to play as hard with this kind of schedule.”

-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock. (On top line players minutes in a compacted schedule due to the season opener in Sweden and the Olympics in mid-season) September 23, 2009

"Now I'll probably be the setup guy a little bit more. That's what happened last year when I didn't play with Pav (Datsyuk) as much."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on playing with new linemates this season.) September 18^th, 2009

"I think we've been doing it in other ways in Detroit, doing chatting and stuff through the Web site here and the same thing through my Web site.”

- Henrik Zetterberg, (on the need to jump into Twitter to connect with his fans.) September 10^th, 2009

"I don't think the summer is short. I would rather play hockey than work out in the gym. It would be tougher if summer was longer. You have your two or three weeks to take off. You have plenty of time to go back and see family and friends. I don't want summer to be any longer."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on shortened summers after making the Stanley Cup Finals two years in a row) September 3rd, 2009

"Everyone has to do their job. You are always going to lose some players and you are going to get some new ones. The good thing with this organization is that we lose guys but we find guys that replace them. There won't be any problem with production."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on making up for the lost production of Marian Hossa, Jiri Hudler and Mikael Samuelsson.) September 3rd, 2009

“Both, I have won two and you can not choose between them.”

-Henrik Zetterberg, (when asked if he would rather win the gold medal at the Olympics or the Stanley Cup this season.) August 5nd, 2009

“Few countries have won the Olympics back to back. It will be tough, every country will have their best players there. It will be a real challenge, all players will have to perform at their best and be injury-free, of course."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (On Sweden’s chances of winning the Gold Medal in Vancouver, August 2nd, 2009

"As long as I play away from (Sweden), I'll remain only with Detroit. I feel good. If I stay healthy, I'll be happy to stay there until I'm 40. I find it hard to see a better place to play hockey in than Detroit."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on his 12 year contract to play the remainder of his career in Detroit) August 2nd, 2009

"I don't think it makes me more responsible, maybe because I already have great responsibilities, I've had more and more as each year has passed. So I don't think it will be much of a change as to how many responsibilities I had last year."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on the responsibilities of his new contract). August 2nd, 2009

“Yes, I have done it, ha ha. It was tough afterward but you have to try to take away the unfortunate parts and still remember the positives, that we went all the way there and played well. Now it's also closer to the season than that, so it's a little easier."

"We had been going on and played so long and fought so hard, so when you fall on the finishing line, it's clear that you [came up] empty. And now I've been on both sides, so I know how it is to win a final and how it is to lose, and the last is nothing I ever want to experience again.

-Henrik Zetterberg, (On recovering from the difficult Stanley Cup Final loss in the decisive seventh game) August 2nd, 2009

"Everyone sat mostly by himself, then left, mostly going home to their families and friends. But exactly what was said and what we did, I won't say. It should stay there."

_Henrik Zetterberg, (on what the players did in the dressing room after the Stanley Cup Finals loss) August 2nd, 2009

"Lidstrom’s goal, I remember the most. Then the last 30-40 seconds, when we get the puck from our own zone, I look up and realize, hell, we have won the Olympics. And I see the guys in the stands get up and rejoice. Look I get goose bumps still. It was a thing you want to experience again."

-Henrik Zetterberg. (On what he remembers about winning the Olympic Gold Medal in 2006.) July 2009

"Well, it's nothing that bothers me. It is a role I am used to playing in Detroit and a role I enjoy.”

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on stepping forward and leading the Swedish Olympic team.), July 30th, 2009

"I know it means a lot to (the Swedish players). It's a unique experience."

-Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland. (on opening the 2009 season with two games at Stockholm’s Globe Arena against the St. Louis Blues.) July 2009.

"It's going to be a great atmosphere, especially after (2008’s Stanley Cup win), they showed a lot of games on TV, the Cup was over there for two weeks. We got a lot of fans there."

--Henrik Zetterberg, (on opening the 2009 season with two games at Stockholm’s Globe Arena against the St. Louis Blues.) July 2009.

“Yeah, in Timra they talk about Zetterberg. He’s like a big role model for all of those young guys.”

- Red Wing’s Swedish prospect Jesper Samuelsson who plays for Zetterberg’s old team Timra in Sweden. July 13^th, 2009

"I think that's one thing you should do.”

"I think you should do it after a series, shaking hands. I think it's disrespectful. I don't know the reason he didn't do it, but I hope he has a really good one."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on Pittsburgh Penguins Captain Sidney Crosby snubbing Red Wings Captain Nicklas Lidstrom in the traditional hand shake line after the Stanley Cup Finals). June 15^th, 2009

"It's tough, that's the way our lives are. You don't have that certainty. You don't know really what's going to happen next year. With the cap world now, you can't keep everyone you want. Players have to find their spots to play in too. It's sad, but you will always remember the players you played with. You'll always bring that with you."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on roster changes following Stanley Cup loss) June 15^th, 2009

"I'm disappointed! But we still have a good team. It's going to make us stronger. We've got a great group of guys here that are going to be around for a number of years. The future looks good."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on losing the Stanley Cup Finals) June 15^th, 2009

"You'd rather not look. It's tough. We've been in both situations. I'd rather be out there celebrating. It's a long year. You focus so long. You go this far and you can't win it. This is a new situation for me. You always learn. Last year we made it. This year we came real close. We just have to refocus and come back next year."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on losing Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals on home ice) June 12^th, 2009

“It’s great for fans to get Game 7. We know they will be behind us all the way and it’s going to be an exciting night.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on Stanley Cup Finals Game 7) June 12, 2009

"Sid is going to get his points, but it's just a matter of limiting the damage and Henrik has done just that. The thing I love about Henrik is that he not only has talent but incredible will. Will is what is driving Henrik Zetterberg against Sidney Crosby and will is what gets our defense going against their top players. The Zetterberg-Crosby battle has been a tremendous matchup and Henrik continues to show why he's one of the best two-way players in the League. In Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk, I think we have two, if not the best two, two-way forwards in the game," he said. "And that's why we're able to do what we do."

-Detroit Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland (on Zetterberg winning his match-up with Crosby by will) June 8, 2009

"He comes back at you shift after shift. He's not going to back down or let you take over. That's one of the things that makes him so hard to play against, because he'll play like that defensively. But when he has the puck, he's going to hang onto it and make plays. He's one of those guys that's going to show up every night."

-Future Hall of Fame defensman Nicklas Lidstrom (on Zetterberg’s tenacity) June 1^st, 2009

"He's one of the best all-around players in the league, the way he can play at both ends of the ice. He's hard to play against. He's not going to give up. He's going to be close to you all the time."

-Future Hall of Fame defensman Nicklas Lidstrom (on Zetterberg’s tenacity) June 1^st, 2009

"He is always competitive. You see that every time he is out there. He's trying to stay calm out there, but he keeps coming at you shift after shift. He's not going to let you take over."

-Future Hall of Fame defensman Nicklas Lidstrom (on Zetterberg’s tenacity) June 1^st, 2009

"Z always does everything. He's our leader and will be for years to come.

-Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood (on Zetterberg’s game) June 1^st, 2009

"Z is one of the best both-ways in the league. He's doing tremendous job this series. He's a smart player, always in the right position."

-Red Wings forward Marian Hossa (on Zetterberg’s play in the Stanley Cup Finals) June 1^st, 2009

"I believe he has a will tank deeper than anybody I've ever been associated with. As much as all the other attributes he has, to me, that's his greatest one. His drive train is fantastic.”

"Z didn't have a big-time year (regular season). But this is his standard right now."

- Detroit Red Wings coach Mike Babcock (on Zetterberg’s will) June 1^st, 2009

"You see when he's dead tired, he's still working to get back defensively. I just look at that and try to take a piece of it, how hard he works. I definitely respect what he does, putting up points and shutting down top lines as well."

-Detroit Red Wings rookie Darren Helm (on Zetterberg leading by example) June 1^st, 2009

"There was something special with him, silent, looking down, but there was just hockey in his eyes. He was a step further even (compared) to the players that had a lot more experience."

-Christer Jonasson, Swedish Radio, who has covered Zetterberg since he was 18. (on his early days playing for Timra IK in Sweden's second-tier league) June 1^st, 2009

"Well, you know, we've been able to get more goals than them."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on why the Red Wings are won games 1 and 2 against Pittsburgh) June 1st, 2009

"I think (Maxim)Talbot goes after Ozzie (Chris Osgood). I saw (Evgeni) Malkin come around the net and we started scrumming. I think in the playoffs and finals like this, there is a lot of emotions, a lot of feelings. When you get scrums that's the way it is. It should be a lot of feelings, and nothing more than that."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on his first ever NHL fight, versus Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins.) May 31st, 2009

"Great athletic ability, great anticipation, great timing; that's why, for me, he's as MVP as anybody in this league. Zetterberg's just so smart, his ability to anticipate where the puck is going...because he is not a great skater. He's just too intelligent for anybody else trying to fool him in this league."

-Mike Milbury, NBC Analyst, (on Zetterberg's ability to shut down Pittsburgh's offense) May 30th, 2009

"Usually when you're playing a matchup, for me personally, you see a more defensive guy who's not quite as dangerous offensively, but he's proven he's strong at both ends.”

-Pittsburgh Penguins star forward Sidney Crosby (a backhanded complement, on going head-to-head with Zetterberg) May 30^th, 2009

“Last year, we played a lot of minutes against each other, and it was for sure a challenge. If it's going to end up being that this year, I'm looking forward to it. I think he has the complete package now. He's scoring goals, making plays and he's working hard on both ends of the ice. You know, he's their leader. If you watch the highlights, he's been scoring some goals."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on facing Sidney Crosby for the 2^nd straight Stanley Cup Finals) May 30^th, 2009

"I think Hank is the best two-way player in the game. He was last year, too. It's not like he's done it once or twice. He keeps doing it over and over again, regardless who he matches up against. For him to try to eliminate the other team's best player is the key matchup."

-Detroit Defenseman Niklas Kronwall (on the way Zetterberg matches up with opponents) May 30^th, 2009

"If they go head-to-head for a long time, if it goes six or seven games, you know there's going to be some bad blood."

-Detroit forward Tomas Holmstrom (on Zetterberg versus Sidney Crosby) May 30^th, 2009

"I was so proud. He went toe-to-toe with Sidney Crosby and showed the grit and toughness of European players."

-Red Wings owner Mike Ilitch (on Zetterberg’s performance in 2008 Stanley Cup Finals) May 30^th, 2009

"Crosby is the face of the league. Zetterberg, if he was from North America, would be more so that way. They're both dynamic players and people, and good-looking kids. Easy to sell."

-Head Coach Mike Babcock, (on comparing Zetterberg and Sidney Crosby) May 30^th, 2009

"I've always believed that when you line him up against a guy in a series, he'll wear him out. And, to me, that's leadership! I'm proud to be his coach. He's made me a better coach and he's made his teammates better as well."

-Head Coach Mike Babcock, (on Zetterberg’s performance in 2008 Stanley Cup Finals) May 30^th, 2009

"They are two of the best players in the world. Strong. Skilled. Very productive. I think they'll be extra excited about trying to face us again. They'll be a handful the way they've been playing. I'm more confident, definitely. I'm ready, no matter what assignment my line gets. I look forward to the challenge."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on facing off with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the 2^nd consecutive Stanley Cup Finals) May 29^th, 2009

"The first thing on my mind is that great players aren't judged on one play, one series or even one full season or career performance. It's all about lifting the Stanley Cup ... one time, two times, whatever. That's all that I really wanted since I saw my first Stanley Cup Final when I was 13 or 14. When I saw the greatest players in the world celebrate winning by raising the Cup high into the air, I knew it was something I wanted to do. To me this is a defining moment for anyone who strives to be the best. And doing it with this group of guys, battling through four series, was real special."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on what it means to win a Stanley Cup(s) May 29^th, 2009

"Yeah, I think I said, 'I've won a gold medal and a Stanley Cup. The only thing left is for me to win a Swedish Elite League title.' But I think I also said, 'That will come sometime after I'm finished winning a couple more of these.' I guess I changed that game plan a little when I signed that new (12-year) contract. It's going to be hard to win that Swedish Elite title, isn't it? But then, if Cheli (Chris Chelios) can play at 46, maybe I could still complete that part of my dream in Sweden when I'm in my 40s.”
-Henrik Zetterberg (on a quote he made after winning the Cup in 2008) May 29^th, 2009

"The fact that Z relishes shutting down the other teams' top lines, when almost every other team in the league will put a defensive centerman in that role, that says a lot about him. He's not concerned about numbers. He loves the challenge, and we have to follow. I mean, if Pavs and Z do it, who is anyone else not to do it?"

-Linemate Dan Cleary (on Zetterberg’s dedication to playing defense) May 19^th, 2009

"You don't pay that much attention to what the critics say. You can contribute so much more than just scoring goals. When you play against a really good offensive line, you will create turnovers and get your chances too. The key is playing your defense first. As for goals, it doesn't really matter individually."

"It comes from the top, and Stevie (Yzerman) was the perfect example. He always took care of his own end first. The first year here, you don't get an opportunity to play offense. You start on the defense and earn your minutes that way."

"Scoring goals is probably a little bit more fun, but the chance to play against good players and keep them from scoring is fun, too."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on a defense-first mentality) May 19^th, 2009

"I was more shocked having two of them (5-on-3s) in a Game 7. Hank was great on it and Pavel is snake-bit, but he was great defensively. Hank must have had five, six blocks and he's our star player. We kind of built off that.''

-Goalie Chris Osgood, (on Zetterberg’s ability to kill 5-on-3 penalties against the Anaheim Ducks in game 7) May 14^th, 2009

"I said to Z on the bench, 'That's why you're the best!' What can you say, Conn Smythe winner (last year as playoff MVP), right there again this year. It was huge plays by Z. Pavel was great, too. We're fortunate our two best offensive players are our best defensive players.''

-Red Wings forward Dan Cleary (on Zetterberg’s ability to kill 5-on-3 penalties against the Anaheim Ducks in game 7) May 14^th, 2009

"We worked hard. We did that all seven games. Small things are going to decide if you win or lose. You will deserve your luck and we had it on our side today.''

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on defeating the Anaheim Ducks in game 7) May 14^th, 2009

"He seems to get better as the intensity picks up and the importance of the games (increase). He's tireless out there. He'll have a long shift and come off the ice but be right back out there the next shift and have the legs again. He's very strong on his feet."

-Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom, (on Zetterberg’s endurance) May 12^th, 2009

"He's a relentless player, he's coming at you full-force every shift and he's working hard in the offensive zone and defensive zone. He's the poster child of how we want our forwards to play, work hard at both ends of he rink. And when you combine the amount of skill he has with that, you're going to have a lot of success.''

"It's special types of players that can accept those challenges. I think he sees it as a personal challenge to want to outplay and outwork whoever it is he's faced off against. He works hard and battles hard. You don't see that a lot from guys with his amount of skill."

-Detroit Defenseman Brad Stuart (on the play of Henrik Zetterberg) May 12^th, 2009

"Z got tremendous puck control. Maybe he's not the heaviest or biggest player in the league, but he knows how to protect the puck. It's extremely hard to take the puck from him because he's always leaning and it's hard to reach and steal the puck from him. What he does best is he goes by the wing and he can take the D and the forward with him, so he's got two players on him and he still can make the play and (find) somebody open, which is unbelievable. He outsmarts an opponent."

-Red Wings forward Marian Hossa (on Zetterberg’s offensive talents) May 12^th, 2009

"It is a challenge, but that's been my natural role ever since I was young; play good defense and it leads to offense. Five-on-five, maybe I'm more defensive-minded, but then I still get a lot of minutes on the power play, so you have time to play offense, too."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on playing a two-waya game) May 12^th, 2009

"It's always fun to play against the other team's best players. It's something that is a challenge for me and I enjoy doing it. (Getzlaf) brings it to another level because he's so strong and so good with the puck. The reach he has, especially when they're in your end, it's real good. He can shoot it, pass it, deke you, too. So you have to be ready for it."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on playing against Ryan Getzlaf of the Anaheim Ducks) May 12^th, 2009

"That's what makes them the players they are; their desire and determination. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don't want to push yourself, if you don't want to play better, if you don't want to lead, then you're not going to be as good a player as you could be. I think you're seeing with these two players that they want to win, they want to produce and when they don't they're upset with themselves.''

-Anaheim Ducks defenseman Chris Pronger (On Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk) April 30, 2009

“Zetterberg is the son of a coach. He’s got a mind like that. He leads like that. In timeouts, when you are going for a power-play; he’s he guy talking. When you got a five-on-three penalty-kill; he’s the guy talking. He sees the game differently than a lot of people. “(Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk) are confident people. They know how the game is supposed to be played. They are always looking for new and better ways. They can teach you a lot if you are willing to listen. Zetterberg, over the years here, has done that!

-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock, April 29, 2009 (NHL Live interview)

“The arena is four minutes from my mom and dad’s house. Me and Freddie (Modin) always go to the summer hockey school and skate with the kids. We’re there pretty often. I looked up to him growing up, didn’t know him that much.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on the recently renamed “Modin and Zetterberg Hall” in Njurunda, Sweden) April 22^nd, 2009

“Hard to believe, watching now, that folks once questioned the toughness of European players. Here is Henrik Zetterberg, digging in the corners, smashing opponents into the boards, frustrating defenders with his uncanny ability to hold onto the puck.”

-Shawn Windsor, Detroit Free Press, April 18^th, 2009 (Game 2 vs Columbus)

"Not as great a cheater as ... we have better ones out there.''

-Henrik Zetterberg (referring to Kris Draper, when asked how good he was at cheating on face-offs) April 18^th, 2009

"I'm surprised (Zetterberg) can read! Pavel (Datsyuk) probably read it to him.''

-Teammate Kris Draper (on being surprised that Zetterberg had read a book, by former linesman Ray Scapinello, that called Draper “the biggest faceoff cheater he had ever seen.”) April 18^th, 2009

“I understood him, but some of my friends here in the dressing room didn’t. So I had to translate, English into English.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on teammate Pavel Datsyuk’s poor English on a TV Commercial) – April 2009

"It amazes me to see a professional athlete like Henrik Zetterberg being so committed to the safety of his local community members year after year. I have personally seen the difference these smoke detectors can make and I am proud to associate the Southfield Fire Department with the Detroit Red Wings and Henrik Zetterberg once again."

- Fire Inspector and Investigator Michael Albo. (on Zetterberg serving as the Red Wings spokesman for the team's annual smoke detector collection, which provides life-saving smoke detectors to low income families throughout Metro Detroit.) April 8^th, 2009

"I am happy to again be part of such an important and worthwhile program. House fires are tragedies, but in many cases they can be prevented. My hope is that we can bring increased awareness to the need for everyone to have working smoke detectors installed in their homes."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on serving as the Red Wings spokesman for the team's annual smoke detector collection, which provides life-saving smoke detectors to low income families throughout Metro Detroit.) April 8^th, 2009

"They're quiet, soft-spoken, humble guys that just go about their business."

-Future Hall-of-Fame Defenseman Chris Chelios (referring to teammates Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, and Niklas Lidstrom.) March 31, 2009

"I can't understand it… Zetterberg, last year, should have been a candidate.”

-General Manager Ken Holland (on Zetterberg for league MVP.) March 31, 2009

"It's starting to get a little rugged. We're playing these guys hard. Right now, that's the team to beat. It's tough games against them. Looking forward to the playoffs, to see if maybe we go head-to-head.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on going head-to-head against the league-leading San Jose Sharks) February 25^th, 2009

"It’s nice to be able to afford things if you want and to be able to help loved ones if necessary. But in general, I try to live as I did previously."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on being a millionaire, translated from Swedish) February 24^th, 2009

"Of course I eat fries and candy. It's nothing I'm saintly about. So long as one eats properly, it is not a big deal eating crappy stuff sometimes. It's probably worse when you add it up, then you have to stop eating crappy stuff or you're going to go up a few pounds."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on eating junk food, translated from Swedish) February 24^th, 2009

"It is a little vague. You can interpret that as you wish. (laughing) You're not exposing yourself to excessive risks outside the rink. But it is clear I have been on the ski slope at some point."

-Henrik Zetterberg (when asked if he is allowed to ski, after being seen on the slopes, translated from Swedish) February 24^th, 2009

"We spend an unbelievable amount time away from home. That is the worst part of this life. Birthdays and Christmas Eve with the family, that is what I miss most!"

-Henrik Zetterberg (on the hardest part of being a professional athlete) February 24^th, 2009

"I would not like to switch places with anyone. I am incredibly grateful for everything I got through hockey and the life I live. It is clear that we live very well, have great fun, and are privileged. The (Red Wings) take excellent care of us. There are never any problems. We travel well. We live well and eat good food. But in short, the (Red Wings) demand very much from us.

-Henrik Zetterberg (on playing for Detroit, translated from Swedish) February 24^th, 2009

“Of course, it's a lot of pressure. Playing in Detroit, the bar is real high. That's the way it's supposed to be. Expectations are high. Expectations are real high inside the locker room, too. We like it that way. If we lose a game, we get real pissed off. You just want to get back and win the next one.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on the pressure to win) February 5^th, 2009

“You can't just turn it on. You have to prepare yourself. I think you do that in the games before the playoffs start. It gets tighter and tighter in the standings. Games get kind of more and more intense. So I think you automatically prepare yourself for the playoffs because the games are more like playoff games.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on being able to “turn it on” for the playoffs) February 5^th, 2009

“He's been a tremendous addition for us. He's one of those guys that really can turn nothing into a goal. He's a really strong skater, really fast, has a great shot. He's a great guy, too. He's been a great fit for us. Hopefully we can find a way to keep him a little bit longer.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on the Red Wings signing free agent Marian Hossa) February 5^th, 2009

“I like the weekends. I like the afternoon games. It’s nice to play then. I think the fans enjoy it, too. In the weekends, I think you should have more afternoon games than late night games.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on his favorite time to play hockey) February 5^th, 2009

"Michigan sort of reminds me of Sweden, especially today," Zetterberg said on a cloudy, 23-degree day. "I never had any thoughts of moving and I wanted to stay here, and that's what I told my agent (Marc Levine) from the start.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on considering Detroit his home-away-from-home) January 5^th, 2009

"I'm glad I'll be spending the rest of my career here. Since the start, the Red Wings have always taken good care of me. There are good players here and they all want to win and that's a big reason why I wanted to stay."

"That’s one of the reasons I decided to stay. I know that we’ve got good owners; that we always have a good team on the ice.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on yet another reason to play his entire career in Detroit) January 5^th, 2009

“Well, I think I made my decision a long time ago. When we started talking July 1st, I told my agent, Mark Levine, that I want to stay. You don't have to tell Ken (Holland) that right away, but I want to stay, just find a way. Have to find a deal that works for both of us. I've been there for all my career. They've been really good to me, taken good care of me. I didn't see a reason to wait for the open market 'cause I didn't want to go anywhere else.”

“I wanted to find a way to make it forever and we did. I believe I still have 12 years left in me, and I don't want to play anywhere else. I also wanted to make sure these were the last negotiations taking place."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on why he didn’t test the free agent market before signing a 12-year deal with Detroit) February 5^th, 2009

"I came into the League and looked around the locker room and saw Hall of Famers all over. Steve Yzerman, Brett Hull, Brendan Shanahan, Nicklas Lidstrom, Chris Chelios, Dominik Hasek…You learn to keep your mouth shut and your ears open and just wait for your chance to show off your skills."

-Henrik Zetterberg, January 27^th, 2009

"He's a guy we want to build around…He's in his prime, he's won a Stanley Cup and a Conn Smythe Trophy. He plays at both ends of the rink and goes to all the hard areas. He can play left wing and score and play the middle and be just as effective. He gives us flexibility and is a leader, a guy who, when Nick Lidstrom retires, is certainly someone we'll have to consider as the next captain for the Red Wings.”

"We watched him grow from prospect to one of the best two-way players in the game. Henrik wanted to be a Red Wing for life and we wanted to keep him."

-Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland, (on signing Zetterberg to a 12-year contract) January 27^th, 2009

"I had the good fortune to play with Henrik, and from Day 1 we've had a chance to watch him play and watch him develop, really got to know him as a person. "Being in the locker room and playing alongside him, watching his work ethic and seeing his character, I knew he had what it took to be a good hockey player and a player you'd want to structure your team around. He's the type of person that we want representing our organization. Our goal has always been to keep our best players and it's very important to Henrik, who wanted to remain a Red Wing for life. That's a great reflection on our organization and our city that a player of his stature wants to remain here. We're so pleased he's going to be a Wing for the rest of his life."

-Steve Yzerman, former Red Wings Captain/ current team vice president (on Zetterberg signing a 12-year contract to remain in Detroit) January 27^th, 2009

"There’s more money out there if you want to chase it. You can get more money from a different organization, but you have to move and maybe you’re not in as good a situation. If you want to stay with your team and you want to remain a good team, everybody has to give in a little bit. Our players recognize it. I think the majority of players are willing to do anything they can to remain with the club."

"What I wanted to stress to him, and Niklas (Lidstrom) has gone through it as well, is that they've had great success," Yzerman said. "They've won the Stanley Cup. They've won Olympic gold medals. I thought it was important to him, he's got that stature, that he should play for only two organizations his entire career. The Swedish national team and the Detroit Red Wing are the two jerseys you'll see Henrik play in now. It's special for your career. Its creates an incredible legacy for him."

-Steve Yzerman, former Red Wings Captain/ current team vice president (on Zetterberg signing a 12-year contract to remain in Detroit) January 27^th, 2009

"I'm real happy I don't have to do it again (negotiate another contract). I'm going to be here for the rest of my career and I'm looking forward to spending 12 more years here.”…“I’m very, very happy!”

-Henrik Zetterberg (his initial reaction to signing a 12-year, 73 million dollar deal to stay with the Red Wings) January 27^th, 2009

"If Henrik played in Tampa Bay or Nashville contract negotiations would have already been finished. But Detroit is a special team with many expensive players with expiring contracts. Club management must put together a puzzle to keep all their stars."

-Gunnar Svensson, Zetterberg's Swedish agent. (on Zetterberg’s long-term contract negotiations with the Red Wings) January 22^nd, 2009

"They have to pick one guy from each team. You look at other teams that had other guys that maybe should be there. You don't have someone like Zetterberg in the all-star game, a guy that won the Cup and had success and he's having a great season again and just because they're allowed to take so many guys and every team has to be represented - not always the best players are there."

-Patrik Elias, New Jersey Devils, January 8^th, 2009 (on the All-Star selection process)

"It's a pretty awesome arena here. When you come in, you run up the stairs to see how the rink looked… Of all the outdoor classics, I think this is the best setup. I think the fans are real close… It was a little different. It was nice to have fresh air in your face all the time."

-Henrik Zetterberg, January 1^st, 2009 (on playing outdoors in the 2009 Winter Classic at historic Wrigley Field in Chicago.)

"He just has kept improving on his role and being a really good net-presence guy. He’s got really good skills and he sees the ice very, very well. It's fun to play with him because, if you're open, he'll get you the puck."

-Henrik Zetterberg, December 25^th, 2008 (on team mate and fellow Swede Tomas Holmstrom)

"We know we have good players on (the power-play)...It gives us confidence to go in and do what we want and make the right plays. When you score goals, the confidence keeps growing."

-Henrik Zetterberg, November 13th, 2008

“We were a little too nice to them in our own end. We can play a little tougher there."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on blowing a three goal lead and losing 7-6 to Pittsburgh) November 11, 2008

"I have looked forward to this day a long time, to come here and show the trophy. It feels really, really cool!" –Henrik Zetterberg (on bringing the Stanley Cup home to Njurunda and Timra Sweden) August, 3^rd, 2008

"It is true that we are engaged ... and we are pleased and happy for this.'' -Henrik Zetterberg (on his engagement to Swedish actress/singer/model Emma Andersson) August 1st, 2008

"Zetterberg and Datsyuk are extremely entertaining with the puck and their ability to score goals. They're not a rough type of hockey player. They might get the lumber up a little bit to save themselves. But as playmakers, there's none better that I've seen." –Gordie Howe, July 27^th, 2008

"You want to develop, you want to be better every year, and you want to find different stuff that you become better at, and, of course scoring 50 would be awesome, I think the only Swedish player who's done it is Hakan Loob, and for sure, it would be a milestone"

-Henrik Zetterberg (on trying to improve on his career high 43 goals and possibly scoring 50) June 12th, 2008

"I think sports bring everyone together. Seeing everyone here, it's a great feeling. Great to be a part of it. Time of my life right now! This is unbelievable!"

-Henrik Zetterberg (at the Stanley Cup Victory Parade in Detroit) June 6^th, 2008

"He had a lot of pressure on his shoulders and he's a great player. He will be a great player for many years. It's a challenge to be out there against him basically every shift. It's something you will tell your grandkids when you're a little bit older."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on outplaying Pittsburgh Penguins Star, Sidney Crosby in the Stanley Cup Finals) June 5^th, 2008

"Hank winning the Conn Smythe is greatly deserved. He's right out of the Yzerman-clone factory in Sweden."

-Red Wing Veteran Grinder Darren McCarty (on Henrik Zetterberg) June 5^th, 2008

"When I saw the puck behind the net and I looked up and it was 00:00 on the game clock, I was a pretty happy man! …It's been a long way, and it's been a long season. Especially a few nights ago at Joe Louis Arena was devastating .And we found a way to battle back.”

“It’s an unbelievable feeling you have inside right now. It’s been a long battle but we finally did it, and it was close all the way to the end. They had a real good chance with just a few seconds left. It’s unbelievable!”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on finally winning the Stanley Cup) June 4^th, 2008

“The guys pushed me to it (the Conn Smythe Trophy). I wasn't sure what to do with it. I skated around a little bit first and then I took it back (to his teammates, who mobbed him). I guess that was the right way to go. …It's special to be on (the trophy) with so many great players, especially Nick!”

-Henrik Zetterberg (his reaction on becoming just the second European ever to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup play-offs MVP) June 4^th, 2008

"He certainly deserved it! There's no doubt he was an important player for that group."

-Pittsburgh Penguins coach Michel Therrien (on Henrik Zetterberg winning the Conn Smythe Trophy) June 4^th, 2008

"He's a complete player. He played well. Obviously this series he was a big player."

-Dejected Pittsburgh Penguins superstar captain Sidney Crosby (after losing in the Stanley Cup finals to Zetterberg and the Detroit Red Wings) June 4^th, 2008

"Hank and Yzie are very similar in how they play at both ends."

-Red Wings future Hall-of-Fame defenseman Chris Chelios (comparing superstar Henrik Zetterberg to the legendary captain, Steve Yzerman) June 4^th, 2008

Hank's willingness to backcheck was there from the day we got him. The only thing that developed is, he shoots more and he's improved a lot offensively.”

-Future Hall-of-Famer Steve Yzerman (on Zetterberg’s development) June 4^th, 2008

“(Steve) Yzerman and (Ron) Francis are the first two names that come to mind, thinking of guys I ever saw play that remind me of Zetterberg. When I played with those guys, they refused to sacrifice defense for offense. That's a trait Zetterberg has, too.”

-Former Red Wing, Hall-of-Fame defensman, and NHL analyst Larry Murphy (comparing Zetterberg’s drive and determination) June 4^th, 2008

“He brings it every night. He's good in all three zones. The job he did on Sidney Crosby and Malkin, that was a key. And (Marian) Hossa. Coming into the series we knew we had to do a great job on those guys, and it really came down to our top four defensemen, Pav and Z. Z is a special player. He brings it every shift, every day, every practice, and our team follows him.”

-Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland (on Zetterberg’s play in the Stanley Cup Finals) June 4^th, 2008

“It's huge to have your best defensive player be your best guy offensively, too! He's such a smart player and is always in the right spot. He doesn't get too excited. He keeps the noise down and just does his job. He’s one of a kind!”

-Red Wings teammate and fellow Swede Johan Franzen (on Zetterberg’s role on the Stanley Cup winning team) June 4^th, 2008

“The last face-off, he's out on the ice, and really just taking charge. He kind of came up to me and said, 'You're taking the draw, here's how it's gonna be.' He's a true leader. What he did on both ends of the ice is unbelievable! Obviously I'm very biased toward our guys. There was a lot of talk, Crosby and Malkin ... those guys are great hockey players, and this city (Pittsburgh), this organization has a great future. But you know what? Zetterberg and Datsyuk, they made a statement this playoff run”

-Red Wings veteran center Kris Draper (on Zetterberg’s leadership and play in the Stanley Cup Finals) June 4^th, 2008

“Guys that are a little bit more quiet, they lead by example. That's what (Zetterberg) does.”

-Veteran Red Wing Darren McCarty (on Zetterberg’s leadership) June 4^th, 2008

"Someone said to me here earlier, 'You turned your best offensive players into checkers,' I never did that. They're just very good both ways. Zetterberg and Pavel (Datsyuk) are two of the best players in the world."

-Red Wings Head coach Mike Babcock (on the play of Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg in the Stanley Cup Finals) June 4^th, 2008

"He's been our best player, I think, on both ends of the ice. You see him out there killing penalties 5-on-3, and you see him at the other end setting plays from the power play. He's just that impact player. He's really excelled and got better and better as the playoffs went along."

-Countryman and Detroit Red Wings Captain Nicklas Lidstrom (on Zetterberg’s play in the Stanley Cup Finals) June 4^th, 2008

"It's great to see him lifting the Cup and with the 'C' on his chest. It means so much for the team and the organization. He's bringing it every night. He's probably our best player every night.''

-Henrik Zetterberg (on future Hall-of-Fame defenseman Niklas Lidstrom, the first European born team Captain to ever lead his team to win the Stanley Cup.) June 4^th, 2008

"He's meant a deal to our team. I think everybody's starting to see that. He's our best defensive guy, but at the same time, he plays in all situations. We're lucky to have him. There are not a lot of guys like him in the league."

-Red Wings defenseman and countryman Niklas Kronwall (on Zetterberg) June 1^st, 2008

"Back then I didn't think too much about it. When I was 17 and he was 18, it was all about the Sedin twins (Vancouver Canucks Henrik and Daniel Sedin). Hank was kind of the second-line winger on that team and didn't get a lot of attention. (Zetterberg’s) so determined. Anything he does, he does it full on. He's one of the hardest working guys on our team and other guys follow that. They look up to that. We're blessed to have him on our team."

- Red Wings defenceman Niklas Kronwall (on playing with Zetterberg on Sweden’s junior team as a teenager compared to now) May 31^st, 2008

“He acts like you can count on him every day. Just the way he carries himself in the dressing room. We look to him.He's been growing every year. He's always been a really good two-way player but now I think he's the best out there."

-Red Wings forward and countryman Mikael Samuelsson (on Zetterberg’s play) May 31^st, 2008

"They're just gifted players, and when they compete as hard as they did tonight, they win a lot of battles. But, you know, I've been telling people for three years how good Zetterberg is. And so this isn't a surprise to me. He’s conscientious and a great two-way player.”

-Red Wings Head coach Mike Babcock (on the play of Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg in the Stanley Cup Finals) May 31st, 2008

"I just put the best players out there, and Zetterberg was unbelievable. Those guys are fantastic players, obviously, and they drive the bus for us. But they're like everybody else. All of us gotta be good. Zetterberg was fantastic...”

--Red Wings Head coach Mike Babcock (on the short-handed play of Henrik Zetterberg on killing the Pittsburgh Penguins 1:26 of 5-on-3 power-play with under ten minutes remaining to preserve a 2-1 lead in game four, giving Detroit a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup finals) May 31st, 2008

"Some people were saying the game before that (Pens defencemen Brooks) Orpik had one of the greatest shifts (four hits) they'd ever seen. But Z's shift on the five-on-three, if there was a defensive hat trick, you could give it to Z for that shift: he blocks a shot, takes one of the most dangerous forwards (Sidney Crosby), who's got a back-door tap-in, and ties up his stick and then he carries the puck down the ice and gets a shot 5-on-3 and kills the penalty basically by himself. He took it under control and said, ‘they're not going to score.’ And he made sure of it. The thing about Z is he may be the one guy in this league, besides Nick (Lidstrom), who can probably play a 60-minute game and keep coming at you and wear you down."

-Red Wings defenseman Brett Lebda (on the short-handed play of Henrik Zetterberg on killing the Pittsburgh Penguins 1:26 of 5-on-3 power-play with under ten minutes remaining to preserve a 2-1 lead in game four, giving Detroit a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup finals) May 31st, 2008

“That’s where he stands out from other superstars in this league. He can play so well in his own end he can play on a three-on-five. You don’t see other superstars do that, not a lot of them, anyway. That’s what makes him real special.”

-Red Wings forward and fellow Swede Johan Franzen (on the short-handed play of Henrik Zetterberg on killing the Pittsburgh Penguins 1:26 of 5-on-3 power-play with under ten minutes remaining to preserve a 2-1 lead in game four, giving Detroit a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup finals) May 31st, 2008

"We played good and tried to keep them to the outside and tried to be in the shooting lanes. They had a great opportunity to tie it up, and it's a challenge to play against such good players (Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Marian Hossa), especially when you're down two guys, they have a lot of room. You practice a lot on it during the year, and it's fun to have a chance to do it in a game. It was huge!"

-Henrik Zetterberg (on killing the Pittsburgh Penguins 1:26 of 5-on-3 power-play with under ten minutes remaining to preserve a 2-1 lead in game four, giving Detroit a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup finals) May 31st, 2008

"It was a Conn Smythe shift!"

-NBC's commentator Mike Emerick (on Zetterberg’s short-handed play, killing the Pittsburgh Penguins 1:26 of 5-on-3 power-play with under ten minutes remaining to preserve a 2-1 lead in game four, giving Detroit a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup finals) May 31st, 2008

"I don't think he did anything out of the ordinary, besides any other guy would do on a 5-on-3.”

-Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby (on getting shut-down by Zetterberg’s short-handed play, killing the Pittsburgh Penguins 1:26 of 5-on-3 power-play with under ten minutes remaining to preserve a 2-1 lead in game four, giving Detroit a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup finals) May 31st, 2008

“He knows what he wants and he knows what buttons to push. Sometimes you get real mad at him but it turns out it's the right decision. He knows how to get me mad. It doesn't happen that often, but I think I play better when I'm a little bit feisty."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on playing for Red Wings Head Coach, Mike Babcock) May 30^th, 2008

"We are from different worlds, but it all started our first training camp. Back then we didn't have that many young players on the team. I was the youngest and he was the next youngest, and he took me under his wing. We kind of followed each other on the ice and continued off the ice.

We live about five minutes from each other…I would say I understand him pretty well. We have good conversations, let's put it that way. I think it's a little easier if it's just me and him or guys on the team. It's pretty intimidating to talk to the media sometimes, because if you say something wrong it could be all over the news."

-Henrik Zetterberg (about his friendship with Russian linemate Pavel Datsyuk) May 2008

"It was a sick (awesome) team!"

-Henrik Zetterberg (on the Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings roster in 2002-03 when Zetterberg came into the NHL, which had future Hall-of-Famers: Steve Yzerman, Niklas Lidstrom, Brendan Shanahan, Sergei Fedorov, Luc Robitaille, Brett Hull, Chris Chelios, Igor Larionov, Dominik Hasek.) May 24^th, 2008

"Who wears a suit at a hockey game?...It was fast, so, so fast, and I was like, 'Am I gonna play this type of hockey next year? I better get home and work out a little bit.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (when asked what he thought as he watched his first NHL playoff game live at the Joe Louis Arena in 2002.)

"I had him in my Nintendo hockey game when I was a kid."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on how he first knew about Dallas Drake, his current teammate) May 24^th, 2008

"You have to win to become a star, and I haven't won yet."

- Henrik Zetterberg (When asked if he ever could approach Gretzky, Sundin or Detroit legend Steve Yzerman) May 22^nd, 2008

"There isn't a stronger player on his skates than Zetterberg. 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."

-St. Louis Blues coach Andy Murray.

"You're never going to outwork Hank, that's for sure!"

-Red Wings Head coach Mike Babcock (on Zetterberg’s work ethic) May 22^nd 2008

"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. Seeing that kind of skill coming at you again and again makes defenders back off and creates openings for his teammates."

-Future Hall-of-Fame defenseman and team Captain Niklas Lidstrom (on fellow Swede Henrik Zetterberg’s style of play) May 22^nd, 2008

"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 (Sweden’s 2006 Gold Medal) for a chance to lift the Stanley Cup in victory. When we won the Olympics the feeling was kind of like, 'Is this it?' That game was so mentally tough, that when it was over, you won, and then it was like" -- he exhales -- "you were so empty. You were empty. You were happy, but at the same time, I thought it would be more.

On the other hand, when I first got here we had that great team, and we lost in the first round. The next year we lost in the second round. That feeling you have after the last game of the year when you're not on the winning side, it's like, 'My god.' It's so mentally tough. So I don't know what the feeling would be like to win a Cup. But I know I don't want to have the feeling you have when you lose. It's the worst."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on what it would mean to win the Stanley Cup) May 22^nd, 2008

"No offense to Sidney Crosby or Vinny Lecavalier or anyone else, but there is no better player in the NHL now than Hank. It's the fire in Hank's eyes and the passion in his belly. 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.”

-St. Louis Blues goaltender and former teammate Manny Legace (on Henrik Zetterberg) May 22^nd, 2008

"Henrik, he's a complete player. 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."

-Red Wings General Manager Ken Holland (on Henrik Zetterberg) May 22^nd, 2008

"I remember going on the ice for the first time to take a face-off at the Olympics in Salt Lake City and when I looked up, there was Eric Lindros standing across from me. I must have been giving him five inches and about 40 pounds in that match-up. That opened my eyes. It gave me something to work on before I played my first game in the NHL the next season. I knew I had to get bigger and stronger."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on coming into the NHL) May 22^nd, 2008

"Well, you know, Hank is a star…”

-Red Wings teammate and fellow Swede Andreas Lilja (joking about Zetterberg not living in the same neighborhood as most of the other Swedes) May 20^th, 2008

"Hank is a bigger target of the media because of his girlfriend (Swedish TV actress). They're the Swedish version of (Soccer Star, David) Beckham and Posh (Spice Girls, Victoria Beckham).”

-Red Wings teammate and fellow Swede Johan Franzen (on Zetterberg being a star in Sweden) May 20, 2008

"We don't get followed like crazy here or back home. But she's had her own TV show, so she's known in public, too. We like being normal people. I don't go out and try and get attention. I have been handling the media in Sweden since I was 17. I know it's a big part of sports now. You have to stand up if you win or you lose. But attention? I don't need that. I don't mind it, but I don't need it."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on his and his girlfriend’s popularity in Sweden) May 2008

"I don't know how to explain it. Some players just seem to be on the same wavelength a lot. Sometimes Pavel will give me a wink or nod his head ... and I usually know what he means."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on the magic he and fellow ‘Eurotwin’ Pavel Datsyuk create on the ice) May 13^th, 2008

“I would say, for me coming from Sweden, you thought more pass than shoot. It was always in the back of my mind.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on his shots and goals totals increasing this year) May 12^th, 2008

“It’s a unique situation for us to have this many Swedes. We know it’s not going to last forever. We have to take advantage of it.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on the possibility of winning a Stanley Cup with seven Swedish teammates: Niklas Lidstrom, Tomas Holmstrom, Johan Franzen, Mikael Samuelsson, Niklas Kronwall, Andreas Lilja, and Jonathan Eriksson.) May 12^th, 2008

“I have miles to go! He has brought so much to this club and to this organization, I’m not even close.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on being compared to the great Steve Yzerman) May 12^th, 2008

“They have the skill and they both have that determination that Stevie (Yzerman) could take to the next level. I see that in Hank, too.”

-Future Hall-of-Fame defenseman and team Captain Niklas Lidstrom (on Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg) May 12^th, 2008

“He’s probably the most complete player in the league.”

-Detroit goaltender Chris Osgood (on Henrik Zetterberg) May 7^th, 2008

"It's just one of those things we believe in here. Your best players have to be good (all-around). You can't be hiding them. I want my best players on the ice. Partway through last year we made a point of making sure Z had the (key) matchup some nights, then Pavel had the matchups some nights and (Kris) Draper did. We said they all had to be responsible. They all had to be able to kill penalties five-on-three and they all had to take big face-offs. We just think that's the way to go. You have to be able to play against the best people. That will continue to be our philosophy."

-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock (on his top players being his top defensive players) May 7^th, 2008

I think ever since the start, we enjoying playing with each other. You know, from our first year, I played with Pavel and Brett Hull basically the whole year. Ever since from then, I’ve been playing with Pavel most of my games here. It’s been working great. We like to play the same style of hockey. I think Homer, you know, it’s a real great mix for us because he creates a lot of room for us and gives us that extra second to make the right play. And also he’s always in front of the goalie to screen the goalie for us. Both me and Pavel doesn’t have the greatest shot, but it makes it easier when Homer is in front.

-Henrik Zetterberg (on his chemistry with linemates Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom) May 6^th, 2008

I think it’s always been part of my game. Growing up as a centerman in Sweden, that’s a big part of your game, and you take a lot of pride in it. I think it’s been like that ever since I started playing hockey. I just enjoying playing, you know, defensive hockey, too.
-Henrik Zetterberg (on being a top offensive and top defensive player) May 6^th, 2008

I would say it all started last year. We had a really good playoff run last year, and we kept the core guys. We made some great additions for this year. We’ve been playing great all the way from the start. You know, we just kept going here in the playoffs. I think the depth, you know, is a key part for the success with all the four lines. We’re playing good. But to keep doing that, we have to make the right decisions out there and play smart. Dallas is a good team. If we’re not playing at our best, we will not win the series. I think in the playoffs you need to spread around the scoring a little bit and you need to have especially secondary scoring. The line with Franzen, Filppula and Samuelsson has really been good for us. They’ve been really good in power-play and five-on-five. So if you want to go deep in the playoffs, you have to have a good depth…

We’ve got good depth in our team. All of our lines can play against basically anyone, so it makes it a lot easier for coach to make his decision.

-Henrik Zetterberg (on having success and needing team depth in the playoffs) May 6^th, 2008

“I’m playing hockey, and that’s my job. I like doing that here. It’s a great town to do that. I think I get the recognition that I deserve.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on Q. having a ‘rock star persona’ back in Sweden, but not getting the recognition he deserves in North America.) May 6^th, 2008

“I was 5-11, but I was only about 165 pounds when I was drafted. I’m not the biggest guy now. But I was even smaller the time on my draft year. You know, I was happy that I got drafted. I didn’t speak to a lot of teams. I think it was the Red Wings and maybe one other team that showed interest. I was really surprised and happy when (Red Wings European scout) Hakan Andersson called me and told me that I was drafted. I was on vacation on the island of Cyprus. I knew the Red Wings were interested and that I wouldn't be picked early. When my dad picked up the phone and told me it was Hakan Andersson, the vacation that was pretty good already turned great. My friends and I had a little celebration that night. And I had to pay for all of them."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on being a seventh-round draft pick) May 6^th, 2008

"Hakan (Andersson) was trying to show me another player, but there was this little Zetterberg guy who always seemed to have the puck. He was a skinny little kid when I saw him, but I really liked his instincts."

- Red Wings Assistant General Manager Jim Nill (when asked about his first reaction to seeing Zetterberg) May 2008

“I was a small kid. 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."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on developing his hockey skills growing up) May 2008

I don’t think we pay that much attention of what other media says or what, you know, the experts are saying. We know we have a good team and we know we got, you know, a good chance of going deep. You know, we’ve been showing that the first two rounds, that we’re a good hockey club. We just have to keep going here next round and, you know, keep playing good hockey. If we do that, we gonna succeed.
-Henrik Zetterberg (on the Red Wings being under-estimated every season) May 6^th, 2008

You know what, I think he’s trusting us a little bit more this year than last year. I think he knows what kind of players we are and how we can play hockey. You know, he’s really intense. He really wants to win. And I think the coaching staff is really well-prepared. To have that as a player, it makes it a lot easier for us to get ready for games.

It’s pretty constant. He’s tough on us. You know, maybe when we’re playing good, he knows that we can play good. But if we’re playing bad, he really lets us know. It’s been some tough skating this year in the practices when we’ve been playing bad. And, you know, the expectation’s really high here. I think that’s the way it’s supposed to be. We got a good team. And I think Babcock is a good fit for our club.

-Henrik Zetterberg (on playing for Head Coach Mike Babcock) May 6^th, 2008

It’s been fun for us. It’s been fun for the fans.

-Henrik Zetterberg (on the tremendous run in the playoffs and the route towards the Cup final) May 6^th, 2008

We’re going for the Cup. You know, that’s the same as every year. If you don’t go all the way, we will not be happy. That’s the expectations that are in this town. As a player, you know that and you like it. You rather have that than, you know, the fans are happy just to make the playoffs.

-Henrik Zetterberg (on the expectations and pressure to win in Detroit) May 6^th, 2008

"I took a shot. I saw the rebound come out. I kind of lost my balance. I turned around and hoped for the best and I had a pretty good whack on it. I didn't see it go in."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on scoring a spectacular highlight-reel goal in game four of a four game sweep of the Colorado Avalanche, spinning around as he was upended by Colorado defenseman Adam Foote, finding the rebound with his peripheral vision, and roofing a no-look back-handed shot into the net as he fell to the ice.) May 1^st, 2008

"It was an all-world goal!"

-Colorado Avalanche Head Coach Joel Quenneville (on Henrik Zetterberg's highlight-reel goal in game 3 of the semi-finals.) April 30th, 2008

“They’re so good at finding each other. They’re both have good speed when they’re coming, too, so they’re backing their D off, and even one-on-one they’re so good, too. The way they’re able to find each other with passes, I think Pav found Hank in that back-door play on the power play, just a tremendous pass. They’re able to find each other all the time out there. They’re really tough to defend when they play like that.”

-Red Wings Captain and future Hall-of-Fame defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom (on Henrik Zetterberg's and Pavel Datsyuk's play in game 3 of the semi-finals against the Colorado Avalanche.) April 30th, 2008

“We’ve been playing together many games and you run a few plays during the year and sometimes it works and it did today,”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on his and Pavel Datsyuk's play in game 3 of the semi-finals against the Colorado Avalanche.) April 30th, 2008

“They’re elite players coming into the prime of their careers. They have great will and determination and that to me is what separates you from being a regular player to being a star, is how much drive you have, and how much heart and how much passion you have. They’re elite in that way. I thought they were magic throughout the game but even better in the third period. Every time something went wrong, they went out and turned the game in the right direction for us.”

-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock (on Henrik Zetterberg's and Pavel Datsyuk's play in game 3 of the semi-finals against the Colorado Avalanche.) April 30th, 2008

"With what they do at both ends of the rink is, to me, something so impressive. I think that's something that we're fortunate that our best players are our best players night in and night out. That's what makes us such a good hockey club. They almost will this team to victory with the way they play."

-Red Wings Former Selke Trophy Winner Kris Draper (on linemates Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk being two of the NHL's three finalists for the Selke Trophy, awarded to the leagues best defensive forward.) April 26th, 2008

"I like it when your best players are great defensively because you can play them against anyone. When you're hiding your best players offensively because you're scared of them in defensive situations, they don't get to play the minutes that they should."

-Detroit Head Coach Mike Babcock. (on linemates Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk being two of the NHL's three finalists for the Selke Trophy, awarded to the leagues best defensive forward.)

"It's a lot of demand on them, to come back and play defense, but they're in such good shape and they're such great skaters, they manage to find a way to do it offensively and defensively. It was just a matter of time before they got the recognition.''

-Red Wings Future Hall-of-Fame defenseman Chris Chelios (on linemates Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk being two of the NHL's three finalists for the Selke Trophy, awarded to the leagues best defensive forward.) April 26th, 2008

"The most underrated part of the game is how people play away from the puck. They'll come back on the back-check hard, they'll strip guys, that's a strength of theirs.''

-Colorado Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote (on playing against Selke Trophy finalists Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk.) April 26th, 2008

"I know he does. That's my middle name, Back-check. He always mentions to the other guys I have to back-check more.''

-Henrik Zetterberg (on being told that linemate Pavel Datsyuk said he enjoys watching Zetterberg have to back-check harder. April 26th, 2008.

"What makes them special is they believe they can out-will you. To me, that's what the playoffs are all about.''

-Detroit Head Coach Mike Babcock. (on the play of Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk in the playoffs) April 26th, 2008

"I always thought it was fun to play good defense. Both me and Pavel take pride in that, and to be recognized for it, it's a great honor. We're real proud of it. It's going to be fun to see how it will all end up"

-Henrik Zetterberg (on himself and linemate Pavel Datsyuk being two of the NHL's three finalists for the Selke Trophy, awarded to the leagues best defensive forward.) April 26th, 2008

"Forty by 40, it's good for him! I just made sure he got the puck.”

-Line-mate Pavel Datsyuk (on Zetterberg’s career-high 40^th goal) March 22^nd, 2008

"We can't be giving the puck up to that guy!"

-Columbus Blue Jackets Captain Rick Nash (on Zetterberg’s third goal of a third-period “natural hat-trick” in a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets) March 19^th, 2008

"It was a drop pass, and the other guy wasn't really ready for it, so I picked it up and the goalie didn't really think I had control of the puck and came out. I just took a step on the side and put it in the net."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on his third goal of a third-period “natural hat-trick” in a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets) March 19^th, 2008

"He hasn't been scoring at the same rate he usually does. He's had a lot of chances and shots and didn't score. You knew it was going to come."

-Detroit Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock (on Zetterberg breaking out of a seven game goal-less streak with a third-period “natural hat-trick” in a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets) March 19^th, 2008

"He had two defensemen against him, but he went right through them. Great individual effort to get the team going!”

-Detroit Red Wings Captain and future Hall-of-Famer Niklas Lidstrom

(on Zetterberg’s 1^st goal of a third-period “natural hat-trick” in a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets) March 19^th, 2008

"The first one, I had a lot of speed coming and I got a great pass from (Brian) Rafalski and their (defensemen) were kind of standing still. I got through them and put it five-hole on the goalie. It was a good feeling to see it go in. It was a while ago since the puck went in. There were a lot of chances, but the puck hasn't really gone in. It was nice to get that one out of the way."

-Henrik Zetterberg on breaking out of a seven game goal-less streak with a third-period “natural hat-trick” in a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets) March 19^th, 2008

"Everybody likes to play with Hank!"

-Teammate and “Eurotwin” Pavel Datsyuk (on being asked if he enjoys being on Zetterberg's line.) March 19^th, 2008

“This is good news for the Wings. Zetterberg should be in the Game, but he's showing once again that his priority is the team rather than personal accolades.”

-Matt Saler, Bleacherreport.com (on Zetterberg missing second consecutive All-Star game due to minor injury.) January 22, 2008

"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. 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 Crosby or Lecavalier does on offense, but there’s no one in the game that is that good offensively and defensively, No one. It’s the fire in Hank’s eyes and the passion in his belly. 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."

-St. Louis Blues Goaltender and former Red Wings teammate Manny Legace, January 2008

"I don’t consider myself scary. Would you be afraid of me?"

-Henrik Zetterberg (on giving opposing players “the look”) January 2008

"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. Seeing that kind of skill coming at you again and again makes defenders back off and creates openings for his teammates."

- Red Wings captain and future Hall-of-famer Nicklas Lidstrom. January 2008

"You’re never going to outwork Hank, that’s for sure,"

-Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock, January 2008

"You play with whoever the coach puts you on a line with. It doesn't matter who that is. For the media it's a big thing whether Pavel or I play together or not, but I don't think it's a big deal for the Red Wings. I don't think about it at all. You just go out there and play with whoever you're out there with."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on Head Coach Mike Babcock putting him on a line with Pavel Datsyuk or not) January 4^th, 2008

"Some nights you win ugly. Tonight, was one of those games."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on Detroit’s 4-3 Shoot-out win over the Washington Capitals in which he scored the winning goal) December 17, 2007

"I got a chance to score three, and that's always fun to do that."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on scoring his second career hat trick against the Minnesota Wild) December 7th, 2007

"Forsberg and Sundin are popular, but they're forwards, so a lot of people know those names. But people who know hockey rank Nick at the top and that's the way it should be. I'm not surprised because of all the years that I've played with him. He's our best player night in and night out.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on Red Wings Captain and future Hall-of-Famer Niklas Lidstrom being named "The Best European-Trained Player in NHL History by The Hockey News) December 2nd, 2007

“I just don’t know how they got that guy in the seventh round. There’s not a flaw in Zetterberg’s game. Zetterberg is the centerman version of Steve Larmer. He is the kind of guy you want on the ice for every single situation. The fact that he is a centerman and not a winger makes him more valuable. But it’s amazing how they got him 210th overall.”

-Ex Red Wing Brendan Shanahan (New York Rangers) November 2007

“Zetterberg was a little bit of a late bloomer. He always had great talent and great vision and now he is getting stronger. He is put in those situations where he is the go-to guy and he is getting used to that. Zetterberg is definitely one of the biggest up-and-coming stars in the League.”

-Fellow Swede Daniel Alfredsson (Ottawa Senators) November 2007

"I knew it was going to end sometime."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on career-high 24 game point streak ending) November 13th, 2007

“It’s fun to break records, easier to do it when you’re winning and playing with good players.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (referring to Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom, after a 15 game points streak to start the season, breaking a Red Wings record set by Norm Ullman in 1960) November 7, 2007

"He's a genius the way he uses the ice. Every time he moves the puck he's moving it to a teammate with more space. That's what the great players do, they make other players better. He opens things up and he's a handful."

-Edmonton Oilers Head Coach Craig MacTavish, October 30, 2007

"Just with his sister.”

-Kirk Maltby (when overhearing Zetterberg being asked if he had ever been in a fight) October 19, 2007

"World Championship, with Malts. I kicked his ass."

-Henrik Zetterberg (answering the above question after comment by Maltby) October 19, 2007

“Z plays against the best people and shuts them down. I think he’s the best two-way player in the game, bar none.”

-Head Coach Mike Babcock (on Zetterberg's defensive skills) October 19th, 2007

“I think he’s been getting better every season he’s been over here and he’s getting more responsibilities, more ice time. He’s playing in all situations, so he’s just getting better and better. He’s just an overall really good player. He was that talented coming into the league, and now he’s just getting better.”

-Wings Captain Niklas Lidstrom (on Zetterberg's play this season) October 19th, 2007

"Those guys, it's like they're on another planet right now, the way they're seeing each other, the way they see the ice. The thing they do, which a lot of people don't really talk about, is how well they play at both ends of the rink. They're so responsible offensively and defensively, they have it going on right now. It's unbelievable, just to be a part of it and watch it night in and night out. They're just dominating hockey games right now."

-Veteran forward Kris Draper (on the top line of Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, and Tomas Holmstrom) October 10th, 2007

"It was against San Jose (in 2002), and I remember on my first shift, about 10 seconds into that shift, I got hit pretty good. It was in the right corner, and I think it was (Sharks defenseman Scott) Hannan who got me. I made the pass and I didn't look, I just kind of stood there admiring the pass and following it, and he got me pretty good. It was kind of a big hit. A tough one right away."

-Henrik Zetterberg (reflecting on his first NHL game) October, 2007

"It was about time! I had a few chances in the past. The puck went in today. So it was fun. We had some ugly goals today. But it’s nice when the puck goes into the net."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on his first career HAT TRICK) February 17th, 2007

“He doesn't get enough credit for being the elite player that he is. He's definitely in that (elite)group of players.”

-Wayne Gretzky, Phoenix Coyotes Head Coach (after Zetterberg scored 2 goals and an assist in Detroit's 4-2 win) February 7th, 2007

"He's the best player we've ever had and when he says stuff like that, it makes you happy."

-Henrik Zetterberg (in response to Phoenix Coyotes Head Coach Wayne Gretzky's quote above) February 7th, 2007

"Yeah, and I don't like big cities, so I don't know why that is."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on scoring late game-winners in his last two games in New York.) February 6th, 2007

"I saw Clears was on the right wing and knew he had 19 goals. It's always fun to reach 20, and he got an opportunity to do it there."

-Henrik Zetterberg (when asked why he passed up a chance to score an empty netter and instead passed to Dan Cleary. Zetterberg had just scored his 21st goal of the season and is just one ahead of Cleary for the team lead.) February 2nd, 2007

"I found out this morning…kind of surprised. It's an honor."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on being selected to his first All-Star Game) January 13th, 2007

“I think I am more calm now than I was when I got over here the first time, you know. So, to come here from Sweden, it’s a different lifestyle. Just to find a house, find a car, find a cell phone, you fly here, you fly there, you play here, you play there, sometimes you wake up after a pre-game nap, you don’t know where you are. And now, you know, its more calm, you settle down, you know what’s going on. I think that it helps me play good too.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on adjusting to life in America and the NHL) December 31st, 2006

“Well, I think we like to play the same kind of style. We like to pass the puck. We kind of have the same thinking when we are on the ice. It’s fun.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on playing with line-mate Pavel Datsyuk) December 31st, 2006

“In the summer I played soccer and in the winter I played hockey. And it’s almost like it was the same team, you just have the puck in the winter and you have the ball in the summer. We had a lot of fun. I think soccer, you have to be really quick on your feet, and I think that’s true in hockey, you have to be quick. In hockey, it’s a faster game, but if you look at a really good soccer game, they are really fast too. The movement of the ball and the movement of the puck, I think it is something there, but I don’t know what.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (comparing hockey with soccer) December 31st, 2006

“It’s an honor to be an Assistant Captain in the Detroit Red Wings. You can’t say no to that, you know. It’s unbelievable. And hopefully I can be the leader too, that they want me to be, and just learn from that too. It’s not east to come in and just be a leader. You just get used to being one, and hopefully be here for a long time.

-Henrik Zetterberg (on becoming a leader on the Red Wings) December 31st, 2006

"The puck goes in. That's the biggest thing."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on the difference bewteen the power-play struggling and being successful.) December 9th, 2006

"We understand each other so well. We speak in a hockey language."

-Pavel Datsyuk (on being re-united on a line with Zetterberg.) December 5th, 2006

"We stopped making the easy play. We started trying to make the hardest play."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (after a blown 2-1 lead in the 3rd period of a 3-2 loss to San Jose) December 2nd, 2006

"I would be lying if I said it doesn't feel good to score again. It's tough when you're not scoring, but just continue doing the right things and it'll come."

-Henrik Zetterberg, (on ending his nine game pointless streak) November 2nd, 2006

"It's (scoring slumps) going to happen again (in his career). In all likelihood, it might happen longer. He's a great player. He’s leading our team good this year. He's going to be great. He was our best player in the playoffs last year. That's more important than if he's having a little drought right now early in the season. There’s not a burden on him. He’s not going to win by himself!"

-Red Wings goalie Chris Osgood (on Zetterberg's nine game pointless streak) November 2nd, 2006

“Playing with those guys, it makes everything a little easier. It’s fun playing with those guys.”

-Rookie, Valtteri Filppula, (On playing on the first line with Henrik Zetterberg and veteran Kris Draper, after scoring his first NHL goal against St. Louis) October 2006

"I don't think me and Pavel (Datsyuk) feel pressure. Both me and Pavel have a lot of high expectations on ourselves. I don't think we care that much what other people think."

-Henrik Zetterberg, September 2006

"I don't think I've proved anything in the playoffs yet. You have to win. That's why we are here. I still have a very important piece (Stanley Cup) to fill. Of course, it was nice to win the Olympics and world championship, that's big in Sweden, but this is my job. I play for the Red Wings and I want to win this year."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on proving himself as a leader) September 2006

"When you hear stuff like that it's fun! It's nice to be considered a big part of this team. I'll be ready."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on being a candidate for Captain of the Red Wings) September 2006.

"Somehow, he dominates in a subtle way. It’s not until you sit back and think about it that you realize how much he controls the play when he is on the ice."

-Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com August 2006

"Steve was able to will this organization to unbelievable years with the three Stanley Cups, and now it's up to someone else. Z has that kind of will and that work ethic and that passion to be the best. It's going to be his time."

-Head Coach Mike Babcock (on Zetterberg's role after Yzerman's retirement.) July 2006.

"Zetterberg will be a captain on this team one day,"

-General Manager Ken Holland. July 3rd, 2006

“It feels good to get a playoff goal, but I’d rather have the win instead.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on scoring in a 4-2 loss to Edmonton in Game 2) April 23rd, 2006

"It's real heavy, but it looks good...real good."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on his 2006 Olympic Gold Medal) March 2006

"The thing about elite players is you see what they do and the numbers they put up, but the next sign is the intensity they play with every shift. The next time you see them play, just look at the intensity on their faces and in their eyes. That's what impresses me most about Datsyuk and Zetterberg."

-Hall of Fame Legend Wayne Gretzky 2006

"Sometimes Pavel will give me a wink or nod his head ... and I usually know what he means. I don't know how to describe it. I guess it's just instincts. I see him make a move and think, 'Where would I want my line-mate to go if I was making the same kind of move he's making?'"

-Henrik Zetterberg (on playing on the same line as Russian Pavel Datsyuk). December 2006.

“(Henrik Zetterberg) went and led the Swedish League is scoring…a very competitive league with some of the top Swedish stars from the NHL (ie: Peter Forsberg, Markus Naslund). I think that gave him a lot of confidence. And Pavel Datsyuk has emerged as a star as well. They’re our #1 line and they’ve been great! They’re great five-on-five, on the powerplay, and also killing penalties. Mike Babcock’s been challenging them and they’re responding.”

–Future Hall-of-Famer Brendan Shanahan on Redwings teammates.November 2005

"He's going to be a great player in this league for a lot of years. Hank has such great hands around the net. The puck just follows him around like a magnet."

-Redwings Goalie Manny Legace. October 2005.

"Look who's here!"

"He was one of the last guys to get in town. It's going to be nice. We got a four-hour bus ride and Hank's probably going to take the most abuse, and rightfully so! We're going to ride him as hard as we can for the next week. I'm really looking forward to that. We're just happy to have him back. He's such a great kid and such a great hockey player. He's going to play a huge role for the Detroit Red Wings over the next four years for sure."

-Veteran Kris Draper (on Zetterberg showing up to 2005 training camp after signing a four-year contract with Detroit) September 2005

"Henrik Zetterberg, we salute you. Thank you for coming back to our beloved Redwings...your beloved Redwings. You are a hero in the Motor City now, just as you are back in Sundsvall and Timra, where the call you 'Zata'."

-Chris Turner, Zetterbergfan.com (on Henrik Zetterberg signing four year deal with Redwings) September 2005

"Those two kids can do a lot of magic."He's (Zetterberg) one of our better players, so for sure we want him back! He had 50 points last year in the Swedish Elite League, a great season. He's going to one of the top players in the NHL, so having one of those guys on your team is a huge plus."

-Swede Tomas Holmstrom (on restricted free agents Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg) September 2005

"I saw a few of his games over in Sweden while I was there scouting, and he did play very well. He's the type of player who works hard every day at practice. He's a pro. He's responsible at both ends of the ice. I don't know if Hank will be a big-time scorer, but he's going to be a point producer in this league."

-Detroit General Manager Ken Holland (on restricted free agent Henrik Zetterberg) September 2005

"I was lucky ! I wasn't sure if it was the puck that hit my stick. But it was something…and it was a goal!"

-Henrik Zetterberg (on defelecting a shot by Daniel Sedin for game winning goal over Russia in opening game of Karjala Cup Tournament) Novemeber 2004

"I'm just being lazy at times but it'll probably disappear again soon."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on why he sometimes grows a beard and sometimes shaves his face) October 2004

“I was not prepared for this. It was excellent! I was inspired, as a matter of fact. It was a fantastic crowd!”

-Henrik Zetterberg (emotionally moved by crowd's response to his return to Timra of the Swedish Elite League) September 2004

“Zäta is our King”

-Banner at Sydkraft Arena in Timra Sweden where Zetterberg was returning to play again during the NHL Lockout. September 2004

“For sure you want to play in the NHL, and you hope things work out. But playing in Sweden, that would be nice, of course. Family and friends are there.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on returning home to Sweden during NHL lockout.) September 2004

"I thought they worked extremely hard, competed extremely hard. They were relentless in their effort but got worn down."

-Redwings Head Coach Dave Lewis (on Pavel Datsyuk's and Henrik Zetterberg's effort during the playoffs when Detroit got eliminated in round two by Calgary) May 2004

"Those kids, those two, there is not one guy in here that would question any effort they had. They had some tough times, they weren't able to score goals, but credit to Calgary, they did a good job containing them and not giving them point-blank shots or backdoor passes. They were a little snake-bit maybe, but there's no question they were out there working hard."

-Redwing's veteran grinder Kirk Maltby (on Pavel Datsyuk's and Henrik Zetterberg's effort during the playoffs when Detroit got eliminated in round two by Calgary) May 2004

"For sure I hoped I could contribute a little bit more, produce a little bit more than I did. We couldn't battle through their defense. But even if they were hard, we have to battle through it. You can't say that that was the reason. We didn't produce enough. We know the two of us (Pavel Datsyuk)did not produce enough! We talked about it, and then you try to make little, small changes every game. It wasn't good enough!

-Henrik Zetterberg (on losing to the Flames in the playoffs) May 2004

“There’s tremendous chemistry there. They like being on the ice together, and they’re very creative. There’s just something there with them, an intangible.”

-Redwings Head Coach Dave Lewis (on combination of Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk) April 2004

"You see?" "I'm good guy. He play joke on me. He try lots of jokes. Sometimes, they're not good jokes."

-Russian Pavel Datsyuk (during locker-room interview while line-mate Henrik Zetterberg is spraying him with water) April 2004

“I just try to forget about last year! I don’t even want to think about it, really.” “It doesn’t matter what you’ve done in the regular season, you have to do it in the playoffs. This is when it counts.”

–Henrik Zetterberg (when asked about last years early playoff exit and this years successful regular season.) April 2004

“He’s got the potential to do that. He has got all the talent. He has got the heart and determination as well.”

-Future Hall of Fame Defenseman Niklas Lidstrom (on Henrik Zetterberg's potential to be captain of the Redwings after Steve Yzerman retires) April 2004

"There's a lot of tradition and we've had a good team for a lot of years...Then, we bring in new guys like Pavel Datsyuk and (Henrik) Zetterberg and get them playing really well and becoming leaders of our teams. They've done really well."

-Future Hall of Fame Defenseman Niklas Lidstrom (on Detroit's lower round draft picks success) March 2004

“I’m not worried. He’s a great player who has been in the league a long time. Of course he’ll take some ice time from other centers, but I’m not angry about it because it’s going to help our team. It’s up to the coaches who gets the ice time, and there’s nothing you can do about it. You try to play better and hope they keep putting you out there.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on Redwings acquiring center Robert Lang at the trade deadline and its affect on his playing time.) March 2004

"He likes playing center, and he is good at the position, but I know that he can play left wing, and he also can play right wing, so he adds to the flexibility of our team. He can play either position. Like Steve Yzerman and Kris Draper...he has that type of flexibility. It's nice to have those kind of options!"

-Redwings Head Coach Dave Lewis (on versatility of Henrik Zetterberg) April 2004

"We've got a good run going with me, Homer and Shanny. We've played together for a while now, that helps. You don't have to look all the time to know where everyone is, you just kind of know that Homer is around the boards or in front of the net and Shanny is high in the slot. It's kind of easier to play."

"...Now, most of the time I'm the one with the puck trying to find the other guys. Homer helps me a lot because he gets in the corner and gets me the puck. He does all the dirty work."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on recent success centering a line with veteran wingers Brendan Shanahan and fellow Swede Tomas Holmstrom) March 2004

“Hey, This is my website!”

-Henrik Zetterberg (when handed a color copy of zetterbergfan.com homepage to autograph. February 2004

"Once in a while you've got to have the luck."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on scoring two goals after a recent slump) February 2004

"I think he makes the other players better. I think if he plays guys that can score it makes him a little better. But for sure, every guy here that plays with him takes another level. (He's) just one of those players that can make everything look so easy when you go out there. He’s one of the best players in the league right now. He’s going to stay at that level for the rest of his career."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on teammate Pavel Datsyuk) February 2004

“The puck didn’t want to be friends with me.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (on his recent scoring slump) February 2004

“It’s amazing just to have him around! I had heard so much about him, but I hadn’t really had a chance to see it like this, you know? He’s a great leader. It’s an honor to play with him, and it’s honor to sit here next to him. It doesn’t take long when you come into this (dressing) room to see how things are supposed to be done. You learn by watching the guys around you. It's a great opportunity for me to be on the same team with a player like that. He's been in the league 21 years, I was 2 when he started. It's a great experience. I don't think I'll have 21 seasons. Hopefully I'll have half of that."

-Henrik Zetterberg (speaking about Detroit Redwings legendary leader Steve Yzerman scoring 1700 career points) January 2004

"I have to think. ... Wow. ... I’ve never done anything brave. I’ve never needed to. I play hockey!"

-Henrik Zetterberg (when asked by a reporter, what is the bravest thing you've ever done?) January 2004

“OK..."

"Yeah, it’s too early to say something about that...but it’s an honor that he says that about me. But I have a long way to go.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (responding to Mickey Redmonds previous comment) January 2004

“They are going to be superstars known all over the world!”

-Redwings hockey legend and announcer Mickey Redmond (on Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk) January 2004

“They’re exciting! Datsyuk and Zetterberg, they have the ability to, I guess, entertain our own players. Zetterberg, he’s learning every night. He’s got a bright future. He’s a different player than Pavel. But he’s very good offensively and he’s very good defensively. It’s exciting to watch that.”

-Redwings Head Coach Dave Lewis (on talent of Henrik Zetterberg and pavel Datsyuk) January 2004

"I played with him a lot in Sweden and saw he has all the stuff that a (defenseman) should have, great skill with the puck. He sees the ice very good, and he's pretty strong, too. I don't think a lot of (defensemen) coming up have the skill that he has with the puck. He likes to make plays, likes to have the puck. He doesn't just fire it off the glass and chip it out, he likes to make the right pass. On this team, we want to do that."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on fellow Swedish prospect Niklas Kronwall) December 2003

“We are good friends. We’re kind of the same age (Zetterberg is 23, Datsyuk 25), and we are sort of the same kind of people. On the road, we were roommates early in the season. We spent a lot of time together doing things, all sort of things, mostly movies. We go to the movies a lot, just hang around.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (when asked about his relationship with fellow Redwing's future star, Pavel Datsyuk) December 2003

“It would have been nice, but it’s not something that was going to make me a better player by having it."

-Henrik Zetterberg (when asked about not winning the Calder Trophy, for Rookie of the Year, last season) December 2003

“Forsberg was kind of that first big Swedish player. He was one of the guys I definitely looked up to when I was growing up. It really was fun to play with him. He’s a great player and it’s something I’ll always remember, having the chance to play on the (Swedish) team with him.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (when asked if he emulated Peter Forsberg coming up, and what it is like to play with him now) December 2003

"Zetterberg is just getting better and better and better. The players of Detroit marvel at his skill day in and day out, his work ethic, he cares about the game. Great example."

-ESPN Commentator Darren Pang, December 2003

“These two guys, combine the both, they have the inate skill that makes them head and shoulders above everybody, but then their passion, their work, and their love of the game and dedication makes them extremely good…superstars. They’re gonna be stars for many years in this league and their numbers will be in the rafters and in the Hall of Fame when they are done, knock on wood, barring injuries.”

-Future Hall of Famer Brett Hull (commenting on Redwings linemates Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg) December 2003

"I was aiming for the net but I missed it completely, but it went in. I don't think it will happen again."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on his bad shot being tipped in by Minnesota Wild's Sergei Zholtok's stick) December 2003

“He’s such a talented player, you’d think the intention was to work him in slowly, but as it turns out, he plays close to 20 minutes and has a hand in every goal we scored tonight.”

“...that’s just great instincts on his part! We criss-crossed and he knows I'm going to open up and he's got the option of either taking it to the net himself or sliding it across to me. I was open and he just laid the puck in there and I skated into it. Players like Hank are so good they don't necessarily have to look."

-Future Hall of Famer Brendan Shanahan (commenting on Henrik Zetterberg returning from missing 21 games with a broken leg and assisting on the game winning overtime goal with a great back-handed pass) December 2003

"This is the first time. Sooner or later, it was going to happen. You can't go through your whole career without any injuries! This is not so bad. I've been pretty lucky so far." There's nothing you can do. You wait for it to get better. It's not really painful unless I put weight on it. (When it happened) I felt a little pain, but I didn't think it was so bad...but it was pretty swollen."

-Henrik Zetterberg (about fracturing his leg on a slash from Vancouver Canucks Defenseman Bryan Allen.) November 2003

"The best story about Zetterberg is Nick Lidstrom brought him in to see a friend of mine in the car business and he told him, 'I want you to meet the next Steve Yzerman.' That was in September, after training camp, before he'd played a game. Pretty good scout, that Nick Lidstrom!"

-Legendary Redwings Head Coach and advisor Scotty Bowman, November 2003

"Obviously, he's a guy that we're going to build around going forward. I mean, he's a complete player. He's got great hands, great instincts, he's great in traffic and he really sees the ice well. And he's a good person. He's really grounded. He comes to the rink everyday, he works hard..."

-Detroit Redwings General Manager Ken Holland, November 2003

"I didn't really know Henrik that well as a player before (last season), but after watching him for virtually the entire season, the guy's really a world-class player in all parts of the game. He's so good all over the ice. I just like to think I know where to go. You go to certain spots, and he's going to get the puck to you. Really, he's as good a young player as there is in the game. I don't know if we necessarily realize how good he is. He does make some great one-on-one moves, but he's just a tremendous all-around player. I'm lucky to be on his line right now."

-Legendary Detroit Redwings Captain and future Hall of Famer, Steve Yzerman, October 2003

"I didn't know if (the puck) was ever going to come, Hank made so many moves, he deked everybody out! He might have been able to score himself but he tapped it to me. He blocked the shot in our zone and carried the puck up and pretty much did everything. I had the easy part."

-Teammate Ray Whitney (about Henrik Zetterberg assisting on his short-handed goal against Columbus) October 2003

"I'm more comfortable coming into this year, having been around my teammates for a year and knowing the league a little bit. Of course, I feel more pressure, too. But it's not a negative thing. I'm playing a little bit more, and with that comes more pressure, but I want that."

-Henrik Zetterberg (about expectations coming into his Sophomore NHL season.) October 2003

"Brett is such a great player! He finds the open (space) on the ice and all you have to do is get him the puck. He has such a great shot. Brett is one of the best players of all-time. To score that many goals, I can't even imagine. There are so many great players on this team. For a young player, you just watch them and how they practice and work (off the ice), and it's really something!"

-Henrik Zetterberg (on playing with line mate and future Hall-of-Famer Brett Hull.) February 2003.

“It was Gretzky. He was not as big in Europe as he was here, but he was big. I think he was the most famous hockey player.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (when asked by Zetterbergfan.com who his favorite player growing up was) November 2002

“Playing with two players like that, it's incredible. Both of them are such smart players, all you have to do is find an open space on the ice. They make it very easy for a young player.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (commenting on starting his rookie season playing with star forwards Sergei Fedorov and Brendan Shanahan) October 2002

"The sauce you put on your pasta. It's different.”

-Henrik Zetterberg (when asked by a reporter how he is adjusting to life in North America) September 2002

“First game I saw him play, I wrote my report and said 'Rookie of the Year!'"

-Craig Muni, a pro scout with the Tampa Bay Lightning. September 2002

"He's strong on his skates, he's got a great shot. He's a complete player. Watching him kill penalties, he did a good job position-wise. He's always moving, made a couple of good plays deep in our end, tying somebody up, driving to the net, getting back in the play. The kid knows how to play the game. He's going to be good."

-Redwings Veteran Enforcer Darren McCarty (accessing Henrik Zetterberg’s play in NHL pre-season games) September 2002

"He's still getting used to the smaller ice rink. I've thrown him around with different linemates but every line that he plays with he has a good chemistry because he looks like a smart player."

-Detroit Redwing’s Head Coach Dave Lewis (on Zetterberg’s performance in NHL pre-season games) September 2002

"I was very surprised that they picked me, but it was a great honor to be there on the team. I learned a lot…some great players to play against and play with some new players, too. It was a fun time."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on being on Sweden’s 2002 Olympic team in Salt Lake City) September 2002

"I don't think it's fair for me to be compared to the greatest player in the league."

-Henrik Zetterberg (referring to be compared to countryman and NHL superstar Peter Forsberg by fellow Swede and Toronto Maple Leafs captain, Mats Sundin) September 2002

"I had a lot of pressure when I was in Sweden, so I am used to it. I just have to wait and see, and try to do my best. Hopefully it will go well."

-Henrik Zetterberg (of all the hype about him going into his rookie season training camp.) September 2002

"When I was first drafted, I was just happy that any team wanted to take me, but it was the Red Wings, and that made it better."

-Henrik Zetterberg (about being drafted by the 1998 Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Redwings) September 2002

"I didn't know the draft was in alphabetical order."

-Henrik Zetterberg (on being the 210th pick in the 1999 draft) June 1999