Detroit Red Wings & the NHL

[Detroit Dan]

Datsyuk is the most exciting player I've seen, and has been from the first day I saw him...

[Optimus Prime]

This is laughable.....

[Jamie H]

Datsyuk is not as fast as Federov, but he is a much better finisher. Fedorov was an amazing player who for whatever reason was not great at putting the puck into the net. Sure, he scored a lot just due to the fact that he was hands down the best skater on the ice every night, but for as many quality chances as he got, he converted on a very small percentage of them.

[Jamie H]

Looking it up, Fedorov's shot % was 12.1 for his career, and was only higher than 15% twice in his career (and never after age 24)

Datsyuk's % is 14.4 for his career and has been as high as 22% for a season. He was at 16.8% just last year.

[Jamie H]

Man, I just looked at Zetterberg--his shot percent the last 3 seasons is abysmal. Under 10%. He's down to 6% this year.

[Rob F]

I'm talking about the NHL in general but, yes, the Wings are cruising. How about Datsyuk's backhander tonight?!? Wow.

I missed Sportscenter and other highlights shows the last couple days---is it on youtube? I haven't been able to find it yet, but will keep searching unless someone else can post a link.

[Rob F]

Never mind---I just found it:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=14cEh4feJS4"]Datsyuk Great Backhand Goal - 01/23/12 - YouTube[/ame]

It's gotten almost to the point that little or nothing he does surprises me anymore. Without a doubt the best and most spectacular player in the NHL right now and possibly in this era!

[Hannibal]

Looking it up, Fedorov's shot % was 12.1 for his career, and was only higher than 15% twice in his career (and never after age 24)

Datsyuk's % is 14.4 for his career and has been as high as 22% for a season. He was at 16.8% just last year.

I'm not sure if you can glean much from that. Fedorov played most of his career in the dead puck era, and there's something to be said for just getting a shot on goal. Ovechkin has about the same shooting % as Fedorov, but there's no way anyone would try to argue that Datsyuk is a better finisher. Ovechkin is just a crazy shot-takin' MF-er.

[Hannibal]

Man, I just looked at Zetterberg--his shot percent the last 3 seasons is abysmal. Under 10%. He's down to 6% this year.

I think that either the hot Swedish model wife of his is distracting him too much, or the injuries have taken a toll. He's on pace for about 17 goals this year. Compare that to 43 goals the year he won the Conn Smythe.

Here are some numbers to chew on. The playoff year he won the Conn Smythe, Hank scored 13 goals in 22 games. This year, he has 9 goals so far in 50 games. Wow.

[Jamie H]

I'm not sure if you can glean much from that. Fedorov played most of his career in the dead puck era.

That is true, but from watching him a lot, I lost track of how many times he broke in on goal with little defense on him and planted the puck squarely in the goalie's chest.

Draper was even worse. He'd get wide open with his speed and then just blast the puck right into the goalie.

Not that they weren't both good players. But I think Fedorov could have been an all time great if he had had more finishing touch. I'm probably being hard on him because he was so much better than everyone else at the other stuff.

[Mike]

Those guys were great in their own way too, but Datsyuk is on another level when it comes to pure puck posession. He's the only guy I have ever seen who pulls off Harlem Globetrotter type moves that make the announcers laugh. I've been told that Igor was probably the best in the world in his prime, but I never got to see it. The Wings got him late in his career (he was 36 when he became a Wing IIRC).

Datsyuk is the Magic Johnson of the NHL.

[Optimus Prime]

I think that either the hot Swedish model wife of his is distracting him too much, or the injuries have taken a toll. He's on pace for about 17 goals this year. Compare that to 43 goals the year he won the Conn Smythe.

Here are some numbers to chew on. The playoff year he won the Conn Smythe, Hank scored 13 goals in 22 games. This year, he has 9 goals so far in 50 games. Wow.

Two Words: European Floater

[Mike]

LOL. Are players who are generally regarded as the best two-way forwards in the game usually referred to as floaters?

[Optimus Prime]

Well, yes at 7.5M you better believe it. As a you know, I hail from north of the boarder so please let me put this in a context that Wings Fans, might understand.

Gordie Howe signed for a 6K bonus plus a leather jacket which he never got. He worked "summers" for Sask Tel (utility company) in Canada, in order to make ends meet for his family. Is Hank over paid for a few good seasons when the Wings got the best of a life-time from Gordie, hell yes.

BTW Hot Wife is a bonus.

[Mike]

I am familiar with hockey history and how the Norris family fucked over Gordie Howe. That's relevant to the discussion how?

Do floaters usually single-handidly kill 5 on 3 PPs?

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05YS1DAnAMo"]A Conn Smythe shift - Henrik Zetterberg, 2008 playoffs-series against Pittsburgh - YouTube[/ame]

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNpH3y-Xz7o&feature=related"]History Will Be Made Zetterberg - YouTube[/ame]