Picking his most skilled Detroit Red Wings teammate wasn’t as easy for Nicklas Lidstrom as the seven-time Norris Trophy winner made the game appear while he was spending two decdes in Detroit as a generational NHL defenseman.

There were, after all, many all-time greats who lined up alongside Lidstrom over his time with the Red Wings.

“I played with Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov, Igor Larionov, Brett Hull,” Lidstrom recently told Hockey Morning, a feature of Swedish website Aftonbladet.se. None of them, though, are the answer to the question of who was Lidstrom’s greatest NHL teammate.

“Pavel Datsyuk is the most skilled player I have ever played with,” Lidstrom said. “Datsyuk’s skill and what he could do with the puck . . . he is the best I have ever played with.”

Red Wings Battles With Chelios

Among Lidstrom’s fondest memories of his time in Detroit is watching the daily one-on-one challenges between Datsyuk and Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Chelios during regular Red Wings pratice sessions.

“He and Chris Chelios used to compete in taking the puck from each other,” Lidstrom was recalling. “At the time, Chelios was over 40 years old and was an incredibly competitive person. But Datsyuk just played with Chelios, who was a tough guy to face. He didn’t get hold of the puck.”

Along with the sensational skill that enabled Datsyuk to put together successive 90-point campaigns in Detroit, Lidstrom also recollected the uniqueness of the stick that the Russian forward would use.

“He had a long stick and an almost straight blade, not a nice angle,” Lidstrom explained. “But his stick technique and his movement patterns . . . you couldn’t believe it when you saw him off the ice and then on the ice and the things he did.”

Pavel Datsyuk pic.twitter.com/KjjT37LhIM

— Austin Two Times (@Austin_TwoTimes) January 28, 2024

Datsyuk registered 314 goals and 918 points in 953 games with the Red Wings. He was a three-time winner of the Selke Trophy as the NHL’s best defensive forward and a four-time winner of the Lady Byng Trophy due to his combination of high-end skill and gentlemanly play.

Together as teammates, Datsyuk and Lidstrom won two Stanley Cups. Datsyuk retired in 2021. He’ll be on the Hockey Hall of Fame ballot for the first time this year and is expected to join Lidstrom as an enshrinee in short order.

The post Lidstrom Selects His Greatest Red Wings Teammate appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

In 953 NHL games with the Detroit Red Wings, Pavel Datsyuk never managed to record a regular-season hat-trick. His lone three-goal game came in the 2008 playoffs against the Dallas Stars.

Datsyuk did, however, record a Gordie Howe hat-trick.

He remembers it well.

“I won’t say that I dreamed of making a Gordie Howe hat-trick, but I’m glad that I succeeded,” Datsyuk was explaining to Sport-Express.ru correspondant Ivan Shitik.

In hockey terminology, a Gordie Howe hat-trick is achieved by recording a goal, an assist and a fight in the same game. Little-known fact – Mr. Hockey only collected two of these during his 26 NHL seasons.

Of all the players to achieve this feat, Datsyuk certainly was seeming to be the unlikliest recipient. Coming into the 2010-11 NHL season, he’d won the Lady Byng Trophy as the NHL’s best combinaton of skill and sportsmanship in four of the previous five seasons.

In 11 of his 14 NHL seasons, Datsyuk was sitting out 20 penalty minutes or less.

“What is it?” Datsyuk asked. “Lady Byng I have already won. Now I can play even more relaxed. Don’t worry, I won’t fight too much.”

Datsyuk Damages Ducks

The Red Wings were opening the 2010-11 season against the Anaheim Ducks. They’d met recently in the 2007 and 2009 Stanley Cup playoffs, so there was plenty of bad blood between the teams.

On home ice at Joe Louis Arena, Detroit was winning easily. The Red Wings were ahead 4-0 After two periods. In the second period, Datsyuk scored the goal to put the Red Wings up 3-0. Then he drew the lone assist on Dan Cleary’s goal to make it 4-0.

At the 7:41 mark of the third period, mayhem ensued. Ending up squared off with Anaheim agitator Corey Perry, Datsyuk suddenly was finding himself under an attack of fisticuffs.

The 6-foot-3 Perry held the upper hand early in the bout, but 5-foot-10 Datsyuk came storming back. He landed several punches on his bigger foe, ultimately wrestling Perry to the ice in the hockey version of the takedown.

“I’m not a very big guy to talk about what happened,” Datsyuk said. “What happened, happened. It’s part of hockey, part of the show.

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“When you watch a fight from the side, you see how people grab each other and try to protect themselves. So, I was trying to defend myself.”

Datsyuk had one other fight as an NHLer. In the 2009 playoffs – also against the Ducks – the three-time Selke Trophy winner fought Norris Trophy winner Scott Niedermayer.

The post Former Red Wings Star Datsyuk Recalls Fight With Corey Perry appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Shane Wright had a long look for the teams that passed on him at the 2022 NHL Draft. Now he’s on the short list as an early favorite to win the Calder Trophy.

Was Shane Wright giving the Canadiens draft table the death stare after he ended up going 4th overall? #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/CMle2kVC9c

— Tim and Friends (@timandfriends) July 8, 2022

The early talk on draft night was not only Wright falling to the Seattle Kraken at number four, but later whether the three teams that passed will regret it later.

Montreal Hockey Now’s Jimmy Murphy writes that while there is no clear-cut favorite, Wright has the early lead clocking in at +850 whereas Slafkovsky is at +1000. Murphy adds that Mason McTavish and Owen Power follow with +400 odds. McTavish might be a dark horse in the race, seeing his stock continue to rise after his performance in the World Junior Championships.

Meanwhile, Red Wings rookie defenseman Simon Edvinsson was listed at +1500. Interestingly, last year preseason odds according to the Sporting News had Moritz Seider at +1200. Cole Caufield was the favorite at +300.

So it’s fair to ask: will Wright still be the right bet at the end of the season?

Red WIngs In Case You Missed It

Is Pavel Datsyuk reaching back into his bag of tricks and planning a return to hockey? One Russian coach is hoping so.

The five most valuable Red Wings on the roster heading into the 2022-23 season.

The chances of ex-Red Wings forward Evgeny Svechnikov cracking the lineup of the San Jose Sharks appear to be slim.

Jimmie Ericsson, brother of former Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson, is getting his jersey retired by his Swedish club.

National Hockey Network

Boston: The latest countdown to camp for the Boston Bruins focuses on Nick Foligno.

Colorado: Would Gabe Landeskog work as the Colorado Avalanche’s second line center?

New York: Will New York Islanders defenseman Bode Wilde find himself on a new team?

Pittsburgh: Brian Burke believes the Pittsburgh Penguins will be just fine in 2022-23.

San Jose: A closer look at San Jose Sharks defenseman Mario Ferraro.

Vancouver: The five most important Vancouver Canucks on the roster

Washington: How is the Washington Capitals ice made at Capital One Arena? An interesting look at the process.

The post The Daily: Early Calder Odds Favor Wright; Red Wings Edvinsson at +1500 appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Former Detroit Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk is filling a new role with HC Avtomobilist of the KHL. The coach of the team was asking him if he was maintaining any interest in filling his old role with the club.

HC Avtomobilist head coach Nikolai Zavarukhin recently was telling Ivan Bohun of Sport-Express.ru that he spoke with the Magic Man to gauge his interest in returning to the ice.

“We communicate with him,” Zavarukhin said. “I suggested that he put on his uniform with number 13 again and return to Avtomobilist. But it was more in the form of a joke.”

Pavel Datsyuk pic.twitter.com/gbwnd2ePOR

— Tristin Freistuhler (@TFreistuhler3) September 2, 2022

Earlier this summer, at the farewell match of former NHLer Alexander Semin, Datsyuk, 44, was suggesting that he would soon be announcing his retirement as an active player. Over two months later, that date still hasn’t arrived.

“When he announces his retirement – the question is more for him,” Zavarukhin said.

With the Red Wings from 2001-16, Datsyuk was a winner of two Stanley Cup rings. Individually, he also won four Lady Byng Trophies and three Selke Trophies. Datsyuk and Steve Yzerman are the only players in Red Wings history to record successive 90-point seasons.

For his homeland of Russia, Datysuk earned both an IIHF World Championship title and an Olympic gold medal. He’s also won a Gagarin Cup KHL title.

Datsyuk Teaching The Youngsters

These days when he’s on the ice Datsyuk is spending time with the younger players of HC Avtomobilist to help them work toward increasing their skill level.

“Pavel is involved in the development of young players,” Maxim Ryabkov, director of HC Avtomobilist, explained on the club’s website. “In many clubs in the KHL, skilled hockey players now occupy such positions and perform similar functions.

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“Pavel showed great interest precisely in the individual development of the main talents of our club system – our main prospects, which we see and which he himself sees. He is also the head coach of the youth team.”

Datsyuk produced 12-23-35 totals in 51 games for HC Avtomobilist during the 2020-21 season. Following that season he was presented with two KHL awards. The league was presenting Datsyuk with The Sergei Gimayev Prize for loyalty to hockey as a top veteran player. He also won MasterCard Priceless Player Of The Season.

The post Magic Man Making Comeback? Russian Coach Asked Ex-Red Wings Star Datsyuk to Play appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Former Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk is coming to the realization that his hockey career is coming to an end. Soon, he will be making that fact of life official.

Playing on Thursday in the farwell match to mark the retirement of former NHLer Alexander Semin in Russia, Datsyuk was admitting that very soon, he, too, will be offically announcing his retirement.

Alex Semin, Pavel Datsyuk, Alex Ovechkin and Dmitry Orlov participate in tree-planting ceremony in Krasnoyarsk, Russia on Wednesday. #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/bpDIT4r59w

— #ALLCAPS (@JonItBe) June 30, 2022

“Everything is logical, I just haven’t officially announced it yet,” Datsyuk told reporters. “Everything is logical, everyone understands. I will definitely announce, with great pleasure and respect for the fans, for everyone who helped me.”

Datsyuk, 43, sat out the 2022-23 season while weighing his future options. He played with his hometown team, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg of the KHL from 2019-21. Following the 2020-21 KHL campaign, he was presented with two league awards.

Pavel Datsyuk about retiring:

Roman Skvortsov asked live on Match TV during the farewell match of Alexander Semin about the end of his career, the Magic Man gave the following answer:

“I think it's all logical. Everyone understands. I just haven’t announced it yet." #LGRW pic.twitter.com/GbCDur5kvY

— Hockey News Hub (@HockeyNewsHub) June 30, 2022

Prior to that, Datsyuk performed for three seasons with SKA St. Petersburg. In 2018, on home ice in Sochi, he captained Russia to the Olympic gold medal, becoming a member of the Triple Gold Club. He won Stanley Cups with the Red Wings in 2001-02 and 207-08. As well, he was an IIHF World Champion with Russia in 2012. He also won a Gagarin Cup KHL title with SKA St. Petersburg.

Magic Man Datsyuk A Red Wings Legend

Datsyuk was a three-time 30-goal scorer for the Red Wings. The 2007-080 and 2008-09 NHL seasons saw him posting successive 97-point campaigns. Detroit wound up reaching the Stanley Cup final both seasons.

The Magic Man, as Datsyuk is known, won four straight Lady Byng Trophies from 2005-06 through 2008-09. He was also a three-time Selke Trophy winner as the NHL’s best defensive forward from 2007-08 through 2009-10. As well, he led the NHL in plus-minus in 2007-08 with a plus-41 rating.

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His spectacular one-on-one puck skills, highlight-reel goals, sensational breakaway moves and uncanny ability to strip opponents of the puck were integral elements in Datsyuk earning his nickname. He was a Hart Trophy finalist and NHL Second Team All-Star selection in 2008-09.

The post Red Wings Magic Man Datsyuk Calling It Quits appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Just think of Seattle Kraken general manager Ron Francis as a StubHub driver who shops for what you need and then delivers it for you.

The expectation is Francis will be selecting some players and then immediately trading them. St. Louis Blues winger Vladimir Tarasenko could be one of them. Calgary’s Mark Giordano might be another. Maybe Tampa Bay’s Ondrej Palat could be one of them.

It’s easy to wonder whether Seattle might take a goalie such as Ottawa’s Matt Murray or Vancouver’s Braden Holtby and trade them

Rumor of the Day

An NHL source with direct knowledge told NYI Hockey Now that Seattle is keen on Josh Bailey, but the Islanders are trying to persuade them to take Jordan Eberle. High noon drama in Long Island. 

Around the NHL

Pittsburgh: Who will the Seattle Kraken select from Pittsburgh? A breakdown of Penguins unprotected players and why  they will surprise everyone and select Marcus Pettersson. 

Philadelphia: The Ryan Ellis acquisition is just the beginning of the offseason for the Flyers. Buckle up!

Detroit: It’s looking more and more like the Detroit Red Wings will lose a veteran defenseman in the expansion draft.  Plus, Pavel Datsyuk? The 43-year-old is being encouraged for one more season. No, he’s not coming back to the NHL, but other big teams want him. 

Florida: Could the Panthers lose both Chris Driedger AND Frank Vatrano?

Boston: The Bruins open their preseason schedule against Washington and Tom Wilson, who sent Brandon Carlo to the hospital last season, The story. 

Washington: Sammi Silber analyzes the controversial Capitals decision to protect Trevor van Riemsdyk and expose Justin Schultz. 

San Jose: The Sharks traded for Adin Hill to their goalie. Now it appears his salary cap hit will be higher than expected. Sheng Peng explains. 

The post Kevin’s Morning Hash: Kraken may draft and trade, Eberle over Bailey?, Flyers and Savard appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Based on his resume, he might be one of the most decorated unrestricted free agents in hockey this summer. He’s been a Hart Trophy finalist and a multiple winner of the Stanley Cup, Selke and Lary Byng Trophies.

Former Detroit Red Wings star Pavel Datsyuk is also a UFA who is weighing options regarding his hockey future. And the Magic Man is talking about donning the red jersey of a team that holds a dear place in his heart.

“I have a difficult choice – what to do next?” Datsyuk told the KHL website. He played last season for Avtomobilist in his hometown of Yekaterinburg.

Datsyuk,who is turning 43 on Tuesday, is wondering whether he has enough left in the tank to play another season.

One more year of Magic Man? pic.twitter.com/p3OIkb5Etm

— KHL (@khl_eng) July 13, 2021

“I really want to continue to help my home team Avtomobilist as a player,” he said. “But at the same time, I ask myself, ‘Will I be ready to play another full season? Will my body let me do it?’

Datsyuk intends to take the next month to decide on the plan for his hockey career.

“Together with the coaching staff, we have made a decision about my individual preparation plan for [the] 2021-22 season,” Datsyuk explained. “At the end of August, I will understand if I can continue my career and again go out on the ice in [the] red jersey of Avtomobilist in front of [my] hometown fans.”

A Red Wings Sensation

Datsyuk played in Detroit from 2001-16. He won Stanley Cups in 2001-02 and 2007-08. Twice he recorded a career-high of 97 points. Datsyuk posted 314 goals, 604 assists, and a plus-minus of plus-249 in 953 games played with the Red Wings.

He won four Lady Byng Trophies in 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09. Datsyuk also earned three Selke Trophies in 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10. He led the NHL in plus-minus in 2007-08.

Datsyuk is a member of the Triple Gold Club. Along with his two Stanley Cup victories with Detroit, he’s won a world championship title (2012) and Olympic gold medal (2018) playing for his native Russia.

The post Former Red Wings Star And Free Agent Datsyuk Weighing Options appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

The accolades continue to pile up for Moritz Seider. In his latest honor, he’s accompanied by another Detroit Red Wings prospect.

Seider and Jonathan Berggren are both among the five finalists for the European Young Player of the Year, presented by Fjällräven. The recognition is part of the 2021 Fenix Outdoor – Warrior European Hockey Awards. The awards are presented by the Alliance of European Hockey Clubs (EHC).

To recap, the nominees for @Fjallraven_Swe Young Player of the Year are:

Jonatan Berggren @skelleftea_aik
Anton Lundell @HIFKHockey
Janis Moser @ehcbiel
Lukas Reichel @Eisbaeren_B
Moritz Seider @rogle_bk #EHCawards pic.twitter.com/qi7WEz9fZ3

— EuropeanHockeyClubs (@EHCAlliance) June 21, 2021

Playing for Skellefteå AIK, Berggren, 20, enjoyed a breakthrough season. The 5-foot-11, 183-pound winger finished seventh in SHL scoring, collecting 12-33-45 totals in 49 games. Berggren, selected 33rd overall by the Red Wings in 2018, added a goal and seven assists playing for Sweden in international competition. The Red Wings signed Berggren to a three-year entry-level contract in May.

Seider The Favorite

However, this award would appear to be Seider’s to lose. Playing for Rogle this season, all the 20-year-old defender has done is win the SHL defenseman of the year. He then went on to collect the top defenseman award at the recent IIHF World Championship while helping Germany to a fourth-place finish.

Seider was the sixth overall selection by the Red Wings in the 2019 NHL entry draft. Expectations are that the 6-foot-3, 207-pounder will play in Detroit next season.

Nominated for @Fjallraven_Swe Young Player of the Year:

Moritz Seider @rogle_bk #EHCawards pic.twitter.com/RcuFTcFhNw

— EuropeanHockeyClubs (@EHCAlliance) June 21, 2021

Other finalists are Anton Lundell (IFK Helsinki), who won medals at the World Junior and World Championship, Lukas Reichel (Eisbären Berlin), who won a league title and Janis Moser (EHC Biel), who captained his club team at the age of 21. Both Lundell (Florida Panthers) and Reichel (Chicago Blackhawks) will be coming to North America next season after signing with NHL teams.

Datsyuk A Warrior

Former Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk is one of five finalists for the EHC Warrior Career Excellence Award. The Warrior Career Excellence Award is annually presented to the player who during his or her career has best exemplified the qualities of sportsmanship and dedication. Also taken into account are community service and a high standard of playing ability.

A reminder, the @WarriorHockey Career Excellence Award nominees are:

Pavel Datsyuk @IHCAvtomobilist
Viktor Hübl @hcverva
Jaromír Jágr @RytiriKladno
Thomas Koch @EC_KAC
Joakim Lindström @Skelleftea_AIK
#EHCAwards pic.twitter.com/3pPT867kO3

— EuropeanHockeyClubs (@EHCAlliance) June 21, 2021

Datsyuk is a member of the Triple Gold Club (Stanley Cup, World Championship and Olympic gold medals). He won a pair of Stanley Cups with the Wings, along with three Selke Trophies and four Lady Byng Trophies. He twice received the Kharlamov Trophy as Russia’s top NHL player. Since returning to Russia, Datysyuk added a Gagarin Cup to his trophy case. Playing for Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg his season, the 42-year-old ended up with 12-23-35 numbers in 51 games.

Datsyuk will be facing tough competition for this award. Also among the nominees is hockey legend Jaromir Jagr. After helping Kladno return to the Czech Extraliga this season, multiple Stanley Cup, Art Ross and Hart Trophy winner Jagr is preparing to play next season, when he will turn 50.

The EHC awards are being conducted via fan voting. To cast a ballot, go to eurohockeyclubs.com or check in at their twitter feed @EHCAlliance.

The post Seider, Berggren Finalists For EHC Young Player Of The Year appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

Plenty of things that used to be commonplace with the Detroit Red Wings now seem like long-ago achievements. We’re talking stuff like playoff wins, playoff games, winning streaks and let’s face it, great expectations.

You know what else came to a grinding halt in Detroit? Awards celebrations.

A decade has passed since any Red Wings player won one of the NHL’s major individual regular-season player awards. And apologies to all you gentle folk out there, but we’re not going to classify the Lady Byng Trophy as a major NHL award.

Could one of the longest of all of Detroit’s NHL awards droughts come to a halt next season? Might Moritz Seider be the first Red Wing to win the Calder Memorial Trophy since the days of the six-team NHL?

The post Could Seider End Red Wings’ Award Drought? | DHN+ appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.

It’s been five years since Pavel Datsyuk played his final game for the Detroit Red Wings. However, unlike the Wings, Datsyuk is still winning.

The Magic Man was the recipient of two trophies when the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) held its annual awards ceremony on Tuesday.

Avtomobilist's captain Pavel @Datsyuk13 is awarded The Sergey Gimayev Prize for loyalty to hockey as top veteran player (3rd in his team with 35 Pts in 51 GP).#KHLAwards pic.twitter.com/wxEtD8uuXP

— KHL (@khl_eng) June 8, 2021

Datsyuk, 42, the captain of Automobilist, was awarded The Sergei Gimayev Prize for loyalty to hockey as a top veteran player. The award, is named to honor the memory of longtime Russian player and broadcaster Gimayev, who died in 2017. It recognizes a player or coach for service to the game and for their work as a mentor.

Pavel Datsyuk (you may have heard of him) wins the @Mastercard priceless player of the season, as voted by the fans. #KHLAwards @IHCAvtomobilist pic.twitter.com/nqK4f79zAv

— Gillian Kemmerer (@gilliankemmerer) June 8, 2021

The league was also presenting him with the MasterCard Priceless Player Of The Season. That award is based on fan balloting. Each of the 10 KHL teams puts forward one nomination as a finalist for this award. Clearly, Datsyuk is just as popular in his homeland as he remains with the Red Wings faithful.

This season, Datsyuk finished with 12-23-35 totals in 51 games. That was good for third on Automobilist.

Playing in Detroit from 2002-16, Datsyuk won two Stanley Cups. He led the Wings in scoring every season from 2003-04 through 2009-10. Datsyuk and Steve Yzerman are the only players in franchise history to post succesive 90-point seasons.

The post Former Red Wing Datsyuk Winner Of Two KHL Awards appeared first on Detroit Hockey Now.