Datsyuk

[raygunpk 0]

I always heard he had a shorter stick but in this vid it seems kinda longer than average. And oh yea he's pretty good at dangling.

[Rustpot 1]

Ah ha! His secret revealed.

"You need to keep puck from defensemen, however you do it. Not take much risk"

Lordy his English still sucks.

[masterpeice_patrice 4]

did anyone notice on cbc after the wings won the cup every player on that team was asked where they were from and who their fave player growing up was.. datsyuk was the only one to say he didnt have a fave player growing up.

his english stinks but his play makes up for it. i think this guy has better hands then kovalev. im gonna get jumped for that comment but dont get me wrong i think kovy is awesome but datsyuk owns the highlight reel.

[english15x 3]

that was funny.

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

Pavel Datsyuk is so good.

[GekigangarIII 0]

They both looked like they were having a ton of fun.

Actually Datsyuk is working pretty hard on his english. He is a pretty shy guy and he's basically forced himself into interviews and getting on camera so he has to talk more in public. Probably at the nags of Zetterberg.. heh.

good stuff.

[Chadd 916]

Actually Datsyuk is working pretty hard on his english.

His English is better than my Russian, I have no right to criticize him.

[Patrick67 1]

True, but then again you don't live in Russia, so it's not a fair comparison.

[PJLime 0]

He was amazing to watch in the finals. He was always doing something interesting with the puck.

[mack 44]

He took the misconception of disappearing in the playoffs, dragged it outside and Tommy DeVito'd it.

[Dangles? 0]

He is unreal, if im not mistaken when he first came into the NHL wasnt he awful defensively? then detroit developed his defensive game and now look at him, hes winning the selke haha

[Kovy_Ribs_Fedo 3]

Defense to me is overrated, anyone who has talent can play good defense...

He is unreal, if im not mistaken when he first came into the NHL wasnt he awful defensively? then detroit developed his defensive game and now look at him, hes winning the selke haha

[Neal 41]

Defense to me is overrated, anyone who has talent can play good defense...

There is a lot of truth to that. Any player with good vision and good physical abilities can become solid defensively. The same ability to see the ice and predict where players will be so you can complete passes or skate to open ice applies to being able to predict where the offensive players are skating to and passing to so you can intercept them or the puck. The rest is hard work, speed, agility and practice.

But Datsyuk and Zetterberg have taken it several levels above that. They are on the ice in all key situations and may very well be the best defensive forwards on their team. There are few first line offensive players in the NHL who can say that.

Quickly, off the top of my head, I'd say Brad Richards, Daniel Alfredsson and Jarome Iginla are the only other top offensive players who are in the mix to be the best defensive forwards on their team.