KK Sponsors - Fathead | IceJerseys.com | Shop.NHL.com

LOGIN | REGISTER | RSS FEEDS

Abel to Yzerman

Next entry: Back Again: Zetterberg In Pain

Previous entry: Hasek In Net

Sunday Digging: Shark Insanity and Zetterberg

by IwoCPO on 01/20/08 at 11:45 AM ET
Comments (9)

Interesting.  Four months ago, if you’d told me our first round opponent could be any of the following six, I’d have been mass producing stress train tickets at a discount price:  San Jose, Vancouver, Minnesota, Dallas, Denver, Calgary. 

Now?  Only one team presents an opportunity for pain, in my opinion.  And if the Wings can somehow beat Luongo, they’ll fall too.  I’m thinking the first round brings with it a team that wouldn’t be there if the playoffs started today: Phoenix.

And they’d be easily dispatched just like Denver or Dallas would be.  Calgary? Not so easily.  Minnesota? Mildly more difficult than the Dive or Stars. 

San Jose?  You thought the Wings were dancing in Marty Turco’s head? Yeah, but he’s only one guy.  The Sharks entire organization is now officially...affected. 

San Francisco Chronicle

“We have to stay more disciplined against them,” Nabokov said. “We have to find a way to win and be more competitive against them.”

Yeah. You do Nabby.  Four straight penalties in the second (even the one resulting from Hasek’s embarrassing tumble to the ice) didn’t help.  Look. Hasek’s ours. We appreciate his insanity.  It’s grown on us.  But there are times you just turn away and pretend thing don’t happen.  When Hasek dove, I just kind of started rocking back and forth, thinking of other images that make me happy.  Blocks of cheddar, puppies, ships at sea.

And Joe Thornton’s -3.  You want a poster child for Shark paranoia where Detroit’s concerned? Try Thornton.  I mentioned this in the chat last night and it still boggles me.  I had the Shark feed on NHL.TV and Thornton’s name wasn’t mentioned once the entire first period.  He was a non-factor, just as he’s been in all three losses to the Wings this year.  Three games: pointless.  Give Lidstrom his sixth Norris based on that alone.

All Ronnie Wilson’s mind games and psycho-babble can’t seem to help this team get over what could have been a 3-1 series lead.  They’ve been shattered ever since and Wilson can’t help them.

Kulfan

“This type of game is only beneficial in that it gives me plenty of ammo when I’m talking to this group. A game like that shows your weaknesses.”

Here Ron, let your pal Dom sum it up for you.

“It seemed like the same story from last year.”

Ho hum. Another three-point night for Zetterberg last night.  His 19th multi-point game of the season.  Oh, he was also 18/24 in the faceoff circle (Thornton, not coincidentally, was 6/24).  He’s 5th in points, 6th in goals, 12th in assists, 9th in shifts/game, 7th in ice time, 7th in faceoff percentage, 2nd in shots and 6th in plus/minus (four Wing forwards in the top ten in that category)...just in case anyone’s forgotten about Zetterberg’s Hart candidacy.  We don’t talk much about “most valuable Wings” here, mainly--I believe--because it’s so obviously Lidstrom. 

But...most valuable player, other than the captain? 

Jim Matheson tackles that one.

Who’s better? Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg? That’s like comparing a Porsche to a Mercedes, but one NHL coach, who shall go nameless because his team has to play against the Detroit Red Wings players, says Zetterberg gets the edge. “He’s grittier, more competitive. Zetterberg is a lot like Forsberg was in his heyday,” said the coach. “Datsyuk has really taken on a leadership role there, too. That’s good to see.”

It’s an idiotic discussion, in my opinion. I really don’t care who’s better, unless there had to be a decision as to which one the Wings keep.  That’s a conversation we’ll never have to consider because Datsyuk’s locked up (brilliantly...thanks Kenny) and Zetterberg’s big-money contract is a certainty, hopefully before the playoffs begin.

But...the Free Press’ Shawn Windsor tells us today that despite his status as one of the league’s top five (top 3 IMO, if not the best), he’s not catching on in Hockeytown.

Then why isn’t he taking this town by storm?

That’s a question the Red Wings’ brass asks itself often. Earlier this fall, the topic came up over lunch, said Wings general manager Ken Holland.

“It was me, Scotty Bowman, Steve Yzerman and Mike Babcock. Someone mentioned that people feel because he is European, it is not the same,” Holland said.

In other words, there are those who suggest Detroit is so provincial it won’t take to a non-North American player. Holland said that’s rubbish. He points to Russian Sergei Fedorov. He said the reasons are more complicated and subtle.

Underappreciated Wings is just a stale news peg and I’m sick of it.  It’s “Chelios is old” stale.  But, it’s an easy deal to point out, just one that’s much more difficult to explain.

Windsor makes a good point. Fedorov was anything but invisible when he was in Detroit. But that was Sergei.  Brilliant on the ice...yes. But pouty, enigmatic (the original) and prone to complaining in the media when he felt Scotty wasn’t treating him well enough.  The reports of his desire to “be the man” on a team that could only have one.  His tabloid relationship with a teenage tennis sensation who never won a single tournament.  The Bure deal.  The holdout deal.  The Cups.  His father, his relationship with the Russian media.  Point in a hundred different directions and you found a reason to like or hate Fedorov.

Zetterberg? He just plays hard.  Every night.  Yeah, there’s Emma.  And that’s huge in Sweden.  But he’s claimed he wants to stay in Detroit and doesn’t really need to be paid Ovechkin money. He wants to win and he wants to win in Hockeytown.  Move him from center to win and back? He doesn’t care. Give him different linemates? Doesn’t care.  Someone else getting the print? Doesn’t care. 

Zetterberg’s going to win himself a Cup this June, and probably a Conn Smythe, maybe a Selke and maybe a Hart.  He’s going to be rich in Detroit for another decade and it really doesn’t seem to make much difference to him who notices, except for his coach and teammates.  There’s your comparison to Fedorov.

Filed in: | Abel to Yzerman | Permalink
 

Comments

Great post, Chief.

Zett’s the only Wing that could even approach the way I feel about the Captain.

Posted by Andrew from Chicago on 01/20/08 at 02:06 PM ET

The PK looked weak last night, I was envisioning another “power-play blowout” by the Sharks. Thankfully the Wings got all those calls to go their way. That Hasek dive was weak, everyone knew it right away, but he still got the call. That crazy bastard had me on the edge of my seat when he lost his stick, then REFUSED Kronwall’s stick.

Not to keep bringing up a stale topic, but I think the lack of recognition of todays stars has more to do with the lack of national media attention, than anything else.

Go Deep-diggers! “The Delicate Genius” should be waking from his hibernation soon, my guess is April. Maybe he will write something about the 5 underrated stars you get to meet in heaven.

And a big thanks to Gary for that awesome Versus deal he’s got going on.

Posted by Aaron from Phoenix, Arizona on 01/20/08 at 02:12 PM ET

i think a big reason why these guys aren’t the talk of the town (yet!) is they haven’t gone through the wars stevie, shanny, d-mac did in the 90’s. they will have the chance to win cups, and fight till death (hopefully?) with someone over the west (hawks soon maybe?? st.louis?). this really is a rebuilding time for the wings, they just don’t lose for 10 years while they do it.

Posted by christpuncher from detroit on 01/20/08 at 05:02 PM ET

and Zetterberg’s big-money contract is a certainty, hopefully before the playoffs begin.

Can’t talk contract with Z until July 1st I believe.  He has 2 years left on this Coupanberg contract and you can only talk extension in the final year.

Posted by Heaton on 01/20/08 at 05:56 PM ET

and you can only talk extension in the final year.

Yeah, like a 10 year $70 million extension.  Hey, they said they wanted to build a team around the EuroTwins… time to prove it.

Posted by cementslinger from Midland MI on 01/20/08 at 10:17 PM ET

The Red Wings have been in Ron Wilson’s head ever since his Capitals got swept by the Wings in Spring of ‘98.

His tabloid relationship with a teenage tennis sensation who never won a single tournament.

You’re missing an ‘s’ at the end of “singles”. Sure Kournikova was never really great at singles play, but she won plenty in doubles tournaments.

Posted by Justin on 01/21/08 at 03:07 AM ET

Oh wait, I forgot: Ron Wilson coached the Ducks when the Red Wings swept them in ‘97 too. Man he must really hate Detroit.

Posted by Justin on 01/21/08 at 03:10 AM ET

I don’t see ten years though - probably about seven years would be a good bet, at about seven million per.  Similar to Datsyuk’s contract.

And Mitch Albom is busy, I think.  He is being the moral compass of UM. 

Posted by Baroque from Michigan on 01/21/08 at 12:53 PM ET

Wanna know what NBC had on TV here in Las Vegas during the middle of the day?

“The Detroit Auto Show.”

That was a time and opportunity to get some Sunday afternoon matinee hockey on NBC.

I love The Detroit Auto Show; it’s the finest Auto Show in the world but here was a chance to build on a hockey audience on NBC and it was wasted.

Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 01/21/08 at 01:03 PM ET

Add a Comment

Please limit embedded image or media size to 575 pixels wide.

Add your own avatar by joining Kukla's Korner, or logging in and uploading one in your member control panel.

Captchas bug you? Join KK or log in and you won't have to bother.

Most Recent Blog Posts

About Abel to Yzerman

Welcome to Abel to Yzerman, a Red Wing blog since 1977.  No other site on the internet has better-researched, fact-laden and better prepared discussions than A2Y.  Re-phrase: we do little research, find facts and stats highly overrated and claim little to no preparation.  There are 19 readers of A2Y. No more, no less. All of them, except maybe one, are juvenile in nature.  Reminding them of that in the comment section will only encourage them to prove that. Your suggestions and critiques are welcome:

A2Y Stuff

-----------------------------

Wanna Feel Smart?

Does confusion make you sad? When you read words like "enigma" and phrases like "Thanks Gary. Ass", do you wonder why mean people speak in languages you don't understand? Fret no longer friend! The A2Y Glossary will bring you great joy and enlightenment.

-----------------------------

How Others View The A2Y 19

"Hell, I guarantee the content co-opters at Abel to Yzerman were about to link this article under the heading “Bitter Blues Fans” again right up until they just read that last half-sentance. Thanks but no thanks, you Kukla hangers-on."
--St. Louis Game Time

"I realize it’s the slow summer season, but can this guy tone down the tough-guy histrionics? His posts are fatiguing on an otherwise excellent site."
--A2Y Fan, Eternal_Fields

"I constantly marvel at how Bill (IwoCPO) and his disciples at Abel To Yzerman can be so pompous and full of themselves throughout every regular season, but come playoff time they collapse into wavering puddles of stress and nervousness as they anxiously await the impending and unavoidable collapse of the Red Wings in the post-season."
--Mile High Hockey

"I hate them because they are better than us. Of all the frigging teams…"
--In The Cheap Seats

"It's just a shame that the most classless, uneducated, lowbrow fanbase in the league gets this sweep. Red Wing fans don't deserve their team."
--Thhom

"I really don’t care what fans or bloggers think."
--Drew Sharp

"Why is it you Detroit fans are still so classless when you have such a classy hockey team, with such a professional GM and gentlemen players? I understand that the author of this blog is a manner-less cad, but the rest of you should be better."
--A2Y Fan, Jeff Beaumont

"Have you ever *read* A2Y? Its the most opinionated, juvenile stuff i've read."
--Paul Nicholson

"I actually like the Detroit team and have a sh&% load of respect for them, but their fans are the biggest douches next to Canadians."
--KStewy, PensBlog Commenter

"Just when it looks like we have bottomed out, the 19 hit a new low."
-A2Y legend, Hockeytown Todd

"And for the record, I don't hate the Red Wings, I hate their fans."
--Douche Bag at Puck Daddy who isn't Wyshynski

"You’re nothing but a douchebag ****, c3po. Go f**k yourself, and learn something about hockey in the process. Nothing ruins my day more than seeing your byline on the kk page."
--Hector, A2Y fan, statesman, Pittsburgh Chapter of Jonas Brothers Fan Club President

"I can just imagine the kindergarten teacher’s reaction when the tyke blurts out 'Mommy says Gary Bettman is a f*cking f*ckface! He wants to give ‘Rosby the bad touch.' ”
--Bella, of the 19

Head to Hockeytown

Blogs the Chief Likes

Archives