T1B

I don't know how many of you guys get a chance to watch the Red Wings, but if you get a chance anytime soon, it is a must. Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg have been off the charts of late. They have both already recieved a good amount of praise, but since the Olympics, this is the best we have seen them play in Detroit. They are no longer playing together on the same line 5 on 5, and that has to strike fear into opponents. When they were playing on the same line, obviously that was the line that opponents focused on defensively. But now, it's take your pick. Datsyuk, who's riding a 10-game point streak, is hands down the most elusive and quickest player in the league. He's got the best hands i've ever seen in my life, and he's makes plays that i guarentee will make you shake your head. We've been watching him since 2001 here in Detroit and the guy does things we've never seen before. Even with some inconsistency throughout the season, he has got the 2nd most points in the West behind Joe Thornton, and 3rd most assists in the NHL. Zetterberg on the other hand is one of the most complete players in the league. As Mathieu Schneider said, " i don't know if there's a better player in the world right now. " It's no stretch of the truth either, he has been playing phenominal. Nick Lidstrom recently called him the next Peter Forsberg. If you guys want to watch quality hockey and two Superstars that are playing as good as anyone, try to catch some Red Wings games.

I've never heard of these bums. Who are the Red Wings?

You should really try to watch games not involving the Wings. You'll be surprised how many players in the league have the same abilities as those two. Although Datsyuk has busted out some highlight-reel goals fairly frequently in the past.

They still have to prove that they won't disappear when things get tight and physical in the playoffs. They were both complete non-factors against the Flames in '04.

I've caught a few games this year....those guys are pretty good.

(All kidding aside...welcome aboard silky. I dig anyone who is a WingFan and/or a Chappelle Show fan...going by your name you probably are.)

JD wrote:They still have to prove that they won't disappear when things get tight and physical in the playoffs. They were both complete non-factors against the Flames in '04.

I won't dispute that take. Those two have to produce in the spring or they won't go very far. Seeing how those two did in the Olympics is encouraging but I think international hockey is far different from the Stanley Cup playoffs. There will be less room to make their magic and coaches will make up plans to take those two out of their game from a defensive standpoint within a 7-game series. This year, they've proven to be top 20 point-producers but that doesn't necessarily translate into postseason success. We'll just have to see, I guess...

Mainiac wrote:I've never heard of these bums. Who are the Red Wings?

Dey are de stupid English pigs.

JD wrote:You should really try to watch games not involving the Wings. You'll be surprised how many players in the league have the same abilities as those two. Although Datsyuk has busted out some highlight-reel goals fairly frequently in the past.

They still have to prove that they won't disappear when things get tight and physical in the playoffs. They were both complete non-factors against the Flames in '04.

Yeah, i actually watch quite a bit of hockey. I get about 3 games of non-red wings each week, so i've got a good idea of the rest of the league. I totally agree about the playoffs, that's where they need to prove themselves. But i couldn't disagree more about the abilities of Datsyuk. Am i saying he's the most valuable player on his team, not at all. But i am saying there is not another player in the league that can do the things he does. Watch about 5 games of the Wings and i think you'll begin to understand.

And thank you, yes big Wings fan and big Chappelle fan.

silkyjohnson13 wrote:But i am saying there is not another player in the league that can do the things he does. Watch about 5 games of the Wings and i think you'll begin to understand.

Alexander Ovechkin. 'nuff said.

There are others, but I'll leave it up to you to figure out who they are, since you watch so much hockey.

JD wrote:

silkyjohnson13 wrote:But i am saying there is not another player in the league that can do the things he does. Watch about 5 games of the Wings and i think you'll begin to understand.

Alexander Ovechkin. 'nuff said.

There are others, but I'll leave it up to you to figure out who they are, since you watch so much hockey.

Enough said? Obviously you haven't caught to many Detroit games. First off, they're two totally different players. Enough said? No, not enough said yet. Datsyuk is a playmaker, he's going to pass before he shoots. Ovechkin is a sniper, a guy who can create his own offense with his speed and skill. Once again, am i calling Datsyuk the best player in the league? Not at all. I am saying, nobody in the league has the creativity or skill to make plays like Datsyuk. Nobody has the hands and elusivness of Datsyuk, and outside of Peter Forsberg, nobody has the vision of Datsyuk. Ovechkin is widely considered a better player, and i can't argue that. But if you want to compare all the things i have mentioned, it's not even a contest. As they say, Datsyuk could "stickhandle in a telephone booth."

P.S. Ovechkin was also considered the best player in the Olympics. Datsyuk, with a broken finger, led the Russians in points, while being played out of position on the power play. He was being used to front the net, that's a joke. If you had him on the wing quarterbacking the powerplay, we would have seen the powerplay we expected out of the Russians.

Speaking of Ovechkin, we should be able to see him put some points up tonight. Buffalo plays a pretty wide open game so it could be a shootout.

JD wrote:

silkyjohnson13 wrote:But i am saying there is not another player in the league that can do the things he does. Watch about 5 games of the Wings and i think you'll begin to understand.

Alexander Ovechkin. 'nuff said.

Werd.....the future is now.

Those two are pretty good, but Osgood is horrible. You could put one of Jupiter's smaller moons through his wickets.....see that Selanne goal tonight? kee-ryst Chris!!!

Keep up with the Ozzie-hating...he feeds off negative energy. :twisted:

When have I ever said a bad thing about Osgood??!?!?!


besides that he was a poor man's Aebeschier, Osbad, brutal, horrible, and that thing about a wide 5-hole.......what have I ever said?!?

RACK Ozzie and his performance tonight!!!!!!!

OZZIE-OZZIE-OZZIE!!!!!!






What?!?!?

YOU GUYS HAVE TO SEE THE SHOOTOUT GOAL DATSYUK SCORED TONIGHT VS. NASHVILLE. UNBELIEVABLE. Almost the same exact move he did to Turco in 2003/2004, but he added a little to it.

Flat out sick...no other way to describe it. Vokoun looked helpless...Dats took him completely out of the goal and had an yawning net to pop the puck into. It was a thing of beauty. I don't think Vokoun fully recovered when Williams came in because he beat him with a rather pedestrian move. The Preds found Legace's weak spot...glove side, high, next to the arm. Manny's gonna have to find a way to stop that shot because that spot is going to be exploited by other teams for sure.

Yeah they were killing Legace on that shot. And the Datsyuk goal, i stayed up all night just so i could catch the replay and record it. I swear that kid has the best hands and sickest moves i've ever seen in my life.

Hey JD, i would like to see your boy Ovechkin pull that goal off since he can do everything that Datsyuk can... Right.

Ovechkin's goal from his back is still goal of the year. He's easily the most frightening player on the rush. Datsyuk's strength is puckhandling in traffic and being able to see the ice. I don't think he's going to be a Rocket Richard front-runner because he does look pass-first...much like Igor Larionov, who has taken him under his wing.

silkyjohnson13 wrote:Hey JD, i would like to see your boy Ovechkin pull that goal off since he can do everything that Datsyuk can... Right.

He can. Only a complete and utter homer would believe otherwise.

That was pretty sweet......the only difference with Ovechkin is that he'd do it with someone draped on his back.

Mainiac wrote:That was pretty sweet......the only difference with Ovechkin is that he'd do it with someone draped on his back.

Lol you guys are completely lost. Ovechkin will be the first to admit that he doesn't have the hands od Datsyuk. In an interview not long ago he was asked what parts of his game he wanted to improve on the most... He said, i would like to become a playmaker and passer like Datsyuk. He then added, but you can't teach his hands and stickhandling.

silkyjohnson13 wrote:In an interview not long ago he was asked what parts of his game he wanted to improve on the most... He said, i would like to become a playmaker and passer like Datsyuk. He then added, but you can't teach his hands and stickhandling.

Well, if true, you gotta love the kid's modesty then!!

After seeing Marek Malik's shootout goal earlier in the year, I don't think any shootout goal should be admissable in the court of "who's the better player" anyway.

Nice goal, Datsyuk, but let's see you do that in the playoffs.

JD wrote:

silkyjohnson13 wrote:In an interview not long ago he was asked what parts of his game he wanted to improve on the most... He said, i would like to become a playmaker and passer like Datsyuk. He then added, but you can't teach his hands and stickhandling.

Well, if true, you gotta love the kid's modesty then!!

After seeing Marek Malik's shootout goal earlier in the year, I don't think any shootout goal should be admissable in the court of "who's the better player" anyway.

Nice goal, Datsyuk, but let's see you do that in the playoffs.

What are you talking about... Haven't you read my previous posts about this. I will be the first to tell you that Ovechkin is a better player because of his speed and ability to create, but if you're trying to compare their hands, and creative playmaking, i'll be the first(and not the last) to tell you that Datsyuk is your guy. I do not understand why that's so hard to understand. Hands does not mean better play, it means better hands. And if you cannot admit that Datsyuk has better hands then Ovechkin, then i don't know ever know what else to say to you.

PS... Maliks goal as far as skill, totally overrated. I mean it was neat being that he's not at all an offensive player and the last player you would think would try to pull that, but i've seen kids in high school hockey pull that same move off. And let me remind you, high school hockey is basically recreational.

silkyjohnson13 wrote:

Mainiac wrote:That was pretty sweet......the only difference with Ovechkin is that he'd do it with someone draped on his back.

Lol you guys are completely lost. Ovechkin will be the first to admit that he doesn't have the hands od Datsyuk. In an interview not long ago he was asked what parts of his game he wanted to improve on the most... He said, i would like to become a playmaker and passer like Datsyuk. He then added, but you can't teach his hands and stickhandling.

Jesus Christ, you'd blow Datsyuk if you could.

Shoalzie wrote:http://www.magicalrealmsent.com/hockey/ ... otout2.mpg

Vokoun will never be the same. Holy shit that is a bad-ass move....he's almost behind the goal line when he shoots...he just made a world class goaltender look stoopid.

Still like Ovechkin flipping the puck in the air as a diversion on a partial breakaway v. Carolina better than anything I've seen this year.

Mainiac wrote:

silkyjohnson13 wrote:

Mainiac wrote:That was pretty sweet......the only difference with Ovechkin is that he'd do it with someone draped on his back.

Lol you guys are completely lost. Ovechkin will be the first to admit that he doesn't have the hands od Datsyuk. In an interview not long ago he was asked what parts of his game he wanted to improve on the most... He said, i would like to become a playmaker and passer like Datsyuk. He then added, but you can't teach his hands and stickhandling.

... you'd blow Datsyuk if you could.

It just frusterates me how little you guys truly understand things. It's like i'm trying to debate with a kid junior high who still has the "my way or the high way" attitude. I really question the knowledge of alot of you guys on this board. And by the way, nice language, very mature.

Don't be too hard on the Maniac.

Sure he's from Bahston.....but they have thee a, smahtest janitahs.......EVVAAAAHHHH!!!!!

Lol, my bad. Honest mistake.

actually, I keep watching it and, honest to God (and GOD)........I start laughing every time he hits the blue line, 'cause I know what's coming.



awesome

Yeah i just got done watching it again myself. I can't help but laugh and shake my head every time. And i've been waiting for this move all year long. It's basically the same move against Turco. Even the goalies have the same exact reaction on both goals and end up on the other side of the net. Amazing.

yes



aint





got





sheeeeeee

yat





byatch!



just keep watchin it, and see the dagger Detroit puts into your heart.

silkyjohnson13 wrote:It just frusterates me how little you guys truly understand things. It's like i'm trying to debate with a kid junior high who still has the "my way or the high way" attitude. I really question the knowledge of alot of you guys on this board. And by the way, nice language, very mature.

Look, Johnson: maybe you're the one who doesn't get it. I respect the fact that you have an opinion. Fine, Datsyuk is that he's the best stickhandler in the league, according to you. I'm just here to tell you that your opinion is wrong.

Don't like the Ovechkin example? OK, how about Jagr. Or maybe Kovalev. Those guys stickhandle pretty good too. And they've had some highlight reel goals in their time too (including ones that aren't on PS's...). Actually, now that I think about it, Iginla's done some pretty nifty things with the puck too!!

Every player in the NHL can stickhandle in a phone booth. Some even as well as guys in high school hockey. Props to Datsyuk for having the sack to try those moves in game situations.

Alright, did you really just try to compare Iginla's stickhandling with the likes of Datsyuk, Jagr, and Kovalev??? I agree with you, in that Jagr(specifically his Pittsburgh years) and Kovalev are great stickhandlers. But you just ruined anything you had going by adding Iginla to that list. Don't get me wrong, he's a great player and has alot of talent, but his stickhandling should not be placed on that level. Secondly, i am under the impression that all of your experiences of watching Datsyuk is simply from catching goal highlights, along with a few games a year. I have watched the likes of Lemiuex, Jagr, and Kovalev thoroughly throughout the years having family and friends that follow Pittsburgh. All incredible stickhandling ability. No other way to put it. But the fact of the matter is, Datsyuk can do things with the puck that i have never seen any of those 3, matter of fact nobody, be able to do. He is much more shiftier(think of a waterbug on water jumping side to side), than all of them, with better hands. One more time let me make this perfectly clear, am i saying Datsyuk is as good as a playmaker as those 3, no, no i'm not. Not at all. But i am saying, that he can do things with the puck, that i have never seen anybody do before, including those 3, and Iginla too. I wish i could make you a tape of what i am talking about so you could get a better idea, cause the majority of plays that he makes never make it on the national television. If you don't believe me, which i can already answer that for you, then here are some quotes for you.

" He's got the best hands in the league and, while he probably isn't close to being the fastest player... he is definitely the quickest - and he translates that into some of the most unbelievable moves you will ever see. " - Derian Hatcher

" Those aren't normal skills. Not when he makes you shake your head in amazement time after time with the moves he makes. He is clearly a very special player. "
- Doug Weight

" What's so much fun about Pavel is watching his creativity. You just watch and wait for another new move, something that will cause you to say Wow. "
- Nicklas Lidstrom

If that isn't good enough for you, Barry Melrose was quoted saying that Wayne Gretzky, Peter Forsberg, and Pavel Datsyuk have the best vision on the ice he has ever seen.

Brett Hull, Sergei Fedorov, and Mickey Redmond have made comments over the years that Datsyuk can do things that nobody else in the game has ever been able to do.

Now if that is not enough credibility for you JD, then i guess i just give up trying to persuay you.

OK, well I'm sold.

Can't believe I'm the only one jumping all over this one, though. The peeps on this board have gotten mighty soft over the years...

Yup... Datsuyk had some pretty shifty moves during the 03-04 playoff series against the Flames...was shifty at ducking and running from the Flames dmen.

fine if he is the best dangler in the NHL.... but 12pts in 37 playoff games is pretty damn shitty.. . that would probably be better if he played in a non-contact league.

He can be as shifty as he wants all regular season, but he wont be a top NHL player until he can prove he can play in the big game.

Billdong wrote:Yup... Datsuyk had some pretty shifty moves during the 03-04 playoff series against the Flames...was shifty at ducking and running from the Flames dmen.

bwwaaaaaa

Newsflash Shamefan, it's 2006 and your one man show is over in about a month.

Billdong wrote:Yup... Datsuyk had some pretty shifty moves during the 03-04 playoff series against the Flames...was shifty at ducking and running from the Flames dmen.

fine if he is the best dangler in the NHL.... but 12pts in 37 playoff games is pretty damn shitty.. . that would probably be better if he played in a non-contact league.

He can be as shifty as he wants all regular season, but he wont be a top NHL player until he can prove he can play in the big game.

Yeah you're exactly right. That's because he had guys clutching and grabbing him throughout the whole series. Why do you think the NHL made rule changes for obstruction? So the skilled players can play without guys hanging all over them. And once again, am i calling him one of the best players in the NHL, NO i'm not. He's not even the best forward on his own team(Henrik Zetterberg). I don't understand why that is so hard to understand.

al? wrote:

Billdong wrote:Yup... Datsuyk had some pretty shifty moves during the 03-04 playoff series against the Flames...was shifty at ducking and running from the Flames dmen.

bwwaaaaaa

Newsflash Shamefan, it's 2006 and your one man show is over in about a month.

I post a solid fact about Datsyuk (dissapears in playoffs) and all you can do is come back with the typical Flames blast that one would expect from a 10yr old Oiler fan.

I take your lack of a real response as your confirmation that Datsyuk dangles his way right out of the big game and is no where to be seen.

I bet within 10 years you will be in a straight-jacket rocking back and forth screaming "one man show" and "kipper". while guys in white coats take notes. The Flames are in your head...

Why don't you post a 'solid' fact like, hmmmmm.........let's say, the Calgary Shames are a fraudulant one man show.

That would work.

As for Datsyuk, he was a rookie last time you saw him, not quite ready for prime time. When he gets his shit together in the playoffs, I will be listening for your grinding teeth as he lifts Lord Stanley's mug above his head.

silkyjohnson13 wrote:Yeah you're exactly right. That's because he had guys clutching and grabbing him throughout the whole series. Why do you think the NHL made rule changes for obstruction?

Clutching and grabbing? The oldest excuse in the book.

Today the NHL Network showed the Flames Oilers Game 7 from 1986, and I have to say, I've never seen more clutching and grabbing, even the Panthers of 1995 looked like choir boys. So much for the 80's being the days of wide open free wheeling hockey. More like the days of lousy defensemen taking jobs due to expansion...

But I digress. Hockey is and always will be a physical sport. Unless Datsyuk adapts to that part of the game, he will remain a spectacular stickhandler and little else.