You know something special could happen on a night when Detroit Red Wings superstar Pavel Datsyuk laces up the skates with a national audience watching. On Wednesday, the Red Wings will face the Rangers at Madison Square Garden in an ‘Original Six’ matchup. This exciting encounter between two of the NHL’s most historic franchises will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network at 8 p.m. Eastern Time.
Datsyuk’s game has always flowed with artistry, skill and an overwhelming sense of joy. No forward in the league possesses a more complete package of abilities. Datsyuk has a bag of tricks that few can match – constantly using patience and panache to score breathtaking goals and set up linemates. He is also shutdown player in the defensive zone and constantly forces turnovers with his superb defensive instincts.
At 36, Datsyuk shows no sign of decline. He continues to be a highlight-making machine. On Monday, Datsyuk was named the NHL’s number two star of the week ending on November 2. Datsyuk’s electric play helped the Red Wings take five of six possible points in the standings. The Russian Renaissance Man collected seven points in three games during that span.
The Rangers will be tasked with stopping what many consider to be an unstoppable force in Datsyuk. A collection of players inside the Rangers’ dressing room offered their memories of facing Datsyuk and their plan on how to keep the elite 5-foot-11 center quiet.
Rangers center Derick Brassard says Datsyuk is one of those rare players that he’d pay to see. Brassard has spent much of his career competing against Datsyuk in the pre-realignment Central Division as a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Brassard will continue to line up against Datsyuk in the face-off circle for years to come, as Detroit joined the Rangers in the Eastern Conference last season.
“A lot of players are a big fan of the way he plays the game,” Brassard said. “I’m one of them. He’s one the guys that you’d pay to go watch. This guy – the stuff he does with the puck, the way he skates, everything he does on the ice is pretty spectacular.”
Brassard recognizes the constant danger that Datsyuk brings regardless of whether he’s possessing the puck or hunting it down. Datsyuk has won the Selke trophy as the NHL’s most outstanding defensive forward three times. The 36-year-old Russian is adept at stealing the puck from under the nose of opponents.
“When you play against him, you have to be aware of where he is at all times because he’s really good at stealing pucks,” Brassard said. “You can’t focus on the puck when he has it, because he can make you look really bad, really fast. He’s just really dynamic. His all-around game is solid. He’s a complete player who has pretty much everything.”
Previously as a member of the San Jose Sharks, Rangers defenseman Dan Boyle faced Datsyuk and the Wings twice in the Western Conference Semifinals. Boyle is currently injured, but knows that the Rangers cannot afford to give Datsyuk any space to work his magic.
“When you’re that good, it’s got to be pretty fun,” Boyle said. “He’s arguably the best puck handler in the game. I’d imagine he’s having fun when he has the puck on the stick as often as he does. He can beat you in different ways. His speed, his moves, strength – you never want to give up your body position against him.”
Rangers winger Lee Stempniak began his career competing against Datsyuk in the old Central Division as a member of the St. Louis Blues.
“He’s an exceptional player,” Stempniak said. “To me, he’s one of the best players in the world. You have to try to take away his time and space. If you give him that time, or give him a lot of space to make moves – he can burn you by passing, or going around you, or using his great shot. You just try to crowd him to eliminate that time and space.”
Stempniak ranks Datsyuk at the top of his list players whom he enjoys watching.
“I definitely appreciate his game. For me, he’s if not the most fun guy to watch – he’s certainly one of the most fun guys to watch. He’s extremely strong on the puck and able to handle the puck all over. He’s an extremely tough and complete player.”
Datsyuk might be Detroit’s brightest burning star, but he’s surrounded by a galaxy of offensively-skilled players who are stingy with the puck. Playmaking captain Henrik Zetterberg leads Detroit with 15 points through 12 games. 25-year-old winger Gustav Nyquist has proven that last year’s surge in production wasn’t a fluke. Nyquist has collected nine points through 12 games. Winger Justin Abdelkader has gotten off to a hot start, registering 10 points through 12 games.
Detroit is coming off a shocking 3-1 loss to the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday. The Red Wings committed eight giveaways against the Sens. Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault feels Tuesday night’s performance was atypical of Detroit’s usually assured puck handling.
“I know last night’s game wasn’t probably from their playbook,” Vigneault said. “That’s not the type of team that turns pucks over.”
Brassard believes the Rangers stand a good chance of winning Wednesday’s nationally-televised game if they stick closely to the Red Wings.
“We’re facing a puck-possession team that’s really skilled,” Brassard said. “We just have to play with our legs. We have some good skaters here. If you play Detroit with your legs and you check them well, you have a good chance to win.”
