MalkinsJock

Wasn't it forty regular season games and at least one finals game? Obviously the team can petition to have players added.

Datsyuk has been the defensive forward on the line. This allows more space and time for Zetterberg. And to point out one good play by Zetterberg, is asinine considering Datsyuk makes spinorama passes in every game. Datsyuk has an insane ability to get the puck out of his own end and keep it in the other teams zone. While Zetterberg may be slightly faster, hes not as complete as Datsyuk.

Serious question. I realize that they have an extremely young and talented group but nothing ive seen thus far shows that they're on track to be this decades Oilers. Their core of Crosby-Malkin-Fleury is really all they have going into the future. Malkin is going to cost a pretty penny to resign. Hossa isn't going to come cheap either. Brooks Orpik and Malone are two other major pieces of their team that are up for contract. Lets also not forget Fleury. But, on the flip side, you have a Detroit team that is dominating every team in the league. The entire roster is signed for the foreseeable future except for Zetterberg and Franzen. If Stuart is re-signed, that will solidify this exact roster for seasons to come. You can count on at least four seasons of Lidstrom-Rafalski, Kronwall-Stuart. Pavel is signed for seven years and Zetterberg will get a similar contract. Whos to say that this team isn't in the perfect position to be the new "dynasty"?

The Pens have already rolled basically every combination of their top two lines in the last two games. We've seen: Malone-Crosby-Hossa Dupius-Crosby-Hossa Talbot-Crosby-Hossa Malkin-Crosby-Hossa Sykora-Malkin-Malone Talbot-Malkin-Malone Dupius-Malkin-Sykora Anything short of moving up Staal, its nothing we havent already seen. Therrien is a terrible coach, its impossible to get any chemistry if you're constantly shuffling lines.

No offense to the general hockey community or anyone on this board but I hope Datsyuk has a big game, while at the same time Zetterberg somehow remains silent. I think Datsyuk pulling closer in points is all thats needed for the general consensus to change. While a small group of people, after this playoff, now consider him the most complete player in the league, others still don't see it because Zetterberg has a couple more points. People are also employing the "What have you done for me lately" policy. Hank has been hot over the last few games but Pavel has been by far the most consistent player on this team from game one to today. Hank was pretty silent in the Nashville series. This is just my reaction after seeing the "Top ten players" thread. It seems that everyone puts Zetterberg a notch above but doesn't offer any real criteria as to why. Four points(really three if Holmstrom's goal in game one counted, or two if you count the Datsyuk non-goal in the Dallas series). Its amazing how four simple points can put such a division between two players. And in all honesty, if Datsyuk weren't continuely nominated for the Byng, I think the gap would be closer. Its not like Zetterberg is more physical, he doesn't lay more hits, he just takes more penalties.