what's up with dat's shot?

[datsyukismyfriend 4]

datsyuk, although playing well this year otherwise, has been next to horrible in the goal scoring departement. his shooting % is below 5%, he's shooting more than ever (he's on pace for about a 100 more sog's than his career best last year at 204 sog's), and is on pace for about half of what he's scored the last three seasons. it's early, i know, but something seems to be wrong with his shot. he's normally got such a strong accurate wrister and this year he's continously missing the target, moreso than he ever has in his career as a wing.

and in tight situations around the goal where he's usually money for the back of the net, he's fumbling around and not getting the puck up, or missing the net entirely.

i wonder if it's just a matter of confidence, or if he's got a minor nagging injury, maybe a wrist thing, or what?

[Hank 0]

datsyuk, although playing well this year otherwise, has been next to horrible in the goal scoring departement. his shooting % is below 5%, he's shooting more than ever (he's on pace for about a 100 more sog's than his career best last year at 204 sog's), and is on pace for about half of what he's scored the last three seasons. it's early, i know, but something seems to be wrong with his shot. he's normally got such a strong accurate wrister and this year he's continously missing the target, moreso than he ever has in his career as a wing.

and in tight situations around the goal where he's usually money for the back of the net, he's fumbling around and not getting the puck up, or missing the net entirely.

i wonder if it's just a matter of confidence, or if he's got a minor nagging injury, maybe a wrist thing, or what?

Maybe he's watching too many Sammuelson tapes?

[wingnut40 176]

Maybe he's watching too many Sammuelson tapes?

Hey you be nice to Sammy. He scored a sick goal last night and has 8 points in 9 games and there's absolutely nothing bad about that.

[Izzy24 44]

Maybe it's the stupid "O-Stick."

[Grittzkey 1]

Dat's is just on a strand of bad luck. Nothing to get worked up about.

[WINGS TILL DEATH 9]

I think Dats has lost some confidence in a way. He's not pulling the move that he used to. Go watch his top ten plays on youtube we're not seeing any of thise from him right now. I mean when he undressed Turco and vok. Those where sick. He's still rocking the defensemen but the tender isn' even being challenged what so ever. I mean his break aways back forth back shot right into the chest. Come on wheres the double toe drag? or my favorite

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJXwO7jEpa0

Get your soft hands back Dats and you'll get some of these

and some of these (in any arena)

Edited October 29, 2007 by WINGS TILL DEATH

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

All I know is he has to shoot more, not less. There's already been several times this year where he was in a great scoring position but opted to try and make a pass for a spectacular play.

He's got a great wrist shot. He needs to use it.

[Guest Canadian Wings]

Hey you be nice to Sammy. He scored a sick goal last night and has 8 points in 9 games and there's absolutely nothing bad about that.

it's tru, ppl need to get off his balls, pardon the expression

for $1.2 mill a yr, sammy is a bargain

[Echolalia 2,961]

I have to admit I'm pretty disappointed with his production so far; especially after his pay raise.

My personal diagnosis is that most of his shots are from around/behind the face-off circles, and are generally low scoring opportunities anyway. And when hes close to the net threatening to score, he just can't control the puck enough to do anything with it.

He really needs to pick it up though. Instead of settling for shots around the perimeter, he needs to use those skills to get around defensemen, which, I'm well aware, is harder than it sounds.

[Flip-check 6]

I haven't watched all the games this year (to be honest, some of them are just downright snorefests) but that set-up he made for Z's SJ goal was probably the most "Datsyukian" appearance of him on the ice this season.

And I miss it. Dats in the zone not only improves our game, but it also makes some of these match-ups sufferable.

[lfd250 1]

You guys must not be listening to post games or the coach. 1 He needs to shoot more. 2. Talk has been that he's being a more overall player. So take what you want and the fact that Homer and Hank are scoreing someone has to play D.

[T.Low 1,011]

datsyuk, although playing well this year otherwise, has been next to horrible in the goal scoring departement. his shooting % is below 5%, he's shooting more than ever (he's on pace for about a 100 more sog's than his career best last year at 204 sog's), and is on pace for about half of what he's scored the last three seasons. it's early, i know, but something seems to be wrong with his shot. he's normally got such a strong accurate wrister and this year he's continously missing the target, moreso than he ever has in his career as a wing.

and in tight situations around the goal where he's usually money for the back of the net, he's fumbling around and not getting the puck up, or missing the net entirely.

i wonder if it's just a matter of confidence, or if he's got a minor nagging injury, maybe a wrist thing, or what?

Very legitimate question. I'm just thinking that he's got more guys than ever hanging off him and thats why Z was wide open the other nite against SJ and why Holmer's got more goals than Crosby so far. Everyone is collapsing onto Datsyuk and its creating more space for Z and Holmer.

Against SJ, three guys totally collapsed on Datsyuk (plus the goalie) and he floated one over to a wide open Z for the easy score.

Sorta like having Barry Sanders and Billy Simms in the backfield at the same time, with...uhmm...can't think of a good Lions quarterback in recent histrory...but you get the idea. If they concentrate on trying to shut down Barry, Billy Simms would have run wild.

[irishtemper14+25 11]

i dont think its the stick....i saw ellis with the same one

[datsyukiandeke 0]

dats will be fine, trust me. although i wish he had a snap and backhand like zetts. his wrist shot is awesome but it gives the goalie more time to read the play than the snap shot.

[GSBrooks13 204]

So far I have watched almost every minute of every game this season and I don't know if anyone has noticed this but I can think of probably 3 or 4 times when Dats was away with a pretty decent breakaway and each time he shot the puck high over the net on the glove side... So I don't know if its his stick, the pressure and maybe it is a lagging injury.. But I am sure that Dats will be finding the score sheet a little more regularly once he finds his groove.

[WINGS TILL DEATH 9]

Also teams know he's good with the stick so I think they stick to his bodie more religiously now then they did before, and I think he's getting doubled on a lot more know also. I still say he needs to whip his old ways back out then run back to play D if he needs to. I want to see those soft hands again. they were so exciting to watch.

[Guest Jeremy88]

His only two goals this season have been a tap in and a deflection. I want to see some magic too

[Mason 38]

Everybody needs a little Datsyuk in their lives.

[Flip-check 6]

Everybody needs a little Datsyuk in their lives.

Some idealists say all you need is Datsyuk.

Others say it takes more than Datsyuk to make it work.

[danroy169 0]

while dats hasn't exactly lit up the goal department, he's still a key part of the ZDH line. He's always been a player that needs to shoot more, but I'm far from disappointed. Things will start going his way sooner or later.

[RedWingedKitten 9]

Maybe he moved his playoff slump to early in the season? Trust me, give him 5-7 more games and he will be godly again.

If only we could get him to move his playoff slump into off season...

Edited October 30, 2007 by RedWingedKitten

[YoungGuns1340 1]

He took a while to warm up last year too. No worries.

[datsyuk_13_fan 0]

Maybe he moved his playoff slump to early in the season? Trust me, give him 5-7 more games and he will be godly again.

If only we could get him to move his playoff slump into off season...

What playoff slump? Did you watch the playoffs last year?

As for his production, he is over a PPG right now. I do agree he should shoot more since he has an excellent wrist shot, but he will continue to get over a PPG and finish with around 90 points.

Gomez - Big juicy contract - 3 points in 10 games

Edited October 30, 2007 by datsyuk_13_fan

[Aeothe Kaear 0]

Surely he's being told to shoot more. So he's started taking a bunch more of those Samuelsson-esque shots (i.e., 40+ foot wrist shots with no traffic), but remains a pass-first player when he's actually in the prime scoring areas, and that's what needs to change. He gets himself in position to use that nice wrister and then forces a pass instead...

[RedWingedKitten 9]

What playoff slump? Did you watch the playoffs last year?

Exactly, since he did not have a playoff slump last year, he moved his slump to now. lol (its a joke)