Future Career Stats for Datsyuk and Zetterberg

[VM1138 1,921]

So I was looking at the career stats for all players who have ever played with the Red Wings and was trying to picture how the current players will figure in, mainly Datsyuk and Zetterberg, when their careers are over. Right now Datsyuk, being in what, his 7th season? has about 440 points.

I'm thinking he could play 19 seasons, purely a guess. Considering declining play in the final years, I'm thinking he's a shoe-in for 1,000 points, which would put him up in the top, but nowhere near Yzerman, Howe, etc. This, to me, is unfortunate because Datsyuk is a brilliant player and deserves to be remembered as one of the best, but his "late-bloomer" status is probably going to doom him to deceivingly "low" numbers, not to mention the year of the lockout.

And Zetterberg looks to be playing a season or two less (due to injuries), I'm going to venture a guess and say he struggles to hit 1,000, and will probably finish more around 900.

How does everyone else figure they'll finish stats-wise?

[Guest CaliWingsNut]

Well, the first thing they tell you in law school is to never give a time period for something where there's a number of factors to influence it. (not a direct quote, but a stab at Burke)

I think they have a greater chance of catching up to our greatest players, with the NHL focusing on raising the goals per game. We really won't see any effect of this until next year (as far as goalie mods), and probably won't realize the full effect for years to come.

[RWK23 0]

I don't think you should really worry about the legacies of Zetterberg and Datsyuk. Both will undoubtedly end their careers in the top ten in team scoring (Datsyuk is currently 15th, Zetterberg 22nd), will be the central figures on at least one Stanley Cup championship team, and one of the two (probably Zetterberg) will likely serve as captain for an extended period of time.

Like you, I figure Datsyuk will finish his career with about 1,000 points which would place him 4th all-time in scoring behind Howe, Yzerman, and Delvecchio and ahead of Fedorov, Lidstrom, Lindsay, etc. Zetterberg will probably finish in the top 5 or 6 as well. That's saying a lot considering the rich tradition of the Wings and all the great players that have donned the Winged Wheel.

[toby91_ca 620]

So I was looking at the career stats for all players who have ever played with the Red Wings and was trying to picture how the current players will figure in, mainly Datsyuk and Zetterberg, when their careers are over. Right now Datsyuk, being in what, his 7th season? has about 440 points.

I'm thinking he could play 19 seasons, purely a guess. Considering declining play in the final years, I'm thinking he's a shoe-in for 1,000 points, which would put him up in the top, but nowhere near Yzerman, Howe, etc. This, to me, is unfortunate because Datsyuk is a brilliant player and deserves to be remembered as one of the best, but his "late-bloomer" status is probably going to doom him to deceivingly "low" numbers, not to mention the year of the lockout.

And Zetterberg looks to be playing a season or two less (due to injuries), I'm going to venture a guess and say he struggles to hit 1,000, and will probably finish more around 900.

How does everyone else figure they'll finish stats-wise?

Hard to say, but I will say this, for Datsyuk to play 19 seasons, he'd be finishing his last year at almost 43 years old. Now, obviously some guys have played to that age, but the list is really not that long.

[VM1138 1,921]

Hard to say, but I will say this, for Datsyuk to play 19 seasons, he'd be finishing his last year at almost 43 years old. Now, obviously some guys have played to that age, but the list is really not that long.

Like I said, it's just a guess, but I see Datsyuk having that kind of longevitiy. He stays healthy, loves the game and I can see him finishing his career as one of those talented veteran centers on a third line like Yzerman did.

Zetterberg, though, I see having a shorter career due to injuries wearing him down.

[zetterbergfan 23]

I have already been keeping a spreadsheet that projects this for Zetterberg. If you take Zetterberg's career averages to date and project them out until he is 40 years old he would finish with about 580+ goals, 675+ assists, and over 1290 games played....even if he misses 10 games a season on average.

Zetterberg and Datsyuk should finish 4th and 5th on the Wings all-time scoring list, which you can find here.