Datyuk's hits

[Namingway 146]

We all know that he can shoot, we all know that he can score. He can make some nifty passes and some killer takeaways... He's not our biggest player or best checker or anything but he proved that he can hit when it's needed and shows no fear.

I never really thought of pavs as much of a hitter but he has been stepping up his checking game ever since the playoffs from what I've noticed. At first I thought it was just him playing harder just for the playoffs but it seems to have carried along for the season as well.

He may not be at his best this season if you look at it from a "points per game" perspective, but he has improved his physical game more than enough to make up for it.

I was thinking about all that and decided to look at his numbers.

Some of you guys might find this interesting :

Year___GP___Hits

2008-09 : 26 19

2007-08 : 82 40

2006-07 : 79 21

2005-06 : 75 20

As you can see, Dats is on his way to a new career high

I know that his job is not the enforcer but it never hurts to have stars that can fend for themselves or throw their bodies around when it's needed most.

For some of you guys that missed his more recent hits :

Big Hit in OT

Can't help but laugh after watching Datsyuk knock down Zdeno f***en Chara!

Edited December 9, 2008 by Namingway

[Kira 451]

I've always said that Pasha plays a sneaky smart kind of game. He's deceptive. And this is one of the ways he proves that. Never underestimate him...it could be a big mistake.

[Heroes of Hockeytown 694]

Little Ball of Hate v2.0.

[Booster313 138]

It makes me want to go buy a custom 13 jersey that says BMF on the back!

[CrossoverThrash 0]

All of his big hits are in these 2 videos, watch near the end of the second one, youll see hits he has on Kane and Edler that weren't replayed. Also one on Hnidy is in there.

[Namingway 146]

All of his big hits are in these 2 videos, watch near the end of the second one, youll see hits he has on Kane and Edler that weren't replayed. Also one on Hnidy is in there.

Oh nice! Thanks man, I was looking for those

[CrossoverThrash 0]

By the end of the year he should have enough hits for me to make a reel of him. At the end of the year ill post all of my vids in high quality here. Youtube mangles them/i dont render them that well for youtube.

[rick zombo 3,739]

F the Lady Bing

[Z and D for the C 712]

That hit on versteeg (sp?) was amazing. If I was at that game I'd be going ballistic.

[Casey 145]

F the Lady Bing

He's never penalized for them, though. Clean hits, so the Lady Byng may be safe.

[DYags 0]

So what?

I feel like everyone is making too big a deal about these, "big hits". Most of the time he is just throwing his body into a player that is off balance and not expecting Lady Byng to follow threw. Hardly anyone on this teams finishes their checks in the corners. Mostly its just stick checking.

[T.Low 1,011]

[]

Can't help but laugh after watching Datsyuk knock down Zdeno f***en Chara!

Threads like this are why I love this webiste! What a treat! Thanks a ton, bro.

[T.Low 1,011]

By the end of the year he should have enough hits for me to make a reel of him. At the end of the year ill post all of my vids in high quality here. Youtube mangles them/i dont render them that well for youtube.

Youtube=mangler

[Seraph 240]

I don't know if anyone else saw this, but I saw in an interview where he attributes the rise in his hitting game to Dallas Drake joining the team. He spoke as if it were plain logic. Something like: "I never know how hit. Dallas Drake join the team. He show me how to hit. Now I hit."

Haha, it was hilarious. As if nothings impossible for him. He just had to be shown.

[j.hoop 64]

So what?

I feel like everyone is making too big a deal about these, "big hits". Most of the time he is just throwing his body into a player that is off balance and not expecting Lady Byng to follow threw. Hardly anyone on this teams finishes their checks in the corners. Mostly its just stick checking.

total, total buzz kill. thanks for ******* this up. if you cant appreciate this...you must like having your nuts kicked...

[Namingway 146]

So what?

I feel like everyone is making too big a deal about these, "big hits". Most of the time he is just throwing his body into a player that is off balance and not expecting Lady Byng to follow threw. Hardly anyone on this teams finishes their checks in the corners. Mostly its just stick checking.

What's wrong with showing appreciation for one of our players for getting better at his game?

This wasn't about the wings checking or about Datsyuk's "big hits" but about how he has been getting better at em.

The Wings haven't been known for being a hard checking team in a long time, so when we do see nice hits or fights it's like a treat for us. If you'd rather support a more aggressive team with more hits and PIMs then the Ducks board is over that way --->

Edited December 9, 2008 by Namingway

[The Mule 0]

He isn't the biggest player on our team, or the most burly, but he's one of the strongest players in the league on his skates, and that's an admirable quality for any player to call their own.

[b.shanafan14 733]

So what?

I feel like everyone is making too big a deal about these, "big hits". Most of the time he is just throwing his body into a player that is off balance and not expecting Lady Byng to follow threw. Hardly anyone on this teams finishes their checks in the corners. Mostly its just stick checking.

Seriously? So what exactly are the qualifiers for a "hit" in your definition of the term? If you can't appreciate the Versteeg hit, hockey must be a pretty boring sport for you. The point of this thread is to appreciate Datsyuk growing into a more physical player, like he was in the playoffs last spring. Can we have one thread that isn't filled with negativity? Please?

[OsGOD 3]

All of his big hits are in these 2 videos, watch near the end of the second one, youll see hits he has on Kane and Edler that weren't replayed. Also one on Hnidy is in there.

Not only is that cool video because i am in it

This is the aftermath of the guy on the bench lol Took it as i was saying "YOU GOT HOSED!"

Edited December 9, 2008 by OsGOD

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

Oh nice! Thanks man, I was looking for those

Dats rolling people over isn't anything new. He used to knock them stiff all the time when he had the puck and people tried to hit him. Him going out of his way to throw hits now is something new and I love it.

It's just another reason why I think Datsyuk is the most skilled, most complete player in the game.

Oh yeah, and its also why he's better than Zetterberg.

[stactum 4]

Datsyuk did say in one of his interviews (maybe to a russian newspaper) that Dallas Drake taught him how to hit and add toughness to the game.

I am pretty impressed.

[Guest GordieSid&Ted]

Datsyuk did say in one of his interviews (maybe to a russian newspaper) that Dallas Drake taught him how to hit and add toughness to the game.

I am pretty impressed.

I never saw the hit on Chara. The only thing I can find on youtube is Chara smoking Datsyuk.

[haroldsnepsts 4,826]

I never saw the hit on Chara. The only thing I can find on youtube is Chara smoking Datsyuk.

It's hard to tell on the youtube video, but where exactly was the puck? That play seemed awful close to interference because it looked like Chara cut him off from getting to the puck, not hit him while he was playing it.

anyway, it's great that Dats is actually seeking out hits more and more. Most of the time he used to just surprise guys when they tried to hit him, but he seems to have figured out he's good enough at it to knock guys around.

[Namingway 146]

I never saw the hit on Chara. The only thing I can find on youtube is Chara smoking Datsyuk.

I found the video by simply typing "datsyuk hits chara", it was right under the Chara hitting Datsyuk vid. Come on now

Also, the vid was in the original post.

aaaaand also, I have to agree with you on Dats > Z

Edited December 9, 2008 by Namingway

[T.Low 1,011]

So what?

I feel like everyone is making too big a deal about these, "big hits". Most of the time he is just throwing his body into a player that is off balance and not expecting Lady Byng to follow threw. Hardly anyone on this teams finishes their checks in the corners. Mostly its just stick checking.

DY, for me its the fact that he never did it like this before now. Here is one of the most skilled hockey players in the world, seemingly at the top of his game, the pinnacle of his career, yet he still finds a part of his game that he sees how to improve on and he does it. A 180 degree, night and day turn around. 100% improvement. Ya gotta give 'em props for that.

I worry that he gets knocked around too much, and all of the sudden here he is leveling a few guys every now and then. I really noticed last year in the playoffs, and I too saw the interview where he credited Dally Drake, and I think its awesome.

And its an unexpected benefit of bringing Drake aboard last year. Sure they knew he would provide leadership/grit/desparation, but I highly doubt Holland told Devellano that he thought maybe Drake would teach Datsyuk how to hit. I can see Babcock now, "You know Devs, uh, our main problem is that Dats down't hit enough, ---how bouts we sign old free agent Dally Drake to come in and teach him how! That'll bring the Cup home for us."

Yes, the Wings could hit more for my personal style of hockey. Every little bit helps and its fun to see Dats giving and not just recieving.