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zetterbergfan

Name Me a Better 2-Way Player Today than Henrik Zetterberg…

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Zetterberg was 3 points behind Datsyuk at the end of the night the last game Datsyuk played. 12-24-36 in 33 games for Z against 12-27-39 for Dats. Since Dats went down, Z has scored 4-9-13 in 10 games, which projects to 13-30-43 over 33 games.

Z has been making great offensive plays all season, no matter who he's with, no matter the situation. People were saying his scoring would drop without Datsyuk; instead it's increased by 20%. Z is Datsyuk's equal offensively, and better defensively. It's like the Yzerman/Fedorov situation. If the Wings never drafted Fedorov, Yzerman would have kept on scoring 100 points, even with an improved defensive game. Why? Because it would have been necessary for him to drive the offensive engine. In the 90s, the offense was shifted to Fedorov as the primary force. Yzerman was the secondary offensive force, and was used as a skilled matchup center in much the same fashion that Z is used by the Wings when the twins are split, or how Flip has been used this season. It took away from his offensive performance but his top-end skill, experience, and clutch play led to more wins for the team.

Realistically the best two-way player is Lidstrom, but this thread is really about forwards, so he doesn't really apply.

I have to disagree that Z's Datsyuk's equal offensively. He's just a bit below Datsyuk's level. In the playoffs hsi game translates much better, though, and in that area I'd say Z's definitely a superior player. The brand of hockey Zetterberg plays is perfectly suited to the playoffs.

Datsyuk is just a flashier player. His puck skills are so impressive on both ends of the ice it's hard not to be dazzled by him. Zetterberg's always been a lower-key kind of guy and that's part of it.

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Does this mean that the NHL will be introducing a new award, The Crosby's Favorite Player trophy?

I'm picturing a bronze statue of Gary Bettman's rear-end with Crosby's lips moving towards it. Along with a mirror image of the opposite (Bettman smooching towards Crosby's) connected to the statue.

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I'm picturing a bronze statue of Gary Bettman's rear-end with Crosby's lips moving towards it. Along with a mirror image of the opposite (Bettman smooching towards Crosby's) connected to the statue.

:lol: I can totally see that happening!

Edited by Jocke

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I have to disagree that Z's Datsyuk's equal offensively.

Z and Dats spend the first 33 games of this season scoring at basically the same pace. Then Datsyuk went down with injury, and Z not only kept up pace but improved upon it. Dats historically has produced more points, largely due to the fact that he is - as I said before - the one who is put in the role of scoring center. If you switched the two, Z would be the Hart finalist and Selke winner, and everyone would talk about how Dats and Z used to be similar skill range, but then Z just ran off with it.

Datsyuk is just a flashier player. His puck skills are so impressive on both ends of the ice it's hard not to be dazzled by him. Zetterberg's always been a lower-key kind of guy and that's part of it.

This is the whole thing. People on here were complaining about Hank's offensive performance this season while talking about how Datsyuk might be having his best year; and at the time Z was leading the team in scoring. But being able to deke a guy out of his pants and then deke another guy into the first guy's pants all is worthless if you don't follow through and score, right? Just like Modano using his 100 mph slapshot almost immediately about half the times he gained the zone. Great ability, but worthless if you are just giving the puck up to the goalie when you shoot.

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I don't know why people are surprised that Crosby is impressed with Z's play and would want to build a team around him. Almost every player in the league will give credit to other players that play hard and play a clean game, especially when that player is really the only one to ever shut them down (in Crosby's case).

I certainly would want to build a team around the best guy I played against; I think the most impressive thing is that Zetterberg plays in the West and generally Crosby only gets to play against him a few times a year, as opposed to Parise.

Whining and cheap shots aside, I like Crosby. Off the ice where he can put on his Captain's hat and take off his ****** bag hat that he wears on the ice, he seems like a pretty decent guy. He has the same attitude that we see from Lidstrom and Zetterberg in front of the camera, and I bet if you asked him, they probably are part of how he models himself as a leader.

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I don't know why people are surprised that Crosby is impressed with Z's play and would want to build a team around him.

Because he's evil and has no soul. I'm not quite who the devil's agent is in the NHL but it's either him or Bettman.

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I don't know why people are surprised that Crosby is impressed with Z's play and would want to build a team around him. Almost every player in the league will give credit to other players that play hard and play a clean game, especially when that player is really the only one to ever shut them down (in Crosby's case).

It's because he's notorious for not giving opposing players/teams any credit. His attitude is less "He played a great game and really shut us down" and more "It wasn't a big deal, really, nothing I couldn't do myself."

Prime example was Z's infamous PK shift during the 2008 SCF where he basically killed a 5v3 all by his lonesome. And if you want proof? (Emphasis mine)

Henrik Zetterberg made several important short-handed plays – tying up Crosby's stick when the Penguin captain had a wide-open net and the puck coming to him, clearing the puck out of the defensive zone three times and ragging the puck on a 1-on-4 rush and getting a shot off. The Penguins managed just two shots on goal during those two power plays.

Crosby said after the game that he didn't find Zetterberg's play noteworthy.

"I don't think he did anything out of the ordinary that any guy wouldn't do on a 5-on-3," said Crosby.

Edited by edicius

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Z and Dats spend the first 33 games of this season scoring at basically the same pace. Then Datsyuk went down with injury, and Z not only kept up pace but improved upon it. Dats historically has produced more points, largely due to the fact that he is - as I said before - the one who is put in the role of scoring center. If you switched the two, Z would be the Hart finalist and Selke winner, and everyone would talk about how Dats and Z used to be similar skill range, but then Z just ran off with it.

What he said.

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