Former NHL tender Jamie McLennan on Pavel Datsyuk

[DangleDangleBeach 16]

http://www.freep.com/article/20110901/SPORTS05/110901005/Ex-goalie-s-personal-story-why-Pavel-Datsyuk-has-best-hands-NHL

Pavel Datsyuk has the best hands in the NHL.

Now this may not be breaking news for Red Wings fans, but it's an interesting perspective from one of his victims.

Jamie McLennan, who played goaltender for six teams over 11 seasons in the NHL, recently penned a column for the Hockey News on this topic. He had a first-hand account as to why he said Datsyuk is the league's best stick-handler. He recalled a time when he was in net against the Red Wings.

"Pavel Datsyuk was coming down the ice on his off wing and I was outside my crease in what I thought was a good position. I had read the rush and examined what his options were coming over the blueline: he basically had a 2-on-2 play with Henrik Zetterberg (also a scary player to face), but from what I could see, both my D-men were in good position to handle the play. Their gap was great, their stick positioning was perfect to take the pass away and it should have been a nothing play.

Well, obviously Datsyuk had other ideas, because as he got over the blueline, he faked to drive wide, cut hard to the top of the circle, moved laterally as fast as he was going forward, put the puck through the D-man’s stick, faked a pass to a streaking Zetterberg and, in full stride, snapped a ridiculous shot short side shelf that I was way too late to get."

McLennan later wrote that he watched the replay to see what he did wrong, and that's when he saw just how the term "Datsyukian" came to be. "Some things stick out in a goalie’s mind over his career and that goal will be ingrained in my mind for quite some time."

After Datsyuk, McLennan has Joe Thornton, the Sedin twins (tied, naturally), Martin St. Louis and Corey Perry in his top five.

Cant find the video of the goal... if any of you can get it post it!

[Red Wings Addict 787]

McLennan has some decent hands as well I guess.

[hooon 1,089]

McLennan has some decent hands as well I guess.

Wow I forgot about that. WTF was he thinking?

Nice break for Kipper, lol.

That's like in D2 during the first Iceland game when Goldberg gets pulled but Julie the Cat gets tossed from the game for kicking a guy or something, and then Goldberg has to go right back in.

[Red Wings Addict 787]

That's like in D2 during the first Iceland game when Goldberg gets pulled but Julie the Cat gets tossed from the game for kicking a guy or something, and then Goldberg has to go right back in.

Yeah, haha. It was two guys. One of them was Gunnar Stahl. "Thanks for the breather," Goldberg said.

[LidstromIsASuperhero 29]

Love how we don't see Crosby or ovechkin in his top 5!

[jollymania 162]

Love how we don't see Crosby or ovechkin in his top 5!

or kovalev