Cam's Hat Trick: Winner Winner

Game #9: Red Wings 5, Predators 2

One: Home unis. I absolutely loved the decision to bring back the home whites for this game. If it's up to the team every game, they should just buck the league trend/rules and play in their whites all the time. Not that I have anything against the gorgeous reds on the road, but there's just something awesome about the Wings in white. Reminds me of '97 and Stevie lifting that Cup for the city. Great memories.

Two: Central Division statement. So far, the Wings have dominated the Hawks and the Preds in their only divisional games this year. Those are supposedly the top two teams to challenge the Wings for the Central crown. I don't care if it's early; I love that the Wings are making a statement to their "rivals" and setting the tone for a great year. They have the best talent in the best division in the league. I'd say that puts them above everything else. Put on your white gloves, Cup people. Start engraving.

Three: Bad journalism. I just couldn't let this slide when I'm reporting on small town local news and some person out there gets to cover all the Red Wings games for the Associated Press. Here's the lead from tonight's story, found on ESPN.com:

DETROIT -- Usually a set-up man, Pavel Datsyuk has suddenly turned into quite a goal scorer.

Datsyuk had two goals and an assist to lift the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-2 victory over the Nashville Predators on Saturday night.

Seriously? I know hockey recap writers love to use the one-liners to open up a very plain game story (because they're essentially the same format every single fucking time), but this is unacceptable. Pav is a set-up man, but he's also been one of the flashiest goal scorers in this league for several years. Apparently, this idiot didn't do his/her homework. Shame on you.

Next up: Red Wings at Flames, Nov. 3 at 9:30 p.m. This game, along with the following two games against the Oilers and Canucks, will make for a tricky situation. I'm spending next weekend at Penn State to visit a few friends and catch a football game, so it's possible three games could pass before I get a chance to Hat Trick them all. So expect either a bigger summary next Sunday night or perhaps a four-game combo post following their game against the Coyotes on Nov. 8. Either way, Go Wings.

Cam's Hat Trick: Just Ducky

Game #7: Red Wings 5, Ducks 4

One: Pavel Datsyuk. Need I say more?

Two: Deflections. An amazing one by Tomas Holmstrom tied the game at four and a couple great redirections by Zetterberg brought the Wings back into it. I admit that I don't watch many other NHL games and teams, but it would be hard for me to believe anyone else in the NHL is as talented at deflecting and redirecting the puck past goalies as the Wings. The tying tally by Homer through McIlwhatever's legs was awesome. I'll never understand how a guy with such soft touch with his back to the net has absolutely no awareness or skill when facing it.

Three: Standings. Since I didn't see the game and can't offer too much comment on it, I'll take a general look at where this win puts the Wings. First. Yeah. In the league. Only seven games in and they have five wins. Sounds pretty good to me. Pittsburgh and Chicago are there too, but they've played more games without any additional success. Believe me, I'm not getting ahead of myself. It's been seven games. But I've seen enough hockey to know what it means for the Wings to get off to a hot start and get the chemistry rolling. A good October bodes well for June.

Next up: Red Wings vs. Coyotes, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. Somehow I thought the Wings were playing the Ducks twice in a row. Instead, they get the Coyotes for the second time this month.

Cam's Hat Trick: Dousing the Flames.

Game #6: Red Wings 4, Flames 2

One: The Great Datsyuk. His magic was on full display again tonight, setting up Zetterberg's goal with an amazing backhand pass and then Lidstrom's powerplay tally with a ridiculous display of tic-tac-toe stickwork. It honestly looks like he's fooling around by himself on the ice sometimes, deftly swinging the puck around and tapping it over and under opponents' sticks just for fun. There's no other player like him. I refuse to believe there ever has been or ever will be. (By the way, I must have a copy of that shirt. It's fantastic. Combines my love of The Prestige and the hockey magician himself. Gift ideas anyone? I like the slate color.)

Two: Jiiiimmy Jimmy Jimmah. Have I mentioned how much I like this kid? He's an awesome goalie. He kept the Wings in the game for the first two periods and backstopped the team to a win in the third. I've been trained to have doubts about the Wings' goaltending, except for the magical year with Dom in 2002, and this year is no exception. But I'm coming around fast with Howard in goal. He really steps up and makes big saves when the team needs it. Plus he's an awesome guy. One of those goalies who would never lift the Cup and take it home with him if he had nothing to do with the team that won it. Right? Oh. Damn. Well I'd do it too if I had the chance.

Three: I'd love to say I had three separate thoughts about this game not about Pavel Datsyuk, but I didn't. My mind was slobbering over Dats pretty much the whole time. Well, except for Franzen's awesome goal in the third that he banked off Kiprusoff's head from no angle and the puck rolled down Kipper's shoulder. That was amazing. And Bertuzzi's clincher in the top corner. Sweet. But no, this spot will be for Detroit commercials. I don't live in the area, so I can't usually watch the Wings on FSN-Detroit. But with Center Ice being free for the month of October, I caught the game on God's favorite channel and was able to watch many Michigan commercials. The Pure Michigan ad with Stevie Y chomping on an apple, the new Dr. Rahmani Eye Doctor spot with Lidstrom and my personal favorite: the Red Wings team commercial with Babcock, Osgood, Franzen, and Datsyuk. Hilarious. Almost makes me want to pony up the cash to watch Center Ice and FSN-Detroit all year long.

Next up: Red Wings vs. Ducks, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. I won't be watching, but I'll have the Hat Trick up by Sunday night once again. This is the second of three match-ups the Wings have against the Ducks this month. Odd scheduling, but I love to hate the Ducks. Let's do it.

New Wings, New Ways

It's been a while since the Detroit Red Wings have held a strong presence on this blog, and that just doesn't sit well with me.

See, I have two followings of this blog (both of which are astronomically small): One that loves the Red Wings and wants to read endless words about their awesomeness, and one that cares nothing about the Red Wings but happens to like me as a person and wants to read my writing or what's going on in my life.

So, I've always tried to do a little of both to keep both camps happy (again, these camps barely need to split a single tent) but recently, I've strayed away from the Red Wings stuff. I don't put as much effort into writing about them as I used to, and my posts often come out quite inferior to much of the A2Ys and Triple Dekes and Snipe Snipe, Dangle Dangles of the Wings blogosphere.

I have always wanted to do something consistent throughout the season, but time commitments and laziness have always thrown a wrench into my plans. This year though, I think I have it.

Cam's Hat Trick.

It will be short, it will be sweet, it will follow every Red Wings game. And it won't affect how much I blog about other subjects, although that doesn't say a whole lot. Anyway, I'll still be trying to write about both.

Now, I can't see into the future and promise that I will hit all 82 regular season games, but I'm going to try. So if you want some quick thoughts, quirky observations or completely biased reviews, I will have three following each game. Even on nights when I can't watch, I'll bring you a fresh edition of Cam's Hat Trick based on what I read and saw on the highlight reels.

That's all I will promise for now, as the idea just came to me. It's really just a watered down version of the Triple Deke's game recaps It's going to be awesome. And with that, here we go:

Game #1: Red Wings 4, Ducks 0

One: Pavel Datsyuk getting in a fight with Corey Perry was awesome. My favorite player holding his own against one of my least favorite players in the league...just beautiful to watch. I still can't believe The Great Datsyuk finally decided to drop the gloves and I wasn't there to catch it live. But I watched it many times on replay, and I'm glad to see Dats got some punches in. The Dangle Master also had a great deflection goal and an assist before he completed the Gordie Howe Hat Trick with this fight in the second period. It's an awesome way to start the season, and it gets him the first nod in the opening edition of Cam's Hat Trick.


Two: Mike Modano scores a goal on his first shot as a Wing. A fluttering puck that floated past Jonas Hiller isn't anything to get excited about, but his presence was clearly felt. The guy is excited, the guy is motivated, the guy looks fuckin' good in red. I've been on the Mo2Motown bandwagon since the first whisper rumors emerged, and I'm so psyched to see one of my favorite former non-Wings finishing his career with the greatest franchise in the world. Very happy to see he had a good game and picked up his first goal tonight.


Three: Jimmy Howard stopped every puck that came his way and kicked off his sophomore season with a great effort. Sure, it was only 21 shots and it was the Ducks, but he showed no jitters and made every play he had to make. I really like this young kid, even if he's a former Maine Black Bear. This strong opening win will be good for his confidence and I hope he can keep it going tomorrow night against the hated 'Hawks. Speaking of which...

Next up: Red Wings at Blackhawks, Oct. 9. at 8:30 p.m. We have to watch those bastards raise their Cup banner, but hopefully we can spoil their fun and take another step toward reclaiming the division crown.

Elated.

I've been sticking with the one word titles recently...not sure why. Just seems to fit my emotions perfectly each time.

Game five. A pivotal marker to see where the Finals will go. No contest.

Five goals to zero. That French-Canadian goalie warmin' the bench before the 40-minute mark. Dangling Datsyuk pulling tricks out of his cap early and often like he hadn't missed a game, let alone seven. The powerplay coming alive. Osgood's pass. Kronwall's presence down low and Datsyukian-like move for number three. Raffy's laser and Z's chin music to send Fleury packing. A meaningless third period. No stress.

The experience was amazing. After a rousing and hilarious viewing of the ridiculously hyped "The Hangover," which I would give a solid 4.5 stars, I managed to find a bar/restaurant with a couple friends to catch the game. It was already 10 minutes in, but I was just in time for the massacre about to take place.

Soon after I arrived, my fresh-legged, hetero-bromantic obsession threw out the rust factor theory and fed the Pride of Newfoundland for the game's first goal that rocked the Joe Louis faithful and gave the Wings the early lift they desperately needed. From then on, they shattered the Penguins' dreams of a road win and frustrated them beyond belief in the process.

The only game that comes to mind in comparison to this beautiful game is the 7-0 romp over the Avs in game seven of the 2002 West Finals. The tension leading up to that game was huge because whoever won that series would certainly be the eventual Cup champion, and it was still one of the most popular rivalries in sports. Then, Patty Roy let in a bunch of goals while the Wings flew towards Cup #10. I see the same happening after tonight, except with Cup #12 in their sights.

I can't help but wonder what Pittsburgh fans are feeling right now because I really don't know. Are they whining about the officiating? Are they embarrassed? Are they angry at the Wings or at their own supporting cast? Are they all of these things? I only ask because the game went completely to pieces after about the third or fourth goal, and numerous cheap shots were being thrown by Penguins players (even notable guys like Crosby and Malkin). Their poise, pride and sense of accomplishment after games three and four were all completely gone.

Amid the continual stream of stupid penalties, I found another comparison unlike the one before to Colorado in '02. How about game four in Chicago a week and a half ago? Those young 'Hawks showed the world that they weren't ready for the big stage against the class of the league by throwing elbows and crosschecks and roughing up every non-teammate in sight. It felt the same way tonight with the Pens. These young guns from Pittsburgh might have fresher legs and arguably more talent (not by my judgment, but by some), but it is shockingly clear that they do not have the maturity level of a champion yet. Not even close. That is probably the largest difference between Gretzky and Crosby, and thus the '80s Oilers and the '00s Penguins. Maturity gets you through periods of adversity. The Red Wings have it; the Penguins don't.

And that's where a lot of the dislike towards Crosby comes from. A true leader rarely whines; he doesn't lose his cool even in the most intense moments of a game. He leads by example and puts all the blame on himself if the team loses, even if he was the only player to show up and play well. Crosby is a phenomenal player; there is no disputing that. His vision is unmatched and he's the clear-cut choice over Ovechkin and Malkin as the most explosive player in hockey. There's a reason why Detroit has concentrated its efforts on him and let Malkin do his thing. Crosby is always dangerous when he's on the ice. He's quick, smart and incredibly skilled, but he needs to learn some leadership skills. His slash on Zetterberg (regardless of how much acting went into it) is exactly the kind of thing that shows why he doesn't always get the respect he deserves. Maybe he was threaded with the "C" too early, but that's not my argument. I think to gain the kind of admiration and respect from other NHL players (like Gretzky had) and not just the fans or the McGuires of the media or the league officials, he needs to start learning how to be a leader and understand that unlike in PeeWees, it's not always the best player on the ice who wears that "C" on their sweater.

Okay, enough about Crosby (or should I say..."Rosby" after that last paragraph! Ha ha!). It's pretty late and I'd like to wake up early enough to catch the French Open final. Tonight, it was all Red Wings and I'm very happy about that. If you couldn't tell from my last post, I was seriously doubting my team's chances at success after their performances Tuesday and Thursday. Luckily, they reassured my hopes tonight. Two days of rest should be helpful, and I can't wait to sport my Datsyuk jersey again on Tuesday. Just one more game stands in the way of a second consecutive championship. Let's do this. Go Wings. See you Tuesday.

I love the Triple Deke who loves Bruce MacLeod

Yep, I steal things and sometimes can't come up with anything to say on my own. But, via the Triple Deke via Red Wings Corner, I found this.

DATSYUK LOOKS TO BE RETURNING

UPDATE: Babcock just said that Datsyuk is a game-time decision. "We have an optional skate tomorrow morning and we'll see how he responds after that and after today. I have to talk to (trainer) Piet (Van Zant) and see how (Datsyuk) looks." Datsyuk also said that he would be a game-time decision tomorrow.

That said, Datsyuk was practicing hard today, doing drills for the first time in a long time. The practice lines were shuffled as though they were preparing for Pavel being back. It sure looks like Datsyuk will be back unless his body takes a step backwards after today's workout.

Also, Babcock just confirmed that Draper is back in the lineup, but said that he doesn't know who's out. Well, it sure looks like Abdelkader is out. Leino and Maltby were Draper's wings in practice. Draper, Maltby and Leino were off the ice for a half-hour while Abdelkader worked out.

I am excited, amazed, hopeful, and ecstatic. Don't even try to tell me Dats "won't be 100 percent" or "he won't be as quick" or any of that. A 60 percent Dangle Dangle is better than anyone on Pittsburgh's team. Yeah, I said it. He's that good. And if he's playing tomorrow? He's at least 80 percent. Look out, Penguins: You may have happy feet, but Datsyuk's about to put on his stompin' feet. Kill some birds, Pav. You better be out there tomorrow night; I've already got my hopes way up.

I'll be taking after my buddy Jake in game two and will be trying my own hand at some live twittering/tweeting/twatting for game four. It'll be here, if you have absolutely nothing to do whatsoever tomorrow night. See ya then. Go Wings.

Hey everyone! Come see how good I look!

Great picture, isn't it? You're welcome.

It's so nice to see the Datsyukian Delight finally get some credit for his efforts, as he is a finalist for the Hart, Selke and Lady Byng trophies this year. Even though I'd love to see Dats win it, the Hart is going to go to Malkin and Ovechkin will be a close second. But, as you can see from my picture, the winner of the award doesn't concern me because Pavel clearly has his mind on other things.

The Quest for Lord Stanley's Cup (try saying that with any other sports championship trophy and you might get kneecapped) is one full round in. The last two teams to advance last night were the Carolina Hickcanes, in a shocking upset of the Devils in the final minutes of a game seven, and the Washington Capitals, who completed their comeback from a 3-1 series hole against the Rangers to win it in seven games. I was 6 of 8 in the first round, only erring in the New Jersey-Carolina and Chicago-Calgary series (it appears I was actually taking crazy pills when I picked the Flames). I'm satisfied with that...it's the exact same number of teams I picked right last year too. And now that all of the matchups for round two have been decided, I'm ready to pick my winners for this one:

Eastern Conference

(1) Boston Bruins vs. (6) Carolina Hurricanes


The Bruins looked really, really good against the Canadiens. They won four straight games, got solid but not outstanding goaltending from Tim Thomas and beat the Habs. The Hurricanes, meanwhile, lucked their way past the Devils with some untimely goals let up by Marty Brodeur even though their team is actually pretty bad. This series between the Bruins and Canes annoys me greatly because it basically gives the Bruins another free pass. The Habs are crap, the Canes are crap and then woo hoo, they're in the Conference Finals. Stupid, but oh well. Boston in five.

(2) Washington Capitals vs. (4) Pittsburgh Penguins


The Capitals looked more than vulnerable in the first few games of the Rangers series, but rookie goalie Somebody Varlamov has them playing with confidence and poise. The Penguins have been waiting around for their next opponent after dispatching the Flyers in six games, and have looked as sharp as they were last year. Marc-Andre Fleury looks insane and I think he carries this series. Ovechkin, Crosby, and Malkin make this series a huge one for the league, but as Melrose said this morning, it will be the goalies who steal the show. My money's on Fleury. Pittsburgh in six.

Western Conference

(2) Detroit Red Wings vs. (8) Anaheim Ducks


Awesome. The epic series that should have happened last year if the Ducks weren't so hungover is finally happening. It will be stressful, I will hate me some Poultry and I will yell more obscenities at the TV than ever before. Boy, do I hate these players. Pronger, Niedermayer, Selanne, Getzlaf, Perry, Parros, everyone else. There's not a single player I like on this team. It's going to be a blood bath, and I think Detroit will emerge. The Wings and more importantly, Osgood, looked real sharp in their first round sweep of the Blue Jackets. The Ducks are no regular eighth seed and have Jonas Hiller playing phenomenal hockey, but they take way too many penalties to get away with this series. Detroit's power play is ridiculous and the Wings won't stoop to Anaheim's level of play (as the Sharks did). Those keys, and Osgood, keep the Wings flying towards Cup #12. Detroit in six.

(3) Vancouver Canucks vs. (4) Chicago Blackhawks


Ugh. I don't even want to pick this series. The Canucks, who have never won a Cup and will never win a Cup as long as I live, aren't going anywhere even with Luongo. The Blackhawks, who haven't won a Cup since 1961, are just too young and looked too mediocre against the Flames to give me any confidence. So, I don't know. Canucks, Blackhawks, Canucks, Blackhawks; they're both the same. Either one will lose to Detroit in the Conference Finals. Soooo I'm going to pick Detroit's bitch just to make it more fun. Chicago in seven.

Done. Necesito hacer mi tarea por mi clase de español. Game 1 is Friday night. I'll be here with pregame and recap. Adios amigos.

Scooped by SI

Back in January, I made an argument about why Pavel Datsyuk is the best player in the NHL and has been since the lockout. This year, he's only three points shy of 100 and is having his best year yet. So for me, there's no question he's the choice for the Hart Trophy (MVP) this year. And apparently, more objective observers are starting to notice too.

Datsyuk has more than his share of YouTube highlights—"He can embarrass you wherever the puck is, on his stick or in his skates," Chicago right wing Patrick Sharp says—but, of course, that does not distinguish him from other stars such as Washington's effusive Alexander Ovechkin, whose celebration after his 50th goal last month lacked only pom-poms and a Sharpie, and Pittsburgh's Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. Datsyuk, who has yet to score 35 goals or total 100 points in a season, had a career-high 32 goals and 63 assists through Sunday. He was 13 points back of the league-leading Malkin and 23 goals behind Ovechkin, who is favored to repeat as the MVP.

But if you are willing to wade a little deeper into the statistics, you don't need 20-20 vision to see that Datsyuk is the most efficient—and arguably most productive and valuable—of the Russian troika.

Datsyuk averages 19 minutes, 14 seconds of ice time a game, almost four minutes fewer than Ovechkin and about three fewer than Malkin. Of those 19-plus minutes, he spends an average of 3:26 on the power play (about two minutes fewer than the other two with the man-advantage) and 1:37 on the penalty kill (about 30 seconds more). Babcock also tends to use Datsyuk's line against opponents' most dangerous threesomes. Thus, Datsyuk not only plays less overall, he also gets significantly fewer minutes in prime scoring time. Still, he averages more points a minute than either Ovechkin or Malkin.

Throw in Datsyuk's first-rate 56.7 face-off percentage, and it becomes clear that his ability to accomplish so much in so little time should get him into the Hart Trophy debate.

That's from Michael Farber's new article in Sports Illustrated this week. The whole piece is great, as it highlights Pavel's hilarious commercial fame and talks up my favorite player in the league. And, because I can, I prefer to think Farber must have looked at my argument before writing his own story. Either that or he's saw The Triple Deke's new poll, which could be the best, and least arguable, thing I've ever seen.

The Red Wings have three games left before the season's over, and then the playoffs start on April 15th. I'm pumped slash terrified. It's about time to board the good ol' A2Y stress train (#23)...

Oh, and it's Masters week. Quite possibly the best week of the year. I'm thinking Tiger, as usual, but Cool-New-Look Lefty will definitely be up there too. Some guys to watch for are Nick Watney and Dustin Johnson though...I just have a good feeling about 'em.

Hey, Western Canada: You're too far away!

1,875 miles. That's the distance from Detroit to Calgary. Add another 200 miles to that, and you get the total for Detroit's two-day trip to Western Canada for games against the Flames and the Edmonton Oilers. Now I'm not a big-time geographer or anything, but anyplace that I can't get to after three straight weeks of walking shouldn't be on the Red Wings' schedule. And it's in Canada? Jeez, and I thought this was the National Hockey League.

I kid; of course we need these Canadian teams in the league. Who else would we turn to when we need someone to lose a Stanley Cup to great hockey cities like Carolina, Tampa Bay, and Anaheim?

Anyway, I'll start with the Red Wings' 5-3 loss to the Flames on Monday night. It was bull-poo, poo-head, and this poo is cold. The Flames got an empty-net goal near the end to seal the win, but when the score was 3-1 in the third, the quick-in-every-sense-of-the-word Calgary referees blew the game with a fast whistle that negated a Red Wings goal and saved Kipper's Finnish buns (which, coincidentally, sounds like a bad seafood restaurant you'd find in Western Canada). The Flames would soon after add another goal to make it 4-1, but the resilient Wings came back with two of their own to cut the lead to one. And, if you're keeping score at home, that means the game would have been tied if the referees didn't ruin everything. Grrrr. A tough, playoff-type game against a good team on the road and that's the difference-maker? Annoying. But, in all fairness to the zebras, if it weren't for Ozzie's three pillowy-soft goals to open the game, the Wings would have won without a problem. Apparently those pieces of his game I mentioned he was picking up were for a completely different puzzle. Maybe they fit better in this one?

As for the Edmonton game, the Red Wings scored three goals in the third and absolutely took it to the Oilers after the first period. While a few Wings looked like magicians with sticks (Datsyuk, Franzen, and Hossa come to mind), I felt like the rest of the team was trying to make too many passes instead of firing it on Rolosieve. And that's insane because the Red Wings still had more than 40 shots! But, Rolosieve is Rolosieve and ya know...those goals were comin' one way or another. I thought Conklin looked alright in net too, except for the first goal he allowed. He was wayy out of position and his wave-at-the-place-he-hoped-the-puck-was move didn't work nearly as well as he hoped. But the Wings won, inching them a point ahead of the Sharks once again for the league lead.

The Red Wings' next game is at home against the Islanders on Friday, which should be completely expected if they win and hair-pullingly aggravating if they lose, considering the Isles are the worst team in hockey by a wide margin. In fact, they're so bad that it's almost like they're on their own island of awfulness! Ha ha! Oy, I should've stopped with Rolosieve. That seriously was a work of art though. Took me almost eight seconds in Paint. Put that on your sixteenth chapel and smoke it, Michelangelo.

I'm done, I swear. Goodnight all, way to go Wings.

Exhibits A and B

Pavel Datsyuk is a God among men. His set up to Holmstrom for the Wings' second goal tonight was unreal. *Update - It also managed to get #4 praise in Sportscenter's Top 10 Plays*

And his game-leading goal in the third period was an absolute gem. What this video can't show you is that he roofed the puck up in the top left corner from a ridiculous angle in a space so small even a mouse couldn't squeeze into. One of the announcers said after the goal that Datsyuk would be the "valedictorian of awesome school." That line right there pretty much sums up my whole argument from the previous post. I love it.

I'm still seething about their overtime loss though...an absolutely terrible call by the officials to give the Stars a powerplay with less than 4 minutes left and then of course, Dallas ties it up and wins it on a lucky goal in overtime. GRRRRRR! Such crap. Ozzie had such a great game in goal...he had multiple miraculous saves (see below) that were wasted by bad officiating and bad luck. I'll get over this loss soon enough but for now, I'm pissed. Enjoy the highlights...at least they made the game worth watching.

Now 'Dats' a Hell of an Argument...

The first nine days of 2009 have highlighted one important aspect of today's NHL: there is one player that stands above the rest. One player whose skill set cannot be equaled. One player who has been overshadowed by his talented teammates for too long. That man is Pavel Datsyuk.

Since his "wind-aided" goal in the Winter Classic, Datsyuk's name has lit up on hockey blogs and message boards across the country. He's been on a scoring tear for the past month and his shootout goal against Minnesota drew even more elevated praise. The guy is fun to watch, I know. But I'm not saying that Datsyuk has been the NHL's best player for the past nine days or even the past nine months; I'm saying he's been the best player in the NHL since the lockout.

I can already hear the "HOOOM-ER" chants coming. Yep, you said it. I'm a Red Wings fan; I love watching Pavel Datsyuk. I've been in awe of him ever since he showed signs of brilliance alongside Brett Hull and Boyd Devereaux in his first season, 2001-02. But I'm not making this claim without significant reasoning, without the proper statistics.

First off, he's automatically a top 15 player in the league. That much is objectively factual. His point totals in the four years since the lockout have been 87, 87, 97, and 47 (through 40 games of the 2008-09 season). Those ranked him as 17th, 15th, 4th, and 5th in the league by points alone. His goal production has been steady at close to 30 goals per year (28, 27, 31, and 18 already this season) and his assist numbers have been top ten in the league all four post-lockout years.

But many experts and hockey historians (is there such a thing?) will judge a player's overall skill by three categories: goals, assists, and total points. If that's the right way to do it, then I'm clearly wrong. Datsyuk is a step behind in each of those statisics. I argue however, that goals, assists, and points are not the only things that matter in a hockey game. You have to include all the intangibles (penalty minutes, face-off percentage, takeaways, average time on the ice, shots on goal, and even plus-minus ratings) to determine the best in the league. It is here where Datsyuk rises to the top.

Players that take a lot of penalties cause their teams incredible suffering. They might be good for momentum in the case of a fight, but they create a great chance for opposing teams and they're bad for a skill player's stat sheet. Datsyuk has totaled only 72 penalty minutes in the past four years combined; Jarome Iginla, Evgeni Malkin, Dany Heatley, Rick Nash, Ryan Getzlaf, and Vincent Lecavalier all had more than 72 PIMs just last season and each of them are considered an integral part of the NHL's elite. In fact, Datsyuk has had by far the lowest penalty minute total among the top 30 point leaders in the NHL each season since the lockout.

Faceoff winning percentage and takeaways are huge factors too. To score goals, you need the puck. To get the puck, you need to win faceoffs or take the puck from the other team. It's that simple. Datsyuk is among the best in both categories, ranking 22nd, 8th, 20th, and 8th in the league in faceoff win percentage over the past four seasons (his highest being 57.0%) and he has been 1st in the league in takeaways three straight years. His takeaway numbers are staggering: 370 total takeaways since the lockout. The closest person in his rearview mirror is his new linemate Marian Hossa, who only has 259 in that same four-season-span. Don't try to tell me that doesn't count for something.

I know that by now, you're probably squirming in your seat waiting for some evidence to downplay the two biggest icons in hockey today: Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin. I certainly didn't overlook them; in fact, they were the main focus for the argument and I meticulously looked for any flaws I could find. As a couple of the best players in the NHL, they have very few but like the journalist I am, I jumped at the even slightest opportunity to drop them below Datsyuk.

For example, Ovechkin the Wunderkind simply takes too many shots. He just does. It might not seem like a bad thing because he scores so many goals (65 last year) but he took 446 shots last season and missed the net completely on 199 of them. That means that 45% of the time he is shooting, he could instead be looking to make a better pass or play. All the same, that's hardly a reason to drop Alexander the Great too far down on the list of top NHLers...simply one or two spots below the Datsyukian Delight.

As for Sid the Kid, he's about as airtight as they come. He's got Gretzky-vision and the ability to make something out of nothing. But while playing on the Penguins' top line has helped him create plenty of chances and points, it has also led to a lack of takeaways and plus/minus rating. Crosby's highest takeaways total was only 37, in 2006-07, and his highest plus/minus was a +18 last year. Datsyuk already has 49 takeaways through 40 games this season and was tops in the league with a plus/minus of 41 last year.

Throw in three consecutive Lady Byng trophies (and counting...) for the NHL's most gentlemanly player and one Selke Trophy for the league's best defensive forward, and the scale just keeps tip-tip-tipping in Datsyuk's favor.
So, how come his name never comes up with the Ovechkins, Crosbys, and Malkins? Well, he plays on the best team in world and is constantly overshadowed by the likes of Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg, and the aformentioned Hossa, who are all in that elite conversation themselves.

But not anymore. Datsyuk has reached the pinnacle. I hope I've convinced you too, but just in case you need one final note of confirmation...I'm 100% positive that none of the NHL's elite already have two of these:

Winging in the New Year

The tradition is only two years young but I must say, I couldn't approve of the Winter Classic more. I watched most of the original game last year between the Sabres and Penguins and I ate up every second of the Red Wings-Blackhawks matchup a few days ago. The mystique. The history. The nostalgic pond hockey memories. The skill, the weather, the new yet old memorabilia. The little things, like the layer of brick outside the boards to simulate one of the most famous parts of Wrigley Field. It's all good.

Obviously, I'm happier about the game because the Red Wings won but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate the amount of money, work, and effort that goes into making this event happen. My point is that it's not just that the Red Wings won, it's that they got the chance to play in this game. I think everyone, including some nonchalant hockey fans, love this new tradition and will allow it to prosper in the coming years. Especially if the rumored Fenway Park game between Boston and Montreal comes together. That might even put this year's classic to shame with all the history between that park and those two teams.

I'm just glad that the NHL has at least one great thing going for them that is on national television and hyped up enough to grab people's attention. The league is moving forward, and I like that.

Speaking of things moving forward...how about Pavel Datsyuk and the Red Wings? They are certainly bringing the New Year's celebration to Detroit in style, with that impressive win over Minnesota last night. If you didn't see Datsyuk's shootout goal...watch the video below. His skill is staggering, jaw-dropping, eye-opening, and any other amazing adjectives you can throw in. I honestly would be hard pressed to find a better player with the puck anywhere in the world.

To finish off this Wings update, I like what Scott Van Pelt had to say about the Wings during last night's top ten plays on Sportscenter where Datsyuk's goal was #6 (WHAT?). He said, "Just give them the Cup now. I'm telling you, nobody beats them four times in the spring." I like that too. I wouldn't say it myself because, well, I wouldn't want to risk jinxing my team. But to have an objective observer like Van Pelt say that means something. It means watch out NHL, these Wings aren't ready to let go of Stanley yet. He's still ours.

One more thing before I go: the NHL All-Star Game starter voting. It's dumb. It really is. I assume that you think I'm only saying it because no one on the Wings was selected, but that's not it at all. It's dumb because the starters in a hockey game stay on the ice for a maximum of 60 seconds. Why does it matter? Let the coaches decide. It caught my attention because the fans can vote as many times as they want and essentially, "stuff the ballot boxes," which led to this: (the game is being played in Montreal, mind you).

Western Conference All-Star Starters

F - Patrick Kane (CHI)
F - Jonathan Toews (CHI)
F - Ryan Getzlaf (ANA)
D - Scott Niedermayer (ANA)
D - Brian Campbell (CHI)
G - Jean-Sebastien Giguere (ANA)

Eastern Conference All-Star Starters
F - Sidney Crosby (PIT)
F - Evgeni Malkin (PIT)
F - Alexei Kovalev (MON)
D - Andrei Markov (MON)
D - Mike Komisarek (MON)
G - Carey Price (MON)

I'm not sure if anybody from Chicago, Anaheim, Pittsburgh, or Montreal voted in these polls...but from the looks of it, the residents of those four cities spent the past four months in front of a computer clicking their votes in every second of every day. How else do you explain Crosby's 1.7 million votes? What a joke.

The game's in Montreal, so I can see why the Canadiens fans would want their players to start the game, but Chicago? Anaheim!!? Crosby and Malkin are obviously deserving, but how can players like Alexander Ovechkin, Tim Thomas, Phil Kessel, Marc Savard, Zach Parise, Jeff Carter, Joe Thornton, Dennis Wideman, and Dan Boyle not be in the running for starting positions? (Not to mention Wings players like Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Hossa, and Lidstrom who are all amongst the tops in the league). It's ridiculous. How is it possible that the TOP FIVE TEAMS IN THE LEAGUE (San Jose, Boston, Detroit, Washington, Calgary) are left completely unrepresented? Doesn't make any sense. But, not to worry since all of those players I mentioned will be on the full squads anyway (I hope). So, just for kicks, here are my all-star starters just to spite the fan-voting process laid out by the NHL.

Cam's Western Conference All-Star Starters
F - Pavel Datsyuk (DET)
F - Marian Hossa (DET)
F - Jarome Iginla (CAL)
D - Dan Boyle (SJS)
D - Nicklas Lidstrom (DET)
G - Nicklas Backstrom (MIN)
Cam's Eastern Conference All-Star Starters
F - Evgeni Malkin (PIT)
F - Alexander Ovechkin (WAS)
F - Zach Parise (NJD)
D - Dennis Wideman (BOS)
D - Mike Green (WAS)
G - Tim Thomas (BOS)

That's what I'd do anyway. But seriously, leave it up to the coaches. There should just be an all-star team, not separately-decided starters. It's dumb. I hope I emphasized that.

I hope everyone's New Year's celebrations were fun and exciting. Since 2008 was great, I can only expect 2009 to be ever so fine. Stick to those resolutions!