Gents,
Been a Red Wing fan for years so there is always homer team bias, however, for years, we have been dazzled by Pavel Datsyuk and it only appears this guy is getting better. He is lost in the shuffle of the big names in the NHL because he doesnt produce the points like Crosby, Ovie, Sedins but if anyone appreciates the game of hockey, we need to give Datsyuk some consideration for being the best player in the game right now.
Defensively, he is a stud. He understands the importance of the back-check and knows where the pass is going even before the person making it does. HIs hard work and ethics are second-to-none. He is a little guy, yet plays like a giant. Not frequently, but he doesnt mind taking a healthy run at someone along the boards and doesnt administer a fair amount of hurt in his checks. He has some grit, showed by his fight earlier this year with Perry, and his quality right shot last night. He is the absolute king of the take-away, we havent seen anything like it before. His relentless pursuit of the player with the puck is highlighted by a perfectly time lifting of the stick and off the other way he goes. He is unselfish, always looking to find the open man, and some will argue he holds the puck too long, well thats all part of his genius. He can suck in as many as 2 or 3 guys with one possession which leaves his teammates open which he finds consistently.
And without a doubt, the best pleasure Datyuk gives us hockey fans is his complete offensive package. Tell me a player who can stop on a dime, go the other direction, without losing momentum, that other player just doesnt exist. He can deek around 3 guys in a span of 5 feet, with one or two quick shuffles of his stick.
I can go on forever about Pavel, but I think its about time the media puts Pavel on the tops of their list of Who is the Best right now!
Pavel, its a pleasure 
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