Newly minted Hockey Hall-of-Famer and beloved Red Wing forward Pavel Datsyuk joined the Red Wings prospects to help out with development camp
Turning 45 later this month, Pavel Datsyuk cut a surprisingly anonymous figure Tuesday morning at the Belfor Training Center in Little Caesars Arena. He was dressed head to toe in black—cap pulled low, jacket, pants, skates, stick. He was not a coach as such, and he didn't run drills. Instead, he observed from along the boards or served as the passing outlet in a small area game. Occasionally, a small huddle of prospects gathered round, eager to receive whatever wisdom the Red Wings' "Magic Man" had to offer.
Feb 29, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk (13) watches his team take on the Dallas Stars during the third period at American Airlines Center. Datsyuk scored the game winning goal. The Red Wings defeated the Stars 3-2 in overtime
© Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Datsyuk is in town to help out his old friends—Steve Yzerman, Kris Draper, Niklas Kronwall, Dan Cleary—with the 2024 edition of Red Wings development camp, and though its been eight years since he played an NHL game, Datysuk's aura to the prospects in town to get the work was obvious, even if many of them were born after his NHL debut in October 2001.
Nate Danielson—born September 27th, 2004—described meeting Datsyuk as a "holy crap moment." Michael Brandsegg-Nygard—born October 5th, 2005—said his father was as excited about being relayed word of Datsyuk's presence at development camp as he was by anything else in the draft process.
Datsyuk himself laughed at the end of the day, when asked about the awe with which his highlight reel is regarded by the most skilled generation of hockey players to ever arrive in the league. "I hope YouTube's still working," he chuckled. "So they don't forget me." On the one hand, Datsyuk is of course correct that his sizzle reel is unforgettable, but it is hardly as though Red Wing fans needed any reminder of his brilliance.
Though he was pleased to make the trip to Detroit for development camp, Datsyuk is content in his current role in player development with the KHL club Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg, with whom he finished his career in 2021 and for whom he debuted in professional hockey in the Russian second division in 1994. He appreciates the chance to spend time with his family in the role in a way a full-time coaching gig would not afford.
As for the advice the newly minted Hall-of-Famer would offer Detroit's present crop of prospects? "You need to fall in love with your job. [That's] how you can make it farther." To anyone who had the privilege of watching Datsyuk play, there can be no doubt of his love for the gig he did so well.
