The Detroit Red Wings have released their quarter-century team and there was a nice addition to their first-team that has fans thrilled. It shouldn't come as much of a surprise, but Pavel Datsyuk is now ranked amongst the Red Wings, and the NHL's, best.
The magic man was a human highlight reel for 14 years, every time he had that puck on his stick. The hall of famer deserves every bit of glaze the Red Wings faithful can give him.
Another incredible accolade
Datsyuk's placement on the Quarter-century team is another accolade on his lengthy resume of awards. Alongside being in the NHL Hall of Fame, two Stanley Cups, four Lady Byng memorial trophies, three Selke's and a place on the 100 Best Players in NHL history back in 2017-18. He is also one the best Wings player over the last 25 years.
Thinking of the last 25 seasons, the Red Wings were in the playoffs in 14 of them. That is the entirety of Datsyuk's career, meaning that he never had a season that did not end without first entering the postseason gauntlet. Truly incredible.
In 953 games, he scored 314 goals and added 604 assists for 918 points. The thing that amazes many is that he had nearly double the amount of assists as goals, considering the incredible goals he scored in his career. Houdini was stellar in the shootout, which is where this move happened, which was named after him.
— Woodward Sports Network (@woodwardsports) April 8, 2025
The next 25 years will not have another Datsyuk. The current Wings team is turning the corner, but still a ways away from being a contender like they once were. Dylan Larkin, Alex DeBrincat, Patrick Kane, and Lucas Raymond lead this team now for the forward group. But, it is nothing like the days of Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg and Marian Hossa.
The future is bright in Detroit, but the past still resonates to today. Remembering Pavel Datsyuk and his impeccable perfromances brings back memories of a better time in Red Wings hockey. Those moves and one-in-a-million goals were definately worth being apart of the select few players to be named the best over the last two and a half decades.
