OPINION: Pavel Datsyuk leaving will not hurt Red Wings in long run
For long-time Detroit sports fans, the retirement of nine-year veteran wide receiver Calvin Johnson was both a shock and disappointment.
Now, another Detroit great is calling it quits.
Two-time Stanley Cup Champion Pavel Datsyuk told Mitch Albom of the Detroit Free Press that after the playoffs are done, he will leave the Detroit Red Wings and go back to Russia.
With the 37-year-old missing his family and his hometown, I wasn't surprised that he made up his mind before the end of the season.
My first thought when I saw this story was, "it's been a bad year to be a Detroit sports fan."
The Tigers missed the playoffs last season and finished in dead last in the American League Central Division after finishing the previous four seasons as AL Central Champions. The Lions also missed the playoffs and the franchise's leading receiver — and arguably the best receiver of all-time statistically — retired from the NFL.
But then I began to think of what's going on right now.
The Detroit Pistons clinched a playoff berth a few days ago for the first time since 2009. The Red Wings also clinched a playoff berth Saturday for the 25th straight season — the longest current North American sports playoff streak — after the Boston Bruins lost 6-1 to the Ottawa Senators. The Tigers have some new faces and have shown signs of improvement so far this season and the Lions made some smart moves this offseason while hiring a general manager that has ties to a winning organization, the New England Patriots.
I then asked myself if this move will hurt the Wings down the road. The short and simple answer is not at all.
The Red Wings have been in this situation before. When captain Steve Yzerman announced his retirement in 2006, Detroit already had a young core of players established and ready to rise to the challenge, Datsyuk being one of them. That is exactly what they have now that Datsyuk is hanging up the skates.
Young players like Tomas Tatar, Gustav Nyquist and even rookie Dylan Larkin are going to rise to that challenge and be the next players up in the long line of Detroit greats. We've even seen glimpses of light from Andreas Anthanasiou in the later half of the regular season. Anthony Mantha still has work to do, but he is another highly touted prospect that could contribute whenever he consistently finds the ice.
It's hard to deny that The Magic Man will be missed. It'll be difficult to watch the Wings without seeing a "Datsyukian Deke" and watching him contribute to every facet of the game.
One of my favorite Datsyuk memories was from opening night in 2010 against the Anaheim Ducks. That night, he recorded a Gordie Howe Hat Trick, meaning he had a goal, an assist and got in a fight in the same game. His goal was a beauty, his pass to Dan Cleary for his assist was phenomenal, but his fight against Corey Perry truly proved how tough the Russian center actually is. Datsyuk came out of the fight victorious and so did the Red Wings that night.
When the time is right, Datsyuk will be inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame and will have his number hanging from the rafters in the Detroit Events Center, that is being built right now. But for now, let's enjoy his final run in the playoffs and take in what we can as we watch The Magic Man perform some of his final tricks in a Detroit Red Wings sweater.
Listen to Lozon on the weekly Central Michigan Life national sports podcast, Unsportsmanlike Conduct
