On December 22, Red Wings fans everywhere got what was the equivalent of a lump of coal in their stocking for Christmas.
Pavel Datsyuk, Detroit's leading scorer, and theretofore team MVP, fell awkwardly to the ice in a game against the Vancouver Canucks and in so doing, fractured his right hand.
The loss of such an important and irreplaceable player as Datsyuk (for what, optimistically, could be a little over a month) put a damper on the spirits of fans and teammates alike, and for good reason.
No team recovers from the loss of a player of his caliber, they simply try to live through it.
At the time, I suggested that, though losing Datsyuk was a serious blow, the Red Wings may actually benefit from other players stepping up to pick up the slack.
Seven games into the saga known as "Life Without Pav," we have indeed seen a few players elevate their games in the absence of Datsyuk, helping to shoulder the considerable load the Russian superstar routinely carries with ease.
Thanks to these extra efforts, the Wings have been able to sustain a respectable 4-2-1 record without Datsyuk.
However, given that the Win ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Matt Hutter
Pavel Datsyuk Injury: 3 Red Wings Who’ve Stepped It Up and 3 Who Still Need To
January 6th, 2011 by Matt Hutter Leave a reply »
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