HHOF Profiles: Two-way threat Pavel Datsyuk made Motown magi…

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Postmedia is profiling the 2024 Hockey Hall of Fame indiction class this week. Today, Detroit Red Wings centre Pavel Datsyuk

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When the Siri virtual assistant first became popular, Red Wings’ fans liked to say “Magic Man” into their devices and get an automated bio of Pavel Datsyuk. 

But long before earning that nickname, Datsyuk was a gawky rookie at Detroit’s 2001 training camp, chosen a distant 171st in the draft, with nothing really to distinguish him from the crowd. 

“He was in his mid-20s, not one of the classic rookies whom there’d been a buzz about,” recalled Brendan Shanahan, one of many stars on the Wings at that time. “There are always faces in camp you recognize and guys who are new. Sadly, there comes a point where many (of the latter) are sent home. 

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“We knew we had a really good team that year. (Coach) Scotty Bowman split us into two groups, with Pavel and I in different ones, and we’re kept apart until about one or two pre-season games were left and Scotty brought together the opening night lineup.  

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“I hadn’t seen Brett Hull all camp because he was in Pavel’s group. So we get ready for practice and this kid walks through the main room, looking sheepish, his toes pointed in a bit, who seemed kind of small. He doesn’t speak much English and I’m saying to the guys ‘who the heck is that?’

“But Brett, who doesn’t like to compliment many players, tells me ‘wait til you see this guy. You’re all gonna want to play on his wing. He’ll be a huge star.’ And immediately Pavel was.”

Datysuk played 70 games, had 35 points and finished fourth in Calder Trophy voting, appearing in 21 playoff games as Detroit went the distance. On Monday, he goes in the Hall of Fame with Shanahan and Hull.

“Brett cornered the market on playing with him,” Leafs president Shanahan said with a laugh. “Their line in the playoffs with Boyd Devereaux (like Datsyuk, aged 23) was called Two Kids and An Old Goat.

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“I played a bit on Pavel’s line in my last year, but always remember that unexpected introduction. He made a very good team and we won the Cup. But what I really respected about him was within the culture we had in Detroit, started by Steve Yzerman, and as great as Pavel was offensively, he was determined to be physically stronger and an exceptional two-way player. 

“You weren’t going to play on that team unless you could take care of the puck. He was good at that in the very beginning, then became elite, winning (three) Selke Trophies and could’ve won more. With all that talent and all that creativity, he took just as much pride in blocking shots, playing defence and stealing pucks.”  

For a young defender named Shea Weber, who also is in the Hall’s 2024 class, Datsyuk provided a few hairy welcome-to-the-NHL moments. 

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“He was one of the hardest guys to (play against) with his takeaways, stripping you and going back up the ice,” Weber said. “Not to mention you wanted to make a physical presence known on a guy like that, but his reverse hits and the way he kept the puck in open ice is obviously a trait he had a lot of.” 

Though he was a first-year eligible Hall pick and skipped a growing waiting line for selection, Datsyuk considers himself “a lucky boy.” 

“When you have a team game, you recognize it’s not only you (who has to be) good,” Datsyuk said. “You need good people around you who do the same of what you do (in a) different style.  

“They give me the Selke, but I know and always appreciated people who are around me, who help me — not only in a game where lots of people watch. 

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“I always recognize how many practices we do together and how we hard work together.”  

PAVEL DATSYUK

POSITION: Centre 

BORN: July 20, 1978, in Sverdlovsk, Russia 

BY THE NUMBERS

In NHL regular season, 953 games played, 314-604-918 points; in playoffs, 157 GP, 2-71-113 … In his last six KHL seasons back home before retirement, he played 260 regular-season games with 204 points … In a total of 92 Olympic and world championships games, compiled 58 assists and 80 points. 

HALL CALL

Won two Stanley Cups with Detroit, including his rookie year … Voted by hockey writers for three Selke Trophy awards as the NHL’s best defensive player and four Lady Byngs for good on-ice conduct with a high standard of play … Won two Olympic golds with Russia and one world title … A 2009 second-team all-star and voted one the NHL’s best 100 players of all time. 

DID YOU KNOW

In Detroit’s 2011 NHL pre-season, Datsyuk wore No. 24 instead of 13 to recognize former Russian/Red Wing teammate Ruslan Salei, who had died a few days earlier in the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash. 

[email protected] 

X: @sunhornby  

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