How Pavel Datsyuk Became a Hockey Legend! 

Pens fan here but just gotta say, this is a player that we all miss as hockey fans. Datsyuk was truly special.

Probably the most watched player of his generation by other NHL players and skills coaches. That's the highest compliment.

Watching him when he was healthy and on his game was unreal. He had a near supernatural sense of opposing player and puck movements that made it seem like he was playing half a second into the future. To see him steal a puck behind his own goal and methodically deke each member of the opposing team (sometimes multiple times) left your jaw on the floor. And it's not like he was doing this to 3rd and 4th liners. Pavel was picking the pocket and breaking the ankles of star players while inventing new moves. He looked at the game different, he moved different, and he even looked different.

I literally grew up watching Datsyuk. I'll forever be a fan

Despite how skillful he was, I will never forget when Corey Perry goaded him into a fight, he dropped the gloves, and somehow gave the much larger Perry all he could handle. He could literally do it all on the ice, but was a gentleman and sportsman by choice.

The Theif, The Magic Man, Destroyer of Defenses, Killer of Goalie Confidences, and The King of the Dekes.

Lovely video. Only thing I can think of that's missing is mentioning how he could play so effectively without resorting to anything not allowed. Winning the Lady Byng for most gentlemanly player while also picking up the Selke for best defensive forward is pretty insane - and he did it two years in a row (and had four consecutive Lady Byngs).

I’m so happy there’s still people who love this guy! I wish he stayed in the nhl longer 😢

Something that is never mentioned is how well Datsyuk hit people. He lead the wings in hits through both their cup runs in the late 00’s in the playoffs. He also has some of the hardest hits I’ve ever seen an undersized player perform. The man had the complete tool set and could steal a puck just as beautifully as he could score or assist it. It was a pleasure watching him play

I went to a red wings game in 2015 and seen him and warm ups and i can’t explain how crazy his hands were. He was born with a gift to put smiles on peoples faces. Miss this guy all the time. Heres one more thing. When he retired wings havnt made the playoffs at all . That shows he was a big part of the team

My brother, who ONLY watches hockey and NO other sports, like myself, has always said..."Pavel Datsuyk is probably the best player to ever play pro hockey in North America." He's almost 50 and has been watching since he was a small child and he's probably right.

What I found amazing was that when players were polled, they consistently said he was the hardest player to take the puck away from, while simultaneously the most difficult to keep from stealing the puck from you. Today I watch players like Trevor Zegras and think "the kids all grew up practicing Datsyuk's moves and look at where it's got them". He truly changed how hockey is played, and not many players can say that.

The Legend. There is no other, there will be no other like him.

Pavel datsyuk is the most underrated player of all time

Pavel would be a starter on any all time fantasy team. Hands down the overall most skilled player of my lifetime.

My favorite player of all time. Was a privilege to watch him play every game. I was spoiled being a wings fan

He's incredible. One of the most skilled players ever.

The Picasso of hockey. Stroke of genius the way he played the game.

In his prime I think he may have been the best player in the league. A true genius of our game.

Thank you for showing people how amazing the Magic Man was. It was a privilege watching him in Detroit.

I think Datsyuk is the most skilled player of all-time. He belongs on the first line of any all-time NHL greats team, imo. His defense was just as elite as his offense.

One of my favorite players of all time and I’m a Penguins fan.

Born and raised a die hard Leafs fan and even as a Detroit player he was ALWAYS my absolute favourite. Absolutely magical hands. He started the wave on 'dangles'. Matthews is now my favourite.

the move @0:44 is just so iconic, I had forgotten about it until seeing it here and it was always one of my favorite moves I ever saw

He was on another level at the time, yeah. Just jaw dropping, still, some of this stuff.

My favourite player of all time...

He was so amazing a great 2 way player. I wish the wing could fine another later round like him.

Blessed to be a Wings fan and had watched his entire career from start to finish, he was the truest form of a game changer

One of my favourite players and in my option, he’s the best hockey player of all time

Datsyuk is the reason I love the red wings and one of the reasons I played puck

Hakan Anderson has to be one of the best scouts in history

Favorite player ever. I’m so lucky I got to see him tons of times at the Joe. I have a framed autographed jersey of his in my office.

Glad to have met the man a couple times here in Detroit. What a humble gentleman as well as a hockey legend.

I miss Pav every time i turn on hockey. Best player to ever play despite that stats he put up. hard to argue otherwise. Great video tho man, its always nice to see a new video on Datsyuk

Thanks you for making this video. Dats is truly a.azing and I am glad others know it too. The only missing from all the highlight videos I have seen on him, no one has mentioned how he great he was without the puck. His stick handling is amazing; no one has posted a comp of his skills just keeping the other teams from TOUCHING the puck. He can play keep away with the other team while staying behind the net and not lose the puck. If you ask seri on the apple phones, " who is the magic man?" She will tell you that it is Datsyuk!

He was so great at faceoffs I remember seeing games where if Detroit absolutely needed to win a faceoff, but it wasn't Datsyuk's shift they would put him on the ice to win the faceoff and immediately skate to the bench.

Magician. Respect from an Avs fan.

I saw him play 4 times. Two games in Detroit in 07 and 09, and games in St Louis in 08 and in Chicago in 09. All 4 games he was incredible, breathtaking really. I believe he has the highest hockey IQ of a player in the history of the NHL. Had he not missed the first 4 games of the finals in 09 because of his foot injury, they would have beat the Penguins and repeated as champs I have zero doubt.

The most talented player i've ever born whitness too.... he would do things we had never seen on a weekly basis AND he could just take over a shift single handed when the need arose!!!

They don't call him the Magic Man for nothing. I miss this guy he was way ahead of his time

When I was a kid (born in 02) I never got into hockey even tho my whole family was die hard isles fans. One day in like 06 or 07 the isles were playing the wings and I sat with my family to watch. when I saw datsyuk skate and how fluid he looked on the ice I fell in love with the game. He is the reason I watch and started to play hockey. I no longer play bc I was never the best but he is the reason that I still want to pursue a career in the hockey world. Idk who I’d be or what I’d be doing if I never watched that game.

Honestly, I see some comparable traits of Datsyuk with Raymond. I don't imagine Raymond will reach that *Hockey God* level but at the same time, Datsyuk was 24 when he made his NHL debut and Raymond just turned 20 last month. He has that cerebral presence and moves similarly to Datsyuk on the ice. Also has that 200ft game ability already, being one of our best defensive forwards as a rookie. He needs to add more strength but that will come with time. I miss seeing Datsyuk out there on the ice. So glad I got to watch him and Zetterberg play live once in my life. I'll never forget it! #LGRW

Best hockey handle ever...and I'm a Hawks fan who watched Patrick Kane!

I think he is the most complete player the game of hockey has ever seen. Tremendously gifted, a great learner of the NHL and likely extremely well trained in Russia. Is he an anomaly , a one of a kind or are any players coming out of Russia who possess such awesome skills and hockey intelligence? These videos will never get old .

It brings tears to my eyes when I realize we'll never get to see him play again!!

The Man, The Myth, The Legend

That flick and those toe drags. Nobody could ever do it like him. He’s a fucking monster of a hockey player

One thing that I always thought was an under-rated part of his game was he was so strong on his feet. People would hit him and it wouldn't even budge him.

My favorite moment was my Yotes buying his contract and him never playing for them lol. Honestly though, an absolute legend. Great video!

My favorite player of all time. Thanks for the vid!

Legend!!! One of his Selke trophy speeches was "I want speech longer but my English short" I swear fans and media never understood how revered he was by the league.

I've always described him to non-hockey fans as the "Barry Sanders of Hockey." Then I would show them some highlights, and they would say that's a spot-on comparison.

My Favorite modern era red wing. He should have been the Captain after Nick, but knowing Datsyuk he probably said give it to Hank. Guy changed hockey forever, all the kids from 2000s were practicing their Datsyukian Dekes, and playing his 2 way game.

Smack that like button. 👍 greatest set of mits and bag full of tricks up sleeve. The greatest red wing player of all time !!!!!

Павлик, ты легенда! Гордимся тобой!!!

The most complete player in my opinion.

im 15 now but I rememder watching him in a vancoger game soring a emtey net goal. God I miss him.

Datsyuk changed the game with the younger generation coming up. Quite possibly the most elite stick handling of all time and amazing hand-eye coordination with puck stealing. Most of the top younger guys are heavily influenced by his style and play making.

need to clone him, you're not gonna see those magic hands probably for a hundred years.. Datsyuk is poetry on ice

HOF for sure. Magnificent player and really humble.

These were the best times of my life

4:03 was just beautiful datsyuk is a legend

I always ask this question, if you needed to build an entire franchise around a player who would it be? I always say Pavel Datsyuk

It's not even his skating and stickhandling. It's his strength on the puck, vision and defense-minded game that just blows me away.

I remember there was a stretch between the lockout and like '08-'09 where Babcock had Datsyuk paired with Zetterberg and they were playing like the Sedin twins. It was unbelievable the chemistry they had together. Then Babcock started splitting them up to center the top 2 lines because they were both great defensive centers but they just weren't the same. But yeah that little stretch with Datsyuk, Zetterberg, Holmstrom, and Lidstrom was great hockey.

My friends and I made a Pavel Datsyuk drink: Equal parts strawberry flavored vodka and Faygo Redpop (another Detroit legend). It's called a Datsyukian Deke because after too many, you end up falling over.

Dude was the main reason I watched hockey back in the day. Should show the interviews of other players saying who they are most worried about when they see the puck and who they'd want on their team and all these players from other teams just kept saying Pavel datsyuk

Enjoyed this. Nick Suzuki shows glances of Datsyuk-lite (very lite) sometimes and it makes me excited as a fan.

Datsyuk may not be the best player in hockey history, but he's every best players favorite and that makes him a legend.

Datsyuk is OG, I have his authentic jersey signed by the whole red wings

Pavel Datsyuk + Pavel Bure would have been a dream, simply magic.

Thank you my.friend !

He was the Barry Sanders of hockey. Always calm, always patient, always hard working, always fun to watch. A true legend.

1v1 he would destroy anyone. Best two way hockey player ever

A hockey magician, his stick being his wand!

What you see from guys like Matthews, Zegras, Draisaitl today you can attribute to Pavel Datsyuk. Hell Leon even patterned his stick with the giant paddle after Pasha.

Datsyuk is the GOAT

He was the best at take aways. At times many players would look.behind them to make sure he wasn't coming. He would always come from behind and take it right away from a player not paying attention. Not really a personal stat that is recorded. Detroit fox sports started recording them as a stat.

Ah yes, Pavel Datsyuk...the inventor of, and master of...'The Datsyukian Deke'!

Grew up a Blackhawks fan but Datsyuk was always my favorite player in the league.

Imagine how many greats will never be discovered and play in small towns in the middle of nowhere. That was close to happening here.

Great Tribute!!! In my picture I am wearing a custom race shirt , a blue red Wings shirt with Datsyuk 13 on Back!,

I lived in the metro Detroit area at the time after growing up there and it's criminal that most people (if you like hockey and particularly are from the mitten) have never heard of Hakan Anderson. Myself included. This video was the first time I've ever heard of him.

I saw many of his best moments live. In 2001/2002 I saw every game his rookie year. I was laid off from my job so I watched a lot of hockey. His highlight reels were fun to watch but I still think Yzerman was more fun to see.

Just found your channel, great quality videos, Keep it up!

He IS the GOAT of selke winners

While Datsyuk's team was based in Yekaterinburg, the team at times played in the RSL, albiet in the Eastern conference. In the relegation group of Datsyuk's draft year they did play teams based in the west such as one of the many Moscow based teams. While it's not one of the major cities in the West, it's one of the bigger cities in Russia. Far from a backwater that is often suggested. European players can be drafted into their mid 20s, and definitely wasn't uncommon in the 90s and early 00s. Keep in mind his future teammate Samuelsson was older when drafted in the same year. Also won Gagarin Cup in 04-5 with Dynamo Moskva, upon his return with SKA St. Petersburg, and Olympic Gold for team Russia.

Greatest player of all-time!!

My favorite player

Datsyuk is such a special hockey player. There have been a lot of greats but, for me, the two most entertaining players during my years following the sport were Datsyuk and Hasek. They were just different and in a league of their own.

Way to leave out the greatest over all player ever, Mr. Hockey!

Great player. Before Datsyuk, the original "Magic Man" nickname went to Kent Nilsson, Calgary Flames forward.

BEST two way player that ever put on skates. Period.

Many don’t know this, but his 07-08 is statistically the best season of the analytics era according to most models ( analytics era is regarded as 2007-present)

Great video i had to subscribe

Great video man keep it comin I’ll always watch

the on/off for him with the red wings were ridiculous

I'm a die hard Penguins fan, but Datsyuk was nastyyyyyyy. Those hands tho!

171st Pick..... What a steal.

great video!!!