Detroit Red Wings aim to extend NHL home wins record to 24 without star center Pavel Datsyuk - NHL News
The Detroit Red Wings have suffered a serious blow on the way to consolidate their record streak of 23-game home wins to 24 when they play Vancouver Canucks without their star center, Pavel Datsyuk, on Thursday, February 23, 2012.
Datsyuk is reported to have undergone a minor surgery on his knee and is expected to rest for two to three weeks before confirming his availability to the team.
He told his team management on Monday, February 20, 2012, that he had some problem with his knee.
Tests results later showed that the player has got a fragment in his knee and required a procedure for its cleaning up.
Red Wings’ coach, Mike Babcock, confirmed the injury and following procedure on knee of the player, saying he is expected to be out of the side for a couple of weeks at least.
"Pav is going to be out a couple of weeks with minor arthroscopic surgery this morning."
Babcock added:
"Everything is real good. He got a fragment in his knee, an old thing we wanted to clean up here prior to playoff time, so he'll be out a couple weeks. So it's a good opportunity for someone else."
Datsyuk is undoubtedly a star of the team, and matters most in their performance and victories.
He holds the number 1 spot in six different categories in the National Hockey League Players Association (NHLPA) and Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) survey.
It will be difficult to gauge the impact that the team is going to have in absence of the player, they will certainly miss him in their hopes of extending the NHL record home-game winning run from current 23 to 24 games.
The team is also on a six-game winning streak at Joe Louis Arena, which equally stands probe to be affected without the center in the Detroit side.
His teammates have spoken high of Datsyuk game skills and their chances of learning and benefiting from them while the player is on the field.
The center, Justin Abdelkader, said:
"It's always a big thing having depth and guys who can play different roles. I think (Datsyuk) is the best overall player in the game, so it's tough losing him. It's going to be a big loss. Hopefully we can all come together and fill the void together.”
Pavel Datsyuk is expected to the side by early next month (March) if his rest period is not extend further, which will boost his team again in the later of the current NHL season.
For the time being, the team is bringing in the forward, Henrik Zetterberg, who himself is playing with a lower body injury.
The nature of the injury and status of his recovery has not been disclosed by the team, except for that the player will be used along with other players such as Darren Helm to give him support.
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