33 for 72. Datsyuk’s shot selection.

The compilation of Datsyuk’s Career shootouts is near complete!
Datsyuk is 33 for 72 at 45.8%. His totalled 33 goals leads the league.
He is also 8th in the league in shootout percentage (minimum 30 shot attempts) behind:
1. Frans Nielsen (55.6%) [25/45]
2. TJ Oshie (50%) [18/36]
3. Toews (49.1%) [27/55]
4. Handzus (47.5%) [19/40]
5. Stoll (46.9%) [15/32]
6. Parise (46.4%) [32/69]
7. J. Jokinen (46.3%) [31/67]

When Datsyuk uses his trusty backhand to forehand move, he is 14 for 24 (58.3%).

The most exciting play in the game was introduced to the league in the 2005-06 season to break a tie after overtime solved nothing. Not very popular at first, the shootout quickly evolved as players began to get more creative and goalies began to study the shootout books of their opposition.

Players now have their signature moves.
Datsyuk has the “The Datsyuk Move” – adopted by Getzlaf, Burns, Giroux, Deuchane, and Brunner *Pavel Bure did an eerily similar move in the 90s on a breakaway (which can be found on my channel) Ratchuk also has a wicked innovation to the move.

Gagner has “The Gagner Move” – adopted by Patrick Kane
Vanek has the “Around the World” move
Forsberg invented the “Forsbergian move” which was innovated and perfected by Zetteberg, J. Jokinen, Wolski, Ribeiro, kopitar
Hendricks has “The Paralyzer” that figuratively paralyses goaltenders.

St. Louis has his “backwards” move, where he turns his back to the goaltender.
The SpinOrama has been used many times by big names such as Savard, Bertuzzi, Raymond, Malkin, Grabovski, Blake, etc. The move is somewhat controversial as it puts the player between the puck and the goaltender.

Kadri using “The Kadri Move” on Johnson and Brodeur (fastest hands ever seen in a shootout).

We have seen some insanely wild ones – none more widely acclaimed than the Omark move which saw him fake doing “The Datsyuk Move” and then when the goalie read the obvious play, he flipped it over his head going bard down and in. The move was successfully done in the NHL by none other than Pavel Datsyuk on Niemi in 2010, though he failed at the move when it rolled off his stick in 2013 vs Schneider.

When we look at the most successful percentage shooters, we begin to see something amazing. The top players have extremely subtle deception in their moves that force goalies to bite. Parise, Gagner, Hendricks and Oshie are 4 of the best at faking the shot. Datsyuk is by far the best at selling the backhand. Zetteberg is one of the best at faking the forehand then going to the one handed finish.

The shootout savants never rush a shootout move. They understand that the goal is to either get a goalie to bite to open up space to shoot in the net, or to exploit the already exposed space given. It’s a process that can’t be rushed. Small details matter. Here are some examples of subtle deceptive moves that successful players use:

> Opening/closing the blade
> Headfake
> Eye contact (where they are looking)
> Shoulder Fake
> Leg kick
> Quick stick-handles
> Edge work on the skates
> Overall body language
> The speed they go

These are just some of the little things that may go unnoticed. The player usually uses a combination of these moves. When you see the goaltenders bite hard, it is usually because the player used many deceptive moves with remarkable timing and fluidity.

If we take the Datsyuk vs. Vokoun goal for example, we can see that he came in skullying (alternating his weight using edge work on each blade), he was stickhandling pretty quickly going into the shot fake, his head was up looking at the glove side he faked to shoot at, he opened the blade to sell the shot well, when he pulled it back while using incredible edge work on his left skate to angle him to the other side, and the speed he went wasn’t too fast (if it was, he would be past the net by the time he got the shot off).

Next time you watch the successful/unsuccessful shootout attempts, ask yourself why they scored/missed. Analyse the move in your head. Think “if I were a goalie, would that fool me?” And get creative! Invent a shootout move and show the world!

I can’t wait to see the shootout continue to evolve in the coming seasons, and I certainly hope that this is not the last time we see Datsyuk in the shootout.

The best players in the world have “signature moves” that they have practised and mastered using the art of deception.

First off, let’s look at Datsyuk’s simple shootout move that he uses consistently. This basic yet effective move has led him to be tied for first place in all-time shootout goals scored with 32 (tied with Parise).

CAREER SHOOTOUT STATISTICS:

Shootouts @ Home = 15 for 32 (46.9%)
Shootouts on the Road = 17 for 37 (45.9%)
Total = 32 for 69 (46.4%)

Watch the video below, and pay close attention to the move he uses the most.

That backhand forehand move is absolutely lethal. You can see how on a few goaltenders he throws the backhand at them to keep the deception alive. He sells the backhand so well that goalies are often forced to play the shot, and the speed at which he pulls it forehand and roofs it makes extremely difficult for goalies to react fast enough. The way I see it, goalies have a 50/50 chance on this move (which is coincidentally right about where his shootout totals are at).

Now let’s compare that move to what I call “The Datsyuk Juke” or what is commonly known as his “Signature Cut Back Move.” Watch the compilation below to see how often and how effectively he uses this move.

In this move, Pavel Datsyuk sells the backhand again, though this time it is far more effective because unlike a shootout, the defenders have no idea where that deceiving backhand pass may go. So watch the move carefully to see the steps that make this move so effective:

1) He leans in strong on the backhand with the backhand face of the blade open as if he were going to pass, keeping his head up looking at the potential target.
2) He quickly puts on the brakes and uses the backhand to pull the puck close to his body to the forehand of his stick.
3) He causes separation, and makes the next dangerous play.

The only reason this is such an effective play is because he has master the art of subtle deception. He has shown his strength and accuracy with the backhand pass before, which means that defenders have to respect the potential backhand pass which eventually allows Datsyuk to cause separation using deception.

Datsyuk certainly has a million and one moves, but you would be surprised at how often he uses the same ones over and over again with remarkable success.

Couture is not a fan of marking Datsyuk

Logan Couture is the latest victim of Datsyuk’s dangling rampage.
Datsyuk uses his signature cut back move, then proceeds to go inside-outside in tight on a baffled Couture who eventually loses his balance and ends up on his rear end. The ankle breaking move had the crowd in San Jose going “Ohhhhhhhhhhhh” in awe of the move, as if it were a streetball game.

Let’s also not forget the time he used the similar move against one Mike Fisher who didn’t fall on his ass, but was just as mystified as Couture.

Watch how efficiently Datsyuk sells the signature cutback move. He uses it all the time, and with great success.
Just the same as he uses the forehand backhand shootout move all the time with similar success.
It’s all about deception.

Deceived beyond belief.

*Interesting stat:
Giroux is 3 for 3 when using this move. (Though the first was in a pre-season matchup)
Datsyuk is 3 for 4 (he was robbed by Mike Smith).

Let’s wait and see who does the move next to take the title home.

To some, the biggest surprise of the NHL season is that Gary Bettman allowed it to happen at all.

This shortened 48-game NHL season has provided many surprises. These stories include the Chicago Blackhawks historic point-streak, the success of the Anaheim Ducks, and the Eastern Conference playoff picture containing all 4 Canadian teams within the Conference. Among all of these surprises, there are some standout players exceeding expectations and helping their teams succeed. The following 10 NHLers are leading the charge for their squads so far this season.

Damien Brunner

The 26-year old rookie for the Detroit Red Wings has been the perfect offensive player to compliment his centre, Henrik Zetterberg. With 21 points in 31 games this season, Brunner would be the front runner for the NHL’s Calder Trophy (rookie of the year) if he did not exceed the age requirement. He was a stud in Switzerland and is quickly emerging as a North American superstar. Brunner is yet another European player to emerge seemingly out of no where to help the Detroit Red Wings continue to light up the league.

Cory Conacher

With 22 points in 30 games, this 23 year old rookie, has made the transition from AHL standout to a potential NHL Calder Trophy finalist. He is exceeding the expectations of the Tampa Bay Lightning who signed him to their AHL team as an undrafted free agent just some 3 years ago. He has cooled off since his early dominance this season when he averaged well over a point-per-game, but he still continues to “wow” hockey fans playing alongside league goal-leader Steven Stamkos.

Nazem Kadri

Kadri has gone from bust to boom, finally blossoming into the player the Toronto Maple Leafs hoped he would be when they drafted him 7th overall in 2009. In his first full NHL season, he now leads the Leafs in points and is 10th in the league with 33 points in 31 games with an impressive +17 rating. He is impressing people league wide and is one of the main reasons the Leafs are hanging onto a playoff spot going into Saturday’s play.

Nazem Kadri celebrates with Leaf fans after scoring in Buffalo.

Chris Kunitz

Playing alongside league point-leader Sidney Crosby, Chris Kunitz has justified himself as one of the leagues top wingers. Following only Crosby in league points with 41 and leading the league with a +24 rating, Kunitz is having a season like none he has had before. With 392 points in 565 career games, Kunitz has always been consistent, but has never been quite as good as he has been this season, as a more then point-per-game player and a definite MVP candidate.

Alexander Semin

Playing on the Carolina Hurricanes top line alongside Eric Staal, Semin has accepted the role well of being the playmaker on the line putting up 8 goals and 22 assists through 30 games with Carolina. With the persona of being a player that doesn’t give his all every night, Semin is proving (for now at least) that he can in fact do it every night playing in Carolina. He is giving it his all every game and it can be seen in the results. On a one year contract, Semin is giving the Hurricanes good reason to continue paying him the big bucks, as him and Staal help keep the Hurricanes afloat in the Eastern Conference playoff picture despite losing all star goalie Cam Ward.

Chris Kunitz celebrates with Penguins teammate Sidney Crosby after scoring a goal.

Francois Beauchemin

At the age of 32 with declining statistics over the past 3 years, even the Ducks didn’t expect Beauchamin to have such an impact on their defense, playing on their number one pairing with fellow 30-something year old Sheldon Souray. He is having the best year of his career with 18 points in 30 games and a league leading statistic within defencemen, which is a +/- rating of +20. He is one of the many unexpected producers that are helping the Ducks stay consistent as one of the leagues best teams.

Oliver Ekman-Larsson

As a successful rookie defenceman for the Phoenix Coyotes last season, many were expecting Ekman-Larsson to fall victim to the sophomore slump coming into this shortened season. Averaging over 25 minutes per game, he has proven himself as the Coyotes number 1 defenceman. with 18 points in 31 games and a +6 rating, he is an early candidate for this years Norris Trophy. If he doesn’t win it this year, he most likely will in the near future.

Craig Anderson

Despite missing the past 5 and a half weeks with an injured ankle, Ottawa Senator’s 31-year old goaltender Craig Anderson is having a career year. Before his injury, he was a lock to win the Vezina Trophy (Best Goalie) and if he returns with a similar flare, he could still become a finalist for the award. He continues to lead the entire NHL with a .952 Save Percentage and a 1.49 Goals Against Average, having the best statistical year of his career and leading the Senators into the playoffs. The Senators have been able to hang onto a playoff spot without their number one goalie and when he returns they should be able to rise up the Eastern Conference Standings.

Sergei Bobrovsky

Scott Howson’s last transaction as general manager of the Columbus Bluejacket’s was possibly the best one he ever made, as a seemingly struggling goalie has emerged into one of the league’s best. He now is second in the league with a .932 Save Percentage and a 2.00 Goals Against Average and is the reason for the Blue Jackets recent success and emergence into a playoff contending team. He is a player who had no hope on a team with no hope, but they are both managing to shock the hockey world.

Viktor Fasth

Ducks goalie Viktor Fasth Celebrates with teammate Sheldon Souray after a win.

Coming over from the Swedish Elite League as a 30-year old rookie after the half-season NHL lockout, Viktor Fasth essentially came out of nowhere to steal the Anaheim Duck’s starting goalie job. He stole this job from a consistently solid goalie over the past few seasons, Jonas Hiller. He is the main reason for the Ducks 22-4-4 record and early season success with a .922 Save Percentage and a 2.15 Goals Against Average. He is leading the Ducks in their pursuit of the Chicago Blackhawks and first place in the Western Conference and the entire league, where they trail by only 3 points going into Saturday.

Jesus with a stick

You have GOT to be kidding me!
I couldn’t believe that I hadn’t seen some of these assists. The man is pure magic.
Prepare for 25 minutes to fly by as you watch Pavel Datsyuk hand out apples to his hungry teammates.
The work ethic, the deception, the creativity – it’s all there. In one clip after Datsyuk toe drags the Avalanche, you can see Zetteberg mouth “WOW” as they bring it in for the celebration.
You will soon be sitting back in your chair saying the same thing.

Enjoy! And let’s all pray to Datsyuk (or another God) that he won’t leave the NHL after this season.

Datsyuk evading a big hit attempt by Mr. Garrison to later setup Zetteberg for an easy goal.

I was watching the Vancouver vs. Detroit game the other night, and I couldn’t believe how dominant Datsyuk was. I think that Hockey Night in Canada does overdo it when it comes to Datsyuk praise a few times, but that does not mean that he doesn’t deserve some big ups for his un-containable play on March 16th.

I look forward to making more of these. Please enjoy watching the underrated Datsyuk footage of some subtle plays that make him such a force out there. You won’t see all these plays on highlight reels – but these plays are the reasons why NHL players rank him #1 in so many categories.

Pay special attention to his ability to win the puck in 50/50 battles. He always ends up with that damn puck!|

Spike Lee and Jack Nicholson can be seen court-side at every Knicks and Lakers home games. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon are the resident stars of Fenway Park. Shit, even Matthew McConaughey is a die hard Texas Longhorns Fan.

That’s what I love about these college football players. I get older, they stay the same age.

Obviously the basketball, football, and baseball crowds are well populated by the rich and famous. But what about hockey? The sport that seems to take a backseat to the others, especially in the showbiz world. As it turns out, some of the coolest people in the ‘biz are fans and these are the ones I’d like to watch a game with.

1. Jon Hamm

The list of people cooler than Jon Hamm (or as I would call him, The Hammer, ’cause we’d be buds)  is a short one. The Mad Men star and St. Louis native has been spotted regularly at the Scottrade Center supporting the Blues and has even appeared in numerous promotional videos for the club. Seeing a game in St. Louis with the dapper Don Draper would be the way to go. He’s a knowledgeable fan, a funny guy, and women love him. Like a skinny version of Turtle from Entourage, odds are, I could probably score some sweet undeserved runoff poon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvLTWeKr5eQ

2. Bill Burr

In this case, the word celebrity might be a bit of a stretch. Nonetheless, Bill Burr is one of the top names in stand-up these days. His aggressive style coupled with brilliant joke writing and an abrasive Boston accent has propelled Burr into the upper echelon of comics. As he is quick to point out, Burr doesn’t mind when Boston teams suck, because it “gets rid of all the band-wagoners and people who wear pink Red Sox hats.” Burr is also the only person on this list who plays in a league. Needless to say, the heckles and chirps coming from him would be top-notch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9YL04v-J5U

3.  Kevin Smith

If you watch the films of Kevin Smith, its not hard to see that he loves the sport. From the roof-top ball hockey game in Clerks, to the roller hockey playing demons in Dogma, Smith seems to find a way to work the game into nearly every one of his movies. He even enters a team every year into the Walter Gretzky Street Hockey Tournament in Brantford, Ontario. Even though Smith hails from New Jersey, he is a self-professed Oilers supporter and a huge Gretzky fan. With any luck, I might be able to land a role on the hockey-centred mini-series he’s creating called “Hit Somebody.”…also I heard he has pretty good weed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfhma3vdUCM

Honourable Mention: 

Lil’ Jon. That’s right. The shouting guy from those rap songs. Lil Jon was famously the number 1 Atlanta Thrashers fan. Pour some out for the homies…

Big Shawn Thornton takes down John Erskine.

With the debate of fighting in hockey at the forefront this past week, this article will express the positive side of fighting. Fighting can help a team win or lose a game and is an integral part of hockey culture and how teams can strategically fight to swing a games momentum.

Another thing that fights do is fill the seats; not all hockey fans will agree, but most like to see a fight. If you have paid to go see a hockey game you are probably hoping to see at least one good fight, it’s not the main selling feature but it sure adds to the game.

Fighting is also what makes hockey unique, it makes it different from any other sport in the world and that’s what is so great about it. This is what gives hokey players the persona of being the”toughest athletes in the world”, a persona that many players and fans alike embrace and love.

In light of all this recent speculation, I decided to take it upon myself to look at those in the NHL who have currently mastered their craft. I am going to crown the best lightweight, middleweight and heavyweight fighter’s in hockey today, inspired by Saturday nights UFC Welterweight Championship fight, where Canadian Gorges St-Pierre dominated American Nick Diaz to defend his title.

Here are the rankings of the best current NHL fighters, based on factors such as most entertaining, most knockouts and most reckless. The champions will be followed by their own fight-reel, reinforcing the fact that fighting in hockey is awesome.

Lightweight (200 lbs. and under)

5. Derek Dorsett, Columbus Blue Jackets (5″11″ 175 Lbs.)

4. Zac Rinaldo, Philadelphia Flyers  (6″11″ 169 Lbs.)

3. Jared Boll, Columbus Blue Jackets, RW (6″3″ 195 Lbs.)

2. Deryk Engelland, Pittsburgh Penguins, D (6″2″ 197 Lbs.)

1. Jordin Tootoo, Detroit Red Wings, RW (5″9″ 199 Lbs.)

Middleweight (200-225 lbs.)

5. Paul “Biznasty” Bissonnette,Phoenix Coyotes, RW (6″3″ 208 Lbs.)

4. BJ Crombeen, Tampa Bay Lightning, RW (6″2″ 212 Lbs.)

3. George Parros, Florida Panthers, RW (6″5″ 215Lbs.)

2. Colton Orr, Toronto Maple Leafs, RW (6″3″ 222Lbs.)

1. Shawn Thornton, Boston Bruins, RW (6″1″ 202 Lbs.)

Heavyweight (225lbs +)

5. Mike Rupp, New York Rangers, C (6″5″ 243 Lbs.)

4. Matt Carkner, New York Islanders, D (6″4″ 240 Lbs.)

3. John Scott Buffalo Sabres, D (6″8″ 255 Lbs.)

2. Brian McGratton, Calgary Flames, RW (6″4″ 235 Lbs.)

1. Steve “Big Mac” Macintrye, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins/Pittsburgh Penguins, LW (6″5″ 271 Lbs.)

The Comeback

Georges Laraque (6″4″ 235 Lbs.) 

These NHL fighters have a lot to worry about with Gorges Laraque reportedly making an NHL return next season. Laraque is one of the most notorious and feared fighters in NHL history and he should return to the top of the NHL’s heavyweight list. He is in my mind, the undisputed heavyweight champion of the 2000′s.

Chris Stewart – Forward – St. Louis Blues (owned in 49% of Yahoo Leagues) 

With 10 points in his last 5 games, Chris Stewart is absolutely tearing it up. Playing alongside Alex Steen and David Backes, the big right winger is on pace for a career year, even in a shortened NHL season. He currently leads the Blues in scoring with 26 points in 27 games, only 4 points off his career high. With the Blues finally hitting their stride thanks to rookie goaltender Jake Allen, Stewart seems poised to continue his hot streak and lead the Blues offense. He averages over 15 minutes of ice-time per game and gets a considerable amount of shifts on the powerplay. As you’ll see in the video below, everything seems to be going right for Stewart. He’s getting those lucky bounces and taking advantage of them. Couple his recent luck with his big frame and skill, Chris Stewart is a viable option for a forward spot on your roster. If Stewart is still available in your league, he is definitely a good option to look at adding.

Slava Voynov – Defensemen – Los Angeles Kings (owned in 62% of Yahoo Leagues)

Drew Doughty who? The new king in LA seems to be Slava Voynov. The second year defensemen is playing extremely well and his recent point production doesn’t seem to be letting up. He’s got an impressive 5 points in his last 5 games; and 18 points on the season, putting him in the Top 10 in scoring for NHL defensemen. With the lack of offensive production that Drew Doughty has provided for the Kings this season, Voynov finds himself quarterbacking the top powerplay unit for LA. With the likes of Anze Kopitar and Dustin Brown on the same powerplay unit as Voynov, the potential for the young defensemen seems to be limitless. He possesses great vision on the ice and has the ability to find open players. As evidence in the video below, he also has an absolute rocket for a shot. Slava Voynov is only owned in 62% of leagues, a modest number for the guy ranked 9th in scoring for NHL D-men. If he’s still available in your league, I advise you scoop him up now; as his value only seems to be growing.

Niklas Backstrom – Goaltender – Minnesota Wild (owned in 76% of Yahoo Leagues)

If you’re looking for a goalie to help add some much needed points to your team, look no further than Niklas Backstrom. The Minnesota Wild goalie has 3 wins in his last 4 starts and is beginning to hit his stride. The Wild got off to a slow start; making Backstrom lose some of his value as a top NHL goalie. However the Finnish tender seems poised to lead the Wild back to the playoffs. He possesses great post to post movement and has the ability to make the spectacular save when called upon. The Wild are a much improved team from last season; thanks to the additions of Zach Parise and Ryan Suter. The Wild will be gunning for the playoffs this season, and with the help of their veteran goalie Backstrom, that goal seems to be achievable. The Wild don’t play another back-to-back game until March 29th-30th. That’s a total of 6 games with breaks in between each of them. Expect to see Backstrom between the pipes for all 6 games. The potential for points in the next few weeks for Backstrom is huge. If you can scoop him up out of free agency, your team will only benefit.