|
"We know
we have good players on (the power-play)...It gives us confidence to
go in and do what we want and make the right plays. When you score
goals, the confidence keeps growing."
-Henrik Zetterberg,
November 13th, 2008
“We were
a little too nice to them in our own end. We can play a little
tougher there."
-Henrik Zetterberg
(on blowing a three goal lead and losing 7-6 to Pittsburgh)
November 11, 2008
"I
have looked forward to this day a long time, to come here and show
the trophy. It feels really, really cool!"
–Henrik Zetterberg
(on bringing the Stanley Cup home to Njurunda and Timra
Sweden) August,
3rd, 2008
"It is true that we are engaged
... and we are pleased and happy for
this.''
-Henrik Zetterberg (on his engagement
to Swedish actress/singer/model Emma Andersson) August 1st,
2008
"Zetterberg
and Datsyuk are extremely entertaining with the puck and their
ability to score goals. They're not a rough type of hockey player.
They might get the lumber up a little bit to save themselves. But as
playmakers, there's none better that I've seen."
–Gordie Howe,
July 27th, 2008
"You want to develop,
you want to be better every year, and you want to find different
stuff that you become better at, and, of course scoring 50 would be
awesome, I think the only Swedish player who's done it is Hakan
Loob, and for sure, it would be a milestone"
-Henrik Zetterberg (on trying to improve on his
career high 43 goals and possibly scoring 50) June 12th,
2008
"I think
sports bring everyone together. Seeing everyone here, it's a great
feeling. Great to be a part of it. Time of my life right now! This
is unbelievable!"
-Henrik Zetterberg
(at the Stanley Cup Victory Parade in
Detroit) June 6th,
2008
"He had a
lot of pressure on his shoulders and he's a great player. He will be
a great player for many years. It's a challenge to be out there
against him basically every shift. It's something you will tell your
grandkids when you're a little bit
older."
-Henrik Zetterberg
(on outplaying Pittsburgh Penguins Star, Sidney Crosby in the
Stanley Cup Finals) June 5th, 2008
"Hank
winning the Conn Smythe is greatly deserved.
He's right out of the Yzerman-clone factory in Sweden."
-Red Wing Veteran
Grinder Darren McCarty (on Henrik Zetterberg) June 5th,
2008
"When I saw the puck
behind the net and I looked up and it was 00:00 on the game clock, I
was a pretty happy man! …It's been a long way, and it's been a long
season. Especially a few nights ago at Joe Louis Arena was
devastating .And we found a way to battle
back.”
“It’s
an unbelievable feeling you have inside right now. It’s been a long
battle but we finally did it, and it was close all the way to the
end. They had a real good chance with just a few seconds left. It’s
unbelievable!”
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on finally winning the Stanley Cup) June 4th,
2008
“The
guys pushed me to it (the Conn Smythe Trophy). I wasn't sure
what to do with it. I skated around a little bit first and then I
took it back (to his teammates, who mobbed him). I guess that was
the right way to go. …It's special to be on
(the trophy) with so many great players, especially
Nick!”
-Henrik
Zetterberg (his reaction on becoming just the second European ever
to win the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Stanley Cup play-offs MVP) June
4th, 2008
"He
certainly deserved it! There's no doubt he was an important player
for that group."
-Pittsburgh
Penguins coach Michel Therrien (on Henrik Zetterberg winning the
Conn Smythe Trophy) June
4th, 2008
"He's
a complete player. He played well. Obviously this series he was a
big player."
-Dejected
Pittsburgh Penguins superstar captain Sidney Crosby (after losing in
the Stanley Cup finals to Zetterberg
and the Detroit Red Wings) June
4th, 2008
"Hank
and Yzie are very similar in how they play at both
ends."
-Red
Wings future Hall-of-Fame defenseman Chris Chelios (comparing
superstar Henrik Zetterberg to the legendary captain, Steve Yzerman)
June 4th, 2008
Hank's
willingness to backcheck was there from the day we got him. The only
thing that developed is, he shoots more and he's improved a lot
offensively.”
-Future
Hall-of-Famer Steve Yzerman (on Zetterberg’s development) June
4th, 2008
“(Steve)
Yzerman and (Ron) Francis are the first two names that come to mind,
thinking of guys I ever saw play that remind me of Zetterberg. When
I played with those guys, they refused to sacrifice defense for
offense. That's a trait Zetterberg has,
too.”
-Former
Red Wing, Hall-of-Fame defensman, and NHL analyst Larry Murphy
(comparing Zetterberg’s drive and determination) June
4th, 2008
“He
brings it every night. He's good in all three zones. The job he did
on Sidney Crosby and Malkin, that was a key. And (Marian) Hossa.
Coming into the series we knew we had to do a great job on those
guys, and it really came down to our top four defensemen, Pav and Z.
Z is a special player. He brings it every shift, every day, every
practice, and our team follows him.”
-Red
Wings General Manager Ken Holland (on Zetterberg’s play in the
Stanley Cup Finals) June 4th,
2008
“It's
huge to have your best defensive player be your best guy
offensively, too! He's such a smart player and is always in the
right spot. He doesn't get too excited. He keeps the noise down and
just does his job. He’s one of a
kind!”
-Red
Wings teammate and fellow Swede Johan Franzen (on Zetterberg’s role
on the Stanley Cup winning team) June 4th,
2008
“The
last face-off, he's out on the ice, and really just taking charge.
He kind of came up to me and said, 'You're taking the draw, here's
how it's gonna be.' He's a true leader. What he did on both ends of
the ice is unbelievable!
Obviously I'm very biased toward our guys. There was a lot of
talk, Crosby and Malkin ... those guys are great hockey players, and
this city (Pittsburgh), this organization has
a great future. But you know what? Zetterberg and Datsyuk, they made
a statement this playoff run”
-Red
Wings veteran center Kris Draper (on Zetterberg’s leadership and
play in the Stanley Cup Finals) June
4th, 2008
“Guys
that are a little bit more quiet, they lead by example. That's what
(Zetterberg) does.”
-Veteran
Red Wing Darren McCarty (on Zetterberg’s leadership) June
4th, 2008
"Someone
said to me here earlier, 'You turned your best offensive players
into checkers,' I never did that. They're just very good both ways.
Zetterberg and Pavel (Datsyuk) are two of the best players in the
world."
-Red
Wings Head coach Mike Babcock (on the play of Pavel Datsyuk and
Henrik Zetterberg in the Stanley Cup Finals) June
4th, 2008
"He's
been our best player, I think, on both ends of the ice. You see him
out there killing penalties 5-on-3, and you see him at the other end
setting plays from the power play. He's just that impact player.
He's really excelled and got better and better as the playoffs went
along."
-Countryman
and Detroit Red Wings Captain Nicklas Lidstrom (on Zetterberg’s play
in the Stanley Cup Finals) June 4th,
2008
"It's
great to see him lifting the Cup and with the 'C' on his chest. It
means so much for the team and the organization. He's bringing it
every night. He's probably our best player every
night.''
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on future Hall-of-Fame defenseman Niklas Lidstrom, the
first European born team Captain to ever lead his team to win the
Stanley Cup.) June 4th, 2008
"He's
meant a deal to our team.
I think everybody's starting to see that. He's our best
defensive guy, but at the same time, he plays in all situations.
We're lucky to have him. There are not a lot of guys like him in the
league."
-Red
Wings defenseman and countryman Niklas Kronwall (on Zetterberg) June
1st, 2008
"Back
then I didn't think too much about it. When I was 17 and he was 18,
it was all about the Sedin twins (Vancouver Canucks Henrik and Daniel
Sedin). Hank was kind of the second-line winger on that team and
didn't get a lot of attention. (Zetterberg’s) so determined.
Anything he does, he does it full on. He's one of the hardest
working guys on our team and other guys follow that. They look up to
that. We're blessed to have him on our team."
-
Red Wings defenceman Niklas Kronwall (on playing
with Zetterberg on Sweden’s junior team as a
teenager compared to now) May 31st,
2008
“He
acts like you can count on him every day. Just the way he carries
himself in the dressing room. We look to him.He's been growing every
year. He's always been a really good two-way player but now I think
he's the best out there."
-Red
Wings forward and countryman Mikael Samuelsson (on
Zetterberg’s play) May 31st, 2008
"They're
just gifted players, and when they compete as hard as they did
tonight, they win a lot of battles. But, you know, I've been telling
people for three years how good Zetterberg is. And so this isn't a
surprise to me.
He’s conscientious and a great two-way
player.”
-Red
Wings Head coach Mike Babcock (on the play of Pavel Datsyuk and
Henrik Zetterberg in the Stanley Cup Finals) May 31st,
2008
"I
just put the best players out there, and Zetterberg was
unbelievable. Those guys are fantastic players, obviously, and they
drive the bus for us. But they're like everybody else. All of us
gotta be good. Zetterberg was
fantastic...”
--Red
Wings Head coach Mike Babcock (on the short-handed play of Henrik
Zetterberg on killing the Pittsburgh Penguins 1:26 of 5-on-3
power-play with under ten minutes remaining to preserve a 2-1 lead
in game four, giving Detroit a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup
finals) May 31st, 2008
"Some
people were saying the game before that (Pens defencemen Brooks)
Orpik had one of the greatest shifts (four hits) they'd ever seen.
But Z's shift on the five-on-three, if there was a defensive hat
trick, you could give it to Z for that shift: he blocks a shot,
takes one of the most dangerous forwards (Sidney Crosby), who's got
a back-door tap-in, and ties up his stick and then he carries the
puck down the ice and gets a shot 5-on-3 and kills the penalty
basically by himself. He took it under control and said, ‘they're
not going to score.’ And he made sure of it. The thing about Z is he
may be the one guy in this league, besides Nick (Lidstrom), who can
probably play a 60-minute game and keep coming at you and wear you
down."
-Red
Wings defenseman Brett Lebda (on the short-handed play of Henrik
Zetterberg on killing the Pittsburgh Penguins 1:26 of 5-on-3
power-play with under ten minutes remaining to preserve a 2-1 lead
in game four, giving Detroit a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup
finals) May 31st, 2008
“That’s
where he stands out from other superstars in this league. He can
play so well in his own end he can play on a three-on-five. You
don’t see other superstars do that, not a lot of them, anyway.
That’s what makes him real special.”
-Red
Wings forward and fellow Swede Johan Franzen (on the short-handed
play of Henrik Zetterberg on killing the Pittsburgh Penguins 1:26 of
5-on-3 power-play with under ten minutes remaining to preserve a 2-1
lead in game four, giving Detroit a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley
Cup finals) May 31st, 2008
"We
played good and tried to keep them to the outside and tried to be in
the shooting lanes. They had a great opportunity to tie it up, and
it's a challenge to play against such good players (Sidney Crosby,
Evgeni Malkin, and Marian Hossa), especially when you're down two
guys, they have a lot of room. You practice a lot on it during the
year, and it's fun to have a chance to do it in a game. It was
huge!"
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on killing the Pittsburgh Penguins 1:26 of 5-on-3
power-play with under ten minutes remaining to preserve a 2-1 lead
in game four, giving Detroit a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup
finals) May 31st, 2008
"It
was a Conn Smythe
shift!"
-NBC's
commentator Mike Emerick (on Zetterberg’s short-handed play, killing
the Pittsburgh Penguins 1:26 of 5-on-3 power-play with under ten
minutes remaining to preserve a 2-1 lead in game four, giving
Detroit a 3-1 series lead in the Stanley Cup finals) May 31st,
2008
"I
don't think he did anything out of the ordinary, besides any other
guy would do on a 5-on-3.”
-Pittsburgh
Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby (on getting shut-down by
Zetterberg’s short-handed play, killing the Pittsburgh Penguins 1:26
of 5-on-3 power-play with under ten minutes remaining to preserve a
2-1 lead in game four, giving Detroit a 3-1 series lead in the
Stanley Cup finals) May 31st, 2008
“He
knows what he wants and he knows what buttons to push. Sometimes you
get real mad at him but it turns out it's the right decision. He
knows how to get me mad. It doesn't happen that often, but I think I
play better when I'm a little bit feisty."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on playing for Red Wings Head Coach, Mike Babcock) May
30th, 2008
"We
are from different worlds, but it all started our first training
camp. Back then we didn't have that many young players on the team.
I was the youngest and he was the next youngest, and he took me
under his wing. We kind of followed each other on the ice and
continued off the ice.
We
live about five minutes from each other…I would say I understand him
pretty well. We have good conversations, let's put it that way. I
think it's a little easier if it's just me and him or guys on the
team. It's pretty intimidating to talk to the media sometimes,
because if you say something wrong it could be all over the
news."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (about his friendship with Russian linemate Pavel
Datsyuk) May 2008
"It
was a sick (awesome) team!"
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on the Stanley Cup Champion Detroit Red Wings roster in
2002-03 when Zetterberg came into the NHL, which had future
Hall-of-Famers: Steve Yzerman, Niklas Lidstrom, Brendan Shanahan,
Sergei Fedorov, Luc Robitaille, Brett Hull, Chris Chelios, Igor
Larionov, Dominik Hasek.) May 24th,
2008
"Who
wears a suit at a hockey game?...It was fast,
so, so fast, and I was like, 'Am I gonna play this type of hockey
next year? I better get home and work out a little
bit.”
-Henrik
Zetterberg (when asked what he thought as he watched his first NHL
playoff game live at the Joe Louis Arena in
2002.)
"I
had him in my Nintendo hockey game when I was a
kid."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on how he first knew about Dallas Drake, his current
teammate) May 24th, 2008
"You
have to win to become a star, and I haven't won
yet."
-
Henrik Zetterberg (When asked if he ever could approach Gretzky,
Sundin or Detroit legend Steve Yzerman) May
22nd, 2008
"There
isn't a stronger player on his skates than Zetterberg. No one knocks
him off his feet, and no forward has the kind of stamina that he
has. He could still thrive playing two-minute shifts and playing the
kind of 28- to 30-minute games defensemen like Chris Pronger,
Scott Niedermayer
and Nicklas Lidstrom
play."
-St.
Louis Blues coach Andy Murray.
"You're
never going to outwork Hank, that's for sure!"
-Red
Wings Head coach Mike Babcock (on Zetterberg’s work ethic) May
22nd 2008
"He
can pass and he can shoot at an elite level. That's what makes him
so difficult to stop, because you don't know what he's going to do.
Seeing that kind of skill coming at you again and again makes
defenders back off and creates openings for his teammates."
-Future
Hall-of-Fame defenseman and team Captain Niklas Lidstrom (on fellow
Swede Henrik Zetterberg’s style of play) May 22nd,
2008
"I
just missed the Red Wings' Stanley Cup run in 2002. I think I
could find a place right there at the top with the Olympics
(Sweden’s 2006
Gold Medal) for a chance to lift the Stanley Cup in victory. When we
won the Olympics the feeling was kind of like, 'Is this it?' That
game was so mentally tough, that when it was over, you won, and then
it was like" -- he exhales -- "you were so empty. You were empty.
You were happy, but at the same time, I thought it would be more.
On
the other hand, when I first got here we had that great team, and we
lost in the first round. The next year we lost in the second round.
That feeling you have after the last game of the year when you're
not on the winning side, it's like, 'My god.' It's so mentally
tough. So I don't know what the feeling would be like to win a Cup.
But I know I don't want to have the feeling you have when you lose.
It's the worst."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on what it would mean to win the Stanley Cup) May
22nd, 2008
"No
offense to Sidney Crosby or
Vinny Lecavalier or anyone else, but there is no better player in
the NHL now than Hank. It's the fire in Hank's eyes and the passion
in his belly. I've seen bigger players try to take liberties with
him and he'll just stand there face-to-face and give the other guy
the look.”
-St.
Louis Blues goaltender and former teammate Manny Legace (on Henrik
Zetterberg) May 22nd, 2008
"Henrik,
he's a complete player. He's got great hands, great instincts, he's
great in traffic and he really sees the ice well. Over the years
I've seen a lot of great players who don't work hard enough to be
better. I always tell our scouts, 'Tell me when a smaller guy shows
you he can do it and when a bigger guy shows you he can't.' It's
clear Henrik always plays bigger than his
size."
-Red
Wings General Manager Ken Holland (on Henrik Zetterberg) May
22nd, 2008
"I
remember going on the ice for the first time to take a face-off at
the Olympics in Salt Lake
City and when I looked up, there was
Eric Lindros
standing across from me. I must have been giving him five inches and
about 40 pounds in that match-up. That opened my eyes. It gave me
something to work on before I played my first game in the NHL the
next season. I knew I had to get bigger and
stronger."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on coming into the NHL) May 22nd,
2008
"Well,
you know, Hank is a star…”
-Red
Wings teammate and fellow Swede Andreas Lilja (joking about
Zetterberg not living in the same neighborhood as most of the other
Swedes) May 20th, 2008
"Hank
is a bigger target of the media because of his girlfriend (Swedish
TV actress). They're the Swedish version of (Soccer Star, David)
Beckham and Posh (Spice Girls, Victoria
Beckham).”
-Red
Wings teammate and fellow Swede Johan Franzen (on Zetterberg being a
star in Sweden) May 20,
2008
"We
don't get followed like crazy here or back home. But she's had her
own TV show, so she's known in public, too. We like being normal
people. I don't go out and try and get attention. I have been
handling the media in Sweden since I was 17. I
know it's a big part of sports now. You have to stand up if you win
or you lose. But attention? I don't need that. I don't mind it, but
I don't need it."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on his and his girlfriend’s popularity in
Sweden) May
2008
"I
don't know how to explain it. Some players just seem to be on the
same wavelength a lot. Sometimes Pavel will give me a wink or nod
his head ... and I usually know what he
means."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on the magic he and fellow ‘Eurotwin’ Pavel Datsyuk
create on the ice) May 13th, 2008
“I
would say, for me coming from Sweden, you thought more
pass than shoot. It was always in the back of my mind.”
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on his shots and goals totals increasing this year) May
12th, 2008
“It’s
a unique situation for us to have this many Swedes. We know it’s not
going to last forever. We have to take advantage of
it.”
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on the possibility of winning a Stanley Cup with seven
Swedish teammates: Niklas Lidstrom, Tomas Holmstrom, Johan Franzen,
Mikael Samuelsson, Niklas Kronwall, Andreas Lilja, and Jonathan
Eriksson.) May 12th, 2008
“I
have miles to go! He has brought so much to this club and to this
organization, I’m not even close.”
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on being compared to the great Steve Yzerman) May
12th, 2008
“They
have the skill and they both have that determination that Stevie
(Yzerman) could take to the next level. I see that in Hank,
too.”
-Future
Hall-of-Fame defenseman and team Captain Niklas Lidstrom (on Pavel
Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg) May 12th,
2008
“He’s
probably the most complete player in the league.”
-Detroit
goaltender Chris Osgood (on Henrik Zetterberg) May 7th,
2008
"It's
just one of those things we believe in here. Your best players have
to be good (all-around). You can't be hiding them. I want my best
players on the ice.
Partway through last year we made a point of making sure Z had
the (key) matchup some nights, then Pavel had the matchups some
nights and (Kris) Draper did. We said they all had to be
responsible. They all had to be able to kill penalties five-on-three
and they all had to take big face-offs. We just think that's the way
to go. You have to be able to play against the best people. That
will continue to be our philosophy."
-Red
Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock (on his top players being his top
defensive players) May 7th, 2008
I
think ever since the start, we enjoying playing with each other. You
know, from our first year, I played with Pavel and Brett Hull
basically the whole year. Ever since from then, I’ve been playing
with Pavel most of my games here. It’s been working great. We like
to play the same style of hockey.
I think Homer, you know, it’s a real great mix for us because
he creates a lot of room for us and gives us that extra second to
make the right play. And also he’s always in front of the goalie to
screen the goalie for us. Both me and Pavel doesn’t have the
greatest shot, but it makes it easier when Homer is in
front.
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on his chemistry with linemates Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas
Holmstrom) May 6th, 2008
I
think it’s always been part of my game. Growing up as a centerman in
Sweden, that’s a big part
of your game, and you take a lot of pride in it. I think it’s been
like that ever since I started playing hockey. I just enjoying
playing, you know, defensive hockey, too.
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on being a top offensive and top defensive player) May
6th, 2008
I
would say it all started last year. We had a really good playoff run
last year, and we kept the core guys. We made some great additions
for this year. We’ve been playing great all the way from the start.
You know, we just kept going here in the playoffs. I think the
depth, you know, is a key part for the success with all the four
lines. We’re playing good. But to keep doing that, we have to make
the right decisions out there and play smart. Dallas is a
good team. If we’re not playing at our best, we will not win the
series. I think in the playoffs you need to spread around the
scoring a little bit and you need to have especially secondary
scoring. The line with Franzen, Filppula and Samuelsson has really
been good for us. They’ve been really good in power-play and
five-on-five. So if you want to go deep in the playoffs, you have to
have a good depth…
We’ve
got good depth in our team. All of our lines can play against
basically anyone, so it makes it a lot easier for coach to make his
decision.
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on having success and needing team depth in the
playoffs) May 6th, 2008
“I’m playing hockey,
and that’s my job. I like doing that here. It’s a great town to do
that. I think I get the recognition that I
deserve.”
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on Q. having a ‘rock star persona’ back in
Sweden, but not
getting the recognition he deserves in North
America.) May 6th, 2008
“I was
5-11, but I was only about 165 pounds when I was drafted. I’m not
the biggest guy now. But I was even smaller the time on my draft
year. You know, I was happy that I got drafted. I didn’t speak to a
lot of teams. I think it was the Red Wings and maybe one other team
that showed interest. I was really surprised and happy
when (Red Wings European scout) Hakan Andersson called me and told
me that I was drafted. I was on vacation on the island of
Cyprus. I knew
the Red Wings were interested and that I wouldn't be picked early.
When my dad picked up the phone and told me it was Hakan Andersson,
the vacation that was pretty good already turned great. My
friends and I had a little celebration that night. And I had to pay
for all of them."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on being a seventh-round draft pick) May 6th,
2008
"Hakan
(Andersson) was trying to show me another player, but there was this
little Zetterberg guy who always seemed to have the puck. He was a
skinny little kid when I saw him, but I really liked his
instincts."
-
Red Wings Assistant General Manager Jim Nill (when asked about his
first reaction to seeing Zetterberg) May 2008
“I
was a small kid. But I wasn't the last kid chosen in a pickup game.
I had skills and I really worked at making them better and better. I
remember as a kid I always tried to not get hit and to hold onto the
puck until I spotted an open
teammate."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on developing his hockey skills growing up) May
2008
I don’t think we pay that much attention of what
other media says or what, you know, the experts are saying. We know
we have a good team and we know we got, you know, a good chance of
going deep. You know, we’ve been showing that the first two rounds,
that we’re a good hockey club. We just have to keep going here next
round and, you know, keep playing good hockey. If we do that, we
gonna succeed.
-Henrik Zetterberg (on the Red Wings
being under-estimated every season) May 6th,
2008
You
know what, I think he’s trusting us a little bit more this year than
last year. I think he knows what kind of players we are and how we
can play hockey. You know, he’s really intense. He really wants to
win. And I think the coaching staff is really well-prepared. To have
that as a player, it makes it a lot easier for us to get ready for
games.
It’s pretty constant. He’s
tough on us. You know, maybe when we’re playing good, he knows that
we can play good. But if we’re playing bad, he really lets us know.
It’s been some tough skating this year in the practices when we’ve
been playing bad. And, you know, the expectation’s really high here.
I think that’s the way it’s supposed to be. We got a good team. And
I think Babcock is a good fit for our club.
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on playing for Head Coach Mike Babcock) May
6th, 2008
It’s been fun for us. It’s been
fun for the fans.
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on the tremendous run in the playoffs and the route
towards the Cup final) May 6th, 2008
We’re
going for the Cup. You know, that’s the same as every year. If you
don’t go all the way, we will not be happy. That’s the expectations
that are in this town. As a player, you know that and you like it.
You rather have that than, you know, the fans are happy just to make
the playoffs.
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on the expectations and pressure to win in Detroit) May
6th, 2008
"I
took a shot. I saw the rebound come out. I kind of lost my balance.
I turned around and hoped for the best and I had a pretty good whack
on it. I didn't see it go in."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on scoring a spectacular highlight-reel
goal in game four of a four game sweep of the
Colorado Avalanche, spinning around as he was upended by Colorado
defenseman Adam Foote, finding the rebound with his peripheral
vision, and roofing a no-look back-handed shot into the net as he
fell to the ice.) May 1st, 2008
"It
was an all-world goal!"
-Colorado
Avalanche Head Coach Joel Quenneville (on Henrik Zetterberg's highlight-reel
goal in game 3 of the semi-finals.) April 30th,
2008
“They’re
so good at finding each other. They’re both have good speed when
they’re coming, too, so they’re backing their D off, and even
one-on-one they’re so good, too. The way they’re able to find each
other with passes, I think Pav found Hank in that back-door play on
the power play, just a tremendous pass. They’re able to find each
other all the time out there. They’re really tough to defend when
they play like that.”
-Red
Wings Captain and future Hall-of-Fame defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom
(on Henrik Zetterberg's and Pavel Datsyuk's play in game 3 of the
semi-finals against the Colorado Avalanche.) April 30th,
2008
“We’ve
been playing together many games and you run a few plays during the
year and sometimes it works and it did today,”
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on his and Pavel Datsyuk's play in game 3 of the
semi-finals against the Colorado Avalanche.) April 30th,
2008
“They’re elite players coming into the prime of
their careers. They have great will and determination and that to me
is what separates you from being a regular player to being a star,
is how much drive you have, and how much heart and how much passion
you have. They’re elite in that way. I thought they were magic
throughout the game but even better in the third period. Every time
something went wrong, they went out and turned the game in the right
direction for us.”
-Red
Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock (on Henrik Zetterberg's and Pavel
Datsyuk's play in game 3 of the semi-finals against the Colorado
Avalanche.) April 30th, 2008
"With
what they do at both ends of the rink is, to me, something so
impressive. I think that's something that we're fortunate that our
best players are our best players night in and night out. That's
what makes us such a good hockey club. They almost will this team to
victory with the way they play."
-Red
Wings Former Selke Trophy Winner Kris Draper (on linemates Henrik
Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk being two of the NHL's three
finalists for the Selke Trophy, awarded to the leagues best
defensive forward.) April 26th, 2008
"I
like it when your best players are great defensively because you can
play them against anyone. When you're hiding your best players
offensively because you're scared of them in defensive situations,
they don't get to play the minutes that they
should."
-Detroit Head
Coach Mike Babcock. (on linemates Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel
Datsyuk being two of the NHL's three finalists for the Selke
Trophy, awarded to the leagues best defensive forward.)
"It's
a lot of demand on them, to come back and play defense, but they're
in such good shape and they're such great skaters, they manage to
find a way to do it offensively and defensively. It was just a
matter of time before they got the
recognition.''
-Red
Wings Future Hall-of-Fame defenseman Chris Chelios (on linemates
Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk being two of the NHL's three
finalists for the Selke Trophy, awarded to the leagues best
defensive forward.) April 26th, 2008
"The
most underrated part of the game is how people play away from the
puck. They'll come back on the back-check hard, they'll strip guys,
that's a strength of theirs.''
-Colorado
Avalanche defenseman Adam Foote (on playing against Selke Trophy
finalists Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk.) April 26th,
2008
"I
know he does. That's my middle name, Back-check. He always mentions
to the other guys I have to back-check
more.''
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on being told that linemate Pavel Datsyuk said he enjoys
watching Zetterberg have to back-check harder. April 26th,
2008.
"What makes them special is they believe they can
out-will you. To me, that's what the playoffs are all
about.''
-Detroit Head
Coach Mike Babcock. (on the play of Henrik Zetterberg and
Pavel Datsyuk in the playoffs) April 26th,
2008
"I
always thought it was fun to play good defense. Both me and Pavel
take pride in that, and to be recognized for it, it's a great honor.
We're real proud of it. It's going to be fun to see how it will all
end up"
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on himself and linemate Pavel Datsyuk being two of the
NHL's three finalists for the Selke Trophy, awarded to the
leagues best defensive forward.) April 26th,
2008
"Forty
by 40, it's good for him! I just made sure he got the
puck.”
-Line-mate
Pavel Datsyuk (on Zetterberg’s career-high 40th goal)
March 22nd, 2008
"We
can't be giving the puck up to that guy!"
-Columbus
Blue Jackets Captain Rick Nash (on Zetterberg’s third goal of a
third-period “natural hat-trick” in a 3-1 come-from-behind victory
over the Columbus Blue Jackets) March 19th,
2008
"It
was a drop pass, and the other guy wasn't really ready for it, so I
picked it up and the goalie didn't really think I had control of the
puck and came out. I just took a step on the side and put it in the
net."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on his third goal of a third-period “natural hat-trick”
in a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets)
March 19th, 2008
"He
hasn't been scoring at the same rate he usually does. He's had a lot
of chances and shots and didn't score. You knew it was going to
come."
-Detroit
Red Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock (on Zetterberg breaking out of a
seven game goal-less streak with a third-period “natural hat-trick”
in a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets)
March 19th, 2008
"He
had two defensemen against him, but he went right through them.
Great individual effort to get the team
going!”
-Detroit
Red Wings Captain and future Hall-of-Famer Niklas Lidstrom
(on
Zetterberg’s 1st goal of a third-period “natural
hat-trick” in a 3-1 come-from-behind victory over the Columbus Blue
Jackets) March 19th, 2008
"The
first one, I had a lot of speed coming and I got a great pass from
(Brian) Rafalski and their (defensemen) were kind of standing still.
I got through them and put it five-hole on the goalie. It was a good
feeling to see it go in. It was a while ago since the puck went in.
There were a lot of chances, but the puck hasn't really gone in. It
was nice to get that one out of the way."
-Henrik
Zetterberg on breaking out of a seven game goal-less streak with a
third-period “natural hat-trick” in a 3-1 come-from-behind victory
over the Columbus Blue Jackets) March 19th,
2008
"Everybody
likes to play with Hank!"
-Teammate
and “Eurotwin” Pavel Datsyuk (on being asked if he enjoys being on
Zetterberg's line.) March 19th,
2008
“This
is good news for the Wings. Zetterberg should be in the Game, but
he's showing once again that his priority is the team rather than
personal accolades.”
-Matt
Saler, Bleacherreport.com
(on Zetterberg missing second consecutive All-Star game due to minor
injury.) January 22, 2008
"When
he stepped on the ice for the first time in the NHL, he was already
one of the more skilled players in the League. No offense to
Sidney
Crosby or
Vinny Lecavalier or anyone else, but there is no better player in
the NHL now than Hank. He does everything Crosby or Lecavalier does on offense, but
there’s no one in the game that is that good offensively and
defensively, No one. It’s the fire in Hank’s eyes and the passion in
his belly. I’ve seen bigger players try to take liberties with him
and he’ll just stand there face-to-face and give the other guy the
look."
-St.
Louis Blues Goaltender and former Red Wings teammate Manny Legace,
January 2008
"I
don’t consider myself scary. Would you be afraid of
me?"
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on giving opposing players “the look”) January
2008
"He
can pass and he can shoot at an elite level. That’s what makes him
so difficult to stop, because you don’t know what he’s going to do.
Seeing that kind of skill coming at you again and again makes
defenders back off and creates openings for his
teammates."
-
Red Wings captain and future Hall-of-famer Nicklas Lidstrom. January
2008
"You’re
never going to outwork Hank, that’s for sure,"
-Red
Wings Head Coach Mike Babcock, January 2008
"You
play with whoever the coach puts you on a line with. It doesn't
matter who that is. For the media it's a big thing whether Pavel or
I play together or not, but I don't think it's a big deal for the
Red Wings. I don't think about it at all. You just go out there and
play with whoever you're out there with."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on Head Coach Mike Babcock putting him on a line with
Pavel Datsyuk or not) January 4th,
2008
"Some
nights you win ugly. Tonight, was one of those
games."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on Detroit’s 4-3 Shoot-out win over
the Washington Capitals in which he scored the winning goal)
December 17, 2007
"I
got a chance to score three, and that's always fun to do
that."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on scoring his second career hat trick against the
Minnesota Wild) December 7th, 2007
"Forsberg
and Sundin are popular, but they're forwards, so a lot of people
know those names. But people who know hockey rank Nick at the top
and that's the way it should be. I'm not surprised because of all
the years that I've played with him. He's our best player night in
and night out.”
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on Red Wings Captain and future Hall-of-Famer Niklas
Lidstrom being named "The Best European-Trained Player in NHL
History by The Hockey News) December 2nd, 2007
“I
just don’t know how they got that guy in the seventh round. There’s
not a flaw in Zetterberg’s game. Zetterberg is the centerman version
of Steve Larmer. He is the kind of guy you want on the ice for every
single situation. The fact that he is a centerman and not a winger
makes him more valuable. But it’s amazing how they got him 210th
overall.”
-Ex
Red Wing Brendan Shanahan (New York Rangers) November
2007
“Zetterberg
was a little bit of a late bloomer. He always had great talent and
great vision and now he is getting stronger. He is put in those
situations where he is the go-to guy and he is getting used to that.
Zetterberg is definitely one of the biggest up-and-coming stars in
the League.”
-Fellow
Swede Daniel Alfredsson (Ottawa Senators) November
2007
"I
knew it was going to end
sometime."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on career-high 24 game point streak ending) November
13th, 2007
“It’s
fun to break records, easier to do it when you’re winning and
playing with good
players.”
-Henrik
Zetterberg (referring to Pavel Datsyuk and Tomas Holmstrom,
after a 15 game points streak to start the season, breaking a
Red Wings record set by Norm Ullman in 1960) November 7,
2007
"He's
a genius the way he uses the ice. Every time he moves the puck he's
moving it to a teammate with more space. That's what the great
players do, they make other players better. He opens things up and
he's a
handful."
-Edmonton
Oilers Head Coach Craig MacTavish, October 30,
2007
"Just
with his sister.”
-Kirk
Maltby (when overhearing Zetterberg being asked if he had ever been
in a fight) October 19, 2007
"World
Championship, with Malts. I kicked his
ass."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (answering the above question after comment by
Maltby) October 19, 2007
“Z
plays against the best people and shuts them down. I think he’s the
best two-way player in the game, bar
none.”
-Head
Coach Mike Babcock (on Zetterberg's defensive skills) October 19th,
2007
“I
think he’s been getting better every season he’s been over here and
he’s getting more responsibilities, more ice time. He’s playing in
all situations, so he’s just getting better and better. He’s just an
overall really good player. He was that talented coming into the
league, and now he’s just getting
better.”
-Wings
Captain Niklas Lidstrom (on Zetterberg's play this season) October
19th, 2007
"Those
guys, it's like they're on another planet right now, the way they're
seeing each other, the way they see the ice. The thing they do,
which a lot of people don't really talk about, is how well they play
at both ends of the rink. They're so responsible offensively and
defensively, they have it going on right now. It's unbelievable,
just to be a part of it and watch it night in and night out. They're
just dominating hockey games right
now."
-Veteran
forward Kris Draper (on the top line of Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel
Datsyuk, and Tomas Holmstrom) October 10th,
2007
"It
was against San
Jose (in 2002), and I remember on my first
shift, about 10 seconds into that shift, I got hit pretty good. It
was in the right corner, and I think it was (Sharks defenseman
Scott) Hannan who got me. I made the pass and I didn't look, I just
kind of stood there admiring the pass and following it, and he got
me pretty good. It was kind of a big hit. A tough one right
away."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (reflecting on his first NHL game) October,
2007
"It
was about time! I had a few chances in the past. The puck went
in today. So it was fun. We had some ugly goals today. But it’s nice
when the puck goes into the net."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on his first career HAT TRICK) February 17th,
2007
“He
doesn't get enough credit for being the elite player that he is.
He's definitely in that (elite)group of players.”
-Wayne
Gretzky, Phoenix Coyotes Head Coach (after Zetterberg scored 2 goals
and an assist in Detroit's 4-2 win) February 7th,
2007
"He's
the best player we've ever had and when he says stuff like that, it
makes you happy."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (in response to Phoenix Coyotes Head Coach Wayne
Gretzky's quote above) February 7th, 2007
"Yeah,
and I don't like big cities, so I don't know why that is."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on scoring late game-winners in his last two games in
New
York.) February 6th,
2007
"I
saw Clears was on the right wing and knew he had 19 goals. It's
always fun to reach 20, and he got an opportunity to do it
there."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (when asked why he passed up a chance to score an empty
netter and instead passed to Dan Cleary. Zetterberg had just scored
his 21st goal of the season and is just one ahead of Cleary for the
team lead.) February 2nd, 2007
"I
found out this morning…kind of surprised. It's an
honor."
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on being selected to his first All-Star Game) January
13th, 2007
“I
think I am more calm now than I was when I got over here the first
time, you know. So, to come here from Sweden, it’s a different
lifestyle. Just to find a house, find a car, find a cell phone, you
fly here, you fly there, you play here, you play there, sometimes
you wake up after a pre-game nap, you don’t know where you are. And
now, you know, its more calm, you settle down, you know what’s going
on. I think that it helps me play good
too.”
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on adjusting to life in America and the NHL)
December 31st, 2006
“Well,
I think we like to play the same kind of style. We like to pass the
puck. We kind of have the same thinking when we are on the ice. It’s
fun.”
-Henrik
Zetterberg (on playing with line-mate Pavel Datsyuk)
December 31st, 2006
“In
the summer I played soccer and in the winter I played hockey. And
it’s almost like it was the same team, you just have the puck in the
winter and you have the ball in the summer. We had a lot of fun. I
think soccer, you have to be really quick on your feet, and I think
that’s true in hockey, you have to be quick. In hockey, it’s a
faster game, but if you look at a really good soccer game, they are
really fast too. The movement of the ball and the movement of the
| 
