By George B. Eichorn (Published in Feb. 26, 2008 edition of Detroit Monitor)

 

Henrik Zetterberg is one talented and very rich man. The Detroit Red Wings recently signed their Swedish star to a new 12-year, $73 million contract that should keep the forward a Red Wing the remainder of his NHL career.

Although he’s not even the top scorer on the club, Zetterberg is one of the key ingredients to the success of the defending Stanley Cup champions. Management needed to keep him locked up as they did last season with center Pavel Datsyuk and still hope to do so with Marian Hossa. Here is an interview with Zetterberg.

Q. Obviously you play in an organization that’s no stranger to winning Cups. Last season was the first one you won personally. Have you found anything tough about defending the Cup, anything you didn’t expect?

Zetterberg: “I think just that you played so long last year. With the short summer, you’re right back in it again. I think for us it’s been tough in the beginning. A few games, it’s been tough to find the momentum from the beginning. A few games we’ve been down a few goals right away, and it’s tough to win games that way.

“I think that’s the biggest issue we had this year, you know, just to be ready from the start. But lately I think we’ve been playing better, playing better for 60 minutes.”

Q. Does the term “playoff experience” get tossed around too much, turning it on when it really matters, because there is so much playoff experience in that room?

Zetterberg: “For sure it’s nice to have all the players that been around for a long, long time. They’ve been winning Cups, they’ve been going deep in the playoffs.

“For us younger players, who hasn’t been there for many years, it’s been real nice to have them to kind of lean back to. If you have any questions or any concerns, you just go with them and follow them.

Q. Do you think a team can just turn it on, even a team like you? Can you turn it on from March 15 to April 1 and be ready for a playoff, or does it have to start at this point, where we are now?

Zetterberg: “You can’t just turn it on. You have to prepare yourself. I think you do that in the games before the playoffs start. It gets tighter and tighter in the standings. Games get kind of more and more intense. So I think you automatically prepare yourself for the playoffs because the games are more like playoff games.”

Q. You signed the huge contract. Do you feel any extra weight with the burden of a 12?year contract?

Zetterberg: “Not really. (I) kind of have the same role I had a week ago or two weeks ago. You play a lot. Of course, it’s a lot of pressure. Playing in Detroit, the bar is real high. That’s the way it’s supposed to be. Expectations are high. Expectations are real high inside the locker room, too. We like it that way. If we lose a game, we get real pissed off. You just want to get back and win the next one.”

Q. Do you have any concerns with the Wings this year or are you pretty happy right now?

Zetterberg: “We’re second in the West. I think we’ve been playing okay. A few games maybe we could play a little bit better. But we have a few things that we, for sure, can do better. We’re working on it. (It’s) thirty some games before the playoffs start. We’re just going to get ourselves ready for a good run again.”

Q. Tell me what Marian Hossa has been like as a teammate.

Zetterberg: “He’s been a tremendous addition for us. He’s one of those guys that really can turn nothing into a goal. He’s a really strong skater, really fast, has a great shot. He’s a great guy, too. He’s been a great fit for us. Hopefully we can find a way to keep him a little bit longer.”

Q. Regarding goaltenders that you’ve faced this year, who has been the toughest and why?

Zetterberg: “Well, the toughest goaltender we faced this year? You know what, I will say Columbus (Steve Mason). Yes. He’s been playing very well against us. We have them a few more times here, and I think that will be the toughest goaltender so far.”

Q. The Red Wings played the Pittsburgh Penguins in last year’s Cup Finals yet they are struggling to even make the playoffs. Does that surprise you at all?

Zetterberg: “Well, you know, they have a good team. When they’re playing good, they should be higher than they are in the standings. But still it’s real tight, so I’m pretty confident after 82 games they will be in a playoff spot. When you’re in the playoffs, anything can happen.”

Buy George Eichorn’s book, “Detroit Sports Broadcasters On the Air” at www.barnesandnoble.com. Reach him at geichorn@yahoo.com.

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