The Zetterberg Era
Ball Hockey Sucks
I actually think switching to the wing was the best thing that's happened to his career.
He can still spot duty at center but on the wing we can use his speed to recover dump ins and for break out plays. I also think he excels around the boards and has a chemistry with Datsyuk that not many of our players do.
I think he'll put up great numbers if we use him as a winger on the top line vs playing 3rd line center.
Agree, it also covers for the fact he would often overrun plays at center. On the wing he just gets to stay in attack mode and his recovery speed is used along with the hard outlets back the D-man off. You don't want to step up on Darren Helm if he controls the puck or chips it off the board you are a dead man walking and almost all D-man are respecting that. Because the Wing is less demanding we get to see more of his self cycle and attacking mindset, he has to worry about those things when deployed at center when out on the wing he doesn't have to be concerned with it.