Pavel Valerievich Datsyuk (born July 20, 1978, in
Sverdlovsk, USSR) is a Russian-born professional ice
hockey player playing for the Detroit Red Wings of
the National Hockey League. He is known for his
quiet, humble demeanor, as well as his flashy moves
on the ice.
Datsyuk was not considered an elite hockey player
because of his small size. The Red Wings scouts
liked his skills, but they were not certain he would
ever grow enough and become strong enough to play in
the NHL. As it turns out, he did grow and gain the
necessary strength and the Wings decided to bring
him to North America after drafting him in the 1998
NHL Entry Draft. He arrived in Detroit for the
2001–02 season. He played for the Ekaterinburg
Dynamo for the 1997–1998 and 1999–2000 seasons
before moving to the Russian Super League's Ak Bars
Kazan for the 2000–2001 season. His numbers were not
exceptionally impressive in the RSL, but the Red
Wings saw enough in him to bring him to the NHL the
next season.
