RG.com’s Sergey Demidov spoke with former Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk ahead of a charity game in his hometown of Yekaterinburg, Russia on August 30th. Datsyuk addresses an array of topics, including the state of the Red Wings:
In the summer of 2024, Datsyuk returned to the Detroit Red Wings, the club he starred for from 2001 to 2016, attending their development camp.
“It was an interesting experience for me – and I hope for them too,” he says.
Detroit, once the NHL’s model franchise with 25 straight playoff appearances and Stanley Cups in 1997, 1998, 2002, and 2008, remains in a drawn-out rebuild. They missed the postseason again in 2024–25 – their ninth straight absence – despite late-season wins over playoff teams like New Jersey. Young stars Lucas Raymond and Moritz Seider give hope, but the climb back is steep.
“The Red Wings were at the top for a long time, winning many titles, so it’s understandable that their rebuild is taking more time than usual,” Datsyuk explains. “They say a rebuild takes about seven years, but since Detroit was so high up, the road back to the top takes even longer. Now Detroit has a great arena, which is already a big plus. Perhaps what the team lacks is standout leaders – but that’s true not only for Detroit, it applies to hockey in general. Players are maturing more slowly these days, and some never mature at all, staying teenagers forever.”
That being said, Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin receives Datsyuk’s stamp of approval…
Captain Dylan Larkin is now the face of the team. Datsyuk played alongside him in Larkin’s rookie year.
“It’s hard to give advice when I haven’t seen him in 10 years,” he says. “I played with him when he was still very young. A lot of time has passed. He stands out now, already an experienced and mature player. He understands everything. As a team, they probably just lack confidence.”
And you can take this for what you will:
Looking ahead to 2026, Datsyuk offers a bold forecast: “Here’s my prediction – Detroit will reach the conference final. As for Florida, which has won two Stanley Cups, it will be hard to win a third in a row. I think it will be very difficult for them – partly because of the short summer, and also because motivation won’t be quite the same.”
