OffThePost.org

In Z's case, if there were no Olympics we'd have been playing games here. When we put Z on LTIR in December he went and got some pictures, they could see that fragment floating around but they were hoping we could get through the season and could deal with it in the off season. Unfortunately it caused havoc. If it didn't cause havoc in Sochi, it would have caused havoc in Detroit or Columbus or New Jersey or Nashville or Tampa or wherever we were playing. Ideally you'd probably like to get your players hurt wearing your jerseys versus getting them hurt wearing someone else's jerseys, but [shrugs]....

We talked to Mule and he made the decision that he couldn't go. Z played for a month and he played against the Czech Republic and I thought he was fabulous and I woke up the next morning and all the sudden my Russian phone is going crazy with all these people trying to get information. What's the matter with Z? Does Z need surgery? Z played the game and said he woke up the next morning... They saw that fragment and it had lodged itself in a nerve and it had to be handled, but I'm not judging. I look at Pav and Z and since 05-06 they've carried this team; they're superstars. They got the mantle from Lidstrom and from Yzerman and we win the cup in 2008 Henrik Zetterberg is the MVP. These guys are superstars, they're super people, they're warriors, they're competitors, they play hurt, they block shots, they play 200 feet, they're role models, they're great citizens, they're incredible people. For me to tell Pavel Datsyuk "I don't think you should be playing and representing your country in the Olympics, something that as a little boy he's grown up dreaming of representing your country in the Olympics and you're the captain..." I have a conversation with him but ultimately that's a decision they've got to make and I respect the decision. Getting back to Z, he played for us for a month and played in the first game of the Olympics and felt great. I was at the game and I I watched the Czech's play the Swedes and the next day he can't get out of bed, so I don't think that had anything to do with the Olympics. That was something we were concerned about in December and it reared its ugly head when that little fragment lodged itself in the wrong place. Pav gives his heart and soul to the team, to the city, to the franchise , to our coaches. He’s no maintenance, he’s no politics, you can give him whoever you want and he just plays. He’s a superstar.