As previously reported, Pavel Datsyuk will play for Team Russia on Thursday. The only question now is what that means for him in the long run.
Datsyuk missed a little over a month due to a lower-body injury and while he returned on Jan. 6, it was in a limited capacity. Detroit Red Wings GM Ken Holland said the superstar forward probably isn’t at 100% and head coach Mike Babcock is of the same belief, but Datsyuk doesn’t seem worried.
“Everything’s fine,” Datsyuk said through an interpreter, according to the Canadian Press. “My injury does not bother me at all. Babcock is not my concern right now.”
But how Datsyuk handles his injury is the Red Wings’ long-term concern.
“Obviously I’m worried that he’s not 100% when he comes back and plays for Detroit,” Datsyuk’s long-time Red Wings teammate, Henrik Zetterberg said, according to TSN’s Jonas Siegel.
Zetterberg will play for Team Sweden in the Olympics. Meanwhile, Datsyuk is projected to play alongside Ilya Kovalchuk and Alexander Radulov. Russia’s opener will be against Slovenia.