Pavel Datsyuk Jersey Card

If you think you've seen this picture of the best hands in the NHL before, it could be because Pavel Datsyuk is pretty much in the same position on this card as when I featured him two years ago. But that's because he always keeps his body compact so it's harder to strip the puck off him, and he lets his hands take it through as many adversaries as he needs to to reach the other end.

After sitting out the first month and a half due (another) injury - he has only suited up for more than 85% of the Detroit Red Wings' games once in the last five seasons, and that was the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign - the Russian Magic Man's return helped slot all Wings forwards in their ideal spots, namely Brad Richards who finally looks like the #2 center they'd been looking for in the past couple of years.

Despite just a goal and an assist (and a -1 rating) in six games thus far, he's looked solid if a bit rusty, and the Wings get to keep their first line intact. I think Detroit has the roster to make the playoffs even without him, but it'll be easier if he can suit up for at least 50 games.

He's signed through next season, after which I think he'll call it quits here before playing a final season in the KHL, possibly with legendary club Moscow CSKA (a.k.a. Central Red Army).

Here's a card of his I purchased on Ebay recently, from Upper Deck's 2015-16 Artifacts set (it's card #LSLR-PD of the Lord Stanley's Legacy Relics sub-set):

It shows him wearing the Red Wings' classic red (now-home) uniform, with a matching game-worn jersey swatch included. I'm usually a huge fan of Artifacts products, and I bought this one to have an idea of what they were up to this year; while I haven't seen the entirety of the set, this card looks more like a Panini product from years past (perhaps the Game-Worn Gear set more specifically), not the same level I'd been used to from this brand.