Henrik Rising & Norris Nick

With 17 points through 9 games, the Red Wings Henrik Zetterberg is leading the NHL in scoring. It would be hard to call this season a break-out year for Hank, as he had already established himself as one of the best up and coming forwards in hockey. However, this may finally be the first real sight of Henrik's true abilities. On the Red Wings most dynamic line alongside Pavel Datsyuk and Thomas Holmstrom, Zetterberg continues to be the centerpiece of the Red Wings. Looking at the top ranked players in the NHL, most experts would not name Henrik Zetterberg in the top 10, let alone top 5. Even with this statistically phenomenal season, Henrik may not join the list of the leagues elite-- until he drops another 2 points on one of the Western Conference's elite.



In my mind, the most underrated player in Red Wings and possibly NHL history is "Norris" Nick Lidstrom. If Nick Lidstrom was not born in Sweden, many would consider him the face of today's NHL. His foreign status have limited his abilities as an ambassador of the game to the United States. Nick Lidstrom has won a nearly unprecedented 5 Norris Trophies as the NHL's best defender. Despite his greatness, Nick Lindstrom is not even mentioned in a discussion of top 10 NHL players all-time. This is a disgrace to the game of hockey, as Nicklas Lidstrom's skill set as a defenceman is un-matched in the NHL, in the past and presently.