It’s a small gesture, but it’s certainly noticed. The one thing you can always count on from Henrik Zetterberg in his era as captain is his presence after Red Wings losses. Every time, he’s the first one out, usually the only one available to the media in that moment, and he takes the initial round of questioning. He stands in front of the Red Wings backdrop, in his Red Wings hat, and breaks it all down.



If he thinks the Red Wings played well in the loss, he says it. If he thinks they needed to be better, he says that too. If he’s frustrated, you’ll know it. But most importantly for a young team, he provides cover. The other players can sort through their thoughts. Often, the youngest players can shower, get dressed and be out of the building without feeling any heat.



That’s the job of a captain. But what makes it great is that he’s rarely around after wins. This is when you see the kids. They can chat about wins all day...