(First in a series of player profiles prior to training camp)

Henrik Zetterberg

Position: Center/Left wing

Age: 37 (on Oct. 9)

Height/Weight: 6-0/197

2016-17 stats: 82 games, 17 goals, 51 assists, 68 points, plus-15 rating, 22 penalty minutes.

Career stats: 1,000 games, 326 goals, 578 assists, 904 points, plus-169 rating, 387 penalty minutes; (playoffs) 137 games, 57 goals, 63 assists, 120 points, plus-41 rating, 79 penalty minutes.

Contract status: Four years remaining at a cap hit of $6.083 million (actual salary: $7 million in 2017-18, $3.35 million in 2018-19 and $1 million each in 2019-20 and 2020-21).

2016-17 in review: Led team in assists, points, plus-minute rating and shots on goal (195). ... Recorded highest point total since 2011-12 (69). ... Registered second-highest assist total of career (eclipsed only by his 56 assists in 2010-11). ... Led forwards in average ice time (19:43). ... Tied for team lead with 11 power-play assists. ... Had fewest power-play point (13) since 2003-04 (also 13). ... Withdrew from Sweden's World Cup team due to a knee issue. ... One of three Red Wings to play all 82 games. ... Only Red Wing to play all 82 games in each of the past two seasons. Has appeared in 164 consecutive games, the longest active streak on the team. ... Fourth on team in faceoff percentage (51.8 percent; 705-of-1,362). ... Played in 1,000th NHL game April 9, the season finale and final game at Joe Louis Arena. Seventh Red Wing to reach that milestone, joining Gordie Howe, Nicklas Lidstrom, Alex Delvecchio, Steve Yzerman, Kris Draper and Tomas Holmstrom. He is 26 games behind Holmstrom. He is the 54th player to appear in 1,000 games with one franchise. ... Passed Brendan Shanahan, Pavel Datsyuk and Norm Ullman to move in sixth place on franchise's all-time list with 326 goals. Next is Ted Lindsay with 335. ... Passed Fedorov to move into sixth place on club's all-time list with 578 assists. Next is Datsyuk with 604. ... Notched 900th point March 30 at Tampa Bay, becoming seventh Red Wing to reach that milestone. Next is Datsyuk with 918. ... Seventh in NHL with 37 points (eight goals, 29 assists) from Jan. 24 to the end of the season (Edmonton's Connor McDavid was first with 44 points). ... Went 3 for 4 in the shootout; all three goals were game-winners. ... Seven-game points streak from Feb. 18 to March 7 (one goal, 11 assists).

2017-18 outlook: He was easily the team's best and most consistent player. Can he be just as effective at age 37?

Coach Jeff Blashill planned on playing Zetterberg on the wing, reducing his minutes to keep him fresh the second half of the season and possibly resting him on a few back-to-back situations. Instead, he moved back to center the third game of the season (when Dylan Larkin was moved back to wing), logged slightly more ice time than the previous season and took no games off. He was particularly strong the second half of the season.

Once again, the Red Wings plan to start the season with Larkin at center and Zetterberg on the wing, where he has played extensively during his career, when paired with Datsyuk.

On a team full of players who regressed, Zetterberg was one of the few who stepped up his play. If he can maintain that level, the Red Wings will be delighted. He is still capable of leading the club in scoring and its forwards in minutes and remains a reliable defender.

Key question: Can Zetterberg, at age 37, play as well and as consistently as he did in 2016-17?