Coyotes Nielsen: Centre and York Islanders

coyotes nielsen: Datsyuk had $7.5 million and one year left on his contract, but the Red Wings got salary-cap relief by technically trading him to Arizona last summer even though the dazzling centre won't play for the Coyotes, according to Brandon Sun. Nielsen, a 32-year-old centre from Denmark, had 119 goals and 349 points with the New York Islanders since making his debut with them during the 2006-07 season."We added the best centre we could last summer," Holland said. "He a good, two-way player, who historically has been able to chip in about 50 points a season."Nielsen prides himself on being able to help on defence as much as offence, saying he has patterned his game after Zetterberg."I always looked up to a guy like Zetterberg," Nielsen said while playing for Team Europe in the World Cup of Hockey. "But I never had a guy like that on my team."Here are some other things to watch for from the Red Wings, who begin the regular season Oct. 13 at Tampa Bay:COMEBACK CHANCEThe Red Wings signed winger Thomas Vanek to a one-year, $2.6 million deal in free agency shortly after the Minnesota Wild bought out the last year of his three-year, $19.5 million deal. With newcomers such as Frans Nielsen, the Red Wings hope they finish well enough to earn a 26th consecutive post-season appearance."We do not have a Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg in his prime," general manager Ken Holland said Monday. "We're going to have to generate offence by committee, rolling four lines and getting something out of each one."The Red Wings are paying Nielsen $31.5 million over six years to play a key part in their plans to recover from the loss of Datsyuk, who left the NHL to return to Russia to continue his career near his family. Vanek had a career-low 18 goals last season, his second in Minnesota, after scoring 40-plus goals twice and 30-plus goals in two other seasons. The franchise needs the 20-year-old to avoid a sophomore slump."Last year, he came in with very little expectations and he had 45 points and everybody said he had a great year," coach Jeff Blashill said. "Now the expectations go through the roof and all of a sudden he might have a real similar year and people are disappointed."The Red Wings also must get production from 24-and-younger players such as Andreas Athanasiou, Anthony Mantha, Riley Sheahan, Alexey Marchenko and Tomas Jurco.INJURY WATCHZetterberg and a fellow Swede, defenceman Niklas Kronwall, chose not to play for their country in the World Cup of Hockey because they're recovering from knee injuries. It sounds like the 32-year-old Vanek is very fired up to prove he can still score."I'm going to get a chance to go to the front of the net more than I did the past two years," Vanek said.YOUTH MOVEMENTDetroit got a much-needed and relatively unexpected boost last season when rookie Dylan Larkin had 23 goals and 22 assists. (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.