DETROIT -- Pavel Datsyuk is second on the Red Wings with 11 goals.
Gustav Nyquist has 12 but he's scored those in 26 games, 11 more than Datsyuk has played.
"Pav is Pav," Niklas Kronwall said. "I don't know how you explain it, really. When he goes out there feeling good, he's one of the best in the league. And he shows it night after night."
"Obviously, we're happy to have him playing," captain Henrik Zetterberg said. "When he was out there he's such a big part of our team, we need him to play games. When he's doing that he's been on fire. Not just production. Overall the way he plays out there, offensively, defensively. Eleven goals in 15 games is pretty impressive."
Datsyuk normally has about twice as many assists as he does goals, so it's a little unusual that he has 11 goals and eight assists so far.
"He's a special player," Nyquist said. "It's amazing what he can do with the puck. He means a lot to this team. (Thursday) night he was just dominant, you can't take the puck off him.
"He plays the game both ends of the ice very well. Always wins pucks. He's been playing unbelievable every time he's in the lineup so it's great for us."
The thing that excites Wings coach Mike Babcock is that it's not just Datsyuk and Nyquist who have played well.
Tomas Tatar has 10 goals and seven other players have four goals or more.
"When you get everyone on board and everyone playing well it helps you out," Babcock said. "We seem to have more guys that can score. And the more people you have to score you can pick one another up."
Zetterberg may have only five goals but he's seventh in the league with 19 assists.
With other players getting goals, it helps out the guys who are expected to put the puck in the net.
"Gus and Tats are off to great starts," Kronwall said. "It's huge. We can't just rely on Hank (Zetterberg) and Pav to do it, or Mule (Johan Franzen) every night, even though they're making the plays. It's huge to have depth in scoring."
WEISS EXCUSED FROM PRACTICE
Stephen Weiss was excused from Friday's practice, but not because of an injury.
"He had a personal thing. He had a funeral, talked to him (Thursday)," Babcock said.
Weiss had a goal and two assists Thursday night against Dallas, giving him four goals and four assists in six games since he returned from a groin injury.
"I never lost confidence," Weiss said after the game. "It was just a matter of being able to get some reps in the lineup and being healthy. Right now that's the case. I'm able to be consistently playing in these games and I feel fine with no issues with health right now. So it's nice to get a few bounces. Anytime you can get some bounces around the net and see the puck go in for you and your linemates it takes some weight off your shoulders."
Weiss, who missed most of last season due to sports hernia surgery and an additional surgery to remove scar tissue, said he's working to earn Babcock's trust.
"That's the case with any new player on any team, gaining that trust, especially with the way we play," Weiss said. "It's a lot different than other teams. You have to be accountable in all three zones and I had a tough time with that last year. I'm starting to get more comfortable."
Although Weiss isn't sure Babcock is completely confident in him yet, the fact that he's playing is a good sign.
"I was healthy at the start of the season and I wasn't in the lineup," Weiss said. "I'm healthy again and he's putting me in, so that gives me confidence that I must be doing something right, but I've still got work to do. I'm not taking anything for granted, that's for sure."
Babcock has put Weiss, normally a center, at wing. It was odd at first but now Weiss is beginning to like it.
Weiss said not having to take face-offs is less stress on his wrists. Playing wing is also helpful for other things.
"The first thing that sticks out is it's a lot less work in your D-zone," Weiss said. "You don't have to put in those hard miles down low below your goal line. That's the toughest thing about being a center is having to play at both ends of the ice behind the goal lines against some pretty big centers. I just feel more fresh without having to do that."
RANGERS TOUGH TEST
Saturday night at Joe Louis Arena, the Wings will host the New York Rangers, a team that has beaten them five straight times.
The Rangers are starting goaltender Cam Talbot instead of Henrik Lundqvist.
Talbot earned his first career NHL victory against the Wings on Oct. 26, 2013, stopping 32 of 34 shots in a 3-2 overtime win.
"They got great goaltending," Kronwall said. "Basically their whole team is great at blocking shots and that's something they've taken to another level, I think, in the league. They're a good team, they work hard and they got some really good players."
Talbot has a personal shutout streak of 125:34, which dates back to the third period of the Nov. 8 game at Toronto.
"You also got to stay out of the box," Zetterberg said. "They have some skilled players. You put them on the power play, they will hurt you."
The Rangers have scored on the power play in four straight games and in seven of the last eight.
The Rangers' power play is ranked 19th overall but 11th on the road.
"We've got to bear down on our penalty kill, we've had a few go in, we have to make sure that doesn't happen or that gets stopped," Babcock said.
The Wings' penalty kill is ranked sixth overall, fifth at home.
Babcock said Jimmy Howard would start in goal for the Wings.
STILL CAN BE BETTER
The Wings are one of the top-scoring teams and have both the power play and penalty kill ranked sixth in the league.
Yet, they can still be better.
"I think we just got to be more consistent," Zetterberg said. "We're doing a lot of good things for part of the games and then our lows are a little bit too low. We got to raise that level and be more consistent and we'll be a lot better team."
The Wings currently sit fifth in the Eastern Conference at 15-6-5, behind The Tampa Bay Lightning, the New York Islanders, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens.
"All in all, I think we're off to a pretty good start, there's no doubt about that," Kronwall said. "But at the same time, I still think there's some work to be done. I still think that we can play even more solid over the course of 60 minutes, take care of the puck a lot better in our own zone is one area that we're trying to improve."
