Just before the national anthem Wednesday night, it was announced that Pavel Datsyuk had recently reached the 600-assist milestone with the Red Wings. He was called out on the ice for a presentation. Then, as the 37-year-old skated back to the bench, anxious fans broke into a cheer:
“One more year! ... One more year!”
They could have been yelling at the team.
So much was dangling at Joe Louis Arena on this night — the Wings’ playoff chances, Datsyuk’s NHL tenure, a postseason streak that defies belief — that the banners in the rafters seemed almost redundant.