With the fearless leader of the Detroit Red Wings likely having played his final game in the winged wheel, it got a little emotional in our staff Slack channel this weekend. Everyone was throwing around their favorite Henrik Zetterberg moments, so I decided to compile a few of them to share with you.

Those legendary words from Ken Daniels while your heart was beating out of your chest: “Game 7, here we come!” was a genuine moment of joy and relief. A slapper right from the point to beat Jonas Hiller and keep Detroit alive in the 2013 playoffs, courtesy of Henrik Zetterberg, was a moment Red Wings fans will never forget. For me, that tops the list of Zetterberg moments. At a time when the decline of HockeyTown was showing, Detroit’s window was open for one more shot. While it never happened, Zetterberg’s heroics agasnt Anaheim created one more lasting memory.

June 4th, 2008. Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final in Pittsburgh. The Red Wings had just come off the losing end of a heartbreaking comeback at home in Detroit, losing an opportunity to raise Lord Stanley in Joe Louis Arena. Not allowing themselves to miss another chance, the Wings threw everything they had at the Penguins in Game 6. Following goals from Brian Rafalski and Valterri Filppula, the Wings held a 2-1 lead in the 3rd period. At 7:36, Henrik Zetterberg scored one of the oddest & most important goals in Red Wings history. His wrist shot slid past Marc-Andre Fleury, stopped in the crease, and was pushed in when Fleury fell onto the puck. This went on to be the Cup-winning goal, and arguably the most important of Zetterberg’s career.

My favorite Zetterberg moment is from game 4 of the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals. The Wings were leading the series and the game 2-1 when they went down 5-on-3 with ten minutes left. Z was on the ice and played his heart out, blocking two shots, intercepting a pass, generating a scoring chance, and shutting down the great Sidney Crosby at one of his favorite spots on the ice. By the end of the shift, Z was gassed, but he never gave up. It prompted NBC’s Doc Emrick to proclaim that Zetterberg was having a “Conn Smythe shift”. Sure enough, Z would win the Conn Smythe trophy in at the conclusion of game six. Take five minutes to watch the highlights from legendary Wings YouTuber awood40.

There is so much to admire here. From the work ethic to the hockey sense to the coolness under pressure. Z’s leadership qualities were on full display, making it easy to see why the Wings named him their next captain.

I find it telling that the three moments we chose to highlight were big playoff moments. Zetterberg was always at his best when the team needed him most. He lead with a calm confidence that allowed his teammates to play their game. Z was always clutch, regular season or playoffs, but the moments we remember best are the ones that meant the most.

What was your favorite Henrik Zetterberg moment?