Datsyuk, along with two other NHLers, two Women's players, and two builders will be inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame on Monday.

There isn't anyone quite like Pavel Datsyuk in today's NHL, but there are a few players who might resemble parts of his game.

Friday night's game between the Torotno Maple Leafs and Detroit Red Wings is the Hall of Fame game. Three NHLers in Datsyuk, Shea Weber, and Jeremy Roenick will be inducted into the Hall of Fame on Monday, alongside Women's players Krissy Wendel and Natalie Darwitz and builders David Poile and Colin Campbell.

Patrick Kane, while sitting in his stall following Detroit's morning skate, was posed the question: Who's the most alike Datsyuk in today's game? The veteran forward elected to go with his United States counterpart in Auston Matthews.

"I don't know. I guess I could see Auston's game a little bit in his," Kane said on Friday.

"Maybe Auston's more of a shooter, but as far as playing both ends of the ice and being able to strip guys of the puck and turn it into offense, I think that's where they're pretty similar.

"I don't know if anyone's [like Datsyuk]. He's a pretty unique player. There's not really anyone like him."

Former Maple Leafs head coach Mike Babcock, who also coached Datysuk in Detroit, said Mitch Marner shared similarities with the player. Craig Berube was told that on Friday and agreed with Babock's opinion.

"Mitch is a real good 200-foot player, too. Kills penalties, anticipates extremely well, has a great stick — all them same qualities that Datsyuk had, so I agree," Berube said.

Kitchener, Ontario-born Steven Lorentz will play in his first Hall of Fame game with the Maple Leafs on Friday. He said it'll be "pretty special to be a part of" and that he's looking forward to a great night.

Even he has memories of watching Datsyuk as a kid and seeing the forward "dipsy-dangle through four or five guys," calling it an insane talent. 

But Lorentz also remembers the other parts of his game, which made Datsyuk a complete player, and now a Hall of Famer.

"He was just such a smart player and a smart checker as well. I think everybody sees the shootout highlights and the highlights being able to dipsy-dangle through four or five guys, which is an insane talent, but when he's checking guys, even not just with his stick. When he puts his body in a guys hands and he's able to strip the puck, he's just sneaky with it," Lorentz said on Friday morning.

"Being able to watch that, he made it look so easy and effortless, but obviously, if it was that easy, then a lot of guys would be doing it. I don't know if we've seen a guy quite like that since him."