TRAVERSE CITY -- Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk hit the ice Saturday morning during the first day of training camp wearing No. 24, instead of his usual No. 13. Datsyuk is honoring his late friend and former teammate, Ruslan Salei, by wearing his No. 24 in the preseason. He will switch back to No. 13 at the start of the regular season. Salei, who played for the Red Wings in 2010-11, and former assistant coach Brad McCrimmon were among 44 people killed in the Sept. 7 plane crash in Russia involving KHL club Lokotomiv Yaroslavl. "It's an honor to wear his jersey,'' Datsyuk said. "I've got good memories. This is a good way to remember him by. "I (wish) I knew him more, not like just one year. We got close last year. I want to honor him. I miss him.'' Salei is survived by wife, Bethann, and three young children, including a girl born in March. "I talked to Bethann the other night and she was talking about her kids and remembering Rusty and how they need a Detroit Red Wings jersey with Rusty's name on it. They don't have that,'' coach Mike Babcock said. "She was talking about taking her little guy (son Aleksandro) to hockey the other night and him saying to her. 'I'm not playing anymore. Papa doesn't play anymore, I'm not playing anymore.' What do you say? "I think it's fantastic by Pavel and obviously we're going to miss Beast (McCrimmon) and Rusty.''
