"Of course, it's a very special day becoming captain," Zetterberg said. "First, Kenny (Holland) beat me on the golf course and he told me that I was going to be the next captain, it was a few months ago.
"I called my dad right away and told him and he was real proud. So it is special and I'm glad the day is here and we're back playing again. And I look forward to getting going on Saturday."
In nine seasons with the Wings, Zetterberg has left his mark on the organization, currently ranking No. 10 in goals (252), assists (372) and points (624), and fourth all-time with 50 game-winning goals, trailing only Steve Yzerman (94), Brendan Shanahan (79) and Sergei Fedorov (63).
The 2008 Playoff MVP was originally drafted by the Red Wings in the seventh-round (210th overall) of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft.
