Red Wings Injury Report
Detroit Getting Key Players Back as Regular Season Winds Down
Coming off a 1-8-2 slide that had many fans thinking about a big trade at the deadline, the Detroit Red Wings are getting healthy as the NHL playoffs draw near.
The Detroit Red Wings may not have made any splashy trade deadline moves, but Detroit fans will feel like they're watching a different team as the regular season plays out, particularly if the team's recent 11-game hiccup is still heavy on their minds.
Struggling through a February stretch that saw them go 1-8-2, the Wings quickly went from threatening the all-time points record to scrambling to keep their No. 1 seed in the Western Conference. That slide - beginning with a Feb. 7 loss to the L.A. Kings - fueled many fans' hopes that a major move would be made at the Feb. 26 trade deadline, but General Manager Ken Holland settled instead for acquiring defenseman Brad Stuart and comeback-hopeful Darren McCarty.
Of course, by Feb. 26, the Wings were already positioned to welcome a boatload of players to the roster, players who'd been idled by injuries suffered at various times throughout the month. By the time the injury wagon was done loading, six key Wings were on board.
Here's a quick look at the list of injuries the Wings suffered in recent weeks, and how their contributions were big to the Wings through the first half of the season. The fact that all were diagnosed as "likely to return before the playoffs" kept Holland from pulling the trigger on a major trade at the deadline.
Niklas Kronwall defenseman
Sidelined since late January with a sprained shoulder, Kronwall was the first of the Wings' defensemen to go down. He was also among the first to return, and he made a huge contribution immediately with a two-assist game on Feb. 29. For the season he has 29 points and is a +21.
Brian Rafalski defenseman
Rafalski was the second-leading defensemen in scoring in the NHL when he strained his groin, trailing only teammate Nicklas Lidstrom. After an eight-game absence, Rafalski returned to the lineup March 5 and scored a huge third-period goal as the Wings beat St. Louis 4-1. For the season, Rafalski has 11 goals, 36 assists and is a +23.
Dan Cleary forward
With only Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg scoring consistently, the Wings could hardly afford to lose Cleary's offense when he was hit by a puck and suffered a broken jaw Feb. 9. He's been out since, but the team still plans on his return before the playoffs. For the season, he's one four Wings with 20+ goals, tied with Tomas Holmstrom (20 each).
Dominic Hasek goaltender
Coach Mike Babcock has used Hasek in tandem with Chris Osgood for the entire season, but Hasek was referred to as the team's No. 1 goalie, the one they'll lean on come playoff time. A hip flexor sidelined him for five games beginning Feb. 12, but since returning Feb. 29 he's posted a 2-1 record.
Nicklas Lidstrom defenseman
With 57 points on the season, Lidstrom led all defensemen when he suffered a sprained knee on Feb. 18. For the season, he's a remarkable +39. It's been reported that Lidstrom could return as early as March 9.
Chris Chelios defenseman
With the team's defensive unit already depleted, Chelios suffered a chipped fibula Feb. 22 and hasn't played since. He too expects to return in the coming weeks.
