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One injured player back; another on horizon |
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The walking wounded for the Detroit Red Wings were both back on the ice Monday, and one of them plans on being in the lineup Wednesday when the team faces off with the Calgary Flames at Little Caesars Arena.
Wearing a full facemask to protect his fractured cheekbone, left-winger Justin Abdelkader will be back in action after missing one game due to the injury he suffered when the Wings played last Thursday at Calgary.
“I’m lucky that it’s not displaced, it’s not a displaced fracture,” Abdelkader told Mlive.com. “It’s still in alignment. It could be worse. Obviously it’s a frustrating injury anytime that happens but definitely fortunate, too.”
The facial protection will be part of Abdelkader’s uniform for at least the next 6-8 weeks.
“It’ll be something different to get used to but I’ll have to get used to it on the fly and kind of figure it out as we go,” Abdelkader said, indicating it impacted his vision on the ice. “Sight lines, looking down, just having something there rather than not having anything.
“It’ll take a little bit to get used to but obviously, hopefully, it won’t take too long.”
On a team where players who go to the net are almost as rare as Norris Trophy-caliber defensemen, Abdelkader is vital to a team that often struggles to score the so-called dirty goals.
“Certainly having Abby back gives you another guy who’s hard at the net, which we need to be,” Detroit coach Jeff Blashill said. “He’s a commodity on this hockey team because of the size and skill package that he brings.
“I think when he’s playing his best, he’s a commodity in the NHL, because of the size/skill package. Certainly he’s a big factor for us.”
DeKeyser Practices
Remember Danny DeKeyser? Defenseman? Big guy? Wears No. 65?
DeKeyser, who hasn’t played since Oct. 10, missing 15 games since suffering a sprained ankle and what has now been upgraded to also include a hairline fracture when he blocked a shot that night in Dallas, was back at practice on Monday.
“That was my first practice, so I’ve got to do quite a bit more before I get into a game, DeKeyser said, reciting a laundry list of items to be checked off before he’ll be cleared for a return to action.
“It’s more like trying to move your feet quick, like your first three strides to get going,” DeKeyser said. “I can skate laps all day but it’s just the explosiveness part of the game, and also the battle stuff in the corners.
Optimistically, if he continues to answer these questions, DeKeyser hopes to be back in a game by the weekend.
“We play Friday and Sunday,” DeKeyser said, citing games against Buffalo and Colorado. “I don’t know, somewhere in there if it feels good as the week goes on here. I haven’t done any battling or nothing like that, though.”
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