Archive for the 'Aaron Downey' Category

4/23 Notes

Published
by
Matt Saler
on April 23, 2008
in Aaron Downey, Brad Stuart, Kirk Maltby, Lines, Mark Hartigan and Pavel Datsyuk
. 0 Comments

Update (3:12 PM): Helene St. James reports that Kirk Maltby (hamstring) won’t play tomorrow and is doubtful for Saturday’s game. So, Darren Helm should get another game or two in the lineup. - Matt

Update (1:52 PM): Khan’s post on the Stuart question is here. - Matt

Update (1:42 PM): According to Bruce MacLeod’s lastest, Brad Stuart’s status for Game 1 is unknown. Ansar Khan told me via email that Stuart will stay in California until the baby is born. As Mike Babcock told the media, his first priority is to be there for his wife. Given Stuart’s obvious concern for her, I’d be surprised if he’s back in time for the game. I’m sure he won’t exactly hop on the first available plane following the birth, even if the baby comes today.

With the Wings’ depth on the blueline, this should be only a minor speed bump at worst. Andreas Lilja, who practiced in Stuart’s place today, can fill in ably.

By the way, kudos to the Wings for letting Stuart do this. It’s just more evidence that this is the best organization in the game. - Matt

Bruce MacLeod reports from practice that Pavel Datsyuk is on the ice after having the day off yesterday. That’s definitely good news

Brad Stuart is still in California with his wife. I would hope the plan is that he’ll be back tonight so that he can participate in the pre-game ska te tomorrow. If, however, the plan is for him to remain out West until his second child is born and as a result he isn’t back for Game 1, the Wings have options like Andreas Lilja, Derek Meech or Jonathan Ericsson.

Mark Hartigan, Kirk Maltby, and Aaron Downey are wearing the “likely scratch” greay sweaters.

Ericsson is practicing with the team again.

The lines:

Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmstrom
Franzen-FIlppula-Samuelsson
Hudler-Draper-Cleary
Drake-Helm-McCarty
Maltby-Hartigan-Downey

Lidstrom-Rafalski
Kronwall-Lilja (subbing for Stuart)
Lebda-Chelios
Ericsson-Meech

Osgood
Hasek
Howard

4/22 Notes

Published
by
Matt Saler
on April 22, 2008
in Aaron Downey, Brad Stuart, Injuries, Kirk Maltby, Lines and Pavel Datsyuk
. 5 Comments

Update (4:00 PM): Ansar Khan says Pavel Datsyuk has the flu. Let’s hope it’s not the same “flu” that Nashville’s Jason Arnott had for Games 5 and 6 of the first round. Khan also quotes Babcock as saying Datsyuk will be back at the Joe tomorrow after spending today at home.

Khan also has more from Babcock on Kirk Maltby and Darren Helm. Basically, Babcock isn’t sure if Malts will be ready to go for Game 1, and he sounds too impressed with Helm to insert #18 anyway.

In another post, Khan reports that Tomas Kopecky (torn ACL, sprained MCL) underwent surgery today in Alabama. He’s expected to take 4-6 months to recover, so it’s possible he’ll miss the start of the season. - Matt

Update (1:14 PM): MacLeod has updated as promised:

Pavel Datsyuk is “sick,” though the team isn’t saying what he’s got. The best bet is that it’s “banged-up-itis” given that Piet Van Zant’s immediate prescription was more home rest. Babcock assured MacLeod that Pavel will “be ready to go” for the second round.

Brad Stuart missed practice because he returned home to California to be with his wife for the birth of their second child.

Kirk Maltby (hamstring) is awaiting medical clearance, but even if he gets it, he’s not a lock to play. Babcock told the media “that he doesn’t like to change the lineup when things are going well.” If Babcock opts to stand pat, he’ll be choosing Darren Helm’s youthful exuberance over Kirk Maltby’s 137 games of playoff experience.

I’m not sure how I feel on that. Do you remember Maltby much this season? Me either. Darren Helm, on the other hand, stood out and has a lot going for him in terms of speed and offensive upside. Then again, Kirk Maltby has a ton of playoff experience and after watching the ramped-up performances of Dallas Drake, Darren McCarty, and Kris Draper, it’s easy to value that above youth. Helm, though, gives the Wings a bona fide fourth-line center, a role Maltby can’t fill. But Babcock won’t be as quick to trust Helm with killing penalties. Of course, Maltby will be returning from a hamstring injury, which likely means a lost step or two. What do you think?

Also, Nick Lidstrom is, predictably enough, a Norris Trophy finalist. His competition is Zdeno Chara and Dion Phaneuf. - Matt

Bruce MacLeod reports from practice:

Pavel Datsyuk was not on the ice, though MacLeod doesn’t think there’s any reason to think it’s worse than normal playoff bumps and bruises. He promises to ask for more information, so expect an update on that later.

Brad Stuart also did not practice. The obvious reason for that is his finger, which is still healing. However, in light of Stuart’s absence, it is interesting that Jonathan Ericsson practiced “with the varsity” rather than separately with his fellow Grand Rapids call-ups. Even with Stuart out, there are eight defensemen participating (Lidstrom, Rafalski, Kronwall, Chelios, Lilja, Lebda, Meech, and Ericsson).

Kirk Maltby (hamstring) is practicing, so his return could come soon.

MacLeod says the team used the same lines that played in Game 6, though, with Datsyuk out, Maltby and Mark Hartigan working in on the top line. Aaron Downey got reps with the fourth line.

Quote of the Day

Published
by
Matt Saler
on March 31, 2008
in Aaron Downey and Quotes
. 0 Comments

“What are we doing, throwing this game?”

- Aaron Downey on being scratched Friday against St. Louis. (via MacLeod)

3/27 Notes

Published
by
Matt Saler
on March 27, 2008
in Aaron Downey, Brad Stuart, Darren McCarty, Dominik Hasek, Henrik Zetterberg, Injuries, Pavel Datsyuk, Tomas Holmstrom and Valtteri Filppula
. 3 Comments

Update (8:01 PM): From the “why make it public?  file: Dave Waddell got the location of Brad Stuarts broken finger from the man himself:

“I have pretty good grip with my other three fingers (on his right hand), so that’s a good sign.”

For those keeping score at home, that’s his top hand, which should mean his return will come earlier than expected since his lower hand does most of the serious gripping. Stuart is confident about being back in time to play in Game 1. Here’s hoping he’s mostly, if not all, healed by then because that hand will have a big target on it now that the whole world knows the location of the injury.

Waddell also has something on the McCarty versus Downey situation. Key quote from Mike Babcock:

“We’re giving Mac an opportunity (tonight), Downs probably won’t be playing (tonight), but that’s just so Mac can get into a game. That’s no reflection on what Downs has been able to do with us.”

Still, both players will be competing for roster spots. George Malik sums it up nicely:

One might see McCarty’s ready-to-play status is healthy competition for Dallas Drake and, to a lesser extent, Jiri Hudler or Tomas Kopecky as a 3rd/4th line presence who can excel on the forecheck instead of a replacement for Downey’s role as a pure “policeman.”

Of course, McCarty’s ability to excel on the forecheck at the NHL level these days has yet to be proven. - Matt

Update (2:14 PM): … Ansar Khan reports that Dominik Hasek will not play tomorrow and that Chris Osgood will start.

… He also says that Tomas Holmstrom is supposed to undergo further testing today. Apparently Mike Babcock doesn’t know the results of yesterday’s tests, but told Khan that it’s looking positive. I’ll believe it when I see Homer back in the lineup.

… Khan clarifies MacLeod’s comments on Samuelsson by saying the Swede left practice early. According to Babcock, he’s questionable for tomorrow.

… Dallas Drake told Khan he’s ready to go, but Babcock wouldn’t commit to it.

… Brad Stuart told Khan that he’s optmisitc he’ll be back in time for Game 1.

… Khan also confirms that Aaron Downey will be scratched tomorrow.  - Matt

Update (12:56 PM): MacLeod has more:

…  I don’t know why this didn’t register with me before when I looked at the lines: Mikael Samuelsson did not skate today. MacLeod says it’s because he has “tightness in his groin.” Apparently the team is being cautious, so his status for tomorrow is unknown.

… Dominik Hasek could play tomorrow, depending on how he feels tomorrow morning.

… It looks like Blues fans will be disappointed: Aaron Downey will be a healthy scratch, with Mark Hartigan (unfortunately) getting a spot instead.

… It looks like Valtteri Filppula will be back tomorrow. - Matt

Update (11:52 AM): Just after I publish, I see Bruce MacLeod’s latest:

… Hasek did not practice today, so he must be out tomorrow. Jimmy Howard already made the drive down I-96 and practiced with the team this morning.

… Darren McCarty’s debut is still on.

… Tomas Holmstrom “took a quick twirl,” but didn’t stay any longer than that.

… Valtteri Filppula stayed out there the whole time, though MacLeod casts doubt on his status for tomorrow night by saying “[he] might be back in the lineup soon.”

… Lastly, the line combos from practice:

Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Cleary
Hudler-Franzen-Filppula
Kopecky-Draper-Maltby
Hartigan-Drake-McCarty

Don’t read too much into Drake’s presence on the fourth unit. He practiced Monday as well, but  didn’t play Tuesday. There’s still a chance he could sit out once again.

The defensive pairings haven’t changed:

Lidstrom-Rafalski
Kronwall-Chelios
Lebda-Lilja

 - Matt

… The big news is that Darren McCarty will make his re-debut with the Wings tomorrow night against the Blues. It will be his first game in the Winged Wheel since May 3, 2004, and his first in the NHL in nearly a year. No word yet on who he’ll be skating with, but don’t expect a full-fledged reunion of the Grind Line. He probably won’t be getting third line minutes.

Thanks to Christy Hammond at Behind the Jersey, who was kind enough to give me tickets, Megan and I will be at the game. No pressure Mac, but a repeat of your last home debut would be nice.

… Tim Miller, writing over at Bleacher Report, has a good take on the whole McCarty return. He provides some needed perspective on the situation. Referring to Friday, he writes,

A great game, and a great story, but one that a Red Wings fans should hope ends on April 6th when their top 12 forwards, including Holmstom and Flippula, are deemed healthy enough for the post-season.  The lineup that has driven this team to the President’s Trophy and gives them the best shot at post-season success.

Miller goes on to cite McCarty’s speed problem, his effective disappearance in Calgary, and the fact that he’s returning from a rib injury, which he says is “not a the best injury to have for a grinder.” Indeed.

I’m thrilled to see the success of Mac’s comeback attempt, but I’m keeping my expectations low. I joked about his hat trick above, but I don’t actually believe he can reproduce his AHL performance in the NHL. The question is whether or not he can fill a role on a team that is already very-well rounded. On one hand, I hope he can, but on the other, I’m with Miller. Mac is not going to be the one piece that puts the Wings over the edge because they already have all the pieces. If his addition does nothing more than give them the option of inserting him into the lineup, that’s fine because it’s really all they need.

… Helene St. James reports that Dominik Hasek (flu) is on antibiotics. If he can’t practice today, the Wings will recall Jimmy Howard, who they sent back to Grand Rapids yesterday. Here’s hoping the flu bug doesn’t spread any further.

… Barring a setback in today’s skate, Valtteri Filppula (knee, groin) is expected to return tomorrow night. Dallas Drake, on the other hand, is questionable with a bruised sternum.

With Fil and Mac in the lineup and Drake out, the lines should look something like this:

Filppula-Datsyuk-Franzen
Samuelsson-Zetterberg-Cleary
Kopecky-Draper-Maltby
McCarty-Hudler-Downey

… The status of Tomas Holmstrom (abdomen/groin) for the remainder of the season is still unknown. The results of his tests should come out today. It’s not looking like he’ll be back before the end of the regular season.

… Ted Kulfan reports that Brad Stuart (broken finger) will start rehabilitation today or tomorrow. The goal is to have him back by Game 1 of the first round.

… The Wings will have an open practice on Saturday. The doors open at 11:00 AM and the skate starts at noon.  If you bring new or used hockey equipment, you get in free. Otherwise, it’s a $5 donation. The money and the equipment will go toward inner-city youth hockey programs.

… Ansar Khan has a nice piece on the possible Selke candidacies of Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. Arguments can be made for both players, who should finishe 1 and 2 in any case. However, I think Datsyuk’s reputation as an offensive forward hurts him. It seems to me that his two-way ability is one of the best-kept secrets in Hockeytown. Zetterberg’s two-way game is well-publicized and has been ever since he entered the League. Datsyuk, on the other hand, is only getting acclaim for his defensive play more recently.

Even I have a hard time imagining Pavel winning the Selke over Hank, but that may just be my homerism for #40 coming through.

…  Over at Abel to Yzerman, IwoCPO suggests the Avs hire Patrick Roy as head coach after they fire Joel Quenneville. That would be … interesting.

… Lastly, I can’t let this pass without comment. The idea that Aaron Downey is a coward or classless is ridiculous. The guy has been the epitome of class all season and, by all accounts, is universally respected in the Wings’ locker room. He has been very smart to pick his fights wisely and so it’s no surprise to me that he turned down King Tuesday night. There’s no law, written or unwritten, that says he has to answer every challenge. Downey’s job is to spark his teammates with big hits and the occassional fight, not to allow himself to be goaded into dropping the gloves.

I’m sorry Blues fans, but if you’re looking for someone to call a coward or classless, look to your own team. Downey is a much better man than, say, Barret Jackman, who was, is, and always will be, a donkey.

If Downey decides to drop the gloves in defense of his character tomorrow night, I fully expect to see him acquit himself well. If he choses to keep his gloves on, I’ll certainly think no less of him.

Ritola, Helm returned to Griffins

Published
by
Matt Saler
on March 17, 2008
in Aaron Downey, Darren Helm, Darren McCarty, Injuries, Kris Draper and Mattias Ritola
. 1 Comment

Update (3:15 PM): I was wrong about Holmstrom.

Bruce MacLeod reports that Kris Draper is a “maybe” for Wednesday, while neither Tomas Holmstrom nor Darren McCarty are expected to be ready. Downey, however, is able to return.

If Draper (or Holmstrom or McCarty) is not able to make it back, the team will recall Mattias Ritola or Darren Helm. - Matt

According to Griffinshockey.com, the Wings have returned Mattias Ritola and Darren Helm to Grand Rapids. As pointed out by George Malik, that should mean two of Aaron Downey (flu), Tomas Holmstrom (abdominal/groin), Kris Draper (groin tear), and Darren McCarty (ribs) will be back Wednesday night.

My guess? Downey, who should be over his flu, and Holmstrom, whose injury seemed less severe than Draper’s. That would make the forward corps look like this:

Filppula-Datsyuk-Holmstrom
Franzen-Zetterberg-Samuelsson
Maltby-Kopecky-Drake
Hartigan-Hudler-Downey

Of course, that’s just speculation. It’s also possible that McCarty could make his return debut at the expense of Downey, though I’d be surprised if Draper plays.

Downey sick, Ritola called up.

Published
by
Sarah Baker
on March 15, 2008
in 2007-2008, Aaron Downey and Mattias Ritola
. 1 Comment

Update (9:46pm):  Apparently some NHL rule prevented the Wings from sending Ritola straight back to Grand Rapids today. (I bet he was relieved…) He may get another chance to play for the Wings in Columbus tomorrow. Jimmy Howard also remains with the Wings, but will be sent down following tomorrow’s game. That means we should see Hasek in net on Wednesday. (via the GR Press) -Sarah

Mattias Ritola got a surprise call-up from the Wings today due to the flu bug. (via The Hockeytown Blog) Apparently Aaron Downey is too sick to play, so Ritola will need to fill in. Could be a long day for Ritola, as Grand Rapids is still expecting him to make it back for their 7pm faceoff tonight. Wish the guy luck, and happy birthday (He turned 21 yesterday.) Look for him to wear #42, as Hudler’s got the #26 he typically wears in GR.

3/6 Notes

Published
by
Matt Saler
on March 6, 2008
in 2007-2008, Aaron Downey, Andreas Lilja, Blues, Brett Lebda, Brian Rafalski, Coyotes, Derek Meech, Jonathan Ericsson, Manny Legace, Stars and Tomas Kopecky
. 6 Comments

… I only caught the first period of the Wings’ 4-1 win over the Blues last night. I was reasonably impressed with what I saw, though it’s obvious they aren’t quite firing on all cylinders yet. Still, it’s a marked improvement over their February play, that’s for sure.

I have to say something about the phantom Pavel Datsyuk call that led to the Blues’ late first period power play. What the heck was that? I’d like to think that the official who called the penalty knows the difference between a trip and a player falling on his own. Apparently not.

In the end, it doesn’t matter, but my confidence in the officiating is waning. What with the missed call in the Sharks game Friday night, the play that was not stopped in Buffalo Sunday, and various phantom calls, how are we expected to trust in the referees? It’s not as though it’s just a problem in Wings games either. Just ask the Philadelphia Flyers.  I hate to complain about the officiating, but to me this is a League-wide quality issue, not a Wings fan-specific gripe.

… I’ve been trying to cut Andreas Lilja some slack lately. I figure there’s a reason he remains in the lineup, despite his more visible blunders. With that change in mindset, I’ve been able to appreciate big #3 more.

On the Blues’ goal, however, I thought his attempt to knock the puck down was a little on the boneheaded side. It turned out to be a perfect redirect. I thought the conventional wisdom was that defensemen leave the puck alone if they can’t outright block it. With Stempniak  right there, I can understand what Andreas was trying to do, but it just didn’t turn out so well.

… It wasn’t  Brett Lebda that Mike Babcock sat in favor of Jonathan Ericsson  last night. It was Derek Meech. I admit it, I was surprised. Meech apparently hit a high point against Edmonton last week, but his play since was still quite good, I thought. I assume Babcock was just demonstrating to Meech that his spot on the roster is not a given. Hopefully it won’t backfire, somewhat like we saw with Quincey.

… Giving Ericsson another game paid off, if only because of a little drop pass  that kicked off the cycle leading to Pavel Datsyuk’s first goal. If Nick Lidstrom does return Sunday, however, last night was probably Ericsson’s last game in the Winged Wheel this season as he’ll be returned to Grand Rapids.

… Since I missed the second and third periods, I didn’t see the hit on Tomas Kopecky or the aftermath.  It didn’t make the cut on the highlight reel, and neither did the Rafalski throwdown or Downey’s coming off the bench. Too bad. IwoCPO says he’ll have video later.

I’m glad to read that Kopecky’s okay. He looked good in the first period and I assume played a strong game in the second and third, as well.

… I don’t know what he looked like in the second and third, obviously, but you get the feeling that Jiri Hudler is finally going to break out of this horrendous slump. I thought he looked strong in the first.

… Where was Manny Legace’s head on Brian Rafalski’s goal? It just blew by him.

… The Dallas Stars lost at home to the Coyotes last night. That’s two home losses in a row for the second-ranked team in the Conference. Much ballyhooed trade deadline acquisition Brad Richards has zero points in both games since posting five in his debut with the Stars. That’s called being brought back to earth.

The Wings’ two consecutive wins have put them 7 points ahead of Dallas and they retain two games in hand.

Wings 4, Avs 0, Rivalry Fans 999

Published
by
Sarah Baker
on February 19, 2008
in 2007-2008, Aaron Downey, Chris Chelios, Derek Meech, Henrik Zetterberg, Injuries and Mike Babcock
. 10 Comments

The rivalry’s back and people are losing fingers. Okay so when the versus announcer shouted about a finger getting ripped off by Zetterberg, he was talking about a beautiful steal off of Jeff Finger, but we can dream, right? So for those of you who didn’t see the most bittersweet game of the year, you’ve undoubtedly now heard about the Nicklas Lidstrom crisis. Barely six minutes into the first, Ian Laperrierre took our prized captain into the boards in what appeared to be a relatively clean hit, except for a rising elbow. Lids crumpled and then struggled to return to play. He was helped off the ice and I’m pretty sure everyone watching was thinking concussion with how dazed he looked. Shockingly, it was announced later in the game that he passed the concussion test with flying colors. When Chris Chelios came on for an interview in the intermission, he looked like he’d just been to a funeral. It appears, however, that the attack on Nick was just what this team needed to come together and kick some butt. Aaron Downey did his best Darren McCarty impression, chasing down Laperrierre not once, but twice, to deal out justice. I don’t know about you, but I loved seeing Babs get all huffy with Granato. Why don’t they ever put mikes on the coaches? I would have loved to know what words were being exchanged there. Though it was pretty fun trying to guess. Oh and for anyone who was wondering about our defensive depth going into the deadline - we pitched a shutout yesterday without our top 3 defensemen. Youngsters Derek Meech and Kyle Quincey stepped up and showed they can be counted on to carry the big minutes if necessary. Sure it was only one game, but it still left me feeling a lot more comfortable about our depth chart.

Honestly if it weren’t for the whole Lidstrom debacle, this game would have been more comforting than a warm cup of cocoa on a cold winter day. The Wings ended their losing streak, righted their powerplay, and wrestled a win from the jaws of the injury bug. All at the same time, they revived a treasured rivalry. Though the animosity may have dwindled away over the years, the cup of hate has just been refilled. The Wings do not like it when you hurt their captain. Period. If we see the Avs in the playoffs, I expect the mood to be testy at best. I can’t wait. I wonder if the sales of Downey jerseys just skyrocketed…

Lidstrom: out 7-10 days with knee sprain

Published
by
Matt Saler
on February 19, 2008
in Aaron Downey, Avalanche, Injuries and Nick Lidstrom
. 4 Comments

Update (2:42 PM): The official site has a brief piece in which Lidstrom talks about the hit and his injury.

He describes his knee as “sore and a little bit swollen,” so take that as you will. It sounds like his head is fine as he does not have a headache.

He of course does not come right out and accuse Laperriere of anything, but he does leave his true feelings open to interpretation:

“I have a pretty good mark on my chin where he hit me. Whether he tried to or not, I don’t know, but he followed through and finished with his elbow up on my chin and that’s when my head went back into the glass.”

- Matt

Update (1:43 PM): Ryan Doherty reports that Nick’s knee will be reevaluated tomorrow morning rather than today, as previously expected.

As some have noted, the “7-10 day” diagnosis came a little fast, but  there’s no particular reason to disbelieve it at this point. Sure, it’s possible that 7-10 days is optimistic, but if it was much worse than a simple sprain, we’d probably already know.

Still, pray that the MRI has a positive result. - Matt

Ansar Khan is reporting that the right knee sprain Nick Lidstrom suffered last night as a result of a high hit by Colorado’s Ian Laperriere will keep him out a week to ten days. A seven-day recovery period would put Nick back for the February 26th meeting with Edmonton, while ten days would have him back for the March 1st February 29th home game against the San Jose Sharks.

That Nick will miss 2-3 games is a blow, to be sure, but the team is extremely fortunate he won’t be out longer. A more serious injury would have put a serious damper on their hopes for a long playoff run. It is impossible to overstate Lidstrom’s importance to the team and it is going to be a major test of their resiliency as they go through the next couple games.

The situation on the blueline will be improved by Brian Rafalski’s likely return Friday, but no one player can replace a five-time Norris Trophy winner. In the coming games, the team will need to put forth the same effort that propelled them to a 4-0 win over the Avs last night.

When I got home last night after the game (which I was unable to watch), I just wanted to check the score and go to bed. Then I saw the comment emails sitting in my inbox. IwoCPO put it perfectly, titling his first post on the incident “Worst Case Scenario: Lidstrom Helped Off the Ice.” When it comes to possible injuries, losing Nick Lidstrom is basically as bad as it gets. Fortunately, the post-game news was fairly good. Otherwise, I would have slept much worse than I did.

This morning, I just wanted to see a replay as I worked on school stuff (thinking the whole time, “I have more important things to do than prepare for this presentation. Like find out how Nick is.”). Thankfully, IwoCPO posted the highlights from the game.

It’s difficult to watch. The hit is high, but not overtly vicious. Maybe unnecessarily hard, but not particularly dangerous. Laperriere caught Lidstorm in a bad position and didn’t hold back. Personally, I call it disrespect and typical of a lowlife like Laperriere, though I know there are those out there who disagree.

In any case, I’ve seen players get up fine after much nastier-looking hits. The part that’s hard to watch is Nick’s disorientation as he gets up. In all my years of watching the Wings, I have never seen him out of it like that. It was jarring in a way similar to seeing Steve Yzerman’s reaction to taking that puck to the face. Laperriere obviously caught Nick with a late elbow/forearm and his head rebounded off the glass, causing the disorientation. Let’s hope his head is okay.

I’m thankful for Mike Hasenfratz, who was quick to grab hold of Lidstrom and whistle the play dead before he fell again.

I’m glad Aaron Downey was in the lineup last night. It was good to see the replay of him beating up Laperriere. That’s precisely what #20’s job is. I’d like to think that  teams might think twice about streamrolling the Wings’ superstar now. Aaron Downey should never be out of the lineup, as far as I’m concerned.  The guy has earned his spot.

Anyway, Lidstrom has been an incredibly consistent feature of the Wings’ lineup over the years, missing only 32 22 of 1,452 games and most of those because he was being rested for the playoffs. Rarely has the team had to go it without him.

For those who say the Wings need to face some adversity before they can be successful, that they’ve had it too easy this season: you can shut up now.

Be sure to read IwoCPO’s wrap-up here.

Lastly, keep an eye on the AHL wire over the next couple days. If it turns out that Rafalski isn’t quite ready to go Friday, Jonathan Ericsson will get the call-up.

More on Zetterberg

Published
by
Matt Saler
on January 22, 2008
in Aaron Downey, Henrik Zetterberg and Injuries
. 0 Comments

Update (4:37 PM): A few more details have emerged:

First, Zetterberg told Ansar Khan that he hopes to be back in the lineup next week. In the meantime, Matt Ellis will fill in.

Second, the injury is apparently unrelated to his past back problems. Ted Kulfan reports that Zetterberg “said the pain is in the lower back, but is not related to the disc.” As George Malik suggests, it’s possible this is all strictly due to bruising caused by the hit he took late in the game Saturday.

Now we just have to wait and see if he does only miss two games. - Matt

Update (3:40 PM): It’s official: Zetterberg will skip the All Star Game for the second year in a row. The NHL has added five players to the Western roster as replacements and Hank is listed as one of the players being replaced.

This is good news for the Wings. Zetterberg should be in the Game, but he’s showing once again that his priority is the team rather than personal accolades. Hopefully he’ll come out of the Break healthy and ready to go. - Matt

Update (2:47 PM): It’s straight from the brand new “official” Hockeytown Blog“: Henrik Zetterberg is out for tonight.  (via Snapshots)

We know from last time this happened that Hank deals with back pain on a regular basis and that it is only when it becomes particularly bad that it gets reported. If this higher level of pain becomes a more frequent thing, we have a problem.

Until now, it may have been possible to delude ourselves into thinking this was just one time that the Wings’ PR machine let news of a health problem leak prematurely or unnecessarily. Now, however, is a good time to get concerned.

Mario Lemieux played with severe back problems for years. The fact that he at times had to have other people tie his skates is well known. However, it was his cancer and heart problems that forced him to retire (twice).

So, it’s not outside the realm of possibility that Zetterberg’s career won’t end the same way Mickey Redmond’s did.

The parallel to Mario may be misplaced, as we can’t compare Hank’s pain to his, nor do we know their respective pain thresholds, but Lemieux did set a precedent of sorts, I suppose. - Matt

I get the feeling that if this were the playoffs, Henrik Zetterberg would be playing tonight, no question.That’s the key thing to remember here: The team is being extra cautious because it’s the regular season and they don’t need him to maintain their lead on the League.

On a team so focused on the playoffs, ensuring a manageable level of post-season health is the primary thing. The Wings don’t want to aggravate his back to the point where he’d have to sit out in April, May, or June. I’m sure we’ll see him sitting out more than just the All Star Game so that he gets some necessary rest.

He can play through the pain, but at this point, he does not have to. It’s premature to think his career will be shortened because of this. After all, the Captain dealt with knee issues for years and his career wasn’t shortened a day because of it.

What is for certain is Hank will have to deal with this however long he plays. For now, we should just assume the team is being cautious, rather than overreact by thinking this is an issue on par with Peter Forsberg’s ankle and foot problems.

I’ll say it again: The fact that this latest aggravation began because of a hit on Saturday seems to me to be another argument for keeping Aaron Downey in the lineup, even at the expense of young Tomas Kopecky. I would include Dallas Drake as an optional player, but HockeyTownTodd has pointed out that he brings too much to the defensive table and helps relieve the penalty kill load for the forwards.

That leaves Kopecky as about the only “expendable” forward.

As far as I’m concerned, Downey should be in the lineup every game Zetterberg is. Why? If Downey’s presence causes the opposition to ease up even a little bit, Hank will be better off. Every little bit will help.

The above is me trying to be optimistic. My pessimistic side, however, sees some sense in IwoCPO’s suggestion:

Sure, go ahead and sit him and he won’t aggravate it playing hockey. But, while you’re at it, immobilize him completely. Put one of Hasek’s straight jackets on him, put him in John Travolta’s plastic bubble (oh…look out.  You don’t remember the “Boy In the Plastic Bubble”? Classic.) Seal him up until the playoffs. No movement whatsoever.

When you read that he hurt his back last month “while picking up his laundry bag,” (my emphasis) you get a little concerned. Does he do his laundry once a month, or what? I know those things can get heavy, but if you do it regularly…

By the way, no GameDay post today. I apologize. Tomorrow should be a different story.