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For the second straight season, it appears that the Detroit Red Wings will begin the NHL campaign minus No. 1 center Pavel Datsyuk.
An ankle injury suffered late in the season after he blocked a shot that eventually required surgery in June has proven to be much worse than originally thought.
The original prognosis was that it would to take 4-6 weeks to heal, but Datsyuk told Swedish web site svt.se that he’s been told to expect the healing process to last between 4-5 months, meaning that there’s no way he’ll be fit to go for the Oct. 9 season opener against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
“Doctors say four-five months,” Datsyuk explained. “So we'll see. I hope I just miss a little early in the season.”
Datsyuk intends to be in Detroit with the team during training camp and the pre-season, but has no timetable as to when he’ll be back on the ice or ready to go.
“I will still be in place in Detroit when the season starts in order to prepare myself with the team,” said Datsyuk, 36. “Self is more difficult.”
Last season, a shoulder injury left Datsyuk on the sideline for the first five games of the season, and a variety of ailments limited him to 63 of 82 games over the course of the campaign. The previous season, a knee injury limited Datsyuk to 45 games. Injuries have frequently been his companion in recent seasons and Datsyuk hasn’t played more than 70 games in a season since 2009-10, when he suited up for 80 of 82 games.
It’s likely that Datsyuk’s uncertain status played a significant role in the signing of veteran free agent center Brad Richards on July 1.
“We were looking for a number two center ice man and possibly not sure how long Pavel Datsyuk will be out to start the season with his ankle injury, maybe even a number one center, so in Brad Richards we added a guy that’s a winner with two Stanley Cups,” Detroit general manager Ken Holland said.
No He’s Not
If you saw the announcements from former Wings defenseman Marek Zidlicky on social media indicating he was retiring from hockey, hopefully you were near the salt, because those reports needed to be taken with a grain of it.
The account was fraudulent. Zidlicky, an unrestricted free agent, is still seeking employment in pro hockey.
“Marek Zidlicky has not retired,” Zidlicky’s agent Allan Walsh reported via Twitter. “Marek is 100 per cent playing in the NHL next season.
“It was a fake Twitter account impersonating him. Another 16-year-old kid in his mother’s basement.”
Opposing Sides
Detroit prospects Dominic Turgeon and Dylan Larkin will be on opposite benches at the USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp next month in Lake Placid N.Y.
Turgeon will suit up for the Blue Team, while Larkin, one of 10 returnees from last season’s U.S. world junior roster, skates with the White Team, a squad that also includes Auston Matthews, expected to be the top pick in the 2016 NHL entry draft.
Red Wings assistant coach Chris Chelios and ex-NHLer Doug Weight will coach the Blue Team, while former NHLers Kelly Miller, a cousin of Wings forward Drew Miller, and Danton Cole handle the White Team.
The camp will run from Aug. 1-8. On Aug. 4, the 39-player squad will be trimmed down to one team for exhibition games against Sweden and Finland. Those games will be streamed live at USAHockey.FASTHockey.com.
Like Father, Like Son
It appears that Louis-Marc Aubry might not be the only member of the 2015-16 Grand Rapids Griffins who is the son of a former Red Wings player.
The AHL farm club of the Wings signed three players, including forward Dominic Zombo, the son of ex-Red Wings defenseman Rick Zombo.
The elder Zombo played with the Wings from 1984-92 and in 1984-85, was teammates with Aubry’s dad Pierre.
Also signed by the Griffins were forward Alden Hirschfeld and defenseman Derek Docken.
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