AA to the rescue?

Is Andreas Athanasiou about to ride to the rescue? Isn’t that asking a little too much of a guy who hasn’t played a meaningful game since last April? Mired in an 0-4-1 skid and well aware of how quickly the NHL season could get away from them, the Detroit Red Wings are strongly considering inserting Athanasiou, a contract holdout who just signed last Friday and practiced with the team for the first time on Wednesday, into the lineup for Thursday’s game at Tampa Bay against the red hot Lightning. The ultimate decision on whether Athanasiou gets the green light won’t be made until following Thursday’s morning skate. “I felt good out there,… Athanasiou said. “We’ll just assess tomorrow. I think we’re taking it day-by-day and seeing how I feel, and when I’m ready we’ll both know and I’ll be ready to go. Both being Athanasiou and Wings coach Jeff Blashill. “You could feel good today and where’s everything at?… Blashill said. “But I also think he’s chomping at the bit, wanting to play. “Usually when guys are like that it looks good but we’ll make that determination tomorrow.… Second on the team last season with 18 goals, there’s no doubt a Detroit team that’s scored once in its last two games could use an injection of offense. But there’s also the danger of placing too much on Athanasiou’s shoulders in terms of expectations. It’s always easier for a player to slip back into the lineup with the team is on a roll. But there’s no way that Athanasiou can fly under the radar in this scenario. “We hope that it’s smooth,… Blashill said of Athanasiou’s shift back into action. “Lots of times, it isn’t. Lots of times, the first couple of games are real good and then there’s a lull, and then you kind of get back going. That’s how it works lots of times. “It doesn’t mean it has to be that way. The positive is there’s chemistry involved with him. It’s not a new player. It’s somebody who’s done lots with these guys, whether it’s the power play or the penalty kill or our system. “I’m hoping it can be an easy transition.… But as Bad Santa so correctly and pointedly noted, wish in one hand and you know what in the other and see which one fill sup first. The reality is that training camp is a vital component in preparing the body for athletic competition. Jaromir Jagr jumped into the Calgary Flames’ lineup and suffered a lower body injury less a week after being back in action. Now Jagr is 45 and Athanasiou is 23, so age could be a factor in the former’s ailment. But muscle pulls are the hobgoblin of those who don’t partake in training camp. Again, Blashill opted to lean toward hoping for the best after watching Athanasiou back in a Wings uniform for the first time this season. “I thought AA looked good,… Blashill said. “He’s a good skater. He’s trained hard over in Europe and I know he skated in Toronto, so I thought he looked good.… Throughout this battle, the court of public opinion seemed to side with Athanasiou, suggesting the Wings shouldn’t have held so firm with their young forward, and he noticed “I did see a lot of love from the fans,… Athanasiou said. “That was a big part of helping me get through it. I could see all the support they were showing me. It felt good to have that. It’s definitely a big part. “They show a lot of support and I want to provide as much entertainment as possible.… Here’s the rub, though. Fans tend to be a fickle bunch. If Athanasiou comes in and struggles, and the Wings’ season continues its spiral southward, then fan favorite can quickly devolve into pariah. DeKeyser Waits The final decision on whether defenseman Danny DeKeyser’s seven-game absence due to a sprained ankle will come to a halt will also be made Thursday morning. “It felt pretty good,… DeKeyser said after practice Wednesday. “We’ll see tomorrow how it kind of feels in the morning and if it improves a little bit more it would be nice.… DeKeyser paired with Nick Jensen in practice but still wasn’t completely sold on whether he’d be capable of doing so against the Lightning. “I wouldn’t say there’s no pain,… DeKeyser said. “It’s not 100 percent but we’ll kind of see what the tolerance level is and what I can do. If I’m going to be out there, I’ve got to be out there playing hard and making sure I’m battling in the corners. “I can’t be out there floating around and playing soft. I’ve just got to make sure I’m playing hard.… Follow me on Twitter @asktheduffer