Ericsson Healthy, And A Scratch?

According to Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill, defenseman Jonathan Ericsson has regained his health. What Ericsson hasn’t regained is his spot in the lineup. “Ericsson is ready to go tonight,… Blashill said as the Wings prepped for Saturday’s game against the Buffalo Sabres. Ericsson has missed the last nine games with a lower-body injury suffered in a post-game workout. Though nothing official was announced, the word inside the Detroit dressing room was that Ericsson wouldn’t be drawing back into the lineup, and that can’t be entirely surprising. The Wings are 6-3 since Ericsson was lost to injury for the second time this season, and really, when you get right down to it, which of Detroit’s six defensemen would you sit make room for Ericsson’s return? It certainly isn’t going to be either of the top pairing of Mike Green and Dennis Cholowski. The second pairing of Trevor Daley and Dany DeKeyser are playing their best hockey of the season. And the third pairing of Niklas Kronwall and Nick Jensen have proven to be steady and reliable of late. Friday’s 3-1 loss to the Washington Capitals was just the second time in eight games that Detroit had surrendered more than two goals in a game, and the Wings have not allowed more than three in a game during that span. A change in that pattern, or another loss Saturday could open the door to an Ericsson return. But until that happens, he could be in for a long wait. Ehn Game Darren Helm’s misfortune proved to be Christoffer Ehn’s ticket back to the show. With Helm gone for anywhere from 4-8 weeks due to an upper body injury, the Wings suddenly found themselves shy a penalty killer, and that was a role that they knew Ehn could fill from his previous with the big club this season. “I think Ehn is a real good player,… Blashill said. “I think he gives you some accountability in the lineup. He plays real good two-way game, he skates and competes, he also gives us another penalty killer. “I don’t have to use him, you can use five (forwards to PK), but it’s good to have six. If you have any penalties or injuries during the game, it’s good to have him there for sure and I think as we get to practice next week, we can work him back into the fold.… Follow me on Twitter @asktheduffer