Tomas Jurco sensed he was really beginning to find his role with the Detroit Red Wings when he suffered an upper-body injury on New Year’s Eve against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“Yeah, I feel like I was playing really good and unfortunately this happened,… Jurco said. “But the good thing is there was only two games (that he was out) so I could get back to where I left it and I think I was playing good.…
Jurco will return to the Wings lineup Thursday as they begin a four-game western swing with a game at San Jose against the Sharks, and Detroit coach Jeff Blashill is assuming that Jurco, who will skate on a line with Luke Glendening and Drew Miller, will resume his solid play.
“I’m hoping he starts off where he left off,… Blashill said. “I thought he did a great job of skating without the puck, so I thought on the forecheck he was great. He got in there.…
A big scorer in junior and eventually at the AHL level, Jurco was of the belief that he was adapting well to his role as a fourth-line grinder in Detroit.
“I just felt like I was skating a lot and forechecking hard,… Jurco said. “I just felt more comfortable on the ice, you know, when I skate more.…
As far as Blashill is concerned, for Jurco to succeed in his role it’s all about skating.
“He’s a big body, he can skate, he got stick on puck, created turnovers, because of that I thought on the track he did a good job skating,… Blashill said.
“That’s my main focus with him. I think that line can be real good. He’s going to be a key factor in terms of skating.…
Jurco admitted that playing in a limited role where he seldom sees more than 5-7 minutes of ice time per game has proven to be a challenge.
“I mean, it’s hard always to play seven or eight minutes, so every time I go there I try not to think that I’m not playing a lot,… Jurco said. “I just go out there and work hard and do as much good stuff as I can.…
That limited role also sometimes make it difficult to assess Jurco’s impact on the game, but Blashill is of the belief that ultimately as he gains more experience and consistency becomes his trademark, Jurco is a player capable of contributing significantly to Detroit’s scheme.
“If he’s skating, when I walk off the bench, I know if he’s had an impact on the game,… Blashill said. “Sometimes I walk off the bench and I’m not sure what he did.
“Usually it shows up on tape he did fine. But I don’t want fine. I want great.
“I think he has greatness in him.…
Ready To Roll Miller and Jurco are in the Detroit lineup for Tomas Nosek (demoted to AHL Grand Rapids) and Joakim Andersson (healthy scratch). Petr Mrazek starts his fourth straight game in goal for the Wings.
For Miller, it’s also a return to action from injury. He’d missed 14 games due to a fractured jaw.
“I’m like anyone else coming back from an injury,… Miller said. “You want to get back quick.
“I’ve been skating, so it’s not like I’ve been off. I have good conditioning so I feel ready to go from that standpoint.
“Mentally you’ve got to get out there and give a few hits, take a few hits, make some plays. You want to kind of feel your way back in but make it quick.
“You can’t simulate a game, you’ve got to be out there playing and kind of adjust as quick as you can because there is a little bit of an adjustment period. You just want to make it as error-proof as possible.
“You don’t want to be out there causing any situations that hurt the team.…
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