After two games to get his legs back with AHL Grand Rapids, defenseman Jakub Kindl will jump right back into action with the Detroit Red Wings Saturday against the Dallas Stars, stepping in to play alongside Danny DeKeyser in Detroit’s second pairing for the injured Kyle Quincey.
“I felt great,… Kindl said of his conditioning stint with the Griffins. “Obviously I only played two games and the first game, I hadn’t played in two months, so it took me a little bit to get it going so I tried to play it very simple, short shifts and it worked out that we won.
“Then the second game my D-partner (Brennan Evans) got hurt right off the bat and then we kept rotating five D for the rest of the game. That was a good workout, I won’t even lie, but I feel great.…
Out for a time with an elbow injury, Kindl hasn’t played a game with Detroit since a Dec. 27 tilt against the Buffalo Sabres at Joe Louis Arena, so the two games in the minors enabled him to shake off some rust.
“I’m confident,… Kindl said. “Down there Coach Blash (Jeff Blashill) does a great job with the guys. It’s the same system, a very similar system, so whenever the guys get a chance to get called up from there they’re ready to go.
“Obviously it’s the same fit up here. Again, the speed, the first game was a little up and down, I thought. The second game was a little slow, but there are some good players out there. It’s a fast league and it’s up and down (the ice) as well.… When healthy, Kindl has been in and out of Detroit’s lineup and coach Mike Babcock has made it abundantly clear what the 2005 first round draft pick needs to do to become a regular.
“We just want him to get in there and get playing, get his confidence back,… Babcock said. “He’s been injured and then it was a long time we never got him back in the lineup.
“He’s a real good puck mover, he can shoot the puck. He’s just got to work on being good defensively.…
Babcock received glowing reports from Blashill on Kindl’s two games in Grand Rapids.
“He was outstanding, the best player,… Babcock said. “That was real good for him. He went down like a pro.
“To be honest with you, it would have been good for him to play two more but he got his opportunity and he was good.…
Kindl sought to work on the issues Babcock has with his game while he was in the AHL.
“I was trying to focus on those little things like I’ve got to do here, like don’t get beat, boxing out, all of these little things,… Kindl said. “I wasn’t trying to grab the puck and go end to end or nothing like that. But definitely trying to pay attention to details.…
Going so long between appearances as a Wing, Kindl’s gameplan is to keep things simple against the Stars.
“Yeah, it’s been a while,… Kindl said. “I don’t know, it’s been about two months. I’m really looking forward to it.
“I’m just going to go out there and have fun and do what I’ve got to do.…
Jurco In Kindl won’t be the only roster change for the Wings. Tomas Jurco will draw in on the fourth line in place of Joakim Andersson.
Struggling offensively, Jurco hasn’t scored since Nov. 26 against Philadelphia, a span of 25 games that he’s played without a goal.
“Obviously you want to score but I don’t know if I score no goals or have a really good game at some point if that’s going to help me to break it,… Jurco said. “Like I always say, I’m trying to work my way through and work really hard, so whatever Babs wants from me.
“I’ve been out of the lineup a couple times this year so it’s not something really new for me. I know I’ve got to get back and work really hard to keep myself in the lineup.…
Detroit forward Luke Glendening endured his own scoring slump last season, netting just one goal in 56 games, so he can relate to Jurco’s frustration.
“I kind of took a lot of heat for it last year,… said Glendening, who has seven goals this season. “Not necessarily from guys on the team, but everyone was wondering ‘When are you going to produce?’…
His advice to Jurco is to relax and let things happen naturally.
“Jurcs is a high-end skill guy, who has produced at every level that he has played at,… Glendening said. “The goals are going to come for him.
“He’s doing the right things, he’s playing the right way. Sooner or later they’re going to start going in.…
The rest of the lineup remains the same as the group that beat Chicago 3-2 on Wednesday, with Jimmy Howard making his third straight start in goal.
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