(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
It’s becoming far too familiar, but the Detroit Red Wings will again be without the services of forward Tyler Bertuzzi.
Bertuzzi, 27, left Thursday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights in the second period and did not return for the third frame due to a lower-body injury. You never want to see a player get injured, but I can almost hear Detroit Red Wings fans worldwide sigh of relief when they find out the injury was not a hand issue.
As you know, Bertuzzi has broken both hands on separate occasions this season, limiting him to just one goal and five points over 15 games. Bertuzzi missed four weeks early this season after taking a shot to the hand in the second game of the season. Shortly after returning, Bertuzzi took a shot to the other hand, and that injury required surgery, forcing him to miss about six weeks.
Head coach Derek Lalonde mentioned that this is a true ‘day-to-day’ injury and hopes to have Bertuzzi back on Tuesday when the Red Wings square off with the San Jose Sharks. Lalonde also mentioned if he’s not ready to go, Detroit gets an eight-day break for the NHL All-Star Game.
“I feel for him,” Lalonde said. “He gets a couple games, is injured, a handful of games, is injured. “It’s not him having a four-point night, it’s him playing in our top six and slotting players where they belong. That’s what you miss. It was only a matter of time where his game was coming around. Tough loss, again, and I feel for Tyler trying to get his game in order. It’s unfortunate because he’s a skilled guy, and you need rhythm and pace to your game. Every game he has played, he has turned the puck over less, because it is slowing down for him and he is getting more chances and he looks more in rhythm. “Keep battling. We need him back.”
The Detroit Red Wings hope to get Filip Zadina back soon.
Help is on the way. Lalonde mentioned that Filip Zadina would see a doctor on Saturday and hopes he’s cleared. Zadina has been sidelined since the beginning of November with a broken leg.
The Detroit Red Wings will need to clear another roster spot before activating Zadina. General manager, Steve Yzerman, had been forced to make a couple of difficult roster decisions over the past couple of weeks and opted to place forward Jakub Vrana and goaltender Alex Nedeljovic on waivers to clear space for the return of Robby Fabbri and Tyler Bertuzzi.
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It seems like Adam Erne will be the odd man out when Zadina is ready to return in the coming days. The other candidate might be Pius Suter, but Suter’s versatility to play center or wing might make him more valuable to the Red Wings.