Sick bay is overflowing with Detroit Red Wings forwards.
Filip Zadina joined the crowd after getting hit in the leg by a shot during Saturday’s 3-0 victory over the New York Islanders.
“Lower body, not good,” head coach Derek Lalonde said shortly after the game ended at Little Caesars Arena. “I don’t think we’re going to see him for a while. Haven’t gotten the complete word but it’s not good.”
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Zadina, the No. 6 overall pick in 2018, was a healthy scratch the first two games of the season and has no points in nine games.
Lalonde said Austin Czarnik will enter the lineup for Sunday’s game at the New York Rangers. The Wings already are without Tyler Bertuzzi (lower body, projected to miss four to six weeks from Oct. 16 date of injury) and Jakub Vrana (players assistance program since Oct. 19, return unknown) and Oskar Sundqvist (lower body, hasn’t practiced in a week, return unknown). Robby Fabbri (knee surgery, projected to return mid-January) has been out all season.
“I know it sounds crazy, but we have some experience with having five or six guys out up front,” Lalonde said. “We have some confidence with it. Next guy up. Austin Czarnik flew in and we’re excited about getting him in.”
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Czarnik, 29, will be making his debut with the Wings, but the Detroit native has played parts of six NHL seasons with the Boston Bruins, Calgary Flames, Islanders and Seattle Kraken, totaling 15 goals, 30 assists and 20 penalty minutes in 142 games.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames.
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Her latest book, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.