Pat 44 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Detroit Red Wings forward Johan Franzen saw team doctors on Tuesday and was told his surgically repaired knee is fine and he can play when he's ready. Franzen, who still needs to improve his conditioning level, estimated he's about two weeks away. "I'm good to go when I feel ready,'' Franzen said. "Maybe a couple more weeks. (The knee) doesn't hurt.'' He said he needs to strengthen his skating muscles. "I haven't used them in 3 1/2 months,'' said Franzen, who only began skating in earnest last week. "One practice I skated hard, then I was sore the rest of the week.'' He still is hoping to return before the Olympic break (Feb. 15-28), but if he can only play a couple of games before the break, he said he would consider the advantages of resting it an additional two weeks before returning. "It's going to take its time,'' Franzen said. "The way I feel now after one hard practice, I need two rest days to get back. I got to improve that.'' Other noteworthy items: -- Tomas Holmstrom got in his first real good skate today at the Xcel Energy Center -- he was out there for about an hour -- since he broke his foot on Jan. 6. He said it's doubtful that he'll return Friday against Nashville, but Sunday at Pittsburgh is a distinct possibility. -- Jason Williams (fractured fibula on Nov. 7) said he is ready and can play Friday, as long he gets the OK. -- Andreas Lilja (concussion) said he hopes to have a meeting, possibly on Thursday, with doctors, general manager Ken Holland and his agent to determine when he can be cleared to play and what's the next step to take. -- Chris Osgood will start in goal tonight against the Minnesota Wild, coach Mike Babcock said after the morning skate. The only other lineup change sees Derek Meech replacing Brett Lebda. Babcock contemplated resting Niklas Kronwall, who returned to action Tuesday after missing nearly 10 weeks with a sprained knee, but they decided he was good to go. "That was a decision we didn't make until this morning when the trainers talked to him,'' Babcock said. "He didn't have heavy minutes (Tuesday). We didn't play a lot of time in our zone last night grinding, so he's going.'' Here are the expected lines and defense pairings: Zetterberg-Datsyuk-Cleary Bertuzzi-Filppula-Miller Draper-Helm-Eaves May-Abdelkader-Maltby Leino (scratched) Lidstrom-Rafalski Meech-Stuart Kronwall-Ericsson Osgood (starting) Howard Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PrairieDawg 52 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 Babcock must be reading these boards Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
FinWing 26 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 Good stuff all around. It's weird getting all these good news all of a sudden. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevkrause 1,247 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 (edited) there's nothing about this report that doesn't make me happy! ESPECIALLY that Lebda is OUT Good stuff all around. It's weird getting all these good news all of a sudden. I know, I'm still VERY cautiously optimistic... Edited January 27, 2010 by stevkrause Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wings_Toledo 233 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 Getting Franzen back this early is going to be huge. I just hope this team can get things back on track quickly when everyone comes back. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hooon 1,089 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 Yes very good. I woke up today still in shock that we lost last night. Something has to give. LETS GO WINGS. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Zombos Ghost 82 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 i cant believe im saying this......it should be ericcson scratched. he is having a HORRIBLE year, and yes i know this is his first real season. He looks completely lost/in over his head. He could have used another year in GR. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Carman 387 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 i cant believe im saying this......it should be ericcson scratched. he is having a HORRIBLE year, and yes i know this is his first real season. He looks completely lost/in over his head. He could have used another year in GR. While he certainly hasn't played good he brings something to the defense that we absolutely can not do without. Size and strength are the main reasons he's in the lineup and we can't take that out of the line up, at least willingly. Give him some time, he's made some major mistakes, but so has a lot of other players, and we will need him. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest R2D2 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 May provided more energy AND scoring opportunities than Leino has in 10 games. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lidstrom for life 20 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 wow thats a great article. Also another reason to be optimistic, we have only won 1 out of our last 6 games but we have moved up in the rankings. I think that means we only need like 5 more wins on the season to guarantee a playoff spot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevkrause 1,247 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 While he certainly hasn't played good he brings something to the defense that we absolutely can not do without. Size and strength are the main reasons he's in the lineup and we can't take that out of the line up, at least willingly. Give him some time, he's made some major mistakes, but so has a lot of other players, and we will need him. He has made no more mistakes than Lebda, probably less - the difference is, he hasn't been in the league for 6 years - I can deal with growing pains from a rookie who is still growing and hasn't peaked... Put him with a more solid D partner and you will see a difference - just watch tonight as he's out there and who he's with and how he looks... pair him with Meech or Lebda and yea, he's going to suffer, when he's on the ice with Lids or Kronwall... he will look right in place with where he belongs... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Zombos Ghost 82 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 While he certainly hasn't played good he brings something to the defense that we absolutely can not do without. Size and strength are the main reasons he's in the lineup and we can't take that out of the line up, at least willingly. Give him some time, he's made some major mistakes, but so has a lot of other players, and we will need him. it would have been completly idiotic to do but it would have been interesting to see him play forward(his original position in europe) when we super decimated earlier this season ala meech. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Drake_Marcus 890 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 Franzen Franzen Franzen Franzen Franzen Franzen FRANZEN Franzen. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevkrause 1,247 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 Franzen Franzen Franzen Franzen Franzen Franzen FRANZEN Franzen. I'm gonna go on a limb and guess you're excited about Franzen's return Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tonyfranks16 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 good, lebda can focus on the continuation of harassment of my friends on facebook. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rick Zombos Ghost 82 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 good, lebda can focus on the continuation of harassment of my friends on facebook. elaborate Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Howard He Do It?! Report post Posted January 27, 2010 Maybe Kronwall can slap some sense into Ericsson. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RedSea 31 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 Then when Lilja comes back Ericsson can be benched for a few games. Maybe then he'll stop turning the puck over in our own end EVERY GAME. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevkrause 1,247 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 Then when Lilja comes back Ericsson can be benched for a few games. Maybe then he'll stop turning the puck over in our own end EVERY GAME. no. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jollymania 162 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 can't wait for lebda's ass to be waived or traded, meech and Ericsson def should battle for the 6t dman sport or at least make it appear that way to light a fire under ericsson's ass Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ben_usmc 253 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 now if we could just scratch Meech and Big E for maybe actual pylons we will be on to something Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NeverForgetMac25 483 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 now if we could just scratch Meech and Big E for maybe actual pylons we will be on to something Why don't you elaborate on some #6 and #7 Defensemen that you consider so superior to those two. Jesus.....we're talking about the bottom Defensemen on a team in the Salary Cap era! What do you realistically expect out of them? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jollymania 162 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 Why don't you elaborate on some #6 and #7 Defensemen that you consider so superior to those two. Jesus.....we're talking about the bottom Defensemen on a team in the Salary Cap era! What do you realistically expect out of them? that post completely ignored Ericsson's potential Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
NeverForgetMac25 483 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 that post completely ignored Ericsson's potential It did more than that, even. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tonyfranks16 0 Report post Posted January 27, 2010 elaborate Lebda met some of my friends... lady friends in Royal Oak, and he keeps posting useless nonsense on their facebook. that is all. i guess its not really harassment, but i feel like maybe he should be on "defensive coverage" websites. tony Share this post Link to post Share on other sites