Pavel Datsyuk expected to be ready to play for Red Wings when NHL play resumes
After playing for Russia on an injured knee at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Detroit Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk is expected to be ready to play when NHL action resumes next week.
"[Datsyuk's] taken an opportunity to go home for a few days," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland told the Detroit Free Press. "I told him just to be on the ice Tuesday for practice. We certainly expect him to play Wednesday, but we'll see how he feels."
Despite the injury, Datsyuk scored two goals and added four assists in five games for Russia, which was encouraging to Holland.
"I thought he had a tremendous Olympic tournament," Holland said. "I thought he played very very well. I know that he's been battling an injury going back to December. Now he's played five games here in short period of time. Hopefully, he'll be ready to play for us next week."
Detroit's first game after the break will be Feb. 26 in Montreal.