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Detroit Red Wings C Pavel Datsyuk Hoping to Make Return on Thursday Against the Florida Panthers

By Tasha St. Pierre

Dec 31, 2013; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk during practice the day before the Winter Classic hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2013; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk during practice the day before the Winter Classic hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /
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Dec 31, 2013; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk during practice the day before the Winter Classic hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 31, 2013; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk during practice the day before the Winter Classic hockey game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports /

It seems as if things may be looking up for the Detroit Red Wings this week. Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk said on Twitter earlier this afternoon that he was making the trip to Florida with the team and that he was hopeful to get back in the Red Wings lineup on Thursday at the BB&T Center when the Red Wings face off with Jonathan Huberdeau and the Florida Panthers.

Datsyuk has not been able to play with the team since January 1st at the Winter Classic where he sustained some sort of leg injury. This has caused him to miss the last 14 games with the team.

This is good news, not just for the Detroit Red Wings, but for Team Russia as well. The 5’11”, 198 pound center was recently named captain of Team Russia heading into the 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, Russia.

The Olympics kick off on Thursday night; however, Men’s Hockey doesn’t begin until February 12th, so Datsyuk has plenty of time to shake the rust off, and be ready to rumble when the 12th rolls around.

Prior to his injury, Datsyuk had played in a total of 35 games with the Detroit Red Wings. In that time, he score 15 goals and 17 assists for a total of 32 points.

In order for Datsyuk to rejoin the team, the Wings are going to have to make a roster move to accommodate him. This shouldn’t be too difficult for them considering that they have already decided that defenseman Jakub Kindl would not be playing in the Red Wings’ final two games before the Olympic Break after suffering a Lower Body Injury on Monday in the Red Wings’ 2-0 defeat of the Vancouver Canucks.

Are you happy to see Datsyuk return to the Red Wings lineup? What kind of impact do you think his return will have on the team as a whole? Sound off in the comments below and let us know what you think.

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