DETROIT -- Detroit Red Wings center Darren Helm said there is a "slight possibility'' that he could be ready to play in Game 1 of the playoffs Wednesday at Nashville.
"Hopefully, if it feels really good tomorrow, I'll go, if not then our goal was Game 2 or 3 anyway,'' Helm said after practice today at Joe Louis Arena. "If I'm in for Game 1, great, but the second game I will be ready by that one.''
Helm, out since March 17 with a sprained left MCL, ditched the gray non-contact jersey for a red one in practice.
"I've got a lot of energy. It's nice to back practicing with lines,'' Helm said. "It's pretty close for the time for me to get going again so it's pretty exciting.
He said he hasn't had contact yet, however.
"I don't know what we want to do with contact, if we want to push it and aggravate it,'' Helm said. "I'm sure we're going to push is around a little bit before a get a chance to play to make sure. It is feeling a lot better than yesterday.''
Coach Mike Babcock liked what he saw.
“I watched him again today and he was flying; when he blew by our D I thought he looked pretty good,'' Babcock said. "So all he's got to do is tell me he's playing and I'm happy to have him.''
When Helm returns to the lineup, Babcock said Justin Abdelakder will be bumped down to the third-line center slot. Babcock said he hadn't decided on his third and fourth lines beyond that.
1) NY Rangers vs. 8) Ottawa Rangers in 6 2) Boston vs. 7) Washington Boston in 5 3) Florida vs. 6) New Jersey New Jersey in 5 4) Pittsburgh vs. 5) Philadelphia Pittsburgh in 6
1) Vancouver vs. 8) Los Angeles Van in 6 2) St. Louis vs. 7) San Jose St. Louis in 7 3) Phoenix vs. 6) Chicago Chicago in 6 4) Nashville vs. 5) Detroit Nashville in 6
2nd Round
NJ over NYR in 7 Pittsburgh over Boston in 6
Vancouver over Chicago in 7 Nashville over St. Louis 6
Conference Finals
Pittsburgh over New Jersey in 6 Vancouver over Nashville in 7
Comments
"Hopefully, if it feels really good tomorrow, I'll go, if not then our goal was Game 2 or 3 anyway,'' Helm said after practice today at Joe Louis Arena. "If I'm in for Game 1, great, but the second game I will be ready by that one.''
Helm, out since March 17 with a sprained left MCL, ditched the gray non-contact jersey for a red one in practice.
"I've got a lot of energy. It's nice to back practicing with lines,'' Helm said. "It's pretty close for the time for me to get going again so it's pretty exciting.
He said he hasn't had contact yet, however.
"I don't know what we want to do with contact, if we want to push it and aggravate it,'' Helm said. "I'm sure we're going to push is around a little bit before a get a chance to play to make sure. It is feeling a lot better than yesterday.''
Coach Mike Babcock liked what he saw.
“I watched him again today and he was flying; when he blew by our D I thought he looked pretty good,'' Babcock said. "So all he's got to do is tell me he's playing and I'm happy to have him.''
When Helm returns to the lineup, Babcock said Justin Abdelakder will be bumped down to the third-line center slot. Babcock said he hadn't decided on his third and fourth lines beyond that.
1) NY Rangers vs. 8) Ottawa Rangers in 6
2) Boston vs. 7) Washington Boston in 5
3) Florida vs. 6) New Jersey New Jersey in 5
4) Pittsburgh vs. 5) Philadelphia Pittsburgh in 6
1) Vancouver vs. 8) Los Angeles Van in 6
2) St. Louis vs. 7) San Jose St. Louis in 7
3) Phoenix vs. 6) Chicago Chicago in 6
4) Nashville vs. 5) Detroit Nashville in 6
2nd Round
NJ over NYR in 7
Pittsburgh over Boston in 6
Vancouver over Chicago in 7
Nashville over St. Louis 6
Conference Finals
Pittsburgh over New Jersey in 6
Vancouver over Nashville in 7
Finals
Vancouver over Pittsburgh in 7
This is going to be great for this young team in the series! 4 unanswered goals! Hellyeah!
Detroit was the better team. I was very happy with their play for the most part. They were swarming those last 2 periods. b-(
What happened with SHea Weberfagz?