The Detroit Red Wings will be forced to start the season without the services of their Magic Man.
Pavel Datsyuk is expected to miss two to four weeks with a separated shoulder that he suffered in the third period of Monday’s preseason game against the Pittsburgh Penguins. The veteran center, who recorded a goal and an assist in the preseason opener, left the game after being checked hard into the boards by Pens defenseman Rob Scuderi.
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On Wednesday, an MRI revealed Datsyuk has a second-degree separation of his right shoulder. While the Red Wings star is certain to miss a handful of regular-season games, general manager Ken Holland was optimistic that his first two weeks of recovery will come when the games don’t count.
“The good news is our home opener is (Oct. 9 vs. Boston), so the first two weeks of the healing process are while we’re in training camp and he won’t miss regular season games (in the next two weeks),” Holland said, via MLive.com. “He’s out four weeks, give or take. It might be a little less, it might be a little more. We won’t know until we get down the road and see how the healing process is going.”
Given the healing timeline, Datsyuk will likely miss the Red Wings’ first meeting with the Bruins, but it is possible he could return for their Oct. 15 matchup.
Thumbnail photo via Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY Sports Images
