Stephen-Weiss-12-7-13

Red Wings center Stephen Weiss has just four points in 26 games this season.

(The Associated Press)

TAMPA, Fla. – While half of his teammates are in Russia for the Olympics and the other half at various tropical hot spots enjoying the break, Detroit Red Wings center Stephen Weiss continues rehabbing from sports hernia surgery.

He is pain-free, skating well, making good progress and remains on schedule to return immediately after the Olympic break (Feb. 9-25). The Red Wings' next game is Feb. 26 at Montreal.



“It’s a great feeling,” Weiss said. “It’s been a tough stretch the last while. But to be out with the team the last few days has been nice, kind of perks you up a bit. It’s been tough skating on your own for a while, so to be in a team atmosphere, get that feeling again, has been nice.”

Rather than skate on his own during the break, Weiss will begin practicing with the OHL's Plymouth Whalers, his junior club for three seasons from 1999-2002, on Tuesday.

“I haven’t been in the locker room (since he left),” Weiss said. “I’m looking forward to meeting the guys. It should hopefully spark something.”

Has has a lot of fond memories of his time in Plymouth.

“Had a great three years there,” Weiss said. “My billet family, we’re still very close to this day. That organization treated me fantastic. I’m looking forward to going back and helping those young guys out if they need anything.”

He hopes to play in two games with the Grand Rapids Griffins on a conditioning stint the weekend of Feb. 21-23. It would be his first game since Dec. 10. He underwent surgery on Dec. 23.

“It’s easier to get around the ice and it doesn’t feel like it’s as much work as it was before,” Weiss said. “So hopefully that’s a good sign and it stays that way.”

The Red Wings have 24 games remaining and Weiss is determined to have a positive impact after a disastrous start. The club’s big free-agent acquisition (he signed for five years at $24.5 million on July 5) has just two goals and two assists in 26 games.

“I’ve been out for a while, so I got to claw my way back into the lineup and whatever role I’m given just try to do that the best I can and help the team in whatever way they want me to,” Weiss said.

Red Wings general manager Ken Holland is confident Weiss can return to form this season because he has a proven track record. He averaged 19 goals and 53 points a season from 2006-07 to 2011-12 before being limited to 17 games in 2013 due to a wrist injury.

“I don’t care what sport you are, when you look at an athlete, you look at what they’ve accomplished over a period of time,” Holland said. “Every athlete probably has one year that’s way better than the norm and one year worse than the norm. But there’s a lot of statistics that are somewhat similar.

“When you look at the book on Weiss, it says 48 points five of the last seven years. He’s 30, not 36. Do I think he can be that guy? Yeah. I don’t have any reason to think why he can’t be that guy. Got to get healthy and confidence is a factor.”

Weiss is signed to be their second-line center and projected to play on a line with Johan Franzen, who’s out with a concussion, and Daniel Alfredsson. Where Weiss will be slotted when he returns remains to be seen.

“We like the signing,” Holland said. “For a variety of reasons it hasn’t worked out the way we both had hoped. But it’s a five-year contract. You see lots of times where a guy has a down year and the next year they bounce back.”