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Red Wings defenseman Danny DeKeyser is confident he'll be ready to return after missing just one game with a groin injury.

(Melanie Maxwell | The Ann Arbor News)

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – A four-day break in the schedule came at a good time for the Detroit Red Wings.

It gave them a chance to relax a bit with back-to-back days off the ice in Phoenix, after a hectic week that included the Winter Classic, and it gave injured players more time to heal.

Defenseman Danny DeKeyser and center Darren Helm, both out with groin injuries, are hoping to return Thursday at San Jose.

“I’m good to go, so if (the coach) puts me back in there, I’ll be fine,” DeKeyser said.

Helm felt good after skating Tuesday.

“I’ll skate (Wednesday), I’ll push it a little harder, take the pregame skate (Thursday) and take it from there,” Helm said.

He was disappointed to miss the Winter Classic.

“I was planning on (playing) but after the practice (the day before) I kind of felt something,” Helm said. “It didn’t feel bad, it was just a little something, so I got off the ice quick. I thought I was going to be fine and the next morning I woke up it wasn’t good enough to play.

“I wanted to make sure I was smart about it. It was a tough one to take (missing the outdoor game). It was probably one of the harder (decisions), but it was probably a smart one.”

Pavel Datsyuk (lower-body injury) also practiced Tuesday, but his status is more questionable, he said.

Goaltender Jonas Gustavsson (groin) was on the ice toward the end of practice at the Ice Den, but it doesn’t appear as if he’ll be ready to play this weekend.

“I haven’t set a date, but I feel it’s getting better and better every day,” Gustavsson said. “Today was the first time I put my gear on (since Dec. 28) and skated a little bit so I guess that’s the first step.”

Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson (broken ribs) skated toward the end of practice but is expected to be out for two more weeks.

Forward Johan Franzen (concussion) has been cleared to practice but did not arrive in Phoenix in time to skate. He should be on the ice for Wednesday's practice in San Jose. It remains to be seen whether he'll be able to play Saturday in Los Angeles.



“It was nice for everyone to get a little break and get away from the rink and think about something else,” defenseman Niklas Kronwall said. “We had a couple great days here. Now it’s time to reload and get going again.”