Helene St. James

Detroit Free Press

Thomas Vanek sounded cautious, realistic and determined.

The Detroit Red Wings’ co-leading goal scorer is optimistic he will be able to play Wednesday against the St. Louis Blues after missing the previous game with an ankle injury suffered over the weekend. The Wings badly need him; he’s their most dynamic offensive player and would boost their chances of getting out of last place in the Eastern Conference.

It’s an ugly position with just 26 games left, and Vanek recognizes that.

“We are in a tough spot,” he said after a good hour-long practice today at Joe Louis Arena. “We have to stop talking about going on a run and just taking it game-by-game here. We have to win a home game here and just build.

“Too many times we look bad and said, what could have been. We need good goaltending, and have to play better as a team.”

Vanek’s caution about not getting caught up in the mathematics of making the playoffs resonate.

“I told the guys before practice today that we have to have a singular focus on winning a hockey game,” coach Jeff Blashill said. “That’s it. We are going to get better today and then try to winning a hockey game tomorrow. That is all we are thinking about. I will leave it to other people to worry about stretches.”

Petr Mrazek confirmed he is starting. The Wings are hurting for consistently good goaltending, but with Jimmy Howard still recovering from a knee injury, Mrazek is their most vetted option. Gustav Nyquist is expected to miss several games pending being suspended by the NHL for spearing Minnesota’s Jared Spurgeon in the face, which alters the Henrik Zetterberg line as Tomas Tatar moves into Nyquist’s spot.

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All the Wings can do is keep working.

“We can’t get caught up in how many games we have to win,” Danny DeKeyser said. “We have to just look at it as one game, try and get two points.”

Vanek’s return should give the Wings a follow-up punch to the Zetterberg line. Vanek practiced with Frans Nielsen and Andreas Athanasiou, a trio that had great chemistry before Nielsen got hurt in early February. Vanek has 14 goals and had four points in three games before missing the Minnesota game.

“He’s been a big piece of our offensive success this year, so if he can play, it makes you better,” Blashill said.

There is also the reality that the Wings need Vanek healthy to have him available as a trade asset leading up to the March 1 deadline, if they decide to be sellers. Vanek reiterated his preference to stay, but also understands the situation general manager Ken Holland is in.

“I like it here, I could see myself staying here, that would be great,” Vanek said. “But it is a business and Kenny has to make a decision. I’ve been through it before. Would it surprise me if he moves me if he gets something good? No, not at all. But I like it here a lot and I think it is a good culture here.

“Are we one of the better teams right now in the league? I don’t think so. Are we too far off from getting back in there in the playoffs and making some noise? I don’t think so. We are not there, but I think this team can get there.”

Contact Helene St. James: hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Check out our Red Wings Xtra app on Apple and Android!