DETROIT -- Detroit Red Wings center Mike Modano is encouraged by the progress he is making while recovering from surgery to repair a severed tendon in his right wrist.

When he was injured on Nov. 26 in Columbus, Modano wasn't even sure if he'd be able to return this season. Now, he is confident he'll be back, likely in early March.

“It was really deflating,'' Modano said. "Now I'm feeling a little more positive, confirming that it’s healing right, it’s looking good. The function of the hand and wrist is back.’’

Modano has been skating, separate from the team, moving the puck but not yet shooting.

“It’s kind of just small steps,'' he said. "Don’t want to go 0 to 100, want to give it time, make sure it’s healing right.’’

He believes he's a little ahead of schedule, after having his wrist cut by R.J. Umberger's skate.

"Doctor’s been pleased with the way it’s bounced back since I’ve been out of a cast for a week-and-a-half,'' Modano said. "My mentality is to go hard at it, push it and push it, but he’s been real patient with it, hold me down a little bit, not get too excited about using that muscle, making sure those stitches stay together.’’

Modano hopes to start practicing with the team in mid-to-late February and resume traveling during the west coast trip at the end of that month.

"(The doctor) was thinking four months; I was like that’s not really going to work right now. Lets’ try to whittle a couple months off that,'' Modano said. "It's kind of positive. He was kind of excited halfway through with the way the fingers are moving within the cast.''