DETROIT -- Detroit Red Wings forward Kris Draper will see a specialist in Philadelphia this week to determine if he needs sports hernia surgery.



Dr. William Meyers has performed hernia surgery on numerous athletes, including Draper in summer 2007.



Draper tried to skate Monday after taking a few days off following a setback last week but couldn't finish practice.



"Not good,'' Draper said. "I just went for a little twirl yesterday, felt all right. Then went at it today and felt pretty good and just tried to explode and take a couple of faster strides. That's where I really felt it. Got off the ice.''



Three years ago, he had his right side operated on. This time, it's the left side that's troubling him.



"You figure it's been over four weeks (since the initial injury), if things were going to take care of themselves and heal (they would have),'' Draper said. "It's frustrating.''



Other injury updates



Forward Johan Franzen (slight concussion) skated for the full practice and said he feels good. If he passes his baseline test Tuesday he'll be back in the lineup Thursday against Calgary at Joe Louis Arena (7:30, FSD).

Justin Abdelkader continues to practice. He hopes to be available for Thursday, but coach Mike Babcock said the forward will have to earn a spot in the lineup because he doesn't plan to break up the fourth line of Drew Miller, Darren Helm and Patrick Eaves.

"If Mule (Franzen) is ready to go, then who am I taking out?'' Babcock said. "That's the issue. That's what happens when you miss (games).''

Abdelkader was hurt in the Oct. 2 preseason game at Toronto.

"I thought it would heal a lot faster, but after doing some research, talking to Piet (trainer Van Zant) and the doctors, it doesn't heal as fast as you want it to,'' Abdelkader said. "Just (doing) movements, I'm feeling stuff. You don't want to get a setback, want to make sure you're close to 100 percent.''

Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson rode the stationary bike and did some off-ice workouts but has not skated since leaving the season opener Oct. 8 because of back spasms.

"They told me to take it very slowly, so it doesn't happen again,'' Ericsson said. "Last couple of days, I've been feeling a lot better.'' Ericsson, who said he was diagnosed with a bulging disc, hopes to skate this week.

Brian Rafalski is resting his right knee after having arthroscopic surgery last week, waiting for the soreness to subside before he can resume skating. He hopes to return in two weeks.

"There were fragments in there, small tears they made smoother; knee feels more free and not restricted,'' Rafalski said.

He partially tore his anterior cruciate ligament when he was 16 and never had it repaired. Having back surgery in June limited his offseason training, preventing him from strengthening the knee, which had to be drained twice before the arthroscopy.

"(The knee) got aggravated in the last preseason game (Oct. 3),'' Rafalski said. "It settled down. In Chicago (Oct. 9), re-aggravated it in the third, couldn't even stand up on it (the next day).''

Here are the lines and defense pairings they used in practice:

Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmstrom

Franzen-Filppula-Bertuzzi (Abdelkader working in)

Hudler-Modano-Cleary

Miller-Helm-Eaves (Draper working in)

Lidstrom-Stuart

Kronwall-Janik

Kindl-Salei

Howard

Osgood