DETROIT -- Detroit Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk joined his teammates on the ice for practice today at Joe Louis Arena, the first time he has skated with the club since having arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Feb. 21.

Captain Nicklas Lidstrom (deep bone bruise in right ankle) took a brief spin on the ice before practice, the first time he has done that since getting injured on Feb. 25.

Datsyuk and Lidstrom won't play this weekend, Friday at home vs. Los Angeles and Saturday at Nashville, but both expect to return at some point during the three-game trip to California that starts Tuesday in Los Angeles.

"I feel good,'' Datsyuk said. "Nice to comeback and skate with teammates. They help me a lot. Not to much pressure. They slow down I think, making me feel better.''

He added, "Everyday closer. I'm on my way. ... I wanted a little bit of rest before playoffs, but not like this way.''

Lidstrom said he hoped to skate today but can still feel the pain.

"It's still day by day and hopefully each day I'll get better,'' Lidstrom said. "It's been almost two weeks now so I think I need a practice or two before playing in a game. I doubt that I'll be playing on Saturday

"Probably on that West Coast trip, if it feels better, if I don't have that pain when I put the skate on."

He said it hurts to push off.

"A week ago I couldn't put my skate on, it was still swollen,'' Lidstrom said. "That's come down, but it's that deep bone bruise that's hurting me

"It's getting better every day -- my motion, my movements, so that's encouraging."

He has had the ankle X-rayed a few times and no fractures have showed.

"I've been hit in the ankle, but this one just hit that right spot where it's hurting so much,'' Lidstrom said.

He had his skate adjusted on the inside for comfort and the outside for extra protection.

"We'll see how it feels and if I've got to wear a skate guard or not,'' Lidstrom said.

"You don't want to re-aggravate it and then you're out for another week or so. You want to take your time and make sure you're healed properly before you step on the ice again."

did not skate and will not play Friday. They're likely out Saturday, too. But coach Mike Babcock said they are close to returning.

"(Datsyuk) is going in the right direction,'' Babcock said. "Soon I think you'll see Nick back and Bert back, too. By the end of the weekend for sure.''

The Red Wings recalled forward Gustav Nyquist from the Grand Rapids Griffins. He'll be in the lineup Friday, Babcock said, on a line with Justin Abdelkader and Danny Cleary.

Henrik Zetterberg did not skate today but Babcock said he will play Friday.

Jonathan Ericsson (fractured left wrist) practiced with the team for the first time since getting injured on Feb. 25 but won't return until late March or early April.

