Zetterberg Not Ready to Get Going

There was a sense of uneasiness around the Detroit Red Wings this summer and it stemmed from the health of Henrik Zetterberg, who has been dealing with back issues over the last few years.

Zetterberg hasn't missed many games since his last back surgery, back in 2014, only a total of five games and they were all back in the 2015 season.  Since then, the veteran has played every regular season game for the Red Wings over the last three seasons.

Unfortunately, he has said that the tricks that he has done to get his back into playing shape haven't worked for him this summer and training has been a non-starter for him.  He hasn't been able to push himself through any training and he now believes that training camp is already a no-go and that will cost him the start of the regular season, with fears that it could extend all the way through the year.

No matter which way you slice it now, this is a pretty big blow to the Red Wings upcoming season, but with injuries like this, it will open up the door to some younger players, giving them an opportunity to showcase their talents at the top level.  Filip Zadina, Evgeny Svechnikov and Michael Rasmussen may all have a chance to make a strong case for a 2019 rookie season in Detroit.  Be sure to adjust your projections, accordingly.