When Henrik Zetterberg's back acted up last season, the Red Wings thought he could return in a matter of days. It wound up being six weeks, just in time to start the playoffs.

The Wings hope that's not the case this season.

Zetterberg missed Tuesday's game against the Kings and won't be available to play tonight in Anaheim. He officially was removed from Sunday's NHL All-Star Game in Atlanta, too. The Wings hope rest will cure this latest back problem.

But given Zetterberg's history, there's growing uneasiness.

"It's a bit of a concern just because you never know when it's going to flare up," general manager Ken Holland said.

Zetterberg missed the last 19 games last season because of an inflamed disc, and five this season in late December because of an aching lower back. That injury was triggered when he bent down to pick up a laundry bag.

"I'm still positive," said Zetterberg, whose current injury occurred when he was hit late in the third period of Saturday's game at San Jose. "It's not that I'm real worried that it's going to be like last year.

"But you never know."

Wings management also is remaining optimistic -- at least publicly.

"Hank told me the back is feeling better than it did the other day. And with these days off and rehabilitation, we're optimistic he'll be ready to go when we return from the break (next) Wednesday," Holland said.

Over the months, Zetterberg has seen a variety of specialists in Sweden and the United States, and all have reached the same conclusion.

"None of them believe surgery is needed, that surgery is even an option," Holland said.

Developing core strength and a regimen of exercises to strengthen the affected area have been recommended, and Zetterberg adhered to the game plan over the summer.

This is the second consecutive season Zetterberg has been selected for the All-Star game and had to decline.

Last season he was bothered by wrist tendinitis.

"Of course I'm disappointed," Zetterberg said after the Wings completed their morning skate Tuesday.

"Being voted by the fans (as an All-Star starter), I was really looking forward to going. We decided it was probably best not to go. We have to get this squared away and get healthy."

Back Halts Zetterberg's All-Star Bid

By Helene St. James, Free Press, January 23, 2008

Henrik Zetterberg has felt his back act up before, and he knows the danger of playing through such pain.

So he and the Red Wings on Tuesday decided the best recourse is to take a week off, even though it means he'll miss Sunday's All-Star Game.

"We've got to get this figured out so that he can be healthy and help our team be successful," coach Mike Babcock said. "It's important for us that he feel good. You can't play like you can if you're hurt. So he's done for the All-Star break."

Zetterberg's latest instance of pain erupted when he was hit in the third period of Saturday's game at San Jose. He hasn't skated since, and Tuesday he felt no better than the prior two days.

"Of course you're concerned," said Zetterberg, who is the club's top scorer with 28 goals and 61 points. "But I think we're doing the right thing. Before San Jose I felt really good. So far it's been a good year for me, but of course you are concerned when it's your back."

Zetterberg, whose dad, Goran, is along for the trip, will stay with the team as it finishes tonight at Anaheim, then fly back to Detroit where he and team doctors will determine what to do next.

Zetterberg pulled out of last year's All-Star Game because of a sore wrist.

"I'm disappointed," he said. "Especially this year, I was voted in by fans. I was really looking forward to going. But it's best not to go, and we'll get this squared away and get healthy for the rest of the year."

It has become a disturbing trend in his still-young career to miss games because of back problems. He was sidelined the last 19 games of the regular season last year because of an inflamed disk and missed another five in late December when pain flared up after he picked up his laundry bag. Though the pain he feels now, he said, is different from what he dealt with last March, everything is centered on his lower back.

"I think this is more muscular," he said. "Last year it was a disk problem. But it's all connected, and that's why you have to be a little bit cautious. If you leave the spasms and don't do anything about it ... eventually it will pull on your back, and then you can get disk problems. That is why we're a little more cautious this year."

Zetterberg said he hadn't needed pain medication since Saturday night.

Babcock referred to playing without Zetterberg as "a good test"; it is, of course, one the Wings would rather face now than in three months.

"We've got to make sure he's healthy going down the stretch here," goalie Chris Osgood said. "He's been hampered by his back a few times this year -- played sore quite a bit. It's important for him and for us to go into the playoffs with him healthy. We're fortunate now because of where we are in the standings. Obviously we want to win games and make sure we stay ahead of the pack, but that is a luxury we have -- we're not battling with other teams. We can afford to rest Hank sometimes and make sure he is healthy for when we're getting ready for the playoffs."

Zetterberg Out for All-Star Game

By Ted Kulfan, Detroit News, January 22, 2008

Henrik Zetterberg is officially out for the Red Wings next two games and the All-Star Game. Zetterberg's aching back was no better Tuesday morning, so rather than risk anything more serious, the decision to sit Zetterberg the rest of the week was made. "Zetterberg's done for the trip," coach Mike Babcock said. "We've decided as a group here to give him at least two days off (the next two games) and the All-Stare break, and give him a chance to freshen up. We have to get this figured to get him healthy and have him help this team be successful." Zetterberg missed 5 games around the Christmas break because of an aching back after reaching down to pick up his laundry bag. He missed the final 19 games last season with an inflamed disc. Zetterberg said this injury occurred while getting hit late in the third period Saturday in San Jose. He said the pain is in the lower back, but is not related to the disc. This is the second consecutive year Zetterberg will miss the All-Star game. He missed last year's game due to a wrist injury. "Of course I'm disappointed," said Zetterberg after the Wings completed their morning skate. Zetterberg had treatment on his back but hasn't been on the ice since playing Saturday. "Especially this year, being voted by the fans (as a starter), I was really looking forward to go. We decided it was probably best not to go, but get this squared away and get healthy for the rest of the year."

Zetterberg Out for a Week, has Pulled Out of All-Star Game

By Helene St. James, Free Press, January 22, 2008

Henrik Zetterberg confirmed this morning he has pulled out of the All-Star Game because of a sore back.

“Of course I’m disappointed,” Zetterberg said after having to pull out of the All-Star Game for a second straight year (last year it was because of a sore wrist). “Especially this year, I got voted in by fans, and I was really looking forward to going. We decided it was probably best not to go and get this squared away and get healthy for the rest of the year.”

Zetterberg will also miss tonight's game against the Kings, and Wednesday's game at Anaheim. The team hopes a week's worth of downtime will nip the latest back troubles for Zetterberg.
“Zetterberg’s done for the trip,” Mike Babcock said. “We decided if we give him these two days and the All-Star break, it gives him a chance to freshen up. We’ve got to get this figured out so that he can be healthy and help our team be successful. Good test for us, though.”
Zetterberg’s back sidelined him the remaining 19 games of the regular season last spring. He missed five games in late December when pain flared up simply because he picked up his laundry bag. This latest setback happened after he was hit during the third period of Saturday’s game at San Jose.

Measuring Meaningful Goals

Ken Campbell, thehockeynews.com, January 22, 2008

(It’s) a statistic unique to THN.com that measures meaningful goals. We're not concerned with who scores the sixth goal in a 6-1 game. We're more concerned with the players who can be counted on to contribute when it matters most.

And since goals should be worth more than assists, goals in this system count for one point, assists for a half. And points are awarded only when the following goals are scored: the first goal of a game, a goal that puts the team ahead or into a tie, game-winning goals, overtime goals and shootout goals.

Some goals are worth more than one point. For example, the first goal of the game is always worth two points, one for the first of the game and another for putting the team ahead. So if a player scores the shootout winner in a 1-0 victory, that player receives four points - one for the first goal of the game, one for putting his team ahead, one for the game-winner and one for the shootout.

RK.	NHL RK.	NAME	TEAM	FIRST		AHEAD		TIE		GWG		OT		SOG	TOTAL
				G	A	G	A	G	A	G	A	G	A	G
1	3	Jarome Iginla	Cgy	6	6	16	11	5	6	6	4	1		2	49.5
2	6	Henrik Zetterberg	Det	9	5	14	11	5	5	5	4			3	48.5
3	11	Pavel Datsyuk	Det	8	8	11	14	2	5	5	8			4	47.5
	4	Sidney Crosby	Pit	6	10	10	21		7	5	10		1	2	47.5
5	2	Ilya Kovalchuk	Atl	3	4	11	8	12	2	4	3	1	2	2	42.5

Zetterberg's Back Acting Up again; he may have to miss All-Star Game

By Helene St. James, Free Press, January 21, 2008

Bad news from this morning's skate at the Toyota Center in El Segundo, California: Red Wings forward Henrik Zetterberg didn't practice because his back is acting up again.

Zetterberg, the team's leading scorer with 28 goals and 61 points, and a plus-20 rating, in 44 games, missed five games in late December because of back spasms, and his back problems cost him the last 19 games of the regular season last year.

Zetterberg, visibly in pain as he talked Monday, said he was hurt when he got hit during the third period of Saturday's 6-3 victory at San Jose, though he continued to play a few shifts afterwards.
He is doubtful for Tuesday's game at Los Angeles. The Wings' last game before the All-Star break is Wednesday at Anaheim.
Zetterberg, who was voted in as a starter by fans for this Sunday's All-Star Game in Atlanta, pulled out of last season's event because of a sore wrist. Asked if that would factor into his decision this year, Zetterberg's answer was revealing.
"I think you don't want to miss 19 games," he said, meaning better to miss an All-Star Game than risk aggravating anything. "That's my main concern. I don't want to let it go that far. I just have to do the things we do to not make that happen. I don't right now what that is, but we just have to stay on top of it."
Zetterberg may feel much better by week's end, but there's little question it's risky to send him off to play in Atlanta, even though All-Star Games are not physical affairs. Back injuries are tricky because they're not linear recoveries (like a broken bone) and obviously, the priority for the Wings is to have Zetterberg healthy for the playoffs.