After a one year absence, Jiri Hudler feels like he's home again.
↵Hudler, with his new work visa in hand, skated with his Red Wings teammates for the first time since 2009 this week, and couldn't be happier to be back in Motown.
↵↵↵"I can't get enough of this feeling, just walking in and being around the guys, it's unbelievable,'' Hudler said. "I'm so happy to be back, thrilled.''
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Hudler spurned a two-year, $5.75 million deal from the Red Wings and took a two-year, $10 million contract to play for Dynamo Moscow in the Kontinental Hockey League last season. After Dynamo folded, Hudler made a choice to come back to Detroit.
↵↵↵"I didn't have a problem in Russia, but I did miss the locker room, all the guys, Detroit, my friends,'' Hudler said. "I wanted to go back badly because I missed it so much.''
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Hudler is currently slated to play on a line with Mike Modano and Dan Cleary this season, where he'll look to build on his career year from 2008-09. Hudler should have no problem with that after playing more than 20 minutes a game for Dynamo last year.
↵↵"Mike Modano, you can't get any better than that,'' Hudler said. "And I played with Bear (Cleary) before, know what kind of player he is. It's exciting.''
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