Detroit Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood plans to participate in practice Wednesday, his first since undergoing sports hernia surgery in mid-January. If all goes well, Osgood expects to be back in the lineup for the Wings, which could prevent Ken Holland from having to pursue a goalie before the NHL’s trade deadline.
“I feel better now, like, healthwise and strengthwise, than I did previous to the injury,” Osgood said this morning. “There’s no doubt I’ll be back, it’s just a matter of when.”
Osgood added that he’s virtually pain-free, but just has to get over the mental obstacle of stretching down on the ice for shots and knowing he can’t hurt himself. He has been facing shots since Friday, according to reports. But those were mostly from Valtteri Filppula and Mike Modano, both of whom are also recovering from injuries.
Because he still has yet to participate in practice drills, it’s unlikely that Osgood will suit up for the Red Wings this week. Osgood projects his return sometime during Detroit’s west coast road trip next week.