Detroit Red Wings goaltender Chris Osgood has been sidelined since mid-January after undergoing sports hernia surgery. It was said over two weeks ago that he’d be back soon, but the return date kept getting pushed back. Finally, Osgood is set to play after practicing on Monday [via Detroit News]:
“I’m as close as I can get,” said Osgood. “I feel real good. I don’t know when I’ll play but I’ll keep practicing and be ready. My goal is to be ready for the playoffs, so Mike won’t hesitate to use me if he has to.”
To make room for Osgood, Joey MacDonald was sent back west to Grand Rapids. While the Wings were just 3-5 in games MacDonald started in place of Osgood, he was more than adequate. In fact, MacDonald’s .913 save percentage was better than Osgood’s .903 thus far this season. However, a healthier Osgood should be a more stable back up to Howard for the home stretch.