When the Detroit Red Wings open the 2011 NHL playoffs against the Phoenix Coyotes on Wednesday night they will be without forward Henrik Zetterberg. Mike Babcock confirmed the news on Tuesday.
"He's not playing,'' Babcock said Tuesday. "The good thing about it is we got a couple days before the next game (Game 2 on Saturday afternoon). So he'll continue to be day-to-day until he's back.''
Zetterberg was asked if he expects to play at all during this series and his response was simply that "it's tough to say." Right now it looks like a lot will depend on how his knee responds to an increase in activity, and at the very least I would be surprised if we saw him before the series moves to Phoenix for Game 3.
Niklas Kronwall's status is not quite as concrete. Babcock didn't say for sure if Kronwall will play, although it does sound like he will likely be in the lineup barring a setback during the morning skate or pregame warmup.