An update on the status of Klim Kostin, courtesy of Derek Lalonde
An update on the status of Klim Kostin, courtesy of Derek Lalonde
After today's morning skate, Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde provided an update on the status of forward Klim Kostin—out since mid-December with an upper body injury. The winger will miss tonight's game against the Edmonton Oilers—who traded him to Detroit at the draft in June.
"He's close," said Lalonde of Kostin. "[We'd] like to get him in this weekend. I think our lineup could use him. He's in a true day-to-day now. He's got an upper body [injury] that has its ups and downs with how he's feeling."
The Red Wings host the Los Angeles Kings on Saturday, then travel to Toronto to play the Maple Leafs Sunday. Lalonde's assessment suggests that Kostin should appear in at least one of those two contests.
After providing that update, Lalonde said wryly in reference to the extra work injured players put in after practice as they close in on a return, "basically what happens is a player gets so exhausted with Jay Varady beating them into the ground post-practice that they're begging for a game, and we're getting close to that."
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Lalonde also noted that with "the way the game is played this time of year" Detroit will be especially eager to return Kostin's heavy, physical game to the lineup, pointing out that the Red Wings lack that presence without Kostin in action.
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