The Detroit Red Wings are set to embark on a short home-and-home series against the Washington Capitals, and the status of two key players was announced following today's practice.
The Detroit Red Wings are set to embark on a trip to Washington D.C. for the first of what will be two straight tilts against the Washington Capitals, beginning on Saturday afternoon, with the second taking place at Little Caesars Arena on Sunday afternoon.
Prior to departing town for the nation's capital city, the Red Wings gathered for practice at the BELFOR Training Center inside of Little Caesars Arena, where both Patrick Kane and Moritz Seider skated and shot a few pucks before the rest of their teammates took the ice.
Kane did not play in either of Detroit's two most recent games against the New York Islanders and the Utah Mammoth. According to McLellan, he will not be available for Saturday's game but will accompany the club on the trip.
However, McLellan's update on Seider was more encouraging. His ironman streak isn't expected to be in danger, as Detroit's coach indicated that their top defenseman will be able to suit up and that Friday was just a maintenance day.
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Seider was not in full equipment, and was dressed in track pants and a hoodie.
In Kane's most recent game against his former team, the Chicago Blackhawks, he scored the 498th goal of his NHL career. However, he was banged up when his skates accidentally collided with the post during the second period of play, resulting in him falling into the boards in the corner.
He was able to remain in the game through the final horn, but didn't play in either of Detroit's subsequent two matchups and will miss at least his third straight.
Kane had already missed multiple games this season thanks to an upper-body injury suffered in late October, and has scored six goals with 17 assists in the 24 games he's appeared in.
The Red Wings are slated to drop the puck against the Capitals at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday from Capital One Arena, followed by another matinee affair on Sunday beginning at 1:00 p.m. ET.
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