Z: I’ll be ready for season

DETROIT — While he might not be ready for camp, Red Wings captain Henrik Zetterberg expects to be ready for the start of the season.

Zetterberg did not skate with the large group of teammates at Joe Louis Arena Monday as he is still recovering from the knee injury that forced him out of the World Cup.

“When I said no to the World Cup, it gives me time to come back 100 percent for the season starting,” Zetterberg said. “We’ve got plenty of time now. I didn’t have that if I was going to the World Cup. Missing camp, obviously it’s not optimal. You want to be up there, you want to be with the guys and skate with them but if I’m not, I will still be up there, maybe not participate as long.”

Zetterberg said he injured himself during off-ice training, nothing he hadn’t done in previous workouts but this time he tweaked his knee.

Zetterberg said he can’t go back on the ice until he is pain-free so that puts training camp, which officially starts Sept. 23, in doubt.

“I’ve got to be able to do stuff off the ice before I go out on the ice,” Zetterberg said. “There is a week and a half so there’s a chance but there’s also a chance I’m not going to be skating at that time so just got to play it by ear.”

Zetterberg admitted that it was very disappointing to not be able to play in the World Cup, where he was supposed to be the captain of Team Sweden.

“There’s a good chance this was my last chance to play for Team Sweden,” Zetterberg said. “And the team we had and just a tournament like World Cup, it doesn’t come around that often so that was a hard part. Anyway, too, it was the only decision to make. It was a tough day when I had to make that call.”

Defenseman Niklas Kronwall also withdrew from the World Cup because of knee issues.

Now …

continue reading in source redwings.nhl.com