Todd McLellan on Detroit Red Wings injury report
Detroit Red Wings coach Todd McLellan, Jan. 27, 2025 in Detroit.
The Detroit Red Wings are dinged up, but at least there’s one player ready to return – and a fresh face ready if needed.
After Monday’s morning skate, ahead of the Wings (23-21-5) hosting the Los Angeles Kings (26-14-6) for an evening game at Little Caesars Arena (7 p.m.), coach Todd McLellan had the following Red Wings injury updates:
- Forward J.T. Compher is injured and won’t play.
- Forward Vladimir Tarasenko isn’t feeling well, and is questionable for the game.
- Forward Michael Rasmussen, who left Saturday’s game in pain, is good to go.
- Forward Tyler Motte (upper body, Jan. 7) has been cleared to play.
“Vladdie didn’t skate this morning, he’s not feeling good,” McLellan said. “Don’t think he’s going to be available. Compher won’t play.”
McLellan said Compher is day-to-day. Compher’s injury stems from when he was hit by Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg in Saturday’s game, though Compher finished the game.
Forward Patrick Kane remains out with an upper-body injury that has sidelined him since Wednesday. He hasn’t skated with the team since Tuesday, and is getting treatment.
If Tarasenko can’t play, the Wings would be short a forward. McLellan said “we have some guys on stand-by, so if we need bodies, we’ll have them here. We’re not going to be short staffed.”
That turned out to be Dominik Shine, a longtime minor-leaguer with the Grand Rapids Griffins. The Wings signed the 31-year-old from Pickney to a contract that runs through 2025-26. Shine was called up after Kane was placed on injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 21.
Shine Griffins with 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists) in 40 games. The 5 foot 11, 180 pound forward has played for the Griffins since 2016-17 following four years at Northern Michigan.
Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on X @helenestjames.
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Her latest book, “The Franchise: Detroit Red Wings, A Curated History of the Red Wings,” was released October 2024. Her books, “On the Clock: Behind the Scenes with the Detroit Red Wings at the NHL Draft,” and “The Big 50: The Men and Moments that made the Detroit Red Wings” are available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Triumph Books. Personalized copies available via her e-mail.
