Datsyuk Out 10-14 Days

The injuries just keep piling up for the Red Wings.

The team discovered today that Pavel Datsyuk will be out of the lineup for at least ten days with an injured ankle.

Datsyuk injured his ankle in a collision during the first period of Wednesday night’s game against the Calgary Flames. He did finish the game, but the lingering soreness prompted the team to send the 25-year-old center for X-rays Friday morning.

The X-rays revealed that the ankle was not fractured, but was sprained badly.

This is the third key injury to the Wings this week; Kris Draper sustained a torn rotator cuff during Wednesday’s morning skate, and Mathieu Dandenault went down with a broken right foot after blocking a shot in the Calgary game. Draper and Dandenault will each be out for at least four weeks.

On the brighter side, Chris Chelios will be in the lineup Friday night against the Vancouver Canucks after missing three games with an injured shoulder. Derian Hatcher should make his long-awaited return from knee surgery Monday night against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Curtis Joseph, who has been out since February 12 with a sprained ankle, is expected to backup Manny Legace against the Lightning, then start against Columbus on March 11.