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Red Wing Roundup - May 23rd

Ashley Gallant | National Hockey League

May 23, 07:57 AM | Hype this story!

The Mule to return?

Forward Johan Franzen may not have played since game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, but he still leads the league with 12 goals in the post-season. Coach Mike Babcock must surely want him back in the lineup when the Red Wings face the Penguins.

Franzen has been out of the lineup with concussion-like symptoms, but the team received good news on Thursday when doctors cleared him to practice with the team.

He is doubtful for game 1, but it is possible that he will return for game 2 or game 3.

Chelios out for game 1

In an interview yesterday with WDFN-AM, Chris Chelios said that he will not play in game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals. He declared himself ready to go for Saturday, but he will not mess with a winning lineup.

“You know I’m ready to go. I’m not going to be playing Saturday. I’m actually pretty superstitious about changing a winning line up to so I’m ready to go. That’s a good thing. If anything, I’m going to get a good rest and hopefully we can keep winning and if I get a chance to go in there and help the team,” he said.

Lidstrom to make NHL history?

With his team in the Stanley Cup Finals, Nicklas Lidstrom has the chance to do something that has not been done before. Should Detroit win the Cup, Lidstrom will be the first European-born and trained player to captain a Cup-winning team.

“It would mean a lot,” he said. “But it’s still secondary to being able to win the Cup again and getting another ring.”

Will the Red Wings actually sell out a game or two?

It is well known that Detroit has found it hard to sell out the Joe Louis Arena in recent years, despite the fact that they have an exciting team. With the Red Wings in the Finals for the first time since 2002, that trend should change – but will it?

The Red Wings have announced that 400 standing room tickets will go on sale today at 11AM ET. That would seem to suggest that the games will be sold out, despite the fact that the NBA’s Detroit Pistons are currently competing in the Eastern Conference Finals.

We will only know tomorrow at 8PM ET if the teams will be playing to a packed house or if there are empty seats staring us in the face, but things are looking good so far.