The Return Of The Mule

Finally, after missing 55 games this season, Detroit winger Johan Franzen (also known as The Mule) returns tonight against the St. Louis Blues.

The problem, however, is that the Red Wings lost Holmstrom, Eaves, Miller and Kronwall to injuries just before his return. Red Wings fans aren't even suprised anymore with all the injuries this year.In fact, the Red Wings have lost 279 man-games this season.


279.

Thats alot of games missed by Red Wings players this season, and it is also the reason the Wings are on the outside looking in at the playoffs for the first time in..... at least 11 years (I'm really not sure how many). And what is worse, they are on pace to tally up 393 games missed.

Now heres a little fun fact, there are only 82 games in an NHL season. This means that the Wings have played less than 5 of their games with a full roster, and for a period of a few weeks, their roster was basically cut in half. Most of the time, a team loses a good player here and there, rarely for a long period of time, and they play through it until the player returns, but I have never seen a team as injured as much as this years Red Wings. At one point, 4 of their top 6 forwards and 3 of their 6 defenceman were injured.

Hopefully, Detroit can now stay healthy and make a run at the playoffs.