Tyler Motte has been cleared to play so the Detroit Red Wings will have him back against the Kings, but Patrick Kane remains out and J.T. Compher is also out
Compher (upper body) is not expected to be in the lineup versus the Oilers on Thursday, per the NHL media site.
Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Emil Lilleberg has been suspended for two games by the NHL for a hit on Detroit Red Wings center J.T. Compher during the second period on Saturday. Compher finished the game but is experiencing some issues since. He is out for tonight’s game against the Los Angeles Kings and perhaps longer.
Detroit Red Wings left winger J.T. Compher is day-to-day with an upper-body injury, Red Wings head coach Todd McLellan confirmed to Max Bultman of The Athletic on Monday.
Compher (upper body) will join the Red Wings on their four-game road trip, Ansar Khan of MLive.com reports Wednesday. Compher's presence on the trip is a good indication he'll play at some point, though he hasn't been officially confirmed for the first game against Edmonton on Thursday.
No team is immune to the injury bug, including the Detroit Red Wings. It's rare for a team to go through an entire season without missing at least one player for an extended period of time. Thursday night's game against the Edmonton Oilers is the first of a four-game West Coast road trip.
The Tampa Bay defenseman faces additional discipline after a hit on J.T. Compher that resulted in an interference penalty.
Veteran forward Andrew Copp said the Detroit Red Wings have a togetherness they lacked before head coach Todd McLellan was hired in late December.
The Detroit ... the following Red Wings injury updates: "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."
The Red Wings are in good shape, cap-wise. Their top players (Dylan Larkin, Moritz Seider and Lucas Raymond) are locked up to long-term contracts through 2031 and 2032, and Alex DeBrincat has two more years on his deal after this season.
THROUGH GAMES OF FRIDAY, JAN. 31, 2025
Thursday was one of those days when the Oilers didn't have their best stuff, could have won but didn't and at least came away with a point.