Red Wings' Bobby Ryan out for season, can hit free agency after the campaign

Detroit Red Wings forward Bobby Ryan won't return this season and may have played his last shift as a member of the organization. 

Per the official NHL website, Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill confirmed on Friday that Ryan is out for the remainder of the campaign due to the upper-body injury that's kept him a spectator since he last played on March 28. 

"He was trying to come back from that injury. He practiced two days ago and felt pretty good through most of it," Blashill said of the veteran who turned 34 years old last month. "Felt a twinge at the end, and in the end, it's a situation where we expect him to miss the rest of the season." 

Ryan tallied seven goals and seven assists across 33 games this season before he suffered this latest setback. ESPN's Emily Kaplan listed him as a potential target for the Boston Bruins ahead of Monday's trade deadline, largely because he's on a one-year deal that expires after the playoffs. 

"I think Bobby came in, did a really good job, obviously scored early," Blashill added. "Again, he's had a nagging back injury through parts of the year and those are the ones that don't necessarily go away. So, it probably hurt his ability to just keep rolling. Obviously, scoring is one of those things that fluctuates. I liked having him on our team, he made our team better, and he was a good example for our young guys." 

Detroit sits dead last in the NHL Central standings and has little chance of qualifying for the playoffs.