Red Wings lose key defenseman through Olympic break

The Detroit Red Wings have been one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference this season. They have won eight of their last ten games and have been playing great defense in the process. This is likely going to lead the Red Wings to buy at the trade deadline. While things are positive in Detroit, they will have to weather a storm, with one of their key blueliners out through the Olympic break.

Simon Edvinsson, who has missed the last two games, has now been declared out through the Olympic break, according to Kevin Allen of Detroit Hockey Now.

Head coach Todd McLellan expects that Edvinsson, while missing the next five games, will be back when the Red Wings return after the break, visiting the Ottawa Senators on February 26.

“He is a significant piece, but we have others that are going to have to go in and play, and they’ve done that already for a couple games and done an admirable job,” McLellan said. “When you lose players, there’s all the cliches, somebody else steps up… Everybody has to pull a little harder and do a little more.”

Edvinsson has been paired with Moritz Seider for most of the season, logging nearly 24 minutes per game in January. Travis Hamonic initially replaced Edvinsson, but it was Jacob Bernard-Docker last time out, pairing with Seider.

“If you look at the Winnipeg game, even the Minnesota game, there’s different pairs of guys going out at different times, and I think that’ll continue,” McLellan added about replacing Edvinsson.

While Edvinsson will be missing a total of seven games with this lower-body injury, it is not the type of injury that will cause a quick reaction and the need to make an immediate trade.

“If I came in today and said, hey, Simon’s done for the season, then it may change, but we’re going to get Simon back and, it’s not like he’s going to lose his game anywhere,” McLellan concluded.

The Red Wings are now 32-16-5 on the campaign, good for first place in the Atlantic Division, and tied for the best record in the Eastern Conference. They will return to the ice without their star blueliner on Tuesday night to host the Los Angeles Kings.