In Red Wings Land

Red Wings’ Danny DeKeyser recovering from back surgery, eager to return – MLive

DeKeyser feels good and said his recovery is going well. He is working out regularly in the home gym he installed a few years ago.

“All the equipment I put into the house is worth it just for these last six weeks,” he said. “I’m able to get all my workouts in and rehab my back. I’ve been working with our trainers and staff over Facetime, they’ve been messaging me workouts. Pretty much everything I would do at the rink I’m still doing at home. I’m feeling better each week. I’m looking forward to playing hockey again.”

Kudos to Khan for not succumbing to the temptation to say DeKeyser is itching to come BACK.  Good to know he’s having as much fun in online meetings as I am lately.

Around the NHL

Former Sharks forward Joel Ward figuring out next step of NHL career – NBCSports

Ward penned one beauty of a goodbye note in The Players’ Tribune to make it official. He shared memorable pieces of an uphill hockey journey, including the passing of his father, the dedication of his mother and the storybook path of playing 726 NHL games, despite never even being drafted. “What a ride it was for me,” Ward reminisced. “Back then, If I could play just one game that would be great.”

Joel Ward was often a pain in the ass to play against, but he was always a guy I liked.