Well this is interesting.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-partner=”tweetdeck”><p>Wings have called up defenseman Xavier Ouellet from Grand Rapids. he's in the ice for practice.</p>— Ansar Khan (@AnsarKhanMLive) <a href=”https://twitter.com/AnsarKhanMLive/statuses/458999056207863808″>April 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
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Ouellet is practicing today on the top line with Smith, while Kronwall is absent. The speculation is that Kronwall’s girlfriend (I think it’s his girlfriend, no fiance or wife) may be giving birth to a baby Kronwall today, so it’s possible X is only subbing for Kronner so they can have 6 D for practice. Or perhaps there will be a healthy defensive scratch *cough* Kindl or Lashoff *cough* and we’ll get to see Ouellet in game 4.
Ouellet finished his first season with the Griffins with 70 games played, 4 goals, 13 assists, 92 shots on goal, and 22 penalty minutes. He also made his NHL debut with the Wings on October 21st and played 4 games with the Wings in the regular season. The 6’0″ 200 pound defenseman impressed Babcock in his few games with the Wings because of his calm, precise nature, his good decision making skills, and his skating and passing abilities.
There was another interesting tidbit out of practice this morning as well, and I’ll just leave it here.
<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-partner=”tweetdeck”><p>Zetterberg skating hard. Looks like he's very close to returning.</p>— Chuck Pleiness (@wingsfrontman) <a href=”https://twitter.com/wingsfrontman/statuses/459004431934058496″>April 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
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<blockquote class=”twitter-tweet” data-partner=”tweetdeck”><p>Zetterberg was excited about skating…will test in morning skate…does sound like tomorrow is possible</p>— Ted Kulfan (@tkulfan) <a href=”https://twitter.com/tkulfan/statuses/459010935969943552″>April 23, 2014</a></blockquote>
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This was Zetterberg’s first real skate, as he called it, and he hasn’t been cleared by the doctors to play yet. Given how the last two games have gone, I expect Z to push his return up as much as humanly possible.
