Photo: Detroit News

Either way Brad Stuart was headed to San Jose. The Detroit Red Wings just managed to likely get a draft pick out of the situation.

The Wings traded Stuart’s rights to the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.

Stuart, whose family lives year-round in San Jose, was prompted by family obligations to make the move. Stuart intended to sign with the Sharks on July 1 or remain with the Wings if that didn’t work out.

“It was clear what direction Stewie was leaning toward,” said Wings general manager Ken Holland. “He wanted to be closer to his family.”

“I’m real grateful to Kenny for doing this,” Stuart said. “It just shows what kind of organization the Wings are. This gives us some time to work something out.”

Stuart had some great times with the Wings, highlighted by a 2008 Stanley Cup championship just months after Detroit acquired him from Los Angeles.

“Great teammates, great organization, just a first-class place all the way around,” Stuart said. “I enjoyed my time there.”

Stuart’s departure, along with Nicklas Lidstrom’s retirement on May 31, leaves a big hole in the Wings defense, one that they will have to address.

Nashville defenseman Ryan Suter looks to be the No. 1 target for teams.

“We’ll be active,” Holland said. “We’ve lost two quality defensemen.”

Notes from Wednesday’s practice:

Mike Babcock said the team was awaiting results of Patrick Eaves’ MRI on his leg but the Red Wings forward won’t play against Dallas on Thursday night.

Valtteri Filppula also will not play on Thursday night, as he is still recovering from a sprained left MCL. Filppula hopes to return to the lineup on Saturday against Buffalo.

Mike Modano (lacerated left wrist) is aiming for a Saturday return, as well.

Babcock said the team will recall a forward from Grand Rapids, though he wasn’t sure which one, today.

Defenseman Brad Stuart missed practice to have the braces removed from his teeth, due to his broken jaw back on Jan. 7. Stuart is expected to play Thursday.

Lineups they skated with:

• Franzen-Zetterberg-Bertuzzi
  Hudler-Datsyuk-Cleary
  Draper-Helm-Miller
  Abdelkader-Filppula-Holmstrom
  Modano practiced with the top two lines.

  Lidstrom-Kronwall
  Ericsson-Rafalski
  Kindl-Salei

  Howard (starting)
  MacDonald

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Red Wings Day at Meijer

Former Red Wings forward John Ogrodnick will be at Meijer today from 5-7 PM, signing autographs and interacting with fans. He replaced Patrick Eaves who was scheduled to appear. Eaves’ injury in Tuesday night’s loss to San Jose most likely factored into the decision. Ogrodnick will be at the following location: 37201 Warren, Westland.

Stewie, oh how we have missed you so.

It looks like the Red Wings might be welcoming back a key member on defense when they travel to Florida for a pair of games against the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers.

Defenseman Brad Stuart, who suffered a broken jaw back on Jan. 7, hopes to return to the lineup when the Wings take on the Lightning Thursday night in Tampa. Stuart has been practicing since the All-Star break drew to a close and, if he has any say, he is going to be playing Thursday night.

“I would like to, that’s kind of what I’m thinking,” Stuart said. “I just need everyone else on board too, the coaching staff and trainers and doctors. That’s what I’m hoping for.”

Coach Mike Babcock insists that he won’t stop Stewie from playing.

“Stewie is playing in Tampa, that’s what he tells me. He can play whenever he wants as far as I’m concerned, but that’s not my decision (trainers and medical staff’s decision).”

The Wings defense will only improve when Stewie returns to the lineup. But as long as his return is before the playoffs the Wings will be fine.

OSGOOD RETURNS TO PRACTICE

Chris Osgood returned to the ice for the first time on Monday since undergoing sports hernia surgery back on Jan. 10.

While he wasn’t sporting any pads or gear, let us take this as a positive step in his rehabilitation.

“I’m going to do that on this trip to Florida and keep doing that until I’m comfortable going up and down,” Osgood told the Detroit News. “The next step is to go up and down and do movements on the knees, but that won’t be until at the end of the week.”

Osgood anticipates returning within the next two to three weeks.

Photo: NHL

Just as the Red Wings are welcoming back a key member previously on the injured list, they are losing one to the same list.

Valtteri Filppula was injured during Monday night’s win over the New York Rangers when he was kneed by Brandon Dubinsky early in the third period. He left the game and wouldn’t return.

An MRI on Tuesday revealed that Filppula had suffered a knee sprain and he is expected to miss one week with the injury.

“I’m assuming he’s not going to play this week,” Holland told the Detroit News. “He went for an MRI today and it’s a sprain. He should be ready (next week).”

But on the bright side it’s not a significant injury. Boy, how’d the Wings dodge that bullet?

Holmstrom set to return against Predators

The Red Wings aren’t expected to call up anyone from Grand Rapids to fill in for Filppula because Tomas Holmstrom is set to return to the lineup on Wednesday.

Holmstrom fractured his right hand back on Jan. 14 against Columbus.

Following practice on Tuesday, Holmstrom was convinced that he would no doubt return to the lineup against the Predators, barring a major setback.

“It felt a lot better,” Holmstrom said of his hand.

Stuart eyeing return during Florida road trip

Good news for defenseman Brad Stuart on Tuesday where an X-Ray revealed that his jaw is healing quite well.

Stuart took a controversial hit from Calgary’s Tom Kostopolous, for which he was suspended six games, on Jan. 7, in which his jaw was broken.

He is aiming to return when the Wings travel to Florida next week, where they will play the Tampa Bay Lightning (Feb. 17) and the Florida Panthers (Feb. 18).

Photo: DetroitRedWings.com

This is the absolute last thing the Red Wings could possibly have asked for right now. In what has been a battered two-month span of injuries that I would soon need a third hand to count them all on, the Wings avoided disaster on Tuesday after Todd Bertuzzi and Brad Stuart collided in a practice drill.

Poor Stuey! Isn’t it enough that his jaw was fractured, that rubber bands hold his teeth together and he had to eat liquid food for a good couple of weeks?

Oh, the humanity!

Stuart just returned to his first practice on Monday since getting his jaw bashed in by Tom Kostopoulos back in November.

Stuart and Bertuzzi collided after an on-ice drill and both players wound up on the ice, with Bertuzzi staying down for a moment longer.

“I was more worried about Stuey,” said Bertuzzi. “A little accidental contact; everything is all right. There’s so many thinks that are going on that it happens every once in a while.”

“I knew I was OK,” Stuart said. “I was really worried for him. Thankfully, I had my back turned and he ran into my back and it didn’t hurt me at all. But I’m sure it looked pretty scary.”

What do you get when two 6-plus-foot, 210-plus-pound hockey players collide? A big scare that both players were able to shake off. But it could have been much worse.

The Red Wings are slowly taking steps towards regaining full strength from a rough two month stretch riddled with injuries.

Among those injured was defenseman Brad Stuart, who suffered a broken jaw in a controversial hit from Calgary’s Tom Kostopoulos. The Flames forward was suspended six games for the blind-side hit to the head of Stuart.

VIDEO: Tom Kostopoulos breaks Brad Stuart’s jaw

Stuart was expected to miss six to eight weeks and his anticipated return is slated for sometime between mid and late March.

Sporting a jaw protector attached to his helmet, Stuart participated in Monday’s practice, taking a step–a small one, yes, but a step nonetheless–towards returning to the lineup, which he is still weeks away from.

Stuart still has to wear rubber bands on his teeth to limit his jaw’s movement, which has prevented him from eating solid foods.

“I probably have to wear them at least 10-14 days, and then they said I might even have to keep them on when I get back,” Stuart said. “It just helps keep it stable, just reduce the risk a little bit.

“Slowly but surely I’m getting back to more normal meals. I would love to just have a regular pizza. Save the steaks for a little while.”

Of course it wouldn’t be an interview without bringing a little drama into the matter. The drama in this story being Stuart’s reaction to the hit that had him on a liquid diet for several weeks.

“Of course I’m a little upset it happened,” Stuart said. “It cost me six or more weeks of the season, depending on how things go. … I was sure they would do something, and they did. There’s no reason for me to sit and debate whether I think it’s long enough. It happened. He served his suspension, it’s over, and I just move forward, that’s all I can do.”

What are your thoughts on the Kostopoulos hit? Was the six-game suspension too lenient, seeing as Stuart still has weeks until he can return, or is that just the game of hockey? Sound off below!

The Detroit Red Wings will soon be welcoming back several key members of their squad who have been sidelined with injuries over the course of the last two months.

Pavel Datsyuk and Danny Cleary fully participated in practice on Monday and they still plan on making their return to the lineup on Feb. 2 against Ottawa, the first game after the All-Star break.

Mike Modano was seen skating at practice which is encouraging for a player who, it was rumored, would never play hockey again due to his lacerated wrist. Nasty rumors I tell you.

Also eyeing a return following the All-Star break is Tomas Holmstrom, who suffered a fractured hand back on Jan. 17.

“The guys who’ve been playing have stepped up real good and the young kids have stepped up,” said Holmstrom.

“But we can’t go on much longer losing guys left and right.”

Now I hate to use injuries as an excuse but just look at all the talent that has been sidelined.

• Mike Modano - lacerated left wrist (Nov. 26)
• Pavel Datsyuk - fractured right hand (Dec. 22)
• Danny Cleary - fractured left ankle (Dec. 26)
• Brad Stuart – fractured jaw (Jan. 7)
• Chris Osgood – sports hernia surgery (Jan. 11)
• Tomas Holmstrom – fractured hand (Jan. 14)

Now tell me the Wings aren’t a more threatening team with these guys in the mix.

Datsyuk, Cleary and Holmstrom will greatly improve Detroit’s sputtering offensive attack when they return after the All-Star break. Their absence has been felt and I don’t know about you guys but I am cannot wait for their return.

The last thing the Wings need is to fall into a hole, much like last season, and not be able to claw their way to the top and lose out on old Stanley once more.