Just when the Red Wings were feeling good about having their roster intact with the return of Darren Helm, it isn't.
Pavel Datsyuk will miss the last two games of a four-game road trip with a lower-body malady, coach Mike Babcock said after Wednesday's practice.
Datsyuk won't make the trip through Florida on Thursday and Tampa Bay on Friday, and remains iffy for Sunday's game against visiting St. Louis.
Until that bit of news, Babcock was overjoyed at the thought of getting Helm back on Datsyuk's left wing and -- since adding two key players at the trade deadline -- seeing the lineup he's hoping to take into the playoffs.
The Datsyuk unit, with Tomas Tatar on the right flank, was Detroit's most effective line before Helm went down with an oblique muscle strain on Feb. 28. Riley Sheahan skated between those two in practice Thursday.
Instead of centering the fourth line, Luke Glendening skated in Sheahan's previous role at center between Gus Nyquist and Teemu Pulkkinen.
Joakim Andersson moved to center on a fourth line between Drew Miller and Tomas Jurco.
Chicago joins NHL Prospect Tournament
The Red Wings will return to Traverse City for the 17th straight year to play host to their annual NHL Prospect Tournament at Centre ICE Arena in Traverse City in September.
The Chicago Blackhawks have been added to the eight-team-tournament this fall, Wings Executive Vice President and General Manager Ken Holland announced in a news release Wednesday.
Other clubs bringing their youngsters to the Sept. 11-15 tournament are Carolina, Columbus, Dallas, Minnesota, the New York Rangers and St. Louis.
Since last September's tournament, 24 players have made at least one appearance in the NHL this season, according to the release. From the last three Detroit prospects' teams, 16 players have graduated to the NHL. They include: Joakim Andersson, Tomas Jurco, Alexey Marchenko, Petr Mrazek, Gus Nyquist, Teemu Pulkkinen, Riley Sheahan and Brendan Smith.
Last year, the Columbus Blue Jackets won the tournament for the third time in their history.
