Appendectomy on Tuesday and playing NHL hockey on Friday??  Methinks Babcock is a bit of an optimist…

I think so too. Even if they take it out laproscopically three days is probably not enough of a recovery. It took me about a week to go back to sitting in a chair at work.

Posted by wingsfanindenver on 10/21/08 at 01:05 PM ET

I agree.  That’s a little too early to return to action.  I’d give him ten to fifteen days for recovery.

Ericsson on the way up?

Posted by SYF from Las Vegas, NV on 10/21/08 at 01:11 PM ET

can the perform a “turnoverectomy” while they’re at it?  i’m willing to wait all season for him to recover from it if that’s what it takes.

Posted by Animal Drew from A Nightmare on Helm Street on 10/21/08 at 01:13 PM ET

my optimism suggests that lilja will be out for awhile. 

Posted by ColdWar on 10/21/08 at 01:21 PM ET

‘can the perform a “turnoverectomy” while they’re at it?’

I must be tired today because I found that WAY too funny…

Posted by Garth on 10/21/08 at 01:24 PM ET

Derek Meech will remain in the lineup and partner with his former Grand Rapids teammate Brett Lebda as the third defense pairing.

That should be interesting. These two are not stay-at-home types, so I can envision a scenario where Lebda carries the puck in, curls around the back of the net and runs into Meech coming the other way. Ooops!

As for Lilja, here’s wishing him a good surgical outcome and a return to the lineup sometime around Christmas.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 10/21/08 at 01:34 PM ET

Good One...OTC

That should be interesting. These two are not stay-at-home types, so I can envision a scenario where Lebda carries the puck in, curls around the back of the net and runs into Meech coming the other way. Ooops!

That might not be all that bad if the forwards continue to overbackcheck (obstructing and confusing our defense).

Posted by HockeyTownTodd from upset when blogs don�t live up to my expectations on 10/21/08 at 02:02 PM ET

Can always put Sammy back there!

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 10/21/08 at 02:04 PM ET

Helm sent down too, so Z is looking like a go tomorrow.

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 10/21/08 at 02:06 PM ET

Glad to have Z back, not gald to see Helm go though.
Was hoping we’d see the Big Rig for a game or 3....

Posted by MOWingsfan19 on 10/21/08 at 02:51 PM ET

Was hoping we’d see the Big Rig for a game or 3....

Staurt’s back in tomorrow night so there’s no need to call him up. Just think of it. Two of the top-six defensemen are out and they still don’t need to call anyone up. There are a few teams out there that can’t put six quality guys out there even if everyone is healthy.

All of that makes things pretty easy for the organ-I-zation, but it must be really tough on guys like Helm, Ericsson and even Leino. They’ve done the hard work. They’re ready for the NHL (and in Helm’s case, more than ready) but they can’t crack the lineup. It probably would be more frustrating if they weren’t getting their full salaries (from $600k to $900k) for playing in GR. Fifty to seventy-five grand a month can take the sting out of a lot things.

Posted by OlderThanChelios from Grand Rapids on 10/21/08 at 04:55 PM ET