Datsyuk out, Franzen a game time decision tonight against Nashville

Red Wings forward Pavel Datsyuk will be held out of tonight’s game against the Nashville Predators due to a lower body injury which he suffered the other night against Columbus.

The Wings may also be without Johan Franzen as well since he got ‘bumped’ in the Columbus game as well. Head coach Mike Babcock says Franzen will be a game time decision.

If Franzen can’t go, the Wings will be one player short of a full roster and will have to roll with 11 forwards and 6 defensemen.

Jiri Hudler will also be out for tonight’s game because of the flu and defenseman Ruslan Salei won’t rejoin the team until Monday against Pittsburgh. Salei is still spending time with his wife who just gave birth to the couples third child.

Here are tonight’s anticipated lines according to Ansar Khan of Mlive.com…

Cleary-Zetterberg-Bertuzzi
Filppula-Holmstrom
Miller-Modano-Abdelkader
Draper-Helm-Eaves

Lidstrom-Stuart
Kronwall-Ericsson
Kindl-Rafalski

Howard (starting)
MacDonald

Here is the anticipated lineup for Nashville:

Martin Erat-David Legwand-Patric Hornqvist
Colin Wilson-Mike Fisher-Sergei Kostitsyn
Jerred Smithson-Nick Spaling-Jordin Tootoo
Matt Halischuk-Blake Geoffrion-J.P. Dumont

Ryan Suter-Shea Weber
Shane O’Brien-Cody Franson
Jonathon Blum-Kevin Klein

Pekka Rinne
Anders Lindback