Red Wings' Holland: 'There's a real unknown right now with Zetterberg'
Henrik Zetterberg's status for next season remains up in the air.
The Detroit Red Wings captain has long struggled with back injuries, dating back to the 2014 season when he missed the final 24 games of the regular season, plus three playoff contests, following back surgery.
However, Zetterberg has not missed any time in the past three seasons. While the hope is that he can dress for the upcoming campaign, his status remains uncertain.
"There's a real unknown right now with Henrik Zetterberg," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland told The Athletic's Craig Custance.
The 37-year-old signed a 12-year, $73-million contract with the Red Wings in 2009, and has three years remaining on the pact. The deal is heavily front-loaded, and will see him earn just $5.35 million over the final three seasons.
"I am anxious to know where Henrik Zetterberg is at. He's a bit of an unknown as far as health," Holland added, per the Detroit Free Press' Helene St. James. "Have talked to his agent - he has had (a) tough summer. He hasn't been able to train anywhere near (the level of) past summers. I'm hoping he'll play."
MLive.com's Ansar Khan first reported about internal doubt within the Red Wings' organization over Zetterberg suiting up this season due to his injury history.
If the two-time All-Star is unable to play, the Red Wings can place him on the long-term injured reserve, relieving the team of his $6.08-million cap hit.
Zetterberg finished second in team scoring last season with 56 points.