Darren Helm's injury return up in the air

The Detroit Red Wings got 61 games out of forward Darren Helm, more than the previous two seasons combined. Now it's murky again when he might play next.

General manager Ken Holland told the Detroit Free Press Sunday that Helm will have an MRI Monday to evaluate an upper-body injury sustained during the first period of Saturday's 4-3 victory at the Nashville Predators. "We won't know anything until we get pictures," Holland said.

Holland wouldn't specify Helm's injury, but did say it is not a head injury.

Helm has been sidelined often over the past three years, but seemed this season to have shaken off that string. His speed elevated him to playing next to Pavel Datsyuk for much of this season, and Helm already has a career-high 13 goals. His 29 points are close to the personal best 32 points he produced in 82 games in 2010-11, the last time he played a full season.

The Red Wings took Sunday off to recuperate after playing five road games in eight days. When they next play, Wednesday against the New York Rangers, defenseman Kyle Quincey should have practiced enough to rejoin the lineup after being sidelined with bone chips in one of his ankles.

Captain Henrik Zetterberg is also expected to be ready soon, as he was back on the ice Thursday after missing a few days because of getting hit in his head. Coach Mike Babcock said he expected Zetterberg to be available Wednesday.

Johan Franzen remains sidelined indefinitely because of a concussion.

Helene St. James writes for the Detroit Free Press

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