Wings ready to welcome Zetterberg back to practice on Tuesday

DETROIT >> The Detroit Red Wings are getting healthy at the right time.

And the injury update hopes to get even better after practice Tuesday.

Henrik Zetterberg will be on the ice at the start of practice Tuesday as the Wings prepare for their opening round series with the Boston Bruins, which begins Friday.

“I don’t know if he’ll be in a full practice, but he’ll be on the ice at the start of it, be on for a little bit then get off,” Holland said in a phone interview Monday. “Then we’ll see how he is Wednesday.”

Zetterberg underwent successful surgery on Feb. 21 in New York to remove part of a disc which was rubbing against a nerve, which caused severe back pain.

“It’s eight weeks on Friday,” Holland said. “He skated on his own a little bit last week. It’s just the next step along the lines of rehabilitation. The time frame is we need another week before we can have any discussions where he’s at.

“It’s good news he’s going to skate with the team (Tuesday), but the bigger news is how does he feel on Wednesday,” Holland continued. “Then, if feels good enough to skate on Wednesday then the next bigger news will be how does he feel to skate on Thursday?”

Holland has ruled Zetterberg out for the first two games in the series, which takes place Friday and Sunday in Boston.

“He might be out for the entire first round series,” Holland said. “We have said going back six or seven weeks that after eight weeks that he will be given the green light to have physical contact. It’s good news to hear that he’s going to skate tomorrow for a little bit and then we’re anxious to see how his back responds on Wednesday.”

Zetterberg has been sidelined since the Winter Olympics after playing just one game with Sweden.

Despite playing in just 45 of the Wings’ 82 games this season, Zetterberg finished tied for third on the team in points with 48 and led the team with a plus-19.

“I want to play hockey again this year,” Zetterberg said in his only meeting with the media since surgery back on March 26. “Whenever we’re in the playoffs it’s the best time of the year.”

Zetterberg, 33, missed 11 games in December with a slightly herniated disc. He also missed two games in January due to it.

Zetterberg began having issues with his back in 2008, which made him miss the All-Star break.

In 2007, he injured his vertebra and missed several weeks.