Draper Still Out, Cleary Still In?

According to Ansar Khan (and well everyone else, as usual I'm late with this) Draper was practicing on Monday but will not play in Tuesdays game. Although Cleary didn't practice he will play in Tuesdays game.

"I can practice and take warm-ups, I'm just trying to be a part of it,'' Draper said. "When the puck drops, those guys are going to go out and take care of business. They're playing great right now.''

"Just trying to get as much rest as I can and get ready for tomorrow,'' Cleary said. "It'll be all right. It's not a big deal.''

Here are the lines from practice:

Holmstrom-Datsyuk-Hossa
Franzen-Zetterberg-Draper (for Cleary)
Hudler-Filppula-Samuelsson
Kopecky-Helm-Maltby

Lidstrom-Rafalski
Kronwall-Stuart
Ericsson-Lebda

Osgood

Based on the lines alone it's pretty clear they have every intention of playing Cleary on Tuesday or I'm sure there would have been some greater shuffling. If the Wings play the way they have been for the remainder of the series, they may chose to keep Draper out a little longer for some rest. I wouldn't necessarily be surprised. When he's healthy it would be great to see Maltby scratched and Kopecky and Helm on Drapers wings. That could be a pretty dynamic line.

His injury is still quite a mystery and I haven't read a great deal of speculation as to what could be the problem. Just hoping for the best.

Line of the day comes from the Chief:

"All anyone knows is that something’s wrong with Kris Draper’s upper body. Is that like a Joe Thornton or Patrick Marleau injury? No, as far as we’ve heard, it’s not a heart issue."

Just the perfect amount of bitchy....love it.