Penguins Notebook: Staal, Michalek expect to return Wednesday
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Center Jordan Staal has targeted the Penguins' game at Dallas Wednesday for his returns.
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RALEIGH, N.C. --The Penguins are about to get a significant personnel upgrade, and it won't cost them anything except a spot on the long-term injured list.
Center Jordan Staal, who hasn't played this season because of a foot infection, and defenseman Zbynek Michalek, out since Oct. 11 with what is believed to be a shoulder injury, have targeted the Penguins' game at Dallas Wednesday for their returns.
"I feel really good," Staal said after a rigorous on-ice workout Saturday at the RBC Center. "Obviously, that's my first opportunity to play. We'll see, come game-day, if I feel up for it."
Staal has been on the LITR so the Penguins could get relief from his $4 million salary-cap hit.
Michalek seemed even more optimistic than Staal about his prospects for playing against the Stars.
"I felt probably the best I have so far since the injury," he said. "I'm real happy. Right now, I would say I'm good to go for Wednesday."
When he was wrapping up a strong preseason a month ago, Marc-Andre Fleury couldn't have imagined how miserable his October would be.
He entered Saturday night as Brent Johnson's backup against Carolina with a 1-5 record, 3.35 goals-against average and .863 save percentage, all stunning numbers for a player with his skill set.
Nonetheless, goaltender coach Gilles Meloche insists that he expects Fleury to begin performing to his potential and that his performance hasn't necessarily been as bad as the stats suggest.
"He's having a tough start," Meloche said. "Really bad games, we didn't see too many. It's a funny start, and I'm sure he'll turn it around. His game is good. It's just not happening for him right now."
He said the coaching staff regarded Fleury's 21-save performance in the 3-2 loss against Philadelphia Friday as "one of his best games" so far. He added that, fundamentally, "I think he's sound," and that he doesn't have any concerns about Fleury's early game focus.
First Published October 31, 2010 12:00 am
