Red Wings forward Christian Fischer hasn’t played in 8 games, but he’s returning to the lineup for tonight’s game between the Red Wings and Florida Panthers (7 PM EST start on ESPN/97.1 FM). The Detroit News’s Ted Kulfan spoke with Fischer about his return to the lineup:
“It feels good to get back in there,” said Fischer, who had been a mainstay on the Wings’ fourth-line with his checking and high energy level. “I’m just going to play the same way I’ve always had. It’s never fun sitting out.”
With the Wings going on a seven-game win streak after that loss to Toronto, and Fischer out of the lineup, McLellan didn’t make any changes to a lineup that was winning. But it was difficult for a player like Fischer, who has rarely been a healthy scratch in his career.
“You’re still part of the team and there’s two or three guys on every team who aren’t playing every night,” Fischer said. “You don’t want to be in that position but you sit there for those games, and we go on a great win streak and there’s a bigger picture here as a team, than individually. You look at that and be a good teammate and that’s all you have to do.”
When McLellan came aboard he talked about a “clean slate” for every player, and Fischer understands that also, with an opportunity to show the new coaching staff what he, or any player, can offer the lineup.
“You get a new coach midseason and it’s kind of everyone is in the same boat,” Fischer said “Todd doesn’t really know too much about you and you can show what you have. My game hasn’t changed for a long time and I know what I can do and I’m just going to keep doing that.”
