Red Wings' Datsyuk out with shoulder injury

DETROIT -- Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk has a second-degree separation of his right shoulder and will be out 4-5 weeks.

Datsyuk sustained the injury in Detroit's preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday when he was checked into the glass by Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi.

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Datsyuk, who had a goal and an assist in the Red Wings' 2-1 win, had an MRI on Wednesday.

"The good news is that there's two weeks to go before the regular season starts [Oct. 9 against the Boston Bruins]," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said. "He'll have two weeks of healing under his belt."

Datsyuk, 36 and entering his 13th season, missed 30 games with a knee injury and seven with a concussion in 2013-14. He still managed 17 goals and 37 points in 45 games.

The three-time Selke Trophy winner and four-time Lady Byng Trophy winner will be missed, but the Red Wings have a few options at center.

Captain Henrik Zetterberg, who sometimes plays on the same line with Datsyuk, is healthy after missing half of last season because of back surgery. Stephen Weiss, who had sports hernia surgery last season and is looking to bounce back to his previous form, is penciled in as the second-line center. Riley Sheahan is slated to be the No. 3 center after emerging last season, when the Red Wings were second to the Penguins in man-games lost to injury.

Darren Helm, the No. 3 center when healthy the past few seasons, was a forward on Datsyuk's line in training camp and in the Red Wings' preseason opener Monday when he sustained a broken nose.

Holland said Helm is questionable for Detroit's preseason game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday, but could play Saturday against Boston.

Luke Glendening and Joakim Andersson are battling to center the fourth line.

The Red Wings also had a large amount of injuries during the 2012-13 lockout-shortened season.

"We expect that injuries are going to come at some point of the season," Holland said. "You just hope that you don't get a bunch at one time."