NEWARK, N.J. -- A blood clot in his left leg kept Henrik Tallinder out of the Devils lineup since Jan. 17, but the 33-year-old defenseman is now healthy enough to board a plane to Los Angeles during the Stanley Cup Final.
Devils coach Peter DeBoer said he has no reservations about putting Tallinder in his lineup, although that won't be the case in Game 2 of Stanley Cup Final against the Kings on Saturday night (8 p.m. NBC, CBC, RDS). DeBoer had some concerns about letting Tallinder take a six-hour flight due to his blood-clotting condition, but the team gave him clearance.
"Sure, you worry about it," DeBoer said. "Our doctors, trainers and him have a comfort level or he wouldn't be traveling with us. It's definitely an issue. I think a lot of people point to airplane flight as the cause for that."
Tallinder wasn't available Saturday to discuss what precautions he'll need to take in order to fly, but he once again skated with the team's black aces. He has been healthy enough to play for about two weeks, and DeBoer has fewer worries about putting Tallinder back in the lineup after such a long layoff after seeing forwards Travis Zajac and Jacob Josefson seamlessly jump back into game conditions after lengthy absences.
You're never sure. I do know this -- he's kept himself in great shape," DeBoer said. "He looks good in practice. Before he went out, he was a top-two defenseman for us. You miss two, two and a half months. It didn't hurt Zajac coming back in. I know you're jumping into the Stanley Cup Final, not into the last week of the regular season. But Josefson jumped in last round against the Rangers coming off six weeks out with a broken wrist, and it didn't hurt him.
"You hope you get the desired result, but you never know."
Follow Dave Lozo on Twitter: @DaveLozo
2012 Stanley Cup Final: Devils vs Kings
Tallinder ready, could make appearance in Final
Saturday, 06.02.2012 / 12:00 PM
By Dave Lozo - NHL.com Staff Writer / Devils vs. Kings Stanley Cup Final blog
NHL.TV™
NHL GameCenter LIVE™ is now NHL.TV™.
Watch out-of-market games and replays with an all new redesigned media player, mobile and connected device apps.
LEARN MORE
Watch out-of-market games and replays with an all new redesigned media player, mobile and connected device apps.
LEARN MORE
NHL Mobile App
Introducing the new official NHL App, available for iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones and tablets. A host of new features and improved functionality are available across all platforms, including a redesigned league-wide scoreboard, expanded news coverage, searchable video highlights, individual team experiences* and more. The new NHL App on your tablet also introduces new offerings such as 60fps video, Multitasking** and Picture-in-Picture.
*Available only for smartphones
** Available only for suported iPads
*Available only for smartphones
** Available only for suported iPads
-
AFFILIATE SITES
AHL › AIHL › ECHL › ELITE (UK) › SPHL › USHL › Aussie Hockey › NHL Alumni › NHL Officials Association › -
PLAYER SITES
Craig Anderson › David Backes › Nicklas Backstrom › Aleksander Barkov › Brendan Gallagher › Mike Green › Scott Hartnell › Duncan Keith › Anze Kopitar › Torey Krug › Henrik Lundqvist › Evgeni Malkin › Brad Marchand › Carey Price › James Reimer › Alex Steen › Anton Stralman › P.K. Subban › Thomas Vanek › Henrik Zetterberg › -
RETIRED PLAYERS
Dave Bolland › Martin Brodeur › Pavel Bure › Patrik Elias › Mike Fisher › Josh Harding › Matt Kassian › Olie Kolzig › Jamie Langenbrunner › Georges Laraque › Brad Richards › Denis Savard › Marty Turco › James Wisniewski › -
COMMUNITY
Hockey is for Everyone › Hockey Fights Cancer › NHL Green › Future Goals › -
TERMS
Terms of Service › Privacy Policy ›AdChoices › Online Transmission Policy › Copyright Policy ›
-
FUN STUFF
Fantasy Hockey › NHL Shop › NHL Rbk store › NHL Learning Center › Video Rulebook › NHL Awards › -
ABOUT
FAQ › Contact Us › NHL.TV Support › NHL Network › SiriusXM NHL Radio › History › Marketing Partners › Jobs › CBA › Site Map ›
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.