Notes: Nielsen faces former team for the first time

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK - It's already been a strange day for Frans Nielsen.
Nielsen spent the first 10 years of his career with the New York Islanders and now he's on the opposing side.

"It was weird landing here last night, coming in, staying at a hotel," Nielsen said. "I saw Johnny Boychuk in his car waiting by the elevator. I jumped in his car and got a little two-minute ride down there with him. It's all kind of weird right now. Hopefully I take like one or two shifts and it's going to feel like any game."
Nielsen said there are many things that stand out from his time with the Islanders, from his first game to his first goal to his first playoff run, but the people are what he remembers most.
"I had Cappy (Islanders coach Jack Capuano) for almost 10 years so it's fair to say that he did his share of it and kind of guided me in the right direction and told me how to play the game to be consistent," Nielsen said. "Dougie Weight, I got to play a little bit with him, sit next to him, just pick his brain every day about playing. He was a center, too, and one of the best ever in the game. Then having him as a coach. (Garth) Snowy gave me a chance in this league, he believed in me. Then just all the players, Kyle (Okposo), Johnny (Boychuk), all the players you played with for so long, we talk all the time, talk hockey all the time. It's been not only one or two guys, it's been so many people that had an impact on me and I have to thank for where I'm at today."
Nielsen said he has no regrets about leaving, even though he loved his time in New York.
"I think I made a good choice, I'm really happy where we are," Nielsen said. "It's a first-class organization, everything is awesome here. Hockey is really big in Michigan and Detroit. It's been fun so far."
Wings coach Jeff Blashill is thrilled Nielsen joined the Wings.
"I love him," Blashill said. "First of all he's a great person. I think having great human beings in your locker room is a positive thing. He's a winner. By that I mean he's got inner drive, he wants to be great himself, he's selfless, does what it takes to win for the team. He's an all-around player who plays in all situations for us - penalty kills, power play. He can go up against the other team's best players. We wanted a center. We obviously lost a real good one in Pavel Datsyuk. We weren't trying to replace him but we certainly wanted a center and felt he was the best out there and he's paid off that way."
Nielsen, 32, was asked about getting a chance to close out Joe Louis Arena as he did Nassau Coliseum.
"You can feel it around there, too, all the history they had and the winning culture," Nielsen said. "Just walking around there in the locker room with all the Stanley Cup pictures and all the pictures of all the great players that's been here. You feel it's a special place where so many good players has played. It's awesome to just get to sit in that locker room. I believe I got Steve Yzerman's old locker. There's just so much cool stuff in there. I'm really happy that I got play one year there before we move into the new one. It's a special place."
JURCO'S IMPROVEMENT: Tomas Jurco has played in just three games since returning from offseason back surgery.
Due to Justin Abdelkader's knee injury, Jurco has jumped up to a line with Nielsen and Luke Glendening and is seeing more ice time.
After getting just 9:42 against the Florida Panthers Thursday, Jurco had 13:44 in Pittsburgh.
"I'm feeling pretty good, chances are there, I just couldn't score (Saturday)," Jurco said. "I got to break it. It's good for me that I'm getting chances and hopefully I'm going to break it soon."
Jurco had two shots on goal against the Penguins and just missed an empty net when Marc-Andre Fleury was shifted to the other side.
"I think Jurcs has played good," Blashill said. "He had a great chance there in the second, it just didn't go in. If you keep playing that way I think it'll go in. Jurcs, I had him as a young, young kid, he's a complete player now, he does things the right way. He's got good ability. If he just stays with it, he's going to be just fine."
Jurco was on the ice for Phil Kessel's second goal, a back-door effort that gave the Penguins a 4-3 lead at 10:54 of the third.
"I think they were in our zone for a little bit and they keep cycling," Jurco said. "Unfortunately, they found him back door and I don't know how this happens. We got to make sure that we're not going to allow it next game, I got to make sure I got to be better."
Although Jurco had skated quite a bit before going on a two-game conditioning stint with the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins and then rejoining the Wings, he's still getting back into game shape.
"I've been skating for a month and a half. But it's different when all the players are on the ice with me. It's been a while since I played a game, so I'm still getting used to it a little bit. But the good thing is I'm feeling great, the back is good and I'm getting chances. So like I said, hopefully I'm going to break it and it's going to go in."
LINEUP FOR ISLANDERS: Blashill would not say if there would be changes in the lineup from Saturday.
But since rookie goaltender Jared Coreau started in Pittsburgh, Petr Mrazek will get the nod against the Islanders.
Mrazek is 3-2-0 with a 2.41 goals-against average and .910 save percentage in six games against the Islanders.
Defenseman Niklas Kronwall has not played in back-to-back games since his return from knee issues.
If he does not play, Brian Lashoff would take his spot in the lineup.
"Brian Lashoff has proven he can be a good hockey player in the NHL," Blashill said. "He's a great shot blocker, he's a great PK guy, he's hard, he moves the puck well. So I think one of the positives we have in our organization is we have defensemen and forwards and goaltending down in the American League that can all step into the NHL and be good NHL players and he's certainly one of them."
The Islanders will start Jaroslav Halak in goal. He is 6-6-1 with a 3.46 goals-against average and .878 save percentage in 14 career games against the Wings.
INJURY UPDATES: Goaltender Jimmy Howard (groin), defenseman Alexey Marchenko (shoulder) and forward Andreas Athanasiou (knee) all made the trip and have been skating.
"Jimmy was on the ice today," Blashill said. "He looks good. Continued progress with him. I would say progress on both those guys as well. They're not available today though."
Darren Helm (shoulder), Tyler Bertuzzi (ankle), Brendan Smith (knee) and Justin Abdelkader (knee) did not make the trip.