Notes: Jensen focused on what he can control, not on trade rumors

DETROIT -- At some point Thursday, Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill planned to pull defenseman Nick Jensen aside.
Jensen, along with goaltender Jimmy Howard and forward Gustav Nyquist, is one of the players in the middle of trade rumors as Monday's 3 p.m. deadline approaches.

"I've talked to Jense a little bit but I'm going to grab Jense today and see how he's doing and just make sure from a mental state that he's focusing on what he can control and that's his play," Blashill said.
Jensen, 28, would be an inexpensive option in terms of the salary cap for a team looking to add some depth on the blue line.
Jensen is in the final year of a two-year, $1.625 million contract.
"Obviously there's a little bit of that distraction in the back of your head but it's nothing that you can really control and anything that's out of my control, I tend not to focus on really," Jensen said. "I'm just focusing on playing hockey and one game at a time, one day at a time. That's the main focus for me right now."
Jensen said his agents are currently in talks with the Red Wings about a possible contract extension, which he would welcome.
"I told them that this is the organization that drafted me and the team's amazing, staff's amazing, the fans are amazing so I obviously love it here," Jensen said. "But at the same time, it's a business and they're going to do what they need to do. At the same time, I have to do what I need to do too."
The Wings drafted Jensen in the fifth round, 149th overall, in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
Jensen has gone from being a healthy scratch the first game of the season to having the fourth-most average ice time on the team with 20:48 per game.
Only Dylan Larkin (21:55), Mike Green (21:40) and Danny DeKeyser (21:25) average more.
"I wouldn't trade anything for what I've been through to get to this point right now," Jensen said. "It's been great the trust they've put in me and the experience that they've allowed me to gain this year. I'm really happy with it."
ABDELKADER, HELM MISS PRACTICE: Justin Abdelkader and Darren Helm both missed the team's practice Thursday at the BELFOR Training Center.
"Abby was feeling a little bit ill during the game last night and was ill last night with the flu, so we'll see where he's at for tomorrow," Blashill said. "I think Helmer will be all right for tomorrow but took a shot from Danny DeKeyser so he's limping a little bit."
For those keeping track, Wednesday's game marked the only time this season the Wings fielded an entirely healthy roster.
LINE SHUFFLING: There was no question that the line of Tyler Bertuzzi-Dylan Larkin-Anthony Mantha was the Wings' best on Wednesday against the Chicago Blackhawks.
But in practice Thursday, Gustav Nyquist was back on the top line and Mantha was with Luke Glendening and Andreas Athanasiou.
"Top line played excellent, as a group and individually, without question," Blashill said. "We also think there's been lots of times this year where Nyquist has played excellent with Larks. Double-A and Mantha have a history going back to the American League of being great together.
"The one thing we were probably too much last night was one-line dominant, we didn't have enough from the rest of the group, playing at the same level, although Double-A heated up as the game went along. So we'd like to see if we can get a little more scoring out of multiple lines. We'll see. I might switch it back. We'll see how it goes."
Larkin had two goals and an assist, Athanasiou had two goals and Mantha assisted on all four in the 5-4 overtime loss to Chicago.
DE LA ROSE COULD RETURN: With everyone healthy Wednesday, someone had to sit.
On defense, it was Jonathan Ericsson for the second straight game.
On offense, it was Jacob de la Rose for the first time since he joined the team Oct. 17, minus the three games he missed due to injury from Nov. 10-15.
"I think there's certain guys that have left themselves vulnerable to being sat, not because they've played poorly, per se, but they haven't separated themselves that their play dictates they're not going to sit," Blashill said. "I think he's one of those guys that had played fine and put himself in a position where the coach could make a decision to potentially sit him, and as I said to him on the ice, if he doesn't want to be in that spot then he's got to play so good that he demands that he never gets sat again."
Blashill spent a while talking to de la Rose after practice.
"Jacob's been a good player, he's a good defensive player," Blashill said. "I think in some ways, he safed his way out of the lineup in the sense that sometimes he can be over-safe. I'd like him to take time and space away a little quicker, both in D-zone and tracking situations and I'd like him to use his shot better. He's got a real good shot, I'd like him to use it. My gut is he'll be back in the lineup tomorrow, get another shot and make a case that he stays in the lineup."