'I'll be 100 percent ready': Zadina focused on making impact after injury

DETROIT -- All Filip Zadina is waiting for now is the green light.

Zadina, who has been out of the lineup since Nov. 5 with an upper-body injury, said that he just needs final confirmation from the Detroit Red Wings medical staff before he can officially return to game action.
"I do feel good and it's up to them right now when they decide if I'll be cleared," Zadina said on Monday. "But I believe it could be pretty soon."

The 23-year-old forward has been skating with the Red Wings for the past few weeks and is steadily ramping up his recovery.
"It's been tough," Zadina said about being sidelined with an injury. "But injuries and stuff like that are part of hockey. Once you get injured, you get back as soon as you can. That's what I'm working on. I believe when I get the chance to play and clear from the doctor, I'll be 100 percent ready. I'll be good to go."
Fortunately, Zadina said he wasn't rehabilitating his injury alone.
"I got a puppy," Zadina said. "I was full-time at home taking care of my puppy. I was also talking to my mental coach and working on that side of the sport of hockey. I got a lot of time to think and work on getting my mental strength a little bit better."
Zadina has appeared in nine games this season, and is yet to tally his first point. Last season, he set career highs in goals (10), assists (14), points (24) and games played (74).

It's gonna be probably a fresh start for me," said Zadina, who was Detroit's sixth overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. "I'll be thinking about it like it's the first game of the season when I get a chance to play."
Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde said when Zadina does return to the lineup, the coaching staff will "hold him accountable like the rest of our guys."
"We're not giving our opponents much space and ice," Lalonde said. "We'd ask the same of him."

Lalonde added that he believes Zadina, who signed a three-year contract with Detroit on Aug. 26, has a lot of untapped offensive potential.
When he's skating, he's got some offensive confidence," Lalonde said. "He's a guy that can push some offense. Statistically, it hasn't been there yet in his career, but you see flashes of it."