Filip Zadina gets brutally honest about struggles

Detroit Red Wings forward Filip Zadina has been out of the lineup since suffering a broken leg after blocking a shot against the New York Islanders on November 5. He's set to make his return to the lineup sometime in the near future, along with several of his teammates who had been on the shelf for extended periods of time. 

However, Zadina hadn't exactly been lighting the world on fire prior to his injury. Having been re-signed to a three year contract by GM Steve Yzerman as a show of good faith in his offensive abilities, Zadina had not registered a single point in any of the nine games he played in before his injury. 

So what will Zadina be looking to accomplish upon his return? It will certainly be a chance for a fresh start. 

“When I come back, I won’t be thinking about what happened before, how many games I played,” Zadina said. “Basically, I want to take it (his first nine games) as a preseason game. That’s my fresh start. The first game of the season will be for me the game when I come back. That’s probably the focus for the future.”

“I just want to come back and be 100 percent ready,” Zadina said. “I don’t want to be like 85 percent ready and then just be on the ice. I want to be ready and can give the team 100 percent. That’s my goal. If I get there in a week, or 10 days, or two weeks, I’m trying my best to get there as soon as possible.”

The Red Wings will certainly need Zadina's offensive touch, and he'll be looking to deliver it.

“The conditioning is fine. I’m already there,” Zadina continued. “Obviously, it’s tough. It’s probably not the same as I was in the summer. The biggest concern right now is the leg, where I had the injury.”