Mark Hartigan is on the ice for this morning's skate, being called up from Grand Rapids yesterday. Hartigan flew in from Toronto (the Griffins played the Marlies yesterday afternoon) this morning. Kirk Maltby (shoulder) didn't skate for the second consecutive day and won't be in the lineup tonight. Matt Ellis had his first practice with the team since suffering a concussion last Thursday. Ellis might return to the lineup next Tuesday at the earliest.

Lines from this morning's skate ...
Datsyuk-Zetterberg-Holmstrom
Hudler-Filppula-Samuelsson
Drake-Franzen-Cleary
Kopecky-Hartigan-Downey

In 20 games with Grand Rapids this season, Hartigan had 11 goals and 17 points and was a minus-7. Hartigan has 79 games of NHL experience with Columbus, Atlanta and Anaheim.
Coach Mike Babcock said that assistant general manager Jim Nill tabbed Hartigan as Grand Rapids' top forward thus far. Babcock said that Hartigan's challenge in the NHL is to realize he's not a top-six forward and to produce defensively, on faceoffs and in battles.