Valtteri Filppula (jammed thumb) won't be playing in tonight's preseason opener against Montreal, but he was able to do more at this morning's practice than he has been of late. Filppula took part in all drills with Team Howe, including wrist shots. He hasn't been shooting the puck since being run into the boards by Aaron Downey in a training camp scrimmage.

"It felt good," said Filppula. "If it keeps getting better like this, I don't see why I shouldn’t be playing real soon."

Filppula could make his preseason debut as early as Friday.

-- Also from practice this morning, Jakub Kindl (groin) skated with Team Lindsay. He won't play in that squad's preseason game, Thursday, in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

-- Because of Kindl's injury (he's listed on Team Howe's roster, but skated with the Lindsays to get in a full workout), Jonathan Ericsson was "traded" from the Lindsay squad to the Howe squad to bolster that blue line.

-- If you're curious where Marian Hossa literally fits in the Detroit locker room, he's got a stall between Dan Cleary and Pavel Datsyuk. It was the spot Darren McCarty occupied late last season. McCarty moved two doors down beside Kirk Maltby into Dallas Drake's old stall.