Red Wings LW Zetterberg sidelined with back spasms

Jan 30, 2009 - 4:55 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- The Detroit Red Wings do not want to take any chances with left wing Henrik Zetterberg - especially after he signed the longest and most lucrative contract in franchise history.

Zetterberg sat out Thursday's 4-2 loss to the Dallas Stars after leaving Tuesday's 3-2 overtime setback to the Columbus Blue Jackets with back spasms. He is listed as day-to-day.

Last year's Conn Smythe Trophy winner missed six weeks at the end of the 2006-07 season with a herniated disc in his back.

"We're probably overcautious, but we just felt a couple of years ago when we didn't do it that way, it came back to bite us," Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said before Thursday's game.

On Wednesday, the 28-year-old Zetterberg, who has scored 288 points in 260 games since the NHL lockout, signed a 12-year contract worth a reported $72 million.

The Red Wings on Thursday welcomed back center Pavel Datsyuk and defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom following their one-game suspensions for skipping Sunday's All-Star Game in Montreal. Datsyuk recorded an assist, while Lidstrom was kept off the scoresheet.