Todd Bertuzzi

DETROIT – Forward Todd Bertuzzi will not play when the Red Wings host the Edmonton Oilers in a special Saturday matinee at Joe Louis Arena.

“He’s getting his back checked out,” said coach Mike Babcock, following Friday's practice. “Not available for tomorrow.”

Babcock wasn’t certain of the severity of Bertuzzi’s injury, or how long the veteran might be out of the lineup. As insurance for Saturday's game, the Wings have recalled forward Joakim Andersson from the club’s minor-league affiliate in Grand Rapids. The Griffins are currently in Oklahoma City where they are preparing for a two-game weekend series with the Barons, who are the Edmonton Oilers’ farm team.

The Wings also announced that they have placed goalie Jonas Gustavsson on injured reserve.

Bertuzzi missed the first three games of the season with what was originally diagnosed as mononucleosis. But a second round of tests later revealed that he had flu-like symptoms and nothing more serious that would have kept him out of the lineup longer.

In seven games, Bertuzzi, who has two goals and three assists with a plus-three rating, has skated mainly on a line with Pavel Datsyuk and Valtteri Filppula.

The Red Wings’ roster has already lost 59 man-games to injury and illness this season. Detroit goalies Joey MacDonald (back) and Gustavsson (groin) remain out, along with defensemen Carlo Colaiacovo (shoulder) and Brendan Smith (shoulder) and forwards Darren Helm (back), Jan Mursak (collarbone) and Mikael Samuelsson (groin).

Defenseman Ian White returned to the lineup this week, just two-weeks after surgery to repair his lacerated left thigh, which was punctured by the heel of a Jimmy Howard skate blade.

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