DETROIT -- If everything goes as it should, the Red Wings will get defenseman Brendan Smith back in time for Sunday's game against the Vancouver Canucks (1:30 p.m. pregame, 2 face-off on FOX Sports Detroit).
Wings general manager Ken Holland said the doctors have cleared Smith, who underwent surgery after getting an infection in his hand because of a fight with Columbus' Nick Foligno.
"I just wait until the doctor clears me, then I know," Smith said after Saturday's practice. "Doc hasn't talked to me yet."
Xavier Ouellet has filled in nicely in Smith's absence, including scoring his first career goal, in New Jersey Friday night.
"X has done a great job, obviously, that hasn't been an issue for us," Wings coach Mike Babcock said. "But it's important to get Smitty back and playing like he can. "He's a competitive guy, can really help. I don't see him having a setback here. He might be a little out of condition, but he'll come back and get going."
Ouellet will likely head back to the Grand Rapids (AHL) Griffins once Smith is officially activated.
Smith, who had two assists in that game in Columbus, has been practicing with the team and feels good.
"I thought I've been playing well," Smith said. "Sometimes these weird injuries get in the way of momentum or teams or individuals, but team's been doing well. That's an upside."
MILLER TIME
The Wings will welcome their old Western Conference foes, the Vancouver Canucks, Sunday afternoon.
Drew Miller will welcome his older brother, Ryan, the Canucks' goaltender.
"It's fun," Miller said. "It's definitely different than the first time I played him. It's six, seven, eight or nine times. I don't know what it is.
"It's still fun and unique to play against your brother."
Miller said the entire family, plus many of their friends, will be at the game.
With Ryan in a different time zone, it's hard for the two to stay in close touch.
"We don't talk as much. We text," Miller said. "On the phone, it's tough. We play a lot of phone tag. With the three-hour time difference and us playing every other day and with their schedule -- it could the opposite -- one of us is playing every day."
The Wings are well aware that Ryan Miller has pitched shutouts in his last two games, not allowing a goal in his last 152:05.
"They're finding ways to win," Drew Miller said. "He's caught a little heat at the beginning of his stats, not being what people think they should be. He's winning games. It's fun to play against him. I'm looking forward to it."
The Canucks are 16-6-1 in 23 games and are first in the Pacific Division.
"They're 7-2-1 (in their last 10), just like us," Babcock said. "Something's got to give (Sunday)."
The Wings will make their visit to Vancouver on Jan. 3.
LINEUP CHANGES?
As of Saturday, Babcock hadn't decided on any lineup changes for Sunday's game.
In addition to the likelihood of getting Smith back, Babcock was considering reuniting the Euro Twins, Henrik Zetterberg and Pavel Datsyuk.
"I like them playing together, and I think we got enough other players now," Babcock said.
The only thing Babcock said for sure was that Jimmy Howard would be in net.
