Red Wings' Eaves still has post-concussion symptoms

• Patrick Eaves was hit in the head with a puck on Nov. 26
• He continues to get headaches and considers those bad days
• Eaves remains on long-term injured list and is getting paid during the lockout

TROY, Mich. - Eleven months after he was felled by a puck during a game, Detroit Red Wings forward Patrick Eaves remains bothered by post-concussion problems.

He can, at the very least, skate regularly with some of his locked-out teammates, something he wouldn't be able to do if the NHL weren't mired in a labor dispute.

Eaves, 28, checks in regularly with a concussion specialist at the University of Michigan Hospital, but otherwise tries to lead as full a life as possible. He spent Sunday at Ford Field cheering on the Detroit Lions against the Seattle Seahawks, opting to watch the Detroit Tigers-San Francisco Giants World Series game from home.

"I think it was a good idea to go to the indoors game," Eaves said.

Several times a week, he joins the handful of Red Wings who have chosen to skate in Troy to keep up their skating legs during the lockout. Eaves enjoys the time, even if it's nothing like a real NHL-pace practice.

He hasn't taken part in anything too intense since Nov. 26 of last year, when he was hit on the side of the head by a puck fired by Nashville Predators defenseman Roman Josi.

Eaves remains on long-term injured reserve -- which means he's the only Wings player getting paid right now -- and wouldn't be able to participate in practices if the season were under way.

So, every little step is progress.

"I feel OK," Eaves said. "It's hard to gauge out here. I don't feel close to where I was, though, quite yet. I just have to stay the course and be positive every day and have more good days than bad days. I still get headaches, and those I consider bad days."

St. James also writes for the Detroit Free Press