Niklas Kronwall

Niklas Kronwall making season debut as Red Wings take on Winnipeg

Detroit Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall (knee) will play his first game of the season Friday night against the Winnipeg Jets.

What It Means:

Kronwall's services were unavailable for Detroit's first 11 games of the season. The 35-year-old veteran is coming off a down year, but his return will be a welcome addition for a Red Wings' squad that has dropped three straight. As a result, Xavier Ouellet is expected to be a healthy scratch.

Kronwall turned in 26 points (23 assists) across 64 games last season, his lowest point total since the 2009-10 campaign. Our models currently expect a similar campaign this year from Kronwall, projecting him to notch another 23 assists and 27 points.