Red Wings' Mason Appleton To Miss One Week With Lower-Body Injury

Detroit Red Wings winger Mason Appleton is expected to be sidelined for at least the near future after sustaining a lower body injury, head coach Todd McLellan said Tuesday. The setback removes a steady two way presence from Detroit’s bottom six and adds to the team’s growing list of missing defensive forwards.

Appleton, 29, has three goals and six assists for nine points in 26 games this season. All three of his goals came in the first four games, and he has been stuck in a 22 game goal drought since. Even with the lack of finishing, he has still contributed periodically on the scoresheet and remains on pace for his usual 25 to 35 point range.

The Green Bay native carved out a strong identity during his years with the Winnipeg Jets where he excelled alongside Nino Niederreiter and Adam Lowry. That trio became one of the league’s most reliable defensive lines, and Appleton added timely offense during Winnipeg’s playoff run last spring with seven assists in 13 games.

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Detroit hoped he could bring that same blend of forechecking, reliability, and secondary scoring to its reworked forward group. The results have been mixed so far as Appleton sits at -2 in even strength goal differential which does not sound encouraging but still ranks fourth among Red Wings forwards this season. His impact often comes in quieter moments where he disrupts plays, pressures puck carriers, and keeps his line above water.

Without him, the Red Wings lose another defensive option in their bottom six and will lean on the rest of the forward group to absorb those minutes. The group will need to tighten up collectively until Appleton is able to return.

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