Red Wings’ Appleton will not play vs. Bruins due to undisclosed injury

A veteran presence will be missing from the Detroit Red Wings‘ lineup tomorrow night.

When speaking to the media on Monday, head coach Todd McLellan confirmed that forward Mason Appleton is going to miss the Red Wings’ matchup on Tuesday night with the Boston Bruins due to an injury.

McLellan didn’t reveal what exactly is ailing Appleton, nor when he was hurt. Questions about the center’s health arose after he was noticeably absent from practice. During the Red Wings’ latest contest, a 3-2 shootout loss in Boston, Appleton had registered just 8:07 of ice time across 12 shifts. His last appearance in the contest came with just a few minutes to go in the second period, as he didn’t play at all in the third or overtime.

Appleton has proven to be a solid addition to the Detroit roster, providing depth scoring along with some experience to the lineup. He had played in each of the team’s first 26 games this season, scoring three goals and six assists for nine points.

With Appleton out, expect to see either Jonatan Berggren or James van Riemsdyk join the fourth line against the Bruins.

The Green Bay, Wis. native signed a two-year contract with the Wings on July 2, with the deal carrying an AAV of $2.9 million through the 2026-27 season. He moved to Hockey Town after spending the past three full seasons with the Winnipeg Jets, the team that drafted him in the sixth round of the 2015 NHL Draft. Appleton notched a career-high 36 points in 82 games during the 2023-24 season, before being held to just 22 points in 71 games last year. He also registered three assists in the Stanley Cup Playoffs, as the Jets made it as far as the second round.

The Red Wings (13-11-2) sit fifth in the Atlantic Division, one point back of third place.