Detroit Red Wings Justin Abdelkader: Set To Make Season Debut, Who's Out?

With two days left in the Detroit Red Wing's preseason schedule, Justin Abdelkader got injured and has missed time since.

One preseason game and eight regular season games.

But finally, after that long time out, Justin Abdelkader is prepared to return to the ice for the Detroit Red Wings this Saturday in a pretty important game (I know it's only their ninth game) against the Nashville Predators.

So, we know for sure that Abdelkader is in, but who is going to be the odd one out?

Let's take a look at the first line.

Henrik Zetterberg is on fire. After scoring two points and a even rating in the first four games, Zeta has come on strong in the last four games posting three goals, six assists for nine points and a plus-five rating. He's not moving anywhere.

Pavel Datsyuk has been great all year, averaging a point a game and has been his usual self with the puck. To think Datsyuk is being moved off the first line is bizarre.

Tomas Holmstrom hasn't had the greatest season so far, but he has scored in his last two games and getting him going is important, plus his net-front presence is huge for Datsyuk and Zetterberg, so he's not moving either.

Not like Abdelkader is going to play first line minutes anyways.

The second line is doing just as well, probably a bit better then the firsts coring unit.

Todd Bertuzzi, Valterri Filppula and Johan Franzen have come out blazing this year and have accumulated 33 percent of the team's overall scoring production thus far.

So there is no way that line would be split up.

The fourth line hasn't been as point productive as the top two lines, but they are the main reason as to why the Detroit Red Wings have on of the best penalty-killing percentages in the league (89.7 percent, good for third in the league).

This leaves us with the third line.

Last game was the last time we may have seen Jiri Hudler, Mike Modano and Dan Cleary together.

They have been nothing but dreadful for the team, which has been a big surprise.

But who is going to be the one sitting out if Mike Babcock chooses this route to break them up?

Jiri Hudler has three assists in eight games but has a horrible minus-six rating.

Mike Modano has one point in the eight games he's played and has an even worse minus-seven rating.

Dan Cleary hasn't fared much different and has only two points with a minus-four rating.

All signs point to the third line.

Each of those players haven't played to their potential and leaves Babcock with a tough decision to see who will be the odd one out.

All we can do is wait and see exactly who will get the short straw.

But for now, all we know is Abdelkader is going to be playing, and it's good to see that the Red Wings have gotten just a bit more grittier.

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