Nielsen (upper body) is expected to play Saturday afternoon against host Columbus.
Assuming the Dane does suit up for this next contest, he's likely to bump Tomas Jurco from the lineup. A first-time NHL All-Star, Nielsen's done an admirable job as the successor to long-time Red Wing Pavel Datsyuk, particularly on special teams; he's racked up eight power-play points -- including seven helpers -- to complement a pair of shorthanded tallies. Those figures look even better when you consider that Detroit is the worst team on the man advantage and 16th on the penalty kill.