Abdelkader (knee) should be close to rejoining the lineup after Christmas break, Helene St. James of The Detroit Free Press reports.

EDGE Analysis

Abdelkader has missed the last nine games with his MCL sprain. He's now treading on the latter side of the original 2-to-4 week return timetable, as Detroit continues to have trouble getting all its troops healthy at the same time. Without Abdelkader, the team tends to suffer in the physicality department as the guy tends to hit everything that moves -- 207 hits over all 82-games last season and 52 in 22 this campaign.