Appleton (lower body) was activated from injured reserve Sunday.

EDGE Analysis

Appleton will return to the lineup against Washington on Sunday after missing the last 10 games. He has contributed three goals, nine points, 28 shots on net, 12 blocked shots and 28 hits across 26 appearances this season. Marco Kasper will be a healthy scratch in Sunday's game to make room for Appleton's return.

Appleton (lower body) was designated for injured reserve Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

Appleton has already missed five games due to his lower-body problem, so his move to injured reserve won't impact his recovery timeline. In his 26 outings this year, the Wisconsin native has notched just three goals and six helpers to go with 28 shots. Even once cleared to play, Appleton figures to offer limited offensive upside in a bottom-six role.

Appleton is expected to be out for at least one week due to a lower-body injury, the team announced Tuesday.

EDGE Analysis

Appleton had already been ruled out for Tuesday's game against Boston due to an undisclosed injury, but the nature of what he's dealing with is now slightly clearer. He'll seemingly miss at least the next four games, with an optimistic return date being Dec. 10 in Calgary.

Appleton (undisclosed) won't be in the lineup against Boston on Tuesday, Ansar Khan of MLive.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Appleton didn't participate in Monday's practice, which was initially reported as a personal matter by Khan because his wife is expecting to give birth. In any event, Appleton won't play against the Bruins due to an injury and is day-to-day. He has collected three goals, nine points, 28 shots on net, 12 blocked shots and 28 hits across 26 appearances this season. Elmer Soderblom or Jonatan Berggren will replace Appleton in Tuesday's lineup.

Appleton notched an assist and two hits in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Kraken.

EDGE Analysis

Appleton ended a four-game point drought with the helper. The 29-year-old forward has gone 16 games without a goal, but he remains firmly in a third-line role for the Red Wings. He's at three goals, five assists, 21 shots on net, 22 hits, 22 PIM and a minus-2 rating over 20 outings in 2025-26.

Appleton had two goals, including an empty-netter, in Wednesday's 4-1 win over the Panthers.

EDGE Analysis

Appleton broke the deadlock for the Red Wings with a snap shot at the 2:09 mark of the second period, and he'd later add an empty-netter with 1:57 left in the game to put the game out of reach. Appleton scored the game-winning goal against the Maple Leafs on Monday and now has three goals in his past two appearances. He might not be able to continue scoring at this rate, as he has found the twine three times on seven shots. Still, he has short-term value on Detroit's top line due to the absence of Lucas Raymond (upper body).

Appleton scored the game-winning goal Monday in a 3-2 victory over the Maple Leafs.

EDGE Analysis

Appleton grabbed the rebound of Ben Chiarot's point shot and whipped it over Anthony Stolarz's blocker from just above the left dot with just 45 seconds left in the third frame. His best season came in Winnipeg in 2023-24 when he delivered 14 goals and 22 assists with 122 shots and a plus-16 rating. Appleton won't be a regular fantasy contributor, but his tenacity is fun to watch.

Appleton signed a two-year, $5.8 million contract with the Red Wings on Wednesday, according to PuckPedia.

EDGE Analysis

Appleton had 10 goals, 22 points, 22 PIM, 107 shots, 76 hits and 29 blocks across 71 regular-season appearances with the Jets in 2024-25. The 29-year-old is likely to serve primarily on Detroit's third line.

Appleton produced an assist and two hits in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Stars in Game 1.

EDGE Analysis

Appleton's been living up to his name, racking up seven apples across eight playoff contests. The 29-year-old forward has added nine shots on net, 16 hits, four blocked shots, 12 PIM and a plus-4 rating this postseason. Appleton remains in a third-line role, but he's out of the power-play mix following the return of Mark Scheifele (upper body) for the second-round series opener.

Appleton notched a power-play assist and two PIM in Friday's 5-2 loss to the Blues in Game 6.

EDGE Analysis

Appleton has been a big playmaker in the first round, earning six assists, including two on the power play, over his last six games. The 29-year-old forward has added a plus-4 rating, seven shots on net, 13 hits and three blocked shots. Appleton remains in a third-line role, but he's in little danger of moving down the lineup as long as his offense stays strong.