TRAVERSE CITY -- Nicklas Lidstrom and Brian Rafalski have formed the most productive defense pairing in the NHL the past three seasons for the Detroit Red Wings.

Now, they are being split up. At least, that is coach Mike Babcock's plan heading into the season.

"I've been trying to do it for a couple of years, but now it's their idea,'' Babcock said Friday at Centre I.C.E. Arena, as players reported for training camp physicals and off-ice testing. "I just got a little feedback. We think that's the best way to go ahead. I think it's important that high-end players, if they're not in, there's no sense doing it. They're in.''

Babcock said he'll pair Lidstrom, a six-time Norris Trophy winner as the league's top defenseman, with Niklas Kronwall and play Brian Rafalski with Brad Stuart, Kronwall's former partner.

This gives each pairing a physical presence (Kronwall, Stuart) and top-flight puck mover (Lidstrom, Rafalski).

Babcock said he wants ice time to be distributed more evenly -- "three groups at 20 minutes, that's how we're thinking,'' he said -- and indicated he also might alter the third pairing of young Jonathan Ericsson and veteran newcomer Ruslan Salei.

"Maybe it's Ericsson with Nick (Lidstrom), maybe it's Salei with Kronwall, but it's not going to be Nick and Rafi,'' Babcock said.

Players will start getting accustomed to their new partners Saturday when they begin practicing and scrimmaging at a high level after two weeks of informal skating.

"I think it's going to help our team,'' Lidstrom said. "You can be more active as a (defense), you can join the rush, get up in the play a lot more, if you play a little bit less. You'll have more energy to do that.''

Lidstrom said it won't be much of an adjustment for him because he has played with Kronwall in the Olympics for Sweden and occasionally with the Red Wings.

"He's a very good skater, similar to Rafi,'' Lidstrom said. "He's more of a hitter than Rafi, he'll step up and be more aggressive in the neutral zone. He's easy to play with.''

Stuart was not too enthusiastic about moving from the right side, where he has played most of his career, to the left side, even though he shoots left.

"Left isn't my favorite, but I'll get used to it, I'm sure, if I play enough,'' Stuart said. "It's a long year, things change.''

Stuart said he and Rafalski didn't fare well when paired together during a game in Vancouver last season.

"We were minus-2 after shifts,'' Stuart said.

Asked about adjusting to the right side, Stuart said, "Lots of things. You turn the other way more often. I feel my right side is the stronger side. A lot of it is mentally you're comfortable making plays from the right side.''

Rafalski said he wasn't aware of the switch but didn't think it was a big deal.

"We'll see how Stewie does on the left side, because I can't play the left side,'' said Rafalski, who shoots right. "Getting used to a different partner, it's not the first time it's happened. (Stuart) is more of a Scott Stevens-type of player than Nick would be. We'll see how it goes.''

Babcock said Lidstrom and Rafalski will remain together on the first power-play unit. The second unit will have Kronwall and center Mike Modano at the points.

With his players well-rested and healthy, Babcock anticipates returning to more of a puck-possession game. Having so many skilled players injured last season forced the Red Wings to play more of a chip-and-chase game than they would have liked.

"We never had the puck the first 60 games last year,'' Babcock said. "We need to have the puck way more than we did. A huge part of that is skill level.

"Our players, on paper, at this time of year we're ahead of last year. Now, we got to do something about that.''