GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — The Grand Rapids Griffins are hopeful that Anthony Mantha, the Red Wings first-round draft pick (20th overall) in 2013, will be able to make his professional debut Friday night when they host Dallas.

Mantha, has been out since fracturing his tibia in the first game of the annual prospects tournament back in September. “We believe that he’s going to be ready for Friday,” said Griffins head coach Jeff Blashill. “We’ll take it on Thursday and make sure, but we believe he is going to be ready for Friday.”

Grand Rapids could use the help. The team has won just 3 of it’s first 10 games.

“I think when you insert an elite player it can certainly give you a boost, and when you insert an elite player in this lineup with that kind of size is something that we are missing that can give you an even bigger boost” Blashill said Tuesday after practice.

The Griffins will host Lake Erie on Wednesday at 7 P.M. before welcoming Texas to Van Andel Arena for a pair of games Friday and Saturday.