COLUMBUS, Ohio – Mitch Callahan, a physical, agitating forward, will become the eighth player to make his NHL debut with the Detroit Red Wings this season tonight against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit).

Callahan, recalled from Grand Rapids on Monday, replaces Cory Emmerton in the lineup. Emmerton was reassigned to the Griffins today.

Callahan, a right-handed shooter who’s collected 25 goals, 40 points and 51 penalty minutes in 66 games with the Griffins this season, will skate on a line with Darren Helm and Joakim Andersson.

“It’s pretty surreal, seeing a lot of my old teammates from the Calder Cup team last year,” Callahan, 22, said. “It’s nice to get reunited with these guys, but at the same time it’s the NHL, couldn’t be happier right now.”

Said coach Mike Babcock: “He’s got some goals in the minors, he’s a tough kid, seems to know how to play, he’s a good penalty-killer. I’m going to watch him, give him an opportunity and see how he does.”

The others players who made the NHL debut for the Red Wings this season are forwards Luke Glendening, Tomas Jurco, Teemu Pulkkinen and Landon Ferraro and defensemen Xavier Ouellet, Adam Almquist and Alexey Marchenko.

Todd Bertuzzi will return to the lineup after missing Sunday’s game due to the flu.

Other notes from the morning skate:

Forward Tomas Jurco skated with the team today for the first time since suffering a broken rib March 11 in Columbus on a cross-check from Blake Comeau. Jurco said he hopes to play Thursday at home against Montreal.

“It felt good,” Jurco said. “I mean, it feels better and I think I’m really close to be ready to play. I hope for Thursday.”

General manager Ken Holland said forward Justin Abdelkader (leg laceration) should be skating by Friday and back in the lineup no later than April 2 vs. Boston.

Here are tonight’s anticipated line combinations and defense pairings:

Johan Franzen-David Legwand-Daniel Alfredsson

Tomas Tatar-Riley Sheahan-Gustav Nyquist

Drew Miller-Luke Glendening-Todd Bertuzzi

Joakim Anndersson-Darren Helm-Mitch Callahan

Niklas Kronwall-Brendan Smith

Kyle Quincey-Danny DeKeyser

Brian Lashoff-Jakub Kindl

Jimmy Howard (starting)

Jonas Gustavsson