DETROIT -- The explosive nature of Niklas Kronwall's open-ice hits keeps opponents on their toes, forces them into making mistakes and, occasionally, raises their ire.

It makes the Detroit Red Wings defenseman a dangerous player, but not a dirty one, coach Mike Babcock said Monday.

"To say he's a dirty player is wrong," Babcock said. "To say he's dangerous to the opposition at times when he steps up, no question.

"That's why we like him."

Anaheim's Teemu Selanne said Kronwall is dangerous in a dirty way after getting leveled by him in Saturday's game. Chicago defenseman Brian Campbell had similar comments after Kronwall's hit on Martin Havlat in the 2009 playoffs knocked the Blackhawks star out of Game 3.

Kronwall, who never has been suspended, hopes he doesn't develop a reputation for not playing by the rules.

"I don't really see myself as a dirty player," he said. "I don't know if others do. But it's up to them.

"I've been trying to play that (physical) game for quite some years now, and I don't think I'll get that reputation. If I have it, I already have it."

Selanne said Kronwall elbowed him in the face. Babcock said Kronwall hit Selanne in the chin with his shoulder, calling it a clean hockey play.

Kronwall said he doesn't try to hit anybody in the head. He said he caught Selanne in the chin with his shoulder because he thought the Ducks forward was going to follow through on a check and leaned forward.

Red Wings captain Nicklas Lidstrom said hits to the head sometimes are unavoidable.

"Sometimes, you're going for a hit and the guy is either falling forward or he's skating," Lidstrom said. "You're not trying to hit the head but, sometimes, it's going to happen."

Kronwall's approach to delivering a hit is to keep his arms down, his elbows tucked into his body and his feet on the ice.

"I've had some problems in the past with leaving my feet," Kronwall said. "That's something I'm trying to (eliminate), because that's something you don't want to see in the game."

Selanne was shaken up but finished the game. He scored his 610th career goal in the third period, tying him with Bobby Hull for 15th on the NHL's career list.

Babcock called Selanne one of his favorite players.

"I just think Teemu happened to look down while (Kronwall) exploded through him," Babcock said. "I think in all the hits Kronwall's had over the years, normally, he just explodes right though the guy and hits him in the chest.

"Kronwall plays the game well within the rules. He steps up when he gets on the hunt for people. He does it way more at playoff time. He makes you aware. Then, in the neutral zone, when you should get a pass, you miss it. That's just hockey."

Kronwall seeks to regain the consistent physical form he showed in the 2008 playoffs. He wasn't able to deliver many big hits last season after returning in late January following a two-month absence due to a knee injury.

"I think that part of my game was something I lacked a little bit at the end of last year," Kronwall said. "I haven't had too many hits this year. I hope I can get that timing back and play more physical again."

The NHL cracked down on blindside hits to the head late last season, promising fines and suspensions.

Babcock said he would not be opposed to officials penalizing all hits to the head.

"We could rule out the hits to the head totally and still have a physical game," Babcock said. "What no one wants to lose is the physicality in the game."

No matter how much opponents complain, Kronwall knows he can't be deterred from delivering clean, hard hits.

"I don't think I'm the same player anymore if I go out there and be hesitant," he said.

Ericsson skates, Draper waits

Defenseman Jonathan Ericsson practiced with the team for the first time since leaving the Oct. 8 season opener because of a bulging disc. Being on the ice for the first 20 minutes was a positive step.

"Go a little further every day and don't make it worse," Ericsson said. "It feels good on the ice. They just want me to take it slowly."

Forward Kris Draper hopes to gradually do some exercises and possibly get back on the ice in the next week or two after having surgery for a sports hernia Thursday.

"Dr. (William) Meyers said he was happy with the way things went. He saw a significant tear," Draper said. "We made the right decision, instead of trying to rest it."