DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings lost a player for the fifth consecutive game Sunday in Chicago as forward Justin Abdelkader will be out up to two weeks due to a leg laceration from a skate blade.

As a result, coach Mike Babcock has moved Brendan Smith from defense to forward for tonight's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Joe Louis Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Detroit).

Landon Ferraro, recalled Monday from the Grand Rapids Griffins, will make his NHL debut tonight if Todd Bertuzzi (lower-body injury) is unable to play, Babcock said.

Abdelkader will not need surgery, just some time to heal.

The Red Wings reassigned forward Jordin Tootoo to Grand Rapids today.

“(Smith) is playing left wing tonight," Babcock said. "Why? Because I think it gives us the best chance to win.

“With the amount of injuries we have, we feel this gives us the best opportunity. I talked to him yesterday and let him know.”

Smith said this will be the first time he has played forward since he was 16, playing AAA hockey in Toronto on a line with John Tavares (New York Islanders) and Sam Gager (Edmonton).

"They just told me I was playing some forward because we’re hard-pressed for some forwards right now with all the injuries," Smith said. "Surprised, for sure. I haven’t played forward in quite some time. They just think I have the tools where I can skate, hit and pressure, so that’s what I’m going to do."

Jakub Kindl, a healthy scratch the past four games, replaces Smith on defense.

In each of the past five games the Red Wings have lost Jonas Gustavsson (groin), Joakim Andersson (broken foot), Tomas Jurco (broken rib), Berruzzi and Abdelkader.

Here are tonight's anticipated lines and defense pairs:

Johan Franzen-David Legwand-Daniel Alfredsson

Tomas Tatar-Riley Sheahan-Gustav Nyquist

Drew Miller-Luke Glendening-Todd Bertuzzi or Landon Ferraro

Brendan Smith-Cory Emmerton-Teemu Pulkkinen

Nikllas Kronwall-Jonathan Ericsson

Kyle Quincey-Danny DeKeyser

Brian Lashoff-Jakub Kindl

Jimmy Howard (starting)

Petr Mrazek