BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Darren Helm will return to the lineup tonight for the Detroit Red Wings against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center (7 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit), after missing more than two months with a dislocated shoulder.

The plan is to ease Helm back into action, centering the fourth line with Justin Abdelkader and Luke Glendening.

"We'll finalize our lines tonight after warmups but we'll ease him in from a line perspective and from a penalty kill, specialty team perspective," coach Jeff Blashill said. "I don't know if I can say right now how he's going to play. So, I got to watch and see how he feels out there. Obviously, it's been a long stretch here. The one thing good here with Darren is he only knows one way to play, and that's fast and hard and competitive. So, I'm sure he'll play that way and then I got to make sure I manage his minutes properly and get him the ice time that he deserves."

Helm was injured on Nov. 15, when he tumbled over Tampa Bay defenseman Nikita Nesterov at Joe Louis Arena.

Helm got off to a fast start, centering a line with Thomas Vanek and Gustav Nyquist, picking up four goals and three assists in his first seven games. He went eight games without a point before getting injured.

Blashill said defenseman Niklas Kronwall is expected back Sunday against the New York Rangers (12:30 p.m., NBC). Kronwall (groin) has been out since getting injured during the second period against Anaheim on Jan. 4.

Here are the Red Wings' anticipated lines:

Gustav Nyquist-Henrik Zetterberg-Anthony Mantha

Andreas Athanasiou-Frans Nielsen-Thomas Vanek

Tomas Tatar-Riley Sheahan-Dylan Larkin

Justin Abdelkader-Darren Helm-Luke Glendening

Drew Miller, Tomas Jurco (expected to be scratched). Steve Ott (shoulder) was expected to be placed on short-term injured reserve to make room for Helm on the 23-man roster.

On defense:

Danny DeKeyser-Mike Green

Jonathan Ericsson-Alexey Marchenko

Xavier Ouellet-Nick Jensen

Ryan Sproul (expected to be scratched)

In goal:

Petr Mrazek (starting)

Jared Coreau