(Another in a series of player profiles prior to training camp.)

Danny DeKeyser

Position: Defense

Age: 27

Height/Weight: 6-3/192

2016-17 stats: 82 games, four goals, eight assists, 12 points, minus-22 rating, 33 penalty minutes.

Career stats: 316 games, 18 goals, 69 assists, 87 points, plus-5 rating, 151 penalty minutes; (playoffs) 19 games, one goal, one assist, two points, minus-8 rating, 22 penalty minutes.

Contract status: Five years remaining at a cap hit of $5 million.

2016-17 in review: Finished with lowest point total in his four full seasons. ... Posted worst plus-minus rating of career, the second-worst on the team and the first time he's been a minus player. ... One of three Red Wings to play all 82 games. ... Second on team in average ice time (21:56). ... Led team in average penalty killing time on ice (2:40). ... Averaged only 33 seconds per game on the power play. ... Two game-winning goals: Scored second career overtime goal Dec. 4 at New York Islanders. Scored winning goal with 28 seconds remaining in regulation on Feb. 3 vs. the Islanders. ... Led club with 170 blocked shots. ... Led defensemen with 100 hits. ... Career-high 45 giveaways. ... Played in eight games for the U.S. at World Championship (no points, five shots, six penalty minutes, plus-5).

2017-18 outlook: The Red Wings could not have anticipated the significant decline in performance from DeKeyser, who was coming off three solid seasons.

He wasn't nearly as strong defensively and committed more turnovers than in previous years. He is better suited as a second-pair defenseman but must play on the top pairing on a team that lacks a bona fide No. 1 D-man. It has been a difficult adjustment.

Still, the club is hoping last season was an aberration and that the normally reliable puck-mover and sound positional player will revert to form. The Red Wings plan to pair DeKeyser with Trevor Daley, another mobile puck-mover. That should help.

Strength has been another issue for the slightly built DeKeyser. Adding some weight and muscle could help him win more puck battles.

Key question: Can being paired with Trevor Daley help DeKeyser return to his previous form?