Jonathan-Ericsson-12-23-13

Red Wings defenseman Jonathan Ericsson was injured during this check on Matt Martin of the Islanders on Dec. 23.

(The Associated Press)

DETROIT – Facing the highest-scoring team in the NHL tonight, the Detroit Red Wings sure are glad to have their top shutdown defenseman back.

Jonathan Ericsson returns after missing 10 games with broken ribs. He'll be paired with his usual partner, Niklas Kronwall, as the Red Wings host their former Central Division rival Chicago Blackhawks at Joe Louis Arena (8 p.m., NBC Sports Network exclusive).

“He’s a good player, big body; he can really help out Kronwall,” coach Mike Babcock said. “We’re really going to need him here tonight.”

The Blackhawks boast four elite forwards in Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp and Marian Hossa. Toews centers a line with Sharp and Hossa; Andrew Shaw centers the second line, with Kane and Brandon Saad.

“Obviously, any line with Kane on it is real dangerous, but the other group has three on it that are all dangerous, so we’re going to need to handle those guys and (Ericsson) will go a long way in helping do that,” Babcock said.

Ericsson hasn’t played since Dec. 23. He missed 10 games earlier this season due to a separated shoulder. He will replace Jakub Kindl, who is a healthy scratch for the third time this season.

“I’m really excited; I know it’s been a long wait,” Ericsson said.

“For me right now it’s a matter of coming back and try to help the team as best as I can but also getting in game shape as fast as possible. So it’s going to take a few games, probably, but we need all the bodies we can get back here and hopefully we can get back on track.”

It is the first meeting between these teams since Chicago's 2-1 overtime victory in Game 7 during the second round of the playoffs last spring.

“I don’t think we’re holding up our end of the bargain,” Babcock said. “Rivalry is when two teams really get after one another. I thought we did last year in the playoffs. We haven’t been a good enough team this year to consider this a rivalry-type game; but in the past we know what that is and we’ve had a good run with them.

“We used to be where they are and know they are where we were.”

Here are the Red Wings’ line combination and defense pairings for tonight:

Gustav Nyquist-Henrik Zetterberg-Justin Abdelkader

Tomas Jurco-Riley Sheahan-Todd Bertuzzi

Tomas Tatar-Darren Helm-Drew Miller

Daniel Cleary-Luke Glendening-Patrick Eaves

Niklas Kronwall-Jonathan Ericsson

Kyle Quincey-Danny DeKeyser

Brian Lashoff-Brendan Smith

Jonas Gustavsson (starting)

Petr Mrazek