Following the game against Ottawa, the Habs recalled forward Daniel Carr from the AHL's Laval Rocket. He will join the team on Thursday in Detroit.
Thursday's contest is the first of two back-to-back games against the Red Wings, with the two teams set to meet again on Saturday night at the Bell Centre.
The Canadiens have played 292 games in Detroit - including 39 at Joe Louis Arena, which closed at the end of last season - compiling a 103-135-53-1 record in Motor City.
The Wings, for their part, currently have 25 points, just like the Canadiens, although they hold a game in hand. Detroit will be looking to snap a five-game losing streak on Thursday, with four of those losses coming in their new barn. Their last win was a 3-1 decision over the visiting Buffalo Sabres back on November 17.
In their last outing, on Tuesday, Mike Green scored the lone goal for Detroit in a 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings at home.
Longueuil native Anthony Mantha is the team's leading goal-scorer with 11, while Dylan Larkin leads all Red Wings skaters with 21 points (4G, 17A) in 25 games.
Head coach Jeff Blashill hasn't named his starter, but Jimmy Howard is expected to be in goal to face the Canadiens. Howard made 24 saves in the loss against the Kings, and possesses an 11-4-6-2 lifetime record against the Habs, with a 3.02 goals-against average and .892 save percentage.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. The game will be televised on TSN2 and RDS, and will be on the radio waves on TSN690 and 98,5 fm.