By the Numbers: Frans Nielsen

By the Numbers will highlight the Red Wings' on-ice accomplishments in the 2019-20 season. Each week during the offseason, By the Numbers will profile a different player on the team, focusing on his statistical highs. This week we focus on center Frans Nielsen.

It was a year in which Red Wings center Frans Nielsen hit several milestones for games played, games played with the Wings and career assists.
However, Nielsen will probably not want to look back too much to this past season as it was a tough one for the team and for him personally.
Like many of the Wings, Nielsen dealt with injuries, which was a rather unusual thing for him during his career.
Also like many of the Wings, Nielsen had trouble finding the back of the net and did not record his first goal until late December.
Yet Nielsen's work ethic and attitude never diminished and he persevered despite the struggles.
Nielsen remains a stalwart penalty killer and an effective face-off man.
Perhaps the extended layoff will allow Nielsen to recover fully from any nagging injuries and he can have a bounce-back year whenever the 2020-21 season begins.
850 - On Nov. 8 in a 4-2 home win over the Boston Bruins, Nielsen played in his 850th career game. He finished the season with 896.
250 - On Nov. 21 at Columbus, Nielsen skated in his 250th game as a Red Wing.
300- On Jan. 17 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, Nielsen had the primary assist on Filip Zadina's second-period power-play goal at 3:29, which was the 300th of his career.

60 - Nielsen played just 60 games during the 2019-20 season, the fewest he has played since playing all 48 in the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season. Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi led the team with 71 games.
11 - Nielsen missed 11 games due to injury, tied with fellow center Luke Glendening. Defenseman Danny DeKeyser led the team with 63 man-games lost.
4 - In those 60 games, Nielsen recorded four goals, Dec. 28 at Florida, two on Jan. 7 against the Montreal Canadiens and on Feb. 29 at Ottawa.
5- Nielsen also had five assists, the first time he did not reach double digits in that category since the 2007-08 season in which he played only 16 games.
1 - Nielsen, Valtteri Filppula, Glendening, and Darren Helm tied for the team lead in shorthanded goals with one. Nielsen's came in the Dec. 28 game in Florida.

2 - Nielsen and Helm were tied for first in shorthanded points with two. On Nov. 21 at Columbus, Nielsen had the lone assist on Glendening's shorthanded goal at 16:47 of the second period.