Notes: Rookie Ehn returns to Detroit for now, plays immediately

DETROIT -- It wasn't that the Red Wings didn't like Christoffer Ehn and what he brought to the table.
The team sent Ehn down to the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins so he could get more playing time in more situations.

Ehn, 22, said he wasn't disappointed about that decision.
"I'm still in development and I think it's all new to me, the North American playing style," Ehn said after the team's practice at Belfor Training Center Wednesday. "Obviously it can get more minutes down in GR and work on my game and getting better. I might be getting a little bit of a bigger role, too, playing really important parts of the game and everything. It was a fun couple of first games down there. We had a really good weekend this weekend so I'm really happy with that."

But on Tuesday, the Wings recalled Ehn and played him against the Vancouver Canucks.
"I wanted to go 12 (forwards) and six (defensemen), so once we wanted to go 12 and six he was the no-brainer to bring up," Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "We would like him, if he's not playing lots on a regular basis, to play in the American League and continue to work on pushing for more offense.
"When he's here he's going to be more in a role where he's more of a defensive-type player and he's probably playing a little bit safe. He plays very good hockey when he comes here but we'd like to get more offense out of him. So if he's not going to play tons, that's why we've had him down, but certainly when we need a guy he's a guy who can come in and help us. Plays good hockey, walks right in and helps us, played on the wing and did a great job."
In the 3-2 shootout victory over the Canucks, Ehn had 10 shifts for 6:53, recording one shot, four hits and finishing even.
Ehn played in the first nine games with the Wings, had one assist and was plus-2 while averaging 9:36 in ice time.
In five games with the Griffins, Ehn had a goal and three assists, was plus-5 and helped the team record five of six possible points in a three-games-in-three nights weekend.
"It was a little bit different, I'd say tempo-wise," Ehn said. "It's a hard league to play in because there's a lot of big, strong players. I'm a bit of a player that likes being comfortable in a system so I've been playing the Detroit system for over a month, two months. So I'm starting to learn this and there's a few changes so everything takes a little bit of time for me to process and everything. But the last weekend, like I said, I felt good and the team felt good and we had a strong couple games."
Ehn understands that Blashill and the front office believes he can provide a little more offense to go along with his already strong defensive game.
"Maybe a little bit. I got to believe it more myself and maybe go to the net more often and stay there because that's where most goals are scored," Ehn said. "But the main thing for me, I think, is to be a steady player that the coaches can trust and chip in on offense whenever I can. It's not going to be my main focus, even in GR. I'm trying to still play my game and get really good at playing my game and being good on the PK and stuff, work on it a little bit more, the offensive part and become a little bit better."
Ehn doesn't know how long the Wings will keep him in Detroit.
He's looking forward to getting reacquainted with Jacob de la Rose, whom he played with when de la Rose was the captain of Team Sweden's world junior team.
"It's obviously fun to have another Swede here," Ehn said. "He's around my age, too. He's a really good guy. We have a lot of mutual friends as well, too. I know he played with one of my best friends in Sweden for two years in Montreal. So we have a little bit of a connection there. It's fun to see he's doing this well early on. He's a really hard-working player. He can be really important for this team."
LARKIN DOES NOT PRACTICE: It's a rare day when Dylan Larkin is not on the ice for practice.
But after getting a little shaken up against the Canucks, Larkin stayed out of practice Wednesday.
"He was out today, so we'll see tomorrow. I expect him to practice tomorrow," Blashill said. "He left the ice yesterday and was out for a little bit, but I don't think it's anything long-term, I think it's part of the grind."
Larkin was able to return to the game and finished with 20:59 in ice time, had two shots, a hit, two giveaways, a takeaway, a blocked shot and was 16-of-22 in face-offs.
Even more importantly, Larkin scored the game-winning goal with the only tally of the entire shootout.

"He was real happy when he scored, not just because obviously he wants to win the hockey game, because he wants to go again," Blashill said after the game. "His shootout percentage hadn't been very good and he had been in every coach's ears saying he had worked real hard on his shootout moves through the course of the summer and he's been excellent in the shootouts we do in practice and it was a nice move and he scored, so good for him and he gets to go again. I think that's awesome."
Prior to that, Larkin was 0-for-7 in shootout attempts.
Andreas Athanasiou, known for his own flashy moves on the breakaway, was impressed.
"That was real nice," Athanasiou said. "In the morning skate I think he was 3-for-3, so he was definitely feeling it and he made a really nice play."
INJURY UPDATE: Athanasiou practiced again Wednesday and seems to be on track to play Friday.
"It's pretty much on how it feels right now, I think it's ready to go, we'll see how it is tomorrow and take it Friday morning pre-game skate," Athanasiou said. "It's feeling pretty strong, I'm feeling good, so Friday is looking pretty hopeful."
Athanasiou skated with Frans Nielsen and Gustav Nyquist in practice and Nielsen is close to returning as well.
"I still haven't been cleared, so hopefully tomorrow, if everything goes as planned," Nielsen said. "I'm going to get tested tomorrow. Just hoping. I don't have any symptoms. I got some issues on the test but you can't really know if it's related to that or just not having a good day. But this is not a shoulder, where you can get surgery and you're fine after a certain amount of months. This could keep on to me my whole life if you're not careful with it."

With Nielsen returning from what he characterizes as a mild concussion, Blashill said there's no reason to rush anything.
"I think they understand, as people, I have their best interest in the top of my head," Blashill said. "I wouldn't want any player to risk their long-term health to try to win a hockey game. I don't believe in that. But this is a decision between our medical staff and Frans and the coach stays out of it, and that's the way it should be, for obvious reasons. I get told, especially when it comes to things like concussions, Frans is ready or Frans is not ready and I make the lineup accordingly."