Though just a minor knock, it's arrived at an inopportune time. Athanasiou was beginning to assert himself in Thomas Vanek's absence, recently scoring the game-tying goal and shootout winner in a victory over the Philadelphia Flyers.
Drew Miller could jump back into the lineup with Athanasiou out, but the Red Wings also have an option in Anthony Mantha, who they've recalled from Grand Rapids, according to Khan.
No player has had their inclusion in the Hockey Hall of Fame debated more than Eric Lindros.
Lindros, who will be formally inducted Monday, was the definition of "power forward" in the '90s, combining brute strength with finesse in a way fans haven't seen since.
Despite the former Philadelphia Flyers captain being honored by the league, it's well documented that Lindros, thanks to injuries, didn't have the career many envisioned for him.
That aside, "The Big E" provided hockey fans with more than a decade of memorable moments during a very dramatic career.
The hit
It will go down as the darkest moment of his career, and one that brought his time as a Flyer to a close.
On May 26, 2000, in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Final, Scott Stevens delivered arguably the most iconic hit in NHL history on Lindros, catching the Flyers captain cutting across the neutral zone with his head down.
The hit caused the most devastating of the confirmed eight concussions Lindros suffered over his career.
The following summer, he'd become a restricted free agent, but, after refusing a two-way deal from the Flyers, would sit out the 2000-01 season before being dealt to the New York Rangers.
Snubbing the Nordiques
Even before he first stepped onto NHL ice, Lindros made a significant impact on the league - for all the wrong reasons.
Prior to the 1991 NHL Draft, he made it clear he wouldn't report to the Quebec Nordiques if the team plucked him first overall.
The Nordiques selected him anyway, and chaos ensued. The 18-year-old stuck to his guns, sitting out the entire '91-92 season until the team mercifully dealt the towering forward to the Flyers the following June.
That put an end to the stalemate, and launched a Hall of Fame career.
Memorable trip to Quebec
Talk about sticking it to your old team. Well, sort of your old team.
On Oct. 13, 1992 - Lindros' first year in the league - the rookie visited the rink he refused to call home.
The game was extra chippy, for obvious reasons, but, in the end, despite the Nordiques walking away with a 6-3 victory, the game was overshadowed by Lindros' two goals in the losing effort.
What could have been ...
The 1994-95 season
As far as accolades go for Lindros, it will be the 1994-95 season that defines his career.
The lockout-shortened campaign saw him collect the Hart Trophy, Lester B. Pearson Award, and a first-team All-Star nod while potting 29 goals and adding another 41 assists in 46 games.
Of course, the bump came with the introduction of the infamous "Legion of Doom" line consisting of Lindros, Mikael Renberg, and John LeClair.
The line combined for 80 goals and 176 points in the shortened season, and went on to wreak havoc the following year with an additional 121 goals and 255 points.
Game 4 of the '97 Eastern Conference Final
Few goals over Lindros' career will be remembered more than his dramatic overtime winner during the 1997 Eastern Conference Final.
The Flyers - up two games to one over the Rangers - looked to take a stranglehold on the series.
The game went back and forth, with both clubs playing to a 2-2 score late in the third period. That was until Jeff Beukeboom took a double-minor for high-sticking in the closing minutes. Things looked to be heading to overtime until - with just seven seconds remaining in regulation - Lindros hopped on a rebound and shoveled a backhand past Mike Richter.
The Flyers took a 3-1 series lead and went on to win Game 5 to punch their ticket to the Stanley Cup Final.
There will be no panic in the Pittsburgh Penguins, who lost for the first time in regulation in nearly three weeks Thursday night versus the Minnesota Wild.
But their failure to collect a point for just the third time in 14 games this season was cause for addressing concerns bubbling below the surface of an outwardly rock-solid start to their title defense.
The Penguins allowed 41 shots in the loss, reverting back to their early-season form where they allowed at least 30 shots through their first six games. They tightened up a bit after that and after Sidney Crosby returned to the lineup, but still rank third last in average shots against - conceding only fractionally fewer looks than the last-place Arizona Coyotes.
"Yeah, it is a concern," coach Mike Sullivan said after the game, according to Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. "I think it's hard to win consistently in this league if you're giving up 40-plus shots a game.
"I don't think that's the type of game that we're trying to play, as far as trying to dictate the terms out there. We need to be better."
If anything, the loss presents Sullivan's staff with a teachable moment, and an opportunity to drive home the message that was perhaps lost on the players as the club continued to win despite their inefficiencies.
Pittsburgh was guilty of carelessly trading chances with the upstart Edmonton Oilers in their last start, but wound up winning the game on a late goal from Conor Sheary.
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Before Patrik Laine was drafted second overall by the Winnipeg Jets, scouts drew up comparisons to one of the greatest goal scorers of all time - Washington Capitals LW Alex Ovechkin. It's a logical comparison: both left wingers have right-handed shots, possess great size and have lethal shots - specifically on the one-timer.
Laine has only 14 NHL games under his belt, so it is still premature to be making comparisons to one of the greats, but given how well he has acclimated to the North American game - let alone the NHL - I wouldn't be surprised if he became the first rookie since Ovechkin in 2005-06 to reach the 50-goal plateau.
If Laine were to reach the 50-goal mark, it would instantly be much more impressive than Ovechkin's 52 considering goal-scoring was at its peak during the first season of the post-lockout era.
What makes Laine a potential Ovechkin-like goal scorer is not only his ability to score from anywhere on the ice based on how hard and accurate his shot is and how quickly he can release it, but his 6-foot-5 frame allows him to be physically dominant down low and around the crease. It is a dangerous combination.
Unlike Ovechkin, and most first- and second-overall picks, Laine isn't coming into a situation where he has little help around him. Winnipeg made the playoffs in 2014-15 and was only the sixth-worst team last year, but moved up to second overall thanks to the lottery system.
Laine is currently skating alongside the NHL's leading point-getter, C Mark Scheifele and speedy second-year player W Nikolaj Ehlers. Winnipeg also has offensive playmakers like D Dustin Byfuglien and RW Blake Wheeler. The five form a pretty dynamic power-play unit, where Laine's one-timer has been on full display. Five of his 11 goals have come with the man advantage.
Laine's 25 percent shooting rate is unsustainable, but he takes enough shots on goal, and he has a good enough shot for 50 goals to be very plausible. When it comes to fantasy, this is how to approach Laine's red-hot start:
If you own him
This is quite simple: hold onto him. In fact, love him. Cherish him. Name your fantasy team after him. Name your first-born child after him. Okay, the last one may be taking it too far, but you see my point.
If you aren't already receiving offers for Laine, you surely will be bombarded with them soon enough. Don't overthink things and sell high on him just because of his hot start. The kid is for real.
If you don't own him
As of now, it may be extremely tough to pry Laine away from his current owner considering he has five goals in his last three games. Wait until he goes three or four games without a goal and then throw your best offer at his owner. Hopefully this scenario is sooner rather than later so his owner might be convinced Laine just had a lucky start.
This issue is, even if you wait until Laine cools down a bit, he'll have already done enough damage for it to still take significant value to trade for him.
The best way to acquire a premier player like Laine is via the old 2-for-1. Try and convince Laine's owner that giving him two very solid players picked in rounds 6-8, such as New Jersey Devils LW Taylor Hall and Colorado Avalanche C/RW Matt Duchene, make his team deeper and more balanced. More often than not, the owner getting the best player in the trade usually wins the deal. Bank on Laine being the better player.
Taking two proven players like Hall and Duchene is definitely the safer move, but Laine's upside is substantially higher. Hall is one of the most injury-prone players in the league, and Duchene plays on an overrated Avalanche team struggling mightily in possession metrics, therefore limiting his upside.
If you're as confident as I am in Laine's ability, don't be afraid to pull the trigger on a move like this in standard, banger or keeper leagues. His value in keeper leagues is obvious, and his 17 hits make him multi-dimensional in banger leagues.
Daily Fantasy
Daily fantasy hockey prices usually take longer to catch up to a player's performance compared to other leagues. Heading into Thursday night, Laine was just 49K on Squad Up. This essentially makes him a matchup-proof bargain given the current tear he is on.
However, if his price begins to creep up to where he is listed as one of the top few players at his position on large slates, you will need to start evaluating matchups and try to maximize his value. The only truly elite netminder he has scored on is New York Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist. Mind you, he hasn't faced many to begin with, and he can't be slighted for his soft schedule.
On the Fly, theScore's NHL roundtable series, will be published every Friday throughout the season. This week, we explore how to fix a glaring need hindering four teams across the league.
Crease change-up
Wilkins: It's no surprise Dallas has a goaltending problem.
The Stars were a top team last season, frontlined by high-end offense that crashed in a Game 7 blowout loss to St. Louis, with Antti Niemi allowing two goals on 10 shots and Kari Lehtonen with three on eight in relief.
Both are back this season and it's ugly, as evidenced by the matching pair of sub-.900 save percentages. Poor performers are hard to move, even more so on a heavy ticket. Signed through 2017-18, Niemi carries a $4.5-million AAV, and Lehtonen at $5.9 million.
So, let's fix things. Could Jaroslav Halak be the answer? He wants off the Island and New York wants away from his agent. Halak can win - we saw that at the World Cup. At .908, he's outperforming both Dallas goalies, and owning a contract similar to Niemi, maybe there's a fit.
Infusing youth in Brooklyn
O'Leary: After reaching new heights in the spring, the New York Islanders find themselves toward the basement of the Metropolitan Division one month into the season.
Some are calling for head coach Jack Capuano to be fired, but it looks like he has some slack on his leash, with a chance to turn things around. But more than a systematic problem, it's personnel issues that are troubling the Islanders.
Capuano said it himself: the club lost a ton of production when Kyle Okposo and Frans Nielsen packed their bags in free agency, but the Islanders are still running with a less than ideal lineup.
New York also got older by adding Andrew Ladd and Jason Chimera, and continue to leave youth in the press box or in the minors.
The club sent Mathew Barzal - the 16th overall pick in 2015 - back to junior, where he's averaged 1.23 points per game over his last 161 contests. Anthony Beauvillier, another first-round pick to make the club out of camp, has been frequently scratched.
Josh Ho-Sang and Michael Dal Colle are fellow skilled prospects producing in the minors. Their skill sets can add a jolt to the Islanders' attack.
Skill and speed are taking over the NHL, and the Islanders have plenty of it. They just aren't using it.
Bye-bye Benning?
Hagerman: The Canucks are having issues in almost every aspect of their game, and it's time for them to address the big picture. Vancouver needs to get rid of general manager Jim Benning to find success.
The Canucks are on a steady decline, no longer the powerhouse that reached the Stanley Cup Finals after two straight Presidents' Trophy wins. Instead, they are an aging club with few budding prospects.
This offseason, rather than retooling with young talent, the club decided to hand Loui Eriksson a 6-year, $36-million contract. Not only will the deal handcuff the team going forward, a quick look at the clubs' stats page will tell you it hasn't been money will spent.
The Canucks need to accept what they are and start preparing for a lengthy rebuild.
They could look at the Toronto Maple Leafs, who gave them a pounding - in many respects - on Saturday. Suddenly, with a plethora of homegrown young stars in Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner, and William Nylander, Toronto's mapped out a plan for prolonged success.
Sputtering special teams
Gold-Smith: The Calgary Flames had the worst power play (4-for-48) and second-worst penalty kill (72.4 percent) entering Thursday night's action. They clearly need to do something to improve both special teams units.
T.J. Brodie has only two points in 15 games, far below his 40-plus-point pace over the last two seasons. The defenseman said he feels he hasn't been as involved as in years past on the offensive end, reports Wes Gilbertson from the Calgary Herald.
He's been a fixture on Calgary's top power-play group, and getting him going offensively with the man advantage is one way the Flames can start to repair that facet of their game.
Flames forward Michael Frolik said he and the other penalty killers need to help each other out more, according to Ryan Pike from FlamesNation. Head coach Glen Gulutzan wants them to show less panic and make smarter decisions on the kill.
Calgary's special-team issues predate Gulutzan's arrival, but taking those recommendations could help the Flames cure what ails them.
They also equaled a franchise record with their ninth consecutive home victory to begin a season, accomplishing the feat for the first time since 1953-54, according to TSN.
Carey Price improved to 9-0-0 in 2016-17, and he now boasts a 1.56 GAA and a .953 save percentage.
Carey Price is 19-2-0 the last two seasons. 24-2-0 if you count the World Cup.
The Habs gave the Kings a small dose of their own medicine Thursday night, holding Los Angeles to only 23 shots in the 4-1 victory.
Montreal is now 12-1-1 on the season, and a perfect 9-0-0 at home, the second time in franchise history they've started their home schedule with such a record.
After spending the majority of his offseason working out a new contract, the Tampa Bay Lightning forward has certainly walked the walk since his payday.
With a patented half-wall snipe versus the New York Islanders - his fifth tally of the season - Kucherov brought his point total to 16 points in 12 games, only three off the league-lead.
A disastrous possession team, Detroit ranks 26th in the NHL in allowing 32.4 shots per game. Enter Howard, who has been simply sublime.
The 32-year-old stopped 36-of-37 Vancouver Canucks shots on Thursday, and boasts a 1.26 goals against average along with a .958 save percentage in six appearances this season.
