Former Winnipeg Jets forward Mason Appleton returns to his old stomping grounds on Saturday night with the Detroit Red Wings.
As the Detroit Red Wings take on the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday night in what will be their third and final game of this three-game road swing, it will be an emotional night for forward Mason Appleton.
Appleton, who played the bulk of his career with the Jets, signed a two-year contract with the Red Wings during the offseason as part of several additions by GM Steve Yzerman.
A sixth-round (168th overall) pick of the Jets in the 2015 NHL Draft, Appleton played a total of 351 games with Winnipeg, along with a brief 49-game stint with the expansion Seattle Kraken in 2021-22 before being dealt back to Winnipeg.
Ahead of his first game back in Winnipeg, Appleton discussed his transition from Manitoba to Michigan and said it has been a good fit for him so far.
"It's been good, it's different, obviously," Appleton said following the morning skate. "You spend eight years in one spot basically, and then you have to find a new home, and integrate yourself there. It's been good; I've enjoyed my time in Detroit, we have a solid team, and we've been winning games. It's been good."
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It’s Appleton’s first opportunity to play for a historic Original Six franchise like the Red Wings, and he appreciates the daily chance to soak in the club’s history, something players are constantly reminded of through the displays and photos at Little Caesars Arena.
"It's very unique and special," he said. "Playing in Winnipeg, obviously, with one franchise going and one franchise coming, it's kind of a bit different in that sense. But to walk the halls of LCA and you see the pictures of the Stanley Cup-winning teams and just everything that comes with wearing the Red Wings logo, it's pretty special."
Appleton scored the eventual game-winning goal against the Jets at Little Caesars Arena on Dec. 31 in a 2–1 Red Wings victory. In 42 games since joining Detroit, he has recorded five goals and six assists while averaging 13:39 of ice time per game.
When asked how it would feel to score another game-winning goal against his former club, Appleton smiled and said he’d be more than open to it.
"That'd be nice, we'll see," Appleton said. "Hopefully, we'll have another good game against them tonight to kind of round out this road trip. It'll be a fun one."
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