Mason Appleton’s arrival signals a tougher, grittier direction for the Red Wings

The Detroit Red Wings needed to get more physical in 2025-26, and they may've found a bruiser with Mason Appleton. No, Appleton isn't that kind of player who's going to average too far into the triple digits in body checks per season, but the longer he's been in the league, the more of an edge he plays with.

Appleton's also proven to be a trusted player for one organization, having played all but 49 games with the Winnipeg Jets, when he went to the Seattle Kraken for a short stint. He's someone who can factor in and log quality middle-six and even low-end top-six minutes if needed.

And while I currently have him listed as a third-liner in the projected lines chart at the moment, it's also not set in stone and I could see Appleton playing all over most of the lineup, depending on what they decide to do with youngsters like Elmer Soderblom, Carter Mazur, and Jonatan Berggren.

Mason Appleton could be a versatile player for the Red Wings

Appleton's not a flashy signing, but he adds a much-needed edge and enough versatility that this is yet another sneaky good pickup. Not that he'll break the 20-goal mark, but if the Wings need a big hit, or an uptick in energy, Appleton could be a player they can turn to.

He also brings much-needed postseason experience to the Wings, and they could use a player or two who has it if they want to break their own playoff drought. Appleton appeared in 13 postseason games for the Jets last year and picked up seven assists across 14:51 of average total ice time.

He also logged 28 hits in that span, showing that he more than doubled his physical play when the stakes rise. Still, he's by no means an effective player overall offensively, as his career on-ice shooting percentage at even strength is just 8.7 percent, while his career Corsi For percentage sits at 49.1.

But Appleton is almost exclusively someone who's going to give the Wings help with their defensive zone starts. So far, 61.1 of all his career starts came in the defensive zone. And, if you're keeping track, this is where the Wings need a lot of help.

So, it goes right back to that 'nice vs. necessary' debate. No, Mason Appleton isn't what I'd call the nicest signing out there. But for the Wings, he's a necessary asset. Especially since he played for the Presidents' Trophy winners last season.