Red Wings face former teammate off to slow start

The Detroit Red Wings face one of the NHL's up-and-coming superstars as well as a former teammate off to a slow start tonight when they visit the Chicago Blackhawks (8 p.m., TNT).

Connor Bedard, the top pick in the 2023 draft, has three goals and a team-leading 12 points. Tyler Bertuzzi, who'll be facing the Red Wings while playing for his third different club, has four goals and no assists.

Bedard had two assists in two games against the Red Wings last season. Bertuzzi has a goal and two assists in five games vs. Detroit while playing for Boston and Toronto.

Bertuzzi, 29, signed a four-year contract with the Chicago Blackhawks for an annual average value of $5.5 million in the offseason. Since his breakout season in Detroit in 2021-22, when he produced 30 goals and 62 points in 68 games, Bertuzzi has tallied 33 goals and 77 points in 143 games. He has two goals in the past three games.

The Blackhawks (5-7-1) have won three of their past four. The Red Wings (5-5-1) are hoping to build some momentum from Saturday's 2-1 victory over Buffalo, which coach Derek Lalonde called one of his team's more complete games.

Here are the Red Wings' anticipated lines and defense pairs:

Alex DeBrincat-Dylan Larkin-Patrick Kane

Andrew Copp-J.T. Compher-Lucas Raymond

Jonatan Berggren-Marco Kasper-Vladimir Tarasenko

Michael Rasmussen-Joe Veleno-Christian Fischer

Simon Edvinsson-Moritz Seider

Ben Chiarot-Jeff Petry

Erik Gustafsson-Albert Johansson

Cam Talbot will start in goal.