​The Detroit Red Wings announced on Tuesday afternoon that they have activated Marco Kasper and Mason Appleton off of injured reserve. Detroit faces the St. Louis Blues on Tuesday night with puck drop scheduled for 8 p.m. ET on TNT.Apr 4, 2026; New York, New York, USA; Detroit Red Wings center Marco Kasper (92) during the first period against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect (Reuters)Marco Kasper and Mason Appleton have not played much this season for the Detroit Red WingsKasper was projected to be a second-line centerman before the season started, but he has only played in one game for Detroit. He has not scored a goal or recorded an assist. He has been out since the season opener with an upper-body injury, and he is coming back off a season in which he had nine goals and 10 assists in 81 games, down from the 19 goals and 37 points he put up in 2024-25.As for Appleton, he has only played in two games and has not scored a goal or recorded an assist either. He was hurt in the second game of the season and gives Detroit back a forward who had six goals and eight assists in 65 games last year. Head coach Todd McLellan had said he expected both players back at some point on this four-game road trip, so there is a good chance that Kasper and Appleton are both in the lineup on Tuesday night against the Blues.Detroit needs the help after dropping four of its last fiveThe Red Wings have lost four of their last five, including a 4-0 loss at Colorado on Saturday, and they have scored 49 goals in 18 games. They are also without Dylan Larkin, whom the organization suspended without pay on Oct. 29 after he told the team he would no longer play for the Red Wings.