Gustav Nyquist

Gustav Nyquist will have plenty of support from his teammates, especially his countrymen, when he makes his NHL debut tonight as the Red Wings host the Minnesota Wild at Joe Louis Arena.

The Swedish forward will be paired on the second line with forward Todd Bertuzzi and center Johan Franzen, who called him a “really smart player out there. He creates a lot of chances and he's always open; feels like he wants the puck. Really good hockey sense in him, too. He'll do just fine. He'll be good for us.”

Forward Tomas Holmstrom called the 22-year-old, from Malmo, in southern Sweden, a fine two-way player.

“He’s a skilled player, he's quick, he's got great hockey sense and he's also responsible in his own zone,” said Holmstrom, who was 23-years-old when made his Wings’ debut in 1996. “He's a great player and it's great to see him get a chance like this early in his career.”