DETROIT – Patrick Eaves will undergo surgery Monday evening to repair the fractured jaw that he suffered in the Red Wings’ 4-1 win over Nashville Saturday night at Joe Louis Arena.

The veteran forward is expected to miss the next six to eight weeks.

Late in the game, Eaves attempted to block a point-shot by Predators rookie defenseman Roman Josi, who was making his NHL debut. But as Eaves moved into the shooting lane and dropped to a knee, the fast moving, high-rising puck struck him on the right side of the head.

As Eaves lay motionless on the ice, teammates, team doctors and training staff from both the Wings and Predators rushed to his side. He was taken off the ice on a stretcher and rushed by ambulance to Detroit Medical Center.

Eaves is the fourth Wings’ player this month to sustain a serious head/face injury, joining Jiri Hudler (eye), Ian White (fractured cheekbone) and Drew Miller (upper lip). White and Miller were injured by moving pucks. Hudler was hurt when he was pushed face-first into the boards.

Niklas Kronwall avoided a serious head or neck injury when St. Louis forward Chris Strewart hit the Wings’ defenseman with an illegal hit from behind in the first period at Scottrade Center on Nov. 15. Luckily for the Wings, the play looked worse than it actually was, but nonetheless, Stewart received a game-misconduct penalty and a two-game suspension from the league.

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