With only 12 forwards on the roster, the Detroit Red Wings are likely going to be calling up a forward from the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins to join them on this week’s four-game West Coast road trip.

Expectations were that the player who would get the call was going to be Carter Mazur.

Scratch that thought. Mazur is hurt again.

UPDATE: Carter Mazur sustained a lower-body injury during practice earlier this week and is being evaluated.

— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) October 28, 2025

The Griffins revealed via social media that the 23-year-old left-winger was going to be out of their lineup for an unknown period. Mazur suffered a lower-body injury in practice earlier this week.

He didn’t play as Grand Rapids improved to 6-0 on the AHL season via a 4-3 shootout victory over the Iowa Wild on Tuesday.

Mazur was also hurt last season in GR. And when he was called up to make his NHL debut for the Red Wings later in the year, Mazur suffered a season-ending injury on his second shift as an NHLer.

An offseason conditioning program that bulked up Mazur’s six-foot frame to 200 pounds was supposed to help the physical winger with his injury woes.

“That’s always been a thing they wanted me to do,” Mazur said during training camp. “I know that was, again, about how I play. I need to have the weight on, and I need to just use it to my advantage.

“So, yeah, I think it was something, a major point that they wanted me to get done.”

Who Might The Red Wings Recall?

With Mazur out, if the Wings opt to add a forward for the West Coast swing, who might it be? Well, John Leonard continues to state his case.

HUG YOUR BUDDIES pic.twitter.com/V6fYsakosb

— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) October 29, 2025

He scored his sixth goal in five games in Tuesday’s Griffins victory. The veteran winger scored 36 goals in the AHL last season with the Charlotte Checkers. According to NHL scouts, Leonard has been the most impressive Griffins player so far this season.

Playing his second game since returning from injury. 2023 first-round draft pick Nate Danielson scored once and netted the shootout winner in Tuesday’s victory.