NHL player Abdelkader returns to Cedar Rapids on Saturday night

CEDAR RAPIDS - How many National Hockey League players would take time out in the middle of their season to make an appearance for their junior team?

Justin Abdelkader would ... and is.

The Detroit Red Wings center will be honored at Saturday night's Cedar Rapids RoughRiders-Omaha Lancers game at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena and inducted as the first member of the club's hall of fame. He'll meet and greet fans and sign autographs, with the RoughRiders handing out his RoughRiders bobblehead to the first 1,000 people through the doors.

The Red Wings played Friday night at New Jersey, so Abdelkader is making quite the effort to return. He played for the RoughRiders in the 2004-05 season, helping them win the United States Hockey League's Clark Cup championship.

He's a month removed from signing a seven-year, $30-million contract extension with his favorite team. Abdelkader originally is from Muskegon, Mich.

'It'll be a fun night,” said RoughRiders Coach/General Manager Mark Carlson. 'I think it just shows the type of person Abby is, the family he comes from and the job his parents did in raising him.”

Abdelkader, 28, was a second-round draft pick of the Red Wings in 2005. After his year in Cedar Rapids, he helped Michigan State win an NCAA title before turning pro.

He had a career-high 23 goals last season and has 10 goals in 29 games this season, five in his last five games. The RoughRiders reached out to him in the offseason about coming back, and Abdelkader was - somewhat surprisingly - receptive.

'I remember the character that he had, the work ethic that he had, the team player that he was here,” said Carlson. 'His mental and physical toughness were outstanding. When you have those attributes and are willing to work, you've got a good start.”

Cedar Rapids (14-6-1, 29 standings points) took a six-game win streak into its home game Friday night against Chicago. The Riders lead the USHL in goals (76) and fewest goals allowed (46).

The club will be without four key players this weekend and next weekend, as forwards Ross Colton and Cal Burke, and defensemen Jack Ahcan and Mitch Reinke are in Canada representing a United States team at the World Junior ‘A' Challenge.

Carlson called up defenseman Perry Winfree from the affiliate list to help out with the manpower shortage. Winfree, 16, is from Cary, N.C., and has been playing for the Carolina Jr. Hurricanes AAA team.

'It's a great opportunity for guys,” Carlson said. 'I think the guys are excited about it. We like the depth of our team, we've got a lot of good things in place. So more than anything else right out, we feel it's an opportunity to maximize their opportunity. I think it's a good situation.”

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