Each year, the draft seems to dominate the minds of hockey fans everywhere.
With the help of the media, the most promising players are highlighted,
recapped and talked about nonstop. Though beneficial for the player and the
organizations they are selected to represent, many previous draft picks and
international acquisitions seem to get lost in translation. Entering this
season, the Red Wings have an armory of talent spending time in the AHL with
the Grand Rapids Griffins. Several picks from previous draft years will be
cracking the roster along with a few who are already working out their
entry-level contracts.

Just to be clear, it is not my goal to chastise the fans excited for this
year's draft picks - they have a right to be so. Nor am I purposely passing
over other previous picks because I think their talent lesser than others -
that is not the case. I aim to highlight, with the utmost respect, some of the
other promising prospects that are coming through the system that others may
not be aware of or haven't been paying as much attention to. That being said,
here are my top "forgotten" forwards and defensemen coming through the Red
Wings organization.No. 1 Top Forgotten Defenseman: Joe Hicketts

Hicketts caught the attention of the Red Wings after a very impressive display
during the Prospect Tournament in 2014-15. Consequently, he was signed to a
three-year entry-level contract with the Wings. His rookie season with the
Griffins in 2016-17 put him on everyone's radar it seemed. "Little Joe" packed
a punch for his size and the media went berserk over it. Rightfully so. He
tallied 34 points in 73 regular seasons games and eight points in 19 playoff
games during the Griffins' successful Calder Cup run.Joe Hicketts, Detroit Red
Wings (Jenae Anderson / The Hockey Writers)

Joe has a very strong ice presence and was one of the strongest two-way
defensemen that season. Though his sophomore campaign was not as productive,
and the Griffins lost in the first round of the playoffs, Hicketts has become
the go-to defenseman in tight situations. He's controlled on the ice both in
play and attitude. Off the ice, he's mature, well spoken and shows a great
respect for the organization. Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill even seemed to
 sing his praises after his NHL debut, where he tallied two points in his first
 game. Blashill told Red Wings Analyst, Art Regner, "Joe has a couple things I
love. He';s got swagger and he';s got a great brain for the game. I think we
could use some of that swagger."

I could literally go all day about how great Joe Hicketts is. After the hype
surrounding his astounding rookie season and NHL debut wore off, little more
has been said about Joe.No. 2 Top Forgotten Defenseman: Libor Sulak

Sulak is a newer addition to the organization. He made his professional debut
in the United States last season with the Griffins. He is a big boy, to say the
 least. Sulak's first game was much anticipated by the media - myself included.
 Coming from the Czech Republic, Sulak was a healthy scratch for a few games
but did not disappoint when he was given ice time at last.

Due to the lateness of his arrival, Sulak only skated in two games but earned
two points in those matches. He immediately established a very dominant role on
 the ice. He's physical and fast. He controlled the puck well and was able to
adjust to the team chemistry quickly. Given time next season, Sulak is going to
 be a force. Though he was not drafted through the Entry Draft like much of the
 fresh talent, I';m still considering Sulak a prospect since he is signed to an
 entry-level deal.

His media coverage wasn't immense unless you were an insider, but this season,
if he's able to earn the ice time over the "kids," he'll easily be a headliner.
 He's been putting in many hours in off-season training to prepare for a full
season with Grand Rapids.No. 3 Top Forgotten Defenseman: Gustav Lindstrom

I'm going to clear the air on him right away. He's not related to Nicklas
Lidstrom.

The Red Wings love Swedes - that's a fact. According to Ted Kulfan of the
Detroit News, "Lindstrom is signed for two years with Frolunda, so it's likely
he won't arrive in North America until the start of the 2020-21 season." The
chatter surrounding Lindstrom is primarily in the scouting world and hasn't
reached the fandom yet but when it does, he'll be a favorite.Gustav Lindstrom,
Team Sweden, World Jr. Summer Showcase, August 2, 2017 (Photo by Dave
Reginek/Getty Images)

While in Sweden, Lindstrom has been consistent and shows a calmness on the ice.
 He impressed during Development Camp this summer and will be no doubt working
overtime in his last season with Frolunda to earn a roster spot with the Wings.
 Not many casual fans even know who this young man is, but his name will help
spark interest when he's here full time - even if it's a matter of mistaken
identity.No. 1 Top Forgotten Forward: Axel Holmstrom

Also clearing the air on this one - he's not related to Tomas Holmstrom.

Holmstrom was picked in the seventh round of the 2014 Entry Draft by Detroit.
Sidelined much of his rookie season due to recovery from an injury, his point
totals aren't that impressive. However, coming back from injury in the 2017-18
season, Axel put up 26 points in 66 games. Holmstrom made an impression on
former Griffins Coach, Todd Nelson, "His vision is exceptional and he showed he
 has good offensive instincts."

Axel has a lot of potential though not many seem to be really keeping tabs on
him. He's understated and calculated - which seems to be the type of player
fans don't really gravitate to. To each their own I suppose.

Holmstrom has been training in Sweden in the off-season, and upon returning for
 camp in September, stands a good chance being noticed. Though Detroit's major
need is with defense, there's also a great need for strong forwards.#2 Top
Forgotten Forward: David Pope

Pope has been flying under the radar for a few seasons now. After being drafted
 by the Wings in 2013, Pope went to the NCAA to develop further in college at
the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Given a firm set of requirements by the
Wings, Pope worked insanely hard during his time in college and has since
earned an entry-level contract with the Wings.

Pope led his team in scoring during the 2017-18 season and is set to be a major
 offensive workhorse with Grand Rapids. He caught media attention after Red
Wings Development Camp by being dubbed a "late bloomer" and a "shooter."
Ideally, the latter title will be one that the fanbase comes to recognize more
than the "late bloomer" side of things.

Pope has an accurate shot which is beneficial to have in any situation. Shawn
Horcoff, Director of Player Development, told the Detroit Free Press, "You can
tell he is a shooter - he's not a guy that's going to lug the puck through the
neutral zone or be creative - he is going to get it, give it to skill, and get
open." He'll begin the season with Grand Rapids in hopes of cracking the roster
 for the Wings shortly after.#3 Top Forgotten Forward: Dominic Turgeon

Turgeon should be on everyone's watch list, especially coming into this season.
 His rookie season, he was a part of the Griffins'; Calder Cup championship and
 played a huge role on the special teams. He had an impressive second season
with the Griffins, tallying 32 points. He has become an elite special team
skater and has incredible on-ice maturity.

Turgeon gained a lot of notice during his NHL debut this past year, though he
did not tally any points. He conducted himself remarkably well against the much
 bigger opponents. He again made headlines towards the end of the 2017-18
season due to a season-ending injury. He will be looking to put himself back on
 the forefront in the upcoming season, however, now being recovered from his
surgery.Red Wings center Dominic Turgeon (Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports)

He's not one to be passed over. Turgeon is a very capable skater and if not
used by the Wings after his entry-level contract expiration, he will no doubt
become a thorn in the team';s side if/when he's selected by someone else. This
will be the season to keep a very close watch on Turgeon. He's grown immensely
and will be a breakout player.There's More to the Wings Than Zadina

Though this season's recent picks are something to get excited about, Filip
Zadina being one of them, it';s important to remember that not all the stars
are the fresh picks. Cholowski and Rasmussen are also set to make very
impressive debuts to their professional careers, but before they were even a
thought, there were several unsung players battling through the organization.

They'll all need to fight for ice time in the coming season, as the Griffins
roster gets more and more loaded. The forgotten ones will have a hard season in
 from of them, having to somehow overcome media overload in regards to the new
guys, while still maintaining a healthy team culture. Fostering a competitive
yet team-focused culture is something Grand Rapids does well. Though the
above-mentioned guys are not the only ones in the organization making a
difference seemingly unseen, they are ones who fans should be open to in the
coming season. These players are all set to make pivotal changes to the game
and organization as a whole, so the fans should be prepared and be alert.

The post Detroit Red Wings Forgotten Prospects appeared first on The Hockey
Writers.

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