What's The Grind Line? Apart from the once-famous line of Kris Draper, Kirk
Maltby, and either Joe Kocur or Darren McCarty, The Grind Line is also The
Hockey Writers' weekly column about the Detroit Red Wings. Jacob Messing, Tony
 Wolak and Rachel Anderson are the muckers who make up THW's forechecking unit
and sound off on Red Wings topics.

The Detroit Red Wings have a group of young, exciting players ready to contend
for roster spots out of training camp this fall.

With a handful of former first-round picks expected to highlight camp, fans
should be excited about the new era of skill coming to Hockeytown. None of
these young players will be handed a spot but will have to earn it by proving
they have what it takes everyday to avoid being a healthy scratch which would
disrupt their proper development.

Whoever takes the next step will be placed in immediate contention for the Red
Wings Rookie of the Year, and while it's premature, The Grind Line dives into
who may take that title come April.Tony Wolak: Michael Rasmussen

Once the regular season kicks off, I believe Michael Rasmussen will have a
prominent role with the Red Wings.

After producing 33 points in 14 WHL playoff games for Tri-City, there's nothing
 left for Rasmussen to prove at the junior level. And, since he's not yet
eligible to play in the AHL, he'll either have to return for another year of
junior hockey or play in Detroit. All signs so far point to the latter
destination.Related: NHL Prospects Tournament: 7 Red Wings to Watch

With incredible hand-eye coordination, good puck skills, and a big frame,
Rasmussen will be a terror down low and on the power play. While he'll need to
earn his ice time, the center-turned-winger will likely play in the middle-six
alongside either Henrik Zetterberg or Frans Nielsen, depending on the former's
status once the season opens up.

Regardless, Rasmussen will have a great puck distributor as his center and
Thomas Vanek-who plays a similar style-to lean on in a mentorship role. Plus,
he'll have Dan Bylsma bringing him up to speed on how to use his size and
strength in the NHL, much like Bylsma did with Jordan Staal and James Neal in
Pittsburgh.

.@DetroitRedWings prospects Michael Rasmussen and Jared McIsaac connect for a
goal, as Rasmussen redirects McIsaac's shot in to give @HC_WJC a 3-2 lead over
@usahockey. #WJCShowcase pic.twitter.com/JxrCe3U9pY

- TSN (@TSN_Sports) August 4, 2018

It would not be surprising to see Rasmussen top 15 goals and 30 points in his
rookie season and solidify a net-front spot on the power play. The former
ninth-overall pick is a true professional who only wants to succeed - making
him a great building block for Detroit's rebuild.Rachel Anderson: Filip Hronek

The Red Wings have much to be excited about in terms of upcoming defensive
stars. Filip Hronek had an outstanding rookie year with the Grand Rapids
Griffins, scoring 39 points in 67 games. Hronek tied the Griffins' record for
rookie defenseman that was set by Robbie Russo in 2015-16.

Hronek is a skilled puck handler and has one of the strongest two-way defensive
 games I've seen. He's able to hold his position while also adjusting to an
offensive style of play without skipping a beat.

HOLY HRONEK! 🚨
Filip Hronek steals the show in the shootout and the @griffinshockey get the
win! pic.twitter.com/VGNjZLMHo8

- AHL (@TheAHL) March 29, 2018

According to Art Regner, an analyst for the Detroit Red Wings, if Hronek
performs well at training camp, he'll likely get a roster spot. The Wings were
so impressed with his style of play that they won';t dawdle when it comes to
putting him on the blue line at the LCA.

On top of a quick shot, Hronek knows how to use his body. I wouldn't peg him as
 "aggressive" but more along the lines of assertive. He drives the net every
chance he gets but can also get the puck out to the forwards rather quickly.
He's a well-rounded defenseman that the Wings need on the blue line.

Though he'll likely get the nod of approval before previous hopeful, Joe
Hicketts, which is a bit of a downer, Hronek is a worthy selection. He'll earn
the rookie of the year stamp of approval if he's pulled.Jacob Messing: Filip
Zadina

Compared to Marian Hossa for his all-around game and Patrik Laine for his shot,
 Zadina has been hyped up to Red Wings fans since late June and over the past
several years. Even as the highest draft pick on this list (No. 6 overall in
2018),  Zadina will stay behind Rasmussen on the depth chart until he proves
otherwise.

There has been a lot of talk about him earning a spot this season with the Red
Wings, a bit more than it should.Zadina was a standout for the Halifax
Mooseheads in 2017-18 with 44 goals and 82 points in 57 games (courtesy
HalifaxMooseheads.ca)

It's been a long time since the team saw a player go straight from the draft to
 the roster; even Dylan Larkin spent a year at the University of Michigan
before breaking into the NHL. But Zadina seems to be a special case, he's been
pegged as NHL-ready by many analysts and was a consensus top-three pick until
he slipped to Detroit at No. 6 overall.

Should he earn a spot out of camp, the correct usage (ice time, power play,
etc.) could see him score his way into the hearts of Red Wings fans and
potentially even to a Calder Trophy nomination. Yes, that is extremely
optimistic, but he seems to have the tools to step right into the NHL.

The post The Grind Line: Red Wings'; Next Great Rookie appeared first on The
Hockey Writers.

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