Red Wings-Stars 9-14-15

The Red Wings selected forward Evgeny Svechnikov with the 19th pick in the 2015 entry draft. (Brendan Savage | MLive.com)

(Brendan Savage | MLive.com)

DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings front office will have plenty to watch for at the World Junior Championships - the club has six prospects participating in the premier event for players under 20.

General manager Ken Holland believes that is the most players the Red Wings have ever had at this event. It begins Saturday in Helsinki, Finland.

"Very happy," Holland said. "It's the best junior-age tournament in the world. We've got some kids there that were taken later in the draft, so that's nice."

Defenseman Joe Hicketts (Canada) and forwards Axel Holmstrom and Christoffer Ehn (Sweden) are back for the second year in a row. Forward Evgeny Svechnikov (Russia), their top pick in 2015, defenseman Vili Saarijarvi (Finland) and goaltender Joren Van Pottelberghe (Switzerland) are in it for the first time.

The undrafted Hicketts, whose stock has been rising since the Red Wings signed him as a free agent after training camp in 2014, is expected to play a key role for Canada, the defending champion. Hicketts (5-8, 175) has two goals and 30 points in 29 games for Victoria during his fourth season with the WHL club.

"Hicketts is a good player in junior hockey," Holland said. "He's an undersized defenseman. He'll finish out his junior year, go to the American Hockey League. That's the biggest test, to go from junior, college or Europe to the American League.

"But has hands, has hockey sense, he's competitive. I think he defends pretty well for a young defenseman that's good offensively."

The small but skilled Saarijarvi (5-10, 163) is cut from the same cloth as Hicketts. The club's third-round pick this year (73rd overall) has four goals and 19 points in 28 games for the OHL Flint Firebirds.

"Saarijarvi is having a good year in Flint," Holland said. "He's got hockey sense, he's got hands. By NHL standards he's probably a little undersized, but many teams have undersized defenseman that have hockey sense and hands and can run a power play. That's something that Saarijarvi does in junior and did last year in Finland in the U-17 tournament."

Svechnikov (6-2, 200), the 19th overall selection in this year's draft, has 17 goals and 39 points in 27 games during his second year with Cape Breton in the Quebec League.

"He's got skill, he competes hard," Holland said. "I think he's a good down-low player in the offensive zone. Probably the one area (he needs improvement) to play in the National Hockey League is to get a little quicker, the first couple of steps. Anxious to hear how he plays in this tournament."

Holmstrom, drafted in the seventh round in 2014 (196th overall) was impressive at last year's WJC, with seven points (goal, six assists) in seven games. He was the Swedish League's leading playoff scorer for Skelleftea AIK, with 18 points, including seven goals, in 15 games, breaking the league record for playoff points by a junior player. He was named the Swedish Junior Hockey Player of the Year.

"I'm told he's having a good season this year," Holland said. "Great hockey sense, good hands. He would be what I call a greasy player, goes to the hard areas. We like him a lot. They have to continue to improve in those areas they need to improve on. Again, a little bit quicker."

Holland said of Ehn, who has no goals and two assists in 18 games for Frolunda of the Swedish League: "Ehn is more of a bottom six penalty killer, safe checker. We talked with him in Traverse City in the summer about trying to produce a little offense."

Holland said Svechnikov and Hicketts will turn pro and join the Grand Rapids Griffins next season. They will decide in the next three months whether it's better for Holmstrom to stay in Sweden for another season or play in the AHL.

Saarijarvi has another year of junior. Van Pottelberghe will remain in Sweden, where he plays for Linkopings. Ehn likely will remain in Sweden for another year.

Holland, unlike past years, isn't attending this year's tournament because the team's front office will be well-represented. Assistant GM Ryan Martin, who helped assemble the U.S. roster, and Chris Chelios, an assistant coach for Team USA, will be there. Jiri Fischer, the club's director of player development, and Kris Draper, a special assistant to Holland, are attending, as are director of amateur scouting Tyler Wright, chief amateur scout Jeff Finley and the European scouts, including Hakan Andersson.

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