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Anthony Mantha, the Red Wings' top pick in 2013, is preparing for his second NHL training camp.

(MLive/Ansar Khan)

DETROIT – Anthony Mantha is eminently confident in his abilities. But like any 19-year-old, he was at little intimidated at his first training camp last year with the Detroit Red Wings.

This year he'll be more comfortable when he hits the ice in Traverse City. After an exceptional junior career, Mantha is anxious to show what he can do as a pro.

The Red Wings' top prospect joined several players – many future teammates – at Joe Louis Arena Friday for an informal practice.

"Coming in early a little bit to practice with the guys is going to feel good once I'm at camp," Mantha said. "The first few days last year I was looking at the vets and I was a little bit (intimidated). This year it feels good to have the extra week to get that out and not feel that anymore. Once it's time to play my game I'll be ready in the prospects tournament and in camp."

Mantha, who turns 20 on Sept. 16, will take part in the eight-team prospects tournament at Centre I.C.E. starting next Friday. Players will be on the ice on Sept. 19 for the main camp.

The Red Wings will take a good, long look at Mantha, the 6-foot-5, 217-pound left wing who earned CHL player of the year honors after picking up 57 goals and 120 points in 57 games for the Val d'Or Foreurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (he had 24 goals and 38 points in 24 playoff games, including the Memorial Cup). He'll play in most of the exhibition games.

But unless Mantha has a tremendous preseason, coupled with multiple injuries to regular forwards, his chances of making the NHL roster at the start of the season are slim. He'll most likely play with the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins this season, probably getting called up for a few games at some point.

"You come into the big camp with the (intention) to make the team, so that's the only thing I'm going to focus on," Mantha said. "Then we're going to build off of that and we're going to see how camp goes. It will be Mike (coach Babcock) and Kenny's (general manager Holland) decision if they keep me or not."

An offense force in juniors, Mantha is focused on improving his defensive play and winning more one-on-one battles.

"Through last year I worked a lot on both aspects," Mantha said. "It's not perfect right now but I need to get better and better. That's how you're going to become a pro."

He's talked to several players, including Red Wings defense prospect Xavier Ouellet, on the transition from junior to pro.

"It's obviously a huge step," Mantha said. "(Ouellet) was telling me that guys are way bigger, they're men. Your one-on-one battles need to be hard, and for me it's going to be a big step that I need to carry through, and we're going to see how it goes."

He appeared in only one preseason game last year, the opener at Pittsburgh.

"It was my first (game), so I was maybe a little bit stressed," Mantha said. "I expect this year I won't be as stressed. I need to be prepared for any situations that are going to happen.

"I watched many, many games in the NHL last year, so I know what it takes to come here and that's what I'm going to try to do."

Holland said Mantha will be paired with either Pavel Datsyuk or Henrik Zetterberg in camp, so they're putting him in a position to succeed.

"After we've watched him play for three weeks and we get to early October, he's got to take somebody's job," Holland said. "When we open (the regular season) with Boston and the coach says he wants Mantha in the lineup he's in the lineup. If he's in the lineup it's because we think he's going to be a top-six forward. If that's not the case, he goes to Grand Rapids and we'll go through the development process."

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