TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – Michael Babcock's name might have helped him get an invite to the Detroit Red Wings Development Camp but he wasn't here just because of his famous father.

He doesn't have the same type of resume as top draft picks like Anthony Mantha or Martin Frk, but the son of Red Wings coach Mike Babcock is an accomplished player in own right.

After completing his high school career at Detroit Catholic Central, where he had 18 goals and 24 assists last season, Babcock plans to spend the next two seasons playing in the United States Hockey League before continuing his career at Merrimack College.

The USHL obviously isn't on the same level as the Canadian major junior hockey leagues but it does produce its share of NHL draft picks every year.

So Babcock attended the Development Camp for the second straight year in preparation of joining the Fargo Force next season.

"I know a bunch of the guys so it's kind of easier that way," Babcock, 18, said of his second trip to the Development Camp at Centre Ice Arena. "You kind of know what to expect. I feel comfortable. I feel just coming here is only beneficial.

"It will definitely help me in the USHL."

Especially since he won't be facing the type of competition in the USHL that he did at the Development Camp, which ended Monday.

Mantha, for instance, played in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season and was the only 50-goal scorer in the NHL Draft, where the Red Wings took him with the 20th overall pick.

And Frk helped the Halifax Mooseheads with the Memorial Cup, the top junior championship in Canada.

Babcock not only won't see the same level of the competition in the USHL but he's unlikely to see players as big as the ones at the Development Camp, where eight players are at least 6-foot-4.

"There's a lot of big guys here," said Babcock, who stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 150 pounds. "I don't know if the size will be there but I'm just looking forward to the opportunity."

Babcock has already got a taste of the USHL, appearing in five games for the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders last season – when he also played one game for the U.S. National Development Team – but he spent the majority of his season with DCC.

He helped the Shamrocks reach the Division 1 state championship game before they lost 2-1 to Brighton. Babcock drew an assist on DCC's only goal.

"I was really glad I went back," he said. "I scored a lot more than the previous year and I got the opportunity to be one of the guys who needed to be on the ice for the team to win. It was a good learning experience."

Babcock was one of three Development Camp players whose last names are well known to Red Wings' fans.

Tyler Bertuzzi, nephew of Red Wings forward Todd Bertuzzi, was a second-round draft pick this year and Dean Chelios, son of Red Wings adviser of hockey operations Chris Chelios, is a camp invite who is heading into his senior season at Michigan State.

Babcock didn't speak with either about the burden of carrying a famous last name and the expectations that come with it.

"Not really," he said. "Cheli kind of gets it more just because he's been here more. His dad was a player. My dad is just a coach. I think Dean got it a little bit more. I haven't talked to Bert about it. I think Bert can take care of himself."

And what about his famous father? Was it tough growing up in Hockeytown with the same last name as a Stanley Cup-winning coach, whose decisions are usually questioned on a daily basis by Red Wings' fans after eight years?

"Growing up, guys would heckle you a little bit," said Babcock, who sports a strong resemblance to his dad. "Most of the guys were good about it. You get the occasional heckling. Not too much at the high school level.

"My dad is good about it. I didn't have to be a hockey player. That was my choice. He influenced me a lot."

Babcock, who scored a goal in the post-scrimmage shootout Friday, will play in Fargo next season after being acquired by the Force in a trade with Cedar Rapids. He's eligible for the NHL Draft in 2014 but plans on going to college in 2015.

He hasn't given much thought to what he wants to do in hockey after his career at Merrimack is over.

"All I wanted to do was play college hockey," Babcock said. "I'm playing hockey for six more years. If the opportunity is there (after college), I'll definitely go after it. But it if it's not there, I won't be bitter."