Landon-Ferraro-9-20-14

Landon Ferraro was the Red Wings' second-round pick (32nd overall) in the 2009 NHL draft.

(Mike Mulholland | MLive.com)

TRAVERSE CITY – Nobody has more at stake during the Detroit Red Wings preseason games than forward Landon Ferraro.

The former second-round draft pick is out of minor-league options and needs to make enough of an impression during the preseason that the Red Wings will keep him on their roster to avoid exposing him to waivers.

Ferraro (6-0, 179) will get his first chance to convince the Red Wings he's worthy of a roster spot tonight in Chicago, where Detroit will play its second preseason game after beating Pittsburgh 2-1 Monday night.

"You're always trying to show what you can do and you've improved but this year is big," Ferraro said. "I worked hard in the summer trying to make sure I showed them I've made strides and that I want to push for a spot. I feel like I've had a good start but it's all about exhibitions, showing that I can play at this level.

"I have to be good in my own end. I have to block shots. I have to use my speed and I have to hit. I have to get as many pucks to the net as possible and try to keep it in the offensive zone as much as possible. The biggest thing is on the PK. I have to make sure I'm in the right spots and using my speed to be kind of able to break plays up and get in lanes and block shots.

"That's where I'm going to have to start. That's what I've been working on."

Ferraro, 23, has done whatever possible to impress coach Mike Babcock during the first four days of training camp but he said there's nothing like playing an actual game to make a good impression.

"It's hard for me to have an impact" in camp, Ferraro said. "I need to use my speed, which I can do here to get on a forecheck and hit and kind of do everything like that. But at the same time ... I had a chance yesterday to get a real good lick in on (Jakub) Kindl but no one needs to be doing that right now.

"Getting my first game I need to do what I can and show them I can be effective and I can chip in and be a part of this team."

Ferraro has spent the past three seasons in Grand Rapids after the Red Wings picked him in the second round (32nd overall) of the 2009 NHL entry draft following a junior career with the WHL's Red Deer Rebels that saw him score 37 goals in 2008-09.

He had his best pro season in 2012-13, when Grand Rapids won the Calder Cup, scoring 24 goals among 47 points before getting five goals and 11 assists during 24 playoff games.

Ferraro regressed offensively last season – getting 15 goals and 31 points in 70 games – but if he's ever going to become a regular in the NHL it's going to be as a checker and penalty killer.

He earned a call-up to Detroit last season, when the Red Wings were hit with a season-long rash of injuries, and appeared in four games in mid-March during Detroit's playoff push.

Although he was scoreless, the Red Wings earned seven of a possible eight points during Ferraro's stint in the NHL.

"It gives you a bit of confidence and you can see where you kind of line up," he said. "There were mistakes obviously made in the first couple but at the same time I feel like I handled myself well and you give yourself some reassurance that I can play here and I can play at that level."

Ferraro said he's thought about playing in the NHL since age 6 after growing up around the game. His dad, Ray, played 18 NHL seasons for six teams and finished with 408 goals among 898 points.

Landon said his four-game stint with the Red Wings was everything he imagined.

"You finally get there and you want to be able to take it all in but at the same time you're there to do a job," he said. "You want to do as well as you can for yourself but at the same time when I was up there, it was right in the middle of them trying to make sure they'd get into the playoffs.

"So I think it was kind of a special time to be able to come up and be thrown right into that situation where every game matters. We went 3-0-1 so I mean it was a pretty cool time to be around."

During his NHL debut last season in a 3-2 win over Toronto, Babcock liked Ferraro's penalty killing and speed – he won the fastest skater competition at the CHL Top Prospects Game in 2009 – and the Red Wings coach is looking forward to seeing what Ferraro can do in the preseason.

"I think he had a real good summer, so he's stronger which is critical for him," Babcock said. "He's going to be at the next level, he's an energy guy who's got to be on the forecheck and be great defensively and be a penalty killer.

"That's where his game's got to grow if he's going to play at the next level. Just getting stronger this summer is going to help. We're going to enjoy watching him in the exhibitions."

If Ferraro doesn't earn a spot on Detroit's roster out of training camp – and that seems unlikely – he hopes to at least play well enough in the preseason so the Red Wings keep him in mind should he clear waivers and return to Grand Rapids for a fourth season.

"I've had three full years in the minors," Ferraro said. "It's great hockey and everything is good but I want to be in the NHL and I feel like I can be so I have to make sure I give myself the best opportunity. You look at this team and it's so deep.

"It might not be right away but there's injuries, there's things that happen, everything. So if I'm not going to be here at the beginning I need to give myself a chance to be the first guy to be called up. You're working for a lot of things."

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