Filip Hronek

Zach Nastasiuk (right), Filip Hronek (center) and goaltender Filip Larsson watch the puck sail over the net during Red Wings development camp in July. (Brendan Savage | MLive.com)

DETROIT - Detroit Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill liked what he saw from defenseman Filip Hronek during the organization's summer development camp.

Blashill is anxious to see how the 18-year-old fares against another team in a game situation Friday night when he makes his preseason debut vs. the Boston Bruins at Joe Louis Arena (7:30, Fox Sports Plus, WWJ-AM 950).

The Red Wings selected Hronek (6-0, 164) with the 53rd pick in this year's entry draft.

"I thought he had a real ability to move the puck when I saw him in the summer (development camp)," Blashill said. "He seemed to be able to handle forecheck. I think that's the hardest thing in today's game, to handle how hard everyone is forechecking. So you have to be able to manage that puck and he did a good job of it this summer.

"He's got an edge to him as well. I think it would mean a lot for him to be real good on the power play to be the type of NHL player we'd like him to be, so we'll give him a chance on the power play tonight as well."

Hronek, from the Czech Republic, will start his OHL career this season with the Saginaw Spirit.

Playing against mostly prospects on the Bruins should ease Hronek's transition. He will be paired with Dan Renouf.

"I think success breeds confidence, so if it helps him have success not (facing) a full NHL lineup that could be a positive," Blashill said. "But I think either way, from my standpoint, I'd like him to play against as good a players as possible, just to see how he handles the challenge. I liked him in the summer, let's see him in a real game."

Team Europe players arrive next week

Blashill said Tomas Tatar, Frans Nielsen and Thomas Vanek, who played for Team Europe in the World Cup - which ended Thursday with a 2-1 loss to Canada in the finals - will join the team no later than Wednesday.

"I'd love to get them in two (preseason games), but I don't think it's going to be feasible, even if they came back on Tuesday," Blashill said. "After a few days off to throw them in a game doesn't make tons of sense. So I think we'll look at next Saturday (vs. Toronto at home) as the game they'll play."

Defenseman Alexey Marchenko, who played for Russia at the World Cup, is expected to join the team for practice Saturday and play a couple of games next week.

Injury updates

Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall, both hampered by knee issues, have been skating on their own and might start practicing with the team next week.

"Tuesday would be the first opportunity they'd have to practice with us," Blashill said. "I'm not saying they're going to, I'm saying we'll evaluate that on Monday."

Blashill Teemu Pulkkinen (shoulder) has been practicing full-out.

"We're going to push him hard today physically and see if he can't be ready sooner than we thought, maybe get him in more games than we thought," Blashill said.

Here are the Red Wings lines for tonight:

Gustav Nyquist-Darren Helm-Riley Sheahan

Eric Tangradi-Matt Lorito-Mitch Callahan

Evgeny Svechnikov-Ben Street- Dylan Sadowy

Givani Smith-Louis-Marc Aubry- Matthew Ford

On defense:

Jonathan Ericsson-Mike Green

Joe Hicketts-Nick Jensen

Dan Renouf-Filip Hronek

In goal:

Jimmy Howard (full game)

Jared Coreau