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Red Wings defense prospect Nick Jensen has been the surprise of training camp and the preseason.

(The Associated Press)

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings made no changes on defense in the off-season. But coach Mike Babcock insists that doesn't mean changes can't happen before season-opening rosters are set by 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Several skilled prospects have been impressive in the preseason. Could one of them replace a veteran?

Babcock said that will be determined after the final two exhibition games, Friday at Toronto (7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit) and Saturday at Boston (5:30 p.m., NHL Network).

"I like when we move the puck. I like when the puck gets going in a hurry. I like guys who can make good decisions and move it," Babcock said Thursday. "We're going to do everything we can to upgrade our D, so is that the guys who've been here in the past? Is that someone new? I don't know the answer for sure but I got two more opportunities to watch before we got to make decisions."

Babcock said the three young defensemen who've played real well in camp and the preseason are Xavier Ouellet, Alexey Marchenko and Nick Jensen. Two others promising prospects, Ryan Sproul and Mattias Backman, were assigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins on Friday.

Ouellet, who leads all Red Wings in average ice time in the preseason (24:18), is the furthest along in his development. Marchenko is coming back from ankle surgery late last season in Grand Rapids. Jensen, overshadowed by the other prospects, has been one of the more impressive players in the preseason.

"Jensen, to tell you the truth coming into camp, I knew who he was, I'd seen him play and all that but I didn't know, but he's been very good, too," Babcock said.

Marchenko and Jensen shoot right-handed, an element the Red Wings lack on the blue line.

The question is, are any of these kids good enough to prompt the Red Wings to trade (if possible) or waive Jakub Kindl or Brian Lashoff? Because the club's top five defensemen – Niklas Kronwall, Jonathan Ericsson, Danny DeKeyser, Brendan Smith and Kyle Quincey – aren't going anywhere.

Babcock said last Saturday that Lashoff "isn't in any trouble," regarding his job security. Kindl, however, regressed last season after seemingly establishing himself in 2013 and the club considers him expendable.

Neither has been sharp in the preseason.

"One of the things you don't want to get too carried away with is, it is exhibition, and sometimes the engagement isn't what it should be," Babcock said. "Some guys are battling for jobs; that's just the facts. So we'll just watch it happen."

Kindl realizes the young defensemen are pushing some of the veterans.

"We all know they're good players. We all know that we have great depth. It's a competition," Kindl said. "Of course they want to take our jobs. We want to keep our jobs. It's very simple."

The Red Wings aren't going to keep a prospect as their seventh defenseman. He would either play regularly in Detroit or continue developing in Grand Rapids. All of them are exempt from waivers.

Babcock said earlier in the preseason he was seeking another point man, opposite Kronwall, for the power play. That doesn't seem as big a priority. The Red Wings have been using a diamond formation on the power play, with one defenseman at the center of the ice on the blue line, wingers at the half-wall, a man in the slot and one at the net-front.

"I'm just looking for the guy who can play five-on-five and move the puck, get the puck going," Babcock said.

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