DETROIT - The preseason watch lists for NHL awards are void of Detroit Red Wings, as are most publications' rankings of the top 40 or 50 players in the league.

This team has some good players, but lacks superstars, one of the reasons it is widely projected to finish near the bottom of the Eastern Conference and miss the playoffs for the second year in a row.

"The league is separated by superstars," Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "Generally, the best teams have a couple elite players that can separate you."

The Red Wings' best player, Henrik Zetterberg, turns 37 on Sunday. Health-permitting, he should still flourish at both ends of the ice, lead the team in points and be its top defensive forward.

But this team needs a boost from its youth to return to the postseason. They have three young forwards with star potential. One, Andreas Athanasiou, remains unsigned. The other two, Dylan Larkin and Anthony Mantha, will start the season on the same line, with Martin Frk, a young player with a booming right-handed shot.

"Ultimately, we need some young guys to become elite, and elite is a hard thing," Blashill said. "It's every single night, going against other teams' best, it's not just producing points, it's playing winning hockey and producing points. It's answering (media) every night when it doesn't go great, not just when it goes good. Those are all the types of things a guy like Zetterberg has had to shoulder for a long time.

"We need Larkin to have a great year, we need Mantha to have a great year, because they're going to garner lots of ice time. And when you get lots of ice time there's lot of responsibility that comes with that. They'll have a big say in how our season goes."

After an impressive rookie season, Larkin took a step back, like most of his teammates. He tallied six fewer goals (17) and 13 fewer points (32), took 43 fewer shots while his plus-minus rating dipped to minus-28 from plus-11.

Mantha will try to avoid a similar fate in his second season after a strong rookie showing with 17 goals and 36 points in 60 games.

Athanasiou, whose contract stalemate apparently will extend into the season, was second on the team with 18 goals, in 64 games, and was often electrifying with his speed with ability to finish in highlight-reel fashion. He also drew Blashill's wrath for lapses in competitiveness.

"We're all kind of at a point in our careers where we're in our second or third (NHL) years, fourth or fifth years as pros, we don't want to be looked at as kids, we want to play like men and produce, so it's time," Larkin said. "We need to step up for the team and win some games."

Lines change frequently, but Mantha-Larkin-Frk was an impressive, energetic combination in the preseason. The trio will take the ice together, even strength and on the power play, in Thursday's season opener against the Minnesota Wild at Little Caesars Arena (7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Detroit).

"They both have such good shots that when you see them, when you get the puck, you're immediately trying to look for them instead of thinking shot yourself," Larkin said.

The Red Wings hope Larkin locks down the second-line center spot. That's where he played the final 20 or so games last season and at the World Championship for Team USA.

"This year I've been trying to change my mindset to find my teammates more, make my linemates better," Larkin said. "As a centerman, that's your goal. You want to have players that want to play with you and you want to have the puck a ton.

"Look at all the elite first-line centers that make players on their line better. I got a big chance playing with those guys and I think both of them, with their skill-set alone, could be 20-30 goal scorers. If they're not producing, it's on me and I've got to get them the puck and take care of our own zone and as a line, create offense on our own."

Mantha overcame adversity early in his pro career to become a building block for the organization. His rookie season wasn't without some bumps; he was scratched for two games (March 10-12) for lack of hustle. Mantha said he needs to keep his feet moving.

"(Larkin) is going to be wheeling around," Mantha said. "Frkie is going to be there every time for that one-timer. That's not a hard guy to play with. We just need to move our feet, control the puck a little bit more and maybe be in closer support to each other, and then things should go well."

Frk, the club's top pick in 2012 (49th overall), will make his Red Wings debut Thursday after being reacquired by the club off waivers early last season. He is not assured of being on the roster throughout the season. He's appeared in only two NHL games (with Carolina) and has much to prove.

"Mo is a big boy, he can stay in front of the net and do the dirty work," Frk said. "Larks has got really good speed and a very good shot. I've got to find an open spot in the zone and try to score every time I get the chance."

When Frk was debating between the Red Wings and Europe in the off-season, assistant general manager Ryan Martin asked Blashill if he would give him a "real look."

"I said I'll give him a real look for sure," Blashill said. "A real look is going to play with real players in training camp and try to get him matched up against some NHL lines. He did a good job.

"What Frkie brings to that line is real forecheck pressure. He's not always noted for that. It's an element that line needs. I think it can be a real good line but let's keep watching."

Blashill watched Frk in Grand Rapids last season and briefly wondered if the Red Wings could use his shot exclusively on the power play before deciding that's not feasible.

"He's done a good job of calming his game down and putting himself in a position where he can be an effective five-on-five player," Blashill said.