But Filip Zadina let the cat out of the bag after Thursday's morning skate.

DETROIT -- As a member of the Detroit Red Wings, it was not something that you reveal right when you get drafted.

"I'm so excited about this game, it's going to be huge game against Chicago, that was my favorite team when I was growing up," Zadina said. "It's going to be huge game. Excited about it. Ready for it. Hopefully, we'll play well and able to win my first game at home. It will be awesome."

Tweet from @DetroitRedWings: "I'm excited about it, ready for it," @filip_zadina on tonight's matchup with the Blackhawks. | #CHIvsDET pic.twitter.com/LvVcTeqiGu

The Blackhawks, one of the Red Wings' most bitter rivals in the National Hockey League, might have been Zadina's favorite team growing up but that was then and this is now.

"For sure my favorite player was Patrick Kane," Zadina admitted. "If he is going to play it's going to be a huge game for me. I just want to beat them and play good hockey."

Now Zadina has to do everything in his power to help the Wings defeat the Blackhawks, even if it is just a preseason game.

Unlike Wednesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Blackhawks are bringing more of their NHL players, including captain Jonathan Toews, Kane and Michigan native Alex DeBrincat.

"I think from the roster I got, it looks like Chicago could have a good team here," Wings coach Jeff Blashill said. "I think they had a couple extra forwards, couple extra D so I'm not positive what they're dressing. But if they have anywhere near the team I think they might have, it'll be great because you'll see (Zadina) against real NHL players and see how he does. Coming off a day off so should have lots of energy."

Zadina welcomed the notion that he would get to measure himself against some of the league's established stars.

"It's good for me and our team that we can compare ourselves against them and we'll see if we will be better than them, if we can win," Zadina said. "If we don't win, we got to be better the next game."

As in the Red & White Game, Zadina will be on a line with Andreas Athanasiou and Thomas Vanek.

"They're special players, so it was good for me to play with them and we're going to play tonight together as well," Zadina said. "It's going to be a huge game. I'm so excited about this game, because I'm able to play with those players, so it's going to be huge game for me. I just want to learn some stuff from them. First NHL game, so pumped about it."

While that line certainly has excellent offensive potential, how about at the other end of the ice?

"I think they all have it in them to be real good defensively," Blashill said. "I think a lot of times being good defensively is just caring to a high level and I think they certainly have it in them. Double-A can be excellent defensively because he can jump on pucks and get out of the zone as fast as you can. I'd love to see him spend as much time in the O-zone as possible. In order for them to be a line, they got to be accountable defensively, though."

TURGEON VS BLACKHAWKS AGAIN: Another player who has fond memories of the Blackhawks is Dominic Turgeon.

That's because Turgeon made his NHL debut against them in Chicago on Jan. 14, a 4-0 Detroit victory.

"That was definitely a memorable day," Turgeon said. "I'm excited to get back at it and start the preseason. We've been working hard at camp and I think everyone's excited to get it going and be in game situations."

Tweet from @DetroitRedWings: .@turg19 ahead of tonight's preseason matchup with the Blackhawks. #LGRW pic.twitter.com/edBa5KrRps

For Turgeon, it is particularly meaningful as last season was cut short due to thoracic outlet syndrome, which caused blood clots and required two surgeries.

"I'd say it took me about five weeks until I was doing kind of body work - riding the bike lightly, doing leg stuff and then a few weeks after that I kind of ramped up and I was able to do weights most of the summer," Turgeon said.

Turgeon said he had enough time to get back to where he was before the surgery.

"Yeah, absolutely. I definitely had a good training throughout the summer and definitely in good shape, I feel," he said. "Everything feels really good right now. I'm just thankful the recovery went well."

Although Turgeon did not have any points in his five games with the Wings, he did gain some more confidence with that experience.

"I definitely feel more comfortable, I'd say," Turgeon said. "I feel like I've gotten to know some of the guys a lot better, too. I'd say it's a little easier but then again I'm just very excited."

Turgeon's name doesn't get mentioned a lot when it comes to forwards with a chance to make the Wings out of camp, but that doesn't mean he's not focused on trying to make it.

"I think that has to be my mindset," Turgeon said. "I definitely want to be here full-time and I'm doing to try to do everything I can and try to play the best hockey I can."

Blashill doesn't expect Turgeon to be what he's not but does expect a lot from the 22-year-old.

"I think Dom is just one of those guys that has to just continue on a nightly basis to have a little more positives than negatives and to do that he can't have lots of negatives because he's not going to create offensively to the same level that some other guys are," Blashill said. "Not to say that he can't because he can but not to that same level. I think a guy like Luke Glendening is a good model for him. You do such a good job on the defensive side of the puck that anything you create offensively puts you in the plus column. That's got to be his focus that way.

"I'd like to see if he's gained a little bit of quickness. He had obviously the tough go at the end of the year last year so training-wise, I'm not sure where the training was at this summer but he looks like he's a little bit quicker and he looks like he's in good shape."

One thing working in Turgeon's favor is that without captain Henrik Zetterberg, there aren't as many centers in the organization.

"Definitely unfortunate with what happened with Z," Turgeon said. "He's definitely been a huge part of this organization and hockey in general. It's sad to see that happen. It does open up spots. There's a lot of young guys here who have been working hard throughout the camp, trying to earn spots."

Getting a chance to play with Zetterberg is something that Turgeon said he will always treasure.

"It's a dream come true," Turgeon said. "It's someone I grew up watching my whole life so Game 1, to walk in and my stall was right next to his. It was an unreal moment, very exciting for me and my family. It was great."

HICKETTS AGAIN: After playing 20:49 and recording five shots against the Penguins, defenseman Joe Hicketts will play again Thursday against the Blackhawks.

"I want to get all these young D the right amount of games to evaluate them," Blashill said. "We've kind of set a target at five or six or whatever and in order to do that, you got to play guys back to back so he won't be the only guy who plays back to back. The difference for him as opposed to like a (Dennis) Cholowski or (Vili) Saarijarvi or any of those guys is that they played in that prospects tournament so they had four real intense games prior to our camp so I think they needed a break."

Other young defensemen in the lineup include Filip Hronek and Libor Sulak.