A few Grand Rapids Griffins figure to make the jump to the Red Wings next season. MLive/Daytona Niles).

Which Griffins could be Red Wings in 2017-18?

Several players who finished 2015-16 with the Grand Rapids Griffins or started 2016-17 with the AHL club made an impact with the Detroit Red Wings or got an opportunity.

Xavier Ouellet and Ryan Sproul were no longer waiver exempt and spent the whole season in Detroit. Anthony Mantha was called up early and Nick Jensen brought up mid-season and both played well.

Jared Coreau, Robbie Russo and Tomas Nosek were up for an extended period. Evgeny Svechnikov, Mitch Callahan, Ben Street, Dan Renouf, Brian Lashoff and Matt Lorito got brief looks.

The Griffins are making another playoff run with their third trip to the conference finals in five seasons.

How many will be with the Detroit Red Wings in 2017-18? Who has the best chance? Those were among the questions MLive readers asked this week.

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Tyler Bertuzzi has shown a knack for elevating his game in the playoffs (MLive/Mike Mulholland).

Tyler Bertuzzi stepping up in playoffs again

Q: With (Drew) Miller and (Steve) Ott not coming back, does this clear a roster spot for Tyler Bertuzzi next season? He's come up big in the playoffs and deserves a better look. – Charles.

A: Bertuzzi has a knack for stepping up in the playoffs. He has 19 goals and 31 points in 34 career AHL playoff games; 25 goals and 68 points in 121 career regular season games.

He’s averaged 0.91 points per game in the playoffs and 0.56 points per game in the regular season. Here’s an interesting stat: Bertuzzi’s career shooting percentage in the regular season is 9.3 percent; in the playoffs, it’s 27.5 percent.

Bertuzzi had no points in seven games with the Red Wings last season, a stint that ended after he suffered a high-ankle sprain Nov. 26. He is waiver-exempt for one more season but he’ll have an opportunity to make the Red Wings roster in training camp and the preseason. Several factors come into play: Will they lose a forward in the expansion draft? Will they sign a veteran fourth-line forward? Will an injury or two create a roster spot?

Like all waiver-exempt players, Bertuzzi will only be on the roster if he’s in the lineup. Otherwise he’ll be playing regularly in Grand Rapids.

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Tomas Nosek is out of options and likely will be on the Red Wings roster next season, (AP file photo).

Tomas Nosek ready for jump to NHL next season

Q: Which of Tomas Nosek, Tyler Bertuzzi, Evgeny Svechnikov or Martin Frk has the best chance to make the Wings in 2017-18? – L.K.

A: Nosek, without a doubt, in part because he's no longer waiver-exempt next season (neither is Frk, who was claimed twice on waivers last season).

I think Nosek will be exposed in the expansion draft but I doubt the Vegas Golden Knights will take him. But, if waived at the start the season, I think he’d be claimed.

Nosek had one point (a goal) in 11 games with the Red Wings at the end of the season. He has good size (6-3, 210) and goes to the net. The club isn’t deep at center and Nosek gives them the flexibility to use Luke Glendening or Riley Sheahan at wing.

Bertuzzi was discussed above. Svechnikov will spend another season in Grand Rapids, logging a lot of minutes in key situations, unless the Red Wings have multiple injuries to top-six wingers. Frk most likely will be waived again at the start of the season, unless he has a great camp and preseason and/or a spot is open due to injuries.

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Jared Coreau had some good outings with the Red Wings but struggled in his last three games. (AP file photo).

What will unfold with Jared Coreau?

Q: What do you think happens with (Jared) Coreau when he's out of options next season? It would (stink) if we lost him for nothing. I realize (Jimmy) Howard will be tough to move (contract, age, injuries) and (Petr) Mrazek still has potential if he gets his act together. Should they deal Coreau before the expansion draft? – Ray.

A: Coreau will be available to Vegas in the expansion draft, but he's not likely to be selected because there will be proven NHL goaltenders exposed. The Golden Knights will select at least three goalies. They would likely take someone who is waiver-exempt as their third goalie, someone they could assign to their AHL club without losing on waivers.

I doubt Coreau has trade value because there are a glut of experienced free-agent goalies (Petr Budaj, Steve Mason, Ryan Miller, Brian Elliott, Michael Condon, Jonathan Bernier and others) and not many teams in the market for a goaltender.

Coreau looked good early in his stint with the Red Wings – posting shutouts against the Kings and Canadiens – but struggled in his final three starts. But he’s played well for the Griffins and has size (6-6) and potential. The Red Wings wouldn't want to risk losing him on waivers next season, if they can avoid it.

If the Red Wings don’t lose Howard to Vegas and aren’t able to trade him or Mrazek in the off-season, maybe they’ll start 2017-18 with three goalies on their roster. It’s far from ideal, but they’ve done it before, a few years back when they didn’t want to risk losing Joey MacDonald.

Perhaps a trade opportunity would arise during the season.

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Riley Sheahan scored his first two goals of the season in the Red Wings' final game at Joe Louis Arena. (The Associated Press).

Why not get something for Riley Sheahan?

Q: I keep reading that Riley Sheahan is the player the Red Wings will probably lose in the expansion draft. If that's the case, why not trade him and get a pick or something? I know there was interest in him at the trade deadline. – Joe

A: Maybe they will look to move him. But I doubt a team would relinquish an asset (draft pick, prospect) for Sheahan if it couldn't protect him in the expansion draft. I'm not sure how many teams would use a valuable protection slot on a player who struggled as much as Sheahan did this past season.

But, he’s young (25), big (6-3, 222) though not physical, plays center and wing and had a couple of decent seasons before 2016-17. So maybe there is a team that sees upside and would be inclined to protect him – or at least acquire him and hope they don’t lose him to the Golden Knights.

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The Penguins' Sidney Crosby (left) and Evgeni Malkin pose with the Prince of Wales Trophy. (The Associated Press).

Penguins or Predators?

Q: Who's your pick to win the Stanley Cup, and if the Penguins win would they qualify as a dynasty (winning three Cups in eight years)? – Jack

A: I think Pittsburgh will beat Nashville in six games. The Penguins have the experience and I'll take their firepower up front over the Predators' talented, mobile defense.

The Penguins would need to win three Cups in a row or four in a span of five or six years before they could be included in dynasty discussions.