Filip Zadina (left) is the Red Wings' highest pick since 1990. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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The Detroit Red Wings continue to rebuild and look to the future, and director of player development Shawn Horcoff is keeping close tabs on prospects in Europe, the major junior ranks, American colleges, the AHL and even the ECHL.

Horcoff last week provided MLive with an update on some of the organization's top prospects (listed in alphabetical order):

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Jonatan Berggren (left) has been hampered by an injury. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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Jonatan Berggren, RW, Skelleftea AIK (Sweden)

GP: 16, G: 0, A: 3, PT: 3

Drafted: 33rd in 2018

Berggren got off to a rough start. He tweaked his back and played hurt for a while. Now he's in the early stages of rehab and out about a month.

"He's a good skater with quick edges, very good skill with the puck, good playmaking ability," Horcoff said. "I think at this point he wants to pass more than he wants to shoot. We'd like to change that to become more of a dual threat. We think he has the ability to do that. He's raw but has good high-end skill."

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Christoffer Ehn has gotten a good look from the Red Wings this season. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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Christoffer Ehn, C/LW, Grand Rapids (AHL)

GP: 10, G: 1, A: 5, PT: 6

Drafted: 106th in 2014

Ehn has spent most of the season in Detroit, where he surprisingly earned a roster spot out of training camp due to his skating ability, defensive play and penalty killing. He has a goal and three assists in 22 games with the Red Wings.

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Kaden Fulcher is off to a good start as a pro. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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Kaden Fulcher, G, Toledo (ECHL)

W-L-OTL: 8-2-0, GAA: 2.94, SAVE PCT: .898

Drafted: Free agent

After helping Hamilton (OHL) earn a berth in the Memorial Cup last season, Fulcher is off to a good start as a pro, backing up for the Walleye.

"Hopefully he keeps that play up and gets a good run at maybe gets some games in the AHL and continues his progress," Horcoff said.

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The Red Wings like Joe Hicketts' competitiveness. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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Joe Hicketts, D, Grand Rapids (AHL)

GP: 23, G: 1, A: 7, PT: 8

Drafted: Free agent

Hicketts started the season in Detroit due to a slew of injuries on defense (eight games, no points).

"He brings a lot of energy," Horcoff said. "When I saw him a week-and-a-half ago he was probably the best D-man we had there, playing the most minutes, both PP, PK, big-time minutes. His biggest asset is his competitiveness. He loves to be on the ice, play every situation and he likes to compete. He's doing well."

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Filip Hronek must improve defensively. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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Filip Hronek, D, Grand Rapids (AHL)

GP: 20, G: 5, A: 13, PT: 18

Drafted: 53rd in 2016

Recalled from the Griffins due to Mike Green's injury, Hronek likely will spend a few more weeks in Detroit, where he has two goals and two assists in 12 games, including a stint at the start of the season.

"He got an opportunity to play more important defensive minutes (in Grand Rapids) that he wouldn't have gotten in Detroit," Horcoff said. "He got a good opportunity on the PK. The message was clear when he left, to be better defensively. He's got to gain the trust of the coaches to be on the ice and defend and play against the other team's best players. He went down with good focus, good work ethic, good attitude and worked on all those things. He's definitely made improvements."

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Kasper Kotkansalo is a stay-at-home defender. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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Kasper Kotkansalo, D, Boston University (Hockey East)

GP: 16, G: 0, A: 4, PT: 4

Drafted: 71st in 2017

"Got off to a little bit of a slow start this year," Horcoff said. "When I saw him early in the season, I wasn't really happy with where his game was at but having seen him again last weekend, he's made good strides. He's going to be a defender, that's what he is. He's good on the PK, he's got pretty good sense, he can move the puck pretty well. He's at his best when he's just defending hard and keeping it simple."

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Filip Larsson is coming back from an injury. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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Filip Larsson, G, Denver (NCHC)

W-L-OTL: 1-0-1, GAA: 2.31, SAVE PCT: .937

Drafted: 167th in 2016

The USHL goaltender of the year last season with the Tri-City Storm, Larsson injured his ankle just before the season and is now just starting his collegiate career.

"We'll know more about him the second half," Horcoff said. "He had a great year, one of the best, if not the best goaltender in the USHL last year."

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Gustav Lindstrom is playing well in Sweden's top league. (Ansar Khan/MLive)

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Gustav Lindstrom, D, Frolunda (Sweden)

GP: 26, G: 2, A: 2, PT: 4

Drafted: 38th in 2017

Lindstrom is playing almost 20 minutes a game in all situations for one of the top teams in Sweden's highest league, which Horcoff said is no small feat for a 19-year-old.

"He likes to play physical, he's got a good first pass, he's got nice poise with the puck," Horcoff said. "He's progressing nicely and we're happy with his progress.

"He's a good skater, but there's a couple areas we'd like to see him improve, not just to get to the next level but to succeed at the next level. Strength will help his game a lot. To be able to kill a cycle he's got to get a little bit stronger. Leg strength will help his stride in general and the skating is going to help that. He's got a good shot already, but a little more upper-body strength would help that as well."

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Jared McIsaac (right) earned a spot on Canada's World Junior team. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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Jared McIsaac, D. Halifax (QMJHL)

GP: 23, G: 7, A: 15, PT: 22

Drafted: 36th in 2018

McIsaac leads Moosehead defensemen in goals and points and earned a spot on Canada's World Junior team.

"Mac's been really good. I really like him," Horcoff said. "He's a polished kid, he's quiet, doesn't say much. He's real physical and aggressive on the ice, which I like. He's got a good first pass. He's the main defenseman on a real good Halifax team and he also made the World Junior team, which is no small feat."

Horcoff said McIsaac is a good all-around player.

"I love his compete and his physicality," Horcoff said. "At least once a game you see him step up and pop a guy. He's not afraid to mix it up. He's got great compete. He's got really good hockey sense, probably the thing I like most about him."

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Keith Petruzzelli is playing well in college. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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Keith Petruzzelli, G, Quinnipiac (ECAC)

W-L-OTL: 8-3-0, GAA: 2.10, SAVE PCT: .917

Drafted: 88th in 2017

The 6-5 goaltender has gotten off to a good start and made significant improvement in his sophomore season.

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David Pope, LW, Grand Rapids (AHL)

GP: 19, G: 2, A: 1, PT: 3

Drafted: 109th in 2013

After four seasons at Nebraska-Omaha, Pope started his pro career at an older age (24) than most and has had to battle to stay in the lineup.

"It's not an easy league," Horcoff said. "He's going through some adversity, trying to find his place in the lineup, trying to do whatever he can to stay in every night.

"His play away from the puck has improved. He's a shooter, so he needs to find a way to get inside the good scoring areas more and get more pucks on net. If he's in a bottom-six role, he's got to find a way to bring energy to the lineup. He's just figuring out the type of game he needs to play to be in the lineup every night."

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Alec Regula has good size and makes a good first pass. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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Alec Regula, D, London (OHL)

GP: 29, G: 3, A: 12, PT: 15

Drafted: 67th in 2018

Regula skates well for his size (6-4, 207) and is playing well in his second OHL season, Horcoff said.

"He can make a play under pressure, he's got a good first pass," Horcoff said. "He needs a big summer. Strength is the big thing. Defending in the zone and off the rush is an area we're going to continue to work with him. He's a local kid (West Bloomfield), that makes it a lot easier for us in the summer to stay in touch with him."

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Vili Saarijarvi has had an up and down season in the AHL. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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Vili Saarijarvi, D, Grand Rapids (AHL)

GP: 32, G: 1, A: 6, PT: 7

Drafted: 73rd in 2015.

This smaller, right-shooting defender (5-10, 178) had a good training camp and preseason with the Red Wings but has experienced what Horcoff described as an up and down season in Grand Rapids.

"He's gotten more opportunity and he probably would have wanted to take more advantage of that," Horcoff said. "He committed to coming in this summer and working extremely hard. He got himself better. He has to be able to go back, break the puck out. His skating improved over the summer; he used his legs and his ability to move the puck. He can run the power play if you need him to and the thing he's working on most is defending. At that size you have to be able to kill the cycle, you have to be strong defensively."

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Malte Setkov (left) is big but needs to get stronger. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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Malte Setkov, D, Malmo (Sweden)

GP: 13, G: 0, A: 0, PT: 0

Drafted: 100th in 2017

Towering defenseman (6-6, 196) in his first season for Sweden's top league, he's also played games for Malmo's under-20 team.

"Strength is going to be an issue for him this summer," Horcoff said. "He's 6-5, 6-6 but not very strong at all. He's got kind of an immature body in terms of that. We know that will come with time. We're going to make that a focus for us this summer for him. Once that comes, a lot will come.

"He's got a pretty good stride for his size, he's got a good first pass, pretty good shot. His skating and defending and ability to kill the cycle will get better with more strength."

Setkov will play for Denmark's World Junior team.

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Givani Smith has had a tough transition to the AHL. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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Givani Smith, RW, Grand Rapids (AHL)

GP: 23, G: 1, A: 2, PT: 3

Drafted: 46th in 2016

A big, abrasive forward (6-2, 209) who is discovering how difficult the transition can be from major juniors to the AHL.

"It's a hard league, he went through some adversity early, but I think it helped him," Horcoff said. "I think he's starting to figure out the type of game he needs to play to be successful at the pro level. It usually takes some time and some adversity. And what that adversity does is it forces these guys to fight and dig deeper and do more.

"He's the kind of player we need, a guy that's intense every shift, he's physical, he's hard on the team's skilled players. He also gets to the front of the net."

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Libor Sulak skates well and can join the rush. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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Libor Sulak, D, Grand Rapids (AHL)

GP: 27, G: 0, A: 5, PT: 5

Drafted: Free agent

Sulak impressed during training camp and preseason with his skating and ability to join the rush. He played six games for the Red Wings due to injuries.

He is adjusting to the smaller North American ice surface.

"We knew it was going to take some time for him to figure out the game on the small ice," Horcoff said. "He skates great. He likes to get up in the rush, he's got a great shot. He's got to be able to make plays under pressure sooner because he really hasn't been used to that."

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Dominic Turgeon hopes to make the NHL one day as a checking-line center. (MIke Mulholland/MLive)

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Dominic Turgeon, C, Grand Rapids (AHL)

GP: 32, G: 3, A: 8, PT: 11

Drafted: 63rd in 2014

If Turgeon, who is in his third AHL season, makes it in the NHL it will be as a checking line center. Defense and penalty killing are his strengths. He appeared in five games with the Red Wings last season (no points). Ehn and veteran AHLer Wade Megan passed Turgeon in the pecking order this season.

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Joe Veleno has been piling up points in the junior ranks. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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Joe Veleno, C, Drummondville (QMJHL)

GP: 28, G: 22, A: 32, PT: 54

Drafted: 30th in 2018

Skilled center who is tearing it up in the Quebec League and made the Canadian World Junior team.

"He's been unbelievable," Horcoff said. "When we saw him at the start of the year there were a couple of things we thought he needed to work on. We laid out a plan for him, he really responded well. He's playing a much more balanced game. His intensity has been much better. He's harder defensively. He's been good on the PK. At the same time his offense has been really good."

As a future NHL center, Veleno must improve defensively.

"Very few players can survive in the NHL off pure offensive abilities," Horcoff said. "It's not just Joe, it's a common thing you see amongst especially the higher-picked junior players. They're relied upon for offense so much at that level that their defensive game slips a little bit. It's more that they're not focused on it enough. That's what we're trying to do with our guys, at least make them aware of it, do a lot video work with them, show them areas we think it can improve and then really it's up to them to try to add that part to their game."

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The Red Wings want Filip Zadina to dominate at AHL level. (Mike Mulholland/MLive)

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Filip Zadina, RW, Grand Rapids (AHL)

GP: 27, G: 8, A: 9, PT: 17

Drafted: Sixth overall in 2018

The team's highest pick since 1990 came to training camp with lofty expectations and was disappointed when he didn't make the roster. But the Red Wings like his attitude.

"He, like any other young guy, is realizing just how good the AHL is," Horcoff said. "It's a hard league to produce in. Even the top scorers don't have a ton of points. He had to play through some of those junior habits as well, swinging away from the puck, the defensive side, we need to work on that a little bit.

"But he's a great kid. He takes criticism well. He wants to hear it, he wants to know what he needs to do better. He's a workhorse. He puts the hours in on and off the ice to be successful. We're being patient with him right now in terms of NHL opportunity but he's definitely making strides and we're happy with where he's at."

Zadina is working on his defensive play. He has a team-worst minus-13 rating with the Griffins.

"His intensity away from the puck, his loose-puck intensity, his one-on-one battles, all that stuff he got away with in juniors that he can't at pro," Horcoff said. "His time down there has been well-spent because he's showed good improvement in all those areas."

Zadina is playing for the Czech Republic at the World Juniors. The Red Wings want him to be dominant at the AHL level before giving him a chance in the NHL. They don't want to bring him up for just a few games and then send him down again. If he plays 11 NHL games this season, he'll need to be protected for the 2021 expansion draft.

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