Mitch-Callahan-9-27-14

Red Wings prospect Mitch Callahan roughs it up with Boston's Zdeno Chara during a preseason game at Joe Louis Arena.

(The Associated Press)

DETROIT – It wouldn't hurt the Detroit Red Wings to be a little more physical, or at least raise their level of abrasiveness.

They need to be harder to play against.

Mitch Callahan can provide that element of toughness. And he just might get that opportunity after spending three seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins.

With Pavel Datsyuk expected to miss another 2-3 weeks with a separated shoulder, the Red Wings have a roster spot open. The combative Callahan appears to have the edge in the competition with a handful of prospects vying for that job.

"I want to stand out and bring something no one in this room can bring," Callahan said. "I've got a little bit of an advantage, not for making the team, but with the different style I play, than some of the other guys here -- grit, physical. That's what I enjoy doing.

"But at the same I need to show that my skill, speed and hockey sense is at this level."

The Red Wings have two more preseason games, Friday at Toronto and Saturday at Boston, before finalizing their season-opening 23-man roster by Tuesday.

Callahan's main competition comes from Landon Ferraro and Andrej Nestrasil. The fast-skating Ferraro's offensive game hasn't developed like the Red Wings hoped after they selected him with their top pick in 2009 (32nd overall). Nestrasil, a late bloomer while in the AHL, has skills and size (6-3. 210).

All three need to pass through waivers to be sent back to Grand Rapids.

A couple others competing for that spot, Teemu Pulkkinen and Tomas Nosek, are waiver-exempt, so there is no urgency to keep them on the roster for fear of losing them.

Of that group, Callahan is the best fit for the fourth line, which could stand to be more agitating and get under the opposition's skin. That's Callahan's game.

"Growing up in and playing California youth hockey I was pretty much hated by everybody I played against and it kind of carried over to junior hockey," Callahan said. "My coach in juniors told me if I wanted to play at the next level I would have to play like that. I kind of knew my style of play right away."

He has toned it down a bit, reducing his penalty minutes from 103 to 51 and his fighting majors from 14 to one, from his first AHL season in 2011-12 to his third in 2013-14. His offense spiked from 11 goals and 20 points in 2012-13 to 26 goals and 44 points last season.

"It was really important for me individually to show my improvement over the years and show I'm getting better and better every year," Callahan said. "It gave me some confidence coming into camp this year, but I can't be looking at my success last year."

The club's sixth-round pick (180th overall) in 2009 has bucked the odds in making it this far. If he makes it to the NHL, it won't be as a scorer, it'll be as a disturber.

"He has some ingredients to his game; the ability at the American League level to aggravate the opposition," Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said. "We're happy with his development; he's had a good preseason. We'll have to make some decisions in the next week."

The Red Wings would hate to lose Callahan on waivers after the step he took last season with the Griffins. As much as Callahan would love to remain with the organization that developed him, he won't be sweating out the next few days.

"I'm just excited for the season to start," Callahan said. "You never know where I'll end up. Anywhere I'll play I'll be having fun."

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