Detroit Red Wings like the looks of Michael Rasmussen, Dennis Cholowski

The Detroit Red Wings will field their most recent first-round pick and a defenseman trying to make their team when they host their second straight exhibition game at Little Caesars Arena.

The Wings held two practices Sunday, with a veteran notable in a first group heavy on minor leaguers and prospects, and a second veteran group that saw a few injured players make appearances.

Here are highlights from the day.

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Rasmussen on game roster: 2017 first-round pick (ninth overall) Michael Rasmussen will play his first game at Little Caesars Arena Monday when the Wings host the Pittsburgh Penguins (he’s played in two road exhibition games). Rasmussen spent Sunday subbing onto a line between Gustav Nyquist and Tomas Tatar. Riley Sheahan took that spot in Saturday’s game (as a placeholder for Henrik Zetterberg) but Sheahan will have Monday off. Coach Jeff Blashill said Rasmussen and 2016 first-round pick Dennis Cholowski have “both played well. Rasmussen was one of our best players in Chicago, Cholowski was real good as the game went along in Chicago. We can get another look at them and they can get another taste of NHL hockey, and then also get a chance to play in Little Caesars Arena.”

Confidence in Cholowski: Cholowski, the 20th overall pick from 2016, didn’t have a good 2016-17 season at St. Cloud State, but he’s since made encouraging strides. Blashill said he saw Cholowski, 19, played 3-on-3 hockey this July, and “he had command of the puck. He controlled the play. He was excellent.” Blashill said he called the Wings’ director of amateur scouting, Tyler Wright, and told him “boy, it looks like you could have really hit a home run with this guy. … I’ve seen his confidence grow from prospects tournament through main camp and into exhibition. I still think the next step is on the power play, to have command with the puck. To make sure he is running the power play, he is not just one the power play. As he continues to learn to do that, and his confidence grows, I think he can be an excellent player.”

48 to 62: Ryan Sproul (left knee surgery in April) has been cleared to play and will be in Monday’s lineup. He’s changed from wearing 48 to 62, the number he said he first wore in his first camp. To make sure he sticks at this camp, Sproul “has got to make sure he is fast back to the puck,” Blashill said. “He’s got to make sure he spends as little time in the d-zone as possible so he can use his best asset, and that is his feet and his shot.” The knock on Sproul, 24, is his lack of assertiveness. “I think instead of trying to be more offensive, I am going to try to change my game a little bit and just be more defensive and steady,” Sproul said. “I need to let the coaches trust me to play in all zones.” Sproul, who shoots right, was a standout offensive defenseman in juniors and good in the AHL, but he hasn’t translated it to the NHL yet. He has long odds to make the Wings as he is eighth on defense depth chart and the Wings plan to carry seven defensemen.

On the horizon: Zetterberg (neck kink) practiced briefly with the second group. Niklas Kronwall (back) practiced in entirety, but Blashill said neither will play Monday. Justin Abdelkader (groin) skated briefly in a grey (no contact) jersey. “I’m hoping all three will get in at least one game if not two,” Blashill said “We’ll try to aim for two for a couple of them. Kronwall would be the one most likely to play two. I’d like to get two for Abby if I can and one for Z.” The Wings also have exhibition games Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

DeKeyser excused: Defenseman Danny DeKeyser stood out as a veteran in the first group. Blashill said DeKeyser was excused from the veteran practice group because “he had a personal thing this afternoon.” Jokingly asked if it was the Lions game next door, Blashill laughed. “I hope not,” he said, then adding, “if it was the Lions game, we will demote.” (It was a baptism).

Contact Helene St. James: hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames.

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