The Detroit Red Wings’ defense needs rejuvenation, and two of the top candidates enter the competition brimming with confidence from a world class event.

Libor Sulak and Filip Hronek will be in the spotlight when training camp opens Sept. 14, especially once it segues into exhibition season. They are in the top tier of defensive prospects, along with Dennis Cholowski and Joe Hicketts.

Hronek, 20, was a bonus from the 2016 draft, where the Wings acquired an extra second-round pick (53rd overall) when they traded Pavel Datsyuk’s contract to Arizona. Sulak, 24, is a free-agent signing from 2017.

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Hronek is coming off a standout first season of pro hockey, producing 11 goals and 28 assists for 39 points in 67 with the Grand Rapids Griffins, where he also ran one of the power plays. Sulak spent 2017-18 in Finland, where he had nine goals and 23 assists in 42 games and played in every situation with the Lahti Pelicans. One Wings veteran, having seen little of Sulak before this week’s informal skates, sounded excited.

“I think he’s a sleeper in the race, to be honest with you,” Niklas Kronwall said. “Great skater. Likes to join the rush. Seems like a good defender.”

In addition to his skating, Sulak’s assets include his shot. His focus as he prepares for his second camp with the Wings are to play “good defense, have a good gap, support forwards and throw pucks at the net.” Sulak represented the Czech Republic at the 2018 World Championship, where he was partnered with former NHL defenseman Radko Gudas. Sulak had three points in eight games.

“It is good experience for me to play against the U.S., and some guys who play in the NHL,” Sulak said. “It help me. I have to do a good job in here now.”

Likewise, Hronek finished 2018 Worlds with three points in eight games.

“I was playing against good players from NHL, so it helped me a lot,” Hronek said. “I have to work hard here and then we will see what happens.”

Hronek was asked what he feels his strengths are; the answer came from Evgeny Svechnikov, who sat nearby: “Power play.”

The Wings need a boost on their power play: It finished last season at 17.5 percent but that was thanks largely to a strong push up until Christmas; after the holidays, it was at 13.5 percent.

Hronek is certain to get an opportunity during exhibition season to quarterback a power play. Who knows, maybe he even displaces Kronwall in that role. As he enters the last season of his NHL career, Kronwall knows the push is coming.

“I think there will be more competition this year on the back end than there has been in a while,” he said. “And that is going to drive your play every night — if you are not good enough, someone else is going to step in and do it.”

Other returning defense veterans include Mike Green, Trevor Daley, Danny DeKeyser, Jonathan Ericsson and Nick Jensen.

The Wings have at least one opening on defense after having bought out Xavier Ouellet in the offseason. Cholowski, 20, dating to the first round of the 2016 draft, is arguably the most well-rounded of the top four candidates, possessing size, skill and poise with the puck. Hicketts, 22, brings energy and a physicality that belies his stature (generously listed as 5-foot-8, 180 pounds).

The key for all four will be to show they can be trusted defensively. Of the four, Sulak would seem to have the lead given his wider experience.

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