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Anthony Mantha (right) is perhaps the most heralded Detroit Red Wings prospect ever.

(Brendan Savage | MLive.com)

The Detroit Red Wings aren't in the business of making promises to youngsters, even one as talented as forward Anthony Mantha.

They're also not in the habit of rushing youngsters to the NHL no matter how much potential they show or the amount of clamoring fans do.

So despite being the club's No. 1 prospect – one whose arrival is more anticipated than perhaps any other player in the Red Wings' storied history – Mantha is destined to begin his first pro season in Grand Rapids and could spend the entire year in the AHL to gain more experience.

Mantha understands that and is OK with the master plan.

But that doesn't mean he and the Red Wings share the same opinion when it comes to the timetable for his NHL debut.

Mantha is ready to play for the Red Wings now.

"If you ask me, I think I am," Mantha said during last week' s development camp in Traverse City. "At the end of the summer, I'll be a few pounds heavier. I think I can play there. But as I mentioned, it's (about) coming to camp, being ready and we'll see.

"I need to keep working, keep getting stronger – on the ice, off the ice. At main camp, I need to be ready mentally so if they give me a chance I need to take it right away. I'll come over here with the best thinking and we'll build off that.

"The skill level is there. I'm a tall, big guy. I think I can play there but obviously I need to be ready next year."

For their part, the Red Wings say Mantha will be given every opportunity to make the big club when he reports to training camp in September.

But he's also not going to be rushed to the NHL or handed a spot just because many fans expect it after consecutive 50-goal seasons in junior hockey.

The Red Wings have made the playoffs in 23 straight seasons, they're not bottom dwellers in need of selling tickets and the club has a history of bringing players along slowly. To open the season in the NHL, Mantha will either have to be spectacular in camp or the Red Wings will have to be hit with a rash of injuries.

"He's going to have to beat someone out," said general manager Ken Holland. "I think everybody had potential. Some have more than others. Not many can score as he scores in his tier group. He produced at the world juniors, up until the last couple of games, at that level."

But there's more to the game than scoring goals.

"How is he physically? Is he good defensively?" Holland asked. "Lots of times in junior, college and Europe, scores are 5-4, 6-5 and we play a lot 2-1 and 3-2 games. So if you don't score what else do you bring to the table?

"If you don't score, can you kill a penalty, are you good defensively, can you win physical battles, can you protect the puck down low, can you forecheck and force the defense to make mistakes? It's more than just can you score.

"Unless you can score 80 goals, and nobody scores 80 goals let alone 50 goals."

Mantha will take part in the annual prospects tournament beginning Sept. 12 at Centre ICE Arena in Traverse City, where the Red Wings will also hold training camp beginning with physicals Sept. 18.

Holland said the decision on where Mantha starts the season is ultimately up to coach Mike Babcock.

And Babcock will undoubtedly find it difficult to put Mantha among his top six forwards with proven NHLers like Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk, Gustav Nyquist, Johan Franzen, Justin Abdelkader and Tomas Tatar already ahead of him on the depth chart.

"When we open with Boston and the coach says to me he wants Mantha in the lineup, he's in the lineup," Holland said. "If he's in the lineup it's because basically we think he's going to be a top-six forward. I don't know we'd put him on the fourth line and play him eight minutes.

"I know Mike Babcock wants to give Mantha some opportunities with Datsyuk, Zetterberg, with our best players. We have eight exhibition games. I know we want him to play 5-6. After we've watched him play for three weeks and we get to the end of September or early October, he's got to take somebody's job.

"If that's not the case, he goes to Grand Rapids and we'll go through the development process and develop him into that guy."

Mantha possesses all the tools for success.

He stands a sturdy 6-foot-5, 204 pounds, is strong with the puck and is loaded with confidence after an outstanding career with the Val-d'Or Foreurs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Mantha was the only 50-goal scorer in the 2013 draft when the Red Wings selected him 20th overall and he was the QMJHL Most Valuable Player last season after leading the league in goals (57) and points (120).

He was also the CHL Player of the Year, represented Canada in the World Junior Championships and helped Val-d'Or win the QMJHL title before losing in the semifinals of the Memorial Cup, where he played against fellow Red Wings prospect Tyler Bertuzzi of the Guelph Storm.

Anthony Mantha (left) played for Canada in last year's World Junior Championships.

Bertuzzi and Mantha met in a premininary game with Guelph winning 6-3. Mantha was held to one assist while Bertuzzi scored a goal.

"In the Mem Cup he was doing well," said Bertuzzi, whose team lost in the final to the Edmonton Oil Kings. "We needed to shut him down so we kept an eye on him and shut him down pretty good."

There's little not to get excited about Mantha as far as the Red Wings are concerned.

One of knocks on Mantha when he was drafted was a perceived lack of fire and intensity but the Red Wings think he dispelled those notions during his MVP season. He's also been willing to accept constructive criticism and put it to use, is surprisingly fast given his size, knows where to find open spots on the ice and can score goals in a number of ways.

Is it any wonder he's considered a prospect that can't miss?

That said, the Red Wings are being careful not to get too excited since not every prospect lives up to his billing.

"Anytime a prospect is real heralded you always have to make sure everybody calms themselves down," said Grand Rapids coach Jeff Blashill, who conducted the development camp. "There's still going to be a learning process in making the adjustment (to pro hockey). That's just the reality of every prospect.

"Some guys make the jump real quick but there's still a learning curve. How quickly guys make the jump you just can't predict. But am I excited if Mantha is down playing with us? I absolutely would be in the sense that I love to help great players become even better and he's certainly a great player who I think has a real bright future.

"I've seen good leadership qualities from him (since last year). I just think it's an overall maturity level and part of your progression as player. He looks like he's taken a big step."

Mantha thinks his biggest area of improvement in the last year has been on the defensive end of the ice. He had a career-best plus-34 rating last season after making it a point to improve defensively.

Red Wings director of player development Jiri Fischer has noticed another big difference in Mantha since last year.

"He's stronger," Fischer said. "He's stronger on the puck and after the season he's had ... he knows that right now he's turning pro and there's a big opportunity in the fall. He knows it.

"Confidence is something you can't buy in pro hockey. He knows he's good and make sure it carries over to camp."

Despite being only 19, Mantha is already developing into a bit of a leader among his fellow prospects.

At the five-day development camp, the Red Wings not only had him skating alongside 2014 No. 1 draft pick Dylan Larkin in practices and scrimmages, they also had Mantha sitting next to the University of Michigan-bound center in the dressing room.

"He's been cool," said Larkin, 17. "This is his second year here and I'm just kind of looking around and looking for someone to look up to. He's been in my position and he's had some success.

"I really look up to him and he's been a good role model. He's a really nice guy. I enjoy being around him. He's a good guy."

Mantha is aware of the high expectations Red Wings fans have for him – mainly through Twitter – but tries not to pay attention to that stuff in order to avoid additional pressure.

Regardless of where he plays next season, Mantha just wants to keep improving.

"I think I need to get a great season in if it's in Grand Rapids or Detroit," Mantha said. "I need to get better all over the ice. I need to be a smarter player, maybe make my decisions a second and a half faster. That's mostly the difference between the junior and pro level

"You need to start somewhere. If I start in Grand Rapids I'll prove to them that they can call me back and I'll be ready."

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