DETROIT - With a glut of forwards on the roster, the Detroit Red Wings could have some difficult decisions to make when it's time to pare the roster down for the start of the regular season.

Not counting Johan Franzen and Joe Vitale, who are sidelined by concussion issues, the Red Wings have 14 forwards on their roster. That number will be trimmed by one assuming Teemu Pulkkinen (shoulder) is placed on long-term injured reserve.

So if the Red Wings don't move one of their forwards, they'll have one spot open on the roster and that could leave youngsters Andreas Athanasiou, Anthony Mantha and Tomas Nosek battling to make the team.

All three are waiver exempt and could be sent down to Grand Rapids to start the season, the same way Gustav Nyquist did in 2013-14 before finally joining the Red Wings for good.

But Athanasiou, who made a splash in his rookie season last year, doesn't plan on being the one who goes back to the AHL in October.

"I'm not worried about that," Athanasiou said Monday at Joe Louis Arena, where he was serving as an instructor at the Red Wings annual youth camp. "I'm confident in my abilities.

"I do what I can out there and like I said, it's their decision and I'm doing to do the best I can to make it as easy as possible. Just take it day to day. Come September I'm going to be ready to play.

"It's in their hands what they want to do. I'll try to make their decision as easy as possible."

As easy as possible in terms of keeping him on the roster.

Athanasiou served two stints with the Red Wings last season.

He made his NHL debut Nov. 8 against the Dallas Stars and played in six games with one goal before being sent back down.

Athanasiou returned to the NHL in February and this time played so well the Red Wings kept him on the roster for the remainder of the season.

He finished with nine goals, five assists and a plus-1 rating in 37 games while making a strong impression with his blazing speed and slick moves.

Athanasiou did that despite averaging 9:01 minutes of ice time per game. None of the Red Wings who played more than 10 games saw less action.

"It's such a tough situation, obviously, with the team we had," said Athanasiou, who scored once in five playoff games. "There's reliable players that the coach has and obviously when you step in halfway through the season and produce, it kind of puts them in a situation where they have to juggle lines and stuff.

"We did a pretty good job with it. Unfortunately, I got the minutes I got. I'm not complaining. I'm OK with that. Obviously I want it to be more but that's just my foot in the door there, so now I've got to kind to come in."

Athanasiou was the Red Wings' fourth-round pick (110th overall) in the 2012 NHL entry draft.

He turned pro late in the 2013-14 season after scoring 49 goals for the OHL's Barrie Colts during his final junior campaign and had 16 goals and 16 assists in his first full season with Grand Rapids in 2014-15.

Last season, he had eight goals and eight assists in 26 games with the Griffins.

Athanasiou has always been filled with confidence but finishing last season with the Red Wings just added to that.

"Yeah, definitely," he said. "Anytime you get a chance to play, you're always going to learn, you're always going to develop. Just keep going from there. Obviously getting to play in the National Hockey League was a dream come true.

"I think my confidence just comes from what I've been through, everything I've gone (through) growing up and getting to the National Hockey League. That's where you build you confidence and just getting a chance to play here is a big thing.

"I know my game. I know what I'm capable of. So I'm just going to work on my strengths, work on my weaknesses and come September I'll be ready."