GRAND RAPIDS - Filip Zadina’s progress so far in the AHL encouraged the Detroit Red Wings to send the top prospect to the World Junior Championships and play for the Czech Republic.

"We think he's in a good spot; he's developing and trending upwards," Ryan Martin, the Red Wings assistant general manager, said Wednesday. Earlier in the day the team said Zadina would play in the elite Under-20 tournament.

Zadina, the sixth overall pick in last year’s draft, has seven goals and 15 points - fourth on the team - in 23 games. He was scoreless Wednesday in the Griffins' 4-2 win against San Antonio.

The tournament runs Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia. Practice begins next week, but Zadina won’t leave until after the Griffins' Dec. 19 game, Martin said.

“He should be able to make one exhibition game (the timing would have the Czechs against the U.S.), and so he should have about four, five days before the tournament starts,” Martin said.

The decision also gives Zadina another seven games with the Griffins before departing. Depending on how the tournament goes, he could miss as many as seven games with the Griffins, possibly returning for the Jan. 9 game at Milwaukee.

“I decided I wanted to go and they let me go,” Zadina said. “It’s my last time with it … and I just wanted to play with the boys again, have fun and play for a championship.”

Although the organization has been pleased with Zadina’s progress with the Griffins as a first-year pro, Martin said, there was greater value to have him return to the tournament.

"A lot of players want to represent their country and we got input from Filip and he definitely wanted to do that," Martin said. "That tournament is of the caliber that we don't think he's going to go there and develop bad habits. We look at it that he's going to play an even more important role for them than he even does here and that will help his confidence."

Last year, before he was drafted, Zadina dominated as an 18-year-old with seven goals - tied for the tournament high - and eight points in seven games. He was named to the all-star team.

“It’s always a big honor to play for your country and I don’t know when (the) next time I’ll play for the Czech Republic," Zadina said. "So I just knew right away that I wanted to play for the Czech national team.”

Griffins coach Ben Simon recognized the importance to Zadina to represent his country, and also to have an impact in the tournament.

“I think it’s important for him to be one of the big men on campus, be a big fish over there,” Simon said. “He’ll be competing against guys at his age level and so he should do well. He’s going to be looked to log a lot of big minutes for that team.”

With that, Simon noted, Zadina will receive more latitude than within the Griffins' system.

“And we’ll figure that out when he comes back," Simon said. “And I hope he maintains the progress that he’s been making.”

Other Red Wings prospects who have been invited to the World Juniors are forward Joe Veleno and defenseman Jared McIsaac with Canada and defenseman Malte Setkov with Denmark.