Predicting the Next 5 Detroit Red Wings Prospects to Arrive in the NHL

The Detroit Red Wings are considered the gold standard when it comes to rebuilding on the fly, and that is because of amazing scouting, drafting and development of youngsters.

Current studs like Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Tatar and Justin Abdelkader are perfect examples of this, and they got their start in the farm system. For the past two decades the Red Wings have been in the thick of things, and some players in the system can help the franchise very soon.

There is no shortage of prospects to choose from, but here are the next five players who are ready to enter the NHL. 

Axel Holmstrom

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Holmstrom in No. 25.

Axel Holmstrom is a talented prospect who has been flying under the radar. The 2014 seventh-round pick is a skilled pivot who currently plays over in Sweden where he has 14 points in 29 games to date.

Right now Holmstrom plays in a bottom-six role, partially because of his inexperience as a professional hockey player in a league among men.

He is only 18, so it will be a little bit before he makes his NHL debut, but he could pan out to be a successful mid-six forward who scores and kills penalties.

Landon Ferraro

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Landon Ferraro, son of broadcaster and former NHLer Ray Ferraro, is a 23-year-old center who could get a chance in the NHL soon.

He's been an AHL mainstay for the majority of his professional career and currently is on pace to have his best season to date. Ferraro has 21 points in 38 games thus far and is on pace to surpass the 31 he tallied in 70 games last season.

Ferraro is a fast skater with some limited upside, but he could be a decent bottom-six contributor for the Red Wings.

Ryan Sproul

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Ryan Sproul is a 6'3" defender who is currently skating for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL. The 2011 NHL draft's No. 55 overall pick had a solid AHL season in 2013-14, and this year he has 15 points in 35 games.

In some respects he is like Kris Letang, because he takes chances offensively and is more of a high-risk rover than an actual defender. Sproul is still developing as a player, but the potential is there. He has a lot of promise and could fill the right-handed defenseman role the team has been looking to fill for quite some time.

Dylan Larkin

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Dylan Larkin is a talented center who made his name known at this year's World Junior Championship tournament. The American rearguard is second in scoring with 25 points at the University of Michigan—he has eight goals and 17 assists—and tallied five goals and seven points in five games for Team USA.

Larkin is a smooth-skating pivot with great instincts, offensive awareness and positional strength in all three zones. His mobility was key during the WJC, and he should be a Wings fixture at some point during the next three seasons.

Anthony Mantha

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Mantha is a skilled scorer.

Anthony Mantha is a stud prospect who was amazing in his final QMJHL season with the Val-d'Or Foreurs. The hulking 6'5" winger tallied 57 goals and 120 points in 57 games, and he's played well since advancing to the AHL.

The speedy winger is a lethal scorer with a quick release and booming shot, and thus far he has 12 points in 27 games for the Grand Rapids Griffins. It would be a major surprise if he wasn't on the main roster next season, because he is a truly talented prospect.

Stats via Hockey-Reference.com and Elite Prospects.