Detroit Red Wings: Gustav Nyquist and Detroit's Most Well-Kept Secrets

In case you've been living under a rock for the last 20 years, the Detroit Red Wings are kind of good at drafting and developing players into NHL stars. After guys like Nicklas Lidstrom, Sergei Fedorov, Pavel Datsyuk, Henrik Zetterberg, Valtteri Filppula, Johan Franzen and others are drafted after the third round, you have to start assuming the front office knows what they're doing.

And yet for the past 10 years or so, there have been waves of fans saying that Detroit is going down.

They said it when Yzerman and Shanahan were aging and after the rise of Datsyuk and Zetterberg, you'd think they'd learn from past mistakes—but that's not the case. There are still a slew of people claiming that the Wings' window is closing.

However, anybody who would take a close look at the Red Wings' prospect pool would know that the end is nowhere near for Detroit.

That said, let's look over Detroit's most well kept secrets.

Honorable Mention: Adam Almqvist

Drafted: 210th Overall in 2009

Position: Defender

Currently Playing For: HV-71

Analysis: The only reason Almqvist doesn't make this list is because he's a huge maybe. If he reaches his full potential or comes even close to it, he'll easily be the most well-kept secret in Detroit's prospect pool by far.

Almqvist is described as a no-risk/high-reward player for Detroit. No-risk because he was drafted in the seventh round. High-reward because it's been said multiple times by Hakaan Andersson, the mastermind who found Pavel Datsyuk in the middle of nowhere, that Almqvist has a hockey sense that is the best he's seen in years.

That's high praise coming from a scout who has so many feathers in his cap. The problem with Almqvist is his size. Red Wings assistant General Manager Jim Nill has said that if it weren't for his lack of strength, Almqvist would've been a first round pick for sure.

Nonetheless, it's something Almqvist is certainly capable of improving, and has improved. Not only has he gained weight, but he has also grown in height.

Almqvist has drawn quite a few comparisons to Ottawa Senators defender Erik Karlsson, who currently leads NHL defenders with 25 points in 30 games.

Additionally, Almqvist led the Swedish Elite League last season in plus minus and is currently leading them this season, as well.

With all that said, if Almqvist can gain weight and reach his potential, Detroit may have struck gold on the next superstar defenseman—and they will have done it with a seventh round pick.

5. Tomas Jurco

Drafted: 35th overall in 2011

Position: Center

Currently Playing For: Saint John Sea Dogs

Analysis: Jurco's stickhandling ability during the draft brought him comparisons to former Red Wing Marian Hossa. After he was drafted by the Wings and the video shown above circled around the fan base, people began drawing comparisons to Pavel Datsyuk.

Jurco's stickhandling ability is good, but he'll have to fix his skating and defensive play to become a successful forward in the NHL.

Last season in the QMJHL, Jurco scored 56 points in 60 games, which isn't bad. But it's nothing compared to teammate and Florida Panthers' prospect, Jonathan Haberdeau.

That said, Jurco has plenty of time to improve on his flaws and is arguably in the best development system to do so.

4. Calle Jarnkrok

Drafted: 51st overall in 2010

Position: Center

Currently Playing For: Byrnas IF

Analysis: Jarnkrok is a player who should be interesting to watch over the next few years. He's a very small player who needs to gain quite a bit of weight, unless he wants to get blown over by the wind like Jiri Hudler does.

If he can gain weight and improve on a few small things, he should make it to Detroit without a problem. He currently has stats comparable to Henrik Zetterberg's, at the same age as when he was playing in the Swedish Elite League.

Which is interesting, because Jarnkrok's nickname in Sweden is "Zetterberg's Clone."

Let's just say that if he can play anything like Zetterberg, Detroit will be happy with their pick.

3. Gustav Nyquist

Drafted: 121st overall in 2008

Position: Left Wing

Currently Playing For: Grand Rapids Griffins

Analsys: Nyquist is a guy who is ready to play in the NHL, but unfortunately suffers from an overloaded Detroit offense.

Unless there's a massive streak of injuries to Detroit's forward lines, Nyquist likely wont see a long stretch of time in the NHL until next season, when he'll probably be called up for a permanent position.

When he played his first and only regular season game with Detroit, he looked like he fit in the NHL perfectly. But Detroit as a team wasn't playing well, and Nyquist was sent back down to the minors.

Nonetheless, Nyquist is a very talented player. He dominated in the NCAA, being a Hobey Baker Finalist twice, and he's currently playing very well in the AHL, with 27 points in 25 games and a plus-1 rating.

2. Teemu Pulkkinen

Drafted: 111th overall in 2010

Position: Right Wing

Currently Playing For: Jokerit Helsinki

Analysis: Looking at the video should be explanation enough. The kid has a lightning bolt of a shot.

Teemu Pulkkinen is still a long way from making the Red Wings and he'll have plenty to improve on while he's in Finland, but he looks very promising.

In 2008, Pulkkinen was in the running for number one pick with Taylor Hall, until he sat for nearly two straight seasons due to injury, greatly decreasing his value and allowing Detroit to pick him up in the fourth round.

Yet as soon as Detroit picked Pulkkinen at the 111st pick, NHL.com ranked him as the 17th overall player selected in the draft.

Last year he broke a record for most assists in a season in the Finnish league, SM-liiga. That record was set by Teemu Selanne. His stats this year aren't quite measuring up as well, but the team as a whole is down.

If Pulkkinen can keep up his cannon of a shot and improve on what needs to be fixed, he's on the fast track to the NHL. And with a shot like that, he could be the first consistent 40 goal scorer the Wings have had since Brendan Shanahan.

1. Brendan Smith

Drafted: 27th overall in 2007

Position: Defense

Currently Playing For: Grand Rapids Griffins

Analysis: Smith is a beast. If it weren't for a full defensive corps in Detroit this year, he'd be in for sure. He's arguably ready for the top four defensive lines anyways, leaving some scratching their heads as to why he's still in Grand Rapids.

He did have an issue with having to serve out a five game suspension after hitting Ben Smith of the Chicago Blackhawks, but that suspension was completely served after Ian White blocked a shot and broke his cheek bone.

Nonetheless, Smith is still in the minors and Detroit obviously likes keeping their talent there for a long time, as Datsyuk didn't debut until he was 23—and Zetterberg at 22.

Smith is a former Hobey Baker Finalist and in the three games that he did play, he had two points. Not bad for a defender. In 19 AHL games this season, Smith has 13 points and is plus-2.

Want More Coverage?

Jordan Matthews writes for the NHL and the Detroit Red Wings. You can view some of Jordan's recent work here:

Pavel Datsyuk and the Greatest Red Wings of all Time

Is Gary Bettman Really the Villain He's Portrayed as?

And for updates on the latest NHL news, you can follow Jordan on Twitter by clicking the follow button below.

Follow @JordanMatthew11