1. Jonathan Ericsson (–) D 6-5 218 Grand Rapids (AHL)

Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock has already said he thinks Ericsson "will be a stud" in the NHL. Red Wings Central can't argue that, and that's why he's No. 1. The 6-foot-5, 218-pound blue-liner can skate, fight and move the puck, and should wear a Red Wings jersey for years to come.

2. Darren Helm (–) F 6-0 182 Grand Rapids (AHL)

Helm could be plugged into the Red Wings' lineup at a moment's notice and not miss a beat. His speed and energy makes him a good fit on pretty much any line, but he is best suited for third-line duty. He can make an impact on every shift of every game, just like he did in last year's playoffs.

3. Jakub Kindl (+3) D 6-3 202 Grand Rapids (AHL)

Maybe Red Wings Central owes Kindl an apology for downgrading him in its preliminary ranking. The 21-year-old is a new man this season. He found his confidence, is among the AHL's top-scoring blue-liners, and played in the AHL all-star game. He's a legitimate blue-chipper.

4. Justin Abdelkader (–) F 6-1 209 Grand Rapids (AHL)

Abdelkader wouldn't have to score much to be ranked this high on Red Wings Central's list — his physical edge and defensive presence alone look like enough to make him a checking-line cog. But the fact that he's on pace for a 25-goal, 50-point AHL rookie campaign solidifies his standing.

5. Ville Leino (-2) F 6-1 183 Grand Rapids (AHL)

Perhaps Red Wings Central was overzealous in giving Leino an eight-spot boost in its preliminary ranking. He has struggled to produce after a hot start, raising questions of whether he can handle the rigors of the North American game. But he still has the hands and smarts to be a productive NHLer.

6. Jimmy Howard (-1) G 6-1 208 Grand Rapids (AHL)

Don't look now, but hot-and-cold Howard has been sizzling since mid-December. It's still possible Howard will play his way out of an NHL spot in 2009-10, but the Red Wings have invested a lot in his development. If he can consistently play at the top of his game, he has a bright future in the NHL.

7. Thomas McCollum (–) G 6-2 205 Grand Rapids (AHL)

Remember McCollum's breakdown at the world junior? Great. Now forget about it. He's dominating the Ontario Hockey League and is eligible to play in the AHL next season. With the way he's developing, the Red Wings might consider yanking him out of junior to see what he can do in the pros.

8. Brendan Smith (–) D 6-1 170 Wisconsin (NCAA)

Everyone knows Smith is a hyper-offensive blue-liner who can quarterback a power play. But his NHL future rests on his ability to round out his game and get better in his own zone. He made strides in that regard before breaking his wrist. He's an exciting prospect who just needs to stay healthy.

9. Mattias Ritola (+1) F 6-1 198 Grand Rapids (AHL)

Ritola has emerged as a smart two-way forward in the AHL. If Darren Helm, Justin Abdelkader and Ville Leino weren't in the system, he'd be knocking on the NHL's door. As it stands, it's players like Ritola who the Red Wings will call upon to solve their salary-cap woes in the next season or two.

10. Cory Emmerton (-1) F 6-0 190 Grand Rapids (AHL)

Emmerton hasn't scored many goals, but he's still managed to be one of the more productive AHL rookies the Red Wings have had in a while. He's a skilled playmaker and he's on pace for 33 assists, which is encouraging, especially when you consider his 2007-08 season was a write-off because of mono.

The following is the remainder of the top 25.

11. Daniel Larsson (+3) — He's got sparkling numbers and played in the AHL all-star game. If he keeps it up, he'll crack the top 10.

12. Dick Axelsson (–) — Axelsson got a reality check when Djurgarden essentially kicked him off the team. So far, he's responding.

13. Joakim Andersson (–) — You know you've got a deep system when this guy's No. 13. He's a big, strong, defensive presence with offensive upside.

14. Gustav Nyquist (+3) — Nyquist walked right into Maine like he owned the place. The two-way Swede is making it look easy in the NCAA.

15. Jan Mursak (-4) — More was expected of Mursak as an AHL rookie, although in his defense, he really hasn't been given much of a role.

16. Max Nicastro (-1) — If you get excited about big defensemen who play safe, steady, two-way games, Nicastro's your man.

17. Logan Pyett (-1) — Pyett is meeting expectations as an AHL rookie, but is he big enough to defend at the pro level? The jury's still out.

18. Julien Cayer (–) — Cayer is a raw power forward-type prospect who needs to keep making offensive strides at the college level.

19. Stephen Johnston (–) — He's a big, two-way forward who has untapped upside, and there's a breakout season in him, somewhere.

20. Sergei Kolosov (–) — Rugged and unpolished, Kolosov is learning the AHL ropes on both sides of the puck. He has a ways to go.

21. Brent Raedeke (+3) — Raedeke is all hustle and is having an underappreciated season. If his offensive games grows, keep an eye on him.

22. Brian Lashoff (+3) — His stats won't bowl you over, but Lashoff is a solid defensive prospect who is capable at both ends of the rink.

23. Zack Torquato (-2) — Torquato was always expected to post big numbers in the OHL but never did. Will he still get a contract?

24. Evan McGrath (NR) — McGrath dropped off the list early in the year when he was a healthy scratch. But has he figured the AHL out?

25. Johan Ryno (-3) — He's big, skilled and already signed. So why is he this low? He is willingly playing two levels lower than he should.

Discuss this ranking on our message board »