Notes: Ehn makes the cut, will begin season in Detroit

DETROIT - If you had been placing bets on which Detroit Red Wings rookie would make the opening night roster, most likely Christoffer Ehn would not have had great odds.
But when the team took the ice at the BELFOR Training Center Sunday morning for practice, there was the 22-year-old Swedish center, still skating with the rest of the Wings.

"Of course it's always been my dream to make the NHL someday but I wasn't thinking about it too much," Ehn said. "I was just wanting to come out here and try my best and see where it goes. Just give myself the best opportunity as possible."

The Wings assigned forwards Filip Zadina, David Pope, Dominic Turgeon, and Givani Smith, along with defenseman Vili Saarijarvi and goaltender Harri Sateri to the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins. The team also released forward Jussi Jokinen from his professional tryout.
Wings coach Jeff Blashill said he expects Ehn to be in the lineup Thursday night when the Wings host the Columbus Blue Jackets.
"That one probably surprised me a little bit," Blashill said. "I said to (general manager) Ken Holland last week I want to make sure we have four lines that I can play and trust and we can put any line out there against anybody at any time and I want to make sure we have a momentum line and a line … I talked to Kris Draper lots about his old line and Scotty (Bowman) used them in a lot of different ways, sometimes it was against the other team's best, sometimes it was to create momentum off the opening face-off, all that kind of stuff.
"With Ehner, over the course of six or seven exhibition games he's really shown he knows how to play the right way, knows how to manage his game. He went up against some of the best players in the world and one-on-one handled (Pittsburgh's Evgeni) Malkin pretty good. I think he's a real good player who skates well. Again, it's an everyday league and we'll see, but so far he's made a real good impression. I think he's got some offensive ability, he showed that on the seam pass he made yesterday to Turgeon. I'm excited about where he's at."
Ehn, who had two assists in six preseason games, said he had gotten good feedback from Wings coaches and player development staff.
"They thought I have done a good job on the PK and be responsible defensively," Ehn said. "Just keep using my skating and competing out there. That's the biggest thing for me, not trying to be fancy or anything, just work hard and be hard to play against."
There is something to be said for remaining overseas to develop your game and Ehn elected to stay in Sweden last season to play in the Swedish Elite League for Frolunda.
"I thought it was a really good time for me in Sweden," Ehn said. "I had real good coaches throughout my four years and I learned a lot. I think for me staying that last year helped me a lot, like getting stronger, faster, just being used to being a pro. That's something I got to keep working on here, just to be ready to go every day."
The NHL is the highest level of hockey but the Swedish Elite League is considered to be one of the best leagues below the NHL. But there is an adjustment when you do come over.
"It's a little less space and time," Ehn said. "But I feel like I've been playing at a high level for a while. So it's a big change but at the same time, I've been playing against men for a long time and I'm used to bigger, stronger guys. Just be a little bit quicker in the head and making quicker decisions, that's it."
MANTHA'S WORDS OF WISDOM:If there is a player on Red Wings who can relate to Zadina's disappointment in being sent down to Grand Rapids, it's former first-round pick Anthony Mantha.
Like Zadina, Mantha was a prolific scorer in the QMJHL and he expected to make the Red Wings as an 18-year-old.
It didn't work out that way. Mantha needed a little seasoning before he established himself as a fixture on the Red Wings roster.
Zadina finds himself in a similar situation and Mantha knows it is not easy to accept, but you have to remain positive and be honest with yourself.
"You need to up your game, obviously, if you start in the American League, you're not NHL ready, unless it's a contract issue or whatever," Mantha said on Thursday, when asked about what he would say to a player being sent down. "If you start in the American League you're not ready to play in the NHL, so you've got to keep working on the details.
"If they ask you to be a better skater, you try and work on your skating. If you need to get open a little quicker, work on that, (be) more physical, all little the details. If they send you down, you need to be working on something for sure."
Mantha began seeing a sports psychologist during his first season in Grand Rapids and continues to see him today, but in the end, it comes down to the player embracing his situation.
"Keep working hard, that's the key. In this league there's a lot of injuries and it goes quick," Mantha said. "Even in camp we saw a couple of injuries. We know (Mike Green) is out with a virus or something, so that's an extra spot on D right there. You never know what can happen up front. You just need to be ready, keep in shape and play your best hockey. "
Red Wings coach Jeff Blashill is confident Zadina will adjust well in Grand Rapids because he has the right attitude.
"He's a very, very mature young guy. I've been very impressed with his maturity. I think he understands we're doing everything we can to put him in the best position to ultimately become a great player here." Blashill said. "He didn't play so well that he was better than other guys by any stretch, but he showed signs of becoming a really good player. If you compare his camp, (Dylan) Larkin was a year older, but Larkin's first camp he demanded he was on the team.
"With Zadina it was more signs that looks like he's going to be a good player. So let's go down, it's a hard league, the American League, that's one thing we cautioned him on, don't think it's going to be easy, it's really hard, but let's go down and figure out how much space you have and gain that confidence. Let's get adjusted to it and hopefully he fills it up down there and he's demanding that he gets called back up, so we'll see."
RASMUSSEN ACHIEVES HIS GOAL:After having a solid preseason last year where he led the Red Wings in goals with four, 2017 first-round pick Michael Rasmussen knew he was NHL-ready.
Despite being sent back to his junior team, the WHL's Tri-City Americans, the 6-foot-6, 220-pound forward was consumed with making the Detroit roster for the 2018-19 season.
So it didn't come as a surprise when he was told on Sunday morning he had made the team.
"For sure, it's good. It's good they told me this morning. Obviously, I put a lot of work into wanting to stay here and stuff so it's pretty good," Rasmussen said. "Blash was there, Kenny was there, Ryan (Martin, assistant general manager) and (Shawn Horcoff, director of player development) was there. They just told me that I'm staying and just keep going. They're really happy for me and want me to do well, keep going and do my best."

A young man of few words, Rasmussen, 19, feels good physically for the first time in a couple of years after dealing with two separate wrist injuries over the last two seasons.
"I just got healthy, that's the biggest thing for me. Being healthy and playing my game is important," Rasmussen said. "I think I did well here last year and kind of put my foot in the door a little bit. I went back, got healthy in junior and played well. I think it's a good move and I'm happy."
Because he was confident he could make the team, he didn't spend much time overanalyzing his situation.
"I didn't really focus on the big picture too much, I just tried to play my game and help the team every night, so I think I did a pretty good of that and the work is just starting, so I got to keep going," Rasmussen said.
A multi-dimensional player, Rasmussen can play on all four lines and his prowess on the power play sets him apart from most players his age.
"Rasmussen's great at screening, he's a huge body, he knows how to move out of the way at the right time, he's got a pretty good stick around the net," Blashill said.
But, he knows the real work begins now.
"Just keep playing the way I'm playing, the competition is going to go up, so mine has to as well. Just keep being physical and playing my game," Rasmussen said. "There's lots of minutes, there's lots of competition in here, it's healthy competition. We all want to play a lot, want to play on the power play, penalty kill, even strength, it's good healthy competition."
When he was asked to describe how it feels to be an NHL player, Rasmussen was a bit philosophical.
"We're all pretty lucky in here," he said. "Not sure if it's sunk in yet, but pretty lucky, it's a great team to be a part of, great guys, just happy."
CHOLOWSKI GRABS JOB:On the defensive side, if there was a player that was not necessarily expected to be in Detroit this season, it would be Dennis Cholowski.
Cholowski, 20, played for the WHL's Prince George Cougars and Portland Winterhawks last year and has a total of one AHL regular season game (2016-17) and one AHL playoff game (2017-18).
It's well-documented that Cholowski spent his own time and money to stay in metro Detroit all summer so he could work out at Barwis Methods with some of the other Wings.
Then Cholowski was given a lot of responsibility during the prospect tournament, which he took on and excelled.
"I thought I had a really good tournament," Cholowski said. "I just figured if I could continue to play that way in the preseason, I could give myself a chance to make it and that's what I did."

Cholowski led Wings defensemen in scoring in the preseason with six points in his six games.
"I've liked him lots, I like his skill-set, I like what he's good at, we need what he's good at it.," Blashill said. "Pro experience matters, but so does talent. Talent matters always. I also look at the draft year, (Samuel) Girard played in Colorado, had a real good year. (Charlie) McAvoy has done real good for Boston, he's a couple picks ahead of him. So if he's good enough and can make an impact and then as I said at the beginning, he should be here."
Through the prospect tournament and preseason, Cholowski was able to quarterback a power play successfully.
"I had a lot of chances to do it in preseason, I was very grateful for that and I was able to kind of show what I can do on the power play," Cholowski said. "I thought I did a pretty good job and earned myself a spot."
Blashill had watched Cholowski with the Winterhawks last year but Chicago Blackhawks prospect Henri Jokiharju ran the first unit.
"I think Cholowski showed me more than I realized he had on the power play with his poise and some of the plays he made," Blashill said. "He's really good at being able to get the puck in from the offensive blue line really good so he's a shooting threat from up top."
Cholowski planned to call his parents and give them the official word.
Blashill has told everyone that just because they're on the team now doesn't mean they will remain, which Cholowski knows.
"I'm just going to keep doing what I've been doing, that's been my attitude the whole time," Cholowski said. "Keep playing the way I've been playing and I'll be fine, so that's what I'm going to keep doing."
INJURY UPDATE:The Wings took another hit on the blue line Sunday as veteran defenseman Niklas Kronwall left after 15 minutes with what Blashill called "a tweak."
Kronwall joins Mike Green (virus), Trevor Daley (lower body) and Jonathan Ericsson (upper body).
Green will not play Thursday and it looks highly unlikely for Ericsson.
"Not great. I had a little setback today," said Ericsson, who practiced. "There hasn't been much improvement the last 10 days or whatever it is. Today felt like it was a step back, too. Not exactly sure why but it's frustrating."
Because he hasn't made progress, Ericsson feels it's doubtful he'll be able to go Thursday.
"Not as it is now. It has to change quite a bit and it hasn't changed much in the last 10 days," Ericsson said.
Green and Daley joined their teammates on the ice after practice had finished.
Because of the uncertainty, Joe Hicketts, Libor Sulak and Filip Hronek remain with the Wings and one or more could play Thursday.
"If Kronner's out, certainly need another guy to run a power play and Hronek's shown the best ability to do that," Blashill said. "Although we didn't use Sulak on the power play, Jiri Fischer, who did scout him and had him at the world championships, would say that he thinks he has potential to be a second power-play unit guy in the National Hockey League. There's always that opportunity potential as well. But Hronek certainly I thought ran a great power play last year in GR. Again, is it Kronner, if he's out, it gives a big edge to Hronek. We'll just have to wait and see."