Detroit Red Wings: Top 10 prospects entering 2018

TORONTO, ON - MARCH 24: Detroit Red Wings right wing Evgeny Svechnikov (77) skates during the warm up before a game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Toronto Maple Leafs on March 24, 2018 at Air Canada Centre in Toronto, Ontario Canada. The Toronto Maple Leafs won 4-3. (Photo by Nick Turchiaro/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

2 of 11

forward David Pope (12) (Photo by Zach Bolinger/Icon Sportswire/Corbis via Getty Images) /

10. David Pope, LW [23] (4-109, 2013)

Stats (University of Nebraska-Omaha, NCAA): 35 gp, 20 g, 21 a, 41 p, 12 PPG.

David Pope did very well in the NCAA, tied for 28th in scoring, 16th in goals, 71st in assists, second in power-play goals, and was 14th in points per game. Pope played against some of the stiffer competition in the NCAA. He played with the University of Nebraska but against teams like the University of Minnesota-Duluth, St. Cloud State, and the University of Denver.

He’s got all the talent he needs to be a prominent scoring threat for the Red Wings

Pope is on the older side of the Detroit Red Wings’ prospects and doesn’t have as high a ceiling as several of the guys ahead of him. If he’s a bottom-six goal scorer down the road, that’s an excellent thing. He’s got all the talent he needs to be a prominent scoring threat for the Red Wings, but he isn’t a top-six guy. He’s gotten better the last two seasons, but his goal scoring took a bigger step forward than his playmaking this season.

He’ll need time in the AHL. If he moves to the NHL at any time in the next two seasons, that’s ahead of schedule. Pope will need to make the transition to the professional game and needs to prove that he can play against other professional hockey players. But if he can do that, he’s in good shape.

Home/Detroit Red Wings