Boom, rip, clang. What’s that? The sound of Joe Hicketts’ slapshot breaking through the mesh? Just maybe.

Don’t sleep on Joe Hicketts, a potential gem just on the inside of the top half of our Wings prospect rankings.

Nice. Nice nice nice. Hicketts has stepped up to the challenge at every level he’s played, and has produced offensively, to boot. A first-team WHL Western Conference All-Star in 2016, a World Junior gold medallist and an all-around threat on the ice, having a guy like Hicketts as a free-agent signing is a pretty great pickup for the Wings.   

With the Wings defence being as it is, (i.e. very confusing and not at all inspiring), a player like Hicketts may be next in line to get a shot with the big club. At age 20, Hicketts will likely be playing full-time with the Griffins this fall, but could potentially see his first NHL action as early as this year.