In his rookie season, defenseman Alec McCrea posted five assists in 28 games for the Griffins and scored one goal in six appearances for the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye.

28 GP, 0 goals, 5 assists, 5 points, +2 rating, 15 PIM with GRG

6 GP, 1 goal, 0 assists, 1 point, -1 rating, 10 PIM with ECHL Toledo

Unrestricted free agent

1 – McCrea made his AHL debut on Nov. 15 vs. Rockford and picked up his first point while earning the secondary assist on Chase Pearson’s game-winning goal at 7:40 of the second period. McCrea was scratched for Grand Rapids’ first three games, spent three weeks in Toledo after being assigned on Oct. 14 and then was scratched for four Griffins games upon being recalled before making his AHL entrance.

3 – McCrea is the third player from Cornell University to play for the Griffins. All three skaters have come in recent seasons, as McCrea joins Trevor Yates (Griffin from 2017-19) and Patrick McCarron (2016-18; 2019-20). In 137 games for Cornell from 2015-19, McCrea amassed 49 points (12-37—49), helped the Big Red advance to the NCAA Tournament during his last three years, and was named the ECAC’s Best Defensive Defenseman and to the All-Ivy Second Team as a junior.

T4 – Among Griffins skaters with more than 20 games played, McCrea tied for fourth on the roster with a plus-two rating.

5 – The 6-foot-3, 210-pound defenseman engaged in his first AHL fight on Dec. 27 with Milwaukee’s Mathieu Olivier being the other participant.

6 – Assigned by Grand Rapids to Toledo on Oct. 14, McCrea suited up in six ECHL games from Oct. 19-Nov. 3 before being brought back to West Michigan on Nov. 5. McCrea scored his first professional goal as a member of the Walleye on Nov. 2 vs. Florida, in what was his fifth contest with Toledo.

14 – McCrea was one of 14 rookies to suit up for the Griffins this season, including being one of six first-year defensemen. His 28 GP ranked eighth among team rookies.

Dec. 11-14 – A San Diego native, McCrea tallied an assist in his return to his hometown on Dec. 11. He helped the Griffins begin their six-game road trip on a good note, as he notched two assists in the first three games of the excursion from Dec. 11-14.

All Griffins photos by Sam Iannamico/Griffins.