AND THEN THERE WERE SEVEN

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Griffins right wing Darryl Bootland was recalled by the Detroit Red Wings on Monday.

Bootland, 25, ranks among the Griffins’ leaders this season with 17 goals (3rd), 29 points (5th), a plus-seven rating (3rd), 185 penalty minutes (1st) and six game-winning goals (1st). He made his NHL debut with the Red Wings in 2003-04, recording two points (1-1—2) and 74 PIM in 22 games, but has not played for Detroit since a 1-0 loss at Nashville on Dec. 20, 2003.

Bootland’s recall brings the number of 2006-07 Griffins players who are currently with the injury-ravaged Red Wings to six, as he joins goaltender Jimmy Howard and fellow forwards Matt Ellis, Valtteri Filppula, Matt Hussey and Josh Langfeld. The transaction also increases the number of players from this year’s squad currently in the NHL to seven, including Edmonton defenseman Danny Syvret. As a result, only one of the Griffins’ top five point producers, leading scorer Kip Miller, remains on Grand Rapids’ roster heading into Tuesday’s home game against the Peoria Rivermen.

The Griffins’ all-time leader with 1,127 PIM, Bootland will be available to make his return to Detroit’s lineup on Tuesday, when the Red Wings host Nashville at 7:30 p.m.