Barber Named to AHL All-Star Team

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Griffins right wing Riley Barber on Wednesday was named to the 2020-21 AHL Central Division All-Star Team, as voted by coaches, players and media. This season, an All-Star Team was selected for each of the league’s five divisions.

Barber, 27, becomes the first Griffin selected to a year-end all-star squad since 2015-16, when rookie defenseman Robbie Russo was named to the league’s Second All-Star Team. He is the 10th forward and 21st player in team history to earn an all-star selection.

During the shortened 2020-21 season, Barber led the Griffins with 20 goals, 34 points, eight power play goals and six game-winning goals, registering points in 24 of 32 contests. His 20 goals ranked second in the league — one behind Bakersfield’s Cooper Marony, who played seven more games — his 34 points tied for eighth, his eight power play goals tied for the league lead, his 17 power play points were three more than any other AHL player, and his six game-winners placed second.

Barber’s projected numbers over a normal 76-game season would amount to 47 goals and 80 points; in franchise history, only Donald MacLean (56 during his MVP 2005-06 season) scored as many goals while only nine players registered as many points, the most recent being Darren Haydar (80) in 2008-09. Barber posted a nine-game point streak (8-5—13) from Feb. 5-March 11 that was the longest ever to start a player's Griffins career as well as the longest from the start of a Griffins season.

Originally chosen by the Washington Capitals in the sixth round (167th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Barber signed a two-year contract with the Detroit Red Wings last October. The Pittsburgh native has appeared in 12 NHL games with Washington (2016-17) and the Montreal Canadiens (2019-20), while recording 251 points (126-125—251) in 315 AHL contests with the Hershey Bears (2015-19), Laval Rocket (2019-20), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (2019-20) and Griffins.

Each All-Star Team member will receive a custom-designed crystal award in recognition of his selection to the 2020-21 AHL All-Star Teams.

Central Division All-Star Team
G – Beck Warm (CHI)
D – Calen Addison (IA)
D – Cody Franson (RFD)
F – Riley Barber (GR)
F – Riley Damiani (TEX)
F – Adam Mascherin (TEX)

Atlantic Division All-Star Team
G – Jeremy Swayman (PRO)
D – Samuel Bolduc (BRI)
D – Tarmo Reunanen (HFD)
F – Morgan Barron (HFD)
F – Cameron Hughes (PRO)
F – Jakub Lauko (PRO)

North Division All-Star Team
G – Zane McIntyre (LHV)
D – Oskari Laaksonen (ROC)
D – Cameron Schilling (HER)
F – Boris Katchouk (SYR)
F – Connor McMichael (HER)
F – Taylor Raddysh (SYR)

Canadian Division All-Star Team
G – Cayden Primeau (LAV)
D – Otto Leskinen (LAV)
D – Connor Mackey (STK)
F – Kalle Kossila (TOR)
F – Egor Sokolov (BEL)
F – Nathan Todd (MB)

Pacific Division All-Star Team
G – Logan Thompson (HSK)
D – Josh Mahura (SD)
D – Ryan Murphy (HSK)
F – Cooper Marody (BAK)
F – Andrew Poturalski (SD)
F – T.J. Tynan (COL)

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins