Four Griffins Join Taxi Squad

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings on Monday recalled forward Riley Barber, defensemen Dan Renouf and Luke Witkowski, and goaltender Victor Brattstrom to their taxi squad from the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Barber joined the Red Wings for the first time in his career on Dec. 18 and made his NHL season debut later that day, registering two shots and a plus-one rating. A former sixth-round draft choice of the Washington Capitals, the forward has skated in 13 NHL games, with nine of them coming with Montreal during the 2019-20 campaign. Barber is yet to register his first point in the NHL and has two penalty minutes and an even plus-minus rating. With the Griffins this season, the seven-year-pro is tied for fourth on the roster with 16 points (7-9—16) while his four power play goals are tied for sixth in the AHL. Barber rattled off a six-game point streak (4-5—9) from Oct. 30-Nov. 13 and is currently in the midst of a three-game stretch (2-1—3) from Dec. 6-11.

Renouf appeared in three games with the Red Wings during his second stint with the team this season from Dec. 7-19. The Pickering, Ontario, native registered seven penalty minutes and a minus-four rating during a two-week stretch with Detroit. The defenseman now has seen action in 23 NHL games throughout his career, totaling three assists and 23 penalty minutes. Through 14 outings this season with Grand Rapids, Renouf has three points (0-3—3), 15 penalty minutes and a plus-seven rating. The sixth-year pro is a two-time Calder Cup champion with Grand Rapids (2016-17) and Charlotte (2018-19) and has skated in 293 AHL games, amassing 75 points (10-65—75) and 405 penalty minutes.

Witkowski joined the Red Wings for the first time this year on Dec. 7 but did not see any game time in the NHL. From 2017-19, the blueliner spent two full seasons with Detroit, totaling six points (1-5—6) and 91 penalty minutes in 65 outings. The former Western Michigan Bronco has appeared in 131 games in the NHL and has amassed 13 points (2-11—13) and 162 penalty minutes. Witkowski has spent eight years in the AHL with Syracuse and Grand Rapids, registering 48 points (9-39—48) and 664 penalty minutes in 280 contests. Through 19 games this season with the Griffins, the Holland, Mich., native has one assist and 45 penalty minutes, which is fourth among AHL defensemen.

Brattstrom has bounced around from the ECHL and AHL this season, and heads to Detroit for the first time in his career. The netminder has appeared in three games with Toledo from Nov. 20-Dec. 5, recording a 2-1-0 ledger with a 4.25 goals against average and a 0.829 save percentage. Brattstrom allowed three goals or less in two of his three appearances with Toledo. In the AHL, the Goteborg, Sweden, native has made four starts with a 5.32 goals against average and a 0.835 save percentage. Brattstrom was a sixth-round draft choice of the Red Wings in 2018 and is in the midst of his rookie campaign in North America.

Single-game tickets are on sale now. Fans can secure their full-season, select-season or group ticket packages by calling (616) 774-4585 ext. 2 or visit griffinshockey.com for more information.

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins