HAY DAY

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League on Thursday signed defenseman Darrell Hay to a professional tryout.

Hay, 27, appeared in his second straight ECHL All-Star Game on Wednesday in Stockton, Calif. The Kamloops, British Columbia, native comes to the Griffins from the Idaho Steelheads, where he leads team blueliners and ranks sixth overall on the club with 25 points (7-18—25) in 40 games. Now in his fourth season with the Steelheads, Hay was a member of their ECHL championship teams in both 2007 and 2004, making him one of just 15 players in league history to have his name engraved twice on the Kelly Cup.

Vancouver’s eighth choice, 271st overall, in the 1999 NHL Entry Draft, Hay has played in 106 AHL games with Manitoba and Utah during his eight-year career, totaling 28 points (9-19—28). Prior to turning pro, he played four seasons with the Tri-City Americans of the WHL, earning a spot on the Western Conference All-Star Team each of his final two seasons.

Hay, the son of former AHL and NHL coach Don Hay, will be available to make his Griffins debut Friday in Milwaukee when the Griffins battle the Admirals at 8 p.m. EST.