Detroit Red Wings

The Daily: Luff demotion to Grand Rapids creating familiar issue for Red Wings farm club; Avalanche after Monahan?

Griffins now have six veteran players on AHL roster

Published

1 year ago

January 27, 2023

Bob Duff

Red Wings forward Matt Luff was injured on this play in a game against Montreal.

Earlier this week, the Detroit Red Wings were demoting right-winger Matt Luff to the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins, which wasn’t at all surprising. Luff, 25, was an offseason free-agent addition designed to provide veteran depth for Detroit when necessary.

He was filling that role earlier this season while hurt in a Red Wings game. It only made sense that he’d be going back down to GR once healthy.

His arrival will certainly prove a welcome addiiton to the offensively-challenged Griffins. Luff is averaging better than a point per game over his past three AHL seasons. However, it will once again present a logjam of so-called veteran players in Grand Rapids.

Since the AHL is first and foremost a development league, league rules prohibit teams from suiting up more than five players that are considered veterans. A veteran is someone who has played 260 or more professional games. This would be including AHL, NHL and European elite leagues, or 320 or more professional games. All calculations for development status are based on regular-season totals as of the start of the current season.

Luff gives GR six players who are fitting into this category. It will be interesting to see who sits on Saturday when the Griffins return to action facing the Milwaukee Admirals on the road.

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A beautiful passing play finishes with Robby Fabbri burying the @Energizer OT winner for the @DetroitRedWings! 🐙 pic.twitter.com/8PkuTCMi9v

— NHL (@NHL) January 27, 2023

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Michael Rasmussen and Moritz Seider were driving forces as Detroit beat Montreal

Red Wings Next Game

Detroit is traveling to Long Island to face the New York Islanders on Friday. The Red Wings are 0-3-2 in their last five road games against the Islanders.

Hockey Now Network

Islanders: Some crazy stats from what’s been a dreadful January for the New York Islanders.

Montreal: Watch as Kirby Dach of the Montreal Canadiens and Detroit’s Andrew Copp are dropping the gloves in Thursday’s game.

Pittsburgh: Goalie Casey DeSmith and forward Teddy Blueger got into an altercation during the morning skate for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Boston: The Boston Bruins fell 3-2 to the Lightning at Tampa Bay.

Florida: There’s no question that forward Carter Verhaeghe has exceeded all expectations since joining the Florida Panthers.

Washington: Nicklas Backstrom scored the shootout winner as the Washington Capitals beat Pittsburgh.

Philadelphia: It was a fight fest as the Philadelphia Flyers dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to the Minnesota Wild.

Calgary: The Calgary Flames have lost stalwart shutdown defenseman Chris Tanev to injury.

Vegas: The Vegas Golden Knights are expecting to get both Shea Theodore and Will Carrier back from injury for Friday’s game against the New York Rangers.

San Jose: An NHL scout offers an assessment of Martin Knaut, one of the newest San Jose Sharks.

Colorado: There are reports that the Colorado Avalanche are a team to monitor in the trde market for Montreal Canadiens center Sean Monahan.