Red Wings Send Husso to Grand Rapids for Conditioning

Ville Husso took a giant step toward a return to the Detroit Red Wings goal crease on Thursday. The Red Wings are activating Husso from injured reserved and he is joining the AHL Grand Rapids Griffins on a conditioning assignment.

The Griffins are playing home games on Friday and Saturday against the Belleville Senators.

Husso has been on IR since suffering a lower-body injury during a Dec. 18 home game against the Anaheim Ducks. He’s missed the past 16 games.

UPDATE: The #RedWings today recalled Brogan Rafferty from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

Additionally, the Red Wings have activated Ville Husso from IR and loaned him to the Griffins for conditioning, and placed Patrick Kane on IR retroactive to Jan. 14. pic.twitter.com/t7FF7fddRr

— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 25, 2024

Red Wings coach Derek Lalonde admitted earlier this week that sending Husso to Grand Rapids was a consideration in a bid to ramp up his rehab process.

“Everything is on the table,” Lalonde said. “GR could be a possibility. Obviously, players have to agree to that. It’s just the nature of that position. A lot of goalies have used that route in coming back, getting a game in GR.”

Husso has appeared in 18 games with Detroit this season. His numbers show a 3.53 goals against average, an .893 save percentage and a 9-5-2 record.

The Finnish netminder was Detroit’s go-to goalie last season. Last season, the 28-year-old suited up for a career-high 56 games with the Red Wings and notched a career-best 26 wins to go along with a 3.11 goals against average and a .896 save percentage.

In Husso’s absence, Alex Lyon has stepped in to fill the void in the Detroit net. Lyon is 11-6-1 with a 2.67 GAA and .919 save percentage. He’ll be getting the start on Thursday as the Red Wings play host to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Goaltender Ville Husso, who has been out of action since last month, gives us an update on his recovery process.#LGRW pic.twitter.com/lQEVtryIqk

— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) January 18, 2024

“Good on him and hopefully he can continue playing at a high level,” Lalonde said.

Husso will be seeing his first AHL action since the 2019-20 season. He posted a a 16-17-12 mark with a 2.56 goals against average and a .909 save percentage that season for the San Antonio Rampage.

Red Wings Recall Rafferty

Detroit is once again summoning defenseman Brogan Rafferty from the AHL Grffins. He’s offering cover on the back end. With Ben Chiarot out dealing with an upper-body injury, the Red Wings have only six healthy defenders.

Though he’s yet to see action on the Red Wings blue line, Raffery does show three NHL games with the Vancouver Canucks on his resume.

To open up a roster spot, in a related move, the Wings are placing forward Patrick Kane (lower-body injury) on IR retroactive to Jan. 14.