The Detroit Red Wings AHL affiliate the Grand Rapids Griffins will be filled with draft picks selected over the last several years. There will also be an assortment of free agent signing that will fill out the roster. Here is a look at the first draft of the Griffins opening night roster.
Goaltenders
Age: 29
2021 Team: Grand Rapids (AHL)
GP: 3
Record: 1-1-1
GAA: 3.33
SV%: .882
2021-22 Contract: $800,000 (NHL), $250,000 (AHL)
Leading the way in goal is veteran goaltender Calvin Pickard. Pickard has played parts of nine seasons in both the AHL and NHL. Last season, Pickard played six games for Detroit posting a 2-1-1 record, 3.16 GAA and .874 SV%. Pickard is insurance at the NHL level if an injury occurs to either Thomas Greiss or Alex Nedeljkovic. Pickard will once again be an UFA next summer.
Age: 22
2021 Team: Grand Rapids (AHL)
GP: 7
Record: 2-2-3
GAA: 2.84
SV%: .905
2021-22 Contract: $733,333 (NHL), $65,000 (AHL)
In 2017, Kaden Fulcher signed a free-agent entry-level contract with Detroit. He played his final year of junior eligibility playing for Hamilton (OHL) and lead the team to an OHL Championship and a birth in the Memorial Cup. He won Memorial Cup Most Outstanding Goaltender and turned professional in 2018. Fulcher has limited experience at the professional level and was used extensively last year in a taxi squad role until the last few weeks of the AHL season.