According to the Detroit Red Wings, they have reassigned left wing Riley Barber, defenseman Luke Witkowski and goaltender Kaden Fulcher to the team’s taxi squad from the AHL’s Grand Rapids Griffins.
From Detroit Red Wings:
Barber, 27, joined the organization when he signed a two-year contract with the Red Wings prior the 2020-21 season and made his Red Wings debut on Dec. 18 vs. New Jersey. Barber has appeared in 55 games with the Griffins over the last two seasons, totaling 53 points (28-25-53) and 36 penalty minutes. Last season, he was named to the Central Division All-Star Team after leading Grand Rapids with 20 goals and 34 points in 32 games. The Pittsburgh, Penn., native is a veteran of 336 AHL games, posting 267 points (133-134-267) and 240 penalty minutes over seven seasons with the Hershey Bears, Laval Rocket, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Griffins. Barber previously saw NHL action with the Washington Capitals (2016-17) and Montreal Canadiens (2019-20), picking up two penalty minutes in 12 games. The 6-foot, 190-pound winger also has 15 points (5-10-15) in 38 career AHL postseason games.
Witkowski, 31, has skated in 21 games with the Griffins this season, picking up two points (0-2-2) and 47 penalty minutes. The Holland, Mich., native is in his second stint with the Red Wings after previously spending two seasons with the Red Wings from 2017-19 and picking up six points (1-5-6) and 86 penalty minutes in 65 games. Witkowski rejoined the organization in the offseason after serving as captain of the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch in 2020-21, posting two points (0-2-2), a plus-eight rating and 32 penalty minutes in 14 games before his season was cut short due to injury. In 2019-20, Witkowski appeared in 12 games with the eventual Stanley Cup-champion Tampa Bay Lightning, logging three points (1-2-3) and 13 penalty minutes while adding six points (2-4-6), a plus-12 rating and 63 penalty minutes in 29 games with the Crunch. Over nine professional seasons, Witkowski has notched 13 points (2-11-13) and 162 penalty minutes in 131 NHL games between Detroit and Tampa Bay and 49 points (9-40-49), a plus-34 rating and 666 penalty minutes in 282 AHL games with Syracuse and Grand Rapids.
Fulcher, 23, ranks among the top ECHL netminders in 2021-22, posting a 1.70 goals-against average (2nd), 0.924 save percentage (T8th) and two shutouts (T2nd) alongside a 4-3-0 record in eight games with the Toledo Walleye this season. Fulcher has split his four-year professional career between the Walleye and Griffins, sporting a 19-12-6 record, 2.86 goals-against average, 0.899 save percentage and three shutouts in 38 games with Toledo and a 2-2-2 record, 2.84 goals-against average, 0.905 save percentage and one shutout in seven appearances with Grand Rapids. The 6-foot-3, 210-pound netminder spent most of the 2020-21 season on Detroit’s taxi squad and made one appearance for the Red Wings in relief duty on April 6, 2019 against Buffalo, stopping nine-of-11 shots in his NHL debut.
The #RedWings today reassigned left wing Riley Barber, defenseman Luke Witkowski and goaltender Kaden Fulcher to the team’s taxi squad from the AHL's Grand Rapids Griffins.
More: https://t.co/7MhHdgra5o pic.twitter.com/GQMGIHCCPz
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) January 5, 2022
