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 Grand Rapids Griffins

Griffins Receive Five from Toledo

April 19, 2013 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Detroit Red Wings on Friday reassigned forwards Willie Coetzee, Andrej Nestrasil and Trevor Parkes, defenseman Max Nicastro and goaltender Jordan Pearce to the Grand Rapids Griffins from the ECHL's Toledo Walleye.

Coetzee, 22, led the Walleye this season with 68 points (28-40-68) in 64 contests. The Johannesburg, South Africa, native who added four assists in six playoff games, has appeared in one contest with the Griffins this season. A third-year pro, Coetzee has skated in 89 games with the Griffins since 2009, showing 27 points (11-16-27) and 33 penalty minutes. In 100 games with the Walleye, he has recorded 88 points (37-51-88) and 26 penalty minutes.

Nestrasil, 22, split his second professional season between Grand Rapids and Toledo, showing six points (3-3-6) in 22 games with the Griffins and 41 points (11-30-41) in 40 games with the Walleye, before adding three points (1-2-3) in four postseason appearances. A native of Prague, Czech Republic, Nestrasil shows 80 points (24-56-80) in 138 professional games.

Parkes, 21, racked up 30 points (14-16-30) in just 19 games with Toledo this season and tied for second on the club with five points (3-2-5) in six playoff contests. He was named ECHL Player of the Week for the period ending March 3 after amassing 11 points (6-5-11) in four games. The Fort Erie, Ontario, native has also skated in 34 games with Grand Rapids, registering nine points (3-6-9). The second-year pro has 17 points (5-12-17) in 78 career AHL appearances and 34 points (18-16-34) in 23 ECHL contests.

Nicastro, 23, recorded five points (2-3-5) in nine games with the Walleye and has recorded three points (1-2-3) in 23 games with the Griffins during his first professional season. The Thousand Oaks, Calif., native also picked up one goal in four postseason games with Toledo.

Pearce, 26, made 31 appearances with the Walleye this season, sporting a 15-13-1 record, a 2.76 goals against average, a 0.899 save percentage and two shutouts. A fourth-year pro from Anchorage, Alaska, Pearce owns a career 24-29-6 record, a 3.23 GAA and two shutouts in 73 career games with the Griffins. In 78 outings with Toledo since 2009, he has a 34-36-2 record, a 3.35 GAA and five shutouts.

After clinching a playoff berth last weekend, the Griffins will wrap up their 76-game regular season slate with three games in three nights this weekend. Grand Rapids will host Peoria tonight at 7 p.m. for its regular season home finale, prior to back-to-back road games against Lake Erie on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Chicago on Sunday at 5 p.m. EDT. Tickets for tonight's game are available at griffinshockey.com.


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