AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Callahan and Nestrasil Signed by Wings

Published on July 17, 2014 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Detroit Red Wings on Thursday signed forwards Mitch Callahan and Andrej Nestrasil to one-year contracts.

Callahan, 22, ranked fourth on the Griffins in scoring with 44 points (26-18 - 44) in 70 games during the 2013-14 campaign, shattering his combined point total from the previous two seasons (17-12 - 29). The Whittier, Calif., native ranked among team leaders with 26 goals (2nd), 18 assists (9th), a plus-23 rating (1st), 51 penalty minutes (6th) and 194 shots (3rd). In three seasons with Grand Rapids, the 6-foot, 195-pound Callahan has accumulated 73 points (43-30 - 73) in 189 career AHL games.

Detroit's sixth choice (180th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Callahan made his NHL debut with the Wings on March 25 in a 4-2 road loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets, becoming the 144th Griffins alumnus to play in the NHL.

Nestrasil, 23, tied for fifth in scoring with 36 points (16-20 - 36) in 70 regular season games with Grand Rapids last season. In his two previous seasons with Grand Rapids (2011-13), Nestrasil produced 10 points (6-4 - 10) in 50 games. Entering his fourth year as a pro, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Nestrasil split his first two professional seasons between the Griffins and the ECHL's Toledo Walleye, where he picked up 70 points (18-52 - 70) in 91 games.

Prior to turning pro, Nestrasil accumulated 178 points (57-121 - 178) in three QMJHL seasons between the Victoriaville Tigres (2008-10) and the Prince Edward Island Rockets (2010-11). A native of Prague, Czech Republic, Nestrasil was Detroit's third choice (75th overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

Group tickets for eight guaranteed home dates at Van Andel Arena are now on sale along with 2014-15 season ticket packages. Single-game tickets will go on sale to the public in September. Fans can secure their full-season, select-season or group ticket packages by calling (616) 774-4585 ext. 2 or visit griffinshockey.com for more information.

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