AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Griffins Make Roster Moves

Published on January 4, 2013 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Detroit Red Wings on Friday reassigned right wing Willie Coetzee to the Grand Rapids Griffins from the ECHL's Toledo Walleye and reassigned right wing Andrej Nestrasil and defenseman Gleason Fournier from the Griffins to the Walleye.

Coetzee, 22, rejoins the Griffins after recording a career-high 22 points (11-11-22) with the club in 61 contests during the 2011-12 season. The Johannesburg, South Africa, native shows 27 points (11-16-27) in 88 career games with Grand Rapids from 2009-12. A third-year pro, Coetzee has recorded 31 points (14-17-31) in 32 contests with the Walleye this season, which ties for the team lead.

Nestrasil, 21, heads back to Toledo where he holds an ECHL-best 11-game point streak, racking up 18 points (4-14-18) in his last 11 games. The Prague, Czech Republic, native tied Coetzee for the team scoring lead after a career-high five-point night in a 9-4 Walleye victory over Fort Wayne on Monday. Nestrasil was honored by the league on Wednesday when he was awarded the AMI Graphics ECHL Plus Performer of the Month after posting a plus-13 rating in December.

Fournier, 21, has skated in three games for Grand Rapids this season and nine for Toledo. The second-year pro shows four points (1-3-4) and 18 penalty minutes in 16 career games with the Griffins, adding 18 points (2-16-18) in 64 career games with Toledo.

The Griffins will finish a season-high seven-game homestand tonight when they host the Oklahoma City Barons at 7 p.m. The team will then embark on a four-game road trip, playing the first two of those games this weekend. Grand Rapids will visit Chicago tomorrow at 8 p.m. EST and Milwaukee on Sunday at 4 p.m. EST for the first two of five consecutive divisional contests. Tickets for tonight's game are available at griffinshockey.com.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 4, 2013


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