AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Red Wings Assign Frk, Reassign Pope

Published on March 29, 2019 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Detroit Red Wings on Thursday assigned forward Martin Frk to the Grand Rapids Griffins and reassigned forward David Pope from the Griffins to the ECHL's Toledo Walleye.

??Frk, 25, has split the season between Grand Rapids and Detroit. Beginning the campaign with the Red Wings, he recorded five points (1-4-5) and two penalty minutes while averaging 8:24 of ice time in 25 appearances. Assigned to Grand Rapids on Feb. 14, Frk ties for second on the Griffins with 13 points (4-9-13) and leads the team with a plus-12 rating in 10 games during that span. He has accumulated nine points (3-6-9) during his six-game point streak, which is one off his AHL career high.

??A 6-foot-1, 205-pound winger, Frk has totaled 131 points (67-64-131) and 191 PIM in 224 regular season contests with the Griffins since 2013. His 25 career power play goals tie for third on the franchise's all-time list. Frk netted the Calder Cup-clinching goal in the third period of Game 6 of the 2017 Finals against Syracuse and has contributed 21 points (6-15-21) in 26 postseason tilts.

???Detroit's first selection, 49th overall, in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Frk has skated in 93 games with the Red Wings the last two seasons, tallying 30 points (12-18-30) and 16 PIM. Frk made his NHL debut with the Carolina Hurricanes at the beginning of the 2016-17 campaign - becoming the 156th Griffins alumnus to play in the NHL when he debuted on Oct. 18 at Edmonton - and played in a total of two games.

?A native of Pelhrimov, Czech Republic, Frk skated with the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads from 2010-13 and capped his junior career by helping the club claim the Memorial Cup in 2013.

??Pope, 24, has appeared in 28 games with the Griffins during his first year pro, tallying three points (2-1-3) and 12 PIM. He picked up his first point on an assist on Oct. 12 vs. Hershey and bagged his first goal a day later at Chicago.

??Prior to turning pro, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound winger spent four seasons at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and totaled 94 points (45-49-94) and 41 PIM in 133 games from 2014-18. During his senior year, he set collegiate career highs and led the Mavericks with 41 points, 20 goals, and 12 power play goals while tying for the team lead with 21 assists. In 23 National Collegiate Hockey Conference games, Pope notched 28 points (14-14-28) and was named to the NCHC First All-Star Team and the NCHC All-Academic Team.

??Originally drafted by Detroit in the fourth round, 109th overall, of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, the Edmonton, Alberta, native played three seasons in the British Columbia Hockey League. In 131 appearances from 2011-14 between Cowichan Valley, Westside and West Kelowna, Pope totaled 114 points (52-62-114) and 71 PIM and was named to the BCHL Second All-Star Team in 2013-14.

??After finishing their season-high six-game road trip with a 5-1 record, the Griffins return to Van Andel Arena on Friday to host the Central Division-leading Chicago Wolves at 7 p.m.

?Single-game tickets are currently on sale. 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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American Hockey League Stories from March 29, 2019


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