DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings today assigned center Gemel Smith to the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins for conditioning.
Smith, 27, is looking to play his first game since appearing for the Tampa Bay Lightning on May 10, 2021 at Florida. He has yet to play this season due to injury, joining the Red Wings on Wednesday after he was claimed off waivers from Tampa Bay. The eighth-year pro is the older brother of Red Wings forward Givani Smith and has spent the past three seasons in Tampa Bay's system, splitting time between the Lightning and American Hockey League's Syracuse Crunch during the organization's back-to-back Stanley Cup championship runs. Smith has logged 88 NHL games with the Dallas Stars, Boston Bruins and Lightning, notching 24 points (12-12-24), a plus-three rating and 53 penalty minutes. The 5-foot-10, 203-pound forward has also skated in 286 career AHL games between the Texas Stars, Providence Bruins and Crunch and compiled 172 points (76-96-172), a plus-21 rating and 195 penalty minutes since making his professional debut in 2014-15.
Gemel Smith joins Grand Rapids for conditioning
Griffins set to host Milwaukee Admirals tonight at 7 p.m.
