Hirose-1

DETROIT -- The Detroit Red Wings today assigned left wing Taro Hirose to the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins.

Hirose, 25, has logged 12 games with the Red Wings this season, tallying four points (1-3-4), four penalty minutes and averaging 10:26 time on ice. The left winger has also suited up in 52 games for the Griffins this season and ranks among the team leaders with 14 goals (4th), 31 assists (1st) and 45 points (2nd). Hirose has split his professional career between the Red Wings and Griffins, appearing in 54 NHL games since debuting in 2018-19 - totaling 20 points (4-16-20) and 12 penalty minutes - while adding 100 points (24-76-100) and 28 penalty minutes in 116 games with Grand Rapids over the last three seasons. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent after spending three years at Michigan State University and logged seven points (1-6-7) in 10 games during his first NHL stint in 2018-19.
A native of Calgary, Alberta, Hirose appeared in 106 games at Michigan State from 2016-19, totaling 116 points (33-83-116) and 39 penalty minutes. As a junior in 2018-19, Hirose led the nation in points (50), points-per-game (1.47), assists (35), multi-point games (15) and three-point games (9) en route to being named the Big Ten Player of the Year. Prior to his collegiate career, Hirose played two seasons (2014-16) with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the British Columbia Hockey League where he totaled 121 points (33-88-121) in 116 games. During the 2015-16 campaign with the Silverbacks, he ranked 13th in the BCHL in points (71) and fourth in assists (56), both of which led the team. Hirose also led the Silverbacks in scoring (18-32-50) in his first season with the club (2014-15), while being named the team's Rookie of the Year.