DETROIT - The Detroit Red Wings today recalled center Gemel Smith from the American Hockey League's Grand Rapids Griffins and reassigned defenseman Luke Witkowski to the team's taxi squad from the Griffins.
Smith, 27, made his season debut with the Griffins last week and skated in three games with the team on his conditioning stint, logging one assist, a plus-one rating, eight penalty minutes and two shots on goal. He had been sidelined since training camp due to injury and is looking to play his first NHL game since appearing for the Tampa Bay Lightning on May 10, 2021 at Florida. 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 before Detroit claimed him off waivers on Jan. 19, 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 289 career AHL games between the Texas Stars, Providence Bruins and Crunch and compiled 173 points (76-97-173), a plus-22 rating and 203 penalty minutes since making his professional debut in 2014-15.
Detroit recalls Gemel Smith, reassigns Witkowski to taxi squad
Smith skated in three AHL games in first appearances of 2021-22
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