Nov. 2, 2016

By Pete Wallner, MLive
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GRAND RAPIDS – Martin Frk said he is happy to get a second chance with the Detroit Red Wings organization.

Grand Rapids Griffins coach Todd Nelson seconded that.

"Getting Martin Frk back adds a whole different element to our team," the coach said Wednesday after Frk practiced for the first time with the Griffins since he was re-claimed off waivers from the Carolina Hurricanes the day before.

"Our power-play was missing a big-shot presence and he will certainly provide that for us. Plus, on five-on-five, Marty's improved so much he's definitely going to help us out a lot."

The right winger skated with Matt Lorito and Mitch Callahan and is expected to make his season debut with the team Friday at home against Iowa.
Grand Rapids is a familiar place for Frk, who has played 149 games for the Griffins since 2013. But it was an unexpected return.

The 23-year-old played well in camp with the Red Wings but was a victim of numbers and was placed on waivers Oct. 9. He was claimed by the Carolina Hurricanes, but played in just two games with no points and a minus-three rating with 8:20 in ice time. He was a healthy scratch in six games.

"Yeah, it has been a crazy one month for me," said Frk, whose girlfriend as well as his apartment are in Grand Rapids. "I'm excited to be back."
Last season with the Griffins, Frk scored 27 goals – sixth most in the AHL - and had 44 points as he emerged as a scoring threat with a booming shot after two-plus pedestrian seasons.

"It's always better to keep working on being a good defensive player," Frk said. "I know I can do good offensively, but I want to make sure that I don't have too many minuses out there."

Nelson said the organization had been monitoring Frk in Carolina and well as that of another former player with a big shot in Teemu Pulkkinen with Minnesota.

"He (Frk) wasn't playing a lot and we were just wondering when he was going to get sent back as well as Pulky," Nelson said, noting the deciding factor was Frk's more flexible two-way contract.

Interestingly, Frk's appearance Friday will come against the Iowa Wild and Pulkkinen, who cleared waivers and was sent out Tuesday by the parent club.
Frk has yet to play in a regular-season game with the Red Wings. He said he is not concerned about that prospect right now.

"I'm not thinking about that at all," he said. "Right now my goal is to do the best I can here. And if they call me up or not, I can't control that so my goal is just to be better every day."