Ballantyne Assigned to Toledo

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. The Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League on Saturday signed defenseman Greg Amadio and left wing Jeff Hutchins to professional tryouts and assigned defenseman Paul Ballantyne to the Toledo Storm of the ECHL.

The 23-year-old Amadio, who along with Hutchins played in the 2005 ECHL All-Star Game on Wednesday, leads the ECHL with a plus-23 rating. The three-time WCHA All-Academic selection at Michigan Tech has contributed four points (1-34) and a team-high 134 penalty minutes in 32 games with the Columbia Inferno this season, while also logging one scoreless outing with the AHLs Manitoba Moose.

Hutchins, 26, currently paces the ECHLs Mississippi Sea Wolves with 18 goals and ranks second on the club with 34 points and 122 PIM in 35 appearances. He recently played three games with the AHLs Rochester Americans, notching the game-winning goal in a 3-2 victory over Utah on Jan. 16. Hutchins, who attended training camp with the Griffins, finished second in the Hardest Shot competition at the ECHL All-Star Game with a blast of 92.1 mph.

Ballantyne has seen action in 23 games with the Griffins this season, logging one assist and 10 PIM. He has three points (1-23) in 39 career games with Grand Rapids, and 62 points (23-3962) in 110 games with Toledo.

Amadio and Hutchins will be available to make their Grand Rapids debuts tonight when the Griffins host the defending Calder Cup champion Milwaukee Admirals at 7:30.