Griffins Goalie to be Reassigned to ECHL Affiliate for Conditioning

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. The Grand Rapids Griffins announced on Friday that goaltender Joey MacDonald will be reassigned by the Detroit Red Wings to the ECHLs Toledo Storm on Saturday for conditioning. He is scheduled to start for the Storm tomorrow night when they host the Trenton Titans, and is expected to return to the Griffins on Sunday.

MacDonald, 25, has not played this season while recovering from off-season back surgery but has practiced with Grand Rapids for the past two weeks.

A 2005 American Hockey League All-Star, MacDonald led the league last season with 64 starts, 66 games played and 3,754:40 minutes played, while ranking among the circuits best with a 2.29 goals against average (T12th), 34 wins (4th), five shutouts (T12th), 1,785 saves (2nd) and a 0.926 save percentage (10th).

Before missing the teams final four games in 2004-05, he established Griffins records with 24 consecutive starts (Feb. 25-April 9) and 31 consecutive games played in goal (Feb. 4-April 9).

MacDonald, who re-signed with Detroit as a restricted free agent in August, is in his fourth season with Grand Rapids. He ranks among the Griffins all-time goaltending leaders with 126 starts (1st), 130 games played (1st), 7340:09 minutes played (1st), a 2.17 goals against average (4th), 70 wins (1st), 14 shutouts (1st), 3,409 saves (1st) and a 0.928 save percentage (2nd).