GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday recalled defenseman Dylan McIlrath from the Grand Rapids Griffins while the Griffins recalled rookie defenseman Alec McCrea from the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye.

McIlrath, 27, has tallied three points (0-3—3) and 15 penalty minutes in 10 games with the Griffins this season.

The 10th overall selection by the New York Rangers in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, McIlrath has skated in 50 NHL games since 2013-14 with New York, Florida and Detroit, producing five points (3-2—5), a plus-six rating and 98 PIM. He became the 178th Griffins alumnus to play in the NHL when he made his Detroit debut last March 25 at San Jose. The 6-foot-4, 235-pound blueliner went on to finish with a plus-two rating and four PIM while averaging 15:11 of ice time in seven appearances with the Red Wings last season.

Acquired by the Red Wings from the Florida Panthers on March 1, 2017 along with a third-round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft in exchange for Thomas Vanek, McIlrath has totaled 34 points (8-26—34), a plus-18 rating and 274 PIM in 159 regular season games with Grand Rapids. He has picked up five assists and 39 PIM in 28 Calder Cup Playoff games with the Griffins, and he was a key piece in helping the team claim the franchise’s second Calder Cup in 2017.

A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, McIlrath has logged 363 career regular season AHL games between Connecticut (2010-11, 2012-13), Hartford (2013-15, 2016-17), Springfield (2016-17) and Grand Rapids, and has totaled 77 points (21-56—77), a plus-28 rating and 775 PIM, while netting seven points (0-7—7) in 48 postseason contests.

McCrea, 24, started the 2019-20 campaign in Grand Rapids but did not see any game action. A 6-foot-3, 210-pound defenseman, McCrea made his professional debut with the Walleye on Oct. 19 at Fort Wayne and registered his first goal last Saturday against Florida. McCrea shows one goal and 10 PIM in six appearances with Toledo.

Signed to a one-year contract by Grand Rapids on April 11, 2019, McCrea played four seasons (2015-19) at Cornell University, where he accounted for 49 points (12-37—49), a plus-41 rating and 62 PIM in 137 games. He helped the Big Red advance to the NCAA Tournament in his last three seasons and capture the last two Cleary Cups, awarded annually to the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference’s regular season champion. A native of San Diego, Calif., McCrea was named the ECAC’s Best Defensive Defenseman and to the All-Ivy Second Team as a junior in 2017-18.

The Griffins (5-4-1-1) will begin a three-game homestand tomorrow against the Cleveland Monsters at 11 a.m. in their 19th annual School Day Game.

Single-game tickets are currently on sale. Fans can secure their full-season, select-seasonor groupticket packages by calling (616) 774-4585 ext. 2 or visit griffinshockey.com for more information.

Photo by Sam Iannamico/Griffins