Center and Defenseman Combined for 20 NHL Games Last Season

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. The Detroit Red Wings, NHL affiliate of the Grand Rapids Griffins, on Thursday announced the signings of center Matt Hussey and defenseman Dan Smith to one-year contracts.

Hussey, 27, enjoyed a breakout season with the AHLs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2005-06, posting career highs with 21 goals and a team-leading 30 assists and 51 points. He also paced the Penguins with seven game-winning goals, helping them earn the East Division championship and the third-best record in the AHL at 51-18-5-6 (113 points). Husseys hot start he totaled 19 points (9-1019) in his first 17 games before being recalled by the Pittsburgh Penguins propelled Wilkes-Barre to an incredible 20-0-2-1 record out of the gate.

Pittsburghs 10th choice in the 1998 Entry Draft, Hussey appeared in 13 contests with the parent Pens last season, contributing an assist. He scored a goal during his NHL debut on March 16, 2004 versus Washington and has totaled four points (2-24) in 16 career games with Pittsburgh.

Smith, 29, has logged 561 games during a pro career that dates to the end of 1996-97, when he joined the Hershey Bears out of junior and promptly won a Calder Cup championship.

The 1995 draft pick spent parts of five seasons in the Colorado Avalanche organization, registering 15 NHL games from 1998-2000. After signing with the Edmonton Oilers as a free agent on August 21, 2003, Smith played parts of three seasons with the franchises AHL affiliates before returning to the NHL with a seven-game stint last season. He spent the majority of the 2005-06 campaign with the Hamilton Bulldogs, finishing with 16 assists in 69 outings.