GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. The Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League on Friday signed defenseman Jakub Kindl (YA-koob KIHN-duhl) to an amateur tryout.

Kindl was the Detroit Red Wings first selection (19th overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. Just 19 years old, he was listed as the organizations sixth-ranked prospect by the 2006 Future Watch edition of The Hockey News.

The 6-3, 202-pound native of Sumperk, Czech Republic, recently completed his second campaign with the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League. He averaged nearly a point per game from the blue line, tying for third on the team with 58 points (12-4658) in 60 games while adding 112 penalty minutes.

Named the OHLs Defenseman of the Month for November 2005, Kindl helped Kitchener to an impressive 47-19-1-1 record that placed second in the Midwest Division and third overall in the OHL. He was also a member of the Czech Republic squad that finished sixth at the 2006 World Junior Championship in Canada.

Kindl will be available to make his professional debut on Saturday, when the Griffins visit the Syracuse Crunch at 7:30 p.m.