Per the Grand Rapids Griffins on Twitter:
UPDATE: @DetroitRedWings reassign defenseman Libor Sulak from the Finnish Elite League’s Lahti Pelicans to the #Griffins ➡ https://t.co/xs7Dabk6xu pic.twitter.com/RpBm4hfO3M
— Grand Rapids Griffins (@griffinshockey) March 23, 2018
Will join the Griffins in Des Moines. Unlikely to play this weekend. Available to Coach Nelson next week. https://t.co/42ZOQ0tIAj
— Bob Kaser (@bkaser1) March 23, 2018
Sulak out 7-10 days with hip flexor and groin strain, then will practice. Once healthy is eligible to play for GRG. https://t.co/8GEq8w3W0N
— Helene St. James (@HeleneStJames) March 23, 2018
Here’s the press release:
LIBOR SULAK REASSIGNED TO GRIFFINS
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Detroit Red Wings on Friday reassigned defenseman Libor Sulak (LIH-bohr SHOO-lahk) from the Finnish Elite League’s Lahti Pelicans to the Grand Rapids Griffins.
Sulak, 24, led all team defensemen in scoring with a career-high 32 points (9-23—32), while adding a plus-five rating and 66 penalty minutes in 42 games for the Pelicans this season. He also skated in three postseason games.
Prior to playing in Finland, the 6-foot-2, 207-pound blueliner played two seasons with Orli Znojmo in the Erste Bank Eishockey Liga, Austria’s top pro league. In 106 regular season games from 2015-17, Sulak totaled 46 pints (16-30—46) and 55 PIM and added nine points (5-4—9) in 22 playoff appearances. He led the club with a plus-19 rating and ranked fourth on the team in scoring with 28 points (10-18—28) in 54 games during the 2016-17 campaign, a season after being named the league’s rookie of the year posting 18 points (6-12—18) in 52 contests.
A native of Pelhrimov, Czech Republic, Sulak has pro experience in his home country. He skated in 32 games with Pirati Chomutov in the top Czech league in 2013-14 and produced four points (2-2—4), and totaled 11 points (4-7—11) in 39 games with SK Kadan from 2012-15 in Czech’s second-tier league.
Prior to turning pro, Sulak tallied 39 points (19-20—39) between 2010-15 with HC Havlickuv Brod and KLH Chomutov of the Czech junior league. He helped Chomutov claim back-to-back league titles in 2014 and 2015 with a combined 10 points (9-1—10) in 14 playoff appearances. Sulak also skated in 50 games with Tatranski Vlci of Russia’s junior league in 2011-12 and tallied 11 points (6-5—11) and 73 PIM.
Sulak has represented the Czech Republic on the international stage at the 2017 IIHF World Championship, the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship and the 2012 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.
Sulak was signed to a two-year entry-level contract with the Red Wings on May 24, 2017.
The Griffins, who rank fourth in the Central Division, continue their four-game road trip with a trip to the third-place Iowa Wild tonight at 8 p.m. EDT.
Update: The Grand Rapids Press’s Peter J. Wallner also confirms:
Defenseman Libor Sulak, who was playing in the Finnish Elite League, was reassigned to the Grand Rapids Griffins on Friday.
The move is likely in advance of another Red Wings move to recall a Griffins defenseman following the season-ending injury to Mike Green.
Sulak is expected to join the team for tonight’s game at Iowa but not play.
