- Michigan State University Product Leads Griffins With 54 Points in 64 Games
The Detroit Red Wings today recalled left wing Taro Hirose from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions.
Hirose, 26, has skated in 64 games with the Griffins this season and ranks among the team leaders with 15 goals (2nd), 39 assists (1st), 54 points (1st), three power play goals (6th) and 136 shots (2nd). The 5-foot-10, 162-pound forward split the 2021-22 campaign between Detroit and Grand Rapids, recording four points (1-3-4) in 15 appearances with the Red Wings while tallying 53 points (15-38-53) in 59 games with the Griffins. In all, Hirose has logged 20 points (4-16-20) and 12 penalty minutes in 57 games with the Red Wings since making his NHL debut in 2018-19. He has also accumulated 162 points (40-122-162) and 40 penalty minutes in 187 games with the Griffins over the last four seasons. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Red Wings on March 12, 2019, Hirose posted seven points (1-6-7) in 10 contests during his first NHL stint in 2018-19.
A native of Calgary, Alberta, Hirose spent three seasons at Michigan State University prior to turning professional, compiling 116 points (33-83-116) and 39 penalty minutes in 106 games from 2016-19. As a junior in 2018-19, Hirose was named the Big Ten Player of the Year and a Hobey Baker Award finalist after tying for the NCAA’s scoring lead with 50 points (15-35-50) in 36 games. He was also an All-Big Ten Second Team selection as a sophomore after notching 42 points (12-30-42) in 36 games during the 2017-18 campaign. Before starting his collegiate career, Hirose played two seasons with the Salmon Arm Silverbacks of the British Columbia Hockey League from 2014-16, totaling 121 points (33-88-121) and 30 penalty minutes in 116 games, in addition to five points (1-4-5) in six postseason contests. He paced Salmon Arm with 71 points (15-56-71) in 58 games during the 2015-16 season and was named the team’s Rookie of the Year after collecting 50 points (18-32-50) in 58 games in 2014-15.