Lashoff And McIlrath Signed To Two-Year Contract Extensions
DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today signed defensemen Brian Lashoff and Dylan McIlrath to two-year contract extensions.
Lashoff, 26, is one of three two-time Calder Cup champions on the Grand Rapids Griffins' roster (along with right wing Mitch Callahan and defenseman Nathan Paetsch), capturing his second title this spring after first winning in 2013. The Albany, N.Y., native skated in 62 games for Grand Rapids this season, recording 11 points (3-8-11) and 32 penalty minutes and adding four points (1-3-4) and 12 penalty minutes in 17 playoff games. Lashoff, who was originally signed by the Red Wings as an undrafted free agent on Sept. 30, 2008, also appeared in five games for Detroit this season. He has skated in 122 career NHL games for the Red Wings since 2012-13, showing 13 points (2-11-13) and 57 penalty minutes.
A 6-foot-3, 214-pound defenseman, Lashoff has played parts of eight seasons for Grand Rapids, totaling 69 points (16-53-69), a plus-16 rating and 165 penalty minutes in 330 AHL regular-season games and adding 16 points (4-12-16) and 32 penalty minutes in 68 postseason games, which rank second in Griffins franchise history behind only Paetsch (78 games). Prior to turning professional, he spent four seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Barrie Colts and Kingston Frontenacs, notching 91 points (20-71-91) and 186 penalty minutes in 215 major junior contests. The 2010 OHL All-Star also won a gold medal for the United States at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship in Saskatchewan, contributing two assists in seven games.
McIlrath, 25, joined the Griffins after Detroit acquired him along with a third-round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft (Detroit selected defenseman Kasper Kotkansalo) from the Florida Panthers in exchange for forward Thomas Vanek on March 1. He went on to appear in 21 regular-season games with the Griffins, picking up four assists and 42 penalty minutes and adding five points (0-5-5), 25 penalty minutes and a team-best plus-10 rating in 19 playoff games. McIlrath saw time with five different teams in 2016-17, appearing in one game for the New York Rangers and five for the Panthers during NHL stints and skating in 22 combined games with their respective AHL affiliates (Hartford Wolf Pack and Springfield Thunderbirds) prior to the trade to Detroit.
Originally drafted by the Rangers in the first round (10th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, the 6-foot-5, 236-pound blueliner has registered five points (3-2-5), a plus-four rating and 94 penalty minutes in 43 career NHL games with the Rangers and Panthers since 2013-14. He has also skated in 225 AHL games for the Connecticut Whale, Wolf Pack and Thunderbirds since 2010-11, picking up 47 points (13-34-47), a plus-seven rating and 543 penalty minutes. The Winnipeg, Manitoba, native played four seasons for the Western Hockey League's Moose Jaw Warriors from 2008-12 before turning professional, totaling 74 points (16-58-74) and 551 penalty minutes in 232 contests.
