DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today assigned center Austin Czarnik and defenseman Simon Edvinsson to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.
Czarnik, 31, has skated in 16 games with the Red Wings this season, recording one assist, six penalty minutes and 12 shots in 8:36 average time on ice. The 5-foot-9, 167-pound forward has also collected seven points (3-4-7) and six penalty minutes in nine games with the Griffins to begin the 2023-24 season. Czarnik split the 2022-23 campaign between the Red Wings and Griffins, notching five points (3-2-5) and eight penalty minutes in 29 games with Detroit, in addition to 37 points (14-23-37) and eight penalty minutes in 43 games with Grand Rapids. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Boston Bruins on March 31, 2015, Czarnik has played in parts of eight NHL seasons with the Bruins, Calgary Flames, New York Islanders, Seattle Kraken and Red Wings, totaling 51 points (18-33-51) and 34 penalty minutes in 187 games since 2016-17. He has also compiled 269 points (98-171-269), a plus-22 rating and 100 penalty minutes in 279 AHL games with the Providence Bruins, Stockton Heat, Bridgeport Islanders and Griffins. Czarnik paced all AHL rookies with 61 points (20-41-61) in 68 games during the 2015-16 season and went on to represent Providence at the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic.
A native of Washington Township, Mich., Czarnik played four seasons at Miami University from 2011-15 prior to turning professional, serving as team captain during his junior and senior years. In all, Czarnik accumulated 169 points (46-123-169), a plus-50 rating and 119 penalty minutes in 159 games with the RedHawks and was a Hobey Baker Award finalist as a sophomore in 2012-13. Before joining the RedHawks, Czarnik spent the 2010-11 season with the Green Bay Gamblers of the United States Hockey League, posting 34 points (20-14-34) and 33 penalty minutes in 46 contests. He previously skated with the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2008-10. On the international stage, Czarnik represented Team USA at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, notching four points (2-2-4) in six games. Czarnik earned a gold medal at the 2010 IIHF World Under-18 Championship after recording six points (5-1-6), a plus-seven rating and four penalty minutes in seven games, and also won a bronze medal at the 2009 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge after collecting four points (1-3-4) in five appearances.
Edvinsson, 20, made his season debut with the Red Wings on Dec. 23 at New Jersey, logging 13:18 time on ice. The 6-foot-6, 212-pound defenseman has also skated in 25 games with the Griffins to begin the 2023-24 season, leading the team’s defensemen in goals (6), assists (10), points (16), power play goals (2), game-winning goals (2) and shots (57). Edvinsson made his NHL debut with the Red Wings during the 2022-23 campaign, recording two goals and 12 penalty minutes in nine appearances. He played the majority of the 2022-23 season with Grand Rapids, notching 27 points (5-22-27) and 52 penalty minutes in 52 games. In all, Edvinsson has posted 43 points (11-32-43) and 72 penalty minutes in 77 AHL games with the Griffins. Prior to arriving in North America, Edvinsson spent the entire 2021-22 season with Frolunda HC of the Swedish Hockey League, logging 19 points (2-17-19), a plus-13 rating and 18 penalty minutes in 44 regular-season games, in addition to two assists in five postseason contests. His 17 assists were the most of any player under 20 years of age in Sweden’s top professional league.
Selected by the Red Wings in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Edvinsson saw time in three different leagues during the 2020-21 season, notching six points (1-5-6), a plus-four rating and 10 penalty minutes in 14 games with Frolunda’s under-20 squad. He made his professional debut by skating in 14 games with Vasteras IK in the HockeyAllsvenskan, collecting five assists in Sweden’s second tier before adding one assist in 10 appearances with Frolunda’s SHL team. Edvinsson began developing in Frolunda’s system in 2018-19, accumulating 12 points (1-11-12) in 22 games with the under-20 team, 25 points (6-19-25) in 34 games with the under-18 squad and 36 points (10-26-36) in 24 games at the under-16 level. The Kungsbacka, Sweden, native won a bronze medal as an alternate captain at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship, collecting two points (1-1-2) in six games. He also won a bronze medal with Sweden at the 2021 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, registering four points (1-3-4) and eight penalty minutes in seven contests. Edvinsson represented his country at the 2019 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, picking up five assists in five games.
Austin Czarnik, Center
Born Dec 12 1992 -- Washington Township, MI
Height 5.09 -- Weight 167 -- Shoots R
