Detroit recalls Riley Barber from Grand Rapids
Center Chase Pearson Assigned to Griffins
Barber, 28, joined the organization when he signed a two-year contract prior to the 2020-21 campaign and made his Red Wings debut on Dec. 18 vs. New Jersey. The 6-foot, 199-pound forward has appeared in 44 games with the Griffins this season and ranks among the team leaders with 19 goals (2nd), 23 assists (3rd), 42 points (T3rd), 12 power play goals (1st), five game-winning goals (2nd) and 160 shots (1st). Last season, he was named to the Central Division All-Star Team after leading Grand Rapids with 20 goals and 34 points in 32 games. The Pittsburgh, Pa., native is a veteran of 359 AHL games, posting 293 points (145-148-293) and 250 penalty minutes over seven seasons with the Hershey Bears, Laval Rocket, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Griffins. Barber previously saw NHL action with the Washington Capitals (2016-17) and Montreal Canadiens (2019-20), picking up two penalty minutes in 12 games. The 6-foot, 190-pound winger also has 15 points (5-10-15) in 38 career AHL postseason games.
Originally drafted by the Capitals in the sixth round (167th overall) of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Barber signed with Washington after spending three seasons at Miami University, where he scored at over a point-per-game pace with 123 points (54-69-123), a plus-24 rating and 62 penalty minutes in 116 games. Barber earned several collegiate honors, including CCHA Rookie of the Year and First All-Star Team in 2012-13 and NCHC Second All-Star Team in 2013-14, and helped the RedHawks to a conference championship in 2014-15. He also won a 2011 Clark Cup championship in the United States Hockey League with the Dubuque Fighting Saints and spent the 2011-12 season with the U.S. National Team Development Program. Barber also captained the United States at the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championship after winning gold at the event in 2013, combining for 12 points (7-5-12) in 12 games between the two tournaments.
Pearson, 24, made his NHL debut with the Red Wings on March 24 against the New York Islanders and made his second appearance for Detroit on Saturday, April 16 against the New York Rangers. Pearson recorded three hits and a plus-one rating in 7:11 time on ice in two games for Detroit. The 6-foot-3, 202-pound center has also skated in 49 games for the Griffins this season, totaling 18 points (7-11-18) and 18 penalty minutes. During the 2020-21 campaign, Pearson recorded 22 points (8-14-22) in 28 games with Grand Rapids and ranked among the team leaders with eight goals (4th), 14 assists (T3rd), 22 points (3rd) and two power-play goals (T3rd), while logging only two penalty minutes. The third-year pro has appeared in 146 AHL games since making his pro debut at the end of the 2018-19 season, notching 64 points (25-39-64) and 41 penalty minutes.
Originally drafted by the Red Wings in the fifth round (140th overall) of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Pearson spent three seasons at the University of Maine from 2016-19 prior to turning professional, serving as the team's captain as a sophomore and junior. In 107 games at the NCAA level, Pearson registered 78 points (37-41-78), a plus-18 rating and 132 penalty minutes. He was named Hockey East's Best Defensive Forward and was a Hockey East Second-Team All-Star in 2018-19. Pearson played parts of three seasons with the Youngstown Phantoms in the United States Hockey League from 2013-16, totaling 76 points (24-52-76), a plus-42 rating and 157 penalty minutes in 114 games. The Alpharetta, Georgia, native also won bronze for the United States at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge, chipping in six points (2-4-6) in five games.
