Detroit Red Wings

Red Wings Assign Lombardi to Griffins; Larkin Ready to Play?

Published

1 year ago

April 12, 2023

The only positive of Amadeus Lombardi’s Flint Firebirds being knocked out of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs is he starts his professional career earlier than expected.

Lombardi is already signed by the Red Wings and they have reassigned him Wednesday to the Grand Rapids Griffins. The Griffins have two games remaining — a home game against the Rockford IceHogs on Friday and a Saturday road game against the Chicago Wolves.

The Red Wings also announced that Danny O’Regan and Taro Hirose have been reassigned to the Griffins. That means Detroit captain Dylan Larkin is healthy enough to play the Red Wings’ final game on Thursday at Tampa Bay. O’Regan and Hirose were with the Red Wings on emergency call-ups. Larkin didn’t play Tuesday at Carolina.

The Auroa, Ontario native finished third in the OHL scoring race this season with 45 goals 102 points. He had another five goals and seven points in seven playoff games against the Saginaw Spirit. Lombardi was drafted in the fourth round (113th overall) in the 2022 draft, and the Red Wings liked the potential he showed at last season’s training camp.

Lombardi Can Fly

OHL coaches recently voted him as the smartest player in the league’s Western Conference. He was judged to be No. 2 in stickhandling and playmaking. Lombardi is slick with the puck. He is also a dynamic skater, with a knack for finding seams in the defense.

He also has a memorable first name. Lombardi told Detroit Hockey Now that his dad, a musician, came up with the idea of naming a child “Amadeus” when he was young.

“It’s from the Latin words for love and God,” the young Lombardi said.

Lombardi is third Red Wings prospect to be assigned to the Griffin after their seasons were over. Forward Carter Mazur (70th overall in 2021) and defenseman William Wallinder (drafted 32nd overall in 2020) were the others. Mazur, a Michigan native, boasts three goals and six points in his first six games with the Griffins. Wallinder has only played one game with the Griffins. The Griffins don’t say whether a player is injured or not.