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Griffins Re-sign Red Wings Draftee Bednar

Goalie played last season with ECHL Walleye

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4 months ago

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Jan Bednar, Walleye
The Grand Rapids Griffins have signed 2020 Red Wings draftee Jan Bednar to a one-year extension of his AHL contract. (Photo courtesy Toledo Walleye)

The Detroit Red Wings didn’t opt to sign goaltender Jan Bednar to an NHL contract. He’ll still be remaining part of the organization, though.

Monday, the Grand Rapids Griffins were announcing that they were signing the Czech netminder to a one-year AHL contract. Bednar was also with the Griffins on an AHL contract this past season. However, he spent the entire season with the ECHL Toledo Walleye.

Bednar (pronounced BEHD-nash) showed a 22-7-2 record, a 2.66 goals-against average and a .901 save percentage in 36 regular-season games for the Walleye this season. He also would tally a 4-1 mark in the postseason to go along with a 2.37 GAA and a .917 save percentage. The 21-year-old made his debut for Toledo during the 2022-23 campaign, completing a 1-1-0 ledger with a 3.01 GAA and a .901 save percentage in three outings.

Selected 107th overall pick by the Red Wings in the 2020 NHL entry draft, Detroit had until June 1 to ink the 6-foot-4, 196-pound netminder goaltender to a pact, or the club would relinquish his NHL rights. While that didn’t happen, it took just two days for Bednar to decide to remain under contract with the Griffins for another season.

Red Wings Still Likely To Sign Another Goalie

It would appear probable that Bednar and the recently-signed Carter Gylander will be designated to share the netminding chores with the Walleye next season. Currrently with just two goaltenders under contract showing NHL experience on their resumes – Alex Lyon and Ville Husso – in all likelihood come July 1 the Red Wings will be signing a veteran UFA goalie capable of playing in the NHL in a pinch to backup Sebastian Cossa next season with the Griffins. At the same time, they’ll want it to be a netminder capable of clearing NHL waivers when he’s given assignment to Grand Rapids.

The Red Wings want Cossa to carry the load as their No. 1 AHL goaltender next season. It’s unlikely that they’d be willing to throw him into a long-term NHL role if something were to happen to Lyon and Husso. Husso missed significant playing time this past season due to injury. He didn’t play a full NHL game after December.

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