Griffins’ Russo named AHL Player of the Week

By @MichaelCaples –

While Red Wings officials try to decide if they want to make any moves before today’s trade deadline, one of their prospects has been named player of the week in the AHL.

The American Hockey League announced today that Robbie Russo has been named their CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending on Feb. 28, 2016.

Russo recorded two goals and five assists while playing to a plus-8 rating this past week, helping the Griffins to a perfect 4-0 record.

He is the second Griffin to earn weekly league accolades – Tomas Jurco was honored by the AHL on Nov. 22.

Russo, a NTDP and Notre Dame alum, signed with the Wings last summer after opting not to sign with the New York Islanders – the club that drafted him in the fourth round of the 2011 NHL Draft.

More from the Griffins’ release:

Russo, who entered last week’s action with just four points in his previous 25 contests, picked up a pair of assists on Tuesday to help the Griffins to a 5-0 win at Chicago. He tallied two more assists on Friday as Grand Rapids defeated Iowa, 4-1, and scored the winning goal in Saturday’s 3-0 victory over the Wild. Russo capped the week by scoring the game-tying goal with 2:42 left in regulation and then assisting on Andy Miele’s overtime winner as the Griffins downed Chicago, 4-3, on Sunday evening.

For the season, Russo has totaled four goals and 23 assists (4-23—27) in 50 games with Grand Rapids. He leads all AHL skaters with a plus/minus rating of plus-37 and is just four off the Griffins’ all-time single-season record (Ivan Ciernik, 2000-01). Russo has been on the ice just 23 times this season when the opponent has scored, including three power play goals and two empty netters.

The rookie blueliner spent the last four seasons at the University of Notre Dame, serving as team captain as a senior in 2014-15. A 23-year-old native of Westmont, Ill., Russo was originally a fourth-round selection (95th overall) by the New York Islanders in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft and signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings on Aug. 16, 2015.

In recognition of his achievement, Russo will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming Griffins home game.

The Griffins will wrap up a four-game homestand on Wednesday, when they host the Central Division-leading Rockford IceHogs at 7 p.m.