With junior and college hockey seasons winding down, the Grand Rapids Griffins have added another intriguing young piece to an already talent-heavy pipeline within the Detroit Red Wings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings] organization. On Monday, the Griffins signed forward Kienan Draper to an amateur tryout for the remainder of the season, along with agreeing to a two-year AHL contract that will begin in 2026–27. Draper, the son of former Red Wings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings] fan favourite and long-time NHL forward Kris Draper, was originally selected in the seventh round of the 2020 NHL Draft. He recently completed his senior season at the University of Michigan, where he posted five goals and 13 assists for 18 points along with a plus-21 rating in 40 games. Over four collegiate seasons with the Wolverines, the 24-year-old totaled 40 points in 133 appearances. During his time in Ann Arbor, he helped guide Michigan to two Big Ten championships and three NCAA Frozen Four appearances in four years. Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings/] team site to stay connected to the latest news [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings/latest-news], game-day [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings/game-day]coverage, and player features [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings/players]. The Bloomfield Hills, Michigan native, Draper has strong ties to Detroit [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings], having played youth hockey with the Little Caesars Amateur Hockey Program alongside Detroit [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings]'s Carter Mazur and ECHL Toledo's Jacob Truscott. His arrival in Grand Rapids marks something of a homecoming, as he formally joins the professional ranks within the Red Wings [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/detroit-red-wings] system, adding to an already deep and promising wave of young talent in the organization. Never miss a story by adding us to your Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwnuDfCA?ceid=CA:en&oc=3] favorites! Image [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/7580a307-e387-4cc9-86ee-6eeb7a5cf1a7.jpeg] For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free [https://thehockeynews.store/products/print-subscription]. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here [http://eepurl.com/i7OC4I]. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
