Detroit Red Wings place forward Austin Czarnik on waivers

With the NHL regular season over for the Detroit Red Wings, it looks like they are trying to send a player down in time for the American Hockey League postseason.

On Wednesday, the team placed forward Austin Czarnik on waivers.

The 31-year-old was in the lineup for the Red Wings’ last game of the season on Tuesday night, which saw Detroit pull out a shootout win over the Montreal Canadiens. However, the win did not matter, as the Wings were eliminated from playoff contention when the Washington Capitals defeated the Philadelphia Flyers to claim the last Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.

If Czarniks clears, he can rejoin the Red Wings’ primary affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, just in time for the Calder Cup Playoffs.

The Detroit native has been up and down between the Red Wings and Griffins this season, but has been with the big club since getting recalled on an emergency loan on March 14. In 34 games with the Wings, Czarnik has registered just one assist, that coming back on Oct. 18 against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

In 205 career NHL games, the former Calgary Flames has scored 18 goals and 33 assists. Had the Wings clinched the Stanley Cup Playoff, he would have probably played in his first Stanley Cup Playoff game.

However, if he makes it back down to the Griffins, Czarnik will get a chance to play some postseason hockey, as Grand Rapids currently sits second in the AHL’s Central Division. The Griffins will face the Rockford IceHogs, the primary affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks, in the division semifinals starting next weekend.

In 36 games with the Griffins this season, Czarnik has scored nine goals and 17 assists. He last participated in playoff hockey in 2022, when he was with the Bridgeport Islanders.