• Czarnik Has Recorded 36 Points in 42 Games With Grand Rapids; Luff Has 23 Points in 25 Appearances With Griffins

The Detroit Red Wings today assigned center Austin Czarnik and right wing Matt Luff to the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins.

Czarnik, 30, has skated in 15 games with the Red Wings this season, recording three points (2-1-3), a plus-one rating, four penalty minutes, 14 shots and 13 hits in 10:50 average time on ice. The 5-foot-9, 170-pound forward has also played in 42 games with the Griffins and ranks among the team leaders with 13 goals (3rd), 23 assists (3rd), 36 points (4th), four power play goals (T2nd), three shorthanded goals (1st) and 84 shots (T5th). He was named the Howies Hockey Tape/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Oct. 16 after tallying five points (3-2-5) in his first two games with Grand Rapids. Czarnik signed with the Red Wings as a free agent on July 13, 2022 after splitting the 2021-22 campaign between the New York Islanders and Seattle Kraken, collecting five points (2-3-5) in 11 games with the Islanders along with two assists in six appearances for the Kraken. He also suited up in 38 games with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders last season and posted 37 points (14-23-37) and eight penalty minutes, in addition to 10 points (3-7-10) in six postseason contests. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Boston Bruins on April 1, 2015, Czarnik has played in parts of seven NHL seasons with the Bruins, Calgary Flames, Islanders, Kraken and Red Wings, totaling 48 points (17-31-48) and 24 penalty minutes in 157 games since 2016-17. He has also compiled 261 points (94-167-261), a plus-23 rating and 94 penalty minutes in 269 AHL games with the Providence Bruins, Stockton Heat, Islanders and Griffins. Czarnik paced all AHL rookies with 61 points (20-41-61) in 68 games during the 2015-16 season and went on to represent Providence at the 2018 AHL All-Star Classic.

A native of Washington Township, Mich., Czarnik played four seasons at Miami University from 2011-15 prior to turning professional, serving as team captain during his junior and senior years. Czarnik accumulated 169 points (46-123-169), a plus-50 rating and 119 penalty minutes in 159 games and was a Hobey Baker Award finalist as a sophomore in 2012-13. Before joining the RedHawks, Czarnik spent the 2010-11 campaign with the United States Hockey League’s Green Bay Gamblers, adding 34 points (20-14-34) and 33 penalty minutes in 46 contests. He previously skated with the U.S. National Team Development Program from 2008-10. On the international stage, Czarnik represented the United States at the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship, notching four points (2-2-4) in six games. Czarnik earned a gold medal at the 2010 IIHF World Under-18 Championship after recording six points (5-1-6) and a plus-seven rating in seven games, and also won a bronze medal at the 2009 World Under-17 Challenge after logging four points (1-3-4) in five appearances.

Luff, 25, has appeared in seven games with the Red Wings this season, recording his first goal and point on Nov. 6 against the New York Rangers. The 6-foot-3, 212-pound forward has also tallied 23 points (7-16-23) and six penalty minutes in 25 games with the Griffins. Luff was signed as a free agent by the Red Wings on July 13, 2022 after splitting the 2021-22 season between the Nashville Predators and AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, logging six points (3-3-6) and four penalty minutes in 23 games with the Predators while totaling 31 points (14-17-31) and 16 penalty minutes in 30 appearances for the Admirals. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 22, 2016, Luff has registered 24 points (14-10-24) and 20 penalty minutes in 94 games with the Kings, Predators and Red Wings since 2018-19. He has also racked up 143 points (56-87-143), a plus-10 rating and 116 penalty minutes in 194 AHL games with the Ontario Reign, Admirals and Griffins since making his professional debut in 2016-17.

A native of Oakville, Ont., Luff played three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Belleville Bulls and Hamilton Bulldogs from 2014-17 prior to turning professional, showing 137 points (61-76-137) and 96 penalty minutes in 170 games, in addition to 11 points (5-6-11) in 11 postseason contests. Before starting his major junior career, Luff collected six points (3-3-6) in 10 games with the Oakville Blades of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. Luff also recorded 103 points (58-45-103) in 72 games with the Oakville Rangers Midget AAA squad from 2012-14. He won an OHL Cup championship with the Rangers’ under-16 squad in 2013, chipping in three points (2-1-3) in seven appearances.

Ilitch Sports + Entertainment (IS+E) has a new executive leading the organization’s business operations, with Ryan Gustafson being promoted to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

Chris McGowan, who was IS+E’s President and Chief Executive Officer, will be leaving the organization.

“I’m confident the leadership of Ryan Gustafson and our executive team will continue providing a world class sports and entertainment experience for our fans and guests,” said Chris Ilitch, CEO, Ilitch Companies. “I thank Chris McGowan for his hard work and leadership. He is leaving IS+E in a great position and set up for continued future success.”

Previously holding the title of Senior Vice President of Business Operations Strategy with IS+E, Gustafson joined the organization in February of 2022. In that role he focused on project management, operational support, and business development strategy to drive future growth, including spearheading many of this off-season’s ballpark enhancements at Comerica Park.

“This is an incredible opportunity to lead the talented colleagues throughout IS+E including a world class senior leadership group that will continue with the mission of Amazing, Inspiring and Uniting our fans through the power of sports and entertainment,” said Gustafson.

Gustafson has a diverse background in sports, including nearly 15 years of strategic planning and revenue generation experience. Prior to joining IS+E, he served as a strategy consultant at Elevate Sports Ventures and Pegula Sports and Entertainment and was the Team President of the Seattle Dragons (XFL) where he led all business operations. Prior to that, he served as Vice President, Strategy and Development for the Seattle Sounders, where he oversaw all revenue-generating areas for the club, and as Vice President, Strategy, and Innovation for the San Diego Padres. Ryan earned his undergraduate degree at the University of Puget Sound and his MBA from Harvard Business School.

“I have made the difficult decision to step down as President/CEO of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment,” said McGowan. “I am grateful to Chris Ilitch for giving me the opportunity to work for the Red Wings and Tigers and thank everyone for the collaboration, passion, and true dedication to this company – it is something very much appreciated. I wish the organization continued success in the future and I have full confidence that Ryan Gustafson will be an outstanding leader.”

‍

For the upcoming 2023 season, an expanded number of Detroit Tigers games will be available in Spanish on the radio. This option for Spanish-speaking fans to further engage with the Olde English ‘D’ comes at a perfect time, with Miguel Cabrera entering the final season of his illustrious playing career.

In collaboration with the club’s partners at Audacy, 22 Tigers games this season will air on radio in metro Detroit and throughout Michigan on 1270 AM, for free on the Audacy app, and worldwide via the audio subscription on the MLB app.

The Spanish radio schedule begins with Detroit’s opening series in Tampa Bay from March 30 to April 2 and includes the following key matchups throughout the season:

2023 Spanish Radio Schedule

March 30 – April 2, at Tampa Bay

May 2-4, vs. New York (NL)

May 26-28, vs. Chicago (AL)

July 21-23, vs. San Diego

July 28-30, at Miami

August 5, vs. Tampa Bay (¡Fiesta Tigres!)

August 25-28, vs. Houston

September 29 – October 1, vs. Cleveland

Games will be called by a knowledgeable and passionate crew. Carlos Guillen, Tigers Bilingual Media Relations Coordinator (not related to the former Tigers player), will be the play-by-play commentator for each game. Joining him in the booth at Comerica Park will be former Tiger and 1984 World Series Champion, Barbaro Garbey, and respected journalist, Mari Montes, will join the booth on road games.

“The Detroit Tigers are proud to expand our Spanish-language radio schedule to over 20 games, a feature we hope to expand even more in future seasons,” said Ron Colangelo, Senior Vice President of Communications and Broadcasting for Ilitch Sports + Entertainment. “The Tigers and Major League Baseball have a wide range of diverse audiences, and the Spanish broadcasts provide us and our corporate partners an ideal platform to engage fans worldwide.”

One of the key dates on the broadcast schedule is August 5, showcasing the 18^th annual ¡Fiesta Tigres! game, presented by Miller Lite. This fan-favorite day at the ballpark recognizes and celebrates the impact of Latin American players on the game of baseball, during which Garbey was honored last season.

Para la versión de esta nota en español, haga click aquí.

‍

• Goaltender Has Appeared in 97 NHL Games Since 2016-17

The Detroit Red Wings today recalled goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions.

Nedeljkovic, 27, has appeared in nine games with the Red Wings this season, holding a 2-4-2 record with a 4.09 goals-against average and a 0.880 save percentage. The 6-foot, 208-pound goaltender has also played in 26 games with the Griffins, posting a 13-9-3 record with a 2.71 goals-against average, a 0.912 save percentage and one shutout. Nedeljkovic was acquired by the Red Wings in a trade with the Carolina Hurricanes on July 22, 2021 and led all NHL rookie netminders in games played (59), shots against (1,796), saves (1,618), time on ice (3,230:48), shutouts (4) and assists (2) during the 2021-22 campaign. He finished third in voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy and made the NHL All-Rookie Team in 2020-21 after showing a 15-5-3 record with a 1.90 goals-against average, a 0.932 save percentage and three shutouts in 23 appearances with the Hurricanes, in addition to logging a 4-5 record with a 2.17 goals-against average, a 0.930 save percentage and one shutout in nine postseason contests. Originally selected by Carolina in the second round (37th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Nedeljkovic has compiled a 39-35-15 record with a 2.98 goals-against average, a 0.906 save percentage and seven shutouts in 97 appearances over parts of six NHL seasons with the Hurricanes and Red Wings since 2016-17. Nedeljkovic also earned a Calder Cup championship with the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers in 2019 after leading the AHL in wins (34) for the second-consecutive year while posting a 2.26 goals-against average en route to claiming the Baz Bastien Memorial Award as the league’s top goaltender and a spot on the AHL First All-Star Team. He became the 13th goaltender in AHL history to score a goal when he accomplished the feat with the Checkers on March 10, 2018, and the 12th netminder in ECHL history to score a goal when he did so with the Florida Everblades on Dec. 30, 2016.

A native of Parma, Ohio, Nedeljkovic has several ties to the state of Michigan, notably as a teammate of Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin on the 2011-12 Belle Tire U16 team. Prior to turning professional, Nedeljkovic posted an 89-77-20 record with a 2.88 goals-against average, a 0.918 save percentage and 10 shutouts in 191 Ontario Hockey League games between the Plymouth Whalers, Flint Firebirds and Niagara IceDogs from 2012-16. He was named the OHL’s Goaltender of the Year in 2013-14 and earned back-to-back selections on the OHL Third All-Star Team the following two seasons. On the international stage, Nedeljkovic won a bronze medal with Team USA at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship after tallying a 4-2 record with a 1.66 goals-against average and a 0.943 save percentage. He also helped his country earn a gold medal at the 2014 IIHF World Under-18 Championship after leading the tournament with a 1.84 goals-against average.

The Little Caesars Love Kitchen rolled through the chain’s hometown of Detroit to provide fresh pizza meals for thousands of people in need in the months of February and March.

The Love Kitchen visited multiple community organizations throughout the city of Detroit and its suburbs. The mobile food truck provided meals at several Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries locations, the Salvation Army, Central United Methodist Church, St. Patrick Center, SAY Detroit, Boys & Girls Club, Michigan Veterans Foundation, Capuchin Soup Kitchen, and COTS.

The Little Caesars Love Kitchen has served nearly 4 million people in the 48 contiguous states and four Canadian provinces since its inception. It has responded to natural disasters including Hurricane Ian and the Kentucky floods in 2022, as well as during national times of need, such as providing meals to first responders during the COVID-19 pandemic. Established by Little Caesars in 1985, the Love Kitchen exemplifies the brand’s strong tradition of giving back to communities in need.

“It’s important to us to reach out to the communities where we do business and help make a difference, especially in our hometown,” said David Scrivano, president and CEO of Little Caesars. “Food insecurity impacts many in our city, and the Love Kitchen helps to provide meals to those in need. We are proud to work together with our local franchisees and company-owned stores to be there for the people who need assistance and build on our legacy of community service.”

Local Little Caesars franchise owners and company regional offices donate all food and labor costs for the Love Kitchen servings. An estimated 50,000 Little Caesars franchise owners and employees have volunteered their time over the years to support the program in their local communities.

‍

• Forward Has Recorded 25 Points in 28 Games With Griffins

The Detroit Red Wings today recalled right wing Matt Luff from the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins under emergency conditions.

Luff, 25, has appeared in seven games with the Red Wings this season, recording his first goal and point on Nov. 6 against the New York Rangers. The 6-foot-3, 212-pound forward has also notched 25 points (8-17-25) and six penalty minutes in 28 games with the Griffins. Luff was signed as a free agent by the Red Wings on July 13, 2022 after splitting the 2021-22 campaign between the Nashville Predators and AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals, logging six points (3-3-6) and four penalty minutes in 23 games with the Predators while totaling 31 points (14-17-31) and 16 penalty minutes in 30 appearances for the Admirals. Originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 22, 2016, Luff has registered 24 points (14-10-24) and 20 penalty minutes in 94 games with the Kings, Predators and Red Wings since 2018-19. He has also compiled 145 points (57-88-145), a plus-10 rating and 116 penalty minutes in 197 AHL games with the Ontario Reign, Admirals and Griffins since making his professional debut in 2016-17.

A native of Oakville, Ont., Luff played three seasons in the Ontario Hockey League with the Belleville Bulls and Hamilton Bulldogs from 2014-17 prior to turning professional, tallying 137 points (61-76-137) and 96 penalty minutes in 170 games, in addition to 11 points (5-6-11) in 11 postseason contests. Before starting his major junior career, Luff collected six points (3-3-6) in 10 games with the Oakville Blades of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. Luff also recorded 103 points (58-45-103) in 72 games with the Oakville Rangers Midget AAA squad from 2012-14. He won an OHL Cup championship with the Rangers’ under-16 squad in 2013, chipping in three points (2-1-3) in seven contests.

• Ilitch Charities Supports United Way for Southeastern Michigan  
  
• United Way Board Member Kelle Ilitch Introduces Brown Girl Dreaming Author Jacqueline Woodson at Women of Influence Summit

As part of an ongoing celebration of International Women’s Day on March 8, more than 600 women and men in the Detroit area came together to support the 7th Annual Women of Influence Summit. The Summit, supported by Women United, part of United Way for Southeastern Michigan (UWSEM), helped fundraising efforts surpass the $1 million mark towards early childhood education efforts.

Led by UWSEM President and CEO Darienne Driver Hudson, the Summit brought together more than 600 leaders in business, the nonprofit community and government – along with women who deliver services directly to children each day. The event also featured a collection of regional women-owned businesses, including Rebel Nell, Source Booksellers, and The Lip Bar.

Ilitch Charities proudly served as Keynote Sponsor for the Summit. The Summit’s Keynote speaker, author Jacqueline Woodson, captivated the crowd much as she has captivated readers with the wide variety of books she has written for more than 30 years, including Brown Girl Dreaming. In her work, Woodson exemplifies both the goals and the spirit of the Women of Influence Summit in terms of creating a more just and equitable society.

Kelle Ilitch, who also serves on the UWSEM board, introduced Woodson. Ilitch said she was honored to be part of an event “to support strengthening children’s early education and literacy – and to advance equity, not just as part of International Women’s Day, but every single day.”

Ilitch, a former middle school teacher and counselor, talked about education equity and the need to transform schools and youth development programs to create safe and empowering learning environments and enable positive relationships where every student feels a sense of belonging. She added, “Books play a special role in equity.”

The Summit also recognized local women leaders making a difference for children and advancing equity. Local business executive Beth Ardisana received this year’s Women of Influence Award for her substantial civic work. A business owner of ASG Renaissance LLC, a scheduling and staffing firm, Ardisana has held leadership positions in Detroit-area nonprofit organizations including the Skillman Foundation, CS Mott Foundation, Kettering University, Metropolitan Affairs Coalition, Focus: Hope, and Next Energy. She was appointed by the Governor to the executive board of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and chairs its finance committee. Ardisana is also the vice chair of Wayne Health.

Joshua Sanborn, director of Ilitch Charities, said that “We are proud to be a long-standing partner with UWSEM and we were honored to join them at this Summit in celebrating the inspiring women that are leading childhood education, literacy and equity efforts throughout our region.

‍

As a part of the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers ongoing series, in partnership with Comerica Bank, this March, four new Game Changers will be recognized for their efforts in the community. In celebration of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, the following Detroit-area women are being acknowledged:

Lori Patterson is the Executive Director of Figure Skating in Detroit, an organization that combines the power of education with the grace and discipline of figure skating. Under Lori’s leadership, Figure Skating in Detroit has been featured in the National U.S. Figure Skating Championships and in National Geographic’s docuseries IMPACT.

Jill Harris, Executive Director of Women of Tomorrow, has dedicated her life to improving education in the Metro Detroit area. As the Executive Director of the Women of Tomorrow, a Mentoring and Scholarship program in Detroit, she aims to inspire young women to live up to their full potential. Prior to working in education, Jill dedicated her time to helping local charities.

Charlene Turner-Johnson, the Volunteer President and CEO of B.A.S.S. (Building Assets to Strengthen Society) Inc., a local non-profit that focuses on affordable housing, youth development, and community engagement. For over 40 years, Turner-Johnson has been founding and leading non-profit organizations in the Detroit area that help guide and nurture children.

Cindy Abbott is the CEO of Warrior Sports, an organization that values collaboration among cross functional areas, strong customer relationships, and creating the best product in the marketplace for athletes of all levels. Abbott began her career with Warrior Sports in finance leadership and was promoted in 2019.

‍

The University of Michigan announces a series of new commitments for the City of Detroit along with design, construction and academic and community program updates for the University of Michigan Center for Innovation located in The District Detroit.

University Outlines New Commitments for Helping Detroit

• U-M will lead design, construction of renamed Center for Innovation

The University of Michigan has unveiled a series of new commitments to the city of Detroit including details of the university’s role in leading the design and construction of the renamed University of Michigan Center for Innovation.

The UMCI will be built by the university to accommodate the academic and community programs that it will house.

Those programs are now expanded to include three distinct activities — graduate education, talent-based community development and community engagement — all in the service of economic development and job growth for Detroit, President Santa J. Ono said.

The UMCI is expected to break ground this year and take three years to build. It’s funded with a $100 million donation from Stephen M. Ross and $100 million from the state of Michigan. An additional $50 million will be raised from donors, and Olympia Development is donating the four-acre property to U-M.

“Our founding as a university traces back to Detroit, so it’s fitting that we reinvigorate and build on our commitment to the city through this center,” Ono said. “UMCI is essential for our future. We are searching for a new director who will be a critical voice within the community, as well as an essential liaison with our many stakeholders in Detroit.”

“The potential for the UMCI to be a catalyst for the future of Detroit is exponential, and we are excited that President Ono and his team at U-M are leading the charge on this project,” said Stephen M. Ross, founder and chairman of Related Companies. “We’re particularly excited for the impact the UMCI and its programs will have on the next generation of Detroit students who will have this world-class academic institution at their doorstep.”

Pending approval by the Board of Regents, the university will handle construction of the $250 million, 200,000-square-foot building planned for the site bounded by Cass and Grand River avenues and West Columbia and Elizabeth streets.

By taking on construction of the UMCI, the university will be able to build out the new facility to fit its specifications, needs, academic and community programming, said Geoffrey Chatas, executive vice president and chief financial officer.

The Downtown Detroit Partnership will continue to act as a fiduciary for the state funding, and administer those funds through a nonprofit subsidiary.

“DDP’s collective voice of public, private and philanthropic leaders across the city of Detroit applaud this amazing commitment by the University of Michigan, Stephen Ross and Olympia Development,” said Eric Larson, CEO of DDP. “We’re pleased to be the fiduciary for this dynamic and multifaceted project that will result in enormous impact for the city and region.”

UMCI will benefit from being near the proposed $1.5 billion, 10-building, mixed-use development that Related Companies and Olympia Development have joined forces to develop in The District Detroit near the Fox Theatre and professional sports stadiums.

Ono has made the UMCI one of his top priorities. The center along with the P-20 Partnership at the School at Marygrove, the $40 million Horace H. Rackham Educational Memorial building renovation, the U-M Detroit Center in Midtown, and hundreds of other projects on which U-M works with community partners around Detroit, are examples of how the university has stepped up its community engagement in the city in recent years.

Evolution to mixed-use model

James Hilton, vice provost for academic innovation, who is leading the center’s academic programming, said the project has evolved from focusing exclusively on graduate education when it was first announced in 2019 to a more strategic mixed model that will usher in a new era of collaboration and partnership with the city. This will include significant programming and facilities aimed at engaging business, entrepreneurial and residential communities.

“The combination of philanthropy and state funds is going to allow us to increase our programming and sustained commitment to Detroit,” Hilton said.

Hilton said the graduate programs would focus on technology, robotics, sustainability and computer science with the goal of encouraging interdisciplinary studies.

But more than that, the UMCI plans to provide workforce training, professional development and certificate programs — pulling in the university’s broad array of digital content to augment in-person instruction.

“We want to help develop talent in the community. We are looking at how we can take some of the online and certificate-based learning that U-M has to build in-person experiences in the UMCI to make that training more real, more community-based, and more meaningful,” Hilton said.

“Companies are excited that we’ll have master’s degrees in areas that they care about. But they are equally excited about the professional development opportunities they can offer to the full range of their employees, both certificate-based and skills-based.”

Rackham Detroit

As academic programming evolves for UMCI, it also presents opportunities for the Rackham Memorial building, located in Detroit’s Midtown, Chatas said. It could offer a chance to collaborate with community partners in new ways.

“We are excited to continue the design, planning and programming process for Rackham Detroit, which is another example of U-M’s commitment to having a positive impact on the people of Detroit,” Chatas said.

The Board of Regents approved plans to renovate the Rackham Memorial building in December 2021, along with committing $40 million for the project.

The building sits adjacent to many city landmarks, including the Detroit Institute of Arts, Wayne State University and the Detroit Public Library, making it an ideal launching pad for educational and cultural experiences for the city and U-M community.

It is part of the university’s long-term commitment to the city to grow the economy and improve the quality of life through teaching and research in collaboration with the community.

Built in 1942, the building was a gift from Mary Rackham and was jointly owned by U-M and the Engineering Society of Detroit. In 2018, the university acquired full ownership of the building, which has not received major infrastructure updates since its original opening. Investment proceeds will fund the project.

‍