Nathan Paetsch

Triston Grant

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins on Monday signed defenseman Nathan Paetsch (PAY-tch) and left wing Triston Grant to one-year contracts.

Paetsch, 29, is a former AHL All-Star (2005-06) who brings four seasons of NHL experience to the Grand Rapids blueline, having played 167 games with the Buffalo Sabres and Columbus Blue Jackets from 2005-10. The LeRoy, Saskatchewan, native was fourth among NHL rookie defensemen with 24 points (2-22—24) for the Sabres in 2006-07 and has totaled 42 points (7-35—42) and 114 penalty minutes in his NHL career.

The 6-foot, 195-pound defenseman also has 249 games of AHL experience on his resumé, most recently notching 20 points (9-11—20) over 43 games with the Rochester Americans and Syracuse Crunch in 2010-11. Paetsch had a career-best 50 points (11-39—50) with the Amerks in 2005-06, accounting for nearly half of his 103 career AHL points (29-74—103).

Paetsch spent the 2011-12 season overseas, suiting up in 52 games for Wolfsburg Grizzly Adams of Germany’s DEL and finishing second among the club’s defensemen with 25 points (7-18—25).

Grant, 28, skated in 53 contests for the Oklahoma City Barons in 2011-12, registering 15 points (11-4—15) and tying for 17th in the AHL with 163 penalty minutes. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound winger has appeared in 435 AHL games with the Barons, Americans, Milwaukee Admirals and Philadelphia Phantoms, tallying 101 points (50-51—101) and 1,266 penalty minutes. His best AHL season came with the Admirals in 2009-10, when he set career highs with 74 games played, 12 goals, 13 assists, 25 points and 236 penalty minutes.

The Neepawa, Manitoba, native has also played in 11 NHL contests with the Philadelphia Flyers and Nashville Predators, registering one assist and 19 penalty minutes.