Red Wings get journeyman defender Norton

The Detroit Red Wings have signed veteran defenseman Brad Norton.

While he'll be given a chance to crack Detroit's lineup, he's probably destined for the Grand Rapids Griffins.

"He adds some size and toughness," Wings assistant general manager Jim Nill said in Booth Newspapers. "He's versatile. If we get injuries, he can play forward. We told him to come to camp, there's some spots open, and let the best man win the job."

Norton, a ninth-round pick by Edmonton in 1993, played 20 games in Finland last season before Ottawa signed him. He played 36 games in Binghamton (AHL), picking up four assists and 102 penalty minutes, and played seven games for the Senators. He's also played for Florida, Los Angeles and Washington and spent part of the 1997-98 season with the now-defunct Detroit Vipers of the IHL.

More from Booth Newspapers here.