2011-12 Griffiti - Issue #2

2011-12 SEASON ISSUE NO. 2

Edition Limited of Posters hnson & Jamie Jo n Smith Brenda Inside!

official magazine of the grand rapids griffins

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B Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Vol. 16, No. 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS 22

STARTING LINEUP TALL ORDER Chris Conner exhibits the kind of determination that puts him head and shoulders above most players in the AHL.

30

OUT OF AFRICA Red Wings prospect Willie Coetzee wants to prove that a boy from Johannesburg can one day make a name for himself in the National Hockey League.

41

MORE THAN JUST CHILD’S PLAY Now in its 17th season, the Griffins Youth Foundation pre-dates the team at Van Andel Arena that shares its moniker.

44

HOCKEY IN THEIR BLOOD Red Wings prospects Landon Ferraro and LouisMarc Aubry won’t be given a pass to play in the NHL just because their fathers played hockey at the highest level. They will have to earn their opportunity – just like everyone else.

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22

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HOCKEY HERBIVORE Toronto Marlies center Mike Zigomanis relishes the vegan lifestyle.

ON THE BENCH

2 ............Next Opponents 5 ............Chalk Talk 6 ............Coming Attractions 9 ............Griffins Schedule 12..........AHL Team Directory 18..........AHL Tradition 20..........It Feels Good to Connect 21..........Detroit Red Wings 28..........Promotional Calendar

36..........Meet the Griffins 48..........Griffins Records 54..........Community Crease 57..........Penalty Calls 58..........Griffins History 64..........Arena Map/Ticket Info 68..........It All Starts Here 71..........Kids Page 72..........Parting Shot

41

COVER:

By leading the Griffins in scoring, Chris Conner hopes to play his way into a spot with the Detroit Red Wings after spending most of last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Photo by Mark Newman Griffiti magazine is published four times a year by the Grand Rapids Griffins, Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St., Grand Rapids, MI 49503. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. All contents ©2011 Grand Rapids Griffins.

For advertising information, contact Griffins Sales & Marketing, (616) 774-4585; fax (616) 336-5464. Unsolicited manuscripts and other materials will not be returned.

50

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 1

UPCOMING HOME OPPONENTS &

PLAYERS TO WATCH

TORONTO (DEC. 2) The Marlies have gotten a strong start from Marcel Mueller (#9), a Berlin native who played for Germany in the 2010 Winter Olympics. The 6-foot-3, 232-pound forward, who saw action in three games with the NHL affiliate Maple Leafs a year ago, tallied nine points in his first 11 games this season.

CHICAGO (DEC. 3) The Wolves hope Mike Duco (#17) can build on the career-best 20-goal season he enjoyed last season with Rochester. Highly regarded for his energetic, abrasive style of play, the Vancouver Canucks prospect played 12 NHL games with the Florida Panthers the last two seasons.

ROCKFORD (DEC. 14) The IceHogs like the potential of Ryan Stanton (#4), a 6-foot-2, 205-pound defenseman who plays a smart, steady game. Signed as a free agent by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010, Stanton earned Rockford’s Most Improved Player award for his efforts last season.

ABBOTSFORD (DEC. 21) The Heat are hoping for big things from 5-foot-8 center Dustin Sylvester (#19), who signed a one-year deal after playing for a second-division pro league in Germany last season. The 22-year-old Calgary Flames prospect was a consistent goal scorer in junior hockey with the WHL’s Kootenay Ice.

2 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

PEORIA (DEC. 30) The Rivermen are encouraged by the progress shown by 21-year-old center Phil McRae (#8), who registered seven goals in his first 15 games this season. A second-round pick (#33 overall) of the St. Louis Blues in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, the Minnesota native is the son of former Blues winger Basil McRae.

MILWAUKEE (DEC. 31) The Admirals like the calming influence of veteran center Mark Van Guilder (#29), the 6-foot-2, 201-pound product of the University of Notre Dame. A native of Roseville, Minn., Van Guilder never missed a game during his 163-game collegiate career with the Fighting Irish.

HOUSTON (JAN. 11) The Aeros are looking to jump-start the talents of center Chad Rau (#20), who got off to a slow start this season after tallying 40 points in 60 games a year ago. A fouryear standout at Colorado College, Rau signed with the Minnesota Wild in 2010 after being originally drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2005.

TEXAS (JAN. 13) The Stars are being patient with prospect Luke Gazdic (#34), a 6-foot-3, 228-pound bruiser who continues to develop into a stronger two-way player. Chosen by the Dallas Stars in the sixth round (#172 overall) in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, the Toronto native is capable of scoring a timely goal as well as dropping the gloves.

LAKE ERIE (JAN. 20) The Monsters are getting increased point production from 21-year-old forward Luke Walker (#45), a British Columbia native who was selected in the fifth round (#139 overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Colorado Avalanche. He is the son of former NHL player Gordie Walker.

ROCHESTER (JAN. 21, JAN. 25) The Americans beat the Griffins 2-1 in early November, thanks to the goaltending of Drew MacIntyre (#31), who stopped 43 of 44 shots. Since playing for the Griffins in 2005-06, the former Red Wings prospect has backstopped Manitoba, Milwaukee, Chicago and Hamilton in the AHL, as well as making two appearances with NHL’s Vancouver Canucks.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 3

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Welcome.

4 Huntington.® Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

CHALK TALK T

WITH GRIFFINS HEAD COACH CURT FRASER

hey’re called specialty teams, but through the first dozen games, the Griffins’ power play and penalty killing units were not very special.

The power play was dead last among 30 AHL teams while the penalty kill ranked only 22nd.

Needless to say, the Griffins have been putting an increased emphasis on both units.

Recent practices have seen more and more specialty team drills in hopes of jump-starting its play.

“Many of the teams in the league are very even and the difference in a game on a lot of nights is specialty teams,” said Griffins head coach Curt Fraser. “With our personnel, specialty teams is definitely an area for improvement.”

The Griffins had scored six times on their first 64 chances on the power play, roughly 10 percent, which is less than half of what a coach would ideally like to see. “Our power play has to start helping us by producing goals, obviously, but we have to start producing more quality scoring chances.”

In theory, the more opportunities a team has to score, the more times the puck will end up in the back of the net. But more scoring chances will also invigorate a team, boost energy and create momentum.

“The bottom line is, with the systems we have, we should be creating a lot of scoring chances,” Fraser said. “When we do, we should be bearing down around the net and scoring goals.

“Once we start doing that, it will help us out on the scoreboard and give us an opportunity to win more games.”

With the lack of offensive production, it’s been a question of who fits where.

“We’re looking for a combination that works,” Fraser said. “We’ve tried moving around people to different spots, different positions, moving forwards to the point, getting the defense more involved up

front. We’ve tried everything, and we will continue to explore and search until we find the right combination.”

It’s been a similar challenge with the penalty killing units. Injuries have not helped the cause, but Fraser also believes the penalty killers need to be more focused.

“Penalty killing is all about details,” he said.

“Our penalty killing has been pretty good, but then we lose a faceoff and it winds up in the back of our net. Paying attention to the little details is very important.

“We need to make sure we clear out the puck and that we’re clogging the shooting lanes, blocking shots and clearing the area in front of the net. All those little things will make our penalty killing percentage climb.”

The Griffins’ penalty killers had allowed 11 goals in 51 chances through 12 games, which is a 78.4 percentage. Fraser would like to see that number closer to 90 percent.

“There is a direct correlation to specialty teams and where you are in the standings,” Fraser said. “We’ve been a .500 team, and our specialty team play is a big reason for it.”

And so the drills will continue in practice, emphasizing the finer points in hopes that repetition breeds success.

“We’ve been working on our power play and penalty kill, and we have to find a way to improve the numbers,” Fraser said. “The answer is being consistent. Every night our power play has to produce a goal or two for us and our penalty kill has to allow no goals against.

“If you do that for 10 games, you will climb in the standings. If you execute, all of a sudden it’s no accident that your team is in first place.”

The answer is being consistent.

Every night our power play has to produce a goal or two for us and our penalty kill has to allow no goals against.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 5

COMING ATTRACTIONS BUZZ BOOSTER SUPERFAN WILL ENERGIZE GRIFFINS FANS ON FRI., JAN. 20.

There are fans, and then there is Cameron Hughes.

Hughes is known as Superfan, a guy who earns a living by getting people out of their seats.

He is the Ambassador of the Aisles, the frenzied freak who knows every trick in the book to pump up the public.

West Michigan fans will get their first look at Hughes on Friday, Jan. 20, when he brings his audacious act to Van Andel Arena during the Griffins’ game against the Lake Erie Monsters.

The first reaction to his antics often is “Who’s the drunk guy?”, something fans have wondered since Hughes stumbled into his lucrative gig at an Ottawa Senators hockey game in 1994.

Getting out of his seat, Hughes discovered he was able to stir the crowd into inspired applause and cheers with his animated acrobatics. Impressed by his pied-piper ability, the Senators offered him a couple of hundred dollars to return.

“I just want people up, clapping, dancing, cheering, whatever,” Hughes once told the New York Post. “I want everyone to have fun at the game.”

Hughes is obviously good at what he does.

To date, he has performed at nearly 1,000 live events at stadiums and arenas across North America for teams in 24 different leagues. He was the official “crowd animator” for 25 hockey events at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

More recently, he was a huge hit at the 2011 US Open tennis tournament, where his antics inspired Novak Djokovic to a dance at center court and led to a post-match dance-off between the two.

Wednesday is Hockey Night!

Before and after every Wednesday home game from December through February, show your ticket to that night’s game to receive great food and drink specials at participating Arena District restaurants and bars, including Peppino’s Sports Lounge, home of the Griffins’ Wednesday post-game parties. Visit griffinshockey.com/hockeynight for a list of participating restaurants (subject to change).

6 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

The 6-foot-3, redheaded rabble rouser is a whirling dervish in the stands, dancing madly and wildly tossing T-shirts into the crowd.

His routine is infectious.

“You can tell when Cameron’s performing,” said Glen Murray, the retired right winger for the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings. “The energy he brings, it’s just amazing. I’ve never experienced anything else quite like it.”

SAT., DEC. 3: SALUTE TO HEROES AND SCOUT NIGHT PRESENTED BY CENTENNIAL SECURITIES Griffins fans can tip their caps to people in uniform when the organization salutes the military, police, firefighters and paramedics as the team takes on the Chicago Wolves.

The Griffins will don alternate jerseys, and the first 2,500 fans in attendance will receive a patriotic-themed rally towel. Every scout will receive a special patch, and they’ll take part in the first-ever scout scavenger hunt before the game.

SAT., DEC. 31: 15TH ANNUAL NEW YEAR’S EVE CELEBRATION PRESENTED BY FOX HONDA The Griffins will say goodbye to 2011 and prepare to welcome 2012 when they host the Milwaukee Admirals in a special 6 p.m. game.

The Griffins will wear jerseys designed by Jason Valenti of Sayre, Penn., who won the team’s third annual jersey design contest held over the summer.

Valenti’s entry was one of two winners selected from a pool of 119. All jerseys will be signed by the respective Griffins player and auctioned off following the game inside the Fifth Third Vault, with proceeds benefiting the GVSU roller hockey club team.

Following the game, fans will be treated to West Michigan’s largest indoor fireworks display. Fans are also encouraged to bring their skates to the rink and take to the ice for the J&H Family Stores Post-Game Open Skate.

SAT., JAN. 21: FLEECE HOCKEY HELMET GIVEAWAY PRESENTED BY METROPCS When the Rochester Americans march into Van Andel Arena, the first 1,500 fans will receive a fleece hockey helmet, courtesy of MetroPCS. Returning for the second straight season, the ZOOperstars – those inflatable animals with the silly names – will entertain during both intermissions with their funny fan-pleasing routines.

A post-game jersey auction will benefit the Griffins Youth Foundation and the Wounded Warrior Project.

“Free Ride Friday� with Griffins ticket before or after any Griffins Home Game.

For more information visit griffinshockey.com/rapid

Wherever life takes you in the Grand Rapids metro area, The Rapid has an easy, low-cost way to get you there.

For more information visit www.ridetherapid.org.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 7

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Official Document Solutions Provider for the Grand Rapids Griffins

8 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

2011-12

SEASON SCHEDULE S

M

T

OCTOBER W

T

F

S

S

M

NOVEMBER

1 2 9 RCH 6:05

3

4

10

11

17

HAM

HOU 6:05

24

30

31

S

M

7:30

25

5 12 19 26

6

7

W

7:00

20

OKC

OKC

20

27

ABB

MIL

OKC 5:00

S

8:00

7:00

M

5

6

W

M

T

7:00

24

JANUARY

8:05

LE

CHA

16

CHA

18

19

RCH

8:00

LE

7:30

7:00

7:30

3:00

7:00

22

23

24

22

29

PEO

MIL

29

30

31

S

M

T

7:00

6:00

T

F

S

HAM

23

24

7:00

W

T

F

S

4

5

ABB

ABB

HOU

12

TEX 7:00

14

LE

RCH

PEO

PEO

7:00

W

26

10:00

7:00

8:00

10:00

7:00

8:00

MARCH T

F

S

1

RCH

OKC

HAM 5:00

5

6

TEX 8:30

8

9

HOU

7:00

16

17

PEO

HOU 6:05

12

TEX

14

15

TOR

HAM

23

LE

TOR

18

19

SA

7:00

21

8:00

HAM

3:00

30

7:00

HOU

21

8

TOR

HOU

14

HAM

22

28

7:00

9

20

3:00

26

21

7:35

2

13

M

OKC

HAM

7:00

8

5:00

S

MIL

16

1

19

TOR

17

15

7

CHI

27

RCH

SA

7:30

7:00

HAM

SA

26

HAM

7:00

7:00

FEBRUARY T

10

3

15

S

RFD

10

RFD

7:00

Noon

9

13 27

8

2

12 26

CHA

8

CHI

LE

4

1

MIL

7:00

S

3

RFD

8

20

F

LE

CHI

1

ABB

T

7:00

S

7

25

8:00

14

W

1

F

6

19

8:00

7

T

T

5

7:00

13

15

DECEMBER T

6

TOR

4 18

8:05

13

TOR

4:00

RFD

PRIMARY AFFILIATE OF THE DETROIT RED WINGS

28

8:00

7:00

7:00

7:00

7:00

5:00

OKC

29

T

W

2

3

TEX

9

RCH 7:05

7:00

7:00

11

5:00

APRIL T

F

S

5

TOR

TOR

12

CHI

HAM

7:00

7:00

3:00

7:00

Games broadcast live on

TO PURCHASE TICKETS OR FOR MORE INFO, VISIT GRIFFINSHOCKEY.COM OR CALL 1.800.2.HOCKEY

Home

26

8:30

8:00

27

Away

28

7:00

7:00

7:00

8:35

7:00

SA

23

OKC

29

CHA

OKC

7:00

8:00

7:00

*All times Eastern. Dates, opponents, and times subject to change.

J&H Family Stores Post-Game Open Skate Huntington Bank Post-Game Autograph Session Fan 4-Pack Home Game Griff’s Reading Goals Redemption Date

ABB – Abbotsford CHA – Charlotte CHI – Chicago HAM – Hamilton HOU – Houston LE – Lake Erie MIL – Milwaukee

OKC – Oklahoma City PEO – Peoria RCH – Rochester RFD – Rockford SA – San Antonio TEX – Texas TOR – Toronto

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 9

Dear Grand Rapids Griffins Fans, As we enter the 16th season of Griffins hockey, one theme keeps coming to my mind: the more things change, the more they stay the same.

In June, we bid farewell to Bob McNamara, the only general manager our franchise had ever known and now the president of our North Division rivals, the Hamilton Bulldogs. While we wish Bob nothing but success – except for our 10 games against his new team this season – our hockey operation will, in many ways, carry on much as it has the last several seasons.

As our 10-year affiliation with the Detroit Red Wings has evolved, they have assumed greater responsibilities and a more active role in our hockey operations, to the point where they provided nearly all of our players the last several seasons. This year, for the first time, they will supply or acquire every player on the Griffins’ roster, with a steady supply of reinforcements coming through a re-emphasized affiliation with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye.

Detroit’s appreciation for its relationship with Grand Rapids, recently demonstrated by September’s return of the Red & White Game after an eight-year absence, should also be reflected in the caliber of veterans and rookies who will wear the Griffin this season. While we fully commit our roster to the Red Wings, they continue to entrust our coaching staff – Curt Fraser, soon to be the winningest head coach in Griffins history, and long-time assistant Jim Paek – with the crucial task of developing those prospects into future NHL players.

More than ever, the success of the Griffins-Red Wings relationship will be evidenced at Joe Louis Arena.

Led by rising stars such as Jimmy Howard and Niklas Kronwall, at least 10 Griffins alumni are expected to play prominent roles with Detroit this season. These players whom we’ve come to know so well at Van Andel Arena are increasingly responsible for sustaining Detroit’s unmatched tradition of excellence.

Our arena is also where many retired legends of Hockeytown are staying involved in the game, as Chris Chelios, Chris Osgood, Jiri Fischer and Aaron Downey frequently come here to work with our players in their various coaching or player development capacities. Past Griffins are helping determine Detroit’s present success, and former Red Wings are preparing Grand Rapids’ current players for their NHL futures – just the way we dreamed it up back in 2002, and one more reason both teams are hopeful of extending our affiliation for years to come.

On behalf of everyone in the Griffins organization, I thank you for your continued support and look forward to experiencing the 2011-12 season with you.

Sincerely,

Dan DeVos President & CEO Grand Rapids Griffins

10 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

DAVID A. ANDREWS

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

American Hockey League

One Monarch Place – Springfield, MA 01144 Phone: (413) 781-2030 Fax: (413) 733-4767

Dear Fans, It is my great pleasure to welcome you to another exciting season of American Hockey League action. We are proud to be entering our 76th season of continuous play, bringing a tradition of excellence and an entertaining, physical and highly skilled level of play to more than 6 million hockey fans across North America annually.

Once again in 2011-12, there are 30 teams competing for the historic Calder Cup championship and all 30 National Hockey League clubs are developing their top prospects and draft picks in the AHL. Last season more than 200 first- and second-round NHL draft picks competed in the American Hockey League, and 338 players took the ice in both the AHL and the NHL. This season brings a new look to the AHL landscape as we welcome the city of St. John’s, Newfoundland, back to the league, with the St. John’s IceCaps set to take the ice at Mile One Centre for their inaugural campaign as the top affiliate of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets.

We continue to be proud of our tradition of developing the best hockey talent in the world, with over 87 percent of today’s NHL players, coaches and officials having honed their skills in the American Hockey League, including reigning Vezina and Conn Smythe Trophy winner Tim Thomas and 2011 NHL MVP Corey Perry. Our loyal and passionate fans through the years have enjoyed cheering for more than 100 future Hockey Hall of Famers, and have rooted for more than 100 Calder Cup champions who would go on to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup as well.

The Binghamton Senators enter this season as the defending Calder Cup champions after capturing the city’s first-ever AHL title last June. This year’s Senators are looking to hold off 29 other teams whose ultimate goal will also be the 2012 Calder Cup championship.

We invite fans from across the league to join us at the world-famous Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., on January 29 and 30 for our annual celebration of AHL excellence, the 2012 AHL All-Star Classic -- featuring the Skills Competition, All-Star Game and AHL Hall of Fame inductions.

On behalf of all of our teams, thank you again for your continuing support and I wish you the utmost enjoyment in following your club through what is sure to be another terrific season.

Sincerely,

David A. Andrews President & Chief Executive Officer American Hockey League

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 11

2011-2012 AHL DIRECTORY

EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION: Manchester, Portland, Providence, St. John’s, Worcester NORTHEAST DIVISION: Adirondack, Albany, Bridgeport, Connecticut, Springfield EAST DIVISION: Binghamton, Hershey, Norfolk, Syracuse, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

ADIRONDACK PHANTOMS

NHL AFFILIATION: Philadelphia Flyers HOME ICE: Glens Falls Civic Center (4,816) GENERAL MANAGER: Paul Holmgren HEAD COACH: Joe Paterson ENTERED AHL: 1996-97 (as Philadelphia Phantoms) CALDER CUPS: Two (1998, 2005) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 10 of 15 2010-11 RECORD: 31-39-4-6, 72 pts.

WEBSITE: www.phantomshockey.com

ALBANY DEVILS

NHL AFFILIATION: New Jersey Devils HOME ICE: Times Union Center (6,691) GENERAL MANAGER: Chris Lamoriello HEAD COACH: Rick Kowalsky ENTERED AHL: 2006-07 (as Lowell Devils) CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 5 2010-11 RECORD: 32-42-1-5, 70 pts.

WEBSITE: www.thealbanydevils.com

BINGHAMTON SENATORS

NHL AFFILIATION: Ottawa Senators HOME ICE: Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena (4,710) PRESIDENT: Tim Smith HEAD COACH: Kurt Kleinendorst ENTERED AHL: 2002-03 CALDER CUPS: One (2011) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 4 of 9 2010-11 RECORD: 42-30-3-5, 92 pts.

WEBSITE: www.binghamtonsenators.com

BRIDGEPORT SOUND TIGERS

NHL AFFILIATION: New York Islanders HOME ICE: Webster Bank Arena (8,412) GENERAL MANAGER: Garth Snow HEAD COACH: Brent Thompson ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 6 of 10 2010-11 RECORD: 30-39-4-7, 71 pts.

WEBSITE: www.soundtigers.com

CONNECTICUT WHALE

NHL AFFILIATION: New York Rangers HOME ICE: XL Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum (15,635) GENERAL MANAGER: Jim Schoenfeld HEAD COACH: Ken Gernander ENTERED AHL: 1997-98 (as Hartford Wolf Pack) CALDER CUPS: One (2000) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 13 of 14 2010-11 RECORD: 40-32-2-6, 88 pts.

WEBSITE: www.ctwhale.com

12 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

HERSHEY BEARS

NHL AFFILIATION: Washington Capitals HOME ICE: Giant Center (10,500) GENERAL MANAGER: Doug Yingst HEAD COACH: Mark French ENTERED AHL: 1938-39 CALDER CUPS: 11 (1947, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1974, 1980, 1988, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 62 of 73 2010-11 RECORD: 46-26-3-5, 100 pts.

WEBSITE: www.hersheybears.com

MANCHESTER MONARCHS

NHL AFFILIATION: Los Angeles Kings HOME ICE: Verizon Wireless Arena (9,852) GENERAL MANAGER: Ron Hextall HEAD COACH: Mark Morris ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 9 of 10 2010-11 RECORD: 44-26-4-6, 98 pts.

WEBSITE: www.manchestermonarchs.com

NORFOLK ADMIRALS

NHL AFFILIATION: Tampa Bay Lightning HOME ICE: Norfolk Scope (8,704) GENERAL MANAGER: Julien BriseBois HEAD COACH: Jon Cooper ENTERED AHL: 2000-01 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 8 of 11 2010-11 RECORD: 39-26-9-6, 93 pts.

WEBSITE: www.norfolkadmirals.com

PORTLAND PIRATES

NHL AFFILIATION: Phoenix Coyotes HOME ICE: Cumberland County Civic Center (6,733) GENERAL MANAGER: Brad Treliving HEAD COACH: Ray Edwards ENTERED AHL: 1993-94 CALDER CUPS: One (1994) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 14 of 18 2010-11 RECORD: 47-24-7-2, 103 pts.

WEBSITE: www.portlandpirates.com

PROVIDENCE BRUINS

NHL AFFILIATION: Boston Bruins HOME ICE: Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence (11,075) GENERAL MANAGER: Peter Chiarelli HEAD COACH: Bruce Cassidy ENTERED AHL: 1992-93 CALDER CUPS: One (1999) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 15 of 19 2010-11 RECORD: 38-36-3-3, 82 pts.

WEBSITE: www.providencebruins.com

SPRINGFIELD FALCONS

NHL AFFILIATION: Columbus Blue Jackets HOME ICE: MassMutual Center (6,789) GENERAL MANAGER: Bruce Landon HEAD COACH: Rob Riley ENTERED AHL: 1994-95 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 6 of 17 2010-11 RECORD: 35-40-2-3, 75 pts.

WEBSITE: www.falconsahl.com

2011-2012 AHL DIRECTORY ST. JOHN’S ICECAPS

NHL AFFILIATION: Winnipeg Jets HOME ICE: Mile One Centre (6,247) GENERAL MANAGER: Craig Heisinger HEAD COACH: Keith McCambridge ENTERED AHL: 2011-12 WEBSITE: www.stjohnsicecaps.com

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

NHL AFFILIATION: Anaheim Ducks HOME ICE: Onondaga County War Memorial at Oncenter (6,159) GENERAL MANAGER: Vance Lederman HEAD COACH: Mark Holick ENTERED AHL: 1994-95 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 9 of 17 2010-11 RECORD: 35-38-3-4, 77 pts.

WEBSITE: www.syracusecrunch.com

WESTERNNORTHCONFERENCE DIVISION: Grand Rapids, Hamilton, Lake Erie, Rochester, Toronto MIDWEST DIVISION: Charlotte, Chicago, Milwaukee, Peoria, Rockford WEST DIVISION: Abbotsford, Houston, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Texas

ABBOTSFORD HEAT

NHL AFFILIATION: Calgary Flames HOME ICE: Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre (7,046) GENERAL MANAGER: Jay Feaster HEAD COACH: Troy G. Ward ENTERED AHL: 2009-10 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 2 2010-11 RECORD: 38-32-4-6, 86 pts.

WEBSITE: www.abbotsfordheat.com

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS

NHL AFFILIATION: Carolina Hurricanes HOME ICE: Time Warner Cable Arena (6,800) HEAD COACH/ GENERAL MANAGER: Jeff Daniels ENTERED AHL: 2010-11 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 1 2010-11 RECORD: 44-27-2-7, 97 pts.

WEBSITE: www.gocheckers.com

CHICAGO WOLVES

NHL AFFILIATION: Vancouver Canucks HOME ICE: Allstate Arena (16,692) GENERAL MANAGER: Wendell Young HEAD COACH: Craig MacTavish ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: Two (2002, 2008) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 7 of 10 2010-11 RECORD: 39-30-5-6, 89 pts.

WEBSITE: www.chicagowolves.com

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

NHL AFFILIATION: Pittsburgh Penguins HOME ICE: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza (8,050) GENERAL MANAGER: Ray Shero HEAD COACH: John Hynes ENTERED AHL: 1999-00 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 10 of 12 2010-11 RECORD: 58-21-0-1, 117 pts.

WEBSITE: www.wbspenguins.com

WORCESTER SHARKS

NHL AFFILIATION: San Jose Sharks HOME ICE: DCU Center (6,800) GENERAL MANAGER: Wayne Thomas HEAD COACH: Roy Sommer ENTERED AHL: 2006-07 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 5 2010-11 RECORD: 36-31-4-9, 85 pts.

WEBSITE: www.sharksahl.com

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

NHL AFFILIATION: Detroit Red Wings HOME ICE: Van Andel Arena (10,834) HEAD COACH: Curt Fraser BEGAN PLAY: 1996-97 (IHL) ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 6 of 10 2010-11 RECORD: 36-34-2-8, 82 pts.

WEBSITE: www.griffinshockey.com

HAMILTON BULLDOGS

NHL AFFILIATION: Montreal Canadiens HOME ICE: Copps Coliseum (8,819) GENERAL MANAGER: Pierre Gauthier HEAD COACH: Clement Jodoin ENTERED AHL: 1996-97 CALDER CUPS: One (2007) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 12 of 15 2010-11 RECORD: 44-27-2-7, 97 pts.

WEBSITE: www.hamiltonbulldogs.com

HOUSTON AEROS

NHL AFFILIATION: Minnesota Wild HOME ICE: Toyota Center (8,939) GENERAL MANAGER: Jim Mill HEAD COACH: John Torchetti ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: One (2003) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 8 of 10 2010-11 RECORD: 46-28-1-5, 98 pts.

WEBSITE: www.aeros.com

LAKE ERIE MONSTERS

NHL AFFILIATION: Colorado Avalanche HOME ICE: Quicken Loans Arena (20,093) DIRECTOR OF AHL OPERATIONS: David Oliver HEAD COACH: David Quinn ENTERED AHL: 2007-08 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 4 2010-11 RECORD: 44-28-3-5, 96 pts.

WEBSITE: www.lakeeriemonsters.com Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 13

2011-2012 AHL DIRECTORY MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS

TEXAS STARS

OKLAHOMA CITY BARONS

TORONTO MARLIES

NHL AFFILIATION: Nashville Predators HOME ICE: Bradley Center (17,845) GENERAL MANAGER: Paul Fenton HEAD COACH: Kirk Muller ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: One (2004) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 9 of 10 2010-11 RECORD: 44-22-6-8, 102 pts.

WEBSITE: www.milwaukeeadmirals.com NHL AFFILIATION: Edmonton Oilers HOME ICE: Cox Convention Center (7,500) GENERAL MANAGER: Bill Scott HEAD COACH: Todd Nelson ENTERED AHL: 2010-11 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 1 2010-11 RECORD: 40-29-2-9, 91 pts.

WEBSITE: www.okcbarons.com

PEORIA RIVERMEN

NHL AFFILIATION: St. Louis Blues HOME ICE: Peoria Civic Center – Carver Arena (9,919) GENERAL MANAGER: Kevin McDonald HEAD COACH: Jared Bednar ENTERED AHL: 2005-06 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 6 2010-11 RECORD: 42-30-3-5, 92 pts.

WEBSITE: www.rivermen.net

ROCHESTER AMERICANS

NHL AFFILIATION: Buffalo Sabres HOME ICE: Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial (10,662) GENERAL MANAGER: Darcy Regier HEAD COACH: Ron Rolston ENTERED AHL: 1956-57 CALDER CUPS: Six (1965, 1966, 1968, 1983, 1987, 1996) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 41 of 55 2010-11 RECORD: 31-39-5-5, 72 pts.

WEBSITE: www.amerks.com

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

NHL AFFILIATION: Chicago Blackhawks HOME ICE: BMO Harris Bank Center (5,767) GOVERNOR: Mark Bernard HEAD COACH: Ted Dent ENTERED AHL: 2007-08 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 4 2010-11 RECORD: 38-33-4-5, 85 pts.

WEBSITE: www.icehogs.com

SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE

NHL AFFILIATION: Florida Panthers HOME ICE: AT&T Center (6,374) GENERAL MANAGER: Michael Santos HEAD COACH: Chuck Weber ENTERED AHL: 2002-03 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 2 of 9 2010-11 RECORD: 40-33-4-3, 87 pts.

WEBSITE: www.sarampage.com 14 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

NHL AFFILIATION: Dallas Stars HOME ICE: Cedar Park Center (6,863) GENERAL MANAGER: Scott White HEAD COACH: Jeff Pyle ENTERED AHL: 2009-10 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 2 of 2 2010-11 RECORD: 41-29-4-6, 92 pts.

WEBSITE: www.texasstarshockey.com NHL AFFILIATION: Toronto Maple Leafs HOME ICE: Ricoh Coliseum (7,851) GENERAL MANAGER: Dave Nonis HEAD COACH: Dallas Eakins ENTERED AHL: 2005-06 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 6 2010-11 RECORD: 37-32-1-10, 85 pts.

WEBSITE: www.marlies.ca

2011-12 PLAYOFF FORMAT Eight teams in each conference will qualify for the 2012 Calder Cup Playoffs, with the three division winners earning the top three seeds and the next five best teams in order of regular-season points seeded fourth through eighth.

The conference quarterfinals will be best-of-five series; the conference semifinals, conference finals and Calder Cup Finals will be best-of-seven series. Teams will be re-ordered after the first round so that the highestremaining seed plays the lowestremaining seed.

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 17

T

HISTORY

he American Hockey League is enjoying its 76th season of play in 2011-12, continuing a tradition of excellence that began in 1936 when the Canadian-American Hockey League merged with the International Hockey League to form what is today known as the AHL. Eight teams hit the ice that first season, playing in Buffalo, Cleveland, New Haven, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Springfield and Syracuse.

Frank Calder, the National Hockey League’s president at the time, was instrumental in the forming of the new league, and his name would be given to its championship trophy. The first Calder Cup was won by the Syracuse Stars; the 75th championship was captured by the Binghamton Senators last spring.

O

Terry Sawchuk Honored Member, Hockey Hall of Fame 1949 AHL Rookie of the Year 1950 Calder Cup Champion

LEGENDS

ver the past three-quarters of a century, the American Hockey League has been home to some of the greatest players in the history of our sport.

In fact, more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame have been affiliated with the AHL during their careers. All-time greats like George Armstrong, Toe Blake, Gump Worsley, Terry Sawchuk, Glenn Hall, Brad Park, Ken Dryden and Brett Hull came through the AHL ranks and now find themselves enshrined in Toronto, and the coveted Calder Cup trophy is inscribed with the names of legendary AHL alumni like Patrick Roy, Larry Robinson, Gerry Cheevers, Andy Bathgate, Tim Horton, Al Arbour, Emile Francis, Doug Harvey and Billy Smith.

T

he American Hockey League has created its own legends as well, and in 2006 began honoring them with the formation of the AHL Hall of Fame. The sixth class of inductees, recognized in 2011, included Mitch Lamoureux, Harry Pidhirny, Maurice Podoloff and Larry Wilson. They join the likes of Johnny Bower, Fred Glover, Jody Gage, Willie Marshall, Frank Mathers, Eddie Shore, Bruce Boudreau, Tim Tookey and others as distinguished members of the American Hockey League Hall of Fame.

In today’s National Hockey League, more than 87 percent of the players are AHL alumni, including 2011 Hart Trophy recipient Corey Perry and two-time Lady Byng Award winner Martin St. Louis. Three members of the 2010 AHL All-Rookie Team -- John Carlson, P.K. Subban and Logan Couture -- duplicated the feat in the NHL in 2010-11, and former Calder Cup finalists Shea Weber and Pekka Rinne were among the members of the NHL’s postseason First and Second All-Star Teams.

Photo: Nashville Predators

The 2011 Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins were stocked with AHL graduates as well, among them Zdeno Chara, David Krejci, Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand and Vezina Trophy and Conn Smythe Trophy winner Tim Thomas.

Pekka Rinne 2011 Second Team NHL All-Star 2006, 2008 AHL All-Star

18 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

PLAYERS

During the 2010-11 season, more than 850 AHL alumni played in the

COACHES

Photo: Boston Bruins

National Hockey League, including 320 who skated in both leagues last year alone. Buffalo’s Thomas Vanek, Ottawa’s Jason Spezza and Philadelphia’s Claude Giroux were among the 16 AHL graduates who led their NHL teams in scoring, and former AHL All-Stars Jimmy Howard, Jaroslav Halak and Miikka Kiprusoff were among the 27 AHL goaltending alumni who paced their NHL clubs in victories. More than 200 former first- and second-round draft picks developed their skills in the AHL last season, including breakout rookies like Luke Adam, Zac Dalpe, Kyle Palmieri, Nazem Kadri and 2011 Calder Cup Playoffs MVP Robin Lehner.

Former AHL goaltender Tim Thomas won the Vezina and Conn Smythe trophies with the Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins in 2010-11.

At the start of the 2011-12 season, the NHL featured 23 head coaches who were former AHL bench

bosses, including the last seven Stanley Cup champions in Claude Julien (Boston, 2011), Joel Quenneville (Chicago, 2010), Dan Bylsma (Pittsburgh, 2009), Mike Babcock (Detroit, 2008), Randy Carlyle (Anaheim, 2007), Peter Laviolette (Carolina, 2006) and John Tortorella (Tampa Bay, 2004). New head coaches in the NHL this season include Florida’s Kevin Dineen, Dallas’s Glen Gulutzan, Minnesota’s Mike Yeo and Winnipeg’s Claude Noel, all promoted from the AHL during the offseason.

“The American Hockey League has been essential in developing my potential both as a player and as a coach.

Being able to hone my skills and improve at a high level of competition was key to reaching my goals of playing in the NHL, becoming a head coach and winning the Stanley Cup.” -- Dan Bylsma, Head Coach, Pittsburgh Penguins 2011 Jack Adams Award Winner, 2010 Stanley Cup Champion

The 2010-11 season saw more than 6 million fans attend AHL games for JustSports Photography

FANS

The Hershey Bears increased their attendance at Giant Center for the seventh year in a row while leading the AHL for the fifth consecutive season.

the 10th year in a row; since 2001, AHL games have been played before more than 65 million fans in arenas across North America. The Hershey Bears paced the league by averaging 9,800 fans per game last year, and on Feb. 19 the Connecticut Whale drew 21,673 fans to a celebration of hockey at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Conn., that included the second outdoor game in AHL history.

STARS

The AHL All-Star Classic showcases the league’s top talent each year in

JustSports Photography/AHL

an All-Star Skills Competition and All-Star Game. The 2012 AHL All-Star Classic will be held at historic Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, N.J., on January 29-30, featuring the Eastern Conference All-Stars battling the Western Conference All-Stars in an event to be televised live across the U.S. and Canada. Of the 562 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since 1995, more than 93 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Brad Boyes, Dan Boyle, Daniel Briere, Brian Campbell, Chris Kunitz, Ryan Miller, Zach Parise, Bobby Ryan, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal and Tomas Vokoun.

Bobby Butler 2011 AHL All-Star Game MVP

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 19

IT FEELS GOOD...

The Griffins have numerous ways to help you stay connected with your team, both during games and when you are away from Van Andel Arena. r song You can now tweet you a tweet d Sen xx!

Ma requests to DJ e to to @GriffDJMaxx – be sur name st arti , title g son the include g. hta has G GR and the #go

We want to see your photos from the game! Share your pictures with us on our Facebook wall for the chance to win great prizes all season long.

20 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

...TO CONNECT Check out our blog, Ha lf Eagle, Half Lion, All Griffin, and its Afternoon Shift posts for frequent com pilations of links to news, videos and fea tures about the Griffins and our NHL alu mni gathered from dozens of source s across the web.

Go to grgriffins.wordp ress.com.

Download the official Griffins iPhone and Android app, featuring schedule, roster, team and arena information and more.

Visit griffinshockey.com/app.

Let your friends know that you’re at the game and tha t they are missing out if they’r e not here too – check in when yo u get here on Foursquare or Faceb ook to get free stuff!

Twitter, For our fans who use hashtag the use you e sur ke ma from ing eet tw en wh #goGRG s will the games. Your tweet exterior be projected onto an ner of cor SE the screen near Van Andel Arena.

Most importantly, introduce yourself to your fellow fans sitting around you, have a good time, and cheer your hearts out for the Griffins!

DETROIT

RED WINGS

Photos: Getty Images

Griffins forwards Cory Emmerton, Tomas Tatar and Jan Mursak each scored his first NHL goal while playing for the Red Wings last season.

Since the Grand Rapids-Detroit affiliation began in 2002, Griffins fans have proudly watched 44 players move on to play for the Red Wings – including the likes of Jimmy Howard, Justin Abdelkader, Jonathan Ericsson, Valtteri Filppula, Darren Helm, Jiri Hudler and Niklas Kronwall – while also enjoying the opportunity to see some of Detroit’s brightest stars play at Van Andel Arena during conditioning stints and Red & White Games.

TOP AFFILIATE

Grand Rapids Griffins (AHL)

ARENA

Joe Louis Arena Seating Capacity: 20,066

INFO

Phone: (313) 394-7000 www.detroitredwings.com

STANLEY CUPS

1936, 1937, 1943, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2008

MANAGEMENT

Ken Holland, Executive VP/General Manager Jim Nill, VP/Assistant General Manager Ryan Martin, Asst. GM/Hockey Administration

COACHING STAFF

Mike Babcock, Head Coach Jeff Blashill, Assistant Coach Bill Peters, Assistant Coach Keith McKittrick, Video Coach Jim Bedard, Goaltending Coach Chris Osgood, Goaltending Development Coach Aaron Downey, AHL Strength and Conditioning Coach

GRIFFINS WHO HAVE EARNED THEIR WINGS* Justin Abdelkader, 2008-09 Sean Avery, 2002-03 Ryan Barnes, 2003-04 Patrick Boileau, 2002-03 Darryl Bootland, 2003-04 Fabian Brunnstrom, 2011-12 Aaron Downey, 2008-09 Matt Ellis, 2006-07 Cory Emmerton, 2010-11 Jonathan Ericsson, 2007-08 Valtteri Filppula, 2005-06 Mark Hartigan, 2007-08 Darren Helm, 2007-08 Jimmy Howard, 2005-06 Jiri Hudler, 2003-04 Matt Hussey, 2006-07 Doug Janik, 2009-10 Jakub Kindl, 2009-10 Tomas Kopecky, 2005-06 Niklas Kronwall, 2003-04 Marc Lamothe, 2003-04 Josh Langfeld, 2006-07

Brett Lebda, 2005-06 Ville Leino, 2008-09 Joey MacDonald, 2006-07 Donald MacLean, 2005-06 Darren McCarty, 2007-08 Tom McCollum, 2010-11 Derek Meech, 2006-07 Kevin Miller, 2003-04 Mark Mowers, 2003-04 Jan Mursak, 2010-11 Anders Myrvold, 2003-04 Kris Newbury, 2009-10 Gustav Nyquist, 2011-12 Kyle Quincey, 2005-06 Mattias Ritola, 2007-08 Jamie Rivers, 2003-04 Nathan Robinson, 2003-04 Stacy Roest, 2002-03 Brendan Smith, 2011-12 Garrett Stafford, 2007-08 Tomas Tatar, 2010-11 Jason Williams, 2002-03

* not including conditioning stints for Curtis Joseph (2003-04), Chris Osgood (2005-06), Manny Legace (2005-06), Chris Chelios (2008-09) and Andreas Lilja (2009-10).

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 21

Story by Mark Newman

Chris Conner exhibits the kind of determination that puts him head and shoulders above most players in the AHL. Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky famously said that the secret to being a great player is skating to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been.

The truth is that the puck seems to find some players more than others. Whether they’re quicker, cover more ground, hungrier or just have better hockey instincts, certain players are like magnets when the puck is around them.

Chris Conner is one of those players – a contention confirmed as much by his gap-toothed grin as by his statistics, which show that he’s scored at nearly a point-per-game pace at the AHL level.

Conner has been missing both of his front teeth plus a third tooth almost his entire professional career.

After wearing a helmet cage during his collegiate career at Michigan Tech, he lost all three on the same play in 2006. It was only his fifth game as a pro.

“I was thinking I still had the cage. I remember looking at the puck like it was going to hit the cage and there was nothing there,” he said, recalling the cross-ice pass from a teammate that led to his dental disaster.

“I knew the puck had hit me in the mouth, but I still went to forecheck until I felt something come out of my mouth and I started tasting blood.

“I went back to the bench and the trainer looked at me and asked, ‘Did you have any teeth before?’ I said, ‘Yeah,’ and he said, ‘Well, you don’t any more.’”

Needless to say, it hurt.

“It didn’t seem like it at the time, but the whole process was probably the most painful experience I’ve ever been through,” said Conner, who underwent surgery later to have implants put into the bone.

His tale may not rival the story of Washington Capitals center Eric Belanger pulling out his own tooth during a 2010 playoff game (check out the cringe-worthy video on YouTube), but it says something about Conner’s toughness.

Much is made of Conner’s lack of physical stature, but he finds great gratification in proving that he’s capable of playing with the big boys.

He may be several inches shy of six feet, but his skills are hardly dwarfed in comparison.

“Obviously if I could be six foot tall, I would love it, but I’m not, so I pride myself on playing as strong as the bigger guys,” he said. “I try not to play my size.

“I want to get into the corners and get the puck first.

I’m not afraid to go to the net or take on those big guys.

22 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

I’ve had to prove myself my entire career. I don’t know any other way.”

Conner long ago found himself an ally in Vancouver Canucks center Ryan Kesler, who grew up in the same Livonia neighborhood not far from the city limits of Detroit.

Today at 6-foot-2, Kesler towers over his pal like characters out of Twins, the comedy starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito. But there was a time when the height differential was much less.

“We met in kindergarten – we were wearing the same Batman shirt,” Conner recalls. “We started talking and then we realized that we lived down the street from each other and we both played hockey.”

Conner is Michigan Tech’s career leader in shorthanded goals with 15, including eight during the 2005-06 season.

Conner scored on a penalty shot against Joey MacDonald last season when the Penguins beat the Red Wings on Jan. 18, 2011.

The fast friends played together as youngsters and both attended Churchill High School before parting ways for college: Kesler to Ohio State University, Conner to Michigan Tech.

Conner loved his time in Houghton. “I had heard about the snow, but I had never seen that much,” he recalled. “One of the winters I think it snowed like 50 or 60 straight days.

You get used to it, and between school and hockey, I couldn’t really complain.”

In four seasons with the Huskies, Conner had 129 points in 151 games. “I wish we would have had a better team and won more games, but as far as a learning experience goes, it was great,” he said.

“My teammates were awesome and I gained some friendships that I will have the rest of my life.”

One of his teammates during his freshman year was Griffins defenseman Greg Amadio, who was a senior at the time. “We were actually stall mates,” Conner recalled. “He took me under his wing a little bit and showed me the ropes.”

Undrafted, Conner made his professional debut with the AHL’s Iowa Stars at the end of the 2005-06 season. He subsequently signed a two-year contract with the Dallas Stars, with whom he would see action in 71 NHL games over the next three seasons.

His first NHL goal came on Dec. 27, 2006 against the Colorado Avalanche in Denver.

“It was a great feeling,” he recalled. “I had come around the net for a wraparound and the puck went all the way out to the point. Trevor Daley shot the puck and I went to the front where the puck was bouncing around and I managed to put it into the net.”

Ready for a change of scenery, Conner signed

Credit: Getty Images

a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins during the summer of 2009. He spent the majority of the season that followed in the AHL, but played most of the 2010-11 campaign in the NHL after re-signing with the Penguins.

Conner played 60 games in Pittsburgh last season after he was recalled on Nov. 12, 2010.

The Penguins subsequently went on a 14-0-1 tear with their newfound sparkplug in place.

As part of the self-proclaimed “Buzz Line” with rookie center Mark Letestu and fourth-year pro Tyler Kennedy, Conner provided a needed boost of adrenalin to the Penguins lineup. Playing third-line minutes, he tallied seven goals and nine assists.

“Last year was a big step for me,” he said.

“Playing more of an energy type of role, I learned a lot about playing defensively. It made me a better two-way player.”

Conner enjoyed playing for Grand Haven native Dan Bylsma, who kept the Penguins near the top of the standings for most of the season despite the extended losses of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, two of the team’s biggest stars.

“It was an awesome experience,” he said.

“We kept winning games and staying in the race because, although we didn’t have our top guys in the lineup, we played a structured system that kept everyone on the same page.”

Conner had hoped his play had earned him a full-time NHL contract.

“I’ve got nothing but good things to say about the organization,” he said, but once it was clear that the Penguins were not going to offer him a one-way deal, he decided to look elsewhere.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 23

Although Conner knew the Red Wings already had more than their quota of forwards on the roster, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to cast his lot with the team of his boyhood fancy.

“Obviously, Detroit is a great organization,” Conner said. “It really wasn’t that hard of a decision for me.”

He was also swayed by the chance to play close to home. Conner lives in Plymouth with his wife Lindsay, and their two children: son Caden, who turns three in February, and daughter Brynnlee, who will celebrate her first birthday next May. “Moving is never your first choice,” Conner said.

“To get up and move everyone is always kind of a pain, so it was definitely a factor in the decision.

I liked the idea of staying close to home.”

Conner would be the first to admit that parenthood gave him a new perspective.

“People tell you how great it is, but when it happens, you discover that it’s this most unbelievable thing,” he said. “It’s nice to come home to them and realize that hockey’s fun, but it’s not everything. They bring so much joy to my life.”

Fatherhood also provided a strong sense of responsibility. “They motivate you to do well, to provide for them and make sure they have a good life,” he said.

Even playing in Grand Rapids, Conner tries to go home as often as he can. “I live near the airport, so they’re only about 90 minutes away.

It’s a pretty easy drive and I don’t mind it.”

Conner and Kesler still get together every summer to do offseason training. “It’s nice to know someone who has had the success that he’s had,” Conner said of his friend, the 2011 Selke Trophy winner as the NHL’s top defensive forward. “He works hard, but we definitely push each other.”

Conner got off to a strong start with the Griffins, tallying 16 points in the first 12 games, and his breathtaking speed helped him tie a Griffins record with two shorthanded goals in one game, a 3-0 win at Hamilton on Oct. 18. But he won’t be satisfied until he reaches his goal of returning to the NHL. “I want to keep improving and do whatever I can to help the Griffins win games,” he said.

“When you have success as a team, success usually comes for individuals on the team as well.”

He has accepted the fact that he will have to once again prove that he is worthy of a recall to the NHL. “I’m still learning how to deal with the ups and downs,” he said.

“It’s not easy, but at the same time you’ve got to keep working on those things that will get you to the next level. In my head, I know I can play in the NHL. Knowing that you can is the first step and I know I can, so you have to keep proving yourself until you get there and stick.”

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MARK YOUR CALENDAR! 2011-12 GRIFFINS PROMOTIONAL SCHEDULE

Dec. 31

Dec. 31: 15th Annual New Year’s Eve Celebration presented by Fox Honda/Team Poster Giveaway/Jersey Auction to benefit GVSU club roller hockey/Post-Game Fireworks

Free Ride Friday on The Rapid: Ride the Rapid to and from any Friday game and enjoy a complimentary fare by showing your ticket to that night’s game. Visit ridetherapid.org for schedule information, routes and maps.

Jan. 21-22: Annual Great Skate Winterfest at Rosa Parks Circle in Downtown Grand Rapids Feb. 4: Hockey Day in West Michigan presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union/ Niklas Kronwall Bobblehead Giveaway Feb. 11: Griffins Playing Card Giveaway presented by J&H Family Stores Feb. 12: Brendan Smith Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Michigan Office Solutions Feb. 18: Community for a Cure Purple Game presented by Van Andel Institute/ Rally Towel Giveaway/Paintjam with Dan Dunn, a one-of-a-kind speed painter/ Jersey Auction to benefit Van Andel Institute Feb. 28: Griffins vs. Sled Wings Sled Hockey Game at Griff’s IceHouse March 3: Star Wars Night March 17: Griffins BBQ Set Giveaway presented by Comerica Bank/Jersey Auction to benefit PennyBen & American Cancer Society’s Hope Lodge March 31: Greg Amadio Bobblefists Giveaway presented by Appletree Christian Learning Centers/Appearance by the Russian Bar Trio circus act featured on America’s Got Talent April 13: Season Finale presented by Huntington Bank/“Beat Chicago” Rally Towel Giveaway/Jersey Auction

28 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Get in the D-ZONE: Every Friday night is a Griffins WGRD D-Zone night. Avoid the concession lines and get your $1 beers and $1 hot dogs served to you in your seats! Call 774-4585 ext.

2 or visit griffinshockey.com/dzone to get your tickets today!

College Nights: Every Friday, college students can show their ID to purchase a lower bowl ticket for $13 (or $11 in advance at The Zone) and stop by the McFadden’s concourse table to receive a free pass to the post-game party at McFadden’s.

Jan. 21: Fleece Hockey Helmet Giveaway presented by MetroPCS/Appearance by the ZOOperstars/Jersey Auction to benefit the Griffins Youth Foundation and the Wounded Warrior Project

Jan. 21

Dollar Beers and Hot Dogs: Every Friday, enjoy $1 hot dogs and $1 domestic drafts from 6-8 p.m., while supplies last.

Dec. 3: Salute to Heroes and Scout Night presented by Centennial Securities/ Patriotic Rally Towel Giveaway

Jan. 20: Super Fan Cameron Hughes

Jan. 20

SEASON-LONG PROMOTIONS

Wednesday is Hockey Night!: Before and after every Wednesday home game from December through February, show your ticket to that night’s game to receive great food and drink specials at participating Arena District restaurants and bars, including Peppino’s Sports Lounge, home of the Griffins’ Wednesday post-game parties. Visit griffinshockey.com/hockeynight for a list of participating restaurants (subject to change).

Winning Wednesday presented by Amway: Every time the Griffins win at home on Wednesday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the next Wednesday game. Additionally, the first 200 fans to visit the Amway table in Section A will receive a free t-shirt.

Sunday is Fun Day!: Every Sunday, enjoy $1 Cole’s Breadsticks and $1 Pepsi drinks from 4-6 p.m. Enjoy live music from Jaded 8 and the J&H Family Stores Post-Game Skate.

Senior Sunday presented by MapleCreek Senior Living: Every Sunday, fans 55 and older with ID can purchase a Lower Level Center Ice ticket for $15 and play bingo in the arena banquet room from 4-5 p.m.

Library Nights: For every Sunday and Wednesday game, fans can present their Grand Rapids Public Library card or Kent District Library card at the Van Andel Arena box office on the night of the game or at The Zone anytime during the store’s regular business hours to save $7 off the price of a Lower Level Faceoff ticket (regularly $18 in advance and $20 day of game).

Limit four tickets per card per person, subject to availability.

Fan 4 Packs: For select games, receive four tickets and $12 in concession cash for a great low price. Valid for games on Dec. 3; Jan. 21; Feb. 11; and March 17 and 31. Visit griffinshockey. com/f4p or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.

J&H Family Stores Post-Game Skates: Dec. 31; Feb. 4, 11 and 12; March 3, 17 and 31; and April 13 Huntington Bank Post-Game Autograph Sessions: Dec. 3; Feb. 4, 12 and 18; and March 17 MOS Corner Office presented by Michigan Office Solutions: Located on the terrace level above section 118, this section provides the best seats in the house for groups of up to 30 people, with La-Z-Boy chairs and an array of amenities. Call (616) 774-4585.

All promotions and dates subject to change. For more information, visit griffinshockey.com.

Sports Medicine Center

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 29

SAVVY INVESTMENT Story and photos by Mark Newman

Story and photos

by Mark Newman

Red Wings prospect Willie Coetzee wants to prove that a boy from Johannesburg can one day make a name for himself in the National Hockey League.

30 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Nyquist was a fourth-round pick of the Red Wings in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

Ask the average person to think about South Africa and the first thing that comes to mind is not hockey.

Willie Coetzee would like to change that.

The Detroit Red Wings prospect was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, hardly the hub for a seasonal sport played on ice. In fact, the only NHL player to share Coetzee’s birth country is recently retired goaltender Olaf Kolzig, who was born in Johannesburg to German parents and moved to Denmark as an infant.

For Coetzee, the roots run much deeper.

Although his surname may sound unusual to American ears, it is actually fairly common in his native land, with Coetzee (it’s pronounced cootSEE-ah there) being nearly the South African equivalent of Smith.

Google the name and you’ll come across a famous author, an adventurer, a boxer, a designer, a couple of musicians, a jockey, a golfer, a tennis player, a former Miss South Africa and even a field hockey player.

Until Willie came along, there had been no Coetzee in ice hockey, a sport that seems as strange to his relatives back home as cricket does to people in North America.

Coetzee moved to western Canada when he was 4 years old, his parents looking to escape the long shadow of apartheid, the system of racial segregation scorned by much of the free world.

“My parents moved us to get away from the politics of apartheid,” Coetzee said. “They wanted to help us out so that we might have a better future.”

Coetzee played hockey, baseball and soccer while

growing up in Vancouver. “My parents put me in every sport,” he recalls. “They kept me busy, so I was pretty active.” He excelled in all of them, thanks at least in part to athletic genes passed on by his parents.

If South Africa had not been barred from the Olympics due to its policy of apartheid, his father, also named Willie, might have represented his country in track at the Games. His mother, Thelma, had been a gifted tennis player.

“If we had stayed in South Africa, I’m pretty sure I would have become a golfer,” said Coetzee, who competed in Canadian Junior Golf Association events. “That would have pleased my family there – they don’t understand the sport of ice hockey.”

Many of his relatives, including his grandparents, still live in South Africa, which he was able to visit in 2004 before his paternal grandfather passed away.

“I don’t really remember much about living there, except for watching videos of me when I was little with our dog, Sniffles,” said Coetzee, who has an older sister, Val. “It’s a beautiful country, but not really a place where I would want to live. I’m happy we ended up where we did.”

His parents, however, did not leave their South African roots completely behind. They still speak Afrikaans, a West Germanic language mainly of Dutch origins that Coetzee speaks sporadically but understands fluently. “My parents still speak Afrikaans to each other or when we want to keep something a secret,” he said.

Coetzee played all sports until he was about 16.

He loved soccer and would like to have kept playing golf but realized he had to make a decision.

Undrafted Coetzee signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Red Wings on Sept. 18, 2009.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 31

“My coach said I could be better than average at more than one sport but I could be the master of only one,” said Coetzee, who chose hockey because he felt it afforded him the best opportunity.

“I started golf too late so I would have needed more time to get to where I needed to be,” he said.

“I liked golf – it was relaxing, being able to get away from everything when you’re on the course. But mentally it’s still pretty intense.”

He believes hockey is also intense psychologically, estimating that the sport is 95 percent mental, which may seem surprising given that it is so physically challenging. But Coetzee discovered that confidence – one thing that he had in abundance at the junior level – can be elusive in the professional ranks.

Coetzee struggled during his first season as a pro in 2010-11. He failed to find the net in 25 games with the Griffins, although he managed to build some confidence with ECHL Toledo, where he had nine goals and 11 assists in 36 games with the Walleye.

“Getting sent down is going to play with your head,” he said. “I knew the first year in the pros might be tough. Getting points is a huge factor in helping to build your confidence, and they didn’t come easily.”

In retrospect, his demotion was probably a blessing in disguise. Getting the opportunity to play in the ECHL afforded him more ice time to work on his skills and develop his game.

“In Toledo, I was able to make myself a stronger player by improving my defensive play while working on my speed and scoring ability,” he said.

“It all comes down to work ethic, how hard you’re willing to push yourself.”

Like countless rookies before him, Coetzee learned that playing professional hockey is a huge jump from junior hockey.

“I’m sure when Willie came in, his expectations were very high,” said Griffins head coach Curt Fraser.

“Like other players in the past, he’s learned that it sometimes takes a year to get used to the style of play.”

Coetzee had averaged more than a point per game during his final junior season with Red Deer in 200910, so being consistently absent on the scoresheet was frustrating to say the least after he turned pro.

He struggled to find his footing against older players who were bigger, stronger and faster. “You can’t play the puck when you’re getting pushed around the ice. I realized I was going to have to work harder than ever.”

This past summer Coetzee upped his training regimen, pushing himself to improve his strength and speed. “I saw what it was going to take to become a better player,” he said. “You look at the top players and they never take a day off. They’re working every day to improve.”

He skated with a number of players from other organizations, including Edmonton’s Ryan NugentHopkins, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NHL 32 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Entry Draft. “It was good working out with those guys because everybody had the same work ethic,” he said.

More than ever, he was resolutely focused on what was required to show that he could succeed at the pro level. “I kept my eye on the prize,” he said.

“I set goals that I needed to reach and achieve if I wanted better ice time.”

The results thus far have been telling. “Willie has worked exceptionally hard,” Fraser said. “When he came to training camp this year, he looked like a totally different guy. He’s stronger, faster, more confident and much more prepared – and it’s shown on the ice.”

His dogged determination has paid dividends early in the 2011-12 campaign. After going without a goal in a Griffins jersey last season, Coetzee tallied four in the first 10 games.

“There’s a point where you start to build chemistry with your linemates,” Coetzee said. “At the beginning of a season, it’s all pretty new. As you start getting the hang of things, you begin to feel comfortable with each other and the points start coming more easily.”

Coetzee wants to show that he’s a better player today than he was a year ago.

“I not only want to prove that I should stay here in Grand Rapids, but that I also want to make the Red Wings,” he said. “I’m not here to be satisfied with playing for the Griffins. I want to play with guys like (Nicklas) Lidstrom and (Pavel) Datsyuk.”

The longer he’s in the Red Wings organization, the more he understands that it’s all part of a process. The idea of overnight success is simply too good to be true.

Jan Mursak “In the long run, it’s the little things that will matter in the big picture,” he said. “It’s about eating right, getting sleep, making sure I’m working hard not only during the game but before and after the game as well.”

And so he watches veterans like Chris Conner, Greg Amadio, Garnet Exelby and Doug Janik. He aspires to be like Darren Helm, the former Griffin whose speed and work ethic have made him an integral part of the Red Wings’ attack.

It doesn’t matter where a guy is from. It’s where he’s going. “If you’re not 100 percent committed, you’re not going to succeed,” he said. “Even the best players are always pushing themselves.”

Fraser is pleased with Coetzee’s progress, but he hopes he will continue to improve.

“Willie’s doing much better in all areas of the ice and he’s come a long ways,” Fraser said. “He still has a long ways to go to move up to the NHL, but he’s headed in the right direction.”

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2011-2012

ROSTER

19

18

22

GREG AMADIO Defenseman 6-2, 230 lbs.

Born: 5/13/81 Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.

JOAKIM ANDERSSON Forward 6-2, 206 lbs.

Born: 2/5/89 Munkedal, Sweden

15

8 MITCH CALLAHAN Forward 6-0, 190 lbs.

Born: 8/17/91 Whittier, Calif.

2

36 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

LOUIS-MARC AUBRY Forward 6-4, 205 lbs.

Born: 11/11/91 Arthabaska, Que.

WILLIE COETZEE Forward 5-10, 188 lbs.

Born: 11/7/90 Johannesburg, South Africa

GLEASON FOURNIER Defenseman 6-0, 184 lbs.

Born: 9/8/91 St. Fabien, Que.

FABIAN BRUNNSTROM Forward 6-1, 206 lbs.

Born: 2/6/85 Jonstorp, Sweden

4

25

20 GARNET EXELBY Defenseman 6-1, 210 lbs.

Born: 8/16/81 Craik, Sask.

17

CHRIS CONNER Forward 5-7, 180 lbs.

Born: 12/23/83 Livonia, Mich.

29

TRAVIS EHRHARDT Defenseman 5-11, 205 lbs.

Born: 4/12/89 Calgary, Alta.

33 LANDON FERRARO Forward 6-0, 174 lbs.

Born: 8/8/91 Trail, B.C.

DOUG JANIK Defenseman 6-1, 215 lbs.

Born: 3/26/80 Agawam, Mass.

Together, we put up some good stats.

It comes by playing the exciting games from the Michigan Lottery. First, it’s good for our kids, because all the profits — $701 million last year — go to the state School Aid Fund to help public schools. It’s also good for the 10,000 retailers who sell Lottery tickets and earned $170 million in commissions last year. And for all the players who shared $1.38 billion in prizes, winning sure is good! In fact, over 94 cents of every Lottery dollar goes back into the community as prizes, retailer commissions and contributions to public schools. The Michigan Lottery. All across the state, good things happen. www.michiganlottery.com Grand If you bet more than you can afford to lose, you’ve got a problem. Call 1-800-270-7117 for confidential help.Rapids GRIFFINS 37

Photo by Mark Newman

Photo by Mark Newman

40 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

10

32 JAMIE JOHNSON Forward 5-10, 182 lbs.

Born: 1/23/82 London, Ont.

14

31 BRIAN LASHOFF Defenseman 6-3, 212 lbs.

Born: 7/16/90 Albany, N.Y.

11

CHRIS MINARD Forward 6-1, 200 lbs.

Born: 11/18/81 Owen Sound, Ont.

9

13 GUSTAV NYQUIST Forward 5-11, 185 lbs.

Born: 9/1/89 Halmstad, Sweden

21

1 TREVOR PARKES Forward 6-2, 188 lbs.

Born: 5/13/91 Fort Erie, Ont.

12 LOGAN PYETT Defenseman 5-10, 195 lbs.

Born: 5/26/88 Regina, Sask.

NICK OSLUND Forward 6-2, 201 lbs.

Born: 11/15/87 Burnsville, Minn.

16

JORDAN PEARCE Goaltender 6-1, 195 lbs.

Born: 10/10/86 Anchorage, Alaska

7 BRENT RAEDEKE Forward 6-0, 200 lbs.

Born: 5/29/90 Regina, Sask.

TOM McCOLLUM Goaltender 6-2, 215 lbs.

Born: 12/7/89 Sanborn, N.Y.

26

ANDREJ NESTRASIL Forward 6-2, 210 lbs.

Born: 2/2/91 Prague, Czech Republic

FRANCIS PARE Forward 5-10, 190 lbs.

Born: 6/30/87 Lemoyne, Que.

3

30 JOEY MacDONALD Goaltender 6-0, 198 lbs.

Born: 2/7/80 Pictou, N.S.

SEBASTIEN PICHE Defenseman 6-0, 197 lbs.

Born: 2/4/88 La Sarre, Que.

27 BRENDAN SMITH Defenseman 6-2, 198 lbs.

Born: 2/8/89 Mimico, Ont.

TOMAS TATAR Forward 5-10, 186 lbs.

Born: 12/1/90 Ilava, Slovakia Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 37

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38 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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MORE THAN JUST CHILD’S PLAY Founded in the mid ‘90s, this hockey organization has become an institution in West Michigan. Its games have brought joy to thousands, its players have helped make our community a better place, and its coaches have continually strived to build character in the players who’ve been under their watch.

The Grand Rapids Griffins, you guess? Well, you’re close. While that description certainly fits, it’s actually the Griffins Youth Foundation.

Now in its 17th season, the Griffins Youth Foundation pre-dates the team at Van Andel Arena that shares its moniker. Still, many of the Griffins’ most avid fans and followers have little awareness of the foundation or the positive impact it continues to have on the lives of hundreds of children in our area each year.

By its nature, ice hockey is one of the most expensive sports a child can play. Start with skates and a bagful of equipment, both of which are regularly outgrown. Add the cost of ice time, which is often scarce even in West Michigan. Throw in the unavoidable expense to simply get to most local rinks – basketball has its driveways, baseball has its sandlots, but the ability to play even pond hockey is dependent on the right location and weather – and the

By Randy Cleves financial barriers to the sport are considerable.

This is where the Griffins Youth Foundation comes in.

Since the foundation was established by Dan and Pam DeVos in 1995, it has enabled thousands of kids – many of whom are underprivileged, at-risk, underserved or have other special needs – to play the sport we all love.

“I played the game of hockey growing up, and my parents made a huge sacrifice to allow me to do that,” said Bob Kaser, the Griffins’ vice president of community relations and broadcasting, who has also served as the foundation’s president since 2006. “It cost them a lot of money, and I know the joy I got out of it and the friendships I made. So being a part of the foundation is an amazingly good feeling, giving kids who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunities that I and so many others have had a chance to play this great sport.”

Nearly 300 children play in the foundation’s firstthrough-ninth grade and girls hockey programs at Griff’s IceHouse, while another 25 kids and teenagers with physical challenges play sled hockey as members of the Grand Rapids Sled Wings. In the fall of 2012, the offerings will expand through 12th grade, giving kids the opportunity to play from first grade through the conclusion of high school.

“It’s very rewarding for [the foundation’s board] to see the advances we’ve made, maybe the most significant of them being the expansion to 12th grade,” said Kaser.

“That’s a great example of the growth of the program and the commitment of our board members, (executive

Upper Left: Tyler Anderson of Team USA and the Grand Rapids Sled Wings.

Lower Left: Players take in some coaching. Right: A Youth Foundation player celebrates.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 41

director) Lynn Rabaut, our volunteers and everyone who makes the program what it is.

“It’s really cool to go to Griff’s IceHouse on a Saturday and see the smiles on the kids who are playing and also the enjoyment of the families who are watching, and it all goes back to Dan and Pam, (past president) Lou Rabaut and many other significant people who got the foundation off the ground,” added Kaser.

Several past players have come up through the program’s ranks and gone on to skate on the competitive local high school scene. But there is no greater success story than Tyler Anderson, a longtime member of the Sled Wings who is playing his third season for the United States Developmental Sled Hockey Team. He has his sights set on one day representing our country in the Paralympic Games.

All of these opportunities are provided at no cost to the kids, as equipment, staffing and ice time are paid for by the foundation at a cost of more than $400 per child per year.

The foundation could not operate without the generous and ever-growing support of dozens of individuals and businesses across West Michigan, who sponsor its programs and events, donate funds or equipment, or volunteer their time.

“We couldn’t do what we do without support from the Griffins Booster Club, particularly their annual silent auction, and a host of local companies and organizations such as Meijer, Dean Foods, Comcast, Fox Motors, and the DeVos and Van Andel family foundations,” said Kaser.

“Our sponsor list grows and grows, and as we continue to spread the word, more and more people are impressed with what we’re doing and want to support it.”

42 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Whether they realize it or not, nearly every Griffins fan has also played a part in the foundation’s continued success. If you’ve ever enjoyed the fun at the Great Skate Winterfest, swung a club at the annual golf outing, watched the Griffins and Sled Wings play a rousing game of sled hockey, placed bids during certain Griffins jersey auctions, or even purchased a 50/50 raffle ticket at Van Andel Arena over the last year, then you’ve helped support the foundation and the kids it serves.

“If you’re a Griffins fan, you’re a hockey fan,” said Kaser. “There’s a great feeling going to a hockey game and cheering on your team. Knowing what a great sport it is and the joy it brings you and your family, just imagine the joy it brings to a kid who wouldn’t get the chance to play if we didn’t have the foundation.

“There should be a pride in the Griffins family, our fans included, that we as an organization not only provide people with the great entertainment and joy of the Griffins, but that we have a foundation that extends that joy to the youth of our community. It’s just an incredible thing.”

And as much as the kids learn about hockey, they learn even more about life skills.

The foundation focuses on promoting academic excellence, community involvement and healthy lifestyles to the children it serves, while teaching them values like teamwork, commitment, generosity, goal-setting and perseverance. From College Nights at local universities to mandatory homework programs, community service projects and presentations on nutrition and exercise, their lessons extend far beyond the ice.

For more information on the Griffins Youth Foundation, please visit griffinskids.org or call (616) 970-5437.

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NSTRUCTIONS:

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 43

Ink

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Ad

Story and photos by Mark Newman

Red Wings prospects Landon Ferraro and Louis-Marc Aubry won’t be given a pass to play in the NHL just because their fathers played hockey at the highest level. They will have to earn their opportunity – just like everyone else.

When you have a father who played in the NHL, you’re around hockey your whole life. Since you were 4 years old, you got to skate with the guys down at the rink and eventually you get used to the atmosphere.

You see the daily routine that your dad goes through and you eventually fall into it and start doing it yourself.

You get introduced to the best training and the best equipment. You have all the things that you need to help you become a good hockey player.

Having a dad who played in the NHL puts you ahead of the learning curve and prepares you better for the opportunity to do well. As you’re growing up, you’re gaining valuable experience without even knowing it.

You’re hanging around all these very good hockey players and you learn how to skate, how to play, how to ‘everything.’ In the long run, that’s going to help.

– Curt Fraser Griffins head coach

father don’t always see eye-to-eye.

“It can be pretty challenging,” said the elder Ferraro.

“I remember when I was 15 and I thought I knew everything. Then, as you get older, you realize that your dad wasn’t so dumb after all.”

A father only wants what is best for his son. Just ask Pierre Aubry, who coached his son Louis-Marc for several years when his boy was growing up.

Like Ray Ferraro, Aubry was a former NHL player, having been a member of the Quebec Nordiques and Detroit Red Wings during the 1980s. But while Ferraro transitioned into the world of broadcasting, Aubry was immersed in coaching, a small detail that might have given him a not-so-little advantage when it came time to teach.

44 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Ray Ferraro scored 408 goals over 18 NHL seasons.

Credit: Getty Images

***** Ray Ferraro knew his second son might someday have a chance to play hockey at the game’s highest level and, if he was going to have anything to say about it, Landon was going to excel.

“Landon was a real athletic kid,” said the elder Ferraro, whose first-born, Matt, also liked sports. “Whatever Matt was into, Landon wanted to do it as well. He was a terrific baseball player and a very good soccer player, but he gravitated to hockey pretty early.

“We didn’t push him one way or another. We knew he would figure it out on his own accord.”

As a boy, Landon was encouraged to just play. “I was free to play whatever sport I wanted,” he recalled. “I loved baseball and soccer, but I knew I enjoyed hockey more.”

Landon decided to pursue the sport that had earned his father a very good living. From 1984 to 2002, Ray Ferraro played 18 seasons in NHL with the Hartford Whalers, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings, Atlanta Thrashers and St. Louis Blues.

It was a decision that complicated their father-son relationship.

“If he had wanted to be a piano player, it wouldn’t have mattered. I could have given him advice, but he would never need to listen to whatever I said because I didn’t play the piano. Unfortunately, what he chose to play was something that I understood very well.”

Ray Ferraro wasn’t happy when his son wouldn’t listen to his advice, but he understood.

You don’t need to have played hockey – or any sport for that matter – to realize that a teenage son and his

into the league. Heater always treated me really well and always had time to talk to me.”

The elder Ferraro was in his late 30s by the time he played in Atlanta, which gave Landon a glimpse into the mettle and moxie needed to excel in a physical sport like hockey.

“We spent a lot of time at the rink,” Landon said.

“We’d get there early so he had time to warm up, and after the game he would be icing things, so there was a lot of time to just hang out, too. I got to see how hard the guys worked and how much they enjoyed it at the same time.”

Looking back now, those days inside the Thrashers’ dressing room provided a glimpse into the future. Ray Ferraro’s coach in Atlanta was Curt Fraser, who would become his son’s first coach in the pros a decade later.

“It’s somewhat comical that it ended up this way, but I know Landon’s in great hands,” Ferraro said. “Curt is competitive, but at the same time he loves working with the young kids. My son’s in a great situation.” ***** Pierre Aubry’s NHL career was over by the time Louis-Marc was born in 1991. Aubry showed that he could score at will at the lower levels – he tallied 85 goals for the Trois-Rivieres Draveurs during the 1979-80 QMJHL season – but had less success at finding the back of the net in the NHL. Aubry finished his playing career in Europe before moving into the coaching ranks.

“He doesn’t say a lot about those days, but I’ve heard Landon Ferraro was selected in the second round (32nd overall) by the Red Wings in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.

“I don’t know if I was more knowledgeable than other coaches, but Louis-Marc seemed to appreciate my advice,” the elder Aubry said. “I never had any problems with him.”

One headstrong and determined, the other reticent and compliant, and yet both had their sights unequivocally set on following in the footsteps of their fathers.

Pierre Aubry played five seasons in the NHL, including two with the Red Wings.

Credit: Detroit Red Wings

***** Landon Ferraro remembers filling water bottles and cleaning visors when his dad was playing for the Atlanta Thrashers and how much he enjoyed hanging around the NHL dressing room.

“I remember going into the room and being very excited,” recalled Ferraro, who was 8 years old when his dad joined the expansion team in 1999. “Every kid wants to go to their dad’s work, and for me that meant I got to play around in a hockey dressing room.

“The rule was that it was a very quick exit from the rink with my mom if they lost, but if they won, my brother and I could go down and fool around in the room. We’d take someone’s stick and go out on the ice and shoot around. It was a pretty unique opportunity.”

Ferraro wasn’t just collecting hockey sticks, although he soon had a bedroom full of them. He was also stockpiling tips, not only from watching his dad in games and practice, but also from the chance to become acquainted with young stars like Dany Heatley and Ilya Kovalchuk.

“It was a fun team because most of them were young,” Landon said. “I got to see Heatley and Kovalchuk come

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 45

Louis-Marc Aubry was selected in the third round (81st overall) by the Red Wings in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

46 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

a few stories,” Louis-Marc said. “His basic advice has always been: work hard and have fun. It always comes down to that.”

The elder Aubry still teaches power skating and coaches young prospects in Quebec. “He sometimes gives me advice, and that’s okay because he knows what it takes to play.”

Louis-Marc started skating very early, before he was even three years old. “He had a lot of fun with the players on my junior teams,” Pierre said. “He’d go on the ice before and after practice. He always loved hockey.”

Hockey became decidedly more difficult for LouisMarc when he became a teenager. He grew eight inches in four years, stretching his once-compact body to a lanky 6-foot-4 frame.

Finding clothes to fit, however, was the least of his worries. His bones grew so fast that his muscles couldn’t keep up and he was forced to sit out a season.

“I was always one of the smaller players and all of a sudden – boom – I was one of the tallest,” Louis-Marc said. “It was hard – changing my stick length, feeling a bit uncoordinated. Being a late-bloomer was frustrating.”

His father did his best to help him see the forest for the trees.

“When you’re 15 or 16, you don’t care about what something will mean when you’re 20 or 25,” the elder Aubry said. “I had to remind him that he was not as strong as he would be later, that he needed mental toughness now, and that he had to keep working.”

Pierre Aubry knows his son’s size will be a blessing down the road. “I tell him that if I was 6-4, I’d still be playing,” said the father, who stands 5-foot-10. “Louis-

Marc will be a lot stronger in a few years. He needs the time to learn and gain experience.” ***** Being the son of an NHL player can be a doubleedged sword. While the lineage affords some distinct advantages, it can put added pressure on a young player to live up to the name.

Ray Ferraro said it’s a mistake to compare father and son.

“Landon and I are completely different players,” he said. “I was able to score goals (408, including two 40goal seasons), but that was pretty much the extent of my play. Landon is far more physical and a lot faster, and he’s going to be a much better two-way player.”

Pierre Aubry recognizes some similarities with his son but thinks Louis-Marc has the potential to achieve greater results.

“Louis-Marc has great hands, but he sees the ice a lot better than I did,” he said. “He knows what to do with the puck and has a good knowledge of the game. He can have a career that lasts a lot longer.”

Sons of NHL players, having witnessed the allure of the bright lights, sometimes lack the patience to wait for their opportunity. Like other young prospects, they want to be in the NHL sooner rather than later.

“These kids don’t always understand some of the decisions that are made,” the elder Aubry said.

“Having been a coach, I know both sides of the game, so I try to help him stay positive. Life goes by you very quickly – you want to be ready when the opportunity comes.”

***** The challenge for any father is to find that delicate balance between enthusiastic encouragement and constructive criticism.

As Ferraro says, it’s hard to stay silent when you have something to say.

“You want to help them so badly,” Ferraro said. “But at the end of the day, they’re the ones who are playing the game and who are going to make the mistakes and learn.

You want to give them support, but you also have to allow them room to grow.”

Ferraro is the first to admit that he still says too much sometimes. When Landon was 15, the two often butted heads – which is not that surprising given the emotional powder keg the teen years can be.

“He was just trying to help, but I thought he was just being a pain,” Landon said. “There are times when I need his help and other times when I need to figure it out on my own.”

Landon is thankful that he and his father have come to terms with their relationship, and both father and son speak lovingly of the bond they have forged over the years.

“We had to work at making sure that not every conversation was about hockey,” Landon said. “He has so much information to give – he loves the game so much – but sometimes I just need him to be dad.”

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www.powellrelocationgroup.com Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 47

(Through Nov. 17, 2011)

GRIFFINS ALL-TIME LEADERS

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GAMES PLAYED Travis Richards ............. 655 Michel Picard ................ 364 Jamie Tardif ................... 316 Derek Meech.................. 304 Ryan Oulahen ................ 302 Darryl Bootland ............ 293 Matt Ellis ........................ 282 Dave Van Drunen ......... 280 Derek King ..................... 264 Evan McGrath ............... 262

GOALS Michel Picard ................ 158 Jamie Tardif ......................78 Kip Miller ..........................75 Derek King ........................73 Darryl Bootland ...............72 Matt Ellis ...........................69 Francis Pare ......................65 Jiri Hudler .........................65 9. Tomas Kopecky................63 10. Donald MacLean..............62 1.

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ASSISTS Michel Picard ................ 222 Travis Richards ............. 182 Kip Miller ....................... 133 Derek King ..................... 130 Jiri Hudler ...................... 114 Glen Metropolit ...............88 Jeff Nelson .........................87 Matt Ellis ...........................84 Francis Pare ......................80 Cory Emmerton ...............77

SINGLE SEASON TOP TEN POINTS Michel Picard................101 .....................1996-97 Jiri Hudler .......................96 .....................2005-06 Jeff Nelson .......................89 .....................1996-97 Donald MacLean ............88 .....................2005-06 Michel Picard..................84 .....................2002-03 Derek King ....................*83 .....................2000-01 Mark Mowers .................81 .....................2002-03 Glen Metropolit..............81 .....................1998-99 Darren Haydar ...............80 .....................2008-09 Eric Manlow ...................73 .....................2005-06

ASSISTS 1. Jiri Hudler .......................60 .....................2005-06 2. Jeff Nelson .......................55 .....................1996-97 Michel Picard..................55 .....................1996-97 4. Glen Metropolit..............53 .....................1998-99 5. Michel Picard..................52 .....................2002-03 6. Derek King ......................51 .....................2000-01 7. Valtteri Filppula .............50 .....................2005-06 8. Darren Haydar ...............49 .....................2008-09 9. Eric Manlow ...................48 .....................2005-06 Stacy Roest ......................48 .....................2002-03

GOALS Donald MacLean ..........*56 .....................2005-06 Michel Picard..................46 .....................1996-97 Jiri Hudler .......................36 .....................2005-06 Mark Mowers .................34 .....................2002-03 Jeff Nelson .......................34 .....................1996-97 6. Slava Butsayev ................33 .....................2000-01 Michel Picard..................33 .....................1999-00 8. Jeremy Williams .............32 .....................2009-10 Tomas Kopecky ..............32 .....................2005-06 Michel Picard..................32 .....................2002-03 Derek King ......................32 .....................2000-01 *Led League

PENALTY MINUTES Darryl Bootland ...........390 .....................2005-06 Matt Ruchty ..................364 .....................1996-97 Chris Neil ......................354 .....................2000-01 Wade Brookbank .........337 .....................2001-02 Darryl Bootland ...........336 .....................2004-05 Darcy Simon .................327 .....................1996-97 Peter Vandermeer ........310 .....................2004-05 Bruce Ramsay ...............310 .....................1997-98 9. Bruce Ramsay ...............306 .....................1996-97 10. Chris Neil ......................301 .....................1999-00

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GRIFFINS’ ALL-TIME LEADERS IN GOALTENDING WINS

JOEY MacDONALD (103)

JIMMY HOWARD (90)

48 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

MIKE FOUNTAIN (55)

MARC LAMOTHE (54)

DANIEL LARSSON (45)

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 49 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 49

HOCKEY HERBIVORE ToronTo Marlies

cenTer relishes The vegan lifesTyle

These are salad days for Mike Zigomanis, even juice, strawberry, banana, though he’s playing for the Toronto Marlies and not Vitamin C, echinacea, cordyceps and reishi. the Maple Leafs. Lately, he’s In the morning, he eschews talking more about celery than coffee for a concoction of the kind of salary he could be pineapple, raspberry, blueberry, earning in the NHL. blackberry, apple, pear, plum, In fact, he’s been relishing orange, grapefruit and mango. opportunities to spill the beans “Then I put coconut water in it. about the benefits of becoming a Then I do crushed chia seeds. vegetarian.

Then I do a little protein powder.”

In a sport once known for Not surprisingly, other players mullets, Zigomanis finds himself look askance at his methods. the poster boy for millets – “I get heckled in the (locker) ancient grains that he includes in room,” he admits. “That happens his diet, along with kamut, spelt, whenever there is change. It’s no quinoa and a whole cornucopia different from outside the room.” of fruits and vegetables.

Zigomanis contends he has “I kept it a secret for as long as never felt better.

I could,” he recently told Vinay “Cutting out the dairy was the Menon of the Toronto Star. “But biggest thing for me,” he said. “I now it’s out there.” do feel better, and this isn’t just Zigomanis recently gave up a decision for the moment, I’m eating seafood and dairy, four thinking of my health 10 and 15 Zigomanis has appeared in 197 NHL years after he quit eating pork years down the road.” games with Carolina, St. Louis, Phoenix, and red meat. A number of Even so, he has his detractors Pittsburgh and Toronto. injuries – and a persuasive sister who think this is all a distraction, – helped convince him that he needed to change his diet. that he’s a bit of a fruitcake. It probably doesn’t “I told my sister, ‘It’s going to be impossible to be a help that he’s now talking about giving away all his professional athlete and be vegan,’” he recalled. “And clothing because he doesn’t want to wear anything she’s like, ‘Well, here, I have this book for you. I’ll made from leather or wool, or anything that contains start printing off pages.’” animal products.

The book was The Thrive Diet, by Brendan But Zigomanis doesn’t care. He is not your average Brazier, a vegan triathlete who also created Vega, a hockey player, and clearly has no interest in taking line of whole-food nutritional products. Zigomanis the same route followed by every other aspiring NHL credits the book and supplements for convincing him player. to go meatless.

When not cooking or preparing meals, he “Everyone has been asking me what it’s like to practices yoga four times a week and plays music perform as a full vegetarian,” Zigomanis told Toronto in his spare time. He is proficient on guitar, piano, Sun sportswriter Mark Zwolinski. “It’s kind of been a bouzouki and tenor saxophone. process over four years now.”

Zigomanis recently completed a business degree Zigomanis prepares most of his own meals — online from the University of Phoenix and has started salads, tofu, pastas, grains, black rice, brown rice his own company. He plans to develop a therapeutic and black bean burritos. The 30-year-old bachelor product for back pain sufferers. supplements his diet with shakes that boost his Does all this, he is asked, make him feel protein and recovery. disconnected from his teammates?

He can rattle off ingredients the way that other “A little bit,” he confides. But no matter. Not when hockey players recite stats. Something called an you have a healthy attitude.

Immune Smoothie includes almond milk, orange 50 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 53

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Membership for kids 12 and under includes: • Official Kids Club t-shirt • Free ticket to a Griffins game • Members-only Kids Club parties • Monthly newsletters and contests • And more!

For more information, visit the Griffins Kids Club Booth located at the top of the stairs near section 101, go to griffinshockey.com, or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 3047.

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56 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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NHL AFFILIATIONS

Ottawa Senators 1999-2002, Detroit Red Wings 2002-Present

SEASON RECORDS (IHL 1996-2001, AHL 2001- Present) YEAR 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11

GP 82 82 82 82 82 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 80 80

W 40 38 34 51 53 42 48 44 41 55 37 31 43 34 36

L 30 31 40 22 22 27 22 28 35 20 32 41 25 39 34

T 11 8 8 – --

OTL 4 0 2 0 2 1 6 2 6 3 2

SOL 12 13 8 9 3 2 4 5 6 6 4 8

PTS 92 89 76 111 113 95 106 96 86 115 85 70 98 75 82

GF 244 225 256 254 279 217 240 195 200 323 226 210 255 244 227

GA 246 242 281 200 196 178 177 166 200 247 244 245 226 265 254

FINISH 10 of 19 11 of 18 15 of 16 2 of 13 1 of 11 4 of 27 2 of 27 5 of 28 17 of 28 1 of 27 17 of 27 25 of 29 8 of 29 26 of 29 23 of 30

GRIFFINS ALL-STARS 1996-97

Jeff Nelson, Michel Picard, Pokey Reddick

1997-98

Ian Gordon, Kerry Huffman, Michel Picard

1998-99

Robert Petrovicky, Maxim Spiridonov

1999-00

John Gruden, Jani Hurme, Kevin Miller, Petr Schastlivy

2000-01

Mike Fountain, Joel Kwiatkowski, Travis Richards, Todd White

2001-02

Chris Bala, John Gruden, Kip Miller, Martin Prusek, Petr Schastlivy

2002-03

Mark Mowers, Marc Lamothe

2003-04

Jiri Hudler, Niklas Kronwall, Travis Richards, Nathan Robinson

2004-05

Niklas Kronwall, Joey MacDonald

2005-06

Valtteri Filppula, Jiri Hudler, Donald MacLean

2006-07

Kip Miller, Derek Meech

2007-08

Jonathan Ericsson, Jimmy Howard

2008-09

Jakub Kindl, Daniel Larsson

2009-10

Patrick Rissmiller

2010-11

Ilari Filppula, Brendan Smith

Mike Fountain - 34 wins in 2000-01 Photo by John Grieshop

Joey MacDonald - 34 wins in 2004 Photo by Mark Newman

58 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

-05

SEASON LEADERS

(* = Led League)

SCORING 1996-97 . . . . .

1997-98 . . . . .

1998-99 . . . . .

1999-00 . . . . .

2000-01 . . . . .

2001-02 . . . . .

2002-03 . . . . .

2003-04 . . . . .

2004-05 . . . . .

2005-06 . . . . .

2006-07 . . . . .

2007-08 . . . . .

2008-09 . . . . .

2009-10 . . . .

2010-11 . . . .

Michel Picard ...........................101 points Michel Picard ............................ 69 points Glen Metropolit ........................ 81 points Michel Picard ............................ 68 points Derek King ..............................83 points* Kip Miller.................................. 56 points Michel Picard ............................ 84 points Michel Picard ............................ 54 points Niklas Kronwall......................... 53 points Jiri Hudler ................................ 96 points Kip Miller.................................. 72 points Carl Corazzini ............................ 60 points Darren Haydar .......................... 80 points Jeremy Williams ........................ 63 points Ilari Filppula ............................ 64 points

GOALS 1996-97 . . . . .

1997-98 . . . . .

1998-99 . . . . .

1999-00 . . . . .

2000-01 . . . . .

2001-02 . . . . .

2002-03 . . . . .

2003-04 . . . . .

2004-05 . . . . .

2005-06 . . . . .

2006-07 . . . . .

2007-08 . . . . .

2008-09 . . . . .

2009-10 . . . .

2010-11 . . . .

Michel Picard ...................................... 46 Michel Picard ...................................... 28 Glen Metropolit .................................. 28 Michel Picard ...................................... 33 Slava Butsayev ................................... 33 Petr Schastlivy .................................... 22 Mark Mowers ...................................... 34 Kevin Miller ........................................ 27 Eric Manlow ........................................ 21 Donald MacLean.................................56* Matt Ellis ............................................ 26 Carl Corazzini ...................................... 24 Darren Haydar .................................... 31 Jeremy Williams .................................. 32 Jamie Tardif ....................................... 27

PENALTY MINUTES 1996-97 . . . . . Matt Ruchty...................................... 364 1997-98 . . . . . Bruce Ramsay ................................... 310 1998-99 . . . . . Jared Bednar .................................... 220 1999-00 . . . . . Chris Neil .......................................... 301 2000-01 . . . . . Chris Neil .......................................... 354 2001-02 . . . . . Wade Brookbank............................... 337 2002-03 . . . . . Ryan Barnes ..................................... 151 2003-04 . . . . . Ryan Barnes, Darryl Bootland............. 175 2004-05 . . . . . Darryl Bootland ................................ 336 2005-06 . . . . . Darryl Bootland ................................ 390 2006-07 . . . . . Darryl Bootland ................................ 222 2007-08 . . . . . Kyle Quincey ..................................... 149 2008-09 . . . . . Aaron Downey .................................. 126 2009-10 . . . . Paul Crosty ....................................... 170 2010-11 . . . . Greg Amadio ..................................... 230 GOALTENDING WINS 1996-97 . . . . . Pokey Reddick ......................... (30-14-10) 1997-98 . . . . . Ian Gordon ................................(23-16-4) 1998-99 . . . . . Neil Little ..................................(18-21-5) 1999-00 . . . . . Jani Hurme ................................(29-15-4) 2000-01 . . . . . Mike Fountain ......................... (34-10-6)* 2001-02 . . . . . Martin Prusek ..............................(18-8-5) 2002-03 . . . . . Marc Lamothe .......................... (33-18-8)* 2003-04 . . . . . Joey MacDonald .........................(22-12-3) 2004-05 . . . . . Joey MacDonald .........................(34-29-2) 2005-06 . . . . . Jimmy Howard .............................(27-6-2) 2006-07 . . . . . Jimmy Howard ...........................(21-21-3) 2007-08 . . . . . Jimmy Howard ...........................(21-28-2) 2008-09 . . . . . Daniel Larsson ...........................(22-12-2) 2009-10 . . . . Daniel Larsson ...........................(23-24-2) 2010-11 . . . . Jordan Pearce ............................(20-15-5)

Michel Picard - 101 points in 1996

-97

Photo by Mark Newman

-06

Donald MacLean - 56 goals in 2005 Photo by Mark Newman

Darryl Bootland - 390 penalty minu Photo by Mark Newman

tes in 2005-06

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 59

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IT ALL STARTS HERE Detroit Niklas Kronwall, 2008

Since their inception in 1996, the Griffins have sent 120 players to the National Hockey League, 14 of whom have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. In fact, a Griffins alumnus has had his name engraved on the Cup each of the last four years and in six of the last seven seasons, with Boston’s Chris Kelly earning the honor last June.

In chronological order, here are the 17 goalies and 103 skaters who have donned an NHL sweater after playing for Grand Rapids, along with the dates of their NHL debuts/returns.

Kevyn Adams, 2006 Carolina

Tomas Kopecky, 2010 Chicago

68 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 68 Chris GrandKelly, Rapids2011 GRIFFINS Boston

Mark Eaton, 2009 Pittsburgh

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Pavol Demitra 3/17/97 STL at PHX Kevyn Adams 10/1/97 TOR vs. WSH Tyler Moss 10/28/97 CGY vs. PIT Michel Picard 1/6/98 STL at SJ Jeff Nelson 10/10/98 NSH vs. FLA Patrick Traverse 10/10/98 OTT at COL Mark Greig 1/7/99 PHI vs. NYI Radim Bicanek 2/1/99 OTT at VAN Robert Petrovicky 2/15/99 TB at NYI Andrei Vasilyev 3/5/99 PHX vs. DET Todd Hlushko 4/25/99 PIT vs. NJ Patrick Lalime 10/2/99 OTT at PHI Glen Metropolit 10/2/99 WSH at FLA Kevin Miller 10/31/99 OTT at ATL Karel Rachunek 10/31/99 OTT at ATL Erich Goldmann 11/11/99 OTT vs. NSH Yves Sarault 11/20/99 OTT at NJ John Gruden 11/30/99 OTT vs. CHI Mike Fountain 12/3/99 OTT at NJ Dave Van Drunen 12/13/99 OTT at TOR Petr Schastlivy 1/3/00 OTT vs. NJ John Emmons 1/6/00 OTT vs. PHX Slava Butsayev 1/28/00 OTT at BUF Aris Brimanis 2/13/00 NYI at NYR Dieter Kochan 3/28/00 TB vs. DAL Jani Hurme 4/9/00 OTT vs. TB Shane Hnidy 10/5/00 OTT at BOS Donald MacLean 10/14/00 TOR vs. OTT David Oliver 11/4/00 OTT vs. CBJ Jamie Rivers 11/12/00 OTT at CAR Sean Gagnon 11/26/00 OTT at NYR

32 Joel Bouchard 11/29/00 PHX at COL 33 Mike Crowley 12/8/00 ANA at MIN 34 Ivan Ciernik 1/23/01 OTT at NYI 35 Darren Rumble 2/6/01 STL at COL 36 Joel Kwiatkowski 2/19/01 OTT at BUF 37 Todd White 2/19/01 OTT at BUF 38 Chris Neil 10/3/01 OTT at TOR 39 Toni Dahlman 1/3/02 OTT vs. WSH 40 Steve Martins 1/11/02 OTT at FLA 41 Kip Miller 1/17/02 NYI at SJ 42 Jody Hull 2/4/02 OTT at TB 43 Dmitry Afanasenkov 2/6/02 TB at FLA 44 Simon Lajeunesse 3/7/02 OTT at SJ 45 Martin Prusek 3/23/02 OTT vs. ATL 46 Chris Bala 3/27/02 OTT at NYI 47 Neil Little 3/28/02 PHI at CAR 48 Josh Langfeld 3/30/02 OTT vs. TB 49 Gaetan Royer 4/1/02 TB vs. NYR 50 Jason Spezza 10/24/02 OTT at BOS 51 Sean Avery 10/29/02 DET vs. SJ 52 Jason Doig 12/3/02 WSH at PIT 53 Jason Williams 12/5/02 DET at PHX 54 Patrick Boileau 12/19/02 DET vs. DAL 55 Stacy Roest 2/20/03 DET vs. EDM 56 Wade Brookbank 10/9/03 NSH vs. ANA 57 Julien Vauclair 10/25/03 OTT at MTL 58 Jiri Hudler 10/29/03 DET vs. STL 59 Curtis Joseph 10/30/03 DET at NSH 60 Darryl Bootland 11/8/03 DET vs. NSH 61 Mark Mowers 11/19/03 DET vs. CBJ 62 Nathan Robinson 11/28/03 DET vs. NYI

63 Blake Sloan 12/4/03 DAL at LA 64 Niklas Kronwall 12/10/03 DET at BUF 65 Ryan Barnes 12/15/03 DET vs. FLA 66 Chris Kelly 2/5/04 OTT vs. TOR 67 Marc Lamothe 2/23/04 DET at EDM 68 Anders Myrvold 2/26/04 DET at CGY 69 Mathieu Chouinard 2/29/04 LA at ANA 70 Brett Lebda 10/5/05 DET vs. STL 71 Mark Eaton 10/5/05 NSH vs. SJ 72 Chris Osgood 10/29/05 DET at CHI 73 Kyle Quincey 11/25/05 DET at ANA 74 Jimmy Howard 11/28/05 DET at LA 75 Valtteri Filppula 12/15/05 DET at FLA 76 Rob Collins 12/17/05 NYI vs. COL 77 Manny Legace 1/5/06 DET vs. STL 78 David Gove 1/31/06 CAR at MTL 79 Tomas Kopecky 2/28/06 DET at SJ 80 Alexandre Giroux 3/25/06 NYR at TB 81 Joey MacDonald 10/19/06 DET at SJ 82 Derek Meech 12/7/06 DET vs. STL 83 Matt Ellis 12/18/06 DET at CBJ 84 Matt Hussey 1/26/07 DET at STL 85 Sheldon Brookbank 2/6/07 NSH at PIT 86 Danny Syvret 2/27/07 EDM vs. PHX 87 Mark Hartigan 11/29/07 DET vs. TB 88 Drew MacIntyre 12/13/07 VAN at SJ 89 Peter Vandermeer 2/10/08 PHX vs. NSH 90 Jonathan Ericsson 2/22/08 DET at CGY 91 Garrett Stafford 2/23/08 DET at VAN 92 Darren Helm 3/13/08 DET vs. DAL 93 Mattias Ritola 3/15/08 DET vs. NSH

94 Clay Wilson 3/25/08 CBJ at NSH 95 Darren McCarty 3/28/08 DET vs. STL 96 Krys Kolanos 11/4/08 MIN at SJ 97 Landon Wilson 11/22/08 DAL vs. ANA 98 Bryan Helmer 11/28/08 WSH vs. MTL 99 Chris Chelios 12/13/08 DET at PHX 100 Aaron Downey 1/29/09 DET vs. DAL 101 Justin Abdelkader 1/31/09 DET at WSH 102 Ville Leino 1/31/09 DET at WSH 103 Aaron Gagnon 10/16/09 DAL vs. BOS 104 Scott Parse 10/24/09 LA at PHX 105 Doug Janik 11/3/09 DET vs. BOS 106 Ryan Keller 11/25/09 OTT at NJ 107 Jakub Kindl 12/3/09 DET vs. EDM 108 Kris Newbury 12/14/09 DET vs. PHX 109 Darren Haydar 2/10/10 COL vs. ATL 110 Andreas Lilja 3/1/10 DET at COL 111 Jeremy Williams 10/24/10 NYR vs. NJ 112 Jan Mursak 12/27/10 DET at COL 113 Chris Mueller 12/28/10 NSH vs. DAL 114 Tomas Tatar 12/31/10 DET vs. NYI 115 Cory Emmerton 1/22/11 DET vs. CHI 116 Patrick Rissmiller 2/23/11 ATL at BUF 117 Tom McCollum 3/30/11 DET vs. STL 118 Gustav Nyquist 11/1/11 DET vs. MIN 119 Fabian Brunnstrom 11/5/11 DET vs. ANA 120 Brendan Smith 11/17/11 DET at SJ Bold = Played in the NHL this season (as of Nov. 17) Italics = Had name engraved on the Stanley Cup after playing for Grand Rapids

All photos by Getty Images except Niklas Kronwall (Dave Reginek).

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 69 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 69

Whether the Griffins are at Van Andel Arena or on the road, ESPN 96.1 FM will bring it home, live with Bob Kaser Brought to you by the home for Griffins Hockey:

70 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

KIDS PAGE

REFEREE SIGNALS CROSSWORD Can you identify each hockey penalty by the description of the referee’s signal? Good luck!

6

7 8

9

10

11 12

13

14

15

16 17 18

4

ACROSS: 1. Butt-ending 6. Clipping 9. Tripping 10. Delaying the game 15. Illegal check to the head 17. Roughing 18. Elbowing 19. Kneeing

3 5

DOWN: 2. Unsports manlike conduct 3. Spearing 4. Crosschecking 5. Interference 7. Checking from behind 8. Charging 11. Highsticking Holding Slashing Boarding Hooking

2

12.

13.

14.

16.

1

ANSWERS

19

ACROSS:

1. Moving the forearm, fist closed, under the forearm of the other hand held palm down 6. Striking leg with either hand behind the knee, keeping both skates on the ice 9. Striking leg with either hand below the knee, keeping both skates on the ice 10. The non-whistle hand, palm open, is placed across the chest and then fully extended directly in front of the body 15. Patting flat (open palm) of the nonwhistle hand on the side of the head 17. Fist clenched and arm extended out to the side of the body 18. Tapping either elbow with the opposite hand 19. Slapping either knee with the palm of the hand, while keeping both skates on the ice

DOWN:

2. Using both hands to form a “T” in front of the chest 3. Jabbing motion with both hands thrust out immediately in front of the body and then hands dropped to the side of the body 4. A forward and backward motion of the arms with both fists clenched, extending from the chest for a distance of about one foot 5. Crossing arms stationary in front of the chest in an “X” formation 7. A forward motion of both arms, with the palms of the hands open and facing away from the body, fully extended from the chest at shoulder level

8. Rotating clenched fists around one another in front of the chest 11. Holding both fists clenched, one slightly above the other (as if holding a stick) at the height of the forehead 12. Clasping either wrist with the other hand in front of the chest 13. A chopping motion with the edge of one hand across the opposite forearm 14. Striking the clenched fist of one hand into the open palm of the opposite hand in front of the chest 16. A tugging motion with both arms as if pulling something from in front toward the stomach

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 71

PARTING

SHOT

Griffins rookie Mitch Callahan fills the tank of a customer at Remembrance Marathon during the third annual J&H Family Stores Pumping Gas fundraiser, which featured players, coaches and staff volunteering their time to accept donations to benefit Kids’ Food Basket. Photo by Mark Newman 72 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS