2019-20 Griffiti - Issue #1 by Grand Rapids Griffins

2019-20 SEASON ISSUE NO. 1

NEW ERA O F F I C I A L

M A G A Z I N E

O F

T H E

Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman

G R A N D

R A P I D S

G R I F F I N S

We’re big fans of the Griffins. We’re also fans of their fans. Huntington is proud to support the Grand Rapids Griffins, through the wins, the losses, and the hat tricks. No matter the outcome, it’s a joy to watch you from the stands, competing your hearts out. From all your fans at Huntington, go Griffins!

Vol. 24, No. 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS STARTING LINEUP 24 WE’RE NUMBER ONE! The Griffins, along with the West Michigan Whitecaps and Grand Rapids Drive, attracted the attention of a national publication that named this area as the “Top Minor League Market” in the U.S.

26 FROM ‘C’ TO GM Longtime captain Steve Yzerman is ready to guide the future of Red Wings hockey from his new position as general manager. 34 NOTHING FOR GRANTED Chase Pearson maintains an intense, inner drive to pursue his dream of playing in the NHL. 42 MORE THAN A COAT OF PAINT Revamped locker rooms and a new street-level hospitality area on the west side of the building highlight the summer renovations undertaken at Van Andel Arena. 52 PATIENCE REWARDED Before taking the Boston Bruins to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, exGriffins head coach Bruce Cassidy spent eight seasons in the AHL, rebuilding his resume following an ill-fated introduction to the NHL with the Washington Capitals.

56 ONE GAME AT A TIME Goalie Calvin Pickard is taking a level-headed approach to his eighth pro season.

ON THE BENCH 50......InfoGRIFFics 63......Griffins Records 68......Griffins All-Stars 73......Penalty Calls 74......Arena Map/Ticket Info 76......It All Starts Here 79......Kids Page 80......Parting Shot

2.........Chalk Talk 4.........Scouting Report 9.........Griffins Schedule 12......AHL Tradition 15......AHL Team Directory 19......Detroit Red Wings 20......Promotional Calendar 40......Meet the Griffins

42 COVER: Steve Yzerman has the task of reshaping the Red Wings as the organization’s new general manager. 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 ©2019 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.

WITH GRIFFINS HEAD COACH BEN SIMON Long before the drop of the first puck of the 2019-20 season, Griffins head coach Ben Simon got a good taste of what should be an interesting year for the AHL affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings. The Griffins will likely feature one of the youngest and most talented teams in franchise history, with an impressive number of former first-round draft picks as well as a number of young prospects barely out of their teens. Simon was excited about the opportunity to work with so many highly skilled, young hockey players. “In the American League, teaching is paramount,” he said. “At the end of the day, our job is to develop the Detroit Red Wings’ prospects, hopefully in a winning environment. In the salary cap era, an organization has to be able to develop from within, and these kids have to develop on a daily basis and continue to improve to be able to meet, and hopefully exceed, expectations.” Simon served as a guest coach for Team USA during the 2019 World Junior Summer Showcase, which took place in Plymouth, Mich. The round-robin tournament featured the best Under-20 players from the United States, Canada, Finland and Sweden. “When they asked me if I had interest in being a guest coach, I thought it would be a great experience,” he said. “From my perspective, it was good to be around all these kids who are 18 or 19 years old, because we’re likely to have a number of prospects of a similar age playing for the Griffins this season.” Simon, entering his second season as head coach, joined former NHL forward Derek Plante as a guest coach at the July 26-Aug. 3 Summer Showcase. It served as a preliminary event to the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship, which will be held in the Czech Republic. 2 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Photo: Sam Iannamico

“My role was to help out where needed and to provide my input into the player evaluation process,” he said. “The coaches who will be working with the team during the tournament already have their perspective, but I could offer a fresh set of eyes and provide an opinion.” The Summer Showcase, previously known as USA Hockey’s National Junior Evaluation Camp, highlighted the talents of the best and brightest young stars in the U.S. It will be followed by a training camp in mid-December that leads to the selection of the final U.S. National Junior Team. “The skillset on some of the players is tremendous,” he said. “Even in a short tournament, you can see their athleticism and why a number of them have been high draft picks. You also see how receptive they are to teaching and quickly they pick things up.” Simon, who skated on a U.S. National Junior Team twice (1997 and 1998), helped the U.S. to its first-ever silver medal finish in 1997. “Having been on the other side of the bench, I didn’t realize how much time, effort and work go into the selection process,” he said. “It’s a big honor and responsibility to represent your country.” The Summer Showcase also allowed Simon to work with some of the nation’s college coaches, from Scott Sandelin, who has won back-toback national championships at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, to Brett Larson, who is starting his second season at St. Cloud State. “It was great to be around fellow coaches and be able to pick their brains for what works for them, whether it’s new drills or ways to practice,” he said. “It was refreshing to be around other coaches and just talk shop for a couple of weeks. I was grateful for the opportunity.” For Simon, the event served as a precursor to the NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City ahead of Red Wings training camp in September. Detroit’s prospects won the championship with a

6-5 victory over the Dallas Stars in the title game. “I thought we played some pretty good hockey, and to have some success was very encouraging for the organization because it meant the young kids could go into the main camp on a positive note,” Simon said. It was Detroit’s second title at the prospects tournament in 21 years and first since 2013. Simon was cautious about reading too much into the results because of the compressed nature of the event. “It’s a four-game, five-day tournament, so it’s a never-ending jigsaw puzzle,” he said. “You try to dress your best lineup and play your best players in the right situations so that in the end you’re giving these kids different opportunities.” More than the results, it’s the responsiveness of the young players to instruction that counts. “The quicker they can pick up on things that you teach on the fly, the more success they can enjoy in a short tournament,” he said. “It’s interesting to see elite athletes in that age group – they listen, they learn and they apply it.” Simon said winning the NHL Prospects Tournament shows the Red Wings organization continues to build for the future. “Our scouts and player development people put a lot of legwork into the tournament, starting with the drafting of the players,” he said. “For those who had played in it previously and for those of us on the staff who’ve been there before, we knew that it’s a big tournament for the Red Wings. Everybody takes it very seriously.” Simon said the prospects tournament offered the coaching staff an opportunity to “teach onthe-go,” whether it was in practice, or before or

after each game with video sessions. “Obviously you want to win the tournament, but as a staff, we felt like if we could get progressively better as the week went on, these kids could feel good about themselves going into training camp,” he said. “We tried not to show them too much. We gave them a little bit of structure, but we wanted them to use their hockey sense so that they were able to make plays. We know there are going to mistakes. “When you talk about not making mistakes, that’s teaching. These are smart, intelligent and gifted athletes, and the more you see learning and growth out of those mistakes, the quicker they will experience success.” When you’re coaching young players, patience is a virtue. “I don’t care if you’re an 18-year-old rookie or a 35-year-old vet, you’re going to make mistakes,” he said. “The whole sport is predicated on mistakes. Usually, the team that makes the fewest mistakes wins the hockey game.” Simon contends that younger players need to realize that it’s up to them to take ownership of their careers. “We want them to come in to compete and strive to be better on a daily basis. That includes everything from working hard to respecting their teammates,” he said. “As kids, they have to realize it’s a job now. They have to be dedicated to doing whatever it takes. It’s up to them to make the investment in their careers.” Simon looks forward to the challenges that the 2019-20 season will undoubtedly bring. “It’s all-hands-on-deck when it comes to the development of these young guys,” he said.

2019-20 GRIFFINS HOCKEY OPERATIONS STAFF

General Manager

Ryan Martin

Video Coach

Bill LeRoy

Head Coach

Assistant Coach

Ben Simon

Matt Macdonald

Athletic Trainer

Assistant Athletic Trainer

Josh Chapman

Anthony Polazzo

Assistant Coach

Goaltending Coach

Todd Krygier

Mike Knuble

Brian Mahoney-Wilson

Equipment Manager

Assistant Equipment Manager

Strength-Conditioning Coordinator

Brad Thompson

Charlie Kaser

Marcus Kinney

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 3

SCOU

REP

MILWAUKEE

MANITOBA

TEXAS

IOWA

The home portion of Grand Rapids’ 24th season of hockey launches Oct. 11. The Griffins have sold out 23 consecutive home openers and post a 13-90-1 (0.587) mark in those games. Grand Rapids is 2-2 when starting its home slate against Milwaukee.

The Moose are in their fifth season back in the AHL after taking a hiatus from 2011-15. Manitoba has qualified for the postseason once in the previous four years, advancing to the Central Division Finals in 2018.

Texas missed out on the Calder Cup Playoffs last season for only the third time in its 10-year history. The Stars hoisted the Calder Cup in 2014 and finished as a finalist in 2010 and 2018.

Backed by franchise records for wins, points and goals scored, Iowa earned a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs for the first time in its sixyear history last season. The Wild were defeated by Chicago in Game 6 of the Central Division Finals.

OCT. 11, OCT. 23, NOV. 22

The Griffins’ first two home games will come against the Admirals, a team they have had great success against inside Van Andel Arena’s confines. Grand Rapids shows a 12-6- 1-1 (0.650) home record since the start of the 2015-16 campaign versus Milwaukee.

4 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

OCT. 25

The Griffins finished 6-2 against the Moose in 2018-19 and are a combined 12-4 in the last two seasons against their divisional counterpart. The Moose celebrate their 20th season in Winnipeg during the 2019-20 campaign.

OCT. 26

Texas established a franchise record for fewest penalty minutes in a season in 2018-19 with 791. The Stars’ 10.41 PIM per game average was the second-lowest in the AHL. Longtime Star Travis Morin, the only player to skate in each of Texas’ first 10 seasons, announced his retirement this past July.

OCT. 30

While winning 20 of the first 24 all-time meetings, Grand Rapids outscored the Wild 91-43. Since then, the Griffins are 11-81-2 in the series and have been outscored 68-63. Former Ferris State standout and Wyandotte, Mich., native Gerald Mayhew set career highs in goals (27), assists (33) and points (60) last season.

OUTING

EPORT CLEVELAND

TORONTO

ROCKFORD

When the Monsters pay their first of two visits this season to Van Andel Arena on Nov. 6, it will mark Grand Rapids’ 19th Annual School Day Game. The Griffins have hosted a weekday game with an early start time every year since the 2001-02 season and post a 12-5-0-1 record in those contests, including three consecutive victories.

Entering the 2019-20 campaign, the Griffins show 305 wins and 661 points since the start of the 2012-13 season. Those numbers both rank second in the AHL over that span, trailing only Toronto’s 317 wins and 687 points.

The Griffins have owned the IceHogs at Van Andel Arena, showing a 29-11-3-2 record all time. Rockford has returned the favor in the Land of Lincoln, as Grand Rapids is 14-21-4-6 at the BMO Harris Bank Center.

NOV. 6

First-year Monsters bench boss Mike Eaves spent 14 seasons (2002-16) as head coach at the University of Wisconsin. Fourth-year Griffin Matthew Ford played under Eaves at Wisconsin from 2004-08 and the Badgers captured the NCAA championship in 2006.

NOV. 8, NOV. 9

Toronto defeated Texas in Game 7 to win the 2018 Calder Cup, one year after the Griffins captured the franchise’s second championship. The Marlies are back on the schedule for the first time since the 2015-16 season and their only two visits to Grand Rapids come Nov. 8-9.

NOV. 15

After taking over on an interim basis for Jeremy Colliton, who was promoted to head coach of the Chicago Blackhawks last November to replace Joel Quenneville, former Griffin Derek King begins his first full season as head coach of the IceHogs. King played in Grand Rapids from 1999-01 and 2002-04 and is the franchise’s alltime postseason scoring leader with 41 points.

SAN ANTONIO NOV. 20

The Rampage are in their second season of affiliation with the St. Louis Blues. The first year ended fruitfully, as the Blues hoisted the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history and 13 players skated for both the Rampage and Blues during the regular season. Grand Rapids finished 6-2 against San Antonio in 2018-19, scoring five goals while making a 2-2 mark in Texas and racking up 16 goals to win all four meetings at Van Andel Arena.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 5

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Dear Griffins Fans, Has there ever been a better time to live in West Michigan and be a Griffins fan? The energy around Grand Rapids is as exciting and palpable as it’s been since the revitalization of downtown was sparked by the development of Van Andel Arena and the birth of the Griffins in the mid-‘90s. Everywhere you look it seems there is a construction crane in the sky, and the arena continues to be in the center of the action as we welcome the opening of the Studio Park complex this fall and the debuts of two new hotels within a block of the arena.

DAN DEVOS LETTER FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

That spirit of renewal extends to the inside of Van Andel Arena, where a collaboration between SMG, the Griffins and the Detroit Red Wings spawned a $2.3 million renovation of the Griffins’ locker room and weight room, The Zone team store, visiting locker room and other areas. As our players continue their hopeful development into AHL champions and NHL stars, they’ll do so in firstclass facilities that provide every resource they need for the tasks ahead. Detroit’s ongoing youth movement could result in as many as six recent firstround Red Wings draft picks suiting up for the Griffins at some point this season, offering an amazing opportunity for our fanbase and an incredible stat that calls for a little perspective. While the success of the organizational pipeline has been impressive – each Red Wings draft from 2006 to 2016 produced at least one player who later helped the Griffins win a Calder Cup – a total of only seven Detroit first-rounders suited up for us during the first 13 seasons of our affiliation (200215). The level of top-tier talent showcased at Van Andel Arena this season could be unprecedented. Add in factors such as our franchise-record seven consecutive playoff appearances and six straight seasons with attendance over 300,000, plus the new era in Hockeytown under the leadership of Steve Yzerman, and fans in our city have a lot to be proud of. National media is noticing, as Sports Business Journal recently named Grand Rapids as its Top Minor League Market for 2019. This gratifying honor recognizes a number of factors that make our area the place to be for sports – from team success to facilities to attendance to community involvement – and confirms what we’ve always known: that our fans are simply the best. On behalf of everyone in our organization, I raise a toast to you and the part you play in our continued success. Enjoy the 2019-20 season! Sincerely,

Dan DeVos Chief Executive Officer Grand Rapids Griffins

10 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Dear Fans, It is my pleasure once again to welcome you all to a new season of American Hockey League action, as we continue a tradition of excellence that dates back to our founding as a league in 1936. The AHL remains proud of its role in developing nearly all of the players, coaches, executives, trainers, broadcasters and officials who you see throughout the National Hockey League today. For more than eight decades, generations of our great fans have been able to cheer on future superstars and Stanley Cup champions, and more than 100 eventual members of the Hockey Hall of Fame. The 2019-20 season is sure to be another memorable one as we drop the puck in 31 cities across North America, all vying to become the next Calder Cup champion. Thank you all for your continuing support of the AHL. Sincerely,

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 11

BY THE NUMBERS

88%

Percentage of all NHL players in 2018-19 who

A TRADITION OF

were graduates of the AHL

879

Former AHL players who skated in the NHL last season

THE BEGINNINGS Marking its 84th season of play in 2019-20, the American Hockey League is 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,

recent championship

Pittsburgh,

was captured by

Providence,

the Charlotte

Springfield and

Checkers last spring.

Syracuse. From those roots,

356

Frank Calder, the

the American Hockey

National Hockey

League has grown into

AHL players who also played in the NHL in

Leagueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s president

a 31-team league that

2018-19

at the time, was

provides fans with

instrumental in the

exciting, high-level

forming of this new

professional hockey

league, and his name

while preparing

would be given to its

thousands of players,

championship

coaches, officials,

trophy. The first

executives, trainers,

Calder Cup was won

broadcasters and more

by the Syracuse Stars

for careers in the NHL.

in 1937; the most

242

Former 1st- and 2ndround NHL draft picks who skated in the AHL in 2018-19

FROMTO LEFT TO RIGHT: TUUKKA RASK, LOGANCOUTURE, COUTURE, NIKITA KUCHEROV, JAKE GUENTZEL, P.K. SUBBAN FROM LEFT RIGHT: TUUKKA RASK, LOGAN NIKITA KUCHEROV, JAKE GUENTZEL, P.K. SUBBAN

THE PLAYERS

THE LEGENDS

THE COACHES

In today’s National

For the past eight

At the start of the 2019-20 season, the National

Hockey League nearly

decades, the American

Hockey League featured 23 head coaches who were

90 percent of the

Hockey League has

former AHL bench bosses, including 2019 Stanley

players are AHL alumni,

been home to some of

including 2019 Hart

the greatest players in

Trophy winner Nikita

the history of our sport.

Kucherov, Vezina

In fact, more than 100

Trophy recipient Andrei

honored members

Vasilevskiy and Norris

of the Hockey Hall

Trophy winner Mark

of Fame have been

Giordano. The 2019

affiliated with the AHL

Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper, Colorado’s Jared Bednar,

Stanley Cup champion

during their careers.

Boston’s Bruce Cassidy, New Jersey’s John Hynes,

St. Louis Blues were

All-time greats like

Chicago’s Jeremy Colliton and Minnesota’s Bruce

stocked with AHL

Johnny Bower, Toe

Boudreau are also among the current NHL coaches

graduates including

Blake, Gump Worsley,

Jordan Binnington,

Terry Sawchuk, Glenn

who spent time in the American Hockey League before

whose storybook season

Hall, Brad Park, Ken

began with the AHL’s

Dryden, and Brett

San Antonio Rampage.

Hull came through the AHL ranks and

During the 2018-19

now find themselves

season, a total of 879

enshrined in Toronto,

AHL alumni played in

and the coveted Calder

the National Hockey

Cup is inscribed with

League. There were

the names of legendary

356 players who

AHL alumni like Patrick

skated in both leagues

Roy, Larry Robinson,

last year alone,

Gerry Cheevers, Andy

including Ottawa’s

Bathgate, Tim Horton,

Drake Batherson,

Al Arbour, Emile

Vegas’s Brandon

Francis, Doug Harvey,

Pirri, Vancouver’s

and Billy Smith.

Thatcher Demko and Philadelphia’s Carter Hart. In addition, more than 240 former first- and second-round NHL draft picks developed their skills in the AHL last season, including Erik Brannstrom, Tyler Benson, Jake Bean, Martin Kaut, Cal Foote and Cody Glass.

“My time spent in the AHL played a huge role in the person and athlete I am today.” - J O R DA N B I N N I N G TO N S T. LO U I S B L U E S 2 0 1 8 A H L A L L-S TA R 2 0 1 9 S TA N L E Y CUP CHAMPION

Cup winner Craig Berube of the St. Louis Blues, 2019 Jack Adams Award recipient Barry Trotz of the New York Islanders, and new Anaheim Ducks coach Dallas Eakins, who spent the previous four seasons with the AHL’s San Diego Gulls.

making the jump.

Fear no forecast.

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2 0 1 9 - 2 0 A H L D I R EC TO RY EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION: Bridgeport, Charlotte, Hartford, Hershey, Lehigh Valley, Providence, Springfield, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton NORTH DIVISION: Belleville, Binghamton, Cleveland, Laval, Rochester, Syracuse, Toronto, Utica

BELLEVILLE SENATORS

NHL AFFILIATION: Ottawa Senators HOME ICE: CAA Arena (4,365) GENERAL MANAGER: Pierre Dorion HEAD COACH: Troy Mann ENTERED AHL: 2017-18 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 0 of 2 2018-19 RECORD: 37-31-3-5, 82 pts./0.539 WEBSITE: bellevillesens.com

BINGHAMTON DEVILS

NHL AFFILIATION: New Jersey Devils HOME ICE: Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena (4,893) GENERAL MANAGER: Tom Fitzgerald HEAD COACH: Mark Dennehy ENTERED AHL: 2006-07 (as Lowell Devils) CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 4 of 13 2018-19 RECORD: 28-41-7-0, 63 pts./0.414 WEBSITE: binghamtondevils.com

BRIDGEPORT SOUND TIGERS NHL AFFILIATION: New York Islanders HOME ICE: Webster Bank Arena (8,412) GENERAL MANAGER: Chris Lamoriello HEAD COACH: Brent Thompson ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 9 of 18 2018-19 RECORD: 43-24-6-3, 95 pts./0.625 WEBSITE: soundtigers.com

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS

NHL AFFILIATION: Carolina Hurricanes HOME ICE: Bojangles’ Coliseum (8,500) GENERAL MANAGER: Derek Wilkinson HEAD COACH: Ryan Warsofsky ENTERED AHL: 2010-11 CALDER CUPS: One (2019) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 5 of 9 2018-19 RECORD: 51-17-7-1, 110 pts./0.724 WEBSITE: gocheckers.com

CLEVELAND MONSTERS

NHL AFFILIATION: Columbus Blue Jackets HOME ICE: Quicken Loans Arena (18,277/9,447 lower bowl) GENERAL MANAGER: Chris Clark HEAD COACH: Mike Eaves ENTERED AHL: 2007-08 (as Lake Erie Monsters) CALDER CUPS: One (2016) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 12 2018-19 RECORD: 37-29-8-2, 84 pts./0.553 WEBSITE: clevelandmonsters.com

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

NHL AFFILIATION: New York Rangers HOME ICE: XL Center (15,635) GENERAL MANAGER: Chris Drury HEAD COACH: Kris Knoblauch ENTERED AHL: 1997-98 CALDER CUPS: One (2000) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 15 of 22 2018-19 RECORD: 29-36-7-4, 69 pts./0.454 WEBSITE: hartfordwolfpack.com

HERSHEY BEARS

NHL AFFILIATION: Washington Capitals HOME ICE: Giant Center (10,500) GENERAL MANAGER: Bryan Helmer HEAD COACH: Spencer Carbery ENTERED AHL: 1938-39 CALDER CUPS: 11 (1947, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1974, 1980, 1988, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 68 of 81 2018-19 RECORD: 43-25-4-4, 94 pts./0.618 WEBSITE: hersheybears.com

LAVAL ROCKET

NHL AFFILIATION: Montreal Canadiens HOME ICE: Place Bell (10,062) GENERAL MANAGER: John Sedgwick HEAD COACH: Joel Bouchard ENTERED AHL: 2017-18 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 0 of 2 2018-19 RECORD: 30-34-6-6, 72 pts./0.474 WEBSITE: rocketlaval.com

LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS

NHL AFFILIATION: Philadelphia Flyers HOME ICE: PPL Center (8,420) GENERAL MANAGER: Bill Downey HEAD COACH: Scott Gordon ENTERED AHL: 1996-97 (as Philadelphia Phantoms) CALDER CUPS: Two (1998, 2005) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 12 of 23 2018-19 RECORD: 39-30-4-3, 85 pts./0.559 WEBSITE: phantomshockey.com

PROVIDENCE BRUINS

NHL AFFILIATION: Boston Bruins HOME ICE: Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence (11,273) GENERAL MANAGER: John Ferguson HEAD COACH: Jay Leach ENTERED AHL: 1992-93 CALDER CUPS: One (1999) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 22 of 27 2018-19 RECORD: 38-27-8-3, 87 pts./0.572 WEBSITE: providencebruins.com

ROCHESTER AMERICANS

NHL AFFILIATION: Buffalo Sabres HOME ICE: Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial (10,662) GENERAL MANAGER: Randy Sexton HEAD COACH: Chris Taylor ENTERED AHL: 1956-57 CALDER CUPS: Six (1965, 1966, 1968, 1983, 1987, 1996) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 46 of 63 2018-19 RECORD: 46-23-5-2, 99 pts./0.651 WEBSITE: amerks.com Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 15

2 0 1 9 - 2 0 A H L D I R EC TO RY SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS

UTICA COMETS

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

NHL AFFILIATION: Florida Panthers HOME ICE: MassMutual Center (6,793) GENERAL MANAGER: Eric Joyce HEAD COACH: Geordie Kinnear ENTERED AHL: 2016-17 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 0 of 3 2018-19 RECORD: 33-29-9-5, 80 pts./0.526 WEBSITE: springfieldthunderbirds.com

NHL AFFILIATION: Tampa Bay Lightning HOME ICE: War Memorial Arena (6,110) GENERAL MANAGER: Stacy Roest HEAD COACH: Benoit Groulx ENTERED AHL: 1994-95 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 15 of 25 2018-19 RECORD: 47-21-4-4, 102 pts./0.671 WEBSITE: syracusecrunch.com

TORONTO MARLIES

NHL AFFILIATION: Vancouver Canucks HOME ICE: Utica Memorial Auditorium (3,917) GENERAL MANAGER: Ryan Johnson HEAD COACH: Trent Cull ENTERED AHL: 2013-14 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 6 2018-19 RECORD: 34-34-6-2, 76 pts./0.500 WEBSITE: uticacomets.com

NHL AFFILIATION: Pittsburgh Penguins HOME ICE: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza (8,050) GM/HEAD COACH: Mike Vellucci ENTERED AHL: 1999-00 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 17 of 20 2018-19 RECORD: 36-30-7-3, 82 pts./0.539 WEBSITE: wbspenguins.com

NHL AFFILIATION: Toronto Maple Leafs HOME ICE: Coca-Cola Coliseum (7,851) GENERAL MANAGER: Laurence Gilman HEAD COACH: Sheldon Keefe ENTERED AHL: 2005-06 CALDER CUPS: One (2018) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 11 of 14 2018-19 RECORD: 39-24-9-4, 91 pts./0.599 WEBSITE: marlies.ca

WESTERN CONFERENCE CENTRAL DIVISION: Grand Rapids, Chicago, Iowa, Manitoba, Milwaukee, Rockford, San Antonio, Texas PACIFIC DIVISION: Bakersfield, Colorado, Ontario, San Diego, San Jose, Stockton, Tucson

BAKERSFIELD CONDORS

NHL AFFILIATION: Edmonton Oilers HOME ICE: Rabobank Arena (8,751) GENERAL MANAGER: Keith Gretzky HEAD COACH: Jay Woodcroft ENTERED AHL: 2015-16 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 4 2018-19 RECORD: 42-21-3-2, 89 pts./0.654 WEBSITE: bakersfieldcondors.com

CHICAGO WOLVES

NHL AFFILIATION: Vegas Golden Knights HOME ICE: Allstate Arena (16,692) GENERAL MANAGER: Wendell Young HEAD COACH: Rocky Thompson ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: Two (2002, 2008) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 13 of 18 2018-19 RECORD: 44-22-6-4, 98 pts./0.645 WEBSITE: chicagowolves.com 16 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

COLORADO EAGLES

NHL AFFILIATION: Colorado Avalanche HOME ICE: Budweiser Events Center (5,289) GENERAL MANAGER: Craig Billington HEAD COACH: Greg Cronin ENTERED AHL: 2018-19 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 1 2018-19 RECORD: 36-27-4-1, 77 pts./0.566 WEBSITE: coloradoeagles.com

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

NHL AFFILIATION: Detroit Red Wings HOME ICE: Van Andel Arena (10,834) GENERAL MANAGER: Ryan Martin HEAD COACH: Ben Simon ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: Two (2013, 2017) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 13 of 18 2018-19 RECORD: 38-27-7-4, 87 pts./0.572 WEBSITE: griffinshockey.com

IOWA WILD

NHL AFFILIATION: Minnesota Wild HOME ICE: Wells Fargo Arena (8,356) GENERAL MANAGER: Tom Kurvers HEAD COACH: Tim Army ENTERED AHL: 2013-14 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 6 2018-19 RECORD: 37-26-8-5, 87 pts./0.572 WEBSITE: iowawild.com

2 0 1 9 - 2 0 A H L D I R EC TO RY MANITOBA MOOSE

SAN JOSE BARRACUDA

NHL AFFILIATION: Winnipeg Jets HOME ICE: Bell MTS Place (8,812) GENERAL MANAGER: Craig Heisinger HEAD COACH: Pascal Vincent ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 (played through 2010-11; re-entered 2015-16) CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 10 of 14 2018-19 RECORD: 39-30-5-2, 85 pts./0.559 WEBSITE: moosehockey.com

NHL AFFILIATION: San Jose Sharks HOME ICE: SAP Center at San Jose (6,123, curtained) GENERAL MANAGER: Joe Will HEAD COACH: Roy Sommer ENTERED AHL: 2015-16 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 4 of 4 2018-19 RECORD: 39-22-3-4, 85 pts./0.625 WEBSITE: sjbarracuda.com

MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS

PRIMARY MARK

STOCKTON HEAT

NHL AFFILIATION: Nashville Predators HOME ICE: UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena (9,450) GENERAL MANAGER: Scott Nichol HEAD COACH: Karl Taylor ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: One (2004) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 15 of 18 2018-19 RECORD: 36-24-14-2, 88 pts./0.579 WEBSITE: milwaukeeadmirals.com

NHL AFFILIATION: Calgary Flames HOME ICE: Stockton Arena (6,705) GENERAL MANAGER: Brad Pascall HEAD COACH: Cail MacLean ENTERED AHL: 2015-16 CALDER CUPS: None ONTARIOSEASONS REIGN IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 4 PRIMARY MARK 2018-19 RECORD: 31-31-4-2, 68 pts./0.500 WEBSITE: stocktonheat.com

ONTARIO REIGN

NHL AFFILIATION: Los Angeles Kings HOME ICE: Toyota Arena (9,491) GENERAL MANAGER: Richard Seeley HEAD COACH: Mike Stothers ENTERED AHL: 2015-16 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 4 2018-19 RECORD: 25-33-6-4, 60 pts./0.441 WEBSITE: ontarioreign.com

STOCKTON H

PANTONE 186 C

PANTONE 110 C

PANTONE 425 C

PANTONE 142 C

PROCESS BLACK

TEXAS STARS

PANTONE 429 C

PROCESS BLACK

NHL AFFILIATION: Dallas Stars HOME ICE: H-E-B Center at Cedar Park (6,779) GENERAL MANAGER: Scott White HEAD COACH: Derek Laxdal ENTERED AHL: 2009-10 CALDER CUPS: One (2014) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 7 of 10 2018-19 RECORD: 37-31-4-4, 82 pts./0.539 WEBSITE: texasstars.com 2015-16

WHITE

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

TUCSON ROADRUNNERS

NHL AFFILIATION: Chicago Blackhawks HOME ICE: BMO Harris Bank Center (5,895) GENERAL MANAGER: Mark Bernard HEAD COACH: Derek King ENTERED AHL: 2007-08 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 6 of 12 2018-19 RECORD: 35-31-4-6, 80 pts./0.526 WEBSITE: icehogs.com

NHL AFFILIATION: Arizona Coyotes HOME ICE: Tucson Arena (6,521) GENERAL MANAGER: Steve Sullivan HEAD COACH: Jay Varady ENTERED AHL: 2016-17 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 3 2018-19 RECORD: 34-26-5-3, 76 pts./0.559 WEBSITE: tucsonroadrunners.com

SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE

NHL AFFILIATION: St. Louis Blues HOME ICE: AT&T Center (6,374, lower bowl) GENERAL MANAGER: Kevin McDonald HEAD COACH: Drew Bannister ENTERED AHL: 2002-03 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 4 of 17 2018-19 RECORD: 31-38-6-1, 69 pts./0.454 WEBSITE: sarampage.com

THE ROAD TO THE CALDER CUP Eight teams in each conference will qualify for the 2020 Calder Cup Playoffs.

PRIMARY MARK

SAN DIEGO GULLS

NHL AFFILIATION: Anaheim Ducks HOME ICE: Pechanga Arena San Diego (12,920) GENERAL MANAGER: Bob Ferguson HEAD COACH: Kevin Dineen ENTERED AHL: 2015-16 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 4 2018-19 RECORD: 36-24-5-3, 80 pts./0.588 WEBSITE: sandiegogulls.com

The top four teams in each division, by points percentage (points earned divided by points available), will qualify for the postseason.

SAN DIEGO GULLS ranked

The division semifinals will be bestof-five series, with the first-place team playing the fourth-place team and the second-place team facing the third-place team. The division finals, conference finals and Calder Cup Finals will be best-of-seven series. PANTONE 1655 C

PANTONE MEDIUM BLUE C

PANTONE 5455 C

PROCESS BLACK

WHITE

2015-16

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 17

WHITE

Photo: Getty Images

DETROIT

he Red Wings’ young forward core of Tyler Bertuzzi, Andreas Athanasiou and Anthony Mantha combined to log 221 points (101-120—221) in 352 games with the Griffins before graduating to Detroit. In all, 27 Griffins alumni wore the Winged Wheel during the 2018-19 season.

TOP AFFILIATE: Grand Rapids Griffins • 18th Season ARENA: Little Caesars Arena • Seating Capacity: 19,515 CONTACT: (313) 471-7000 • detroitredwings.com STANLEY CUPS: 1936, 1937, 1943, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2008 MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE VP/GENERAL MANAGER: Steve Yzerman ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGERS: Ryan Martin, Pat Verbeek COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: Jeff Blashill ASSISTANT COACHES: Dan Bylsma, Doug Houda, Adam Nightingale ASST. COACH/VIDEO: LJ Scarpace GOALTENDING COACH: Jeff Salajko ASSISTANT VIDEO COACH: Jeff Weintraub

RED WINGS

GRIFFINS WHO HAVE EARNED THEIR WINGS

Justin Abdelkader, 2008-09 Adam Almquist, 2013-14 Joakim Andersson, 2011-12 Andreas Athanasiou, 2015-16 Sean Avery, 2002-03 Ryan Barnes, 2003-04 Tyler Bertuzzi, 2016-17 Patrick Boileau, 2002-03 Darryl Bootland, 2003-04 Fabian Brunnstrom, 2011-12 Mitch Callahan, 2013-14 Jake Chelios, 2018-19 Dennis Cholowski, 2018-19 Ty Conklin, 2011-12 Chris Conner, 2011-12 Jared Coreau, 2016-17 Danny DeKeyser, 2013-14 Aaron Downey, 2008-09 Patrick Eaves, 2013-14 Christoffer Ehn, 2018-19 Matt Ellis, 2006-07 Cory Emmerton, 2010-11 Jonathan Ericsson, 2007-08 Landon Ferraro, 2013-14 Valtteri Filppula, 2005-06 Martin Frk, 2017-18 Luke Glendening, 2013-14 Mark Hartigan, 2007-08 Darren Helm, 2007-08 Joe Hicketts, 2017-18

Jimmy Howard, 2005-06 Filip Hronek, 2018-19 Jiri Hudler, 2003-04 Matt Hussey, 2006-07 Doug Janik, 2009-10 Nick Jensen, 2016-17 Tomas Jurco, 2013-14 Jakub Kindl, 2009-10 Tomas Kopecky, 2005-06 Niklas Kronwall, 2003-04 Marc Lamothe, 2003-04 Josh Langfeld, 2006-07 Dylan Larkin, 2015-16 Brian Lashoff, 2012-13 Brett Lebda, 2005-06 Ville Leino, 2008-09 Matt Lorito, 2016-17 Joey MacDonald, 2006-07 Donald MacLean, 2005-06 Anthony Mantha, 2015-16 Alexey Marchenko, 2013-14 Darren McCarty, 2007-08 Tom McCollum, 2010-11 Dylan McIlrath, 2018-19 Derek Meech, 2006-07 Wade Megan, 2018-19 Drew Miller, 2016-17 Kevin Miller, 2003-04 Mark Mowers, 2003-04 Petr Mrazek, 2012-13

Jan Mursak, 2010-11 Anders Myrvold, 2003-04 Andrej Nestrasil, 2014-15 Kris Newbury, 2009-10 Tomas Nosek, 2015-16 Gustav Nyquist, 2011-12 Xavier Ouellet, 2013-14 Matt Puempel, 2018-19 Teemu Pulkkinen, 2013-14 Kyle Quincey, 2005-06 Dan Renouf, 2016-17 Mattias Ritola, 2007-08 Jamie Rivers, 2003-04 Nathan Robinson, 2003-04 Stacy Roest, 2002-03 Robbie Russo, 2016-17 Riley Sheahan, 2011-12 Brendan Smith, 2011-12 Ryan Sproul, 2013-14 Garrett Stafford, 2007-08 Ben Street, 2016-17 Libor Sulak, 2018-19 Evgeny Svechnikov, 2016-17 Eric Tangradi, 2015-16 Tomas Tatar, 2010-11 Jordin Tootoo, 2013-14 Dominic Turgeon, 2017-18 Jason Williams, 2002-03 Filip Zadina, 2018-19

* not including conditioning stints for Curtis Joseph (2003-04), Chris Osgood (2005-06), Manny Legace (2005-06), Chris Chelios (2008-09), Andreas Lilja (2009-10), Jonas Gustavsson (2012-13), Carlo Colaiacovo (2012-13), Stephen Weiss (2014-15) and Michael Rasmussen (2018-19).

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 19

CALEND MARK YOUR

OCT. 11

Opening Night presented by Huntington Bank/Magnet Schedule Giveaway

NOV. 8

Military Appreciation Weekend presented by DTE Energy

NOV. 9

OCT. 25

2020 Calendar Giveaway presented by Fox Motors

DEC. 6

Fifth Annual Red Kettle Game presented by The Salvation Army/ Jersey Auction

Military Appreciation Weekend presented by DTE Energy/Camo Hat Giveaway/Jersey Auction

OCT. 26

Go Orange Night presented by Kids’ Food Basket/Jersey Auction

DEC. 31

23rd Annual New Year’s Eve Celebration presented by Farm Bureau Insurance/Post-Game Fireworks/6 p.m. start

JAN. 11

OCT. 30

e Jake Engel Memorial Dog Gam presented by Nestlé Purina

NOV. 6

19th Annual School Day Game presented by Michigan Education Trust and Michigan Education Savings Program/11 a.m. start 20 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

NOV. 18

13th Annual Tip-A-Griffin at Uccello’s Restaurants, benefiting the Griffins Youth Foundation

NOV. 29

20th Annual Teddy Bear Toss presented by J&H Family Stores, benefiting Hug-A-Bears of Kent County

Heroes vs. Villains Night presented by Michigan First Credit Union/ Character Appearances

JAN. 18-19

17th Annual Great Skate Winterfest at Rosa Parks Circle, benefiting the Griffins Youth Foundation

DAR

CHECK OUT THE JERSEY LINEUP THIS SEASON!

JAN. 18

FEB. 22

Wizards Night presented by Marathon/Jersey Auction

‘90s Night presented by Adventure Credit Union/ Fanny Pack Giveaway/ Fan-Designed Jersey Auction

JAN. 24

Presented by Spectrum Health Stroke Awareness

JAN. 25

Hockey Without Barriers Night presented by Comerica Bank/ Fleece Blanket Giveaway

MARCH 16

FEB. 25

15th Annual Griffins & Sled Wings Sled Hockey Game at Griff’s IceHouse at Belknap Park, benefiting the Grand Rapids Sled Wings and the Griffins Youth Foundation

Ninth Annual Hockey, Hops & Hope, benefiting Easterseals Michigan

MARCH 27

Ninth Annual Purple Community Game presented by Van Andel Institute/Jersey Auction

FEB. 8

Stranger Griffs Night presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union/ Trucker Hat Giveaway

MARCH 28

MARCH 7

Star Wars Night presented by DTE Energy/Character Appearances

Margaritaville Night presented by Centennial Securities/Straw Hat Giveaway

MARCH 13 FEB. 9

Princess Day/Princess Appearances

FEB. 14

Valentine’s Day

Salute to Badges Night presented by Comerica Bank

MARCH 14

St. Patrick’s Day Celebration presented by Michigan Office Solutions/Chris Terry Bobblehead Giveaway

APRIL 10

Fan Appreciation Night presented by Huntington Bank/Friday Night Jersey Auction Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 21

SEASON-LONG

PROMOTIONS $2 BEERS AND $2 HOT DOGS

Every Friday, enjoy $2 domestic drafts and $2 hot dogs from 6-8 p.m., while supplies last.

GET IN THE D-ZONE Presented by Coppercraft Distillery, every Friday night is a Griffins D-Zone night. Avoid the concession lines and get your $2 beers and $2 hot dogs served to you in your seats. Call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2 or visit griffinshockey.com/ dzone today to purchase a package of four or more D-Zone tickets for any Friday night game.

MILITARY NIGHTS Every home game, current members of our military can purchase up to four Upper Level Faceoff tickets for $14 each, four Upper Level Center Ice tickets for $17 each, or four Lower Level Faceoff tickets for $20 each with a valid military ID. The offer also extends to veterans who present a VA ID or discharge papers.

COLLEGE NIGHTS Presented by Michigan First Credit Union, college students can buy online using their school .edu email address or show their ID at every Friday game to purchase an Upper Level Faceoff ticket for $13 (or $12 in advance at The Zone) or an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $16 (or $15 in advance at The Zone). Limit one ticket per ID if purchasing in-person. Visit griffinshockey.com/college to sign up for College Night alerts.

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.

WINNING WEDNESDAYS Every time the Griffins win at home on Wednesday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the next Wednesday game. To

redeem a Winning Wednesday ticket, please visit the box office following the Winning Wednesday game, The Zone during normal business hours, or the Van Andel Arena box office prior to the next Wednesday game beginning at 5:30 p.m. Fans who exchange their Winning Wednesday ticket at The Zone on a non-game day will receive 20% off the purchase of one item (excluding jerseys). One discount per person present.

BIG E’S SCORE 4 FOR MORE If the Griffins score four or more goals during a home game, take your ticket from that game to Big E’s Sports Grill in Grand Rapids or Holland within four days to receive 50% off any food item. Dine in only.

LIBRARY NIGHTS For all Wednesday and Sunday games, 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 purchase either an Upper Level Faceoff ticket for $14 (regularly $16 advance and $19 day of game), an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $17 (regularly $19 advance and $22 day of game) or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $20 (regularly $22 advance and $25 day of game). Limit four tickets per card per person, subject to availability.

FRIENDS & FAMILY 4-PACKS Presented by Big E’s Sports Grill and available for all Saturday games, each pack includes four tickets and $20 in concession cash for a great low price. Visit griffinshockey.com/f4p or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2. Continuing this season, fans may use their concession cash to purchase healthy choice menu options at the stand located outside of section 126, including low-fat yogurt, apples, oranges, granola bars and smoothies.

SUNDAY IS FUN DAY

For all Sunday games, enjoy $1 small Pepsi drinks and $1 small ice cream cups from 3-5 p.m.

PEPSI READING GOALS Children with Griff’s Reading Goals bookmarks who have completed the required three hours of reading can redeem their bookmark for two free Upper Level tickets to any of the following games: Bookmark #1 – Oct. 30; Nov. 20 and 29; Dec. 4; Bookmark #2 – Feb. 23; March 11 and 25; April 1.

POST-GAME OPEN SKATES Oct. 11, Nov. 29, Dec. 31, April 10

HUNTINGTON BANK POST-GAME AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS Jan. 11, Jan. 25, Feb. 9, March 7, March 28

MOS CORNER OFFICE Presented by Michigan Office Solutions, this section, located on the terrace level above section 118, provides the best seats in the house for groups of up to 30 people, with La-Z-Boy chairs and an array of unprecedented amenities. Call (616) 774-4585 ext. 4.

J. GARDELLA’S SLIDERS SPECIAL Available on select tickets, take your used Griffins ticket to J. Gardella’s Tavern to buy one slider and get one of equal or lesser price free. Refer to the back of select tickets for details.

GRIFFINS WIN, YOU WIN When the Griffins win at home, take your ticket from that game into any participating West Michigan Tim Horton’s the following day and receive a free donut.

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

22 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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Does your bank understand your business?

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WE’RE NUMBER ONE!

The Griffins, along with the West Michigan Whitecaps and Grand Rapids Drive, attracted the attention of a national publication that named this area as the “Top Minor League Market” in the U.S. Street & Smith’s Sports Business Journal has recognized what West Michigan fans have known for many years, recently naming Grand RapidsComstock Park, Mich., as the “Top Minor League Market” in the country. The honor, which is based on teams’ tenure and attendance figures relative to local economics, was bestowed on the market, which includes the American Hockey League’s Griffins, the Midwest League’s West Michigan Whitecaps, and the NBA G League’s Grand Rapids Drive, for 2019. The market had finished sixth in the publication’s biennial rankings in 2017 after claiming the final spot in the top 10 in 2015. “I think it’s a validation of what we’re doing here, the work that’s being done from a franchise level,” said Griffins president Tim Gortsema, a member of the organization even before the first puck dropped in 1996. “But it’s a larger validation for the community. It’s a reflection of the outpouring of support that West Michigan has had for the Griffins, the Whitecaps and the Drive for years. “Growing up in West Michigan, I’ve seen all my life that this is a tremendously supportive community, from high school athletics to how vested fans are with their teams. It’s gratifying to get recognition on a national scope of what’ve known and appreciated locally for years.” Having dethroned Des Moines, Iowa (the No. 1 honoree from 2017), Grand Rapids heads a list of 24 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Twelve members of the Griffins’ front office – owners, executives and staff – have been with the organization since at least 2001. (Two not pictured.)

five AHL markets earning top-15 recognition for 2019 that includes Des Moines (No. 5), WilkesBarre/Scranton, Pa. (No. 8), Hartford, Conn. (No. 14), and Springfield, Mass. (No. 15). In an article dated Sept. 23, 2019 and entitled “Grand Rapids: Built to Last,” Sports Business Journal research director David Broughton described the bleak state of affairs for minor league sports in West Michigan during the late 1980s and early ’90s, and how a few dreamers with the necessary business acumen were able to create franchises that would become “as integral to the community as the Grand River that runs through it.”

Broughton writes, “Over the past quartercentury, these teams and their fans have faced obstacles the way a family does — together.” With the arrival of the team’s 24th season, the Griffins will look to extend their recent achievements and maintain the winning ways that distinguish the organization as one of the top in the AHL every year. The Griffins ranked first in the AHL in both average and total turnstile attendance last season. In terms of announced attendance, they finished fifth in the league with an average of 8,206. In addition to making a franchise-record seven straight playoff appearances, the Griffins have drawn more than 300,000 fans for a team-record six consecutive seasons. The organization continues to experience success both on and off the ice. Since winning their second Calder Cup in 2017, the Griffins have sent 14 players to the NHL over the last two seasons (and 179 during the team’s history). The Griffins have also sent young staffers and interns on to eight different sports organizations since 2017, including the Boston Bruins, Detroit Lions, Detroit Tigers, Detroit Red Wings, Minnesota Lynx, Bakersfield Condors, Chicago Wolves and Colorado Eagles. Twelve members of the Griffins’ front office – owners, executive and staff – have been with the organization since at least 2001, a remarkable achievement given the nature of minor league professional sports. But it’s the support of fans that is the real game-changer. Symbolizing the West Michigan community’s support, Griffins ticket sales revenue has increased for nine consecutive seasons while sponsorship revenue has increased for 11 consecutive seasons (setting franchise records in each of the last five seasons). The Griffins are fortunate to play in a market – popularly known as “Beer City USA” – that has garnered a number of top honors in 2019. Van Andel Arena, the home of the Griffins, was named the No. 1 Mid-Size Venue in North America (Billboard), while Grand Rapids earned praise as the No. 1 Mid-Sized Metro for Economic Growth Potential (Business Facilities) and for having the No. 1 Hottest Neighborhood in America (Creston – Realtor.com). This is the eighth time Sports Business Journal has produced its ranking of the nation’s top minor league markets, the first coming in 2005

and then every other year since. This year’s project included a review of 211 markets, 34 leagues, 350 teams and 190.7 million in total attendance. Markets that are home to an MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, NHL, NWHL or WNBA franchise were not measured. Grand Rapids earned No. 1 honors based on Sports Business Journal calculations that give each market a total score – the majority of which comes from three category-specific measures: tenure rank, attendance rank and economic rank. Tenure made up approximately two-thirds of each market’s score and takes into account such support measurements as a team’s length of presence in its market and commitment to maintaining the sports venues. The rest of a market’s score is based on the total and average attendance (regular and postseason) of all the teams that have played there in the past five seasons, the percentage of seats filled, and how those figures compared to the previous five seasons. Those fluctuations also were indexed against the region’s changes in unemployment, population and Total Personal Income. When Sports Business Journal crunched all those numbers, Grand Rapids-Comstock Park had the highest point total, and all other markets were indexed against that number. Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal has been providing critical news and information for the sports industry since 1999. The publication provides comprehensive coverage of the deals, trades, contracts and boardroom power plays that shape the rapidly changing sports landscape.

Highest-Ranked AHL Markets

RANK MARKET 1

5 8 14 15 19 21 25 29 33

SCORE

Grand Rapids-Comstock Park, Mich. 100.00 Des Moines, Iowa Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pa. Hartford-New Britain, Conn. Springfield, Mass. Austin-Round Rock, Texas Hershey-Harrisburg, Pa. Rochester, N.Y. Binghamton, N.Y. Lehigh Valley, Pa.

91.32 81.40 76.73 76.31 74.65 73.75 70.99 68.96 66.92

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 25

FROM

‘C’ TO GM Story and photos By Mark Newman

Longtime captain Steve Yzerman is ready to guide the future of Red Wings hockey from his new position as general manager. 26 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Steve Yzerman has been here before. When he was named the captain of the Detroit Red Wings before the 1986-87 season at the age of 21, the team had not won a playoff series in eight seasons. The following spring, Yzerman would lead the Red Wings to only their second playoff series win in the modern era (since 1967). A decade later, Detroit would win the first of three Stanley Cups (1997, 1998 and 2002) with Yzerman as captain. So there was considerable excitement in the Motor City when Yzerman, the longest-serving captain in NHL history, was introduced as the new general manager of the Red Wings last April. Detroit’s fan base rejoiced at the idea of Yzerman restoring the Red Wings to glory after the team missed the playoffs the past three seasons on the heels of a remarkable stretch of 25 consecutive postseason appearances. Given Yzerman’s track record not only as a player but also in regard to his success in building one of the league’s powerhouses as the general manager in Tampa Bay, there is certainly reason for optimism. While he is wisely avoiding making any promises and smartly sidestepping any specific timetable for success, Yzerman believes there are reasons for hope, and he is convinced much will

Yzerman was captain of the Red Wings for 20 seasons, the longest tenure in NHL history.

Red Wings assistant general manager Pat Verbeek and Yzerman were teammates in Detroit for two seasons (1999-2001).

depend on what happens in Grand Rapids. “Detroit and Grand Rapids have been affiliated for a long time and the organization has enjoyed a lot of success,” Yzerman said shortly before the start of his first season as the Wings’ new GM. “A lot of the players have come through Grand Rapids and gone on to play for the Red Wings. “From the Red Wings’ perspective, Grand Rapids occupies a positive place in the organization. Our players have enjoyed playing in Grand Rapids because it’s a great place to live, it’s relatively close (to Detroit) and the fan support is excellent, so it continues to be a tremendous relationship.” Yzerman first became privy to the relationship between the Griffins and Red Wings when he joined the front office in Detroit as a team vice president before the 2006-07 season. During the next four years, he got a first-hand look at the intricacies of that relationship from a management perspective. “Those years were incredibly valuable because I learned a lot,” he said. “From my time as a player, I saw a completely different side of things. I learned how decisions are made, Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 27

Yzerman’s moves as general manager will be closely monitored by the media.

how organizations are run, how situations are managed. It was a tremendous opportunity to learn from Kenny Holland, Jim Nill and Ryan Martin. They’re very bright people and they were fun to work with. It was a great start to my postplaying career.” Most significantly, Yzerman recognized the necessity of building a braintrust upon which he could rely for evaluating players. One of his first moves was to bring in Pat Verbeek, his former teammate who had been his right-hand man in Tampa. Yzerman began to reshape the infrastructure of Detroit’s organization – overhauling the scouting department, promoting some members of the front office while hiring others to fill new roles. “You try to hire the best people for each position and you try to give them the resources they need to do their job, whether they’re coaches, scouts or front office managers,” Yzerman said. “There are still people here who were with the organization when I left and there are some new faces who have joined since that time and I’m looking forward to working alongside them and getting to know them. My responsibility is to lead the hockey department and I’m trying to put the best team in place while giving them the 28 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

necessary resources to be successful.” Much of their work toward rebuilding a potential Cup contender will start in Grand Rapids, where the organization will place a plethora of prospects as the Red Wings look to rediscover the magic of the past. “The relationship between Detroit and Grand Rapids is vital,” Yzerman said. “You want a good environment for your young prospects and a good organization in which they can develop as players. Another strength of the AHL are those quality, high-character veterans who can not only help the team win but who can also guide and mentor the younger players. It’s crucial to have a strong relationship with your AHL affiliate.” As a training ground for the NHL, the AHL provides the perfect place for young hockey players to learn their craft. “I always stress to the young kids that it’s a very difficult league to play in,” Yzerman said. “If you think you’re going to come into the AHL, just show up and put up big numbers while biding your time until you get to the NHL, it’s the wrong approach. Guys need to come in with the attitude that they have their work cut out for them if they want to prove that they can play their way up to the NHL. “It’s an extremely competitive league, very

demanding physically and the schedule can be difficult at times. It’s the closest thing to playing in the NHL outside of the NHL itself. It’s a fantastic league for young players to play in and it’s beneficial for them to spend some time in the AHL if they’re not ready for the NHL, whether they played in college, junior hockey or any of the European leagues previously.” Certainly, there are fans hoping that the return of The Captain to the Red Wings organization will speed the rebuilding process, but Yzerman contends that he will not rush the normal course of development. Some vilified his predecessor for adhering to the adage of allowing players to become “overripe” in the minors before being promoted to the NHL, but Yzerman also believes that there are risks in pushing a player too fast. The fact is the development process at the AHL level frequently takes time. How much time a player may need will vary. “The timetable is different for every player,” Yzerman said. “My feeling is when you have young guys who are excelling in the American League for an extended period of time, they’re showing they’re ready for the NHL. When they’re really good in the AHL, they’re usually good enough to play in the NHL. But you have to look at it player by player.” Yzerman feels that it’s in the best interest of the player’s development to put them in a position to gain from experience. The more minutes available to a prospect, the more opportunities for that player to polish their skills. “If they’re in the NHL, but they’re sitting at the end of the bench and only getting limited minutes and struggling to meet your expectations, they’re better off playing in a place where they can be improving and excelling and their confidence can be growing,” he said. “Our goal is to help them become better players.” Still, Yzerman won’t hesitate to promote a prospect if they can help make the Red Wings a better team without stunting their own growth. “If they’re in the NHL and they can make the team more competitive, they’re helping the team,” he said. “If they’re excelling on the ice and holding their own – given it can be difficult, it can be a challenge – they’ll be given the opportunity to show they can play in the NHL. If they’re not able to do it in the NHL, they have to do it at a different level. We want them

Yzerman thinks a strong relationship with the Griffins organization is critical for success in Detroit.

to be successful. That’s an important part of development.” From an organizational perspective, it’s often prudent to think long term. Sometimes it’s better to sacrifice short-term success for the sake of operating in a way that is ultimately best for the advancement of a player seeking to build a long career. “As an organization, I don’t think we should run our minor league team any differently, whether we’re rebuilding or contending for a Stanley Cup,” Yzerman said. “You may have fewer young prospects when you’re competing for the Cup, but my feeling is with young players unless they’re dominating their league, they’re better off Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 29

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playing in the minors rather than trying to find their way at the NHL level.” Numbers – the fancy term is analytics – occupy an increasingly important space in the player evaluation process. Although he played in an era that preceded the current appreciation for analytical data, Yzerman confirmed that metrics may be another tool that an organization is wise to consult in the decision-making process. “Analytics is a broad term, but we use data in everything,” he said. “We look at analytics, but we also try to look at things from a subjective point of view. The more information you have, the more you can make more informed, better decisions. We try to use analytical data in every aspect of running the organization.” Statistics, however, remain only one factor in determining the quality of a player’s performance. Just because a player leads the Griffins in goals or points does not mean they will be the first to be promoted to the NHL. Every decision, Yzerman points out, is influenced by any number of factors. “It may be a positional need – defenseman versus forward, center versus winger, or whether you need a right shot or left shot, what role they’re expected to play, or even how much they’re going to play. It might be whether you need a veteran versus a younger player,” he said. “Generally speaking, we would like to bring up someone who is playing really well and deserves it, but sometimes you have other reasons that guide your decision. A lot of things go into every move.” Development is key in the AHL. But so is winning. Young players need to learn how to win. That means young players have to learn the value of sacrificing points for the sake of the team, how to play good defense, how to be a good teammate – all those things that win championships. “Being on a good team in a good organization is important and it’s important that they learn the habits, traits and characteristics that are common to winning teams,” Yzerman said. “You try to establish an environment where players are held to a certain standard and create an atmosphere that is conducive to winning. “We’re trying to put the best players out there and it’s up to the coaches to make sure that the players adhere to the standard while being challenged to live up to expectations. If players are learning what it takes to be successful, they’re progressing.

“I intend to be in Grand Rapids as much as I possibly can. I enjoy watching American League games and I think it’s important to see our players in action – the veterans as well as the young guys.” “So you learn from winning, but you can learn from losing, too. Our goal is to put a good team on the ice, but we’re not going to sacrifice the development of our young players. We’re not going to put together a very experienced, veteran team for the sake of trying to win. We need our young guys to play. “Having said that, young prospects are not entitled to play. They have to earn their ice time, even if they’re in the American League. If they can’t hold their own in the AHL, we’re going to have to find another spot for them to play in. That’s just the way that it works.” As far as Yzerman is concerned, an organization should give their players the tools and resources necessary for them to succeed. For example, the Red Wings recently hired renowned strength and conditioning guru Mike Barwis as director of sports science and human performance. “The role of science and sports performance regarding nutrition, strength and conditioning has grown incredibly in recent years,” Yzerman said. “There is so much more information, equipment and technology available to players today which enable them to be more fit and better trained than ever before. We’re just trying to provide the guys with the tools to be the best possible hockey players they can be.” Yzerman said it is paramount that all parties work together to make sure players are progressing in the proper direction. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 31

32 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

In eight seasons with Yzerman in charge, the Tampa Bay Lightning made the postseason five times, including four trips to the Eastern Conference Final and one appearance in the Stanley Cup Final.

“Everyone in the organization needs to be on the same page,” he said. “Each person is assigned specific responsibilities and ultimately we are all trying to do our best to run a good organization. My responsibility is to make sure that everyone understands their role and to communicate our objectives.” During his time in Tampa, Yzerman was able to draw considerable talent from what he called an “outstanding, well-run organization” in Syracuse. The Lightning’s AHL affiliate twice reached the Calder Cup Finals, losing both times (2013, 2017) to the Griffins. Syracuse, however, is a long way from Tampa compared to the distance between Grand Rapids and Detroit. He looks forward to taking advantage of the closer proximity between his NHL team and AHL affiliate. “You’re going to run your program the same way regardless, but logistically, it makes it easier when your minor league team is close,” he said. “It’s better for travel. It makes it a little easier to get players back and forth, whether it’s to recall

or reassign players. It also makes it easier to go see them play when your team is only a couple of hours down the road. “I intend to be in Grand Rapids as much as I possibly can. I enjoy watching American League games and I think it’s important to see our players in action – the veterans as well as the young guys. I want to have a good hand on how they play. Our minor league affiliate is an important part of our entire organization.” With the help of his scouting department, Yzerman plans to do his best to keep the Red Wings’ minor league team stocked with prospects through well-researched picks from the annual NHL Entry Draft. Typically, it’s a matter of selecting whoever is the best available player. “Ultimately, there’s no way to know which kids are going to become the best players, so you take the guys who are the best prospect at that certain date,” he said. “You’re drafting teenagers and a lot of things can change by the time they’re 23, which is the average age of a player entering the NHL. “You try to project (into the future), but you don’t know what’s in their heart, how hard they’re prepared to work and how willing they’re going to be to do the things necessary to get to the NHL. Once you draft them, you try to educate them and help them any way you can to help them get there.” Playing in the minors is a process of constant self-improvement according to Yzerman, who adheres to the mantra of “nothing is given, everything is earned.” Prospects should focus on doing something to improve themselves every day. “While the specific guidance is different for every individual, the overall message is that it’s hard to get to the NHL but it’s also hard to stay in the NHL,” he said. “It’s the best league in the world with the best players in the world. You better love what you do because it’s hard work and the truth is that you’re going to have to deal with a lot of adversity during your career.” Yzerman recognizes the value of the Griffins to the Red Wings organization. “Grand Rapids is the place where the majority of our prospects will begin their careers and it’s extremely important that we have a good environment and atmosphere for them to play in the AHL,” he said. “We must run a good program in the AHL for them to continue to develop and be successful.” Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 33

Story and photos By Mark Newman

Chase Pearson maintains an intense, inner drive to pursue his dream of playing in the NHL.

GRAN

for 34 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Life is unpredictable, as Chase Pearson can attest, but somehow he had the good fortune of being tabbed with a first name to match his singular focus. Even in the darkest of times – when hockey was the furthest thing from his mind – Pearson has done his best to keep his eyes on the prize and never falter from chasing his dream. It’s in his blood. His father, Scott Pearson, played 292 NHL games for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Quebec Nordiques, Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabres and New York Islanders during an NHL career that spanned from 1988 to 2000. Like his father, Pearson was born in Cornwall, Ontario. But the younger Pearson grew up in the unlikely hockey environment of Alpharetta, Ga., which was home for his mother and where his father built a career in the health care field after he was finished playing the game. Pearson also played soccer, baseball and lacrosse among other sports while growing up, but hockey was always his first love. And while the Atlanta area might not seem like a hockey hotbed – the Thrashers were a frequent target for relocation rumors during the team’s stay in the NHL, eventually departing for Winnipeg in 2011 – Pearson felt it was the perfect place to make a name for himself. “I didn’t know any different,” he said. “As I got older, I realized a lot of the better players came out of places other than Georgia, but I didn’t let that affect my work ethic. Growing

up, I was always pretty focused. I knew what I wanted to do, and I think that attitude helped propel me out of hockey in Georgia.” Pearson listened to his father, who had a key to the local rink and encouraged his son to practice some mornings before school and regularly in the afternoons after school. “My dad played for a long time, so he was very knowledgeable about the game,” he said. “I was always pretty self-driven, so he never had to push me to play, and I think having him in my back pocket was very essential to getting me to where I am today.” Pearson was content to stay in Georgia, even when others his age were heading to prep schools on the east coast. “He always told me that I was in a good spot because I had ice time and lots of opportunities for development,” Pearson said. “If I stayed in Georgia, I could play, better my skills and be a go-to guy until I was ready to leave. “Just because everybody else is doing something doesn’t mean that I need to follow suit. Not that prep school was a bad route, but it was better for me to stay and take advantage of the opportunity I had there.” Pearson played for the Atlanta Fire until the age of 16, when he left home to return to Canada and play for the Cornwall Colts in the Junior A Central Canada Hockey League (CCHL) in 2013. “Living with family made the adjustment period easier,” said Pearson, who stayed with his aunt and uncle, Lori Pearson (his father’s

NTED Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 35

Pearson was a fifth-round pick of the Red Wings in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

sister) and Dave Morgan. “I didn’t miss home too much because they were always there and they made me feel like I was home.” He returned to the U.S. a year later to play for the Youngstown Phantoms in the USHL for two seasons, recording 76 points (24-52-76), a plus-42 rating and 157 penalty minutes in 114 games from 2013-16. His time in the USHL helped prepare him for college hockey, having committed to play at the University of Maine. Maine is the college that produced both Jimmy Howard and Gustav Nyquist for the Red Wings, but that fact didn’t sway the decision of Pearson, who was Detroit’s fifth-round pick (140th overall) in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. “I was thrilled to be chosen by the Red Wings, who were the favorite team of my grandpa, Gary Pearson,” he said. “He loved Gordie Howe growing up, so everything came full circle when they called my name at the draft. “I’m not sure why, but Maine was the one school that was tugging on my heart. I liked the coaching staff and felt I could be a big fish in a small pond. I felt like I could get more opportunity at Maine, which I did, and my time there was essential to getting me to where I am today.” 36 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Pearson became a co-captain during his sophomore year at Maine, where he made significant strides in improving his overall game. “From the moment I stepped foot on campus, I knew it was another stepping stone to get me to my ultimate goal of playing in the NHL,” he said. “Being named a captain before my second year at Maine was a big honor. It helped my development because it made me mature even more, because I felt more responsible and more aware of things that I might not have recognized if I hadn’t been a captain.” His elevation to co-captain followed a tough summer. He was attending the Red Wings’ development camp in Traverse City in July 2017 when he got a phone call that would forever change his life. He immediately left camp and flew home after receiving the news that his mother had committed suicide. “It was a shock,” he said. “There were no signs, nothing that can explain what happened.” Although Pearson would come to learn that suicide affects more people than most realize, it couldn’t ease the pain that he felt. “It is what it is. I can’t change what happened,” he said. “The fact is that every day, I’m going to miss her. I wish I could talk to her, but I can’t. Life moves on… but

I’m never going to forget her.” Still, the tragic circumstances left him numb. Finding focus again would be difficult for anyone, let alone a teenager who was still a month from marking his 20th birthday. Pearson turned to the only thing that could help him get his head straight again and that was hockey. When he returned to Maine for his sophomore year, he was determined to make the most of his situation. “When something like that happens, you grow up really fast,” he said. “It changes your entire life in terms of how you look at things. You never take a day for granted. You realize how precious life is and how little time you get to spend with the people you love.” Maine head coach Dennis “Red” Gendron saw tremendous growth that second year in Pearson, who became a strong, two-way player during his time with the Black Bears. “The fact that he assumed that level of formal leadership on the team as only a sophomore speaks volumes about his character,” Gendron said of Pearson, classified as an elite power forward at the college level. “He has skill, sense, and a very good shot. He is also a 200-foot player, as good defensively as he is offensively.”

Pearson said it was the Maine coaches, along with Red Wings director of player development Shawn Horcoff, who helped him see the importance of sharpening his defensive skills. “They told me that if you want to make money at the next level and make a name for yourself in the NHL, that’s the kind of game you’re going to have to play,” Pearson said. “If you can be a 200-foot player at any level, you’re going to add value. Defense is something I really worked to improve during my second and third years at Maine. “If you focus on your defense, the offense will eventually follow. It’s pretty obvious that I’m not going to put up points like Patrick Kane in the NHL, but if I can contribute offensively while being very sound defensively, there’s value in being that kind of player at the pro level.” Pearson, a finance major at Maine, ultimately decided to forgo his senior season and turn pro last spring. “It was a tough decision,” he said. “Right up to the last day, I had the idea in the back of my mind that I might want to stay and get my degree. At the same time, the chance to play in the NHL doesn’t come along very often.

Pearson scored his first two goals as a professional after joining the Griffins last March. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 37

Pearson recorded a hat trick against the Toronto Maple Leafs during the NHL Prospects Tournament this fall.

“As a hockey player, you only have so many games in your body, and when I thought about it from that standpoint, it made the decision a little easier. The Red Wings thought I was ready to go and at the end of the day, I felt the same way.” Pearson saw limited action with the Griffins during the end of last season, notching a pair of goals in 10 AHL games. “I think those 10 games last season were really important,” he said. “The experience helped me coming into camp this fall after having been able to get a taste of pro hockey and the lifestyle, not to mention getting to know some of the guys. It’s made the adjustment a little easier and not as nerve-racking.” He was one of the Red Wings’ leaders during the NHL Prospects Tournament in Traverse City this fall. He scored three goals and added an assist to lead Detroit’s prospects to a 7-4 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs and propel the team into the championship game. The Red Wings then registered a come-frombehind 6-5 win over the Dallas Stars to win only 38 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

their second title at the prospects tournament in 21 years and the first since 2013. “I wanted to make a good first impression on Mr. Yzerman and some of the other new faces in the organization,” he said. “As one of the older guys in the prospects tournament, I wanted to be a leader, too. I wanted to assume that role and do what I could to help on the ice.” Pearson recognizes that his name is not one that everyone knows, that he may have the unique distinction of being noticeably unheralded among several more high-profile prospects, and he is perfectly fine with it. “I know I’m coming into the season without a lot of expectations, but I think I can use that to my advantage in terms of putting a little fire under myself to prove people wrong,” he said. “The end goal is the NHL, but I know it’s going to take a lot of hard work and I’m going to have to push myself, but I enjoy that kind of pressure. “I’ve always wanted the best out of myself and, no matter what happens, that much is never going to change.”

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 41

MORE THAN A COAT OF PAINT

Revamped locker rooms and a new street-level hospitality area on the west side of the building highlight the summer renovations undertaken at Van Andel Arena. Story by Mark Newman / Photos by Sam Iannamico

Any homeowner or business owner knows that there comes a time when a structure could use a little remodeling. As the home of professional hockey since the 1996-97 season, Van Andel Arena has served the Grand Rapids Griffins well, but it was becoming apparent that the time had finally come to do some major renovations inside the bowels of the building – specifically, the locker rooms for both the home and visiting teams. When the puck dropped for the 24th season of Griffins hockey, players for the Detroit Red Wings’ AHL affiliate were treated to a new look for their off-ice home – the first major renovation

Before 42 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

since the building opened nearly a quarter of a century ago. “This was a massive undertaking and should prove to be a game-changer for the organization,” said Griffins president Tim Gortsema, who has been a member of the Griffins’ staff from the very beginning of the franchise. “When we opened the arena in 1996, we felt like we had one of the premier locker rooms in the league. To go two decades without any major improvements, it was becoming increasingly clear that the time had come for a major investment.” The renovations were approved by the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA), the public entity that owns the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place – both of which are operated by SMG, the worldwide venue management team that has been in charge since the buildings first opened. Thanks to the success of the arena and convention center, the CAA has a sizable budget surplus in its unrestricted fund to pay for building repairs and upgrades, meaning there was no cost to taxpayers for the renovations which were expected to top $2 million.

After

Talks about what might or might not be included in this renovation began in the spring of 2018. The Griffins and Red Wings participated in the various SMG discussions with the project’s general contractor, Pinnacle Construction, and the architect, Ghafari. Numerous meetings were held to hash out the details of the renovation project that began producing preliminary drawings in the fall of 2018. “We had significant input into the process,” Gortsema said. “To his credit, Rich MacKeigan (regional general manager of SMG) was very inclusive in terms of involving both the Griffins and Red Wings organizations in order to survey our interests and desires for the renovation.” Gortsema said it was clear from early in the process that the renovations would be centered on the locker room areas. “There was a general feeling that the entire west side of the arena, including the locker rooms, needed to be refreshed, and so the various parties began the process of looking at options to accomplish what everyone agreed was probably overdue.”

The most ambitious and most expensive concept would have expanded the west-side portion of the building, encroaching onto the exterior sidewalk. “The budget and scope of the concept were deemed to be greater than it probably needed to be,” he said. In the end, it was determined that the best course of action was to work within the existing walls. “You can’t make the arena any bigger, so our focus became how to reconfigure the available space and find creative ways to add more space wherever it was needed.” Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 43

Training Room

Weight Room

The Zone

44 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

For the sake of getting the most proverbial bang for the buck, it was determined that the best course of action was to demolish the interior as much as possible, allowing the project to start from scratch. “From the team’s perspective, if we were renovating the space, we felt it was important to upgrade the aesthetics of our locker rooms,” he said. “We didn’t want just a new coat of paint on the same cinderblock wall. We wanted to change the whole look of the entire space.” As a result, the entire locker room area was gutted. “The only thing that remained was the structural cinderblock walls – no flooring, no ceiling,” Gortsema said. “It was felt that a whitebox approach would allow us the design flexibility to achieve the desired improvements.” Gortsema said the Griffins organization understood that not all of its needs and wants would be financed by the CAA budget and there would be some team-funded items that would fall outside the city’s mandate. “CAA and SMG did most of the heavy financial lifting of the project,” he said. “The lion’s share of the renovation was covered by their capital improvement budget, but there were some items that our organization believed were necessary and the financial responsibility of those became team-funded.” Demolition activities began in early June. “Time is a finite commodity, so it was apparent that all of the parties would be working within a tight window of time due to the constraints of the summer offseason,” Gortsema said. “Everyone was cautiously optimistic that most of the work could be completed in time for the opening of the season.” Even so, completion dates were prioritized for the various phases of the project. By late summer, it was evident that workers were racing against the clock. The ambitious nature of the project seemingly tested the concept of fast-track construction. Gortsema looked at the situation as “shortterm pain for long-term gain.” He contends minor inconveniences created by a summer-long construction schedule should ultimately yield benefits for both the arena as well as the Griffins organization. The decision to go the route of demolition allowed the project to redraw boundaries within the existing space. The arena, for example, was able to take advantage of space that was largely

underutilized in the mode of the former Grand Rapids Rampage arena football team offices. The arena also agreed to shrink the space of one VIP dressing room to provide for additional space to satisfy one of the biggest needs from the Griffins’ perspective, which was a private office for the head coach. When the Griffins began play in the arena back in 1996, the team had a head coach and one assistant. In recent years, the coaching staff has tripled in size, which has become especially problematic in terms of guaranteeing privacy while providing a place that could accommodate all the assistants. “There are times when the head coach wants to have a confidential discussion with a player but has been unable to keep it as a private matter because he didn’t have his own space,” Gortsema said. “We needed a separate space for the head coach.” In reality, evidence of the complete facelift starts at the primary entrance to the locker room. “The old 7-foot metal doors have been replaced by nicer 9-foot doors with new lighting to provide a bigger, grander entrance,” he said. But the renovation, of course, didn’t stop there.

“Most of the cinderblock inside the locker area has been covered by painted drywall for a classier look,” Gortsema said. “We felt it was important to have that ‘wow’ factor to show the scope of the renovation.” Other improvements included: • All of the locker room space was redesigned, not only to provide for a couple of extra stalls for the players but also to offer bigger and wider stalls at the ends for the goalies and their oversized equipment; • A large, backlit primary Griffins logo has been installed in the ceiling of the locker room, replacing the team’s shield logo that was formerly centered in the locker room carpet; • League standings that were manually tracked on a whiteboard inside the locker room will now be visible (with other statistics) on electronic screens near the entrance area; • New cabinets have been installed in the training room, which now has a second cold tub, a new four-person hot tub and a new ice machine, along with new office furniture; • New fixtures and toilets were installed in the bathroom and shower areas; • New exercise equipment and technology has

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 45

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been installed in an expanded weight room to meet the increased emphasis that the Red Wings organization is placing on off-ice training in regard to strength and conditioning; • There’s a new dry change area for the players with customized locks for each locker. The team store, The Zone, will operate out of a smaller but more efficient space to nearly double the amount of space available to the weight room. It also allows room for a new VIP area that will occupy the space formerly utilized as offices for the Rampage. That new high-end, pre-event reception area offers the potential for outdoor seating in the future. “On hockey game days, the space can be used for hospitality and entertainment activities at our discretion,” Gortsema said. “Post-game it will likely function as a gathering place for players’ families and significant others.” In addition to the renovation of the Griffins’ locker room, the entire visiting team locker room area is being smartly redesigned for a more sensible, professional appearance. Prior to the renovation, AHL teams previously occupied two different adjoining rooms, making it difficult for a head coach to address his entire

team in one space without setting up folding chairs to accommodate all of the players. “Our visiting team locker space has always been a bit disjointed,” he said. “We felt that it didn’t reflect well upon the organization, the arena or the city to have the sort of setup that might have given the appearance of putting the visiting team at a competitive disadvantage, even though that was never the intention.” Gortsema believes all of the improvements – including new dressing rooms for all the worldclass performers whose tours come through Grand Rapids – will elevate the perception of Van Andel Arena as a premier sporting facility. “I think the overall improvements will ultimately pay dividends for the arena and city in terms of attracting regional and national tournaments to the city,” he said. And the improvements will continue. Among the items slated for consideration is replacing the arena’s center ice scoreboard for an estimated $2 million, the ice plant refrigeration system for an estimated $1 million, and a whole new roof for the arena. “There will be more to come,” Gortsema said. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 47

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GRIFFICS Well before his last name became a verb, and before he embarked on 15 distinguished seasons as a defenseman with the Detroit Red Wings, Niklas Kronwall was a Grand Rapids Griffin. He came to West Michigan from Sweden as a 22-year-old in 2003 and quickly made his mark both on and off the ice, inscribing his name among the Griffins’ all-time greats during a relatively brief yet historic 102 games over three seasons. The first Detroit first-round draft pick to play for Grand Rapids, Kronwall set his course for NHL stardom during his 2004-05 campaign with the Griffins, compiling an impressive resume whose highlights included: · Scoring 53 points (13-40—53) in 76 games to not only establish a Griffins record for points by a defenseman – a mark eclipsed just once in the ensuing 14 seasons – but also become the only blueliner to ever lead Grand Rapids in scoring;

· Earning 2004-05 AHL First Team All-Star honors along with the Eddie Shore Award, becoming the first European ever to be named the league’s outstanding defenseman; · Being tabbed a starter for the 2005 AHL AllStar Classic, one year after being selected for but missing the event due to injury. Kronwall graduated to the NHL full time in 2005-06 when the NHL restarted after its lockout year and made only one more appearance in a Griffins uniform, logging a one-game conditioning stint midway through that season to complete his Grand Rapids tenure. After racking up the third-most NHL regular season games played by a former Griffin (953), Kronwall announced his retirement on Sept. 3 and joined Detroit’s front office as an advisor to new general manager Steve Yzerman. But the incredible impact he had as a player both in Grand Rapids and Hockeytown will live on.

MOST NHL GAMES* PLAYED AFTER GRIFFINS DEBUT THROUGH 2018-19 REGULAR SEASON CHRIS NEIL 2 NIKLAS KRONWALL 3 VALTTERI FILPPULA 4 CHRIS KELLY 5 PAVOL DEMITRA 6 JIRI HUDLER 7 JUSTIN ABDELKADER 8 JONATHAN ERICSSON 9 DARREN HELM 10 JASON SPEZZA 1

1065 1026 953 948 845 788 706 688 662 629

BOLD = ACTIVE NHL PLAYER • Italics = Made NHL debut prior to Griffins debut

*Excludes players who already had more than a full season’s worth of NHL experience prior to making their Griffins debut.

50 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

GRIFFINS NHL ALUMNI

179 TOTAL

No.

NIKLAS KRONWALL 12/10/03 DET AT BUF

NOT U J TS N A OTHER BRIKC N I HTE WAL NIKLAS KRONWALL 2 0 0 8

DETROIT

2 0 0 0 2 0 0 6

ONLY GRIFFINS ALUM WITH TWO OLYMPIC MEDALS

SWEDEN

(2006, 2014)

ONLY GRIFFIN TO WIN AHL’S EDDIE SHORE AWARD (2005)

ONLY GRIFFINS DEFENSEMAN TO LEAD THE TEAM IN SCORING

IN 20042005

(2004-05)

Photos: Getty Images, IIHF, Mark Newman and Dave Reginek

FORMER GRIFFINS WHO HAD THEIR NAME ENGRAVED ON STANLEY CUP Dmitry Afanasenkov • Tampa Bay 2004 Darren Rumble • Tampa Bay 2004 Kevyn Adams • Carolina 2006 Valtteri Filppula • Detroit 2008 Darren Helm • Detroit 2008 Jiri Hudler • Detroit 2008 Tomas Kopecky • Detroit 2008 Chicago 2010 Brett Lebda • Detroit 2008 Darren McCarty • Detroit 2008 Derek Meech • Detroit 2008 Chris Osgood • Detroit 2008 Mark Eaton • Pittsburgh 2009 Chris Kelly • Boston 2011 Sheldon Brookbank • Chicago 2013 Kevin Porter • Pittsburgh 2016 DETROIT FIRST-ROUND DRAFT PICKS WHO PLAYED FOR GRIFFINS (DRAFT YEAR LISTED) Dylan Larkin 2014 Jakub Kindl 2005 Evgeny Svechnikov 2015 Brendan Smith 2007 Dennis Cholowski 2016 Tom McCollum 2008 Michael Rasmussen 2017 Riley Sheahan 2010 Filip Zadina 2018 Anthony Mantha 2013 FORMER GRIFFINS WHO WON AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL Alexey Marchenko Olympic Athletes from Russia 2018 GRIFFINS DEFENSEMEN WHO SCORED 50 POINTS IN A SEASON Bryan Helmer 56 in 2005-06 Adam Almquist 53 in 2013-14 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 51

Patience

Rewarded Before taking the Boston Bruins to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, ex-Griffins head coach Bruce Cassidy spent eight seasons in the AHL, rebuilding his resume following an ill-fated introduction to the NHL with the Washington Capitals.

Story by Mark Newman / Photos by Mark Newman and Getty Images

Cassidy’s .642 winning percentage in 162 regular-season games is the best among the 11 coaches in the Griffins’ history. 52 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

The American Hockey League teaches many things. Among the more important is patience. There are no guarantees – the proverb of “all good things come to he who waits” does not necessarily apply here – but if you put in your work and excel, you can certainly improve your chances of being rewarded with a promotion to the NHL. Few NHL coaches know the odds better than Boston Bruins bench boss Bruce Cassidy, the ex-Griffins head coach who spent eight seasons in the AHL with Providence after an ill-fated introduction with the Washington Capitals. Cassidy has guided the Bruins to three consecutive playoff appearances, including last season when Boston came within one win of the Stanley Cup, dropping Game 7 by a 4-1 margin to the St. Louis Blues. Boston rewarded Cassidy with a multi-year contract extension this past summer. A former first-round draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, Cassidy made the most of his two seasons coaching in Grand Rapids (2000-02), leading the Griffins to consecutive playoff appearances and in the process establishing

Cassidy led the Boston Bruins to the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, falling only one victory short of taking home hockey’s greatest prize.

himself as one of the most highly regarded young coaching talents in the sport. “I have good memories of Grand Rapids,” Cassidy said this past summer while recovering from knee replacement surgery. “Bob McNamara was the GM and he was a good guy to work for. We had two different teams during my time there. “The first year was a veteran team in the IHL with a lot more older guys. We lost to Orlando in the playoffs, which was disappointing because I thought we were one of the best teams in the league during the regular season.” In fact, the Griffins tallied a league-high 113 points during the IHL’s 2000-01 campaign and compiled a 53-22-4-3 record. “My second year we were a lot younger with 11 or 12 rookies and playing in the AHL,” he said. “Again, we had a very good team. We won the league goals-against title with three young goalies (Ottawa prospects Martin Prusek, Simon Lajeunesse and Mathieu Chouinard), but lost in the first round to Chicago. The Wolves got five guys back from Atlanta for the playoffs and those guys made a big difference and they ended up winning the title.” Despite the disappointing postseasons, Cassidy

has nothing but good to say about his stay in Grand Rapids. “My time there was a lot of positives, no negatives,” he said. “I loved the fans in Grand Rapids. We had good support in a good building for a minor league team. We made a lot of good friends with whom we’ve kept in touch.” His successful two-year run with the Griffins provided Cassidy with his first NHL coaching opportunity. He took over a veteran Washington team that would qualify for the playoffs with a 39-29-8–6 record during the 2002-03 season. But his relationship with some of the veteran players eventually soured and he was fired after the Capitals stumbled to an 8-16-1 start the second season under his helm. Looking back, Cassidy realizes that his inexperience may have been his downfall. “When I left Grand Rapids, I was 37 years old and I had been coaching only six years,” he said. “All of a sudden, I found myself in the NHL, so things happened in a hurry.” The Capitals would eventually finish with the third-worst record in the NHL, but they won the draft lottery and chose Alexander Ovechkin with the first overall pick in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 53

Cassidy became head coach of the NHL’s Washington Capitals at age 37 after two strong seasons in Grand Rapids.

Cassidy found another NHL job two seasons later, working as an assistant coach with the Chicago Blackhawks, but his contract was not renewed after the Blackhawks missed the 2006 playoffs. Thanks to the team’s poor finish, Cassidy’s former team again secured a draft lottery pick following his departure, selecting Jonathan Toews with the third overall pick. He subsequently became head coach of the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs, a detour into junior hockey that he now sees as ill-timed for his career. He ultimately decided the proper path back to the NHL led through the AHL and landed a job in Providence. In all, Cassidy spent eight years with the Bruins’ AHL team, the first three as an assistant coach and the next five as the head coach. His time in the AHL was well-spent. Cassidy honed his craft, not only sharpening his coaching techniques and tricks of the trade but also enhancing his empathy and understanding of the player psyche as well as ways to manage and motivate players. “Obviously the Xs and Os change over time, but coaching is more about dealing with people than Xs and Os, to be honest,” he said. “It’s all those things you learn as you get older, the 54 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

general things you learn in life, as well as hockey. “With experience, you learn how to handle different scenarios – what to do to get out of a losing streak, how to keep the guys focused when winning, how to bounce back from a tough loss in the playoffs. Over the years, you go through a lot of different experiences. You learn patience and you learn balance.” Coaching in the AHL helped Cassidy get his career back on the right track. Out of the NHL spotlight, he tinkered with everything from perfecting power play blueprints to exercising new strategies in bench management. “What I liked about the AHL is how different scenarios would pop up,” he said. “You can practice all week, feel like you’ve got your power play all ready and then you get a call from Boston and they’re short a couple of guys now, so they’re going to take the guys who were key to your power play. “Suddenly you’re faced with trying to reconstruct your power play and I enjoyed that part of it. You learn to do a lot of things on the fly.” The AHL provides fertile ground for experimentation. “Bench management is the AHL is less scrutinized. If you want to change lines, make a centerman a winger, if you want to try some different things, it’s not going to be written about like in the NHL,” he said. “Coaching in the AHL allows you to think outside the box.” Cassidy also enjoyed working with the young players who are the lifeblood of the league. “If you can’t teach down there, you’re going nowhere because all these young guys come in with some habits that need to be corrected,” he said. “The AHL is certainly a place that teaches you patience in that regard.” The AHL, in other words, is a great training ground for players and coaches who aspire to reach the NHL. “Some players are fortunate to make it to the NHL right away, but I think every player can benefit from time in the AHL,” Cassidy said. “And from a coaching standpoint, I think most coaches can benefit from coaching at that level, too.” Cassidy never worried that he might get stuck in the AHL but he did wonder. “I didn’t know if I was destined to be an AHL coach the rest of my life, but I knew I wanted to be a head coach,” he said. “I enjoyed my time in Providence, but I always hoped that I would get a

second chance. That’s human nature. “So I didn’t sweat it. I knew there were other opportunities to get back to the NHL as an assistant and if I eventually got tired of riding the buses in the AHL, I might have pursued one of those assistant jobs. I’m just fortunate that it worked out for me.” By the time he was promoted to Boston, Cassidy felt like he knew Bruins well because a number of the players – Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak, Torey Krug, Adam McQuaid, Kevan Miller and Tuukka Rask, among others – had played for him in Providence. Cassidy’s transition to being an NHL head coach for the second time was also eased by the fact that the Bruins were led by a strong group of veterans who recognized what was required for success. “(Zdeno) Chara and (Patrice) Bergeron had won a Cup in Boston and they remain among the hardest working guys on the team,” he said. “If you’re a smart coach, you recognize that you’ve got to let them have the room and you encourage them to do a good job so you can focus on other things.” The second time around, Cassidy tried to be honest with himself and his players. “I think you can be yourself coaching at any level – in fact, I would recommend it,” he said. “When I went to Boston from Providence, I thought I coached the same way that I had in the AHL, but I was much more comfortable in my skin because I had been up there before and I had coached a lot of the guys when they had been in Providence. There was a familiarity that helped the process and when you have the backing of your players, it helps a lot.” The 2018-19 NHL season will forever remain a memorable one for Cassidy. “I don’t think I’ll ever forget Game 7,” he said. “You go through in your head the things you could have done differently. You try to learn from every experience, good and bad, but it doesn’t take away the sting of losing (in Game 7). It will always be there, especially if you never get back, but I’m an optimist. Things happen for a reason. “We had a lot of great moments last season, starting with opening our year in China. We played The Winter Classic at Notre Dame Stadium and we won that game. We came back against Toronto in the first round by winning Game 6 and Game 7. We experienced too many

Cassidy spent eight years coaching the Providence Bruins before getting his second chance at the NHL with Boston.

great things last year to flush them all down the toilet.” Cassidy is doing his best to focus on this season, not last season. “It’s healthy to unplug during the summer, so I haven’t been sitting in front of the computer every day, trying to fix that one game. I’m smart enough to know that a lot of different things can happen in a game. You just hope your players are better prepared and ready to do enough right things the next time they’re there – that’s it.” Cassidy has compiled a 117-52-22 record in 191 games since taking over the Bruins, and Boston’s 256 points over that span are secondmost behind only the powerhouse Tampa Bay Lightning. He hopes he is building a legacy in Boston. “I’ve heard coaches say anybody can have one good year – it’s consistency that matters,” he said. “If you want to be considered among the better people at your craft, you’ve got to build that consistency. You’ve got to keep your team at the top and a lot goes into it. I just want to do my part.” Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 55

Story and photos by Mark Newman

Goalie Calvin Pickard is taking a level-headed approach to his eighth pro season. 56 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Goalie Calvin Pickard is known for his unflappable demeanor, but even he has to admit that the past couple of years have been a little unsettling. The Canadian-born netminder has been on an emotional rollercoaster ever since he was the first player selected by the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft. He’s been waived, traded, then waived and claimed, not once but twice. In the past two seasons alone, he has played for five different teams. “It goes to show that you never know what’s going to happen,” Pickard said. So it was with great relief that he signed a two-year, $1.4 million contract with the Detroit Red

Wings this summer. All the past moves have proved one thing: he is still wanted. “When Detroit came calling right away, I was excited about the opportunity, especially to an up-and-coming team like the Wings,” he said. “I’m really excited to be part of this organization for the next two years.” Pickard brings a wealth of experience to the Red Wings organization, where he is expected to help mentor NHL prospect Filip Larsson. A native of Moncton, New Brunswick, he is the younger brother of Chet Pickard, who is also a goalie and was a first-round pick of the Nashville Predators in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft. Two goalies in the same family would seem to be unusual, to say the least. Pickard was still a skater when his brother became a full-time goalie. “My dad told me one day that I had to make the decision to become either a player or a goalie, and I chose goalie and never looked back,” he said. At the age of seven, his family moved from Moncton to Winnipeg when his father was transferred because of his job as an air traffic controller. “From a young age, I was pretty good,” Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 57

Pickard is known for his composure on the ice.

Pickard said. “With my brother almost three years older, he went through the junior ranks and pro ranks before I did, so it was nice that I could see him go through everything and be able to talk to him about it. “We always wanted to see each other do well, but as brothers we were competitive. My first year in juniors was his last year in juniors. We played in the same division and we faced each other four times, but I never won. “It was pretty cool to play against him in juniors because he was pretty high-profile. He was a first-round pick and to this day I have never seen a more in-the-zone goalie than he was in junior hockey. It was really fun to have that experience of playing against him.” Having an older brother as a mentor has helped Pickard through the years. “There are a lot of things I either did or didn’t do because I had watched his career,” he said. “He was a really good goalie and he’s still playing – this is his fifth year playing in Germany – but I was lucky to follow in his footsteps. We’re really close and we still talk almost every day.” 58 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Pickard played all four years of his major junior career with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL. “I was playing a lot under all types of circumstances,” he said. “When I was 16, I played 47 games on a pretty good team that got into the playoffs. When I was 17, 18 and 19, our team never made the playoffs, but I played a lot of regular season games.” Pickard saw a lot of action and a lot of rubber. During his last three years of junior hockey, he played 62, 68 and 64 games, respectively, recording more than 2,000 saves each season. “You won’t see that anymore, but I was lucky to see a lot of action,” said Pickard, who played in all but 22 of 216 games between 2009-12 and became a second-round pick of the Colorado Avalanche in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. “We were losing a lot and I would have preferred to have been on a winning team, but Colorado continued to believe in me.” It was during his years in junior hockey that Pickard developed the disposition that would serve him well during his subsequent years. Poise and presence are particularly pivotal for a position where temperament is key. “I learned a lot of good lessons in juniors,” he said. “I used to be a little bit of a hothead, but I had some good coaches in people like Rod Sumner and Turner Stevenson, who gave me the gears a few times.” He also credits the Thunderbirds’ goalie coach, Paul Fricker, who remains his personal goalie coach to this day. “We work together during the summer and he’s a really good person for me,” he said. “I can talk to him about anything. He’s almost like a psychologist to me. It’s definitely helped to have him in my corner.” Pickard started his pro career with the AHL’s Lake Erie Monsters, logging two games in the spring of 2012 before turning pro that fall. “Coming into my 20th year, there was some uncertainty in my game,” he admitted. “Not being able to win at the junior level, I had to restock my confidence going into my first year in the pros, but I got a good opportunity in Cleveland. “I thank Colorado for playing me right off the bat so that I was able to develop my confidence.” It was during his second full season in Cleveland that Pickard came under the guidance of notable goaltending coach Francois Allaire, who had successfully mentored Patrick Roy and Jean-Sebastien Giguere, both Conn Smythe

Trophy winners as the most valuable player of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Pickard, who had a looser, freewheeling style, adopted a more consistent, controlled approach under Allaire’s tutoring. “I was kind of all over the map,” he said. “I think there may have been some trickle effect from playing in Seattle where I was trying to do everybody’s job because shots were coming from everywhere.” His transformation did not occur overnight. “There definitely was a learning curve,” he said. “I was thinking a little too much on the ice. I was trying to be square and be positioned properly instead of just stopping the puck. But after that, I trusted the system and it became second nature and I could just play. “Bumping into Frankie Allaire was perfect timing for me. You never want to lose your natural ability, your athleticism, the way you follow the puck, but he put that needed structure into my game and I thank him for that.” Pickard kept fine-tuning his game, splitting time between the Monsters and Avalanche during the 2014-15 season when he earned the confidence of Hall of Famer Roy, who was Colorado’s head coach and vice president of hockey operations. “They didn’t rush me,” said Pickard, who notched his first two NHL wins in relief. “My third year, I ended up playing 66 games between the NHL and AHL.” He recorded his first NHL shutout against New Jersey during the 2015-16 season, which he again split between the AHL and NHL. “I was still waiver-exempt, so I started the year in the minors, but I played well and eventually they called me up and found a full-time job in the NHL by Christmas time. It was a really good situation for me because I got to play a decent amount in Colorado.” Roy departed the scene before the 2016-17 season when Pickard played a career-high 50 games for the Avalanche under new head coach Jared Bednar, the one-time Griffins defenseman (1998-99). Pickard enjoyed the heavy workload. “Obviously when you’re playing a lot, you get into a rhythm,” he said. “When you’re a workhorse, you still work hard in practice and do your work for 30-45 minutes, and when you’re away from the rink, you rest up. I’ve been lucky and stayed healthy, so

Pickard won a Calder Cup with the Toronto Marlies in 2018.

I’ve played a lot of games in the pros, which has helped my career.” Pickard has twice represented Canada in international play. He won a gold medal at the 2016 World Championship in Russia when he won two round-robin games, then took home a silver medal at the 2017 World Championship when Canada lost the title contest in a 2-1 shootout to Sweden in Cologne, Germany. “My wife and I traveled around Europe after the world championships before the expansion draft which happened a month later,” he recalled. “I got word that I wasn’t going to be protected, which is what I expected, but I didn’t think about it because there were a lot of goalies available.” When Pickard started reading that he might be on Vegas’ radar, he began to think his days in Denver might be numbered. “After spending several years in Colorado, you begin to become comfortable and you think you’re going to play there forever,” he said. “The night before the draft, I couldn’t sleep because Colorado was all I knew. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 59

Pickard is expected to help mentor Red Wings prospect Filip Larsson.

“When I went to the gym the next day, my agent texted me: ‘Big News.’ At that point, I knew what was coming.” Pickard had the distinction of being the first player selected by Vegas in the expansion draft. “I was in shock,” he said. “After playing four years in Seattle in juniors, I spent the next five with Colorado and all of a sudden, everything changes and you have to re-establish yourself.” Still, he was excited by the potential opportunity, even going so far as holding a contest with Vegas fans to design his goalie mask. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out quite as well as he had hoped. “I didn’t get much of an opportunity in Vegas,” he said. “I played two games in the preseason and played average, but they kept giving me a vote of confidence. They said, ‘You and (Marc-Andre) Fleury are our goalies.’ That’s when I learned how quickly hockey can change.” Pickard was expected to be the backup behind Fleury until the Golden Knights claimed goalie Malcolm Subban off waivers from the Boston Bruins a few days before the regular season. He was subsequently waived 60 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

himself but was traded instead to Toronto and then assigned to the Leafs’ AHL affiliate. “Things happen fast and that’s when the domino effect started,” he said. “Since then I’ve seen a lot of different places and met a lot of new people, which has definitely seasoned me.” He admits that there were “some tough days” mentally speaking. “After playing 50 games with Colorado, the next year I was back in the minors,” he said. “But you have to remember that the AHL is still a great league with a lot of great players and every day is another opportunity to get better.” In 2017-18, Pickard split time with Garret Sparks, who posted a league-leading .936 save percentage on the way to being named the AHL’s top goaltender. Together, the pair were awarded the Harry “Hap” Holmes Memorial Award (for lowest goals against average) and led the Marlies to the Calder Cup. “I thought I had a really good year in Toronto,” he said. “We won the Calder Cup with a heckuva team. When you’re winning a lot and not letting in many goals, it makes it a lot of fun. I loved every minute of my time in Toronto.”

With Sparks claiming the backup role with the Maple Leafs last season, Pickard was claimed off waivers by Philadelphia. “I didn’t play great in Philly, so when Arizona picked me up, I looked at it as another opportunity. I didn’t play a lot there, but I got some good instruction.” Pickard saw action in only 17 games in the NHL, plus four games in the AHL. “When you’re not the starting goalie on the team, you learn how to play once a week or only once every 10 days,” he said. “I’ve seen it at both levels, so you learn how to keep yourself sharp. Practice becomes huge.” He confessed that he looked at this past July with a bit of trepidation. “It was the first time I had to go through free agency, so I didn’t know what to expect, especially after a season when I didn’t play much,” he said. “When the Red Wings came calling right away, I was excited about the opportunity, especially in an up-and-coming organization like Detroit.” Pickard felt good coming into training camp and was looking forward to settling into his role within the Red Wings organization.

“In today’s game, every organization needs a number of good goalies because there are a lot of games to go around, especially with all the back-to-back games in the AHL,” he said. “As a goalie, you’re always competing for ice time. “The way the season works, you’ll spend your time on the bench – that’s the way it works. But you don’t want to be on the bench, you want to be on the ice, so you want your goalies to push each other, both on and off the ice.” As a veteran at age 27, Pickard looks forward to using his experience and being a quiet leader. “For me, the main thing is to lead by example,” he said. “It’s all about working hard, doing my job in the net, saying all the right things, being an open book and talking, but not mentor too much. Mostly, I just want to be myself.” Not surprisingly, Pickard is taking nothing for granted. Like a seasoned pro, he is going to take it one game at a time. “Nobody’s perfect. You’re going to make mistakes,” he said. “How you handle yourself is what’s important.”

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Apps are for Apps are for

The Oﬃce! The Oﬃce!

MOS-XEROX.COM MOS-XEROX.COM

Michel Picard

Chris Terry

GAMES PLAYED Travis Richards Brian Lashoff (2nd) 5 players tied 3 players tied GOALS Michel Picard Matthew Ford (T28th) Donald MacLean (2005-06) Chris Terry ASSISTS Michel Picard Brian Lashoff (T19th) Jiri Hudler (2005-06) Carter Camper

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2018-19 All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2018-19 All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2018-19

Martin Prusek

655 453 *82 72

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2018-19

158 47 *56 29

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2018-19

222 76 60 33

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2018-19

POINTS Michel Picard Matt Puempel (36th) Michel Picard (1996-97) Chris Terry PLUS/MINUS Travis Richards Turner Elson (T36th) Ivan Ciernik (2000-01) Vili Saarijarvi PENALTY MINUTES Darryl Bootland Dylan McIlrath (21st) Darryl Bootland (2005-06) Dylan McIlrath

380 104 101 61 +131 +24 *+41 +19 1,164 259 390 98

* = Led League

RECORDBOOK ANDLEADERS (Entering 2019-20 Season)

Dylan McIlrath

Brian Lashoff

Joey MacDonald

GOALIE GAMES PLAYED

SHUTOUTS

All-Time

Tom McCollum

263

All-Time

Joey MacDonald

Single-Season

Joey MacDonald (2004-05)

*66

Single-Season

6 players tied

Harri Sateri GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE

2018-19

Patrik Rybar SAVES

2018-19

All-Time

Martin Prusek

1.83

All-Time

Tom McCollum

6,640

Single-Season

Martin Prusek (2001-02)

*1.83

Single-Season

Joey MacDonald (2004-05)

1,785

2018-19

Patrik Rybar WINS

2.49

2018-19

Harri Sateri SAVE PERCENTAGE

996

All-Time

Tom McCollum

123

All-Time

Martin Prusek

0.930

Single-Season

Joey MacDonald (2004-05)

Single-Season

Joey MacDonald (2003-04)

0.936

Mike Fountain (2000-01)

*34

2018-19

Patrik Rybar

0.908

2018-19

Harri Sateri

* = Led League

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 63

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 67

GRIFFINS ALL-STARS

2019

2016

2019 AHL All-Star Chris Terry

2015

Chris Terry Matt Lorito, Matt Puempel Matt Lorito, Robbie Russo, Todd Nelson (head coach) Jeff Hoggan (captain), Xavier Ouellet Xavier Ouellet, Teemu Pulkkinen Alexey Marchenko, Jeff Blashill (co-coach) Chad Billins, Petr Mrazek, Gustav Nyquist Gustav Nyquist Ilari Filppula, Brendan Smith Patrick Rissmiller Jakub Kindl, Daniel Larsson Jonathan Ericsson, Jimmy Howard

68 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Matt Puempel

2018

Matt Lorito

2014

2013

Chad Billins

2018-19 2017-18 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 2010-11 2009-10 2008-09 2007-08

2018

Teemu Pulkkinen

Jeff Hoggan and Xavier Ouellet

2013

JANUARY 26-27

Alexey Marchenko

2013

Petr Mrazek

2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 2003-04 2002-03 2001-02 2000-01 1999-00 1998-99 1997-98 1996-97

Gustav Nyquist

Derek Meech, Kip Miller (captain) Valtteri Filppula, Jiri Hudler, Donald MacLean Niklas Kronwall, Joey MacDonald Jiri Hudler, Niklas Kronwall, Travis Richards (captain), Nathan Robinson Marc Lamothe, Mark Mowers Chris Bala, John Gruden, Kip Miller, Martin Prusek, Petr Schastlivy, Bruce Cassidy (head coach), Gene Reilly (asst. coach) Mike Fountain, Joel Kwiatkowski, Travis Richards, Todd White, Bruce Cassidy (co-coach) John Gruden, Jani Hurme, Kevin Miller, Petr Schastlivy Robert Petrovicky, Maxim Spiridonov Ian Gordon, Kerry Huffman, Michel Picard Jeff Nelson, Michel Picard, Pokey Reddick

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70 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 71

Celebrating 10 YEARS as the Griffins Trusted Catering Partner YoChef’s Catering Company will take care of all the details from preparation to clean up. Our experience and reliability ensure that your event will be a hit!

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72 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

BOARDING Called for any action which causes an opponent to be thrown violently into the boards.

HIGH STICKING Making contact with an opponent while carrying the stick above shoulder hight.

MISCONDUCT 10-minute or disqualification penalty for excessive or additional misbehavior on the ice.

TRIPPING Called for using the stick, arm or leg to cause an opponent to trip or fall.

CHARGING Taking a run at an opposing player using more than three strides to build up speed.

HOLDING Clutching an opposing playerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body with the hands, arms or legs.

ROUGHING Called for engaging in fisticuffs or shoving.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT Called for unsportsmanlike actions such as disputing an officialâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision, grabbing the face mask of a player, etc.

CROSS CHECKING A check or block delivered by a player with both hands on the stick and no part of the stick on the ice.

HOOKING The use of the stick or blade to impede the progress of an opponent.

SLASHING Striking an opposing player with the stick.

DELAYED PENALTY Referee extends his arm and points to the penalized player until the penalized team regains possession of the puck.

INTERFERENCE When a player impedes the progress of an opponent who is not in possession of the puck.

SPEARING Called for using the stick like a spear.

ELBOWING Called when a player uses an elbow to impede an opponent.

KNEEING Called when a player uses a knee to impede an opponent.

WASH-OUT When used by the referee, it means goal disallowed. When used by linesmen, it means there is no icing or no offside.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 73

BAKERSFIELD CONDORS BELLEVILLE SENATORS BINGHAMTON DEVILS BRIDGEPORT SOUND TIGERS CHARLOTTE CHECKERS CHICAGO WOLVES CLEVELAND MONSTERS COLORADO EAGLES GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS HARTFORD WOLF PACK HERSHEY BEARS IOWA WILD LAVAL ROCKET LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS MANITOBA MOOSE MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS ONTARIO REIGN PROVIDENCE BRUINS ROCHESTER AMERICANS ROCKFORD ICEHOGS SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE SAN DIEGO GULLS SAN JOSE BARRACUDA SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS STOCKTON HEAT SYRACUSE CRUNCH TEXAS STARS TORONTO MARLIES TUCSON ROADRUNNERS UTICA COMETS WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

74 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

2019-20 AHL TEAM LANDSCAPE

ANEMAILNEWSLETTERTHAT YOU’LLACTUALLYREAD

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Since their inception

chalice in six of the last 12

in 1996, the Griffins have sent 179

years and in eight of the last 15

players to the National Hockey

seasons. In chronological order,

League, 16 of whom have

here are the 22 goalies and 157

gone on to win the Stanley

76 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

skaters who have worn an NHL

Cup. In fact, a Griffins

sweater after playing for Grand

alumnus has had his name

Rapids, along with the dates of

engraved on Lord Stanleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

their NHL debuts/returns.

1............Pavol Demitra............................3/17/97 STL at PHX 2............Kevyn Adams...........................10/1/97 TOR vs. WSH 3............Tyler Moss................................10/28/97 CGY vs. PIT 4............Michel Picard..................................1/6/98 STL at SJ 5............Jeff Nelson.............................10/10/98 NSH vs. FLA 6............Patrick Traverse.......................10/10/98 OTT at COL 7............Mark Greig...................................1/7/99 PHI vs. NYI 8............Radim Bicanek............................2/1/99 OTT at VAN 9............Robert Petrovicky........................2/15/99 TB at NYI 10..........Andrei Vasilyev...........................3/5/99 PHX vs. DET 11..........Todd Hlushko...............................4/25/99 PIT vs. NJ 12..........Patrick Lalime............................10/2/99 OTT at PHI 13..........Glen Metropolit......................10/2/99 WSH at FLA 14..........Kevin Miller.............................10/31/99 OTT at ATL 15..........Karel Rachunek.......................10/31/99 OTT at ATL 16..........Erich Goldmann....................11/11/99 OTT vs. NSH 17..........Yves Sarault...............................11/20/99 OTT at NJ 18..........John Gruden...........................11/30/99 OTT vs. CHI 19..........Mike Fountain..............................12/3/99 OTT at NJ 20..........Dave Van Drunen....................12/13/99 OTT at TOR 21..........Petr Schastlivy..............................1/3/00 OTT vs. NJ 22..........John Emmons............................1/6/00 OTT vs. PHX 23..........Slava Butsayev..........................1/28/00 OTT at BUF 24..........Aris Brimanis.............................2/13/00 NYI at NYR 25..........Dieter Kochan............................3/28/00 TB vs. DAL 26..........Jani Hurme....................................4/9/00 OTT vs. TB 27..........Shane Hnidy.............................10/5/00 OTT at BOS 28..........Donald MacLean...................10/14/00 TOR vs. OTT 29..........David Oliver...............................11/4/00 OTT vs. CBJ 30..........Jamie Rivers............................11/12/00 OTT at CAR 31..........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 121......Mark Cullen.................11/29/11 FLA at CAR 122........Chris Conner..............................12/2/11 DET at BUF 123........Joakim Andersson.................12/27/11 DET vs. STL 124.......Ty Conklin ..........................3/21/12 DET at NYR 125.......Riley Sheahan......................4/7/12 DET vs. CHI 126.....Brian Lashoff................. 1/21/13 DET at CBJ 127........Mike Knuble...............................1/26/13 PHI at FLA 128........Jamie Tardif.................................2/2/13 BOS at TOR 129........Petr Mrazek ...........................2/7/13 DET at STL 130........ Jonas Gustavsson...................2/19/13 DET at NSH 131........Carlo Colaiacovo.........................4/1/13 DET vs. COL 132.......Danny DeKeyser..............10/2/13 DET vs. BUF 133.......Luke Glendening...........10/12/13 DET vs. PHI 134.......Xavier Ouellet....................10/21/13 DET vs. SJ 135........Adam Almquist .....................11/4/13 DET at WPG 136........Chad Billins...............................11/5/13 CGY at MIN 137.......Patrick Eaves....................12/14/13 DET vs. PIT 138........Tomas Jurco..............................12/15/13 DET vs. TB 139........Jordin Tootoo..........................12/19/13 DET vs. CGY 140........Alexey Marchenko......................1/4/14 DET at DAL 141........Teemu Pulkkinen ..................3/14/14 DET vs. EDM 142........Landon Ferraro........................3/18/14 DET vs. TOR 143.......Calle Jarnkrok....................3/21/14 NSH at CGY 144........Mitch Callahan...........................3/25/14 DET at CBJ 145........Ryan Sproul................................4/13/14 DET at STL 146........Andrej Nestrasil.......................10/9/14 DET vs. BOS 147........Stephen Weiss.......................11/24/14 DET vs. OTT 148.....Mattias Janmark............10/8/15 DAL vs. PIT 149.......Dylan Larkin.....................10/9/15 DET vs. TOR 150...... Kevin Porter...........................10/10/15 PIT at ARI 151.......Andreas Athanasiou......11/8/15 DET vs. DAL 152.....Tomas Nosek...............12/26/15 DET at NSH 153.....Eric Tangradi.................. 1/25/16 DET at NYI 154.......Anthony Mantha..............3/15/16 DET at PHI 155.....Alan Quine.......................4/9/16 NYI vs. PHI 156.......Martin Frk.......................10/18/16 CAR at EDM 157.....Tyler Bertuzzi.................11/8/16 DET at PHI 158........Jared Coreau...............................12/3/16 DET at PIT 159.......Nick Jensen........................12/20/16 DET at TB 160........Drew Miller...............................2/28/17 DET at VAN 161........Robbie Russo..............................3/7/17 DET at TORÂ 162........Dan Renouf.............................. 3/27/17 DET at CAR 163.....Ben Street.....................3/28/17 DET at CAR 164........Evgeny Svechnikov....................4/3/17 DET vs. OTT 165........Matt Lorito.................................4/8/17 DET vs. MTL 166........Kyle Criscuolo.........................11/17/17 BUF at DET 167.....Dominic Turgeon............1/14/18 DET at CHI 168.....Joe Hicketts.....................1/22/18 DET at NJ 169.....Dennis Cholowski..........10/4/18 DET vs. CBJ 170.....Libor Sulak.....................10/4/18 DET vs. CBJ 171.....Filip Hronek...................10/4/18 DET vs. CBJ 172.....Wade Megan..................11/1/18 DET vs. NJ 173.....Christoffer Ehn............. 11/6/18 DET vs. VAN 174.....Eddie Pasquale................12/4/18 TB at DET 175.....Michael Rasmussen........2/7/19 DET vs. VGK 176.....Filip Zadina......................2/24/19 DET vs. SJ 177.....Matt Puempel.............. 3/23/19 DET at VGK 178.....Dylan McIlrath..................3/25/19 DET at SJ 179.....Jake Chelios....................3/29/19 DET vs. NJ Bold = Played in the NHL during the 2018-19 season Italics = Had name engraved on the Stanley Cup after playing for Grand Rapids All photos by Getty Images Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 77

Don’t miss any of the action this season! *All playoff games and when regular season conflicts arise.

LISTEN TO BOB KASER’S PLAY-BY-PLAY ON NEWSRADIO WOOD 106.9 FM / 1300 AM & STREAM THE ACTION ON IHEARTRADIO!

A Big Thanks To Our Radio Sponsors For Their Help In Bringing Griffins Hockey To You This Season

78 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

THE PLAYMATE RAN (= Name That Player) Unscramble the goofy words to form the name of a Red Wings, Griffins or Walleye player. Good luck!

ANAGRAMS

PLAYERS

1.....Nth Icy Mallard 2.....Visiting Ham 3.....Darn Civil Pack 4.....Retro Midsize 5.....Reducing Motion 6.....Fills A Prison 7.....Funny Ark Ref 8.....This Coke Jet 9.....Fad Threw Tom 10.....Flash of Brain 11.....Shocked Lion Wins 12.....Noel Returns 13.....Hot French Fries 14.....Ask Ridiculous Jive 15.....Farm’s Coward Cur 16.....Minions Hiked 17.....Comrade Logger 18.....Lord Saving Mutts 19.....Stir Cherry 20.....Adulthood Arcade Users 21.....Clear Mecca 22.....Song Girl Toy 23.....Me Apple Mutt 24.....Masculine Mashers 25.....Vapid Op-Ed 26.....Cornea Shapes

Dennis Cholowski Marcus Crawford Charle-Édouard D’Astous Christoffer Ehn Turner Elson Matthew Ford Joe Hicketts Ryan Kuffner Filip Larsson Brian Lashoff Gustav Lindstrom Troy Loggins Jarid Lukosevicius Gregor MacLeod Alec McCrea Dylan McIlrath Chase Pearson Calvin Pickard David Pope Matt Puempel Michael Rasmussen Moritz Seider Dominik Shine Givani Smith Chris Terry Dominic Turgeon

KIDS PAGE ADULTHOOD ARCADE USERS

CLEAR MECCA

FILLS A PRISON

FLASH OF BRAIN

COMRADE LOGGER

FAD THREW TOM

FUNNY ARK REF

HOT FRENCH FRIES

MASCULINE MASHERS

MINIONS HIKED

NOEL RETURNS

NTH ICY MALLARD

SHOCKED LION WINS

SONG GIRL TOY

STIR CHERRY

THIS COKE JET 1. Dylan McIlrath 2. Givani Smith 3. Calvin Pickard 4. Moritz Seider 5. Dominic Turgeon 6. Filip Larsson 7. Ryan Kuffner

8. Joe Hicketts 9. Matthew Ford 10. Brian Lashoff 11. Dennis Cholowski 12. Turner Elson 13. Christoffer Ehn 14. Jarid Lukosevicius

ANSWERS

15. Marcus Crawford 16. Dominik Shine 17. Gregor MacLeod 18. Gustav Lindstrom 19. Chris Terry 20. Charle-Édouard D’Astous

21. Alec McCrea 22. Troy Loggins 23. Matt Puempel 24. Michael Rasmussen 25. David Pope 26. Chase Pearson

VISITING HAM

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 79

PARTING SHOT

It was the first Griffins practice for several new players and one young fan when the team took the ice on Sept. 30, 2019. Nathan VanderLaan, 18 months old to the day, was watching the action at Griffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s IceHouse, thanks to his parents Steve and Kerri. Photo by Mark Newman 80 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Crisp.