SLICK SKILLS
We’re big fans of the Griffins. We’re also big fans of their fans.
Huntington is proud to support the Grand Rapids Griffins, through all the wins and losses. 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. 28, No. 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
26........ SERIOUS INTENTIONS
Red Wings prospect Nate Danielson is aiming for the stars.
34........ COMBUSTIBLE ENERGY
NHL veteran Austin Watson has helped fuel the first-half success of the Griffins.
42........ FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD
Veteran Sheldon Dries finds peace in the frenzy of pro hockey by doing what he can to push himself and his teammates toward excellence.
50........ COMING FULL CIRCLE
After achieving professional success in Europe, Michigan native Carli Snyder has returned home to compete and grow in new ways with the Grand Rapids Rise.
58........ SHARPENING HIS SKILLS
As the Griffins’ assistant equipment manager, Kyle Hornkohl helps players get off on their best foot by sewing up every loose end regarding the tools they need.
2 Chalk Talk
40 Meet the Griffins
......Griffins Records
......Griffins All-Stars
......Penalty Calls
AHL Teams Map
......It All Starts Here
......Kids Page
......Parting Shot
In his first full season with the Griffins, Nate Danielson is displaying the playmaking ability that made him the ninth overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
Photo by Mark Newman
WITH GRIFFINS HEAD COACH DAN WATSON
Hallway through the season, head coach Dan Watson was happy with his team’s overall play but saw areas for improvement.
The Griffins had a record of 14-1-2-0 when scoring the first goal, representing 17 of the first 36 games. That means they were playing from behind more often than not. While the Griffins have shown they are fully capable of erasing a one-goal deficit, it’s always better to operate from a lead than from a deficit.
“We’re focusing on our starts, and we’re starting to turn that around,” he said. “We want to make sure we grab momentum as quickly as possible. We don’t want to be a slow-starting team. We want to be a fast-starting team and hopefully catch teams that start slow.”
Watson pointed to the New Year’s Eve game against Cleveland as a good example of an ideal start. The Griffins scored the first goal less than four minutes into the game, then added three more goals for a 4-0 first-period lead.
Most significantly, three of the four goals were scored by defensemen (William Lagesson, Eemil Viro, and Antti Tuomisto).
That statistic was especially gratifying to the Griffins’ coaching staff, all former defensemen, who have been encouraging their D-men to become more active in pushing the play and generating more offense.
“One thing we struggled with early was getting out of our zone clean,” Watson said. “To create offense, you’ve got to get out of your zone with possession; you’ve got to enter the neutral zone with speed and possession.
“Our ‘D’ is part of that. They’ve got to get up
into the play and join the rush, that’s number one. And number two is that we have to execute in the offensive zone. We’ve got to win battles, win loose puck races, and when pucks go low to high, it’s up to the ‘D’ to get pucks to the net.”
Too often, the Griffins have found themselves stymied in their attempts to get their defensemen involved in the offense.
“We were getting a lot of pucks blocked and we were missing the net a ton, so now they’re not involved. And now the other team is breaking out. So we’re making an effort to flip the numbers. Our shots for are going up while our shots against are going down. Our chances for are up while our chances against are down.”
Watson said there is a coordinated effort to get the defensemen to create more scoring.
“We’re starting to involve them more in our five-man plan,” he said. “Early in the year, our emphasis was defend, defend, defend. Now it’s more about what we are doing with the puck to generate more offense.”
Watson believes all of his defensemen have the potential to produce more points.
“All of them can produce more offense, but it requires a willingness to do it. It’s being in the right spots. They’ve got to be smart and responsible, but it’s reading the play, and that comes with hockey IQ and comes from repetition in practice. It’s making sure you’re in the right spots to create offense to help our forwards.”
Watson said the coaching staff has been pleased to see the guys with less playing time getting into the scoring column.
“We’ve got to outwork teams to have success,”
he said. “Everybody needs to chip in. Some of these guys on the third or fourth line, they’re doing the right things. They’re getting rewarded.
“It’s all about habits; the details matter for everybody. When our depth is creating some scoring for us, that’s helping the big guys because they won’t be sharp every night. So you need those guys to provide secondary offense.”
While pleased that his team was battling for the top spot in the division, Watson saw the next few weeks as critical to the team’s fortunes.
“It’s the beginning of the dog days,” he said. “We’re asking our guys, especially our leadership group, to make sure practices are still competitive. We don’t want to lose any energy through practices because that will carry into our game.
“As a coaching staff, we’re making sure that our practices remain dialed in. It’s focusing on the things we need to work on, but also things on the skill development side, too. We want to make sure our compete level is high through practice. We don’t want our energy to drop because that will translate into games.”
On the purely defensive side of the puck, the Griffins have been bolstered by the play of their goaltenders. Sebastian Cossa, Ville Husso, and
Jack Campbell have all performed exceptionally well in the net.
“We have three good goaltenders who can play,” he said. “Roope Koistinen, our goaltending coach, has done a fantastic job of managing prepractice and post-practice ice time, conducting skill sessions with the goalies, along with getting their individual time with him – that’s what matters, the behind-the-scenes stuff before the bright lights of the game shine.
“We’re doing our best with the situation. The biggest thing is communication with the goaltenders. They know what the rotation is. They know who’s getting the net that night, the next night. Whether it’s three games out or two games out, depending on the schedule, they know when they will start, and then we can create a plan from there.”
Overall, Watson feels optimistic about where his team found itself midway through the season.
“We’ve got a competitive team,” he said. “We’ve got a hard-working team. We’re defending well, and want to continue doing that even harder. We’ve got a team that likes to learn. We’ve got a tight, cohesive team inside the locker room, which is the most important thing right now.
“It’s continuing to build on what we’ve started.”
2024-25 GRIFFINS HOCKEY OPERATIONS STAFF
General Manager Shawn Horcoff Head Coach Dan Watson
Assistant Coach Steph Julien
Assistant Coach Brian Lashoff
Goaltending Coach Roope Koistinen
Video Coach Erich Junge
Athletic Trainer Austin Frank Assistant Athletic Trainer Katie Berglund Physical Therapist Zack Harvey Equipment Manager Brad Thompson
Kyle Hornkohl
Stats through games of Jan. 2, 2025.
SCOUTING REPORT
COLORADO
JAN. 31, FEB. 1
This is the second season that the Eagles are featured on the Griffins’ schedule. The two teams met for the first-ever time on Oct. 13, 2023, with Grand Rapids taking a 3-2 home victory. The Eagles joined the AHL in 2018 and have qualified for each of the four AHL postseasons during their tenure. The Griffins are 3-3-0-0 all time against Colorado, which includes a 2-0-0-0 mark inside Van Andel Arena.
The Eagles’ second-year head coach, Aaron
SPRINGFIELD
FEB. 12
Springfield’s Dalibor Dvorsky was selected by the St. Louis Blues with the 10th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and is in his first year in the AHL. Through the first 27 games, Dvorsky was tied for fifth among rookies in goals (11) and tied for ninth in points (21). As of Jan. 1, fellow rookie Aleksanteri Kaskimaki was tied for fifth among first-year players in points (22) and tied for second in assists (16).
Schneekloth, competed for Grand Rapids from 2002-04 and accumulated eight points (1-7—8) in 58 games as a defenseman. Schneekloth finished his playing career with Colorado, as he spent his final seven seasons with the Eagles from 2006-13 in the CHL and ECHL, claiming a CHL title in 2007. In 2011-12, Schneekloth was named ECHL Defenseman of the Year when he paced the league’s blueliners in goals (20) and points (62).
Former Griffin Matt Luff began the campaign with the Charlotte Checkers on a PTO and later signed a standard player’s contract with Springfield on Nov. 7. With the Thunderbirds, Luff had 19 points (9-10—19) in his first 17 games, in addition to four points (2-2—4) in six outings with Charlotte. Luff competed with Grand Rapids from 2022-24 and totaled 43 points (18-25—43) in 54 regular-season games, adding one assist in five Calder Cup Playoff contests.
LEHIGH VALLEY
FEB. 19, FEB. 21
This will be the first-ever meeting against a team from Lehigh Valley inside Van Andel Arena. The Griffins made their initial trip to Allentown, Pennsylvania, on Oct. 26-27. The Oct. 26 meeting marked their first game against the Phantoms’ franchise since 2008-09, when the team played in Philadelphia. Grand Rapids collected victories in both contests in Lehigh, winning by scores of 5-2 and 4-3 (SOW).
The Phantoms’ top goaltender, Cal Petersen, is in his sixth AHL season and eighth overall campaign
IOWA
FEB. 23, MARCH 1
David Jiricek, the sixth overall pick by Columbus in 2022, was traded along with a 2025 fifth-round pick by the Blue Jackets to the Minnesota Wild in exchange for defenseman Daemon Hunt, a 2025 firstround pick, 2026 third- and fourth-round selections, and a 2027 second-round pick on Nov. 30. Jiricek was later assigned to the Iowa Wild on Dec. 8 and has appeared in nine games, showing two points (1-1—2).
HARTFORD
MARCH 12
The Wolf Pack have two Griffins connections in defenseman Blake Hillman and general manager Ryan Martin. Hillman competed for the Griffins in 2019-20 and 2021-22, showing a combined three points (0-3—3) in 15 games. Martin served as Grand Rapids’ general manager from 2013-21, helming both of the franchise’s Calder Cups (2013, 2017), as part of his 16 seasons with the Detroit Red Wings from 2005-21.
Hartford defenseman Matthew Robertson and Griffins goalie Sebastian Cossa spent two seasons
MILWAUKEE
MARCH 14
Milwaukee’s roster has featured six former first-round draft picks in Kieffer Bellows (19th in 2016), Joakim Kemell (17th in 2022), Zach L’Heureux (27th in 2021), Reid Schaefer (32nd in 2022), Fedor Svechkov (19th in 2021), and Ozzy Wiesblatt (31st in 2020). The six first-rounders lead the Central Division, as Chicago and Grand Rapids have both featured four first-rounders this season.
Admirals goaltender Magnus Chrona spent four seasons at the University of Denver from 2019-23.
as a professional. Through 203 AHL outings, Petersen possessed an 86-93-18 record with a 3.14 goals-against average and a .902 save percentage. The 30-year-old competed for Team USA at the 2021 and 2023 World Championships, going 8-2-0 with a 1.13 goals-against average and a .954 save percentage. In addition to winning a bronze medal in 2021, Petersen was named the best goaltender at the tournament when he paced all backstops in goalsagainst average (1.29) and save percentage (.953).
Former Griffins head coach
Ben Simon is in his second season as an assistant coach with Iowa.
Simon spent five seasons as the head boss for Grand Rapids from 2018-23 and served as an assistant coach for the team from 2015-18. Simon’s five seasons as head coach made him the franchise’s longest-tenured head coach, and his 144 wins rank second in Griffins history.
together with the Western Hockey League’s Edmonton Oil Kings from 2019-21. The duo went a combined 62-14-6-5 (.776) over the two campaigns but never competed in the WHL playoffs due to the COVID-19 pandemic cancelling both postseasons. From 2016-21 with Edmonton, Robertson showed 127 points (31-96—127) in 208 games, and Cossa logged a 71-16-7 record with a 2.12 GAA and a .921 save percentage in 98 games from 2019-22.
Chrona and the Griffins’ Shai Buium, Carter Mazur, and Antti Tuomisto all became NCAA champions together with Denver in 2022. During the 2022-23 season, Chrona was dubbed the NCHC Goaltender of the Year when he posted a 22-9-0 record with a 2.19 GAA and a .916 save percentage. Throughout his collegiate career, Chrona showed a 73-34-5 ledger with a 2.20 GAA and a .914 save percentage in 114 appearances.
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Dear Griffins Fans,
Looks aren’t everything, but when it comes to the Grand Rapids Griffins’ 2024-25 season, visuals are taking center stage.
The outlook for Dan Watson’s squad appears bright, after he led the Griffins to a second-place finish in the Central Division in 2023-24, guided the team back to the Calder Cup Playoffs, and won a playoff series in his first season as our head coach. This year’s roster will again be filled with some of the brightest and most exciting prospects in the sport, from goaltender Sebastian Cossa to dynamic offensive talents like Carter Mazur, Marco Kasper, and Nate Danielson. Fresh faces include Sheldon Dries and Joe Snively, the latter a Calder Cup champion with Hershey each of the last two seasons who envisions hosting both his and the Griffins’ third cups next spring.
They and their teammates will sport a new look on the ice this season thanks to our first jersey redesigns in almost a decade, updates that respect our tradition but introduce a new flair. While our logo and color scheme of red, black, metallic silver, and metallic gold are unchanged, red and gold both take on new prominence in our home and road jerseys. Red – a continued nod to our 23 years of affiliation with the Detroit Red Wings – replaced black on the shoulders while gold replaced silver in the trim, complementing the gold in the Griffins’ logo and conjuring images of ancient lore, when griffins were believed to be guardians of golden treasures.
Speaking of treasures, Van Andel Arena has a big new one this season, a long-awaited and highly anticipated addition to our award-winning game presentation: a four-sided, center-hung videoboard that will further enhance your fan experience. Boasting the same technology and display resolution as those at Comerica Park, these impressive videoboards will provide fans a more intimate and convenient view of live action and highlights than ever before, dramatically impacting the way you experience a game.
Video improvements extend to AHLTV, which has joined the FloSports platform as AHLTV on FloHockey. Whether you’re watching a game played in Grand Rapids or on the road, you’ll enjoy an improved, state-of-the-art video stream. And great news for those who can’t get enough hockey: your AHLTV on FloHockey subscription will not just give you access to every regular-season and Calder Cup Playoff contest for all 32 AHL teams, but to more than 21,000 other pro, college and junior hockey games on FloHockey.
Here’s hoping we all enjoy a memorable season that, in the end, is picture perfect.
Sincerely,
Dan DeVos Chief Executive Officer Grand Rapids Griffins
A Message from The President
Scott Howson PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Hockey League
Dear Fans,
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2024-25 American Hockey League season, the latest chapter in a tradition of excellence that can be traced back to our league’s founding nearly nine decades ago.
The AHL is as proud as ever of its role as the top development league for nearly all of the players, coaches, executives, trainers, broadcasters and officials who you see throughout the National Hockey League today. Generations of our great fans have cheered on future superstars, Stanley Cup champions and Hockey Hall of Famers as they have come through the AHL.
It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2024-25 Hockey League season, the latest chapter in a excellence that can be traced back to our league’s
This season is sure to be another memorable one, from the excitement of opening night to the pageantry of the AHL All-Star Classic in Coachella Valley to the pure emotion of the Calder Cup Playoffs.
On behalf of all of our teams, thank you for your continuing support of the AHL.
Sincerely,
Scott Howson President & CEO | American Hockey League
The AHL is as proud as ever of its role as the top development league for nearly all of the players, executives, trainers, broadcasters and officials throughout the National Hockey League today. of our great fans have cheered on future superstars, Stanley Cup champions and Hockey Hall of Famers
This season is sure to be another memorable excitement of opening night to the pageantry All-Star Classic in Coachella Valley to the pure the Calder Cup Playoffs.
A TRADITION OF
Percentage of all NHL players in 2023-24 who were graduates of the AHL BY THE
Former AHL players who skated in the NHL last season
THE BEGINNINGS
Embarking on its 89th season in 2024-25, the American Hockey League is continuing a tradition of excellence that began in 1936 when the Canadian-American Hockey League joined with the International Hockey League to form what is today known as the AHL. Eight teams hit the ice that first season, representing Buffalo, Cleveland, New Haven, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Springfield and Syracuse.
Frank Calder, the National Hockey League’s president at the time, was instrumental in the forming of this new league, and his name would be given to its championship trophy. The first Calder Cup was won by the Syracuse Stars in 1937; the Hershey Bears captured their leaguebest 13th championship last spring.
From those roots, the American Hockey League has grown into a 32-team, coastto-coast league that provides fans with exciting, high-level professional hockey while preparing thousands of players, coaches, officials, executives, trainers, broadcasters and more for careers in the NHL.
AHL players who also played in the NHL in 2023-24
Former 1st- and 2nd-round NHL draft picks who skated in the AHL in 2023-24
L.
THE PLAYERS
In today’s National Hockey League nearly 90 percent of the players are AHL alumni, including 2023-24 Vezina Trophy winner Connor Hellebuyck, Lady Byng Trophy recipient Jaccob Slavin and Bill Masterton Trophy winner Connor
Ingram. The 2024 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers were stocked with AHL graduates including former league scoring champion Carter Verhaeghe and two-time AHL All-Star Brandon Montour.
During the 2023-24 season, a total of played in the National Hockey League. There were 349 players both leagues last year alone, and 251 former first- and second-round NHL draft picks in the AHL last season, including David Jiricek
Lukas Reichel
Kasper
Yaroslav Askarov
Clarke Cup Playoffs MVP Lapierre
THE LEGENDS
For nearly nine decades, the American Hockey League has been home to some of the greatest players in the history of our sport. In fact, there are 133 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame who have been affiliated with the AHL during their careers All-time greats from Milt Schmidt and Gump Worsley to Roberto Luongo and Martin St. Louis came through the AHL ranks and now find themselves enshrined in Toronto, and the coveted Calder Cup is inscribed with the names of legendary AHL alumni like Johnny Bower, Larry Robinson, Gerry Cheevers, Andy Bathgate, Tim Horton, Al Arbour, Emile Francis, Patrick Roy, Doug Harvey and Billy Smith.
THE COACHES
At the start of the 2024-25 season, the National Hockey League featured 22 head coaches who were former AHL bench bosses, including Paul Maurice of the 2024 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and Kris Knoblauch of the Western Conference champion Edmonton Oilers.
Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper, New Jersey’s Sheldon Keefe, San Jose’s Ryan Warsofsky, Colorado’s Jared Bednar, Washington’s Spencer Carbery and Seattle’s Dan Bylsma are also among the current NHL coaches who spent time in the American Hockey League before making the jump.
AHL DIRECTORY
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION:
Bridgeport, Charlotte, Hartford, Hershey, Lehigh Valley, Providence, Springfield, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
NORTH DIVISION: Belleville, Cleveland, Laval, Rochester, Syracuse, Toronto, Utica
BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS
NHL Affiliation:: ........................ New York Islanders
Home Ice: Total Mortgage Arena (8,412)
General Manager: Chris Lamoriello
Head Coach: ......................................Rick Kowalsky
Entered AHL: .............................................2001-02
Calder Cups: None
Seasons in Playoffs: ................................... 10 of 21
2023-24 Record: .................25-38-7-2, 59 pts./.410 Website: .......................... bridgeportislanders.com
CHARLOTTE CHECKERS
NHL Affiliation: ............................. Florida Panthers
Home Ice: Bojangles’ Coliseum (8,500)
General Manager: Gregory Campbell
Head Coach: .................................. Geordie Kinnear
Entered AHL: .............................................2010-11
Calder Cups: One (2019)
Seasons in Playoffs: ..................................... 8 of 12
2023-24 Record: .................39-26-7-0, 85 pts./.590
Website: ............................. charlottecheckers.com
HARTFORD WOLF PACK
NHL Affiliation: .......................... New York Rangers
Home Ice: XL Center (15,635)
General Manager: ............................... Ryan Martin
Head Coach: ...................................... Grant Potulny
Entered AHL: .............................................1997-98
Calder Cups: One (2000)
Seasons in Playoffs: ................................... 17 of 25
2023-24 Record: .................34-28-7-3, 78 pts./.542 Website: ............................. hartfordwolfpack.com
HERSHEY BEARS
NHL Affiliation: ...................... Washington Capitals
Home Ice: Giant Center (10,500)
General Manager: ............................. Bryan Helmer
Head Coach: .........................................Todd Nelson Entered AHL: .............................................1938-39
Calder Cups: 13 (1947, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1974, 1980, 1988, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2023, 2024) Seasons in Playoffs: ................................... 71 of 84 2023-24 Record: ...............53-14-0-5, 111 pts./.771 Website: hersheybears.com
LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS
NHL Affiliation: ......................... Philadelphia Flyers
Home Ice: ..................................PPL Center (8,420)
General Manager: Alyn McCauley
Head Coach: ......................................Ian Laperriere
Entered AHL: 1996-97 (as Philadelphia Phantoms) Calder Cups: .................................Two (1998, 2005) Seasons in Playoffs: 14 of 26 2023-24 Record: .................32-31-6-3, 73 pts./.507 Website: .............................. phantomshockey.com
PROVIDENCE BRUINS
NHL Affiliation: ................................. Boston Bruins
Home Ice: ............................ Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence (11,273)
General Manager: Evan Gold
Head Coach: ................................... Ryan Mougenel
Entered AHL: .............................................1992-93
Calder Cups: .......................................... One (1999) Seasons in Playoffs: 25 of 30
2023-24 Record: .................42-21-6-3, 93 pts./.646 Website: ..............................providencebruins.com
SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS
NHL Affiliation: St. Louis Blues
Home Ice: .................... MassMutual Center (6,793)
General Manager: ............................Kevin Maxwell
Head Coach: ............................. Steve Konowalchuk
Entered AHL: 2016-17
Calder Cups: ................................................... None
Seasons in Playoffs: ....................................... 2 of 6
2023-24 Record: 30-37-3-2, 65 pts./.451 Website: springfieldthunderbirds.com
WILKES-BARRE/ SCRANTON PENGUINS
NHL Affiliation: .......................Pittsburgh Penguins Home Ice: ...............................Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza (7,500)
General Manager: .............................. Jason Spezza
Head Coach: ................................. Keith MacDonald
Entered AHL: 1999-00
Calder Cups: ................................................... None
Seasons in Playoffs: ................................... 19 of 23
2023-24 Record: .................39-24-8-1, 87 pts./.604 Website: wbspenguins.com
BELLEVILLE SENATORS
NHL Affiliation: .............................Ottawa Senators
Home Ice: .................................. CAA Arena (4,365)
General Manager: ............................ Ryan Bowness
Head Coach: David Bell
Entered AHL: .............................................2017-18
Calder Cups: ................................................... None
Seasons in Playoffs: 2 of 5
2023-24 Record: .................38-28-3-3, 82 pts./.569
Website: .................................... bellevillesens.com
ROCHESTER AMERICANS
NHL Affiliation: ................................ Buffalo Sabres
Home Ice: Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial (10,662)
General Manager: ......................... Jason Karmanos
Head Coach: ..................................... Michael Leone
Entered AHL: 1956-57
Calder Cups: ......................... Six (1965, 1966, 1968, 1983, 1987, 1996)
Seasons in Playoffs: ................................... 49 of 66
2023-24 Record: 39-23-7-3, 88 pts./.611 Website: ............................................. amerks.com
CLEVELAND MONSTERS
NHL Affiliation: ................... Columbus Blue Jackets
Home Ice: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (18,277/9,447 lower bowl)
General Manager: .................................. Chris Clark
Head Coach: .................................Trent Vogelhuber
Entered AHL: 2007-08 (as Lake Erie Monsters)
Calder Cups: .......................................... One (2016)
Seasons in Playoffs: ..................................... 4 of 15
2023-24 Record: .................40-24-5-3, 88 pts./.611 Website: clevelandmonsters.com
LAVAL ROCKET
NHL Affiliation: ....................... Montreal Canadiens
Home Ice: ..................................Place Bell (10,043)
General Manager: ........................... John Sedgwick
Head Coach: Pascal Vincent Entered AHL: .............................................2017-18
Calder Cups: ................................................... None
Seasons in Playoffs: 2 of 5
2023-24 Record: .................33-31-6-2, 74 pts./.514
Website: ........................................ rocketlaval.com
THE ROAD TO THE CALDER CUP
SYRACUSE CRUNCH
NHL Affiliation: ..................... Tampa Bay Lightning
Home Ice: Upstate Medical University Arena at Onondaga County War Memorial (6,110)
General Manager: .................................Stacy Roest
Head Coach: ......................................Joel Bouchard
Entered AHL: 1994-95
Calder Cups: ................................................... None
Seasons in Playoffs: ................................... 18 of 28
2023-24 Record: .................39-24-4-5, 87 pts./.604 Website: syracusecrunch.com
A total of 23 teams will qualify for the AHL’s 2025 postseason, with five rounds of playoffs leading to the crowning of a Calder Cup champion.
The playoff field will include the top six finishers in the eight-team Atlantic Division, the top five finishers each in the seven-team North and Central Divisions, and the top seven teams in the 10-team Pacific Division.
TORONTO MARLIES
NHL Affiliation: Toronto Maple Leafs
Home Ice: .................... Coca-Cola Coliseum (7,851)
General Manager: .................................Ryan Hardy
Head Coach: ........................................ John Gruden
Entered AHL: 2005-06
Calder Cups: .......................................... One (2018)
Seasons in Playoffs: ................................... 13 of 17
2023-24 Record: 34-26-10-2, 80 pts./.556
Website: marlies.ca
UTICA COMETS
NHL Affiliation: New Jersey Devils
Home Ice: ...... Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium (3,917)
General Manager: .......................... Dan MacKinnon
Interim Head Coach: Ryan Parent
Entered AHL: .............................................2013-14
Calder Cups: ................................................... None
Seasons in Playoffs: 5 of 9
2023-24 Record: 32-29-5-6, 75 pts./.521
Website: ...................................... uticacomets.com
First Round matchups will be best-ofthree series. The two highest seeds in the Atlantic, the three highest seeds in each of the North and Central, and the first-place team in the Pacific will receive byes into the best-of-five Division Semifinals, with the First Round winners re-seeded in each division. The Division Finals will also be best-of-five series, followed by best-ofseven Conference Finals and a best-ofseven Calder Cup Finals.
Rapids
AHL DIRECTORY
WESTERN CONFERENCE
PACIFIC DIVISION:
Abbotsford, Bakersfield, Calgary, Coachella Valley, Colorado, Henderson, Ontario, San Diego, San Jose, Tucson
CENTRAL DIVISION: Grand Rapids, Chicago, Iowa, Manitoba, Milwaukee, Rockford, Texas
ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS
NHL Affiliation: .........................Vancouver Canucks
Home Ice: ...................... Abbotsford Centre (7,073)
General Manager: Ryan Johnson
Head Coach: ................................. Manny Malhotra
Entered AHL: .............................................2021-22
Calder Cups: None
Seasons in Playoffs: ....................................... 3 of 3
2023-24 Record: .................40-25-5-2, 87 pts./.604
Website: .......................... abbotsford.canucks.com
BAKERSFIELD CONDORS
NHL Affiliation: .............................Edmonton Oilers
Home Ice: ............... Mechanics Bank Arena (8,751)
General Manager: Keith Gretzky
Head Coach: ........................................ Colin Chaulk Entered AHL: .............................................2015-16 Calder Cups: None Seasons in Playoffs: ....................................... 4 of 7
2023-24 Record: .................39-27-4-2, 84 pts./.583
........................... bakersfieldcondors.com
CALGARY WRANGLERS
NHL Affiliation: ............................... Calgary Flames
Home Ice: Scotiabank Saddledome (19,289)
General Manager: ................................ Brad Pascall
Interim Head Coach: ............................... Joe Cirella
Entered AHL: 2022-23
Calder Cups: None
Seasons in Playoffs: ....................................... 2 of 2
2023-24 Record: .................35-28-6-3, 79 pts./.549 Website: calgarywranglers.com
COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS
NHL Affiliation: ................................Seattle Kraken
Home Ice: Acrisure Arena (10,087)
Asst. General Manager: .......................Ricky Olczyk
Head Coach: ....................................... Derek Laxdal
Entered AHL: 2022-23
Calder Cups: None
COLORADO EAGLES
NHL Affiliation: ........................ Colorado Avalanche Home Ice: Blue Arena (5,089) General Manager: ......................... Kevin McDonald Head Coach: .............................. Aaron
ONTARIO REIGN
Seasons in Playoffs: ....................................... 2 of 2
2023-24 Record: ...............46-15-6-5, 103 pts./.715 Website: cvfirebirds.com
HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS
NHL Affiliation: .....................Vegas Golden Knights
Home Ice: ............... The Dollar Loan Center (5,567)
General Manager: Tim Speltz
Head Coach: ........................................... Ryan Craig
Entered AHL: .............................................2020-21
Calder Cups: None
Seasons in Playoffs: 1 of 3
2023-24 Record: .................28-36-3-5, 64 pts./.444
Website: .................... hendersonsilverknights.com
ONTARIO REIGN
NHL Affiliation: ........................... Los Angeles Kings
Home Ice: .............................. Toyota Arena (9,491)
General Manager: Richard Seeley
Head Coach: ........................................Marco Sturm
Entered AHL: .............................................2015-16
Calder Cups: None Seasons in Playoffs: 6 of 7
2023-24 Record: .................42-23-3-4, 91 pts./.632 Website: ..................................... ontarioreign.com
SAN DIEGO GULLS
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA
NHL Affiliation: San Jose Sharks
Home Ice: .............................Tech CU Arena (4,200)
General Manager: ....................................... Joe Will
Head Coach: John McCarthy
Entered AHL: .............................................2015-16
Calder Cups: ................................................... None
Seasons in Playoffs: ....................................... 4 of 7
2023-24 Record: 24-34-10-4, 62 pts./.431 Website: .......................................sjbarracuda.com
TUCSON ROADRUNNERS
NHL Affiliation: Utah Hockey Club
Home Ice: .............................. Tucson Arena (6,521)
General Manager: ............................ John Ferguson
Head Coach: Steve Potvin
Entered AHL: .............................................2016-17
Calder Cups: ................................................... None
Seasons in Playoffs: ....................................... 3 of 6
2023-24 Record: 43-23-4-2, 92 pts./.639
Website: ........................... tucsonroadrunners.com
CHICAGO WOLVES
NHL Affiliation: ........................ Carolina Hurricanes
Home Ice: Allstate Arena (16,692)
General Manager: ...............................Darren Yorke
Head Coach: ......................................... Cam Abbott
Entered AHL: 2001-02
Calder Cups: Three (2002, 2008, 2022)
Seasons in Playoffs: ................................... 14 of 21
2023-24 Record: .................23-35-7-7, 60 pts./.417 Website: chicagowolves.com
IOWA WILD
NHL Affiliation: .............................. Minnesota Wild
Home Ice: Wells Fargo Arena (8,356)
General Manager: ........................... Matt Hendricks
Head Coach: ....................................... Brett McLean
Entered AHL: 2013-14
Calder Cups: None
Seasons in Playoffs: ....................................... 2 of 9
2023-24 Record: .................27-37-4-4, 62 pts./.431 Website: iowawild.com
GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS
NHL Affiliation: Detroit Red Wings
Home Ice: .......................Van Andel Arena (10,834)
General Manager: ............................Shawn Horcoff
Head Coach: Dan Watson
Entered AHL: .............................................2001-02
Calder Cups: .................................Two (2013, 2017) Seasons in Playoffs: ................................... 14 of 21
2023-24 Record: 37-23-8-4, 86 pts./.597
Website: ................................... griffinshockey.com
MANITOBA MOOSE
NHL Affiliation: .................................Winnipeg Jets
Home Ice: Canada Life Centre (7,808)
General Manager: ........................... Craig Heisinger
Head Coach: ..................................... Mark Morrison Entered AHL: 2001-02 (played through 2010-11; re-entered 2015-16)
Calder Cups: ................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs: ................................... 13 of 17 2023-24 Record: 34-35-2-1, 71 pts./.493
Website: ....................................moosehockey.com
MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS
NHL Affiliation: ........................ Nashville Predators
Home Ice: ............................ Panther Arena (9,450)
General Manager: Scott Nichol
Head Coach: ........................................... Karl Taylor
Entered AHL: .............................................2001-02
Calder Cups: One (2004)
Seasons in Playoffs: 18 of 21
2023-24 Record: .................47-22-2-1, 97 pts./.674 Website: ..........................milwaukeeadmirals.com
ROCKFORD ICEHOGS
NHL Affiliation: ....................... Chicago Blackhawks
Home Ice: ................................ BMO Center (5,895)
General Manager: Mark Bernard
Head Coach: ................................. Anders Sorensen
Entered AHL: .............................................2007-08
Calder Cups: None Seasons in Playoffs: 9 of 15
2023-24 Record: .................39-26-5-2, 85 pts./.590 Website: ............................................. icehogs.com
TEXAS STARS
NHL Affiliation: .....................................Dallas Stars
Home Ice: ......... H-E-B Center at Cedar Park (6,778)
General Manager: Scott White
Head Coach: ........................................ Neil Graham
Entered AHL: .............................................2009-10
Calder Cups: One (2014) Seasons in Playoffs: 10 of 13
2023-24 Record: .................33-33-4-2, 72 pts./.500
Website: ......................................... texasstars.com
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
DETROIT RED WINGS
TOP AFFILIATE: Grand Rapids Griffins • 23rd Season
Since beginning their affiliation with the Detroit Red Wings in 2002, the Grand Rapids Griffins have sent more than 100 players to Hockeytown. Detroit’s current crop of Griffins alumni includes Michael Rasmussen, 2022 Calder Trophy recipient Moritz Seider, and captain Dylan Larkin.
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
VP/HOCKEY OPERATIONS: Nicklas Lidstrom
ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGERS: Shawn Horcoff, Kris Draper, Aaron Kahn
COACHING STAFF
HEAD COACH: Todd McLellan
ASSISTANT COACHES: Alex Tanguay, Jay Varady, Trent Yawney
GOALTENDING COACH: Alex Westlund
VIDEO COORDINATOR: L J Scarpace
ASSISTANT VIDEO COORDINATOR: Jeff Weintraub
GRIFFINS WHO HAVE EARNED THEIR WINGS
Justin Abdelkader 2008-09
Adam Almquist 2013-14
Joakim Andersson 2011-12
Zach Aston-Reese 2023-24
Andreas Athanasiou 2015-16
Sean Avery 2002-03
Riley Barber 2021-22
Ryan Barnes 2003-04
Jonatan Berggren 2022-23
Tyler Bertuzzi 2016-17
Patrick Boileau 2002-03
Darryl Bootland 2003-04
Madison Bowey 2019-20
Mathias Brome 2020-21
Fabian Brunnstrom 2011-12
Mitch Callahan 2013-14
Jake Chelios 2018-19
Alex Chiasson 2022-23
Dennis Cholowski 2018-19
Ty Conklin 2011-12
Chris Conner 2011-12
Jared Coreau 2016-17
Sebastian Cossa 2024-25
Kyle Criscuolo 2021-22
Austin Czarnik 2022-23
Danny DeKeyser 2013-14
Aaron Downey 2008-09
Patrick Eaves 2013-14
Simon Edvinsson 2022-23
Christoffer Ehn 2018-19
Matt Ellis 2006-07
Turner Elson 2021-22
Cory Emmerton 2010-11
Jonathan Ericsson 2007-08
Adam Erne 2022-23
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
Taro Hirose 2019-20
Jimmy Howard 2005-06
Filip Hronek 2018-19
Jiri Hudler 2003-04
Matt Hussey 2006-07
Ville Husso 2024-25
Michael Hutchinson 2023-24
Doug Janik 2009-10
Nick Jensen 2016-17
Albert Johansson 2024-25
Tomas Jurco 2013-14
Marco Kasper 2024-25
Jakub Kindl 2009-10
Tomas Kopecky 2005-06
Niklas Kronwall 2003-04
William Lagesson 2024-25
Marc Lamothe 2003-04
Josh Langfeld 2006-07
Dylan Larkin 2015-16
Brian Lashoff 2012-13
Brett Lebda 2005-06
Ville Leino 2008-09
Gustav Lindstrom 2019-20
Matt Lorito 2016-17
Matt Luff 2022-23
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
Alex Nedeljkovic 2022-23
Andrej Nestrasil 2014-15
Kris Newbury 2009-10
Tomas Nosek 2015-16
Gustav Nyquist 2011-12
Xavier Ouellet 2013-14
Chase Pearson 2021-22
Calvin Pickard 2019-20
Matt Puempel 2018-19
Teemu Pulkkinen 2013-14
Kyle Quincey 2005-06
Michael Rasmussen 2018-19
Dan Renouf 2016-17
Mattias Ritola 2007-08
Jamie Rivers 2003-04
Nathan Robinson 2003-04
Stacy Roest 2002-03
Robbie Russo 2016-17
Moritz Seider 2021-22
Riley Sheahan 2011-12
Brendan Smith 2011-12
Givani Smith 2019-20
Elmer Soderblom 2022-23
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
Joe Veleno 2020-21
Jakub Vrana 2022-23
Austin Watson 2024-25
Jason Williams 2002-03
Luke Witkowski 2021-22
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), Gemel Smith (2021-22) and Magnus Hellberg (2022-23).
Photo credit: Getty Images
MARK YOUR CALENDAR 2024-25
FEB. 1
Princess Night presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union/Character Appearances/Pre-Game Tea Party
FEB. 17
18th 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
FEB. 23
Mental Health Awareness & Sensory-Friendly Game presented by Comerica Bank/Mental Health & Sensory-Friendly Jersey Auction/Simon Edvinsson Flying Toasters Bobblehead Giveaway
MARCH 1
Star Wars Night presented by DTE/Character Appearances
MARCH 10
11th Annual Hockey, Hops & Hope at Fox Subaru, benefiting Easterseals MORC
MARCH 14
13th Annual Purple Community Game presented by Van Andel Institute/Purple Jersey Auction
MARCH 22
Beer City Hockey Night presented by Adventure Credit Union/Beer City Hockey Jersey Auction/Beer City Hockey Hat Giveaway/8 p.m. Start
APRIL 12
Fan Appreciation Night presented by Huntington Bank
CHECKPROMOTIONS OUT THESE SEASON-LONG
$2 BEERS AND $2 HOT DOGS
Every Friday, enjoy $2 domestic drafts and $2 hot dogs from 6-8 p.m., at select stands while supplies last.
MILITARY NIGHTS
Every home game, current members of our military can purchase up to four Upper Level Faceoff or Crease tickets for $16 each, four Upper Level Center Ice tickets for $19 each or four Lower Level Faceoff tickets for $23 each with a valid military ID. The offer also extends to veterans who present a VA ID or discharge papers.
COLLEGE DISCOUNT
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 or Crease ticket for $16, an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $19, or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $23. Limit one ticket per ID if purchasing in-person. Visit griffinshockey.com/college to purchase College Night tickets and sign up for text 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
Presented by Michigan First Credit Union, 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.
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 an Upper Level Faceoff ticket for $18 (regularly $24), an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $21 (regularly $27), or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $25 (regularly $30). Limit four tickets per card per person, subject to availability.
FRIENDS & FAMILY 4-PACKS
These packs are available for all Saturday games during the 2024-25 season and include four or more game tickets, and $20 or more in concession cash.
Visit griffinshockey.com/f4p or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.
SUNDAY IS FUN DAY
For all Sunday games, enjoy $1 small Pepsi drinks and $1 small ice cream cups from 3-5 p.m., while supplies last. For the game
on Feb. 23, the promotion will run from 4-6 p.m., while supplies last.
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 #2 – Feb. 19, Feb. 23, March 12, and April 2.
POST-GAME OPEN SKATES
Bring your skates to the rink and take to the ice for a post-game open skate on Feb. 21 and April 12. As a reminder, Van Andel Arena has a no-bag policy, but security will allow fans to use bags to bring in their skates.
POST-GAME AUTOGRAPH
SESSION
Select players will sign autographs from the Griffins’ bench after the Feb. 1 game.
APPLIED INNOVATION ISLAND
Presented by Applied Innovation, 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) 744-4585 ext. 4.
Nate Danielson
is aiming for the stars.
SERIOUS INTENTIONS
Story and photos by Mark Newman
Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky, and as a prospect in the Detroit Red Wings organization’s galaxy of potential stars, Griffins center Nate Danielson is as serious as they come.
At the age of 20, the Red Deer, Alberta, native is focused on proving the Red Wings made the right decision by selecting him with the ninth overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
Soft-spoken and endearingly earnest, Danielson has a clarity of purpose beyond his years. Having said goodbye to his teenage days this past September, he is determined to show that he can shine with the brightest.
While others of his generation might act like they are peering out of the wrong end of the telescope, Danielson seems fixated on stuff that might someday propel him to the NHL, if not outright stardom.
Take, for example, his reading material. After seeing videos of ultra-endurance athlete David Goggins, he picked up the book, “Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds.” It tells the story of how its author overcame poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse to become the only man in history to complete elite training as a Navy SEAL, Army Ranger, and Air Force Tactical Air Controller.
“He was on a couple of podcasts and I saw some clips from him,” Danielson explained. “It’s pretty crazy as far as some of the things he’s done. He went through some extreme circumstances and I felt like the whole book was about if you really put your mind to something, you’re going to be able to do it. I mean, it’s kind of what I want to do. I want to be a hockey player and so that’s what I focus on.”
Danielson, who is considering reading the biographies of Kobe Bryant and Tiger Woods next, says he is currently reading “Atomic Habits” by James Clear. “The book talks about how to break bad habits and change those little habits that we have,” he said. “Like the one thing I wanted to get better at was not being on my phone so much. I wanted to get off my phone, so I started reading books.”
It’s that kind of single-mindedness – more than the normal drive and determination – that has been pushing Danielson for as long as he can remember.
“I have an older brother, Noah, who was playing hockey, and I looked up to him when I was younger,” he recalled about his sibling, who is two years his senior. “I wanted to be like him and that’s how I got started.”
His electrical engineer father, Marc, played hockey growing up and his dental hygienist mother, Janna, played ringette (a non-contact winter sport similar to hockey), so it was only natural that little Nate was already in ice skates by age four.
“Growing up, we had a pond that was a fiveminute walk from our house,” he said. “Being on the outdoor rink with my brother and my dad is how I started. My dad loved to put us through drills and stuff on the outdoor rink or just in the garage. We always had a shooting tarp so we could shoot pucks in the garage.”
Although his father never played professionally, he knew the sport well, according to his son. “He’s smart when it comes to hockey and he understands the game,” Danielson said. “He coached me growing up and he always wanted to make sure that me and my brother were good skaters because if you can skate, you can play, pretty much.”
Danielson and his brother benefited from the instruction of power skating coaches like Val Norrie, who is known for developing strong skating habits in students by emphasizing balance, agility, and acceleration while training in proper skating techniques.
“My dad always made sure we enrolled in power skating camps,” he said. “Every summer we would drive to Kelowna where there was a power skating camp, and that would be our vacation. It was like 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day, where we would be on the ice for a couple of hours a day, and then we’d do dryland [off-ice] training and all that stuff before we would go in the lake at the end of the day – and that was our vacation.”
It was serious stuff, but Danielson suggests he still enjoyed his share of fun and games. “I was always a pretty good student and took it seriously because that’s how our parents raised us – to work hard and try to do your best in whatever it is, whether it’s school or hockey or just playing anything. We were always competitive and you just always wanted to do your best.”
Danielson put in the work but never envisioned becoming a first-round NHL draft pick. “We’d play hockey all winter and then all spring we were still playing hockey because that’s what I wanted to do,” he said. “I always had fun playing because that’s ALL I wanted to do. That’s the way I grew up.
“It was only when I got older that I realized that this could seriously be something I could do. Even now, it’s still just fun to go and play hockey. It doesn’t feel like a job or anything.”
Looking back, he is thankful for his father’s early coaching efforts. He now sees how learning the fundamentals was instrumental to his development. “If you can get a strong foundation when you’re young, I feel like it makes everything so much easier as you get older and you continue to try to work on things.”
And while his dad was always instructive, Danielson never felt his coaching was overbearing.
“I mean, he wasn’t like a crazy dad or anything like that,” he said. “When I was younger, he might have been a little harder on me, but looking back, he just wanted me to succeed. He would tell me things that I was doing wrong and things I could improve on. And that’s what you want.
“Even to this day, he tells me how he thinks I played and gives me advice from someone who is watching just me. So it’s mostly just a little feedback. Growing up, he never yelled at me. It was all about making me better.”
By age 13, Danielson was already playing U15 hockey. Getting to compete against players who were two years older proved to be highly advantageous to his progress toward junior hockey and, eventually, the pros.
“When you play against older kids, it pushes
you to get better,” he said. “I feel like when you’re playing against kids who are your age or younger, you’re just not getting pushed to the same level as when you’re playing against people who are bigger and stronger. It makes a big difference. It’s more of a challenge.”
At age 15, Danielson attended Edmonton’s Northern Alberta Xtreme Prep, where he was schooled in hockey and became fully immersed in the sport at the U18 level. “I decided to go to the academy and it was a good experience,” he said. “That was my first year moving away from home.
“They were super big on development. We would practice Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and then play Friday, Saturday, and sometimes Sunday. Every Monday and Tuesday, if we had nothing to do with the team, it was all just power skating, skills work, and stuff like that.
“We would go to the rink in the morning and skate and workout, and then we’d go to school at noon. It was regular school, but most of the class was hockey kids. Edmonton was only about an hour and a half away from home, so I could still go home some weekends.
“I felt like I matured a lot that year, just living away from home, being on my own, and not being
Danielson was the ninth overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
a kid anymore. I thought that year was super good for me.”
The experience helped prepare Danielson for junior hockey, playing in Brandon, Manitoba. He spent 3-1/2 seasons in the prairie province best known for its agricultural production, until a midseason trade in January 2024 sent him packing to Portland, Oregon.
Looking back, Danielson appreciates the time he spent in Brandon.
“It’s just like a little hockey town with something like 50,000 people who live there. And on the weekends, we were almost like celebrities there. On Friday and Saturday nights, there’s not much else to do and it’s freezing cold in the winter, so everything’s all about hockey.”
Danielson was captain during his last two seasons in Brandon. “I felt like I’ve always been a leader. Once I got named captain, I didn’t really change. Obviously, it’s an honor to be captain of any team, but I didn’t feel like I had to do anything special.”
In Brandon, Danielson was able to play a couple of games against his brother, who was playing for the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers. “Since we’re like two years apart, we never got to play with each
Danielson is a two-way center with the size and skill to excel at the NHL level.
other growing up, so it was cool to finally face each other. Our parents and grandparents were able to come, so it was pretty cool.”
His time in Brandon concluded when the Portland Winterhawks traded two players and three WHL draft picks (two 1st-round and one 5th-round) for his services just moments before the WHL’s trade deadline.
The blockbuster deal solidified Portland’s push for WHL and Memorial Cup titles. The Winterhawks went 22-5-2 after Danielson joined the lineup to finish first in the U.S. Division and second overall in the Western Conference. Portland won two playoff series before losing to Moose Jaw in the WHL Championship.
“I was sad leaving Brandon, just with how long I’d spent there. I had a lot of really good friends there,” he said. “But I was excited to go to Portland just because of how good of a team they already had. I felt like I could be that little missing piece. I joined them on a road trip and obviously, it was a little different, but by the end of the trip, it felt pretty normal.”
Danielson was Portland’s leading scorer in the playoffs, tallying 24 points (7 goals, 17 assists) in 17 games. “It was good to go on a long playoff run and
Danielson is learning how to turn the corner on opposing defensemen.
experience the grind of four rounds,” he said.
As far as he was concerned, it was the most fun he’s had playing hockey.
“I think there’s been a lot of great times, but when you get to the playoffs, it doesn’t compare to the regular season – just how intense it is and how every goal matters so much. When you win those games, the feeling you get is such a great feeling that it was probably the most fun I’ve had.”
He had previously enjoyed playing for Canada’s U16 team in the Junior Olympics in Lausanne, Switzerland. “It was pretty cool because it was like an Olympic event, so there was every sport there,” he said. “I didn’t know about it until a couple of months before the tournament, but I knew I was on the list to make it.”
Danielson was also a member of Canada’s U20 team at the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship in Gothenburg, Sweden. “As a Canadian kid, you always dream of playing in the World Juniors. Obviously, it was an honor to play for my country and something I’ll never forget. My whole experience there was awesome.”
During his junior hockey days, Danielson was already developing a reputation as a reliable 200foot center – a hard-working forward who was a
thorn in the side of the competition’s best players. Connor Bedard, the first overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, singled out Danielson as the toughest player he faced in the WHL.
“That kind of goes back to my dad, too, when he was coaching me,” Danielson said. “He always wanted to make sure I wasn’t just caring about scoring. When I would play against other teams, I would know the best players – and I don’t know why – but I just found it fun if I could score two goals and have their best player score zero. It just always has been like that.
“I think, when you’re going up against a guy like Connor, that whole thing of being able to shut him down and help your team win, I just found that to be fun, especially when you can tell guys are getting frustrated because you’re playing them hard. If you’re able to score a couple, that’s even better. Playing against the top guys, you find a little extra jump in your game.”
His ability to excel at both ends of the ice led the Red Wings to select Danielson with the ninth overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
“Going into draft night, I didn’t expect to be picked by them,” he said. “There were other teams
Danielson was captain of the Brandon
during his last two years in the
that I had been talking to more. I had been talking to them on Zoom throughout the year and met the whole staff at the NHL Combine, but I didn’t talk to them again.
“So I was super surprised. Honestly, it’s hard to put into words. I kind of blacked out for a bit there. I doubt I really remember much. I remember hearing my name and then getting to shake all their guys’ hands. It was pretty cool.”
When Danielson joined the Griffins last season for the Calder Cup Playoffs, he took jersey number 29.
“I always liked number nine growing up. I don’t know why. I just always liked it,” he explained. “When I got to peewee and bantam, I liked number 19. So with 9 and 19 already taken, I thought about 27 because I was born on the 27th, but I also really like Nathan McKinnon and he wears 29, so that’s why I decided to pick 29.”
Gordie Howe, of course, wore 9 and Steve Yzerman wore 19, which is perhaps why Danielson was destined to play for the Wings and why the organization used the No. 9 pick on him – 9s are wild. “My mom says that’s her lucky number,” he chuckles. “Whenever I thought about a new number, she said it had to be something with a
9. When I went to Portland and 29 was taken, I picked 89 there.”
In all seriousness, Danielson feels luck has been on his side. He feels fortunate that he was able to see action in two playoff games at the end of last season as a way to give his pro career a little jump start.
“It definitely gave me a focus to put on some weight and get strong in the gym,” he said. “I put on seven or eight pounds and know I have to just get stronger. I think that’s going to come with time. I turned 20 not that long ago, so I still have to grow into my body.”
His transition to pro hockey has been aided by the fact that he often has been paired with some muscle this season. Playing in the middle with veterans like Austin Watson or Dominik Shine at his side has given him space to show his skill.
“Obviously, both those guys are awesome,” he said. “All of our veteran guys are great with helping us younger guys, including off-ice like being a pro, taking care of yourself, and just doing the right things.”
Danielson and his development have been aided by the fact that the Griffins have been playing good team hockey.
Wheat Kings
WHL.
“I think it helped that we came together as a team quickly,” he said. “We had a northeastern trip early into the season and all that time together helps you get to know guys when you’re all here doing this together.
“We seemed to gel pretty well as a team, and when you’re having success, everyone’s a lot happier.”
Danielson seems to be growing more confident as the season progresses. After a somewhat slow start saw him notch four points in his first 12 games, he picked up the pace with 15 points in his next 18 games.
“The first two weeks or whatever didn’t really go too well,” he admits. “After that, I feel like my game has continued to get better and better.”
He understands he has a lot to learn.
“The first couple of games I was still trying to play the same way I played in junior and I realized you can’t do that in this league. Guys are just too big and too strong and they’re too fast and smart, so I had to change the way I played.”
Danielson feels he is starting to get to the point where he can take the next step. “When you join a new team, a new league, it always takes a little time,” he said. “I feel really comfortable and confident now.”
Danielson was singled out by the Connor Bedard, the NHL’s top rookie in 2023-24, as the toughest player he faced in juniors.
NHL veteran Austin Watson has helped fuel the first-half success of the Griffins.
Story and photos by Mark Newman
If you’re looking for a strong silent type to lead your hockey team, you might want to look in the opposite direction of Austin Watson, a veteran of 500-plus NHL games who is the antithesis of the saying, “speak softly and carry a big stick.”
“Soft” is not in his vocabulary.
“He’s our engine,” said Griffins head coach Dan Watson, who is unrelated to his bruising winger. “He keeps everybody going. He provides the spark before games, during games, and at practice. He’s fun to be around, but when it’s game time, he’s serious. He wants to win.
“He keeps everyone on their toes. He holds guys accountable within the room. If he’s not around, it’s not a loud room. It’s a more quiet room. He has that contagious energy that’s infectious, and that’s what we want. He makes the team go.”
Entering this season, Watson did not expect to end up in the AHL. It had been a full decade since he last played as a regular in the minors, so he did not have playing for the Griffins on his bingo card.
At age 33, he also never expected to be a first-time all-star, but he was looking forward to heading to the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic in Palm Desert, California, with both his head coach and teammate/goaltender Sebastian Cossa on Feb. 2-3.
Watson played a couple of NHL games with the Red
Watson is top-three in goals, assists, and points with the Griffins this season.
Wings earlier this season but has spent most of the year in Grand Rapids. He has been intent on making the most of the opportunity.
Having played for winning teams throughout his career, the Ann Arbor, Michigan, native feels fortunate to be enjoying hockey again after weathering his share of ups and downs. “Absolutely – I’m definitely having fun,” he said. “It helps when you have a good group.”
As a youth, he learned what winning was all about – first with the Compuware teams in Detroit and later during junior hockey in Canada. He has bookend titles to show for his time in the OHL, winning with the Windsor Spitfires in 2009 and the London Knights in 2012.
His two seasons in Windsor were especially important to his development.
The Spitfires’ coaching staff included former NHL defenseman Bob Boughner (who had been an associate head coach with the Red Wings until the firing of Derek Lalonde in December); Bob Jones (the former Ottawa Senators assistant coach who died of ALS this past summer at the age of 54); and D.J. Smith (now an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Kings after five seasons behind the bench in Ottawa).
“We had an unbelievable team, first of all, but the demand for setting a standard was high,” he said. “They were spectacular coaches and I learned how to play
the right way. It’s the way they had played the game themselves. Boughner played the game physically, played the game to win, and did the little things right.
“To have those guys as your coaches when you’re 16 years old, I was fortunate. I’m lucky. I learned how to play the right way and that’s all I know. I only know one way to play the game, and that’s to do whatever it takes to win. And I learned that at 16 years old.”
Watson eventually found his way to the Peterborough Petes, where he became a solid point-pergame offensive threat. During the 2009-10 campaign, he was traded midseason to the London Knights, a young team with championship aspirations.
“I was brought in to play a different role, but with the same goal – to win,” he said. “I was a younger guy on that Windsor team and when I went to London, it was to be an older guy, to be an offensive catalyst, and to be a 25-minute-a-night player to help that team get over the hump. We had a really special playoff run and reached the finals in the Memorial Cup, only to come up one goal short.”
Watson said it was a cohesive group that was more interested in team success than individual accomplishments.
“We were stacked but nobody knew how good all those guys were going to be,” he said. “We had Max Domi, Bo Horvat, Olli Maata, Chris Tierney, Josh Anderson, and Andreas Athanasiou – all 16 or 17 and future NHLers, but they were all young, except for me, [Vladislav] Namestnikov, and a couple of others who were 18 or 19.
“They were still a little raw but they would win another championship the next year. I think when you have that type of success and you have that type of mentorship and leadership from the coaches, you pick up things, you learn things, and you absorb those winning habits that help shape you into the player you are today.”
Watson was a first-round draft pick, chosen No. 18 overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft – a fact that became somewhat shrouded by his subsequent career. “People act surprised when I can play some good hockey,” he said.
Indeed, Watson showed his scoring prowess by collecting seven points in one game, scoring a natural hat trick and adding four assists, to help the U.S. beat Latvia in the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship. He was the leading scorer for the U.S. team in the tournament. “People tend to choose what to see and what not to see no matter how far you’ve come.”
He started his pro career in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals, the top farm club of the Predators.
Watson enjoyed three consecutive 20-goal seasons in Milwaukee, topped with a 26-goal campaign in 201415, his last full year in the AHL.
“I hate to wonder where I might be had some things not happened, what opportunities I might have gotten through the years,” he said. “But then again, you make
your bed, you sleep in it, and some of those things that happened were very much in my hands, but it is what it is.
“You work with what you got, and I’m still at the door kicking and screaming. I don’t go away very easily and after 500-plus games in the NHL, I’m still here, just doing my thing.”
But Watson first had to learn a valuable lesson. It’s hard to get to the NHL, but it’s even harder to stay.
“I think I understood how to play a role,” he said. “What I didn’t understand was how to stand out, how to be effective, how to be better than all the other guys who are trying to play that role. Some guys make a career out of playing in the bottom six in the NHL, and some other guys go up and down and don’t ever grab a foothold.
“In my opinion – and this is opinion – the guys who stick around find a way to separate themselves from the pack.”
He made the jump to the NHL on a full-time basis during the 2015-16 season.
“During my first year [in the NHL], I would say I didn’t understand how to separate myself. I played 50-odd games but I got scratched a lot. I hadn’t figured out how to make more of an impact in the game inside of those 8-10 minutes. I didn’t play in the playoffs and I kinda lost my grab on a job.”
Watson was waived at the start of the following season and spent the first three weeks of the 2016-17 season back in the AHL. He could have wallowed in his woe, but a conversation with Predators head coach Peter Laviolette helped spur a change of heart.
Laviolette, who last March became the eighth coach in NHL history to record 800 wins, advised Watson that he needed to find his niche.
“The more I think about this stuff, the more I realize I’ve been very fortunate to run into great people,” he said. “Peter Laviolette is one of the best coaches and human beings that I’ve run into in the game. He was at my wedding. I love Lavy but we weren’t seeing eye to eye.”
Watson said he questioned what benefit he could gain from going back to the minors.
“He goes, ‘Here’s the deal... here you don’t hurt us, but you don’t do enough to impact the game in a positive way, so the positives don’t outweigh the negatives that you don’t do, something that keeps you in the lineup that separates you and makes me have to say I have to have you in the lineup.’
“I was told that I needed to make an impact in the game. You can’t have fear of making mistakes because you have to understand that your leash is very short when you start getting into the third and fourth lines in the NHL, because there are so many other guys who are chomping at the bit to get in there.
“Find a way to make four positive impact plays to offset two negatives, not zero and zero. If you go out there and you do nothing, you accomplish nothing. You’re not hurting us but you’re just out there skating
At age 33, Watson was selected as an all-star for the first time.
around. For me, it started a change in mentality which led to a steady, nine-year NHL career.
“Hockey is very much opportunity-based for a lot of guys. At certain times, skill levels can be so close. Especially at the NHL level, everybody’s a great player and you have to be able to play at that level. Whether you play eight minutes a night or 20 minutes a night, there’s a difference in skill level for sure, but you have to be able to play the game.”
Watson discovered that adding a physical element to his play made all the difference.
“You just got to be willing to do the crap that nobody else wants to do,” he said. “I fought three times in my three years in the American Hockey League before coming to Nashville. I fought once my first year with the Predators and then I fought 13 times the next year. I fought everyone, tough guys, I didn’t care. If anything happened, someone who needed sticking up for, I was there. It was a way for me to establish myself.
“It was an element to add to the things that I thought I already did well – being a 200-foot player, being a solid forechecker, having good hands around the net, and being able to make plays under pressure. When guys say, ‘Why can’t I get a shot?’ I say find a way to do things that make you stand out.”
Role players can have long NHL careers if they can establish themselves as a valuable asset that can’t be
easily replaced.
“Luke Glendening is an example of a special guy who played here,” he said. “He’s incredible in the faceoff circle and an incredible penalty killer. He’s been able to play 800-plus games in the NHL because he does that better than 90 percent of the people.
“On top of all that, he has a very good skill set, good hands around the net, but his moneymaker is faceoffs, penalty killing, and being dependable. And he’s more of that than so many guys that he’s irreplaceable. He does so many things well that he’s a commodity.”
When Watson looks back at his career, being part of the Predators’ 2017 Stanley Cup run is a highlight. He had nine points (4 goals, 5 assists) in playing all 22 playoff games. “It allowed me to believe in the type of player that I could be, the impact that I could have, and it was just fun. It was fun the whole way,” he said,
“That was probably the most special year that I’ve had playing hockey. That whole year I grinded to stay in the lineup every single night. I don’t think I took a breath. I played 77 games and at a certain point, I didn’t think I was coming out, but that mentality drove me and it still does today. You don’t lose that, especially as a guy who’s had to work and grind for everything.”
Nashville swept the Western Conference regular season champion Chicago Blackhawks in the opening
Watson was a first-round pick of the Nashville Predators in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
round. “Beating them in four straight games, ending that dynasty a bit, was eye-opening for us,” he said. “We felt like we got over a hump and we felt like we could go far from there.”
The Predators beat both the St. Louis Blues and Anaheim Ducks in six games before losing to Pittsburgh, the defending Stanley Cup champions, in six. “We had a collection of guys who would do anything to win,” he said. “Those are the experiences that you can’t trade, you can’t teach. And then you blink and it’s over.”
After eight years in the Nashville system, Watson packed his bags to join the Ottawa Senators. He played three seasons in Ottawa, where he was reunited with D.J. Smith and Bob Jones, two of his coaches from his Windsor Spitfires days.
“At that point, I had established myself as an NHL regular veteran guy, but it was a weird year with all the COVID protocols and everything. So that made it more difficult. Halfway through my first season, I was having a really good year and I ended up breaking my thumb right in half and that cut my season short.”
His second and third seasons in Ottawa were relatively productive. He had hoped to stay in Ottawa, but there was no deal to his liking on the table.
“It was a cool experience,” he said. “Ottawa has
a group of players that, I think, in the end, will be a prominent team in the league when they get over the hump of being a young, rebuilding team. I think they’re close – a little bit like the Red Wings, maybe a little younger. But they will get there at some point.
“The love of hockey is palpable in Canada, so I got to experience that,” he said. “It was a little tough leaving there. I wanted a two-year deal to go back. I thought I had earned that with back-to-back 10-goal and ninegoal seasons, which is pretty good when you’re playing 8-10 minutes a night.”
He discovered his options were limited. He ended up signing a professional tryout with the Tampa Bay Lightning before the team’s training camp.
“Signing a PTO is a scary situation – I didn’t love it,” he said. “I mean, I did it again this year, but I don’t think I’d do it again, just being at the age that I am and with the family that I have. But I felt like my back was kind of up against it. There are no guarantees with a PTO, but it worked out well.”
Watson said he went into training camp, did what he needed to do, and earned a job.
“Tampa was very honest about the role that I was going to play, almost crazy honest,” he said. “We talked at the beginning of the year and they were like, ‘Listen, you’re the 13th forward. You’re not going to play every
night. You’re going to play sometimes. You’re not going to play other times. Sometimes it’s not going to matter how well you’re playing or how well other guys are playing. It’s just you are that guy.’
“You hear that and you think, ‘Alright, cool.’ You think that’s the starting point, and I’ll earn my way into a job, but no. That was the role. And I can’t be mad about it because they were straight up about things and I knew exactly what my role was.”
Watson saw limited action with the Lightning, tallying two goals and two assists while appearing in 33 games. He believes his lack of playing time hampered his efforts to find a job last fall.
“Perception is everything,” he said. “I feel like a lot of times teams might not take a very deep look at you. As you start to get to know the names or players around the league, you see, ‘Okay, well, Watty’s only played 33 games this year. I think he’s done.’ That’s the perception. But the perception was not the reality.
“Was I good enough to play more games? Probably, yeah. But that was the role and that’s how it worked. I really enjoyed being in Tampa. We had a great coaching staff, a great group of players. But for me, the year didn’t go the way I wanted it to. And then you end up in the same spot then next fall.”
Nevertheless, as a Michigan native, he was excited by the potential of playing for the Red Wings.
“It was definitely cool,” he said. “I was definitely excited to come to camp. I thought I had a real good opportunity to earn a job at the NHL level and I think I did enough. Unfortunately, the situation was that I probably wasn’t in their plans.”
Watson became determined to show that he could still play with the best of them.
“Leaving Detroit after training camp and getting here two days later, I can’t say I wasn’t disappointed,” he said. “But I’ve faced a lot of adversity in my career – some things have happened to me, some I’ve helped cause on my own – so I’ve seen worse times than what I was experiencing [by coming to Grand Rapids].
“I can’t control if the Detroit Red Wings don’t see me the way that I see myself,” he said. “But I can do my best to come here and have a good attitude.”
He met with coach Watson and discussed how he could have a positive impact.
“Over the years, you carve out a role in the NHL and you play a certain amount of minutes and a certain style to help the team, to keep yourself employed. And then when you come to the American Hockey League, I think a lot of people start to only see you in that light.
“I think we both agreed that I can be a better player than I’ve been able to show at the NHL level more recently, and I give credit to him for being able to recognize and utilize a skill set in a player that hasn’t had the opportunity to show it in recent years.
“From the perspective of the casual fan or a GM who has watched the NHL for the last four or five years, they might say, ‘I don’t think he has that in him anymore. He might not be able to get back to that level.’ But
Watty trusted himself and he trusted me to get to that level again and I’ve been able to do that. I think that perspective – that attitude – is what has allowed me to play at the highest level.”
He has played extensive minutes with highly touted Red Wings prospect Nate Danielson. Watson has helped create space for Danielson, while Danielson’s skillset has complemented his linemate’s finishing abilities.
“Outside of maybe two games, I’ve played with Danny for a lot of the time and that, for me, has been great, and I think it’s been a good thing for him as well,” he said. “I get to play with a player who I think is gonna have an extremely long and successful NHL career and who’s just getting started. He has a high hockey IQ, a high skill set, a great motor, and it helps me, right?
“I can complement him in certain areas, whether that be the physical side of the game, some of the grinding, or the mental side of the game. To be able to play with a kid who was the ninth overall pick, I think that makes me better. We’re fortunate that we’ve had good chemistry and made a good connection early on.”
“I love him – he’s a great kid. It’s been a real pleasure. I don’t know but sometimes it might not be a pleasure for him. I can be a little loud and bust him up a little bit, all in good fun, but I think he’d say it’s been a good tandem.”
Watson is excited by what the Red Wings are building in Grand Rapids.
“I can say this about the American League –technically, nobody wants to be here, right? Everybody wants to be at the next level,” he said. “Once you establish that fact – that you may not be exactly where you want to be – you can still try to get the most out of being here.
“To have a chance to get to the next level, there’s a certain standard that you need to reach. And it is not an individual way, it is a team way. When you win, everybody has more success, because when you’re winning, you’re playing the right way. We’ve established that here, we’ve committed to that.
“We have a great team, a great coaching staff, and great young guys who are eager to learn, eager to perform, eager to get to the next level, and just play the right way. There’s a standard and a commitment to winning.
“And so I’m doing my part. I might be a little louder than some, but you try to lead by example. You can’t ask young players to do something that you’re not willing to do. So it’s sticking up for teammates, blocking shots, and being committed defensively.
“You can tell somebody to do something until you’re blue in the face. But until you show them the right way to do things, until you demonstrate that type of leadership and mentorship, nothing is going to stick. We’re fortunate that we have a lot of guys who have been willing to pull on that rope and lead by example. You’ve got to do the best with what you’ve been given.”
2024 - 25 GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS ROSTER
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from the biggest of the big, to the littlest of the little.
Whenever you shop Meijer, you help support the Grand Rapids Griffins and hundreds of local sports teams across the Midwest.
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VILLE HUSSO Goaltender
6-3, 205 lbs.
Born: 2/6/95 Helsinki, Finland
AMADEUS LOMBARDI Forward
5-11, 178 lbs.
Born: 6/5/03 Aurora, Ont.
GABRIEL SEGER
Forward
6-4, 215 lbs.
Born: 11/15/99
Uppsala, Sweden
93 43 5 85 4 65 11 37 92 21 81 25 28 34
ANTTI TUOMISTO Defenseman
6-5, 210 lbs.
Born: 1/20/01 Pori, Finland
HUNTER JOHANNES
Forward
6-4, 225 lbs. Born: 7/24/98
Eden Prairie, Minn.
CARTER MAZUR Forward
6-0, 188 lbs. Born: 3/28/02 Jackson, Mich.
DOMINIK SHINE
Forward
5-11, 180 lbs. Born: 4/18/93 Detroit, Mich.
EEMIL VIRO Defenseman
6-1, 190 lbs. Born: 4/3/02 Vantaa, Finland
MARCO KASPER Forward
6-1, 200 lbs. Born: 4/8/04 Klagenfurt, Austria
BROGAN RAFFERTY Defenseman
6-1, 200 lbs. Born: 5/28/95 West Dundee, Ill.
JOE SNIVELY Forward
5-10, 180 lbs. Born: 1/1/96 Herndon, Va.
WILLIAM WALLINDER Defenseman
WILLIAM LAGESSON Defenseman
6-2, 214 lbs. Born: 2/22/96 Gothenburg, Sweden
JAKUB RYCHLOVSKY
Forward
5-11, 200 lbs.
Born: 8/7/01
Vrchlabi, Czechia
ELMER SODERBLOM
Forward
6-8, 255 lbs. Born: 7/5/01 Gothenburg, Sweden
6-4, 205 lbs. Born: 7/28/02 Solleftea, Sweden
6-4, 215 lbs.
Born: 1/13/92
Ann Arbor, Mich. 22
AUSTIN WATSON Forward
51 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
Veteran Sheldon Dries
finds peace in the frenzy of pro hockey by doing what he can to push himself and his teammates toward excellence.
FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD
Story and photos by Mark Newman
“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”
– Henry David Thoreau
Sheldon Dries has never been the biggest, fastest, or strongest hockey player, but superlatives are not why he is now in his eighth pro season.
Dries has a hockey pedigree – his father, Todd, played at Western Michigan University in 1986-87; his uncle, Ray Jr., was a captain at the University of Michigan in 1984-85 – but it has been his work ethic that has allowed him to stick out from the crowd.
“My brother is four years older and we grew up playing hockey and baseball and a little roller hockey – we were always busy,” he said. “My dad, my uncle, and my cousins all played, so his advice was to go out there and have fun. Play the game the right way. Play it honestly. And I think that’s the best advice. He still texts me: ‘Good luck. Have fun.’
“My dad’s always been that way and I always looked up to him. My dad had a carpenter business with another partner and he was my coach until I was 15 or 16, then I moved over to a different team and went to juniors. So he had a big impact.”
Dries grew up in the Detroit area, so he played AAA hockey as a teen for Honeybaked and Belle Tire teams against some of the top competition in the country, including Compuware, Little Caesars, and Victory Honda, as well as teams from Chicago.
“It was some of the top teams in the country,” he said. “It was the best hockey that you could play,
game in and game out. It was not easy, but I think it helped everyone develop. As a team, we’d get to play at Joe Louis Arena sometimes, and as a family, we tried to make at least one Red Wings game a year. I was a huge fan growing up.”
Dries admired the play of Henrik Zetterberg.
“He was a great center – in the defensive zone, offensive zone,” he explained. “He was gifted, obviously. Even just killing penalties. I remember watching him block shots in the Stanley Cup Final.
“He played the game honest, I thought. He didn’t cheat the game. He did a little bit of everything. I didn’t think I could ever be the player he was, but I thought he was a good one to look up to.”
Dries was inspired by Zetterberg’s dedication and commitment to excellence. The same determination that enabled the Swedish center to go from lateround draft pick to Stanley Cup winner proved to be an incentive for the young Dries as he pursued his NHL dreams.
It’s the reason that Dries cites as a favorite quote the words of Henry David Thoreau, who believed too many people wander through life performing routines without pursuing their true desires –ultimately finding quiet desperation, not fulfillment.
“I think you’ve got to be a free thinker in certain aspects of your life,” Dries said. “If you just want to go with the crowd, just be another foot soldier, or whatever metaphor you want to use, you’re not going
Dries signed a two-year deal with the Red Wings last summer.
to grow as much. I think you have to bet on yourself sometimes. I think when you step out of your comfort zone, that’s when you really grow.”
Standing 5-foot-9 today at age 30, “growth” – at least from the standpoint of stature – has been an ever-elusive pursuit for Dries.
“I heard it 100% at every level – ‘he’s too small’absolutely,” he said. “You’d hear, ‘He can’t play junior hockey – too small.’ ‘He can’t play college.’ Then in college, again, ‘He’s too small – he won’t play pro.’ I love to prove the doubters wrong. I think it gives you motivation. As a natural competitor, I think we all want to prove something.”
Dries left home at 17 to play for the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL. “I think I was just young and naive at the time, but I didn’t know much about the USHL,” he said. “They drafted me and it honestly couldn’t have been better for me.”
The move was made easier because he headed to Wisconsin with his Honeybaked linemates Nick Schilkey and Alex Kill. “We stayed aligned from the time we were about 12 years old until we were 19,” he said.
Green Bay went 47-9-4 during the 2011-12 campaign, the first season under head coach Derek Lalonde, with the team’s 98 points and 25 road wins setting new USHL records. The Gamblers ultimately captured the franchise’s fourth Clark Cup championship.
“When hockey is going good, everything kind of seems to fall into place,” he said. “We had a great group and Newsy [Lalonde, who would accept the Red Wings job 11 years later] did a good job bringing that group together very quickly. And I think that translated to our on-ice play.”
Although the Gamblers continued their winning ways in 2012-13, a repeat title was not in the cards. Dries was already ticketed to go to his father’s alma mater next. “When I turned 16, Western reached out to me,” he recalled. “It was actually [Jeff] Blashill and then Pat Ferschweiler and Rob Facca, who recruited me.
“I committed to Blash when he was at Western before he left [for the Red Wings organization]. I met Andy [Murray, who became the Broncos’ head coach after 16 NHL seasons] and I wasn’t going to leave. It worked out perfectly because I loved Andy.”
Dries said he never seriously considered going anywhere else.
“My parents put so much into youth hockey and stuff that I thought the least I could do was go to college somewhere where they could see me play,” he said. “I think that’s important from a family aspect. But I also wanted to go somewhere I was wanted, and Western made me feel that way. And I loved my decision.”
Dries felt Western was the perfect place to
refine his game.
“In my first year, Andy threw me into a third-line checking role, so I was playing against the top line of every other team – so not many points, but a lot of ice time and a lot of defensive situations, which helped me grow as a player.”
His leadership abilities led him to be named captain as a sophomore, eventually becoming only the second player in school history to serve as a three-year captain.
“I definitely wanted to be a leader from a young age,” he said. “I was a captain in youth hockey and then Newsy gave me a letter in Green Bay, which was really cool. So it’s something that was instilled.
“I wanted to be a leader on that team, but I didn’t expect it to happen so soon. Andy had full faith in me and I didn’t take a day for granted while I was a captain there.”
Dries demonstrated leadership during his senior season when he continued playing despite a broken thumb suffered from blocking a shot.
“It happened during Senior weekend,” he said. “I couldn’t grip anything – it was completely broken. The doctor said I needed surgery, but it was my last season. I wanted to play, so they put a little cast on it and I played.”
Coming out of college, Dries wasn’t sure what was next. “I didn’t know if I was going to play pro,” he said. “I didn’t have an agent. I had my criminal justice degree, so I was looking at the FBI, the police academy, and stuff like that. Andy hooked me up with an agent, we started talking, and he said Texas was interested.”
He spent the 2017-18 AHL season with the Texas Stars, tallying 19 goals in 70 regular-season games. He was the team’s second-leading goal scorer during the playoffs, recording 10 lamp-lighters in 22 games during the team’s Calder Cup Playoff run.
“I was just enjoying being a pro, enjoying hockey as my job, and I think that played a lot into it,” he said. “When you take the outside noise and push it to the side, you can just have fun being there.”
The Stars reached the Calder Cup Finals, losing in seven games to the Toronto Marlins.
“It was heartbreaking, for sure,” he said. “It was a cool experience going through playoffs. Obviously, as a young kid, you think, ‘Okay, we just lost, it’s my first year, we’ll be back,’ but it is tough to get back. It is really hard. It makes you want that chance one more time, at least.”
Dries spent the next three seasons in Colorado, splitting his time between the Avalanche in Denver and the AHL’s Eagles in Loveland, about 45 miles north of the Mile High City. He made the Avalanche at the beginning of the 2017-18 season but shuttled back and forth for the majority of his time in the organization.
Entering this season, Dries had appeared in 122 NHL games with the Colorado Avalanche and Vancouver Canucks.
In Denver, he played for Stanley Cup winner Jared Bednar, the former Griffins defenseman (1998-99) who’s now in his ninth season behind the Avalanche
“I loved him as a coach,” Dries said. “As a player in my position, an up-and-down guy, you never want to be lied to and he was always honest. He never beat around the bush with me. He would tell me exactly why I was getting sent down or what I
“That gives you a goal to work on when you go down to the AHL to hopefully come back up. And that’s what I appreciate. Of course, everyone wants to be in the NHL, and getting demoted in any aspect of life doesn’t feel good. But if you want to pout and cry and say this isn’t fair, that isn’t fair, it’s never going to
“But if you get sent down and you have a good mindset where you’re going to work hard and do the right things, there’s a chance you’ll be back. Control what you can control because, as I said before, the outside noise can get loud, but if you push that to the
With the Eagles, Dries got to know another former Griffins defenseman, Aaron Schneekloth (2002-04), who has served as an assistant or head coach with the Eagles for 12 seasons after spending the last seven seasons of his playing career with the team.
“He’s got his jersey hung up in the rafters there, so he’s a little bit of a legend,” Dries said. “He was awesome. We had a great relationship and I’m super happy for him and the success that he’s having with the Eagles. Whenever we play, I try to see him after the game and talk a bit.”
Dries spent the past three seasons in the Vancouver Canucks organization. He scored 35 goals in 54 AHL games in Abbotsford during the 2021-22 season.
“We were a close-knit team and things just kind of clicked,” he said. “It wasn’t anything special. I wasn’t trying to shoot more. I wasn’t trying to be a puck hog or anything like that. It just clicked. I don’t know how to describe it, but it was a fun year.”
He felt the team had the potential to make a good run in the playoffs.
“But the big team had some injuries and six of us went up the last month or whatever, so it was tough to come back and get that chemistry again quick, and we lost in the opening round. In a two-out-of-three series, it’s always tougher.”
Dries spent most of the 2022-23 season in the NHL. In 63 games with the Canucks, he registered 11 goals and six assists. It showed that he could play at the NHL level if given the opportunity.
“Vancouver made a trade and opened up that 13th forward spot. I knew if there was ever a time to grab that spot, it was then, and things just worked out,” he
2021-22, when he tallied 35 goals in
said. “Bruce Boudreau was the coach at the time and I liked him. He was very honest, similar to Bedsie [Bednar]. I felt like he truly wanted me to succeed. He saw potential in me and gave me a chance, and that’s all you can ask for.”
The Canucks, however, replaced Boudreau midseason with Rick Tocchet, and Dries eventually found himself back in the AHL the next season. He tallied 52 points (29-23--52) in 55 games a year ago, when he spent the entire season in Abbotsford.
“It was frustrating, but it’s a business, and they needed to give their young guys a chance to play,” he said. “I thought I could have provided some utility up with a big team, but that’s not my decision. So I just tried to be the best teammate that I could in Abbotsford and help the young guys to be ready when they went up, because it’s not easy.”
Signing a two-year contract with the Red Wings this past summer was a dream come true.
“There were a few teams interested but finding two [NHL and AHL] teams that are closer in distance to each other was important to my family,” he said. “An opportunity to play for your hometown team is something you can’t pass up. I was super excited to hear that they were interested.
“So being able to put on the Winged Wheel for the first time, even in preseason, was truly amazing.”
This past summer was especially energizing for
Dries, Red Wings contract aside. After moving down the street from their first home in Waterford the previous summer, Dries and his wife, Emilee, got to spend the warm months welcoming the arrival of their first child, Remy Ray, who was born last May 17.
“We got knocked out of the playoffs and I flew home from Abbotsford the next morning,” he recalled. “She was 10 days late, so we were waiting. It’s hard to describe being a first-time father, but it’s amazing what the birth of your own child can do to you. Every day is a challenge, but it’s one of the best challenges anyone could have. It’s been awesome.”
And now Dries, an itinerant gardener in his free time, would like to help the Griffins grow and blossom into a championship team.
“You need that extra gear, and we definitely have it here,” he said. “You know when you’re coming to the rink, you’re having fun, and you’re smiling, that’s when you have something special.
“I think we have a lot of smiles coming to the rink every day, which is very important. Guys respect each other and push each other, which helps us grow as a team. We know we’re fortunate to do what we do, to play hockey as our job. We’re not taking a day for granted.
“We’ve got a great staff, great players here, so it’s fun. There should be a buzz around the city. There’s still work to do, but it’s exciting.”
Dries was only the second player in Western Michigan University history to be a three-year captain.
Story by Alex Eisen
COMING FULL CIRCLE
Photos by Nicolas Carrillo
After achieving professional success in Europe, Michigan native Carli Snyder has returned home to compete and grow in new ways.
Prologue: A Return to Her Roots
Carli Snyder’s story is a testament to persistence, adaptability, and embracing life’s evolving chapters. After six years abroad, Snyder is back in Michigan to play professionally for the Grand Rapids Rise — a homecoming to the state where it all began.
Back on familiar soil, Snyder has found balance by nurturing her passions off the court, from cultivating a native plant garden to pouring her thoughts into writing.
Yet, at her core, she remains the fierce competitor who has excelled at every level of volleyball, bringing that same drive to this next chapter in her career.
Chapter One: A Love Affair with Volleyball Snyder’s volleyball journey began in her backyard in Macomb, Michigan, where she and her older sister, Kelsey, created their own quirky rules to make the game more interesting. They challenged themselves by playing right-handed only, shrinking the court, or coming up with any idea that could turn casual play into a fun and creative experience.
At 11 years old, Snyder joined her first club volleyball team at Michigan Elite after spending practices on the sidelines watching her sister play. She passed the time by bumping a ball against the wall, always ready and eager to step in whenever a player was absent.
“I was obsessed,” she admitted. “I’d petition for five-hour practices and begged my parents to put up the volleyball court in our backyard so I could play even in the winter, wearing gloves to keep warm.”
By high school, Snyder had established herself as a standout outside hitter, earning
First Team All-State honors as a freshman and every year thereafter. She led Dakota High School to a state championship and was named the 2012 Gatorade Michigan State Volleyball Player of the Year. The following year, she repeated the honor and was also crowned 2013 Miss Michigan Volleyball.
Yet, Snyder approached her early accolades with humility.
“For me, volleyball was always about having fun,” she said. “I was so competitive that the nerves of playing never really got to me. I wanted to be serving on match point. I think part of that was just being a talented kid, maybe, and trusting myself, which of course gets harder as the competition gets better. I just really love playing.”
Snyder grew up in a competitive family in which both of her parents, Bill and Sheila, were coaches. Her mother, a former tennis coach turned sponsored pickleball player and coach, is usually the undisputed No. 1 seed for the family’s annual ping-pong tournament.
“She’s convinced she’s the better athlete, even though I’m playing professional sports,” Snyder laughed. “We played tennis every day during COVID, and I didn’t win once. She hits no-look shots in Spikeball. She’s kind of crazy for a 60-year-old.”
Despite the friendly rivalry, Snyder doesn’t hesitate to seize any possible advantage.
“If I can get leverage, I have no problem crushing her,” she said. “Maybe when she’s 70 or 80, I’ll feel bad about slamming a ping-pong ball at her. But not yet. She needs to go down.”
Her siblings, Kelsey and Cale, brought their own strengths to the family’s competitive spirit. Kelsey played collegiate volleyball at Ohio Dominican, while Cale was a Michigan high school state champion pole vaulter. Together, they fostered an environment where striving to be the best was both natural and celebrated. Even when things didn’t always go as planned.
“I remember moving all the valuables out of the living room and we played dodgeball,” Snyder said. “My sister and I would pepper in our living room. We broke a wedding vase once. My parents were a little bit upset, but mostly happy that we wanted to play. We
never had video games or anything like that. If you want to play, well, we have a ping-pong table. We just had fun.”
Chapter Two: Through the Gator Swamp
The recruiting process opened a new world of possibilities for Snyder. Letters started arriving when she was in seventh grade, with Michigan State — at the time coached by Rise head coach Cathy George — being among the early pursuers. Ultimately, she chose the University of Florida.
“I wanted to do something different,” Snyder explained. “Maybe if I was a Florida kid, I think the chances of me going to Michigan or Michigan State would have been much higher.”
Her transition to college volleyball wasn’t seamless. Like many freshmen, Snyder faced challenges adapting to the faster pace, higher expectations, and not being perfect.
“There was a huge learning curve,” she said. “I had to overcome the mindset that mistakes equaled failure, mistrust, or judgment. In practice, mistakes are essential for growth. You need to try new things to improve, even if it means temporarily getting worse while you learn to implement them.
“I think Florida did a great job of highlighting my strengths and encouraging me to use them while also introducing new tools to make me less predictable.”
By her sophomore year, Snyder had cemented herself as a key player for the Gators, blending her raw talent with the technical polish that the program demanded.
Over four seasons at Florida (2014–2017), Snyder amassed 1,207 kills (2.90 per set), 948 digs (2.28 per set), 164 blocks (0.40 per set), and 90 aces (0.15 per set) across 122 matches (416 sets). A three-time AVCA All-American from 2015–17, she helped the Gators reach two Regional Finals and the 2017 NCAA National Championship match.
In Florida’s second finals appearance in the program’s history, Snyder recorded a doubledouble with 11 kills and 15 digs to conclude her college career. Despite her efforts, the Gators fell to powerhouse Nebraska by set scores of 25-22, 25-17, 18-25, 25-16.
Life moved on.
The 2013 Miss Michigan Volleyball winner, Snyder is excited to showcase her talents once more in her home state with the Rise.
Grand Rapids
An outside hitter, Snyder returned home to Michigan after playing six professional seasons in France.
Chapter Three: Overseas Adventures
After graduating with a degree in international relations, Snyder briefly considered leaving volleyball to pursue nonprofit work.
“I thought about working for an NGO or changing the world in some way,” she said.
But her competitive spirit and love for the game kept her on the court.
Snyder’s professional career took her to France, where she played for six seasons (2018–24) with four different teams: ASPTT Mulhouse Volley-Ball, Volley-Ball Nantes, and RC Cannes.
Continuing to rack up kills, digs, and aces as a six-rotation player, Snyder was named the Best Outside Hitter in the French League A with both Mulhouse (2019–20) and Nantes (2020–21). She was also awarded Best Outside Hitter and Best Server at the 2022–23 French Cup with RC Cannes.
Living abroad also came with its own challenges, from language and cultural barriers to a world-wide pandemic to the occasional scheduling mishap.
“One time my mom and grandma came over to visit and I messed up the schedule,” Snyder said. “I was like, ‘Oh, we’re going to Poland tomorrow.’ And luckily, my grandmother is Polish and speaks Polish. But, on a day’s notice, they flew to Poland, rented a car, drove to this random village in the middle of Poland, and made it work.”
Visits were rare, but they were always unforgettable.
“My fiancé [Jesse] proposed to me overseas last year,” Snyder said. “Came to France on a planned visit and he proposed to me in Switzerland. Then, a month later, he flew over just to surprise me. He called me and told me to turn around. I was just on the street, and he was there. He probably didn’t get the reaction he wanted because my brain just melted. I couldn’t even comprehend it.”
These cherished memories were always bittersweet, though, as every visit eventually came to an end. Friends and family would return home, leaving behind a sense of longing.
To ease the loneliness of being far from
home, Snyder went to great lengths to adopt Mystic, her beloved Maine Coon cat.
“I wrote a whole essay about Mystic,” Snyder said. “She’s a wonder.”
Mystic’s adoption story is its own chronicle. Snyder found her in Nice, France, where a shady operation was breeding Maine Coons in a small two-bedroom apartment. Mystic was being rehomed for what seemed like a bargain of 200 euros.
“They didn’t want to breed her because of her health issues, but I didn’t know that at the time,” Snyder explained. Having never owned a cat before, she quickly found herself navigating the challenges of pet care. “Mystic was sleeping like 23 and a half hours a day, and I thought something was wrong. I took her to a vet in France, who told me, ‘She was normal. Do not worry.’ But I knew something was off.”
Once back in the U.S., Snyder discovered Mystic had a host of health issues, including stomatitis, a dental condition that required a $3,500 surgery to remove her teeth.
“She’s not so cheap anymore,” Snyder joked. “But I fell in love with her. She’s my baby and
Snyder’s 77 kills during the 2017 NCAA Tournament remain the third-most in the program’s history for a single tournament run.
goes everywhere with me. We are two peas in a pod.”
Mystic also deals with anxiety, megacolon, and hyperthyroidism. Despite it all, under Snyder’s care, Mystic stays by her side.
When asked what initially drew her to Mystic, Snyder smiled. “I was looking for a cat with a passport so I could bring her back to the U.S. When I saw her photo — a grainy, blackand-white shot where she looked like a grumpy war criminal — I just knew she needed help. I had to get her.”
So, she did.
Chapter Four: Cultivating Home, Garden, and Stories
Returning to Michigan is more than just volleyball and being surrounded by family again for Snyder. It’s also a chance to nurture her passion for gardening and creativity. Her front yard, once a simple patch of grass, is being transformed into a native plant garden, designed to attract pollinators.
“I killed all the grass with cardboard and mulch, waited a year, and then planted native plants,” Snyder said. “Now, I have
Photo credit: MacKenzie Meyer/Florida Athletics
hummingbirds and bumblebees.”
Gardening brings Snyder back to her childhood, when both her mother and grandmother were avid gardeners.
“As a kid, I swore I’d never pull a weed as an adult,” Snyder laughed. “Now, I’m spending my Saturdays pulling weeds, and it just feels right.”
Her garden, though modest at 15-by-20 feet, brings her joy.
“First they sleep, then they creep, then they leap,” Snyder said, quoting nursery advice. “I’m still waiting on mine to leap, but I love watching the pollinators and birds enjoy it.”
Snyder also has a passion for writing. Inspired by authors like David Sedaris and Joan Didion, she maintains a journal and crafts non-fiction essays reflecting on her life and experiences.
“I’ve enjoyed writing since I was a kid,” Snyder said. “I think it’s important to tell kids they’re good at things, because I remember someone telling me in like second grade that I was a good writer, and I’ve
carried that with me.”
The lives of the individuals she encounters deeply influence Snyder’s writing.
“I’m always inspired by interesting people who are making the most of their situation,” she said. “People do really interesting things all the time.”
Although she often feels like an observer, life has a way of pulling her into the action and making her feel like the main character in her own story.
“I think the theme of my essays is like a character who bites off a little more than she can chew, and what follows next is more humor and being willing to go with it,”
Snyder said. “And I think I have that skill, just going with it and seeing what happens next.”
Epilogue: Up Next
Joining the Rise marks the beginning of a fresh chapter for Snyder.
Whether serving an ace, tending to her garden, or penning personal essays, Snyder’s roots remain strong, keeping her grounded as she continues to smile and reach for new heights.
RE D WATER
As the Griffins’ assistant equipment manager, Kyle Hornkohl helps players get off on their best foot by sewing up every loose end regarding the tools they need.
SHARPENING HIS SKILLS
Story and photos by Mark Newman
Kyle Hornkohl’s love of travel has taken him to many places around the world, but he found his niche close to home.
The Manistee native became the assistant equipment manager for the Griffins in 2023, nearly a decade after beginning a six-season (2014-20) run as a locker room attendant for the team. Having resigned himself to the elusiveness of his NHL dream, he was planning a trip to New Zealand when longtime Griffins equipment manager Brad “Dogg” Thompson called to offer him the position.
“I was all booked,” he said. “My buddy and I agreed back in college that when he turned 30, we were going to New Zealand. We’re big “Lord of the Rings” fans, so we wanted to see all the sets and all those beautiful locations. I got a refund – it’s the sacrifice you make for your dream job.”
His dream started in Traverse City, where he served as a volunteer stick boy at the NHL Prospects Tournament from 2007-09 after moving there with his mom. “We were huge hockey fans, so she signed me up,” he recalled. “She was a volunteer and saw they needed stick boys, so that’s how I got my foot in the door. Everybody wanted to work on the Red Wings team, so I think my first year I was helping out the Dallas Stars team.”
Hornkohl served as a locker room attendant for the rookie tournament from 2010-13. “I was very fortunate that training camp was in my hometown, so it was cool to be that close up and in person with the players. When you’re young and you see that logo on their chests, you think it’s the coolest thing ever.”
As a teenager, he helped out Thompson and Red Wings equipment manager Paul Boyer in any way he could. “I would fill water bottles, help set up the bench, hang towels in the locker room, and just do whatever they wanted,” he said.
After graduating from high school, Hornkohl went to community college to get his associate’s in general studies because he was unsure what he wanted to do for a degree. “I was still volunteering every fall for the hockey camp and I decided to move down to Grand Rapids, where I had a few buddies,” he said. “That’s when I started helping Dogg on game days.”
While serving as the Griffins’ locker room attendant, he earned his bachelor’s degree in natural resources management at Grand Valley State University. “I wanted a four-year degree in case the hockey thing didn’t work out,” he said. “There are no guarantees because there are only so many spots and job openings, so I just wanted to cover all my bases. I was an outdoorsman living up north, so working in national parks or the DNR would have interested me.”
Even so, Hornkohl had his heart set on a career in hockey.
“I was balancing my school work while I was working as a cook at a restaurant and volunteering my time with the team,” he said. “From the beginning I
thought this was the coolest job ever, and that’s what kept me coming back every season.”
Then fate stepped in.
“When COVID happened, the rest of the season was canceled,” he said. “Then the restaurant shut down, so after I graduated, I had no job and nobody was hiring. When hockey eventually opened back up, things were very strict, so they weren’t letting the kids who volunteered come in anymore.
“So I got a job with Amazon because that was the only thing booming. With everyone sitting at home, everybody was ordering stuff online and I figured I might as well deliver it. I did that for a while before some buddies and I moved to Denver.
“My buddies could work remotely with their jobs, but I got a job in sales out there. At that point, I kind of figured maybe my hockey chapter was closed. Things just didn’t work out. Whatever. That’s life. It wasn’t in the stars.”
Hornkohl remembers watching the Vegas Golden Knights win their first Stanley Cup in June 2023. “I had been in Denver for two years and I was watching the Cup finals when I saw Chris Davidson-Adams, who had been Dogg’s assistant and was the head equipment manager for Vegas at the time. I thought, ‘He’s living the dream.’”
Not long after, Griffins assistant equipment manager Charlie Kaser took the head job with the AHL’s Texas Stars. “Dogg called me and a week later, I was packing up my car,” Hornkohl said. “I packed whatever I could fit in my car and drove back across the country.”
He already had a good sense of the job, having worked with Kaser’s predecessor, Andrew “Steggy” Stegehuis, who left Grand Rapids in 2018 to become the head equipment manager of the Rochester Americans and is now an assistant in the NHL with the Dallas Stars.
Hornkohl felt like he was getting the chance to learn at the feet of the master.
“Almost everybody in this town knows who Brad Thompson is,” he said. “With over 2,000 games for one team, he’s a legend. He obviously knows what he’s doing because he’s been around forever. He’s had an incredible career.”
Eager to learn, Hornkohl hopes to be next in a long line of assistants who have used the Griffins job as a stepping stone.
“Dogg wants his assistants to excel,” he said. “He’s a good people-person because he’s good at reading people. He doesn’t treat all of his assistants the same way. He knows exactly what they can handle and he doesn’t push more onto them than what they can handle.
“He wants to mold you into a great professional and he’s done it with all of his guys. His track record speaks for itself.”
Being organized and being prepared for anything is essential for the job.
Hornkohl served as a locker room assistant for the Griffins from 2014-20.
“The worst thing you can do is get behind or let things pile up,” he said. “In this job, you’re going to be scrambling at certain points, so you want to control everything that you can. And Dogg does a great job making sure people understand that. He has fun, he goofs around, but when it’s time to work, he knows this is a serious job.”
Essential to the job is to make sure the players feel like they have everything they need to excel and perform to the best of their abilities.
“Communication is the big thing so you’re in front of everything you need to do,” he said. “You’ve got to know how to read people. You have to be able to communicate with people to know what they want. Some guys might be a little superstitious, others are not. Some guys like new gear, others guys don’t. Every player is different.”
Taking care of the equipment for a hockey team involves more than sticks and skates.
“Staying on top of things is the key because there’s a lot of stuff – everything from tape to bubble gum to shower supplies to Gatorade and water,” he said. “We’re responsible for everything that’s in the locker room that’s not medical-related.”
Keeping everything in working order is the part of the job that Hornkohl enjoys the most – whether it’s sharpening the steel for skates, stitching the loose thread on gloves, or repairing shoulder pads and other protective gear.
“You’ve got to know how to adapt,” he said. “You’ve got to be able to work on the fly. You’ve got to be able to do things under pressure. You have to keep your composure. The worst thing you can do is panic. And you need to realize you’re not going to be perfect. If something goes wrong, take a breath. You know how to fix it. You can figure it out.”
During a recent game, the straps on one player’s elbow pad blew out at the same time that the blocker on another player’s glove ripped. “I had to hand sew for a quick repair during the intermission so they could get back on the ice, and no one knew the difference,” he said.
“I might go 10 games without having to fix a piece of equipment and then suddenly two things happen during one intermission when you’re not expecting it. A player’s jersey can rip in the middle of a game. You learn to juggle because you have to. That’s the job. If you’re easily stressed out, doing this job is going to be difficult.”
Every extraordinary effort is ultimately going to be appreciated by the players.
“You got to be a little crazy to play this sport, so you have a lot of personalities, some goofballs, but they’re great guys,” he said. “Hockey is a fantastic sport, and I’m not sure if ‘community’ is the right word, but there’s a sense of team that I’ve always found appealing. And that’s why working in a professional league – and, hopefully, one day the NHL – has been my dream since
Hornkohl sharpens steel for players’ skates during practices and games.
I was a kid. If I couldn’t be a player, this is the next best thing.”
Hornkohl can’t imagine enjoying any job more.
“The best part is just coming to the rink every day and hanging out with your friends,” he said. “It’s a lot of hours and the season can be a grind. The 4 o’clock a.m. load-ins on the road can be a challenge, and trying to catch a couple of hours of sleep on a bus that’s hitting potholes while guys are chitchatting in the back isn’t always easy.
“At the end of the day, you work twice as much as a normal 9-5 job. Sometimes you don’t even realize it because you come to the rink every day to hang out with your buddies. It’s a good time. You walk around and you think, ‘This is my job. I’m working in a hockey rink. I’m working in pro hockey. This is awesome.’ You gotta love it to do it. You can’t do this job and look at it as just a job. You’ll burn out.”
In his free time, he enjoys writing and playing music. “My cousin and I have some recording equipment and we’ve recorded some stuff over the years,” he said. “I play guitar and do a little singing. I like all different genres of rock, from Avenged Sevenfold to Kiss to Elton John – those are probably my Big Three.”
He also enjoys painting and drawing. “I was in ArtPrize the first year I moved here,” he said. “I work mostly in acrylics. I just finished a painting on corkboard. I worked from a photo I took in Northern Ireland.”
Hornkohl’s love of travel has taken him around the world. He’s already been to a dozen countries, from Iceland to Italy to Peru to Vietnam. “Prague is probably
my favorite city that I’ve ever been to – I’ve been there twice. I went there in 2018 and then I went back there this past summer,” he said.
“I’ve had nothing but good experiences traveling. In general, I love eating different foods. I love history. I love learning about the places I go. I do so much research. I like to learn everything I can about a spot.
“I enjoy going with a group of friends to experience different cultures. We go on little adventures and it’s always a good time. I love traveling.”
Although there is always plenty of work to do, Hornkohl enjoys the Griffins’ road trips. “The farthest west that I’ve been with the team is Colorado,” he said. “I think Toronto is awesome and Austin, Texas, is a great place to go – it’s warm and there’s a lot to do. I like Cleveland, too. It’s all good.”
Hornkohl has a friend who is trying to put a group together to go to Iceland for his honeymoon this spring. “My buddy’s getting married in May,” he said. “He doesn’t understand sports – it’s not his thing. He’s been asking if I can come to the wedding. I told him, I don’t know. Hopefully, we’re still playing.
“He’s like, ‘Well, when will you know?’ And I go, ‘Potentially days before.’ Which, to him, is weird. But with the way the playoffs go, there’s no way to know. And that’s the great thing about hockey. You just never know.”
And that’s what Hornkohl loves. “You have routines, but nothing is ever the same,” he said. “You don’t want things to happen, but when they do, there’s a little more excitement. It’s fun to fix things. You don’t want a guy to miss a shift or anything, so there’s a little more pressure. But that makes this job interesting.”
RECORD BOOK AND LEADERS
Through games of Jan. 12, 2025
Tom McCollum
Sebastian Cossa
Travis Richards
Darryl Bootland
Dominik Shine
Michel Picard
The AHL All-Star Classic was not held in either 2020-21 or 2021-22 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
GRIFFINS IN THE ALL-STAR GAME
2024-25 Sebastian Cossa, Austin Watson, Dan Watson (head coach)
2023-24 Jonatan Berggren, Simon Edvinsson
2022-23 Brian Lashoff (captain)
2019-20 Matthew Ford (captain), Chris Terry
2018-19 Chris Terry
2017-18 Matt Lorito, Matt Puempel
2016-17 Matt Lorito, Robbie Russo, Todd Nelson (head coach)
2015-16 Jeff Hoggan (captain), Xavier Ouellet
2014-15 Xavier Ouellet, Teemu Pulkkinen
2013-14 Alexey Marchenko, Jeff Blashill (co-coach)
2012-13 Chad Billins, Petr Mrazek, Gustav Nyquist
2011-12 Gustav Nyquist
2010-11 Ilari Filppula, Brendan Smith
2009-10 Patrick Rissmiller
2008-09 Jakub Kindl, Daniel Larsson
2007-08 Jonathan Ericsson, Jimmy Howard
2006-07 Derek Meech, Kip Miller (captain)
2005-06 Valtteri Filppula, Jiri Hudler, Donald MacLean
2004-05 Niklas Kronwall, Joey MacDonald
2003-04 Jiri Hudler, Niklas Kronwall, Travis Richards (captain), Nathan Robinson
2002-03 Marc Lamothe, Mark Mowers
2001-02 Chris Bala, John Gruden, Kip Miller, Martin Prusek, Petr Schastlivy, Bruce Cassidy (head coach), Gene Reilly (asst. coach)
2000-01 Mike Fountain, Joel Kwiatkowski, Travis Richards, Todd White, Bruce Cassidy (co-coach)
1999-00 John Gruden, Jani Hurme, Kevin Miller, Petr Schastlivy
1998-99 Robert Petrovicky, Maxim Spiridonov
1997-98 Ian Gordon, Kerry Huffman, Michel Picard
1996-97 Jeff Nelson, Michel Picard, Pokey
2020 - Chris Terry
2023 - Brian Lashoff
2025 - Austin Watson
2024 - Jonatan Berggren
2025 - Sebastian Cossa
2019 - Chris Terry
2018 - Matt Lorito
2015 - Teemu Pulkkinen
2020 - Matthew Ford
2018 - Matt Puempel
2016 - Jeff Hoggan and Xavier Ouellet
2014 - Alexey Marchenko
Red
Bright Futures Begin Here
CALLS
BOARDING
Called for any action which causes an opponent to be thrown violently into the boards.
CHARGING
Taking a run at an opposing player using more than three strides to build up speed.
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.
DELAYED PENALTY
Referee extends his arm and points to the penalized player until the penalized team regains possession of the puck.
ELBOWING
Called when a player uses an elbow to impede an opponent.
HIGH STICKING
Making contact with an opponent while carrying the stick above shoulder hight.
HOLDING
Clutching an opposing player’s body with the hands, arms or legs.
HOOKING
The use of the stick or blade to impede the progress of an opponent.
INTERFERENCE
When a player impedes the progress of an opponent who is not in possession of the puck.
KNEEING
Called when a player uses a knee to impede an opponent.
MISCONDUCT
10-minute or disqualification penalty for excessive or additional misbehavior on the ice.
ROUGHING
Called for engaging in fisticuffs or shoving.
SLASHING
Striking an opposing player with the stick.
SPEARING
Called for using the stick like a spear.
TRIPPING
Called for using the stick, arm or leg to cause an opponent to trip or fall.
UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT
Called for unsportsmanlike actions such as disputing an official’s decision, grabbing the face mask of a player, etc.
WASH-OUT
When used by the referee, it means goal disallowed. When used by linesmen, it means there is no icing or no offside.
ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS
BAKERSFIELD CONDORS
BELLEVILLE SENATORS
BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS
CALGARY WRANGLERS
CHARLOTTE CHECKERS
CHICAGO WOLVES
CLEVELAND MONSTERS
COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS
COLORADO EAGLES
GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS
HARTFORD WOLF PACK
HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS
HERSHEY BEARS
IOWA WILD
LAVAL ROCKET
LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS
MANITOBA MOOSE
MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS
ONTARIO REIGN
PROVIDENCE BRUINS
ROCHESTER AMERICANS
ROCKFORD ICEHOGS
SAN DIEGO GULLS
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA
SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS
SYRACUSE CRUNCH
TEXAS STARS
TORONTO MARLIES
TUCSON ROADRUNNERS
UTICA COMETS
WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS
2024-25
AHL TEAM MAP
IT ALL STARTS HERE
GRIFFINS IN THE NHL
Since their inception in 1996, the Griffins have sent 211 players to the National Hockey League, and 20 former players or coaches have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. In fact, a Griffins alumnus has had his name engraved on Lord Stanley’s chalice in each of the last five years, 11 times in the last 17 years, and 13 times in the last 20 seasons. In chronological order, here are the 29 goalies and 182 skaters who have worn an NHL sweater after playing for Grand Rapids, along with the dates of their NHL debuts/returns.
Former Griffins Gustav Nyquist of the Nashville Predators and Filip Hronek of the Vancouver Canucks fight for position during the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Nyquist (2013) and Hronek (2017) each won a Calder Cup with Grand Rapids.
Photo Credit: Getty Images
11/12/00 OTT at CAR
OTT
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
Julien Vauclair 10/25/03 OTT at MTL
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
Nosek.............. 12/26/15 DET at NSH
Tangradi ..............................1/25/16 DET at NYI 154 Anthony Mantha 3/15/16 DET at PHI 155 Alan
12/20/16
TB 160 Drew Miller 2/28/17 DET at VAN 161 Robbie Russo 3/7/17 DET at TOR 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
Kyle Criscuolo 11/17/17 BUF at DET
Turgeon ......................1/14/18 DET at CHI
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
Wade
Rasmussen .......2/7/19 DET vs. VGK
Filip Zadina 2/24/19 DET vs. SJ
Matt Puempel 3/23/19 DET at VGK
McIlrath .................3/25/19 DET at SJ
Jake Chelios 3/29/19 DET vs. NJ
Smith ............. 10/25/19 DET vs. BUF
Pickard ............. 11/29/19 DET at PHI
Bowey.................... 12/14/19 DET at MTL
Hirose..................................2/6/20 DET at BUF 184.......Gustav Lindstrom ......................2/6/20 DET at BUF 185.....Joe Veleno .................... 4/27/21 DET at CBJ
186.......Mathias Brome ........................... 5/7/21 DET at CBJ
187.....Moritz Seider ............... 10/14/21 DET vs. TB 188 Riley Barber 12/18/21 DET vs. NJ 189 Gemel Smith 2/2/22 DET vs. LA 190 Luke Witkowski 3/12/22 DET at CGY 191 Chase Pearson 3/24/22 DET at NYI
192 Harri Sateri 4/7/22 ARI vs. VAN
193 Turner Elson 4/26/22 DET at TOR
194 Matt Luff 10/27/22 DET at BOS
195 Austin Czarnik 11/6/22 DET at NYR
196.....Jonatan Berggren..... 11/10/22 DET vs. NYR
197.......Magnus Hellberg.................. 12/14/22 DET at MIN
198.......Elmer Soderblom ................. 12/14/22 DET at MIN
199.....Jakub Vrana ................ 2/21/23 DET at WSH
200.......Adam Erne ................................ 3/2/23 DET vs. SEA
201.......Alex Chiasson .............................. 3/4/23 DET at NYI
202.....Simon Edvinsson.......... 3/18/23 DET vs. COL
203.....Alex Nedeljkovic ...........3/23/23 DET vs. STL
204.....Zach Aston-Reese .......12/11/23 DET at DAL
205 Michael Hutchinson 12/23/23 DET at NJ
206.....Ville Husso ...................2/13/24 DET at EDM
207.....Albert Johansson ...... 10/12/24 DET vs. NSH
208.....Austin Watson ........... 10/14/24 DET at NYR
209.....Marco Kasper ............. 10/19/24 DET at NSH
210.....Sebastian Cossa ........... 12/9/24 DET at BUF
211.....William Lagesson ...... 12/21/24 DET at MTL
Bold = Has played in the NHL this season (as of Jan. 16, 2025)
Italics = Had name engraved on the Stanley Cup after playing for Grand Rapids
Don’t miss any of the action this season!
Listen to Bob Kaser’s play-by-play both home and away, and Larry Figurski’s analysis for home games, 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.
A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS…OR ONE NICKNAME
Each photo below represents an AHL team’s nickname, be it through inspiration, association, a shared name, or just for fun. Can you identify each team? You get no help from a team list, but turn to pages 16-19 if you really need some hints. One clue: Photo 25 actually represents two teams. Good luck!
ANSWERS: 1. CANUCKS; 2. SENATORS; 3. WOLF PACK; 4. PHANTOMS; 5. STARS; 6. CRUNCH; 7. MOOSE; 8. COMETS; 9. ADMIRALS; 10. ISLANDERS; 11. GULLS; 12. CHECKERS; 13. GRIFFINS; 14. SILVER KNIGHTS; 15. MONSTERS; 16. FIREBIRDS; 17. THUNDERBIRDS;
18. ROADRUNNERS; 19. AMERICANS; 20. REIGN; 21. MARLIES (THAT’S THE DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH, BTW); 22. ICEHOGS; 23. ROCKET;
24. BARRACUDA; 25. BEARS AND BRUINS; 26. EAGLES; 27. PENGUINS; 28. WILD; 29. WRANGLERS; 30. CONDORS; 31. WOLVES
PARTING SHOT
Instead of blocking a shot, goaltenders Sebastian Cossa and Carter Gylander posed for a shot after Austin Watson’s third-period goal tied the Nov. 29 game at 1-1, sending a flurry of fluffy creatures onto the ice during the annual Teddy Bear Toss game. The Griffins would eventually post a 3-2 shootout win.
Photo by Nicolas Carrillo
EASY TO DRINK EASY TO ENJOY
