2022-23 Griffiti - Issue #2

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STARTING

When Francis Pare left Grand Rapids after helping the Griffins win their first Calder Cup, it marked the beginning of an incredible journey that would take him to places he could never imagined. A decade later, the ever-popular Pare is ready to start a new adventure.

MAN Defenseman Steven Kampfer has watched his career come full circle with his return to his home state of Michigan.

FINNISHING SCHOOL An education that started in the small town of Naantali, Finland, brought Eemil Viro to Grand Rapids, where the young defenseman hopes to learn all that he needs to know to graduate to the Detroit Red Wings.

PRETTY COOL JOB’ Now in his fifth season as the assistant equipment manager for the Griffins, Charlie Kaser loves his work.

ON THE BENCH

Photo by Mark Newman

WITH GRIFFINS HEAD COACH BEN SIMON

With the Griffins approaching the one-quarter mark of the 2022-23 season, there have been some encouraging signs of progress and a clearly identified source of the team’s struggles. Attacking those issues should yield positive results.

“We’re scoring goals this year where we struggled to do that on a consistent basis last year,” said Ben Simon, who is now in his fifth season as the Griffins’ head coach. “Our power play has been extremely good this year, even though there are times when we’ve been overly reliant on its success.

“At the moment, we’re averaging just over three goals per game, which should give us a chance to win hockey games. The challenge is to clean up our act in the defensive zone. We’re giving up an average of over four goals a game, and you’re not going to win many games giving up that many goals or relying so heavily on your power play.

“We have to find ways to generate more offense 5-on-5 on a more consistent basis and do a better job within our defensive-zone coverage while improving our penalty kill and staying out of the penalty box.”

The Griffins had the second-most minor penalties in the AHL at press time, one behind San Jose, which had the league’s top penalty-killing percentage (86.6). Conversely, the Griffins’ penalty-killing rate of 75.3 ranked 23rd out of 32 teams.

“During our first 18 games, we’ve been shorthanded seven or more times in six games, meaning a third of our games we’ve been shorthanded way too often,” Simon said.

“We’re taking bad penalties at inopportune times. As a result, we’re killing the flow of games and it’s preventing a lot of players from getting fully involved in games.”

As the calendar page turned to December, the Griffins had been shorthanded more times than any other team in the league. Grand Rapids was a player short due to penalties 89 times through its first 18 games. To put that stat in perspective, divisionleading Milwaukee had been shorthanded only 45 times. “That means they’ve been shorthanded 44 times less than us and they had played one more game,” he said.

“We have to stay out of the penalty box and become way more disciplined and stop taking lazy penalties, whether it’s hooking, tripping, or stick infractions that happen because we’re not putting ourselves in a great position defensively, which leads to penalties.

“We’ve got to make sure we’re not taking penalties at bad times in unnecessary situations.”

The Griffins need to improve their play away from the puck, according to Simon, which means individual players taking stock of what they’re doing when they don’t have the puck.

“A top defenseman plays 25 minutes a night while a top forward might play 22 minutes. Of that time, a player will probably have the puck on their stick less than two minutes. When you look at the game that way, you have to look at how you’re playing the rest of the time. We have to be way more disciplined away from the puck, whether

Photo: Sam Iannamico

that’s in the offensive zone, the neutral zone, or our end. Our faceoff percentage has not been great either and it’s something that we’re trying to improve with practice.”

While the team looks forward to stronger goaltending, Simon wants his players to tighten their play in front of the net. “We have to make sure we’re not giving up any secondary or tertiary chances,” he said. “It’s keeping bodies in front of you, making sure that you’re staying between your man and the puck – ‘being on the right side of piles,’ as we say.”

On the plus side, Simon has been encouraged by the early growth shown by the Griffins’ young players.

“With young kids, finding consistency is the biggest thing. We know they’re going to make rookie mistakes. They’re inevitably going to have off-nights. That’s when we need the older guys to pick up the slack.”

The Griffins’ early schedule provided an additional test for the team’s young Europeans. “Many of them haven’t played back-to-back games, let alone 3-in-3 or three games in four nights. The travel here

is different, too, so there are a lot of things they’re getting used to.

“We’re starting to see them become more comfortable and, as a result, they’re beginning to become more confident.”

All things considered, with an eight-game road trip and the lack of defensive play, the Griffins felt fortunate to be only one game below the .500 mark, which put them within striking distance of the middle of the pack in the highly competitive Central Division.

“Our division has always been tight, but we need a sense of urgency where we’re ready to go every game, especially after we finish playing Springfield and Hartford in mid-December. Almost all of our games will be within our division, so that means every game can represent a four-point swing in the standings.

“We need to go on a little bit of run where we win four or five games in a row,” he said. “When you build a winning streak, you build some confidence within your group and people eventually start to play better. An extended winning streak could be just what the doctor ordered.”

General Manager

Shawn Horcoff

Head Coach Ben Simon

Assistant Coach

Matt Macdonald

Assistant Coach

Todd Krygier

Assistant Coach

Mike Knuble

Goaltending Coach

Brian Mahoney-Wilson

Video Coach

Erich Junge

Athletic Trainer

Josh Chapman

Assistant Athletic Trainer

Anthony Polazzo

Physical Therapist Eldon Graham

Equipment Manager

Brad Thompson

Asst. Equipment Manager

Charlie Kaser

Sports Science Data Analyst

Jack Rummells

Strength-Cond. Coordinator

Marcus Kinney

Message Therapist

Ronald Marckini

Grand Rapids

All statistics are through games of Nov. 21, 2022.

SCOUTING REPORT

HARTFORD

Dec. 16

Hartford returns to the schedule for the first time since the 2008-09 season, with the Wolf Pack’s last visit to Van Andel Arena coming on Nov. 14, 2008. Hartford’s general manager is former Griffins GM Ryan Martin, who helped construct Grand Rapids’ 2013 and 2017 Calder Cup championship squads.

Former Griffins Turner Elson (2017-22) and Blake Hillman (2019-20; 2021-22) are featured on Hartford’s roster. Elson totaled 144 points (61-83—144) in 294 games with Grand Rapids, while Hillman bagged three assists in 15 contests.

CLEVELAND

Dec. 23

Right wing Kirill Marchenko is tied for first among AHL rookies with

14 points (8-6—14) in 12 games. His eight goals also pace first-year players. Marchenko is in his first season in North America after competing in three campaigns in the KHL with SKA St. Petersburg from 2019-22.

With 22 points in 14 games, Trey FixWolansky not only leads Cleveland but ranks second in the AHL. In four games from Nov. 11-19, Fix-Wolansky bagged 14 points (77—14) and was named the AHL’s Player of the Week. A season ago, the fourth-year pro notched four points (2-2—4) in seven games against Grand Rapids.

MILWAUKEE

Dec. 31

Milwaukee

Admirals rookie Luke Evangelista has had a promising start to his professional career. The 20-year-old has 12 points (4-8—12) in 14 games, which is tied for sixth among firstyear players, while his eight assists are tied

for fifth among rookies. Evangelista was selected by Nashville with the 42nd overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.

Cole Schneider returns to Milwaukee for his fourth season with the franchise and second as captain. Through 163 games with the Admirals, the 11th-year-pro has 135 points (62-73—135) and 35 penalty minutes.

TEXAS

Jan. 6, Jan. 7

Thomas Harley, the former 18th overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, has four points (1-3—4) in just two games against the Griffins this season. By comparison, Harley has just two points in the other 14 games he’s appeared in this campaign. His sister, Emilie Harley, also plays professional hockey with the Metropolitan Riveters in the Premier Hockey Federation.

Former Griffin Riley Barber (2020-22) signed with the Dallas Stars this past offseason on a one-year deal. With Grand Rapids, Barber amassed 87 points (48-39—87) and 46 penalty minutes in 81 games. This campaign, the 28-year-old has 16 points (8-8—16) in as many games.

IOWA

Jan. 11, Jan. 13 Rockford, Mich., native Mitchell Chaffee remains with the Minnesota Wild organization. Chaffee played his AAA youth hockey with the Michigan Nationals in Byron Center and HoneyBaked in Detroit. Through 87 AHL games, Chaffee has 63 points (30-33—63) and 38 penalty minutes.

The Iowa Wild missed the playoffs a year ago for the sixth time in the past seven seasons. Their only Calder Cup Playoff appearance came in the 2018-19 campaign, when

they finished in fourth place in the Central Division (37-26-8-5, 0.572).

CHICAGO

Jan. 14 Chicago captured its third Calder Cup this past postseason with a 14-4 record, besting the Springfield Thunderbirds 4-1 in the finals. The Wolves also garnered the best record in the 2021-22 regular season with a 50-16-5-5 mark (0.724).

Chicago blew through the Griffins a season ago, compiling an 11-0-1-0 (0.958) ledger against its Central-Division foe. In the past two campaigns, Grand Rapids is just 4-17-1-0 (0.205) against the Wolves and has been outscored 90-44.

SPRINGFIELD

Jan. 21

The Griffins have never competed against a team from Springfield. However, Grand Rapids is 51-44-7-3 all time against St. Louis Blues affiliates (Peoria 21-26-5-2; San Antonio 7-7-0-1; Chicago 23-11-2-0).

This season, Grand Rapids will play both the reigning Calder Cup Champion (Chicago) and the runner-up (Springfield) for the first time since 2008-09 (Chicago/Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton), and just the fourth time ever (2005-06 Philadelphia/Chicago, 2003-04 Houston/Hamilton).

Former Griffins Martin Frk (2013-19) and Luke Witkowski (2021-22) are on Springfield’s roster. A 2017 Calder Cup champion, Frk has 14 points (3-11—14) through 14 games this season, while Witkowski has one assist and 13 penalty minutes in 14 games.

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Gr Gri Gr

Dear Griffins Fans,

Since our affiliation with the Detroit Red Wings began in 2002, the Griffins have served as a proving ground or the first taste of professional hockey for more than 100 players who’ve made the trip from Van Andel Arena to Hockeytown.

Thanks to this summer’s five-year extension of our partnership, we will continue to have the opportunity to watch players who will one day take to the ice at Little Caesars Arena. But the future is now for a treasure trove of highly regarded Red Wings prospects who comprise one of the deepest talent pools in hockey – in fact, the No. 2-ranked group of NHL prospects, according to The Athletic.

Whether these promising stars start their North American pro careers in Grand Rapids or Detroit, it will be exciting for all of us to see the likes of Simon Edvinsson, Elmer Soderblom, Albert Johansson, Eemil Viro, Cross Hanas and others make their contributions this season.

We look forward to seeing what’s next for other young players in the organization such as Jonatan Berggren, who last season set the Griffins’ rookie scoring record while pacing the team with 64 points, and Donovan Sebrango, who in August helped Canada win a gold medal at the World Junior Championship. Captain Brian Lashoff returns for his unprecedented 14th season in West Michigan, inching ever-closer to Travis Richards’ franchise record for games played, while another stalwart, Dominik Shine, is coming off a career season of contributing both scoring power and punch to our lineup.

Behind the bench, Ben Simon’s fifth season at the helm makes him the longest-tenured head coach in our franchise’s illustrious history, while Kentwood’s own Mike Knuble logs his 10th campaign as an assistant, a record for any Griffins coach.

As we welcome an impressive number of new season ticket holders into a fanbase that has long made the Griffins one of the AHL’s top teams in attendance, we’re thrilled this season with both an exciting schedule of promotions and the long-awaited return of beloved community events such as Tip-A-Griffin and the Great Skate Winterfest. Game-night experiences like the high-five alley and post-game autographs are also back, helping to rekindle the connection between you and our players.

To borrow a line from the Beatles, we’re “back to where we once belonged,” together at the arena and around our community. Memorable experiences await!

Sincerely,

Dan DeVos Chief Executive Officer Grand Rapids Griffins

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Fans,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2022-23 American Hockey League season, the latest chapter in a tradition of excellence that can be traced back to our league’s founding more than eight decades ago.

A MESSAGE FROM

Dear Fans,

The AHL is as proud as ever of its role in developing nearly all of the players, coaches, executives, trainers, broadcasters and officials who you see throughout the National Hockey League today. 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.

This season is sure to be another exciting one as for the first time ever we drop the puck in 32 cities across North America, all vying to become the next Calder Cup champion.

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the League season, the latest chapter in can be traced back to our league’s founding ago.

On behalf of all of our teams, thank you for your continuing support of the AHL.

Sincerely,

SCOTT HOWSON

The AHL is as proud as ever of its role players, coaches, executives, trainers, you see throughout the National Hockey of our great fans have cheered on future champions and Hockey Hall of Famers the AHL.

| American Hockey League

This season is sure to be another exciting ever we drop the puck in 32 cities across become the next Calder Cup champion.

On behalf of all of our teams, thank

of the AHL.

PRESIDENT AND CHIEFEXECUTIVEOFFICER

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

SCOTT HOWSON

PRESIDENTANDCHIEFEXECUTIVEOFFICER

AMERICANHOCKEY LEAGUE

Scott Howson President & CEO

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

THE BEGINNINGS

Embarking on its 87th season of play in 202223, 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

A TRADITION OF

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 most recent championship was

captured by the Chicago Wolves last spring.

From those roots, the American Hockey League has grown into a 32team, coast-to-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.

BY THE NUMBERS

88.2%

992

AHL

Former 1st- and 2nd-round NHL draft picks who skated in the AHL in 2021-22

Percentage of all NHL players in 2021-22 who were graduates of the AHL

Former AHL players who skated in the NHL last season

players who also played in the NHL in 2021-22

L.

R.: AHL GRADUATES MORITZ SEIDER , IGOR SHESTERKIN , J.T. MILLER , JACOB MARKSTROM , KYLE CONNOR

THE PLAYERS

In today’s National Hockey League nearly 90 percent of the players are AHL alumni, including 2021-22 Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin, Calder Trophy recipient Moritz Seider and Lady Byng Trophy winner Kyle Connor. The 2022 Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche were stocked with AHL graduates including leading scorer Mikko Rantanen, Nazem Kadri, Devon Toews and Darcy Kuemper

During the 2021-22 season, a total of 992 AHL alumni played in the National Hockey League. There were 423 players who skated in both leagues last year alone, and 235 former first- and secondround NHL draft picks developed their skills in the AHL last season, including Alexander Holtz, Marco Rossi, Lukas Reichel, Jakob Pelletier, Peyton Krebs, 2022 Calder Cup champion Jack Drury and AHL Rookie of the Year Jack Quinn

THE LEGENDS

For the past eight decades, the American Hockey League has been home to some of the greatest players in the history of our sport. In fact, more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame have been affiliated with the AHL during their careers. All-time greats like Johnny Bower, Toe Blake, Gump Worsley, Terry Sawchuk, Glenn Hall, Brad Park, Ken Dryden, and Brett Hull came through the AHL ranks and now find themselves enshrined in Toronto, and the coveted Calder Cup is inscribed with the names of legendary AHL alumni like Patrick Roy, Larry Robinson, Gerry Cheevers, Andy Bathgate, Tim Horton, Al Arbour, Emile Francis, Doug Harvey, and Billy Smith

THE COACHES

At the start of the 2022-23 season, the National Hockey League featured 22 head coaches who were former AHL bench bosses, including Jared Bednar of the 2022 Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche.

Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper, Washington’s Peter Laviolette, Pittsburgh’s Mike Sullivan, Nashville’s John Hynes, Toronto’s Sheldon Keefe, Vancouver’s Bruce Boudreau, Minnesota’s Dean Evason and Edmonton’s Jay Woodcroft are also among the current NHL coaches who spent time in the American Hockey League before making the jump.

JARED BEDNAR

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EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC DIVISION: Bridgeport, Charlotte, Hartford, Hershey, Lehigh Valley, Providence, Springfield, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

NORTH DIVISION: Belleville, Cleveland, Laval, Rochester, Syracuse, Toronto, Utica

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

Ryan Martin Head Coach:

1997-98 Calder Cups: One (2000) Seasons in Playoffs:

BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS

NHL Affiliation:......................... New York Islanders

Home Ice: Webster Bank Arena (8,412)

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS

NHL Affiliation:............................. Florida Panthers

General Manager: Chris Lamoriello Head Coach:

Brent Thompson

Entered AHL: ............................................. 2001-02

Calder Cups: None Seasons in Playoffs: .................................... 10 of 19 2021-22 Record: ................. 31-30-7-4, 73 pts./.507 Website: .......................... bridgeportislanders.com

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:

6 of 10 2021-22 Record:

42-24-5-1, 90 pts./.625 Website: ........................................ gocheckers.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: 11 (1947, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1974, 1980, 1988, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010) Seasons in Playoffs: .................................... 69 of 82 2021-22 Record: ................. 34-32-6-4, 78 pts./.513 Website: hersheybears.com

LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS

SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS

NHL Affiliation: St. Louis Blues

Home Ice:

MassMutual Center (6,793)

General Manager: ........................... Kevin Maxwell Head Coach: ................................... Drew Bannister Entered AHL: 2016-17

Calder Cups: ................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs: ....................................... 1 of 4 2021-22 Record: ................. 43-24-6-3, 95 pts./.625 Website: springfieldthunderbirds.com

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON

PENGUINS

BELLEVILLE SENATORS

NHL Affiliation:............................. Ottawa Senators

Home Ice: CAA Arena (4,400)

General Manager: ........................... Ryan Bowness

Head Coach: ........................................... Troy Mann

Entered AHL: ............................................. 2017-18

Calder Cups: None Seasons In Playoffs:....................................... 1 of 3 2021-22 Record: ................. 40-28-4-0, 84 pts./.583 Website: .................................... bellevillesens.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: ...................................... 3 of 13 2021-22 Record: ................. 28-35-8-5, 69 pts./.454 Website: clevelandmonsters.com

LAVAL ROCKET

NHL Affiliation:........................ Montreal Canadiens

Home Ice: Place Bell (10,043)

General Manager: .............................. Kent Hughes

Head Coach: ............................ Jean-Francois Houle

Entered AHL: ............................................. 2017-18

Calder Cups: None Seasons In Playoffs:....................................... 1 of 3 2021-22 Record: ................. 39-26-5-2, 85 pts./.590 Website: ........................................ rocketlaval.com

THE ROAD TO THE CALDER CUP

ROCHESTER AMERICANS

NHL Affiliation: Buffalo Sabres

Home Ice: ......... Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial (10,662)

General Manager: ........................ Jason Karmanos

Head Coach: Seth Appert Entered AHL: ............................................. 1956-57

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: Ben Groulx

Entered AHL: ............................................. 1994-95 Calder Cups: ................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs: .................................... 16 of 26 2021-22 Record: 41-26-7-2, 91 pts./.599 Website: ................................. syracusecrunch.com

amerks.com

Calder Cups: ........................ Six (1965, 1966, 1968, 1983, 1987, 1996) Seasons in Playoffs: 47 of 64 2021-22 Record: ................. 37-29-7-3, 84 pts./.553 Website:

TORONTO MARLIES

NHL Affiliation: Toronto Maple Leafs

Home Ice: ..................... Coca-Cola Coliseum (7,851)

General Manager: ................................ Ryan Hardy

Head Coach: ......................................... Greg Moore

Entered AHL: 2005-06

Calder Cups: .......................................... One (2018) Seasons in Playoffs:

UTICA COMETS

NHL Affiliation: New Jersey Devils

Home Ice: ............... Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium (3,917)

General Manager: ......................... Dan MacKinnon Head Coach: Kevin Dineen

Entered AHL: ............................................. 2013-14 Calder Cups: ................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs: ....................................... 4 of 7 2021-22 Record: 43-20-8-1, 95 pts./.660 Website: ...................................... uticacomets.com

A total of 23 teams will qualify for the AHL’s 2023 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.

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.

San Jose, Tucson

CENTRAL DIVISION:

ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS

NHL Affiliation

Home Ice:............... Abbotsford Centre (7,073)

BAKERSFIELD CONDORS

Edmonton Oilers

Home Ice:........ Mechanics Bank Arena (8,751)

CALGARY WRANGLERS

NHL Affiliation

Calgary Flames

Home Ice: Scotiabank Saddledome (19,289)

General Manager:

Brad Pascall Head Coach:

Mitch Love Entered AHL: 2022-23 Calder Cups:

N/A Seasons in Playoffs:

N/A 2021-22 Record:

N/A Website: calgarywranglers.com

HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS

NHL Affiliation

Home Ice:..............

General Manager:

Seasons in Playoffs:

General Manager: Ryan Johnson Head Coach:

Entered AHL:

Jeremy Colliton

2021-22

Calder Cups: None Seasons in Playoffs:

1 of 1 2021-22 Record:

39-23-5-1, 84 pts./.618 Website: .................. abbotsford.canucks.com

General Manager: Keith Gretzky Head Coach: ............................... Colin Chaulk Entered AHL: .................................... 2015-16

Calder Cups: None Seasons in Playoffs:

2 of 5 2021-22 Record: ......... 37-21-5-5, 84 pts./.618 Website: ................... bakersfieldcondors.com

COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS

NHL Affiliation

Seattle Kraken

Home Ice: Acrisure Arena (10,400) General Manager:

Ricky Olczyk Head Coach:

Dan Bylsma Entered AHL: 2022-23 Calder Cups:

N/A Seasons in Playoffs:

COLORADO EAGLES

NHL Affiliation Colorado Avalanche

Home Ice:..... Budweiser Events Center (5,073) General Manager:

ONTARIO REIGN

N/A 2021-22 Record:

N/A Website: cvfirebirds.com

Craig Billington Head Coach: Greg Cronin Entered AHL: 2018-19 Calder Cups:

None Seasons in Playoffs:

2 of 2 2021-22 Record: 39-22-4-3, 85 pts./.625 Website:

SAN DIEGO GULLS

MARK

ONTARIO REIGN

SAN DIEGO GULLS

NHL Affiliation Anaheim Ducks

Home Ice: Pechanga Arena San Diego (12,920)

General Manager:

Rob DiMaio

Head Coach: Roy Sommer

Entered AHL:

2015-16 Calder Cups:

None Seasons in Playoffs:

4 of 5 2021-22 Record: 28-33-4-3, 63 pts./.463 Website:

sandiegogulls.com

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 5 2021-22 Record: ......... 20-42-4-2, 46 pts./.338 Website:

TUCSON ROADRUNNERS

NHL Affiliation

Home Ice:...................... Tucson Arena (6,521)

General Manager: John Ferguson Head Coach: ............................... Steve Potvin

Entered AHL: .................................... 2016-17

Calder Cups: None Seasons in Playoffs: ............................... 1 of 4 2021-22 Record: ......... 23-39-5-1, 52 pts./.382 Website: ................... tucsonroadrunners.com

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

Detroit Red Wings

Home Ice:............... Van Andel Arena (10,834)

General Manager: Shawn Horcoff Head Coach: .................................. Ben Simon Entered AHL: .................................... 2001-02 Calder Cups: Two (2013, 2017) Seasons in Playoffs: ........................... 13 of 19 2021-22 Record: ......... 33-35-6-2, 74 pts./.487 Website: .......................... griffinshockey.com

CHICAGO WOLVES

NHL Affiliation ................ Carolina Hurricanes

Home Ice:................... Allstate Arena (16,692)

General Manager: Wendell Young Head Coach: ........................... Brock Sheahan

Entered AHL: .................................... 2001-02

Calder Cups: ............ Three (2002, 2008, 2022) Seasons in Playoffs: 14 of 19 2021-22 Record: ....... 50-16-5-5, 110 pts./.724 Website: .......................... chicagowolves.com

IOWA WILD

NHL Affiliation ...................... Minnesota Wild Home Ice:............... Wells Fargo Arena (8,356) General Manager: Michael Murray Head Coach: .................................... Tim Army Entered AHL: .................................... 2013-14 Calder Cups: .......................................... None Seasons in Playoffs: 1 of 7 2021-22 Record: ......... 32-31-4-5, 73 pts./.507 Website: .................................. iowawild.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: ........................... 11 of 15 2021-22 Record: ......... 41-24-5-2, 89 pts./.618 Website: moosehockey.com

MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS

NHL Affiliation Nashville Predators

Home Ice:.................... Panther Arena (9,450)

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

NHL Affiliation Chicago Blackhawks

Home Ice:...... BMO Harris Bank Center (5,895)

TEXAS STARS

General Manager:

Scott Nichol Head Coach: Karl Taylor

Entered AHL:

2001-02

Calder Cups: ................................. One (2004) Seasons in Playoffs: ........................... 16 of 19 2021-22 Record: 39-28-5-4, 87 pts./.572 Website: .................. milwaukeeadmirals.com

General Manager: .................... Mark Bernard Head Coach: Anders Sorensen Entered AHL: .................................... 2007-08 Calder Cups: .......................................... None Seasons in Playoffs: ............................. 7 of 13 2021-22 Record: 37-30-4-1, 79 pts./.549 Website: .................................... icehogs.com

NHL Affiliation Dallas Stars Home Ice:.. H-E-B Center at Cedar Park (6,779) General Manager: ....................... Scott White Head Coach: Neil Graham Entered AHL: .................................... 2009-10 Calder Cups: ................................. One (2014) Seasons in Playoffs: ............................. 8 of 11 2021-22 Record: 32-28-6-6, 76 pts./.528 Website: ................................ texasstars.com Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 19

DETROIT RED WINGS

Andreas Athanasiou 2015-16

Griffin to win the NHL’s Calder Memorial Trophy as the league’s top rookie. Seider headlines a deep pool of young players who will try to help Detroit return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season, the team’s first under new head coach Derek Lalonde.

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

Dennis Cholowski 2018-19

Ty Conklin 2011-12

Chris Conner 2011-12

Jared Coreau 2016-17

Kyle Criscuolo 2021-22

Austin Czarnik 2022-23

Danny DeKeyser 2013-14

Aaron Downey 2008-09

Patrick Eaves 2013-14

Christoffer Ehn 2018-19

Matt Ellis 2006-07

Turner Elson 2021-22

Cory Emmerton 2010-11

Jonathan Ericsson 2007-08

Filip Hronek 2018-19

Jiri Hudler 2003-04

Matt Hussey 2006-07

Doug Janik 2009-10

Nick Jensen 2016-17

Tomas Jurco 2013-14

Jakub Kindl 2009-10

Tomas Kopecky 2005-06

Niklas Kronwall 2003-04

Marc Lamothe 2003-04

Josh Langfeld 2006-07

Dylan Larkin 2015-16

Brian Lashoff 2012-13

Brett Lebda 2005-06

Ville Leino 2008-09

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

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

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

COACHING

Landon Ferraro 2013-14

Valtteri Filppula 2005-06

Martin Frk 2017-18

Luke Glendening 2013-14

Mark Hartigan 2007-08

Darren Helm 2007-08

GOALTENDING

VIDEO

ASSISTANT

Drew Miller 2016-17

Kevin Miller 2003-04

Mark Mowers 2003-04

Petr Mrazek 2012-13

Jan Mursak 2010-11

Anders Myrvold 2003-04

Joe Veleno 2020-21

Jason Williams 2002-03

Luke Witkowski 2021-22

Filip Zadina 2018-19

Photo credit: Getty Images

JAN.

FEB.

FEB.

$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.

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 or Crease ticket for $16 (regularly $22), an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $19 (regularly $25), or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $23 (regularly $28). Limit four tickets per card per person, subject to availability.

BUDDY’S PIZZA FRIENDS & FAMILY 4-PACKS

Presented by Buddy’s Pizza, these packs are available for all Saturday games during the 2022-23 season and include four or more game tickets, $20 or more in concession cash, and a coupon for one free cheese pizza per 4-pack at participating Buddy’s Pizza locations. Visit griffinshockey.com/ f4p or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.

PEPSI READING GOALS

Children with Griff’s Reading Goals bookmarks who have completed the required three hours or reading can redeem their bookmark for two free Upper Level tickets to any of the following games: Bookmark #1 – Dec. 23; Bookmark #2 – Feb. 15, March 19 and 29.

POST-GAME OPEN SKATES

Bring your skates to the rink and take to the ice for a post-game open skate on Dec. 31, Jan. 14 and Feb. 11. 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 SESSIONS

Select players will sign autographs from the Griffins’ bench after the games on Jan. 7 and March 11.

MOS CORNER OFFICE

Presented by Michigan Office Solutions, this section, located on the terrace level above section 118, provides the best seats in the house for groups of up to 30 people, with a La-Z-Boy chairs and an array of unprecedented amenities. Call (616) 744-4585 ext. 4.

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.

SUNDAY IS FUN DAY

For the one Sunday home game on March 19, enjoy $1 small Pepsi drinks and $1 small ice cream cups from 4-6 p.m.

FACE-OFF FLAVOR IN DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS

FACE-OFF FLAVOR IN DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS

FACE-OFF FLAVOR IN DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS

Indulge in authentic classics and hand-crafted cocktails in the kitchen of the world’s first celebrity chef, Wolfgang Puck. Made with the best available, locally sourced ingredients, The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck promises a relaxed and welcoming dining environment inside the Amway Grand Plaza with breakaway flavors in downtown Grand Rapids.

Indulge in authentic classics and hand-crafted cocktails in the kitchen of the world’s first celebrity chef, Wolfgang Puck. Made with the best available, locally sourced ingredients, The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck promises a relaxed and welcoming dining environment inside the Amway Grand Plaza with breakaway flavors in downtown Grand Rapids.

Indulge in authentic classics and hand-crafted cocktails in the kitchen of the world’s first celebrity chef, Wolfgang Puck. Made with the best available, locally sourced ingredients, The Kitchen by Wolfgang Puck promises a relaxed and welcoming dining environment inside the Amway Grand Plaza with breakaway flavors in downtown Grand Rapids.

For reservations visit opentable.com

For reservations visit opentable.com

For reservations visit opentable.com

Knowing your limits is always the be st bet. Call the Michigan Problem

Czarnik

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

Austin

has finally found his way back to where he has always belonged.

Story and photos by Mark Newman

Growing up in the Detroit area, Austin Czarnik dreamed about someday playing for the Red Wings.

It was a big dream for a little kid, especially given that he was constantly considered too small. In his efforts to stand out from the score of similarly ambitious youngsters enthralled by the exploits of a team that had won three Stanley Cups in six years, Czarnik had continuously come up short.

Before Czarnik reached his 16th birthday, the Red Wings would add a fourth championship, but at that point he seemed no closer to his dream than when he first put on skates at the age of five when Detroit had won its first Stanley Cup in 42 years. He had even contemplated giving up his dream altogether.

“I was always being cut from teams when I was growing up because I was always so small,” said Czarnik, who now measures 5-foot-8. “When I was growing up, hockey was a bigger man’s game, so that’s what everybody wanted and I kept bouncing from team to team here in Detroit. I even thought about quitting at one point.

“My mom and dad said, ‘You can’t quit. You love the sport, so keep on going.’ I eventually

went to Belle Tire (PeeWee Major AAA) and the team’s coach, Jabar Askerov, believed in me because he was a smaller guy, too, and he got me going and helped me develop. It was probably my best year as a minor hockey player.”

Czarnik has never forgotten the faith that his former coach placed in him. To this day, Czarnik has continued to hone his skills with Askerov, a hockey player of Russian heritage but modest talent who had once trained under Ivan Pravilov, a Ukrainian coach who was considered one of Europe’s top skills instructors.

His success with the Belle Tire team led him to spend the next two years playing for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program’s under-17 and under-18 squads. Finally given a chance, he was scoring at nearly a point-pergame pace. “I felt like I was making a lot of strides,” he said.

He decided he was going to play hockey at Michigan State but eventually changed his mind. “After my 17th year I de-committed, which I feel bad about,” he said. “In the end, it was the right decision.”

Free to reconsider his commitment, he thought about changing his allegiance. “I talked to Michigan, but I didn’t want to go there,” said

Czarnik grew up in Washington Township, Mich., which is north of Detroit in Macomb County.

Czarnik, who was doing his homework.

He was intrigued by the prospect of playing for Miami (Ohio) University, a smaller school where players of similar stature – Andy Miele and Carter Camper (coincidentally, both onetime Griffins) – had thrived under the tutelage of head coach Rico Blasi, who happened to be shorter than all of them.

“I knew what kind of players they were and they were able to take off at school, so I think that knowledge played a big part in my decision honestly,” he said. “I saw myself as a player in the same mold – a guy on the shorter side – and I think their success motivated me to go there. I saw that they had been given a chance and I felt like being the same size, I would be given the same chance if I did what I needed to do.”

To prepare for college, Czarnik spent one year with the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL. When word got out about his visit to Oxford, Ohio, home to Miami University, Czarnik received a phone call from Derek Lalonde, the current Red Wings head coach who then was an assistant coach at the University of Denver.

Hold your horses, suggested Lalonde, who was on his way to becoming the head coach of the Gamblers the following year. “He said,

‘‘Don’t commit to Miami until you visit here.’ He was trying to recruit me, but I had already decided,” Czarnik recalled. “It’s crazy how everything works out.”

He excelled at Miami, where he started skating on a line with Reilly Smith, a third-round pick of Dallas who has spent the past six seasons with the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights.

“I was lucky enough to play my freshman year with Reilly and I was able to learn a lot from him,” Czarnik said. “I was able to pick his mind a bit, as well as Chris Wiseman (a defenseman currently with the Montreal Canadiens). Just to hear them talk and be able to learn from them was awesome. They helped me understand the game more and to know what I needed to do.”

Czarnik was named captain of the RedHawks before his junior season, which was the only losing campaign in his four years at Miami and Blasi’s first losing season in nine years.

“I had never been a captain anywhere and it was a challenge because the team didn’t do as well as had been projected,” he said. “For some reason, we just never clicked. We had a tough year. We had a rough start and things just kept spiraling down. That year helped me understand how to become a leader.”

Czarnik

signed a two-year contract with the Red Wings after appearing in 142 NHL games with Boston, Calgary, New York (Islanders), and Seattle.

Czarnik made his Detroit debut this season on Nov. 6, then scored his first goal in a Red Wings jersey two days later.

Blasi had nothing but high praise for his former captain in a Czarnik feature for The Athletic.

“His work ethic, his care level for his teammates, his passion to play the game and to get better every day, was evident, so it was a no-brainer,” said Blasi, who believes the “C” on a player’s jersey is more than a letter. “You’ve got the well-being of the entire program and the team. It’s quite extensive in terms of the pressure and sheer responsibility. It’s not just talking to refs… you’re the spokesman, you’ve got to do all the interviews, you’ve got to do all the talking between periods, you’ve got to make sure everyone’s on the same page.”

For his part, Czarnik thrived in that environment.

“Everything fell into place for me in college,” said Czarnik, who earned his degree in kinesiology at Miami. “I was very happy there. I took the biggest strides in college, which set me up for success. I was able to produce and do what I needed to do. Rico (Blasi) and the whole coaching staff made me into the player that I am and they helped me get my first contract to start my pro career.”

As an undrafted free agent – he was bit by the old bugaboo about size once again – Czarnik was able to choose from potential suitors for his potential introduction to the NHL after college. His agent talked to several teams before he decided to sign with the Boston Bruins.

“I felt like it was a good fit,” he said. “Looking at their lineup and with the Bruins being an Original Six team, it looked like things could work out for me, which they did. As a pro, I spent my whole first season [2015-16] in the minors, but in my second year, I was given an opportunity. I enjoyed my time in Boston because it’s a first-class organization. They helped me get my feet wet in the NHL.”

Over three years, Czarnik produced 17 points (5-12—17) in 59 NHL games and 155 points (51104—155) in 157 AHL games. Roughly half of his games were spent playing for Bruce Cassidy, the former Griffins head coach (2000-02) who was behind the bench in both Providence, where Czarnik began his pro career, and, later, Boston, where Cassidy coached for six-and-a-half years before going to Vegas this season.

“I liked playing for Cassidy,” he said. “He let

me know when I was doing something wrong. When I needed to be held accountable, he made sure that I was held accountable but it wasn’t like he was yelling at me. He kept reminding me that I needed to get my motor going and keep my legs moving.

“I always enjoyed him as a coach. He believed in me and gave me a lot of opportunities when I was in Providence. I don’t have anything bad to say about him at all.”

Czarnik’s stay in the Bruins organization ended in Providence. He played 10 games in Boston during the 2017-18 season but ended up spending most of the year in the AHL. “It was frustrating because I felt like I was ready to make the jump,” said Czarnik, who ended up talking with Bruins general manager Don Sweeney. “He told me that I would have to go through waivers and they didn’t want to lose me. It’s an answer you don’t want to hear, but it’s honest. I respect him for telling me.”

Even so, Czarnik was ready for a fresh start.

“I wanted to see what else was out there,” said Czarnik, who decided to test the open waters and become a free agent again. “I felt like I owed myself the opportunity to go into free agency and see which teams were interested.”

He signed a two-year deal with Calgary, where he played a career-high 54 games during the 2018-19 season. Over the last 26 games, he tallied four goals and eight assists.

“There was some initial adversity, with not playing every game,” he said. “But over the last three months, I got into a groove a little bit. I started playing with the same guys where you can build that chemistry. I think the year ended up well.”

The following season, 2019-20, he was scoreless in the Flames’ first five games, then scored a goal in back-to-back games after breaking the streak with an assist. But his good fortune was stopped by a high ankle sprain that kept him off the ice for several weeks. By the time he was ready to return, his replacement, Calgary second-round pick Dillon Dubé, was playing well enough that Czarnik ended up spending the rest of the COVID-shortened season in the AHL with the Flames’ minor league affiliate.

“Injuries happen and things happen that you can’t control,” he said. “We had a good team and I ended up having a good time in Stockton.”

Still, Czarnik was ready for another change

of scenery. This time, he headed to New York, where he spent the entire abbreviated 2020-21 campaign on the Islanders’ NHL taxi squad.

“I ended up practicing almost the whole year,” he said. “I played only four games, so it was one of the hardest years of my career. I felt like I was just ‘there.’ You’re not doing anything, but they are keeping you there just in case. It was weird and crazy at the same time.”

Thankfully, Czarnik and his wife Rachael found comfort in the birth of their daughter Colette in December of that season.

“Lou Lamoriello, one of the best general managers in hockey, is very family-oriented, so I was allowed to stay until the baby was born,” he recalled. “I missed a week of camp, but I had to leave my daughter when she was two days old, which was hard. It was definitely a long year, but having our daughter made everything better.”

Last season was another whirlwind for Czarnik, who split the year between the NHL and the Islanders’ AHL affiliate in Bridgeport. He appeared in only 11 games with New York, recording two goals and three assists in limited NHL action. “I was just sitting and I wanted to play, so they put me on waivers,” said Czarnik, who was claimed by the Seattle Kraken.

Czarnik appeared in six games with Seattle before he found himself on waivers again, this time being reclaimed by the Islanders and finishing the season in Bridgeport.

If he felt like a yo-yo, it was nothing new, and a feeling he has learned to endure.

“It never gets easier. You just get used to it,” he said. “You don’t even know where you’re going to be half of the time. I don’t know how my wife and daughter do it. I thank God every day they stay with me. It’s a hard life for them. It’s not easy, but they’re hanging in there. They’re still supporting me and that’s all I can ask.”

Needless to say, Czarnik and his wife were beyond thrilled when he signed a two-year deal with Detroit this past offseason. Both of their families still reside in the Detroit area, where they bought a house shortly before COVID.

“It was awesome – I’ve always wanted to come here,” he said, beaming like a cat that just caught a mouse. “We tried before I signed contracts with Calgary and New York, and it just didn’t work out, but it’s something that I always wanted to do. Being able to come home on off days and being close to family is great. To be a part of the organization – and to

already have played some games in Detroit – is a dream come true.”

After scoring a hat trick in his second game with Grand Rapids on Oct. 15 against San Diego and recording five goals and five assists in his first eight games with the Griffins, Czarnik made his Red Wings debut on Nov. 6 at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers. In his second game, he scored his first goal for Detroit in a 3-2 shootout loss against the Montreal Canadiens at Little Caesars Arena.

“It was my daughter’s first game since I came to the Red Wings,” he said. “She only stayed for the first period because it was her bedtime, but she was able to see my first goal which she might not remember because she is still very young –she’s almost two now. But it’s a moment that my wife and I will always remember.”

Czarnik made the most of his 9:29 in ice time. He capitalized on a nifty pass from Dominik Kubalik as he was driving the net after coming off the bench at the 16:29 mark of the first period. “My wife told my daughter that Daddy just scored and one of her favorite words is ‘goal,’ so she raised her arms and said ‘Goal!’ So that was really cool.”

He looks forward to keeping the

momentum going. As far as he’s concerned, the path is simple.

“When I’m moving my feet, everything opens up,” he said. “I feel confident with the puck and when I’m confident, I’m able to create better plays, take better shots, and force more turnovers. When my feet are moving, I can disrupt a lot of stuff and that leads to generating more offense.”

He knows his hot start won’t likely last, but that shouldn’t change the way he plays.

“Unless you’re Connor McDavid, it’s hard to get points every single game,” he said. “You’re going to have games where you feel better and you’re not going to get a point and you’ll have games where you feel terrible and you get two or three points. I don’t think the points matter. It’s how you play night in and night out.”

Size, of course, is always a factor, but the only difference it makes is in how he approaches every game. Some people might think “small,” but he likes to think “big.” It’s a tall order for any player to contribute consistently, but he contends that he is up to the challenge. He intends to keep pouring his heart into every game.

“When you’re smaller, you just have to work harder and smarter than everyone else,” he said.

Czarnik played four years at Miami (Ohio) University, where he served as a captain his last two seasons.

BON VOYAGE

When Francis Pare left Grand Rapids after helping the Griffins win their first Calder Cup, it marked the beginning of an incredible journey that would take him to places he could never imagined. A decade later, the ever-popular Pare is ready to start a new adventure.

Story by Mark Newman

While Francis Pare was spending five seasons with the Grand Rapids Griffins, he had one destination in mind.

Like any hockey-playing French Canadian, he dreamed of playing in the NHL. And though that day never came, he never could have imagined the extraordinary life that awaited him as a hockey globetrotter.

His talents would take him halfway around the world and back.

His hockey career had him packing his bags for places as distant as Belarus, Croatia, Finland, Russia, Slovakia, and Switzerland. In the decade after leaving Grand Rapids, Pare played for a total of 11 different hockey clubs –some good, a few not-so-good, but every one of them an adventure.

“I’ve been a world traveler, that’s for sure,” said Pare from a hotel in Paris on his way back to his home in Quebec City. “I’ve had to ask for a new passport every three or four years with all the visas – from places like China, Kazakhstan, Belarus, and Russia. I certainly have put a lot of miles on my body.”

And it all started because of Grand Rapids.

In 2012-13, Pare was in his fifth season with the Griffins. The team had failed to qualify for the postseason three consecutive years and Pare was eager to return to the playoffs for the first time since his rookie campaign of 2008-09.

“When I think about that season, it still gives me goosebumps,” Pare said. “We had a little bit of everything. In Jeff Blashill, we had a really good coach who brought everyone together. We had strong leadership with so many good veterans, along with some great up-and-coming talent like [Gustav] Nyquist, [Tomas] Tatar, [Tomas] Jurco, [Riley] Sheahan, and others.

“Looking back now, their careers all went different ways, but at the time they were all solid players. And of course, we had some amazing goaltending from Petr Mrazek. Everybody accepted their role and everyone wanted to win for Grand Rapids. Nobody was worried about who was going to get called up or get sent down. It was like everyone was playing for a bigger purpose.”

Grand Rapids was where Pare’s pro career began after then-Griffins general manager Bob McNamara took a chance on the undersized center from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League – a little-known player who had remained undrafted because of his size.

“When I came to GR that first year, I didn’t speak a word of English,” Pare recalled. “Five years later, after winning the Calder Cup, I was giving a speech in English at the baseball stadium in front of a few thousand people. I arrived as a kid and I left as a man. The whole experience made me into the person I am today and I will be forever grateful.”

Pare would be the first to admit that he had lessons to learn as a young hockey player. He cites the positive influence of longtime Griffins equipment manager Brad Thompson as one example.

“When I first got to the city, I could be grumpy or in my own bubble sometimes and Brad came to me and said, ‘Frankie, you’ve got to change your attitude. It’s not right.’ Now he could have said, ‘I don’t like that kid’ and he could have let me die in the East Coast League. Instead, he took me under his wing, and I think that’s why the Griffins have had so much success over the years. They treat everyone like family.”

Unable to crack the Red Wings’ roster during his five years with the Griffins, despite racking up 102 goals and 237 points in 363 games for

Pare became a Calder Cup winner at the end of his fifth season in Grand Rapids.

Grand Rapids – totals that still rank second, third and fifth, respectively, in franchise history – Pare decided to try his luck overseas. He started the 2013-14 season with TPS Turku in Finland, where he got to play with a 16-yearold kid named Mikko Rantanen.

“You could see he was a good player as a teenager, but I never thought he would become one of the top 10 players in the world,” Pare said. “But, wow, that kid worked hard. He was always staying on the ice, spending more time in the gym, and doing extra. He didn’t take his talent for granted. Playing pro hockey in his hometown in Finland wasn’t good enough for him. He wanted more and he finally became a Stanley Cup champion with Colorado – what a great story.”

Of course, Pare was already a champion, which is why the Metallurg hockey club in Magnitogorsk purchased his contract from Turku midway through the season. Mike Keenan, who won a Stanley Cup in 1994 with the New York Rangers, was looking to bolster his roster with proven winners, and Pare fit the bill.

It was a good move for all involved. In 21

playoff contests, Pare tallied seven goals, which was fourth-best on the team as Metallurg won the Gagarin Cup, the trophy presented to the winner of the KHL playoffs and named in honor of Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space.

Winning back-to-back championships became the consummate calling card for Pare as his agent – a Belarusian named Dmitri Yernomin – was able to parlay the achievement into gainful employment for the next decade.

“He has been amazing to me because he took me to places that I could never have imagined, coming from a family that had almost zero money,” Pare said. “He allowed me to travel the world and open my mind and experience things like the Russian culture. I spent the best years of my life overseas because of him and I’m really grateful that my life put me through his path.”

Pare spent the better part of six seasons in Russia, including the city of Yekaterinburg – hometown of current Griffin Kirill Tyutyayev – which was one of his favorite places where he played. He spent the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons with the Automobilist

Pare led Zagreb Medvescak in scoring during the 2016-17 season.

hockey club there, recording 64 points (2737—64) in 107 games – his best back-to-back years in the KHL.

“Yekaterinburg is a really nice city but it’s close to Siberia, so it’s very cold in the wintertime,” Pare said. “There’s always a stretch of two or three weeks in the middle of the winter when you can’t even walk outside because it’s minus 30, almost minus 40. But it was such a cool experience playing there and the people there were so warm.”

His next two seasons were in Belarus, where he played for Minsk Dynamo, a team that included several imports. Teemu Pulkkinen, who played for the Griffins from 2012-15, was a teammate during his first season in Minsk. In his second year there, he shared the ice with Adam Almquist, who was also a member of the 2013 Calder Cup team.

“It was almost like an AHL team where we would go for dinner together almost every other night,” Pare said. “Teemu hadn’t changed his game. He was still a sniper, still taking snapshots from the red line, and it was fun to play again with Almy because we always stayed in touch.”

Pare played long enough and in enough places that it seemed like he was always running into someone with a Grand Rapids connection. When he led Zagreb Medvescak in points during the 2016-17 season, the top goal scorer on the team was Alexandre Giroux, who had spent his rookie pro season in Grand Rapids 15 years earlier.

“Big G,” as Pare calls him, was a prolific scorer in the AHL, recording back-to-back 60-goal and 50-goal seasons with the Hershey Bears between 2008-10. “To score that many goals in the AHL, you have to have super talent and it was cool to learn from him about how he saw the game,” he said.

Croatia is another country that ranks high on Pare’s international itinerary. “We had a lot of guys from the AHL who just wanted to have a good time,” he said. “There was no pressure, no drama like you might experience with some teams in Russia. It was a year where I had to be focused and everything just clicked.

“It’s not a big hockey country, but in the summer, Croatia is a hard place to beat. Zagreb is an amazing city with amazing fans. It almost seemed like nobody worked. Everybody was on the patio, enjoying a little espresso in the

Pare played in three different cities in Switzerland: Geneva, Lausanne and Visp.

middle of the day, watching football games. It felt almost surreal.”

Last season, Pare spent time in Lausanne, Switzerland, where he was able to play with Cory Emmerton, who played parts of six seasons (2006-11, 2013-14) with the Griffins. “There have been so many great players who have come through Grand Rapids, so it’s cool to catch up with guys as you’re traveling overseas.”

Over the years, Pare had to change his playing style almost as much as he changed hockey sweaters. If there is a secret to being able to adapt to new cities, new countries, and new teams, it’s to not get too comfortable wherever you may be.

“The main thing is to stay open-minded –and travel light with only a couple of suitcases,” he said. “You’re going to encounter different players, different coaches, and different styles. Every country has a different style of hockey. I would say it takes a month, sometimes two, to adjust completely to the way they play and to understand how they see the game.

“It’s unpredictable. Sometimes you’re playing for championship-caliber teams that are so good that if you don’t win by three goals, it

almost feels like a loss. Other times you are playing for teams where you’re just trying to survive and trying to get paid.”

“It’s been a great ride. I’ve loved every second of it, even my first season in Minsk when we had one of the worst years in KHL history. When I look back at all my years, I don’t remember the bad times. I only remember the good teams, the good dinners with the guys, and all the good laughs.

“When you’re battling hard in the game and you come back to the room and enjoy a beer with the boys, for me, that’s what hockey is all about. It’s competing together, having a good time, and winning some hockey games. You can say the words in Russian, English, or French – it doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, you’re just having fun.”

That’s why Pare’s 2022-23 season ended after four games. He was on the roster for EHC Visp, a second-tier team in the Germanspeaking part of Switzerland, so he asked for a trade to a team in a French-speaking city. When his request was denied, he figured it was time to pull up stakes – this time, maybe for good.

“I love the game of hockey,” he said. “But I’m 35 years old and it’s gotten harder to put my body on the line every night. Considering the caliber of hockey, plus playing some nights in front of 1,500 people max, made things hard mentally, and I’m at my best when I’m emotionally involved. It didn’t feel like it was worth it anymore, so we shook hands and decided to move on.”

A family road trip ensued. Pare had never been to Paris, so after a tour across Switzerland, the family packed up their belongings and flew to France.

‘We just enjoyed Disneyland yesterday and today we’re going to see the Eiffel Tower,” Pare said when reached by phone in late November. “We want to take some cool pictures of the kids so we can tell them that they’ve been there. We might not come overseas again for a long, long time.”

Pare, however, is not ready to rule out returning for the playoffs one last time.

“I still love hockey,” he said. “I love to share my passion and want to share my knowledge. On the other hand, it requires a lot of your body and your mental being and, most of all,

To this day, Pare finds plenty of reasons to celebrate his extended stay with the Griffins.

your family. Right now, I’m not going to say no to the possibility of a two- or three-month contract at the end of the season. But the situation would have to be right. If I thought the team could win, I might consider it. But to go somewhere to just make money would put me on the fence about whether to go.

“I need to do what’s best for my family.”

At present, that means staying home with his wife and kids. Pare and his wife, Daisy, have three kids. Their oldest, Rose, was born six years ago in Croatia and is trilingual – French with her mom, mostly English with her dad, and Russian with her schoolmates. Filip is two years old and he’s into big trucks and cars. Victor, the youngest, was born on Pare’s birthday (June 30) last summer.

“I love hockey but it’s time that my family takes priority,” he said. “I didn’t put three kids on this planet to be away from them. I want to be with them and my wife, so we’re going back to Canada. We’re not sure where we’ll end up living, but we trust that the universe will point the way.”

In the meantime, they’re planning to stay in Quebec City. “We’re excited to get back home and get the kids with their grandparents for Christmas for the first time. It will be the first time in 15 years that my wife and I will be back home. Of course, it’s going to be a big change. Even now, I can see how much I will miss the game of hockey.”

Pare has a plan to combat those feelings.

“When we get back home, I’ll hopefully make a little ice rink behind our house. We bought Filip his first pair of skates a couple of months ago. I know he’s a little young, but I would like to get him on the ice so he can see me skate. I want him to enjoy the smell of fresh air and hear the ice crack.

“To me, that’s what hockey is all about. That’s how I grew up with my dad and my grandfather – learning to skate and enjoying being on the ice with family where there’s no pressure, no winning or losing. It’s only fun.

“Hopefully the kids will find that same passion that I had and if they don’t want to be hockey players, so be it. I’ll watch some videos on YouTube so I can teach them something else. But if they like hockey, I may know a couple of things that could help them. But there will be no pressure.”

Pare is thankful that he was able to play at a high level for as long as he did. If he has any regret, it’s that he never got to play a game in the NHL.

“I had an amazing career without playing one NHL game, but I have a little bitter taste that I never got the chance to play there,” he said. “Of course, one game would not have made me a better or worse hockey player, but it would have been cool to have been able to tell my kids that I got to play in the NHL.”

Instead, Pare will take pleasure in sharing the memories of all the great places where he was able to play. Grand Rapids will be at the top of the list.

“I wasn’t from GR, but after five years, I felt like GR was part of me. It became my home. When I think about Grand Rapids, I think of the friends I made there who had no connection to hockey. If I walked through the city right now, I would have so many good memories. We plan to go back to GR someday with our kids. I won’t tell them all the crazy stories, but I will tell them about all the good experiences I had.

“It’s one place I’ll never forget.”

Photo credit: Yury Kuzmin

Pare scored 24 goals in a season twice with the Griffins.

PONTUS ANDREASSON

Forward 5-11, 183 lbs.

Born: 8/24/98

Munkedal, Sweden

VICTOR BRATTSTROM

Goaltender

6-5, 196 lbs. Born: 3/22/97

Goteborg, Sweden

SIMON EDVINSSON

Defenseman

6-6, 215 lbs.

Born: 2/5/03

Onsala, Sweden

2022 - 23 GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS ROSTER

SETH BARTON

Defenseman

6-2, 197 lbs. Born: 8/18/99 Kelowna, B.C.

JONATAN BERGGREN

Forward 5-11, 195 lbs. Born: 7/16/00

Enkoping, Sweden

TRENTON BLISS

Forward 6-1, 195 lbs. Born: 3/16/98 Appleton, Wisc.

SEBASTIAN COSSA

Goaltender

6-6, 229 lbs.

Born: 11/21/02 Hamilton, Ont.

CROSS HANAS

Forward 6-1, 180 lbs.

Born: 1/5/02

Highland Village, Texas

KYLE CRISCUOLO

Forward 5-9, 178 lbs. Born: 5/5/92 Southampton, N.J.

TARO HIROSE

Forward 5-10, 170 lbs. Born: 6/30/96 Calgary, Alta.

AUSTIN CZARNIK

Forward 5-8, 170 lbs.

Born: 12/12/92 Washington Twp., Mich.

ALBERT JOHANSSON

Defenseman

6-0, 185 lbs. Born: 1/4/01 Karlstad, Sweden

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from the biggest of the big, to the littlest of the little.

STEVEN KAMPFER

Defenseman

5-11, 198 lbs. Born: 9/24/88 Ann Arbor, Mich.

MATT LUFF

Forward

6-3, 215 lbs. Born: 5/5/97 Windsor, Ont.

CEDRIC LACROIX

Forward

6-1, 185 lbs.

Born: 11/3/94 Shefford, Que.

BRIAN LASHOFF

Defenseman

6-3, 215 lbs. Born: 7/16/90 Albany, N.Y.

JOEL L’ESPERANCE

Forward

6-2, 210 lbs. Born: 8/18/95 Brighton, Mich.

CHASE PEARSON

Forward

6-3, 203 lbs. Born: 8/23/97

Alpharetta, Georgia

JARED McISAAC

Defenseman

6-1, 197 lbs. Born: 3/27/00 Truro, N.S.

WYATT NEWPOWER

Defenseman

6-4, 210 lbs. Born: 12/9/97 Hugo, Minn.

JUSSI OLKINUORA

Goaltender

6-3, 205 lbs. Born: 11/4/90 Helsinki, Finland

TYLER SPEZIA

Forward 5-10, 175 lbs. Born: 6/7/93 Detroit, Mich.

DONOVAN SEBRANGO

Defenseman

6-1, 200 lbs. Born: 1/12/02 Ottawa, Ont.

DOMINIK SHINE

Forward

5-11, 180 lbs. Born: 4/18/93 Detroit, Mich.

GIVANI SMITH

Forward

6-2, 216 lbs. Born: 2/27/98 Toronto, Ont.

KIRILL TYUTYAYEV

Forward

5-10, 170 lbs.

Born: 8/8/00 Yekaterinburg, Russia

EEMIL VIRO

Defenseman

6-0, 183 lbs. Born: 4/3/02 Vantaa, Finland

DREW WORRAD

Forward

6-1, 185 lbs. Born: 6/30/97 Birr, Ont.

Defenseman

TRAVELIN’ MAN

Steven Kampfer has watched his career come full circle with his return to his home state of Michigan.

Story by Mark Newman

Photo Credit: Cleveland Monsters

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Steven Kampfer is the very definition of a journeyman – he’s played here and there and almost everywhere in between. During his 13-year career, the veteran defenseman has seemingly made more stops than an Amazon driver in the middle of the holiday season.

In the NHL, he has played for the Boston Bruins, Minnesota Wild, Florida Panthers, and New York Rangers. In the AHL, the list of his past employers includes the Providence Bruins, Houston Aeros, Iowa Wild, San Antonio Rampage, and Hartford Wolf Pack.

Last season, he played for Ak Bars, a KHL team based in Kazan, the largest city in the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia, which was one of the host cities of the 2018 FIFA World Cup and was once captured by Ivan the Terrible.

In a career that has had more twists and turns than a Formula One circuit, Kazan would prove to be more than just a detour in what has been a memorable trip through the world of professional hockey.

Kampfer, who has learned the value of always keeping a suitcase ready to roll, had decided that he had reached a crossroads in his career after he had found his way back to the Bruins organization for a second time.

Tired of the incessant uncertainty that comes with being the seventh or eighth defenseman on a roster, he was ready for a fresh start.

Following surgery to repair his wrist in May 2021, Kampfer sat down with his agent, Shawn Hunwick, to discuss what destination might be next.

“It’s mentally taxing, having to go every day and not knowing when your next game is going to be,” said Kampfer, who has spent as much time – if not more – out of the lineup as he has spent in one. “It’s not like I had gotten pigeon-holed, but when you get stuck behind some really good players, you realize something needs to change.

“It’s not the fault of the players ahead of you –they’re playing well, after all – and it’s not the fault of the organization, because they want to watch their young kids develop. So you mostly wait. I knew that was going to be the role I was going to be put into wherever I went.

“My agent said, ‘Hey, why don’t we look at the KHL for a year with one understanding – let’s see if we can reinvent your career and have some fun playing hockey. You can re-establish yourself, show everyone that you can play a two-way game, and do it at a very high level.’ And so we did that.”

Before heading to Russia, Kampfer sought out the advice of acquaintances who had played there. Among the players he contacted was Andy Miele, the former Griffins center (2014-15, 2015-16) and Detroit native who had played the previous two seasons in Novgorod.

“Andy is a good friend of mine. We grew up and played together our entire childhood,” Kampfer said. “I was intrigued [about the KHL] but I wanted to hear his thoughts about the experience. I knew I could trust what he had to say and he opened up my eyes to what I might see.

“The best thing Andy told me, and it really stayed with me, was this. He said, if you’re expecting things to be one way when you get over there, you’re going to be stuck with the thought, ‘Why is this not like the National Hockey League?’ But if you come in with an open mind and realize that there will be things you can’t control, that [expletive] is going to go sideways, you will be OK.”

Kampfer was better than OK. He was the topscoring defenseman on his team, finishing with careerbest totals in goals (11) and points (30) in just 46 games.

“The way we – myself and the five other imports and their families – were all treated by Kazan was first class,” he said. “I cannot say enough about the organization and the people there. They treated us very well. They treated us like we were family and they made sure that we were always looked after.

“It was a lot of fun to go over there, not only to learn a different culture but also to play a style of hockey that was a lot more defensive than I thought it was going to be. Very rarely did you get a game where the score is 6-5. Very often games were decided by a 3-2 or 3-1 score. The games were very tight-checking, so you needed your top offensive players to produce on a nightly basis. If they didn’t, you were probably losing.”

Kampfer might have contemplated a return to the KHL for this season, but sitting in the stands during the opening round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs last May convinced him otherwise.

The Griffins are Kampfer’s 11th team as a professional.

“My wife and I and our son went to a Panthers playoff game against Washington in Florida, where we live in the summer,” he recalled. “We went with a group of friends and I was sitting with my son and my wife was sitting with a friend in a different area. About 12 minutes into the game, I sent her a text that said, ‘I can still play.’ That was the full discussion. I had watched enough to know that I could still play here. I called my agent the next day. I was coming back.”

Discussions led them to Detroit, which brought back a lot of fond memories for Kampfer, who was born in Ann Arbor, grew up in Jackson, and was a member of the Little Caesars AAA minor ice hockey team that often played at Joe Louis Arena.

“I used to see [Steve] Yzerman, [Sergei] Fedorov, [Nicklas] Lidstrom, and the Grind Line guys back in their heyday of 1996-97 to ’02,” said Kampfer, who wore No. 5 in honor of his hero (Lidstrom). “When I started playing professionally, I used to skate at the Joe with all those guys and it was weird to go from looking up to these guys to where they were now my peers. For me, it was like a pinch me moment.

“I grew up watching Lidstrom and now I was playing against him.”

So Kampfer’s return to Detroit was a long time coming. “I’ve been a lot of places, not often by choice, but I’ll go wherever I can play,” he said. “I’m fortunate to be back in Michigan, my home state, and to be playing for the organization that I grew up watching as a kid.

“It’s exciting to be back and see my career come full circle, but it’s also kinda weird to be thinking about those early situations 14 years later. Now half of those guys are my boss [the Red Wings’ front office headed by Yzerman includes Lidstrom, Kris Draper, and Kirk Maltby, among others].”

The foundation for Kampfer’s professional career started in Michigan, where he played college hockey for the legendary Red Berenson.

“I can’t say enough good things about Red,” he said. “Honestly, he was so instrumental in not only developing me as a player but also teaching me how to become a professional, both on and off the ice, whether it was working out, practice habits, or other things like that.

“Red was an old-school college coach but you understood that he was developing you for the pro game. He wanted all of us to succeed not only on the ice but also off the ice, whether it was academically, in business, or wherever. He wanted you to be the best version of yourself.”

Kampfer recalls that he came into his sophomore season out of shape after having an average year as a freshman. “I wasn’t ready to go and Red was the first one to get me back into shape and push those buttons to make me better,” he said. “Eventually, he knew what I could do and I knew what he wanted of me and we had the kind of relationship where we could talk about things.

Kampfer was a member of the 2011 Stanley Cup champion Boston Bruins.

Photo credit: Tim Garland/Iowa Wild

“I could go into his office and sit down and he would tell me things good, bad or indifferent. I’ll never forget the time when I was in my second pro season with Boston and we were in town playing Detroit. When he saw me the next day, he said, ‘There’s no way that you can think that you played well last night.’

“Comments like that, especially coming from him, always meant a little more, because he played such an important part in my development and my turning into a pro. When he speaks, you listen. And you listen to everything he has to say.”

He encountered another strong coach when he came into the Bruins organization, where he played for former Griffins head coach Bruce Cassidy, first as an assistant coach in Providence at the beginning of his career and later as the head coach in Boston during Kampfer’s second stint with the Bruins.

“Tactically as a coach, working with Xs and Os, Butch is by far one of the best coaches that I’ve ever had,” Kampfer said. “He’s very good at working the ebbs and flows of games. His in-game adjustments are fantastic. If guys are going, he keeps them going, if they aren’t, he adjusts accordingly. Strategically, he’s just very good. He knows what he is doing.”

Kampfer is less complimentary of the coach’s handling of his place on the roster. He winces at his memory of the 2018-19 season with the Bruins.

“We played two nights before Christmas in Carolina and I scored a goal, but then I didn’t play again for nearly three months,” he said. “I had one conversation with him the whole time. I completely understand that there are many different elements that someone in his position has to judge. You have your superstars, your regulars, and you have guys you’re trying to get going. My only fault with the situation is that I wanted him to tell me where I stood. ‘Tell me what you want from me.’ At least have a conversation. Tell me what’s going on. I shouldn’t have to figure it out myself.”

But Kampfer was no stranger to the silent treatment, Over the years, he has encountered almost every trick in the book. He has come face-to-face with more situations than he cares to count.

“I tell guys all the time, ‘Listen, people will sit there and say that they understand what you’re going through,’ but I have literally lived it for a long time,” he said. “I can tell you every emotion you’re going to feel. If you ever want to talk about something, please come talk to me. I’ve lived it all.”

Kampfer has grown accustomed to the waiting –waiting to be told he’s up or down, waiting to learn whether he’s in or out of the lineup, waiting to find out if this is the night he finally gets back on the ice, waiting to find out if he’s been traded again. In the words of Tom Petty, “the waiting is the hardest part.”

When you’re a healthy scratch night after night – a situation all too familiar to Kampfer over the years –you can pout or sulk or complain, but it won’t change anything. As the maxim goes, “don’t worry about the things you can’t control.” He prefers to stay optimistic.

His opportunity will come.

“It’s not the coach’s fault,” Kampfer said. “The coaches don’t sit there, saying ‘Be ready, be ready.’ Honestly, I think the situation is more mentally taxing than it is physically. Mentally, we’re all athletes. We want to compete. We all want to play. And then, you find out you’re not. The worst thing you can do is try to do too much.”

Kampfer remembers a conversation he had early in his professional career that helped change his perspective.

“When I was going through all this for the first time, Don Sweeney, the GM in Boston, pulled me aside and said to me, ‘If you’re going to be successful in playing this role, you have to become the most predictable player possible. When you’re coming in, every guy has to know what you’re going to do with the puck. Making the simple plays is going to be how you’re going to be successful.”

Kampfer had to show he could be a dependable defenseman. Nothing flashy, in other words. Coaches had to feel confident that they could drop him into the lineup at any time and they could know exactly what they were going to get – not a game changer, but a consistent performer who wouldn’t disrupt the team chemistry.

“When you’re not in the lineup for six or seven or eight games at a time and they’re expecting you to jump in, it’s tough to stay in game shape when you’re not

Kampfer led his KHL team in scoring among defensemen last season.

playing. And oh, by the way, it’s going to be even more difficult because things are moving a bit quicker than they were in that 30-minute practice that we just had. So I took his advice to heart. The easiest solution is to make the simple play.”

Kampfer has had enough drama in his career. When you’ve been traded five times in your career, you’ve faced enough turmoil, so there’s no sense in creating more.

In 2010, Kampfer was traded to Boston by the Anaheim Ducks, who had originally drafted him in the fourth round of the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, for a fourth-round pick in the 2010 draft.

In 2012, Boston sent Kampfer to Minnesota in exchange for defenseman Greg Zanon.

In 2014, Florida acquired Kampfer and minor leaguer Andrew Yogan from the New York Rangers for forward Joey Crabb.

In 2016, Kampfer was traded back to New York by Florida for the services of defenseman Dylan McIlrath, who would be traded again a few months later to Detroit. (The Red Wings assigned McIlrath to Grand Rapids, where he helped the Griffins win their second Calder Cup championship in 2017).

In 2018, Kampfer was back in Boston after the Bruins sent enforcer Adam McQuaid to New York for Kampfer and a pair of picks in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

“It never gets easier,” he said. “You can look at a trade

two ways. You can look at it as ‘that team doesn’t want me anymore’ or you can look at it as ‘here’s a team now that wants me.’ It comes down to your perspective. It’s all about your mindset. You can be like, ‘Woe is me.’ Or you can be, ‘Here’s a new opportunity – make the most of it.’

“A couple of the trades I asked for and a couple I never saw coming. I never expected to go back to Boston, but it was a blessing in disguise. I loved being in Boston and being part of the Bruins organization again.”

Kampfer is thankful for getting the opportunity to work with assistant coach Kevin Dean, who was in charge of the Bruins’ defense.

“He was really good to me,” Kampfer said. “We sat down and watched a lot of video together and we talked. He was like, ‘I want you to play as much as you can, but it’s going to be dictated by how quickly you can move the puck and how much you want to move your feet. If you want to stand there and not move your feet, things are not going to work out for you.’

“That’s been the story of my career. If I don’t move my feet, I’m going to make bad plays. I learned what I needed to do to be successful.”

Feeling melancholic or moping all day long, he learned, does not improve one’s circumstances. He learned to stay positive because there are worse things in life than being a depth defenseman.

He had to look no further than his sister Kristin,

Photo credit: Cleveland Monsters

Kampfer scored his first goal in a Griffins jersey on Nov. 9 in Cleveland.

who is two years older. Born with congenital heart disease, she has had 29 major surgeries in her life, starting with open-heart surgery only a few days after she was born. “I have not a single thing to complain about it,” he said. “After seeing what she’s gone through, you realize that you can complain as much as you want but there are a lot worse things that you could be complaining about.”

His wife, Tara, and three-year-old son, Teddy, also have a congenital heart defect, which led him to opt out of the NHL’s return to play in the summer of 2020 during the height of the coronavirus.

“Nobody knew what COVID-19 was or what the pandemic was all about, so we were fortunate that the Boston Bruins organization was very understanding about our situation,” he said. “We were worried about the complications that COVID-19 could cause and Boston – from the management to the coaches to my teammates and the staff – everyone was very understanding.”

Fast forward 18 months and the same coronavirus, albeit the omicron variant, had forced Team USA to assemble a hybrid roster of collegiate talent and older pros for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Kampfer, who was having a career year for Ak Bars in Russia at the time, knew this was an opportunity that he could not let pass, especially at the age of 33.

“Any chance that you get to put on the USA jersey is a tremendous honor,” he said. “You never think playing in the Olympics is possible. I was fortunate that the NHL didn’t go and I happened to be having a good year, so thankfully I got chosen. We obviously came up short of our goal [the U.S. finished fifth] but it was a great time.”

It was a career highlight for Kampfer, who was a member of the 2011 NHL champion Boston Bruins team during his rookie season. He was given a Stanley Cup ring, but his name is not on the trophy because he played in 38 regular-season games, three short of what is required to have his name engraved. The Bruins petitioned for his inclusion, but NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman denied the request.

Kampfer had missed eight games with a concussion earlier in his rookie season, which ended when he suffered a minor knee injury right before the playoffs. “Even though I fell three games short, I didn’t understand Gary’s reasoning for why I wasn’t included. I still don’t understand it a dozen years later, but it wasn’t my decision. I’m just happy for all the guys whose names are on it.”

Eight years later, Kampfer thought he might get another chance. He played in Game 5 of the 2019 Stanley Cup Final, but the Bruins fell one game short when the St. Louis Blues ended the third-longest championship drought in league history by winning Game 7 by a 4-1 score in Boston.

Now Kampfer will gladly do his part to help bring another Calder Cup to Grand Rapids.

“I’m at an age where I’m closer in age to the coaches

than I am to the other players,” he said. “That’s when you’re like, ‘Ok, here we are.’ Let’s just enjoy this because you don’t know how much time you have left. The idea is for me to be one of the veterans who can show the younger guys how to be a professional – how to get ready mentally and physically, how to show up at the rink day in and day out and be a pro.”

And while there’s a temptation to let talented players figure things out for themselves, Kampfer believes it’s good to surround Griffins captain Brian Lashoff with guys like himself to show what it takes to win. Hockey is a team sport and it takes more than one or two guys to claim a championship.

“We have had individual success, but collectively, we all can be better,” he said. “The coaches have done a great job of showing us where we can be better and the young guys have been receptive to learning. As the older guys, we have to pull the rope and show the younger guys that this is what it’s going to take.

“If we want to right the ship, we all need to pull in the same direction.”

Kampfer is determined to make the most of another shot at a championship.

“You could ask most guys and they might say that I can be kinda grumpy in the locker room,” he said. “I have a three-year-old running around the house, so I might be tired. But the sun comes up and it’s a new day. You’re at the rink, playing a sport for a living. So let’s

Kampfer is happy to be back in his home state, where he played four years of college hockey for Red Berenson.

Photo credit: Todd Reicher/Icehogs

FINNISHING SCHOOL

An education that started in the small town of Naantali, Finland, brought Eemil Viro to Grand Rapids, where the young defenseman hopes to learn all that he needs to know to graduate to the Detroit Red Wings.

Story and photos by Mark Newman

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Anyone in higher education can attest to the fact that you don’t just wake up one day with a diploma in your hands. It is only after hundreds and hundreds of hours – not to mention countless lessons learned – that one can attain the desired degree.

Success follows hard work and dedication.

Eemil Viro and his twin sister Eerika were taught at a young age that their athletic achievements were secondary to their schooling. Their parents made sure that both Eemil and Eerika, along with younger brother Matias, knew classwork always came before competitive sports.

Their father, Tomi, played hockey at the lower levels while their mother, Kirsi, played championship-level ringette, a non-contact sport played with a blue, rubber ring and straight sticks on ice hockey rinks with ice skates. It’s a winter sport that Eerika still plays and one that introduced Eemil to the joys of playing on ice.

“I started my career playing ringette,” Viro said. “I’m from a small town called Naantali and when I was 3 or 4, they didn’t have a skating school for hockey but they did for ringette, so I started there with my twin sister.”

Viro doesn’t remember much about learning to skate, but he remembers his parents’ admonitions to get good grades. “They told us school was important, so it became natural for me,” he said. “I stayed focused on school and learning became something I enjoyed.”

He does not suggest that he was always a perfect student.

“There was a moment when I got a bad grade in math and my father said, ‘You are not going to practice today. You have to study,’” Viro said. “I don’t remember when it happened exactly, but it was sometime in elementary school.”

In the end, Viro was still allowed to attend practice, but he had learned his lesson. “He made sure that I knew that I had to get better,” he said.

He enrolled in English classes at an early age.

“It was my parents’ idea for us to take English classes,” he said. “All my friends from the hockey team wanted to go to the sports class which was a different school, but my parents were like, ‘No. You’re going to the English school,’ because they had started

English in first grade.

“When I think about it now, it was so smart on their part and I am so glad that I went there.”

They also made sure that their kids excelled at skating, a skill that remains one of Viro’s strengths to this day.” My parents ran their own skating school. They did it until we were like 7 or 8,” he said. “I liked skating right away. As far as I can remember, I really enjoyed skating.”

Viro said it helped his cause to have a twin sister who looked out for his well-being.

“It was great for me,” he said. “She took care of me. She kept track of all my stuff, including the lectures we got from school. She would remind me when we had a test. She would say, ‘We have this test tomorrow. Have you practiced?’ And I would say, ‘Oh, I didn’t know that,’ and I would be like, ‘OK, I’m going to practice now.’”

Meanwhile, he was earning accolade after accolade for his skating ability. As a skilled skater, he moved to defense as soon as his youth team started playing on the whole ice surface. It was clear that he was making great strides, but his parents made sure that he didn’t make any missteps.

“We had tough rules in our house, from how to act to how to respect your parents,” Viro said. “As a result, I think me and my sister and our little brother are kind people. We never had any big fights or anything because our parents taught us how to act, how to be nice and be good human beings.”

When Viro reached his teens it became increasingly evident that he might have a future in hockey, and he watched NHL games with great interest. While his friends were idolizing Sidney Crosby, he was busy watching players like Kris Letang, the Pittsburgh defenseman who is now in his 16th season with the Penguins.

Viro knew if he was going to graduate some day to the NHL like Crosby, Letang, and the other players his friends followed, he would have to push himself. Every year, he played a few games with older players – a move that he always saw as beneficial to his growth and development as a player.

“You see guys who are stronger and faster,” he said. “You start pushing yourself because it’s crazy to compete against those guys when you are younger than they are. You watch them and

Viro played the past three seasons for TPS Turku in Finland’s top men’s hockey league. One of his teammates during his first year with the team was Ilari Filppula, Valtteri’s older brother who played for the Griffins during the 2010-11 season.

Viro has been a defenseman as long as he can remember, thanks to his smooth skating skills.

you realize that you’re not there yet.”

And so while he remained diligent in his classroom studies, he continued his hockey education by competing in the sport at the highest levels for his age. Representing Finland in international play, he journeyed all over the world, competing in places like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Sweden as well as Canadian outposts from Saint John, New Brunswick, to Edmonton, Alberta.

“I loved playing against the top players in the world,” Viro said. “You see their faces and what they can do, especially the young guys from Canada because they are so skilled and so good at playing in the small areas of the ice.

“It was a great learning process. When you go back to Finland, you know what you have to improve. At the same time, you learn that you can play well at that level, too.”

While the hockey world was getting to see his potential, the young defenseman was getting an education of another sort. With his father being a long-time pilot for Finnair, it allowed the family to take trips to Thailand, Cyprus, Turkey, Spain, and the Dominican Republic over the years. But if there was one

place that was on his radar the most, it was North America.

When the Red Wings used the 70th overall pick to take the young Finn in the third round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, he felt over the moon.

“It was unbelievable,” said Viro, who watched the draft with family and friends via the internet. “I can’t find any words for the feeling. Everybody was there – my grandparents and all my closest friends. My parents were super excited.”

Last season, he played one final year with TPS Turku, which was essentially his hometown team, but he was itching to come to North America the whole time.

“I wanted to come here really bad and I hope the Red Wings felt the same way. After playing one more year in Finland following my draft year, I think it was time. At that point, it had been a good choice to stay in Finland, but I thought it was finally time for me to come here.”

Like most first-year players, Viro has found playing in North America requires some adjustments. While learning to play on smaller

ice surfaces is one thing, learning how to live in a foreign city is a challenge on another level.

“The whole culture is way different,” he said. “Even something like going to the grocery store can be challenging. Back home, I might go to the store and buy a certain yogurt, but when I can’t find that brand here, I have to figure it out again. All the food is different.”

Of course, things should get easier with time. The same is true regarding his play on the ice. He is learning the game happens at a much quicker pace here compared to Finland, where puck control is king and teams often rely on a trap to slow down the action defensively speaking.

Early into his first pro season in North America, Viro had played with several different defensive partners, which he views as a good thing. “Every one of them wants to help,” he said. “If I want to ask questions, they give me advice. At first, I wasn’t sure how it would be, but it’s been nice. It already feels like another home to me.

“I’m learning a lot.”

Viro scored his first AHL goal in his sixth game, which was a 4-3 victory over the Texas Stars on Oct. 30. Gaining confidence as he

The Red Wings selected Viro with the 70th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.

grows more comfortable with the style of play here, he said he was just happy to finally get his name on the scoresheet. “I feel like I’m getting better every game,” he said.

He is doing what he can to help the Griffins’ defense. In reality, he is not worried about offensive points – he is much more worried about keeping the opposition from putting the puck in his net.

“I want to be a two-way defenseman. That’s what I enjoy. But I need to take care of my defense and the points will come,” he said. “Everything starts in the defensive zone and I’ll learn how to get to the right lanes as I become more comfortable. The points will come.”

As it has been for some time, it’s all about education for Viro, who remains eager to earn his ice time by learning to play the right way.

“Life is better when you think in a positive way,” he said. “If you only find the negatives, life is going to be hard. You only live once and you have a choice.

“I want to get stronger every day –that’s who I am.”

Viro scored his first AHL goal during his sixth game in a Griffins uniform.

‘A PRETTY COOL JOB’

Now in his fifth season as the assistant equipment manager for the Griffins, Charlie Kaser loves his work.

Story by Mark Newman

Charlie Kaser studied environmental science at Portland State University, but he didn’t need a degree to recognize the place where he naturally felt most comfortable.

While he loved the outdoors, his heart seemed drawn to the climate-controlled indoors, where ice is manufactured for the likes of Penguins, Ducks, Sharks, Panthers, and Coyotes as they compete with Hurricanes, Flames, Lightning, and the Wild.

Hockey was his hallowed ground.

“I always remember going to the rink when I was younger,” he said. “I think the first steps I can remember were on the ice. In fact, it seems like I have more memories at the rink than outside of the rink. Hockey has always been part of our family.”

Born in Kansas City where his father, Bob Kaser, was the radio voice of the IHL’s Blades, he believes the sport had been ingrained into his psyche by the time the family moved to Grand Rapids in 2000 so his dad could do play-by-play for the Griffins.

“As a kid, I remember laying in bed, listening to my dad on the radio,” Kaser said. “I loved that he was calling hockey, but the cool part was that he was on the radio. He could be many miles away and I could still hear his voice. I’d listen to the

radio that was plugged in by the bed and once he signed off after the game, I knew that it was my cue to fall asleep.”

Given the opportunity to skate at Van Andel Arena, both Charlie and his younger brother Sam were destined to play hockey, even though it was evident fairly early that NHL stardom would elude them.

“I think I was pretty young when I realized that I would only be playing for fun,” he said. “I don’t know if I can trace it to any specific moment, but there was a point when I realized that playing hockey for a living was probably over for me.”

Charlie and his brother enjoyed hanging around the rink, even serving as stick boys for longtime Griffins equipment manager Brad “Dogg” Thompson. Helping with water bottles, towels and other items of hockey paraphernalia allowed them to stay close to their father as well as the sport.

If their father felt any guilt about being on the road so often away from his family, Charlie is quick to dispel that thought.

“My brother and I have had so many conversations that our dad shouldn’t look at it that way at all,” he said. “We had such a unique experience growing up because not many kids

Kaser is responsible for making sure the Griffins’ dressing room is “clean, presentable and welcoming” every day.

Kaser stays on his toes to provide players with whatever they need during games or practices.

can say they got to spend their days at the hockey rink, often skating in a 10,000-seat building all to ourselves. Not many kids get to go around saying that.”

Even when the possibility of playing the sport professionally faded, both boys kept skating. While Sam was a member of the 2017 Aquinas College men’s team that won an American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) national championship, Charlie played club hockey at Portland State until a couple of concussions ended the fun.

“It was pay-to-play and I didn’t feel like paying to have my head knocked around anymore,” he said. “I figured I should probably take care of myself a little more. So I stopped and focused more on school,” said Charlie, who had headed west to find his future.

Instead, his career came to him. In August 2018, he got a call from Thompson, who was losing his assistant after Andrew Stegehuis accepted the position of head equipment manager for the AHL’s Rochester Americans.

Was Charlie interested in taking the job?

“I figured I could always finish school later,” he said. “I never felt that I needed a college degree to feel fulfilled in life, but it was a hard decision based on all of the out-of-state tuition that my parents had invested. Still, I knew that I had wanted to end up in hockey ever since I had been a stick boy during high school.”

Kaser had been in Syracuse when the Griffins won their first Calder Cup in 2013 and the excitement had always stuck with him.

“To see everyone’s efforts culminate in a championship is something you never forget,” he said. “To be on the ice and to be in the team photo with the Cup is very special, especially when you think about all the sacrifices that everyone made to get to that point.”

Now in his fifth season as the team’s assistant equipment manager, Kaser knows he made the right decision. His life has been consumed with hockey sticks, skates, socks, helmets, pads, and tape – but he would not have it any other way.

“Everything and anything is what we do,” Kaser said. “It’s doing everything from sewing jerseys to doing the laundry after the game or practice. It’s preparing the dressing room so it’s nice every day, so it looks clean, presentable, and welcoming. We’re making sure everything looks the same every day – nothing out of place and nothing that we cannot find.

“We want the guys to feel comfortable to do

what they’re paid to do, and that’s playing hockey.”

And the job of the equipment staff is not just about gear.

“Our job is to make the players’ lives as easy as possible. We want them to come in, put on their equipment, go out on the ice and do what they need to do, then take off their equipment and go home. If we can put them at ease because we’re already on top of things, we’ve done our jobs.

“You can hand some guys a set of gloves and you won’t hear from them for two months until they need another pair. Other guys need a lot of fixing; they ask for a lot more little things. We’re always there for whatever they need. We never want them to feel like they can’t ask. We strive to be approachable so they feel like they can come to us for whatever they need.”

Sometimes all they want is to talk. Sometimes, there’s a psychological angle to the work. “You have to deal with so many different personalities through the course of a season that so much of the job is learning things outside of the equipment aspect,” Kaser said.

“Dogg always says, ‘We may not be able to make them better hockey players but we can make sure that they’re better human beings just by being polite and treating people with respect. He’s taught me to be there for anybody – no matter if it’s a player, coach, or staff. Be ready and be on your toes, even if all they want to do is talk.”

Kaser contends that he could not ask for a better teacher than Thompson, who has mentored assistants who have graduated to the NHL. Vegas Golden Knights head equipment manager Chris Davidson-Adams recently worked his 1,500th professional game while Jim Heintzelman, assistant equipment manager with the Chicago Blackhawks, was recently honored for his 1,000th NHL game.

“Dogg welcomed me with open arms and showed me the ropes,” Kaser said. “Even now, after five years, he’s still teaching me so much about this job – how to do things the correct way, how to act around the players, management, or whoever else. He’s given me all the tools I need.”

Kaser credits Thompson with creating a positive environment.

“We may have the most fun of any staff in the league, but we still get our jobs done. We’re still ready to go when guys need us. That’s one of the biggest things I’ve learned. Take your job seriously but you’re never going to get through a full season unless you have fun.”

The hardest part of being an assistant

equipment manager is the schedule.

“You have a lot of late nights and early mornings, so you don’t get a lot of sleep throughout the season,” Kaser said. “You learn to run on the adrenalin and coffee or whatever gets you going. After a while you get used to it a little, but some mornings are worse than others.”

Sometimes it means trying to function with barely an hour of sleep.

“We might have a Friday night game and the team that we’re playing on Saturday will be busing in late from Milwaukee, so I have to be here at 3 or 4 in the morning to help load them in,” he said. “I’ll manage to get a couple of hours of sleep and then come back to the arena to get all of our stuff set up in the morning.

“Often we’re pulling into the arena at three in the morning and you still have an hour or more of work to do. Those are the times when you’d like to go home and get some sleep, but we still have a job to do.”

Kaser leans on help from several locker room attendants. Shaine McKenna and Kyle Stauffer are helpers on the home side while Tim Glasscock and Shane Mooney have become veterans in working with the visiting teams.

From the beginning, Kaser was astounded by the amount of detail – just the sheer number of bags and various equipment that is required, and the stuff is not cheap. Player skates might cost $800 while extra sticks can run the team $150-200.

Kaser learned pretty early that he needed a checklist.

“On my first bus trip, I ended up forgetting our skate sharpener, which is surprising because it’s one of our bigger pieces of equipment,” he said. “I’m not sure how it happened, but I was still learning. Fortunately, the other team had an extra sharpener that we could use. It wasn’t my proudest moment, but I haven’t forgotten it since and I don’t think I’ll ever forget it again – knock on wood.”

Kaser has come a long way. This past fall, he was chosen to accompany Red Wings equipment manager Paul Boyer on road trips to Pittsburgh, Chicago, Washington, and Toronto.

“It was pretty cool to go to PPG Paints Arena and watch Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin play. And it was special to go to a sold-out United Center and feel that atmosphere while watching Jonathan Toews. It was surreal to be a part of Hockey Night in Canada in Toronto. And my girlfriend was able to come to the game in

Washington and say hi while I was on the bench during warmups.

“Even though they were only exhibition games, the experience gave me goosebumps. To work in those historic buildings and see future Hall of Famers like Alexander Ovechkin is something I’ll always remember.”

Kaser is grateful that he has found his calling.

“There’s not a lot of people who get to do what we do,” he said. “Sure, there’s a lot of work and the hours might not be the best, but you have to take a step back and realize we get to be a part of a journey that not many people get to experience.

“As hard as the lifestyle can appear, I get to work in a hockey rink. I don’t have to work behind a desk – nothing against people that work at a desk – but the opportunity to travel to so many great places and create great memories with the players, coaches, and staff is unique and special.

“We could be doing a lot worse things but we get to watch hockey for a living. It’s something that I hope I can do for a long time in my life. Someday I hope to bring my kids into it and give them the same childhood that I enjoyed growing up so they can have cool stories when they’re older.

“I can honestly say it’s a pretty cool job to have.”

Kaser is grateful for the opportunity to start his career in Grand Rapids.

Longtime supporters of reading programs in hundreds of schools and dozens of public libraries across West Michigan, the Griffins “branched” out this fall to create their own custom-made Griffins Little Free Libraries.

These hockey-themed, “take a book, share a book” libraries have a bookshelf modeled after a hockey rink’s penalty box along with several Griffins-specific design elements. They have been installed inside three local community ice rinks – Griff’s IceHouse at Belknap Park in Grand Rapids, Griff’s IceHouse West in Holland, and Griff’s

Georgetown – while a fourth library was won by the Hoyle Family of Comstock Park through a writing contest for kids.

Each Griffins Little Free Library is stocked with books about hockey and a wide variety of subjects for both kids and adults. Nine hundred gently used books were donated for this project, from Griffins fans through a book drive held in the spring and through partnerships with six local libraries.

Visitors to the rinks are encouraged to take a book home for free or just enjoy one while they’re at the rink. The public is also invited to share the joy of reading by donating any books that are appropriate for all ages.

The libraries were designed and constructed by Grand Haven resident Mike Fraser, who previously collaborated with the Griffins to build a Van Andel Arena playhouse (2009) and a “Griffins Slapshot Swingset” (2015), both of which were raffled off to benefit the Griffins Youth Foundation. FASTSIGNS of Grand Rapids donated the signage and graphic elements for this library project.

DISPLAY YOUR COMPANY’S LOGO ON OUR LIBRARIES

Each library offers “dasher board” opportunities to display a company’s logo on one of six panels. Sponsors will also be acknowledged on a sign posted next to the library in each of the three rinks, which combined welcome more than 300,000 people each year for tournaments, leagues, lessons and other programming. For questions about the Griffins Little Free Libraries or sponsorships, please call (616) 988-0246.

Griffins Fans

Kent District Library

Gary Byker Library of Hudsonville Georgetown Township Public Library Herrick District Library

Howard Miller Public Library

Griff’s IceHouse at Belknap Park

Griff’s IceHouse West

Griff’s Georgetown

Grand Rapids Public Library

Mike Fraser FASTSIGNS of Grand Rapids Rich Buitenhuis

GRIFFINS IN THE ALL-STAR GAME

2019-20 Matthew Ford, 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 Reddick

2020 - Chris Terry

2019 - Chris Terry

2018 - Matt Lorito

2015 - Teemu Pulkkinen

2013 - Chad Billins

2020 - Matthew Ford

2018 - Matt Puempel

2016 - Jeff Hoggan and Xavier Ouellet

2014 - Alexey Marchenko 2013 - Gustav Nyquist

The AHL All-Star Classic was not held in either 2020-21 or 2021-22 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

2013 - Petr Mrazek

Photo by Rachel Ponstein from Rachel Gabrielse Photography

Penalty 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.

HIGH STICKING

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

MISCONDUCT

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

TRIPPING

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

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.

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.

ROUGHING

Called for engaging in fisticuffs or shoving.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT

Called for unsportsmanlike actions such as disputing an official’s decision, grabbing the face mask of a player, etc.

SLASHING

Striking an opposing player with the stick.

WASH-OUT

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

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.

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.

SPEARING

Called for using the stick like a spear.

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

GRIFFINS IN THE NHL

Since their inception in 1996, the Griffins have sent 196 players to the National Hockey League and 18 former Griffins have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. In fact, a Griffins alumnus has had his name engraved on Lord Stanley’s chalice in nine of the last 15 years and in 11 of the last 18 seasons. In chronological order, here are the 24 goalies and 172 skaters who have worn an NHL sweater after playing for Grand Rapids, along with the dates of the NHL debuts/returns.

...........Pavol IT ALL STARTS HERE

Demitra

3/17/97 STL at PHX 2 Kevyn Adams 10/1/97 TOR vs. WSH

Tyler Moss 10/28/97 CGY vs. PIT

Picard.................................. 1/6/98 STL at SJ

Jeff Nelson 10/10/98 NSH vs. FLA

Traverse ...................... 10/10/98 OTT at COL

Mark Greig 1/7/99 PHI vs. NYI 8 Radim Bicanek 2/1/99 OTT at VAN 9 ...........Robert Petrovicky ....................... 2/15/99 TB at NYI 10 Andrei Vasilyev 3/5/99 PHX vs. DET 11 .........Todd Hlushko ..............................4/25/99 PIT vs. NJ 12 Patrick Lalime 10/2/99 OTT at PHI 13 Glen Metropolit 10/2/99 WSH at FLA 14 .........Kevin Miller ............................ 10/31/99 OTT at ATL 15 Karel Rachunek 10/31/99 OTT at ATL 16 .........Erich Goldmann................... 11/11/99 OTT vs. NSH 17 Yves Sarault 11/20/99 OTT at NJ 18 John Gruden 11/30/99 OTT vs. CHI 19 .........Mike Fountain.............................12/3/99 OTT at NJ 20 Dave Van Drunen 12/13/99 OTT at TOR 21 .........Petr Schastlivy..............................1/3/00 OTT vs. NJ 22 John Emmons 1/6/00 OTT vs. PHX 23 Slava Butsayev 1/28/00 OTT at BUF 24 .........Aris Brimanis............................ 2/13/00 NYI at NYR 25 Dieter Kochan 3/28/00 TB vs. DAL 26 .........Jani Hurme...................................4/9/00 OTT vs. TB 27 Shane Hnidy 10/5/00 OTT at BOS 28 Donald MacLean 10/14/00 TOR vs. OTT 29 .........David Oliver ..............................11/4/00 OTT vs. CBJ 30 Jamie Rivers 11/12/00 OTT at CAR 31 .........Sean Gagnon ........................ 11/26/00 OTT at NYR 32 Joel Bouchard 11/29/00 PHX at COL 33 Mike Crowley 12/8/00 ANA at MIN 34 .........Ivan Ciernik................................1/23/01 OTT at NYI 35 Darren Rumble 2/6/01 STL at COL 36 .........Joel Kwiatkowski

Todd White 2/19/01 OTT at BUF

Boileau

12/19/02 DET vs. DAL

Stacy Roest 2/20/03 DET vs. EDM

Wade Brookbank 10/9/03 NSH vs. ANA

.........Julien Vauclair

10/25/03 OTT at MTL

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

10/21/13

Eaves........................... 12/14/13 DET vs. PIT

Tomas Jurco 12/15/13 DET vs. TB

Tootoo.........................12/19/13 DET vs. CGY 140 Alexey Marchenko 1/4/14 DET at DAL

Teemu Pulkkinen 3/14/14 DET vs. EDM

Ferraro

3/18/14 DET vs. TOR

Calle Jarnkrok 3/21/14 NSH at CGY 144.......Mitch Callahan..........................3/25/14 DET at CBJ 145 Ryan Sproul 4/13/14 DET at STL 146 Andrej Nestrasil 10/9/14 DET vs. BOS 147.......Stephen Weiss ......................11/24/14 DET vs. OTT 148.....Mattias Janmark...........10/8/15 DAL vs. PIT 149 ......Dylan Larkin..................... 10/9/15 DET vs. TOR 150 Kevin Porter 10/10/15 PIT at ARI 151 Andreas Athanasiou 11/8/15 DET vs. DAL 152.....Tomas Nosek.............. 12/26/15 DET at NSH 153 Eric Tangradi 1/25/16 DET at NYI 154 ......Anthony Mantha .............3/15/16 DET at PHI 155 Alan Quine 4/9/16 NYI vs. PHI 156 Martin Frk 10/18/16 CAR at EDM 157.....Tyler Bertuzzi................ 11/8/16 DET at PHI 158 Jared Coreau 12/3/16 DET at PIT 159 ......Nick Jensen........................ 12/20/16 DET at TB 160 Drew Miller 2/28/17 DET at VAN 161 Robbie Russo 3/7/17 DET at 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 166 Kyle Criscuolo 11/17/17 BUF at DET 167.......Dominic Turgeon ......................1/14/18 DET at CHI 168 Joe Hicketts 1/22/18 DET at NJ 169 Dennis Cholowski 10/4/18 DET vs. CBJ

Hronek

..................10/4/18

DET vs. CBJ

.............................11/1/18

DET vs. NJ

Eddie Pasquale 12/4/18 TB at DET

Rasmussen .......2/7/19 DET vs. VGK

Zadina

at

GRIFFINS PICTURE CROSS

Completely fill in the correct squares to reveal the hidden picture of someone all Griffins fans know and love.

Numbers around the board tell you how many filled squares are in each row or column. A single number means there are that many consecutive filled squares somewhere in that 15-square row or column. You need to determine where. Multiple numbers mean there are that many consecutive filled squares separated by one or more gaps.

Don’t guess! The picture can be filled in logically. To make solving the puzzle easier, you can mark squares that you know are unfilled with an X. Good luck!

PARTING SHOT

GOING WITH THE FLOW

The Griffins welcomed the return of Chase Pearson and his long locks to the lineup during the weekend of Nov. 25-26. The Georgia native recorded an assist in his first game of the season.

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo

Crisp.

ENJOY RESPONSIBLY © 2019 ANHEUSER-BUSCH, BUD LIGHT® BEER, ST. LOUIS, MO