2022-23 Griffiti - Issue #3

TOWERING TALENT

We’re big fans of the Griffins. We’re also big fans of their fans.

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

Vol. 26, No. 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

STARTING LINEUP

28........ TAKING IT SLOW

Red Wings prospect Simon Edvinsson is not going to rush his longterm development for the sake of short-term success.

34........ ENJOYING THE MOMENT

East Grand Rapids native Luke Glendening is excited about a potential playoff run with the Dallas Stars, bringing back memories of his Calder Cup journey with the Griffins a decade ago.

42........ GOOD AS GOLD

Goaltender Jussi Olkinuora achieved international fame by helping Finland achieve greatness in the Winter Olympics and World Championship.

49........ IN HIS FATHER’S FOOTSTEPS

Defenseman Albert Johansson is doing his best to learn the style of play that will allow him to follow his father’s path to the NHL.

55........ POSITIVE INFLUENCE

Assistant athletic trainer Anthony Polazzo is dedicated to providing the best possible care to bolster the health and well-being of the Griffins’ players.

Edvinsson, the sixth overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, has shown steady progress during his first season in North America.

Photo by Mark Newman

WITH GRIFFINS HEAD COACH BEN SIMON

Personnel changes are such a common occurrence in the American Hockey League that a revolving door might provide a more appropriate mode of entry to a team’s locker room.

The Griffins have welcomed their share of new faces this season as the Red Wings organization continues to tweak the rosters in both Detroit and Grand Rapids to improve the standing of its NHL and AHL teams.

Additions to the Griffins’ lineup since the start of the season include players acquired by trade (Danny O’Regan, Jasper Weatherly, and Patrick McGrath) and free agency (Alex Chiasson) as well as players reassigned from Detroit (Magnus Hellberg, Alex Nedeljkovic, Elmer Soderblom and Jakub Vrana).

In all cases, there is an assimilation process. Guys don’t just appear out of thin air and skate onto the ice. While the steps can vary, every new player has to be brought up to speed regarding the systems and expectations that help define Griffins hockey.

“It’s an ever-evolving jigsaw puzzle,” said Griffins head coach Ben Simon. “Sometimes the pieces fit and other times you try to jam them in there and you realize they don’t fit. Sometimes the pieces just miraculously fit right into place.”

Indoctrinating a new player into the ways of the team inevitably takes time, but it’s easier when the player is already in the organization.

The process usually starts with a phone call from Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman or assistant general manager Shawn Horcoff, alerting the Griffins of the pending transaction, which gets the proverbial ball rolling.

Khalil Reed, team services manager for the

Red Wings, and Griffins executive assistant Kelly Pawlak work together to set the player up in a hotel. If it’s the player’s first time in Grand Rapids, he is given a simple map with the rink, hotel, and all the contact information he will need.

Griffins equipment manager Brad Thompson or his assistant, Charlie Kaser, will coordinate a time for the player to drop off his gear at the arena, and he will be given a schedule for the next day at which time he will learn some of the basic stuff he needs to know.

If it’s a free-agent signing or a player is coming into the organization via trade, the process is a little more complicated.

Red Wings executive assistant Lisa Wright will book his travel and Reed will make sure the new player is given instructions about where he needs to go when he arrives in Grand Rapids. If the player is new to the organization, one of the Griffins’ athletic trainers (Josh Chapman or Anthony Polazzo) will set up a physical to make sure he’s healthy and ready to go.

Once a player is cleared for play, he is allowed to go on the ice.

“We like them to skate a little bit before we overflow their brain with too many Xs and Os,” Simon said. “We want them to play by instinct to a certain extent before we integrate them into the structure and see how they blend into the team.”

From the time of his arrival, the goal is to make the new player feel a part of the team.

“We have veterans like Brian Lashoff who have seen people come and go – they’ve seen it all before – so they become instrumental in making sure that the new guy feels welcome right away,” he said. “Like the new kid in school,

Photo: Sam Iannamico

you want them to feel comfortable as quickly as possible so all they need to worry about is playing hockey.”

But it takes more than one person to make that happen.

“It’s all hands on deck from the day the player walks through our doors,” he said. “That’s the great thing about our staff. They will go out of their way to meet the new guy and find ways to build those relationships that are so important.”

Every situation, of course, is unique. Being traded from another team is a whole lot different from being sent down to minor leagues. Take the examples of Danny O’Regan, who was acquired for organizational depth in December, and Elmer Soderblom, who was sent to Grand Rapids in January to open roster space for the return of Tyler Bertuzzi.

“For Danny, it’s an opportunity to come to a new team,” Simon said of O’Regan, who recently played in his 400th pro game. “When someone wants you, you want to put your best foot forward.”

Soderblom, on the other hand, is playing in his first season in North America.

“He made the Wings out of training camp, so when he’s coming down, he probably has a lot

going through his mind,” Simon said. “I’m sure they told him exactly what he needs to work on. There’s probably some disappointment, but like most guys, he needs to get it out of his mind.”

Becoming part of a new team is not always easy.

“It depends on the individual,” Simon said. “For whatever reason, some guys take longer than others to become assimilated to a new city, a new organization. They might have other concerns – their wife, their kids, their dog – as opposed to a single guy who might be living out of his suitcase.

“Even then, it’s not always easy because it means a change in your normal routine. You get that phone call and everything changes. Every player is at a different point in his career and has a different way of responding, but you’ve got to be mentally tough in this game to succeed.”

Simon said he has been impressed by the way that veterans like Chiasson, Nedeljkovic and Vrana accepted their roles in Grand Rapids. “They have all come in here with great attitudes,” he said. “Sometimes you can overthink things. Our job is to put them in the best position to have success, and their success will ultimately lead to the team enjoying success.”

2022-23 GRIFFINS HOCKEY OPERATIONS STAFF

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 GRIFFINS

SCOUTING REPORT

Feb. 10, Feb. 11

• Goaltender Oskari Salminen is tied for ninth among firstyear AHL netminders with a 2.99 goals against average through 23 outings. Fellow rookie and teammate Arvid Holm is tied for sixth among first-year backstops with a 0.908 save percentage and tied for fifth with 10 wins.

• Despite going 2-4-0-2 overall against the Moose a season ago, the Griffins held a 2-1-0-1 record against Manitoba in West Michigan. In the last five years against the Moose at Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids is 9-4-0-1 (0.679).

• Center Wyatt Bongiovanni, a Birmingham, Mich., native, is the lone Michigander on Manitoba’s roster. Bongiovanni spent one campaign with the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the United States Hockey League

(2017-18) before spending four seasons at hockey powerhouse Quinnipiac University, winning the ECAC in 2020-21.

ROCKFORD

Feb. 15

• Rockford’s offense is one of the best in the league, as its 131 goals scored are tied for ninth in the AHL through 40 games. The franchise also has two players in the top 10 for scoring with David Gust (2021—41) and Brett Seney (15-26—41) both tied for ninth.

• The Griffins are 1-3-0-0 against the IceHogs this season, which includes a 0-1-0-0 mark at home. Grand Rapids scored just one goal in each of the first three meetings, having been outscored 13-3. However, the Griffins exploded for four goals in the first 3:58 of play on Jan. 18 and rolled to a 5-2 victory at Rockford.

• Defenseman Alec Regula was selected with

All statistics are through games of Jan 23, 2023.

the 67th overall pick in the third round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings. Regula never played for Detroit or the Griffins and was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks for forward Brendan Perlini on Oct. 28, 2019.

CLEVELAND

Feb. 17, Feb. 25

• Cleveland’s offense has been energized by its power play, which ranks fifth in the AHL at 23.4% (36 for 154) through 38 games. Emil Bemstrom is tied for sixth in the league with eight power-play goals. However, the script is flipped when talking about the Monsters’ penalty kill, as the unit places third-to-last on the circuit at 75.2%.

• Consistent goaltending has been an issue for Cleveland this season, as it ranks 31st in the AHL with 150 goals against in 38 games (3.95 GAA). Second-year pro Jet Greaves has a 3.66 goals against average in 18 outings while rookie netminder Pavel Cajan showed a 3.51 GAA in 14 appearances.

• Defenseman David Jiricek is in his rookie AHL season after being selected by Columbus with the sixth overall pick in last year’s NHL Entry Draft. Jiricek made his NHL debut with the Blue Jackets on Oct. 28 at Boston.

CHICAGO

Feb. 24, March 1

• After winning the 2022 Calder Cup in dominant fashion, going 14-4 during its postseason run, Chicago has struggled in the first half of the 2022-23 campaign. The Wolves are in last place in the Central Division with 32 points through

37 games (0.432). Chicago also ranks 30th out of 32 teams in the AHL after 37 contests.

• Chicago’s roster is comprised of two former first-round draft picks in center Ryan Suzuki and left wing Brendan Perlini. Suzuki was selected with the 28th overall pick by Carolina in 2019 and Perlini was the 12th overall pick by Arizona in 2014. Perlini also skated with the Red Wings in 2019-20, totaling one goal and three helpers in 39 appearances.

• The Wolves are tied for sixth in the AHL with six shorthanded goals against. However, they have scored four shorthanders themselves to tie for 16th in the league.

IOWA

March 3, March 4

• Sammy Walker ranks first among AHL rookies with 32 points (15-17—32) in 32 appearances. Walker also has eight points (4-4—8) in six contests against the Griffins this year. The University of Minnesota product captained the Gophers from 2019-22 and totaled 112 points (48-64—112) in 144 appearances in the Big Ten.

• The Wild’s road power play is one of the best in the league, as it ranks sixth on the circuit with a conversion rate of 24.6% through 17 road games. In comparison, the home power play for Iowa is at 15.7% and stands in 26th place through 22 home contests.

• Rookie goaltender Jesper Wallstedt was selected with the 20th overall pick by Minnesota in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, five picks after the Red Wings chose netminder Sebastian Cossa. Wallstedt ranks fourth among AHL rookies with a 2.60 GAA in 21 outings.

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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

SCOTT HOWSON

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

Scott Howson President & CEO | American Hockey League

AND CHIEFEXECUTIVEOFFICER

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.

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 you of the AHL.

PRESIDENT

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

2022-2023 SEASON

PRESIDENTANDCHIEFEXECUTIVEOFFICER AMERICANHOCKEY LEAGUE

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

BY THE NUMBERS

88.2%

A TRADITION OF

992

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

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.

423

235

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

Former AHL players who skated in the NHL last season

AHL players who also played in the NHL in 2021-22

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

L. TO 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

AHL DIRECTORY EASTERN CONFERENCE

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

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

BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS

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

Home Ice: Webster Bank Arena (8,412)

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

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS

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

Home Ice: Bojangles’ Coliseum (8,500)

General Manager: Gregory Campbell

Head Coach: .................................. Geordie Kinnear

Entered AHL: ............................................. 2010-11

Calder Cups: One (2019)

Seasons in Playoffs: ...................................... 6 of 10

2021-22 Record: ................. 42-24-5-1, 90 pts./.625

Website: ........................................ gocheckers.com

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

NHL Affiliation:........................... New York Rangers

Home Ice: XL Center (15,635)

General Manager: ............................... Ryan Martin

Head Coach: .................................... Kris Knoblauch

Entered AHL: ............................................. 1997-98

Calder Cups: One (2000)

Seasons in Playoffs: .................................... 15 of 23

2021-22 Record: ................. 32-32-6-2, 72 pts./.500

Website: .............................. hartfordwolfpack.com

HERSHEY BEARS

NHL Affiliation:....................... Washington Capitals

Home Ice: Giant Center (10,500)

General Manager: ............................ Bryan Helmer

Head Coach: ........................................ Todd Nelson

Entered AHL: ............................................. 1938-39

Calder Cups: 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

NHL Affiliation:......................... Philadelphia Flyers

Home Ice: .................................. PPL Center (8,420)

General Manager: Chuck Fletcher Head Coach: ..................................... Ian Laperriere

Entered AHL: . 1996-97 (as Philadelphia Phantoms)

Calder Cups: ................................ Two (1998, 2005)

Seasons in Playoffs: 12 of 24

2021-22 Record: ............... 29-32-10-5, 73 pts./.480

Website: .............................. phantomshockey.com

PROVIDENCE BRUINS

NHL Affiliation:................................. Boston Bruins

Home Ice: ................................ Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence (11,273)

General Manager: Jamie Langenbrunner

Head Coach: .................................. Ryan Mougenel

Entered AHL: ............................................. 1992-93

Calder Cups: .......................................... One (1999)

Seasons in Playoffs: 23 of 28

2021-22 Record: ................. 36-25-5-6, 83 pts./.576

Website: .............................. providencebruins.com

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

NHL Affiliation:....................... Pittsburgh Penguins

Home Ice: ............................... Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza (7,500)

General Manager: ............................... Erik Heasley

Head Coach: .......................................... J.D. Forrest

Entered AHL: 1999-00

Calder Cups: ................................................... None

Seasons in Playoffs: .................................... 18 of 21

2021-22 Record: ................. 35-33-4-4, 78 pts./.513

Website: wbspenguins.com

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

Ice: Place Bell (10,043)

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

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

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: .............................................. amerks.com

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

NHL Affiliation: Tampa Bay Lightning Home Ice: ........... Upstate Medical University Arena at Onondaga County War Memorial (6,110) General Manager: ................................ Stacy Roest

Coach: Ben Groulx

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: .................................... 11 of 15

2021-22 Record: ................. 37-30-4-1, 79 pts./.549

Website: marlies.ca

UTICA COMETS

NHL Affiliation: New Jersey Devils

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

General Manager: ......................... Dan MacKinnon

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.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

AHL DIRECTORY

CENTRAL DIVISION:

ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS

NHL Affiliation

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

General Manager: Ryan Johnson

Head Coach: ........................... Jeremy Colliton

Entered AHL: .................................... 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

BAKERSFIELD CONDORS

Edmonton Oilers

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

General Manager: Keith Gretzky

Head Coach: ............................... Colin Chaulk

Entered AHL: .................................... 2015-16

Calder Cups: None

Seasons in Playoffs: ............................... 2 of 5

2021-22 Record: ......... 37-21-5-5, 84 pts./.618

Website: ................... bakersfieldcondors.com

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

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

COLORADO EAGLES

NHL Affiliation Colorado Avalanche

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

General Manager: ................. Craig Billington

Head Coach: Greg Cronin

Entered AHL: 2018-19

ONTARIO REIGN

in Playoffs: ................................. N/A

Record: ...................................... N/A

cvfirebirds.com

Calder Cups: .......................................... None

Seasons in Playoffs: ............................... 2 of 2

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

Website: ......................... coloradoeagles.com

HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS

NHL Affiliation Vegas Golden Knights

Home Ice:.............. Dollar Loan Center (5,567)

General Manager: ......................... Tim Speltz

Head Coach: Manny Viveiros

Entered AHL: .................................... 2020-21

Calder Cups: .......................................... None

Seasons in Playoffs: ............................... 1 of 1

2021-22 Record: 35-28-4-1, 75 pts./.551

Website: ............ hendersonsilverknights.com

ONTARIO REIGN

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: .............................. sjbarracuda.com

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

in Playoffs: 1 of 7 2021-22 Record: ......... 32-31-4-5, 73 pts./.507

.................................. iowawild.com

MANITOBA MOOSE

NHL Affiliation ......................... Winnipeg Jets

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

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)

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

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

NHL Affiliation Chicago Blackhawks Home Ice:...... BMO Harris Bank Center (5,895)

General Manager: .................... Mark Bernard Head Coach: Anders Sorensen Entered AHL: .................................... 2007-08

Cups: .......................................... None

in Playoffs: ............................. 7 of 13

2021-22 Record: 37-30-4-1, 79 pts./.549

.................................... icehogs.com

TEXAS STARS

NHL Affiliation Dallas Stars

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

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.

TOP AFFILIATE: Grand Rapids Griffins • 21st Season

ARENA: Little Caesars Arena • Seating Capacity: 19,515

CONTACT: (313) 471-7000 • detroitredwings.com

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

MANAGEMENT

EXECUTIVE VP/GENERAL MANAGER: Steve Yzerman

ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER: Shawn Horcoff

COACHING STAFF

HEAD COACH: Derek Lalonde

ASSISTANT COACHES: Bob Boughner, Alex Tanguay, Jay Varady

GOALTENDING COACH: Alex Westlund

VIDEO COACH: L J Scarpace

ASSISTANT VIDEO COACH: Jeff Weintraub

Lindstrom

Matt Lorito

Luff

Joey MacDonald

MacLean

Marchenko

McCollum

Meech

Megan

Miller

Mowers

* not including conditioning stints for Curtis Joseph (2003-04), Chris Osgood (2005-06), Manny Legace (2005-06), Chris Chelios (2008-09), Andreas Lilja (2009-10), Jonas Gustavsson (2012-13), Carlo Colaiacovo (2012-13), Stephen Weiss (2014-15), Gemel Smith (2021-22) and Magnus Hellberg (2022-23).

Photo credit: Getty Images

20222023

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

FEB. 11

Princess Night presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union/Princess Appearances/Pre-Game Tea Party

FEB. 25 Hispanic Heritage Night presented by Consumers Energy/T-Shirt

Giveaway/Hispanic Heritage Jersey Auction

MARCH 4

Star Wars Night presented by DTE/Character Appearances

MARCH 10

11th Annual Purple Community Game presented by Van Andel Institute/Purple Jersey Auction

MARCH 11

Margaritaville Night presented by Adventure Credit Union/Trucker Hat Giveaway

MARCH 14

Ninth Annual Hockey, Hops & Hope at Fox Acura, benefiting Easterseals Michigan

APRIL 14

Fan Appreciation Night presented by Huntington Bank/Jersey Auction

MARCH 19

Jake Engel Memorial Dog Game presented by Nestle Purina/5 p.m. Start

MARCH 31

2013 Cup Celebration Game presented by University of Michigan Health-West/ Bob Kaser and Larry

Figurski Talking Bobblehead

Giveaway/2013 Blue Jersey

Auction/Annual Griffins Team Equipment Sale

CHECKPROMOTIONS OUT THESE SEASON-LONG

$2 BEERS AND $2 HOT DOGS

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

MILITARY NIGHTS

Every home game, current members of our military can purchase up to four Upper Level Faceoff or Crease tickets for $16 each, four Upper Level Center Ice tickets for $19 each, or four Lower Level Faceoff tickets for $23 each with a valid military ID. The offer also extends to veterans who present a VA ID or discharge papers.

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 #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 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 game on 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.

All promotions and dates subject to change.

For more information, visit griffinshockey.com.

Be sure to make note of these promotions occurring regularly throughout the season! Take advantage of cheap beer and dogs, free tickets, military and student discounts and more!

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

WHEN THE GRIFFINS SCORE, OUR COMMUNITY WINS

Through the Griffins’ long-running Charitable Goals program, local companies team up with Griffins players to help raise money for various charities. Every time the player scores a goal or makes a save, the company makes a donation toward a mutually agreed upon charity.

2022-23 CHARITABLE GOALS PARTNERSHIPS

Overall odds of winning Hot 7’s: 1 in 4.77. Overall odds of winning Burning Hot 7’s: 1 in 4.61. Overall odds of winning Blazing Hot 7’s: 1 in 4.04. Overall odds of winning Sizzling Hot 7’s: 1 in 3.77. Overall odds of winning Scorching Hot 7’s: 1 in 3.67. Knowing your limits is always the best bet. Call the Michigan Problem Gambling Helpline for con dential help at 1-800-270-7117.

Red Wings prospect

Simon

TAKING IT SLOW

Edvinsson is not going to rush his long-term development for the sake of shortterm success.

Story and photos by Mark Newman

As a top prospect of the Detroit Red Wings, Simon Edvinsson knows there are high hopes for his future. But nobody has higher expectations for his play than he does for himself.

“That’s how it is and that’s how I think it will always be,” said Edvinsson, the sixth overall selection in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. “I love to win, but I hate to lose more. That’s what keeps me going. I want to be better. And I want to help the team win, which is always a good feeling.”

While Edvinsson has the characteristic confidence of a first-round pick, he remains pragmatic in his pursuit of his hockey career, grounded by the guidance of parents who took a keen interest in their two boys born almost exactly two years apart. Simon, who celebrated his 20th birthday on Feb. 5, has a younger brother, Hannes, who turned 18 on Feb. 4.

Discipline was a fixture in the Edvinsson household – no surprise given that the boys’ father, Tobbe, is a police officer and their mother, Åsa, is a personal trainer. There was little chance the boys would stray from the proverbial straight and narrow path set for them growing up in Gothenburg, Sweden.

“Our parents were really strict,” Edvinsson said, “[Because] my dad is a police officer, he believed that to be a good person, you need to live by strict rules when you are young. I was never drinking or getting into trouble or things like that, but he had rules.

“Of course, he was supportive and stuff, but if I said I was going to do something, he expected me to do it. At home, we had a good relationship – we had fun with each other – but he was also hard. We went for extra training a lot and did a lot of practicing. With my mom, too, she made sure we followed through with things because she was a personal trainer.”

Edvinsson said he didn’t want to disappoint either of his parents, which meant he needed to concentrate on some things more than others. School went okay, but he would have rather been skating at the local ice rink or kicking a ball on any soccer field in his hometown.

“I was decent in school, but I was not good,” Edvinsson admits. “For me, it was a lot of hockey. When I got older and got called up to the pro team in Sweden, my parents began to feel like they could step back and let me focus on hockey and a little less on school. It was hard for them at first, but now they understand.”

Edvinsson is making his North American debut this season after playing the past two years for the Frolunda Hockey Club in his hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden.

Edvinsson started skating at age 4, taking to hockey like a polar bear takes to ice. “I started playing one year earlier than everybody else because I liked it so much,” he said. “I’ve always played with older guys, and I think it’s helped me become a more mature player faster.”

He still remembers the day when he first thought being a hockey player would be cool. He was five years old and he was watching two of his favorite players, Nicklas Lidstrom and Peter Forsberg, in action on Swedish television.

“The first NHL game I remember watching was between Detroit and Colorado, and it was like, ‘Wow,’ watching Lidstrom and Forsberg go against each other,” he recalled. “I heard the experts say this was the matchup. As a young kid in front of the TV, it was really fun to watch. I think watching that game helped make my decision later to become a hockey player, since I played soccer growing up as well.”

Indeed, Edvinsson’s size and lanky speed made him a capable defensive midfielder on the soccer field. “I was pretty good at soccer – I could handle the ball, make good passes and play good defense,” he recalled. “It was a hard decision to make, but I played my last soccer game at 15 because hockey had always been a

little bit ahead of soccer for me.”

Edvinsson had taken a major step toward his future a couple of years earlier when he started playing for the Hovås hockey club in the U16 division at age 13, which meant he was playing against guys who were a full two or three years older.

“It was a new environment and a little bit harder,” he said of his first opportunity playing for the club near Kungsbacka, a municipality 30 kilometers south of Gothenburg. “When you have new teammates, new coaches, and you don’t know anyone, I think it’s hard the first time you do that. But it was a fun year because I made a lot of friends that I still have now.”

By 14, when Edvinsson was already appearing in J18 games, he was recognized as one of the top defensive prospects in Sweden. His skating and stick-handling skills were already becoming elite; his well-timed physicality and terrific technical abilities made him one of the top blueline prospects in all of Europe.

“When you’re young, you try different positions,” he said. “I think my last game as a forward was maybe when I was 14 or 15. It was

Edvinsson would like to follow in the footsteps of Moritz Seider, who spent a full year in Grand Rapids before finding his way into the Red Wings’ lineup.

Edvinsson is a highly touted defender with a smooth skating stride, unusual for someone with a 6-foot-6 frame.

always back and forth, but it was always a little more defense than offense,” said Edvinsson, who started playing for the famed Frolunda hockey club in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) during his draft year.

When the Red Wings made Edvinsson the first Swede selected in the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft, he couldn’t have been happier.

“Of course, I had really good talks with Detroit before, but when the pick came in, it was like, ‘Wow!’ because Detroit has such a strong history in Sweden. You feel like you’re part of something bigger than just hockey. Michigan, Detroit, the fan club – everything around it is so big. It’s called Hockeytown for a reason.”

With Frolunda, Edvinsson was already playing with three Red Wings prospects: Lucas Raymond and Theodor Niederbach (both 2020 draftees), along with current Griffins forward Elmer Soderblom (2019 draft). “It was great that it was Detroit because we talked about the team so much,” he said.

Another Edvinsson teammate in Frolunda

was former Red Wings forward Jan Mursak, a key member of the Griffins’ 2013 Calder Cupwinning team and whose 11 postseason goals were second only to the 16 scored by playoff MVP Tomas Tatar. “A good guy and a good player,” Edvinsson says of Mursak, 35, now in his third season with Frolunda.

Edvinsson believes Frolunda provides the ideal environment for a young player like himself to develop his skills. He spent all of last season with the big club, recording 19 points in 44 games. “To be a first-year pro there is great,” he said. “It was a perfect year for me. I learned a lot of stuff. I played with Christian Folin, who has played over here [244 NHL games with Minnesota, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Montreal]. He was a big help.”

Folin provided some essential perspective. “When you’re young, you want to do everything and he was like, ‘Calm down. You’re young. Take it one step at a time. You don’t have to stress,’” Edvinsson recalled. “We joked that he was like my dad in Frolunda. He had a great impact on the direction of my hockey career.”

Looking ahead, Folin advised Edvinsson that he needed to prepare himself to be able to play a different kind of hockey when he came to North America. It was similar to the advice that he received from Calle Johansson, another first-round pick from Kungsbacka (#14 overall by Buffalo in 1985) who played in 1,109 games during his 17-year career.

Johansson is a family friend, actually caring for the family’s dog, Ellie, since both boys are away playing hockey and their parents are at work.

“We talked a little about hockey and a lot about his story, but he said what everyone here has been saying – you need to be more physical. The game is coming faster so you need to have thoughts before you have the puck. Of course, you need to take the game at your pace. You need to feel like things are going the right way. I think he had some good input.”

Edvinsson has also gotten feedback from former Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall as well as Lidstrom, the Hockey Hall of Famer. Getting the chance to chat with his boyhood idol has been a humbling experience. “When he talks, you just need to listen,” he said. “He sees things from a different perspective. You try to understand because he has so much hockey IQ, but when he speaks, he makes everything sound so simple.”

And, as Edvinsson can now attest, while hockey is a relatively simple game, it becomes increasingly more difficult to excel the higher you go.

He admits that his first Red Wings training camp and first exhibition season were eyeopening, to say the least.

“Everything happens so fast that you can get caught up in it,” he said. “I think I was underprepared because when I got over here, I didn’t feel like I was mentally ready for what was coming – how big it all really is. But it was a a good experience for me because I took more positive from it than negative. For me, it’s like, ‘Let’s just see what work you need to do and how much you need to be ready when the season starts.’ It just felt like everything happened so fast.”

From the beginning, Edvinsson paid particular attention to Red Wings defenseman Moritz Seider, the reigning NHL rookie of the year who led all Detroit blueliners in scoring with 50 points in 82 games last season.

“He wants to do everything right and he wants to be better every day. He doesn’t want to do anything wrong,” Edvinsson said. “Everything seems so smooth when he plays. I don’t know how to explain it. Lidstrom was the same way. He just played so simple all the time. That’s something you need to learn. You want to make plays, but you need to find the right time. When you play simple, the game goes so much easier.”

He would be the first to admit that being sent to Grand Rapids was the best thing for his development. While some fans opine on social media that Edvinsson belongs in Detroit, Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman prefers his young prospects play in all situations for Grand Rapids rather than struggle in Detroit in a more limited role.

Edvinsson’s response to the naysayers to the so-called Yzerplan? “I think he knows what he’s doing.”

Spending the season with the Griffins is proving to be the ideal situation for Edvinsson, who admittedly has made his share of mistakes during his first year in North America.

“It’s hockey we play and it’s a game built on mistakes,” he said. “Especially for me, being here is the best thing that could happen right now. Confidence comes with experience, playing in different situations. Of course, mistakes are everywhere. But I’m starting to see everything – how the game is going on the smaller ice – and I’m starting to feel like I felt when I was playing in Sweden. Now I just go out and play and have fun.”

On paper, Edvinsson appeared to enjoy almost a perfect start to this season, scoring at a point-per-game pace for the first three weeks of the season. But he knew better.

Following eight points in his first nine games, Edvinsson had only five points over the next 20 games after missing three games due to illness. Even so, he was playing noticeably better.

“Sure, I had eight points in the first eight games, but I might have let in 10 goals back,” he said. “I’m a defenseman – I don’t want to let in goals. I want to be a good defensive player first and then get the points after. That’s how it starts and my plus-minus has been way better since.”

Edvinsson doesn’t want to be in a position where he requires reminders about how he should play.

“When you realize things yourself, it’s always better,’ he said. “I don’t want to need someone to tell me that I should do something. That’s the way it should be with everything: how you practice, how you train off-ice. When you realize that you have to put in extra work, you start to be a better hockey player.”

Edvinsson chuckles at his training camp memory of Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin imploring him to be tougher in the one-onone battles that occur during a game. As the AHL season progresses, Edvinsson has begun to increasingly use his 6-foot-6 frame to his advantage.

“I didn’t realize how much easier the game can be when you’re playing harder,” he said. “Now I feel like I should call him and thank him, or at least send him a text and say thank you for being honest. It’s almost comical. I started to realize how much more aggressive you need to be in a hockey game to play better.”

Nobody’s perfect and Edvinsson will likely continue to make his share of mistakes, but he’s not afraid to learn from them. It’s all part of the development process.

“Everybody says you’re only 20, everything will eventually come to you,” Edvinsson

said. “I feel like if I think that way, I won’t be developing as fast as I can. I won’t be the best I can be as soon as possible. But that’s who I am. I want to play big minutes. If I’m only good on the offense, I’m not going to play big minutes in those games where the team is only up or down one goal. I want to be able to play in all situations.”

Edvinsson said he realized that he was starting to feel more comfortable when he started to dream in English. “That was weird. It was like, ‘Where am I?’”

It’s all a matter of adjusting to new challenges. He knows that it’s important to enjoy the journey as much as the destination. If he can’t have Swedish tacos, he will do his best to enjoy American tacos all the same.

“You have to find your own place. You need to find yourself in everything,” he said. “It’s so different here. What do you do with your free time? What do you like to eat? How do you find a place for a simple lunch?

“When I started to figure everything out, everything became so smooth. So just take it slow. It’s like the best thing you could say to any guy who comes over. Trust yourself and take it slow.”

Edvinsson hopes getting plenty of ice time in Grand Rapids will pay dividends down the road in Detroit.

East Grand Rapids native Luke Glendening is excited about a potential playoff run with the Dallas Stars, bringing back memories of his Calder Cup journey with the Griffins a decade ago.

ENJOYING THE MOMENT

Story by Mark Newman

Luke Glendening chuckles when he thinks back to his rookie pro season, when he joined the Grand Rapids Griffins right before Christmas.

Destined to win the organization’s first Calder Cup, the 2012-13 Griffins were led by captain Jeff Hoggan, a well-traveled but strong-willed veteran who had won a league championship with the Houston Aeros a full decade before coming to Grand Rapids himself.

“I think Jeff Hoggan was the same age that I am now [Glendening will turn 34 in April] and I remember thinking, ‘Man, this guy is old,’ and now 10 years later I’m on the other side of that,” he said, laughing. “I also remember him saying as we were in that playoff run, ‘Don’t take this for granted because this is so hard to do.’ And here I am – 10 years later, and I haven’t been in that position again.”

He is hopeful that his fortunes might change this season. His current team, the Dallas Stars, is considered a potential Stanley Cup contender and is currently battling the Winnipeg Jets for first place in the Western Conference’s Central Division.

Glendening signed a free-agent contract with the Stars two years ago after spending his first eight NHL seasons with the Red Wings. The move was bittersweet – he was leaving the team where he had proven himself as a dependable defensive forward and one of the NHL’s top faceoff artists to join a team with championship aspirations, with the Stars having reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2020.

“I have nothing but the utmost respect for the Detroit organization,” he said. “The Red Wings always treated me unbelievably well and playing in Detroit was like home. We miss all of the people in Michigan a ton but it’s been an outstanding move.”

Glendening played in all 82 contests for the Stars during his first season in Dallas, a year that ended in disappointment when the Stars were ousted by the Calgary Flames in seven games during the opening round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The outcome led to the dismissal of head coach Rick Bowness and his staff (including ex-Griffins head coach/defenseman Todd Nelson) and the subsequent hiring of Peter DeBoer, who had been fired by the Vegas Golden Knights a month earlier. “Everyone

who returned from last year’s team wasn’t thrilled with the way things had ended and I think it made us a hungry team,” he said.

“We changed quite a few of our systems from years prior but one of the things that Pete said that stuck with me is that he wanted to keep the DNA of this team the same. We have good structure and we play heavy. We’ve been a good defensive team long before he got here and he’s just tried to add a few more layers and it’s worked out really well.”

As of late January, the Stars had allowed the fewest goals per game in the Western Conference. “We’ve been playing pretty good hockey,” Glendening said. “[Dallas general manager] Jim Nill has done a nice job of putting this team together and he helped build that team in GR, so it’s fun to be a part of something that feels special again 10 years later.”

Glendening sees similarities between the two teams. Like the Griffins’ championship team, the Stars feature a mix of young, talented players and wily veterans. The skill of Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, and Miro Heiskanen is matched in Dallas by the savvy of veterans like Joe Pavelski, Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, and Ryan Suter, who have played more than 4,400 NHL games combined without a title.

“It’s a great team to be a part of because we have the excitement of the young guys with the hunger of the older guys who are looking to win,” said Glendening, who counts himself among the latter. “We have several veterans who have played a ton of hockey but haven’t won a Cup yet. They know how hard it is. They understand the grind and what it takes.”

While the Griffins relied on the veteran leadership of Hoggan, Nathan Paetsch, Brennan Evans, and Triston Grant, it was the everyday excellence of the team’s youth that made it a force to reckon with. Young players like Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Tatar, Landon Ferraro, Francis Pare, Riley Sheahan, and Tomas Jurco helped Grand Rapids secure its first championship and provide the perfect ending to a storybook season.

Looking back, Glendening admits that he never could have envisioned what lay ahead for his career while sitting at his parents’ home during his first Griffiti interview a decade ago.

“Honestly, when we were sitting at my parents’ dining room table, I remember

thinking that if I get to play one game [in the NHL], I’ll be happy,” said Glendening, who has now played nearly 700 NHL games. “I’ve been blessed with a lot of great opportunities and I feel so fortunate to have been able to play as long as I have.”

Of course, any suggestion that Glendening was not going to excel at whatever he tried would be discounting the influence of his upbringing that emphasized faith and belief backed by drive and determination. “Just work as hard as you can is something my parents instilled in all three of us,” he said. “They taught us there would be roadblocks and things wouldn’t always go your way, but at the end of the day, if you can say you put everything into something, you gave it your best.

“My dad always said right before every game, ‘Have fun, try your best, and be a good sport.’ That was what he said every game. It wasn’t: score three goals, score a touchdown, or hit a home run. He always instilled the idea: just be the hardest worker and let the cards fall where they may. Put your best foot forward

and see what happens.”

A three-sport athlete (football, hockey and baseball) through high school, Glendening became a captain of the University of Michigan hockey team in his final two collegiate seasons after having been a walk-on as a freshman. When the Griffins signed him to a one-year contract in June 2012, the East Grand Rapids product was excited about the possibility of playing in his hometown.

Those hopes were dashed with the NHL lockout. When he was sent to the Griffins’ ECHL affiliate in Toledo, he took the demotion as another challenge. “When I got sent to Toledo, I remember thinking that I might never get to play in Grand Rapids, but at least I’ll be able to say that I played a year of professional hockey even if that’s the end of things for me,” he said.

Glendening, however, was not going to be denied his chance. In 27 games with the Walleye, he tallied 14 goals and seven assists, impressive enough numbers to earn him a spot in the 2013 ECHL All-Star Game (which he never played in because he was recalled by the

Glendening is considered one of the top faceoff artists in the NHL.

Photo credit: Dave Reginek/Getty Images

Griffins). He made his debut on Dec 19, 2012 at Van Andel Arena.

“When I got the call to go to Grand Rapids, I was so excited,” he recalled. “When I was skating around during warmups, I looked into the stands and it was like, ‘Hey, I know them.’ And then ‘I know them, too.’ So many friends and family who had supported me along the way had come out to the game and it was almost surreal to be back in that building where I had grown up. Just to be on that ice and playing in front of my friends and family was really special.”

To put an exclamation point on the proceedings, he scored just two minutes and 49 seconds into the game, getting his first AHL goal on his first shot and first shift.

Glendening said he realized that he was coming into a team that had already forged a special bond. “I came in while they were doing their Secret Santa – it was one of my first days in GR,” he said. “I remember watching a group of guys who were messing with each other but you could tell how much they cared for each other. It’s a memory I’ll have forever.”

One month after his debut, his initial

impression was fortified by a fight in Rockford – actually, it was a bench-clearing brawl, but the altercation set the tone for the rest of the season. “It might not have been great for hockey, but the players on that team stood up for one another – that to me was the sign of a great team,” he said. “You saw people who really cared about what was going on with the other guys.”

It was also his first exposure to Jeff Blashill, who was in his first AHL season as a head coach after serving as an assistant coach with the Red Wings the previous year.

“Blashill likes to tell the story about how he couldn’t wait to send me back down, but every day was like a proving ground for me. He wanted our best every day. I felt like when we won, he got harder on us. When we lost, it was more about fixing things. So the more we won, the harder he was.

“We had great leadership in the room with the older guys on the team, but Blashill really steered the ship. What was so great was that he kept us focused and when he knew that we needed to be lifted up, he would. I think our vets were a direct reflection of what he wanted

Glendening won a Calder Cup with the Griffins during his rookie pro season.

that team to look like.”

Glendening played for Mike Babcock during his first two years in Detroit, but he would be reunited with Blashill for six seasons before he left for Dallas.

“In the American League, it’s more about teaching, but I thought he did a great job of teaching in Detroit as well because we had such a young team and we were struggling in his later years,” Glendening said. “He was always focused on helping guys get better and how our team could be better in the midst of some tough years.

“As a head coach, he didn’t have a great team, but he was always focused on how we could get better every day even when things were not always going well. I think he was in the same way in GR when we had a good team. It was ‘We were good last night, how can we get even better.’ That’s the way he led.”

A decade into his professional career, Glendening realizes how special the road to the Griffins’ first Calder Cup was.

“Two years prior, I had played in the national championship game in college. I

thought it was something that came around every couple of years, that you get another chance to win something. In high school, we had won a football championship, so I had been there at different levels. Now, it’s been 10 years since I even got close.

“You realize that it takes a special group of people and support staff – it takes everyone –and we had that in Grand Rapids. I remember leaving the arena after we lost Game 4 and the game was already sold out for the next night. That’s the community rallying behind the team and it was cool to be a part of it and see a city bustling with that kind of excitement. It’s just an awesome memory and one that I’ll never forget.”

Glendening also remembers the physical toll that it takes to go all the way. He played 102 games during the 2012-13 campaign after averaging just over 40 games per season at Michigan.

“Towards the end of the playoffs, I was talking with my parents and thinking I was withering away to nothing,” he said. “I remember thinking, I’m not sure how to do

Glendening (#11) played eight seasons in Detroit before leaving as a free agent to play in Dallas.

Photo credit: Jerome Moron/USA Today

this. But, especially for me, it’s the adrenalin that’s surging you on at that point. You can taste it because you’re so close. You’re not even thinking about your body at that point.”

Much has changed in his life since. In July 2019, he married Paige Snyder, whom he met while he was playing in Grand Rapids and she was attending Grand Valley State University. His arms are now covered in tattoos and he’s missing two teeth after taking a puck to the mouth during a summer skate before the NHL’s COVID season.

But some things have not changed. He is still considered one of the best faceoff men in the NHL, currently ranked in the top 15 right behind another former Griffins center, Boston Bruins forward Tomas Nosek. It’s a skill that goes back to his earliest days in pro hockey.

“When I first was in Toledo, I was the 10th forward and they dressed 10, so I wasn’t part of a line,” he recalled. “A guy broke his wrist and they asked me if I could play center. I was like, ‘Absolutely. I will play whatever position you need me to play if I can get in the top nine and get a regular shift.’

“When I got to GR, Spiros Anastas was the video coach and I worked with him a ton, trying to get better. We would watch video of NHL players in faceoffs and then we’d watch my clips. We’d go out on the ice and practice, practice, practice.

“When I got to the NHL, it was a whole other level. I was under 50 percent and I remember Blash telling me, ‘We’ll be patient, but you have to get better. You can’t be just middling, especially in the role that you fill, killing penalties and taking defensive zone draws. You have to be better.’

“So I continued to watch video with L.J. Scarpace in Detroit. I’ve been fortunate to have coaches who wanted to help me but also players who were looking to get better at faceoffs. It was like ‘iron sharpens iron’ (Editor’s note: a reference to Proverbs 27:17).

“Me and Helmer [Darren Helm] would take faceoffs almost every practice together. Same with [Dylan] Larkin, [Michael] Rasmussen, and [Joe] Veleno. We would battle in the faceoff circle and keep working, talking through different things. Some people don’t care, but it’s one of the things that’s keeping me around, so it’s a big deal to me.”

Glendening would love nothing better than to get the chance to test those skills during a long Stanley Cup playoff drive with Dallas this year

“During the regular season, you’re trying to bank as many points as you can to put yourselves in the best position [because] in the playoffs, you never know what’s going to happen,” he said. “You just want a chance. That’s all you can ask for. Once you get in, you give it your best and see what happens.”

He insists that he has lost none of his passion for the game.

“I love it,” he said. “It’s crazy. I’m 33 years old and I still feel like a kid every day. I get to wake up and go to the rink and I feel like the luckiest guy in the world. My body is surprisingly still hanging in there and it’s been such a joy and such a blessing to be able to continue to play.

“As I said earlier, I never thought I was going to play one game. So I don’t take one day for granted in this league because I know it can end quickly.”

Which is why he encourages anyone with a similar passion to enjoy the moment.

“I always tell kids to find something that they’re passionate about and pursue it to the best of their abilities. The percentage of people who make it is so small that you might as well enjoy it while you can. For most people, playing a sport is just going to be a hobby. It’s probably going to become a hobby again for me in the next few years. It’s just a different timeline for everyone.

“I made great friends in every sport I played and that’s what I’ll remember more than the score of every game. I could probably go around that Griffins locker room from 10 years ago and tell you every guy’s name and where they sat. Those are the memories you make.

“I don’t remember the score of those playoff games but I do remember the people who were along for the ride. That’s what it’s all about. But it doesn’t have to be a championship run. It could just be playing house hockey. I still have friends from when I was playing house hockey at Jolly Roger [now Eagles Ice Center]. That’s the reality of it. You have to just enjoy the moment.”

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GOOD AS GOLD

Story by Mark Newman

Goaltender Jussi

Born in Helsinki, Olkinuora grew up in Tampere, the second-largest urban area in Finland, home to the Finnish Hockey Hall of Fame and the Moomin Museum (dedicated to the country’s ever-present fairytale characters who resemble cute,

His father, Hannu, served as editor-in-chief of major metropolitan daily newspapers before his passing in 2012 due to an aggressive form of cancer.

His mother, Hilkka, is now a noted theologian and author after starting her writing career as a financial reporter.

The youngest of seven children, Olkinuora is the only athlete in the extended family, but he bears the influence of his parents: the competitive streak of his father and the fierce independence of his mother, who remains an outspoken voice in the family’s native Finland.

“My parents taught me to have critical thinking,” said Olkinuora, who tries to read as much as he can but admits “in today’s world, to read is a dying art.”

“Being in sports, I meet a lot of journalists, so it’s interesting for me. Most players think it’s silly and sports are indeed filled with cliches. Sports themselves are very monotone. You can only say so much and [as a player] you don’t want to give up any details or secrets to your opponents. It’s an interesting dynamic because there’s not much a player wants to give and often there’s not much that a journalist can use.”

Olkinuora started skating at 7, eventually gravitating to the goaltending position more out of necessity than any pronounced desire.

“The coach would say, ‘Whose turn is it to be the goalie?’ And everyone would say, ‘Not me. Not me. Not me.’ And it just fit my personality, ‘OK, I’ll do

it.’ If the school needed someone to be the singer in a musical, I would be the one at age 10 who would volunteer to do it. It’s not because I am easygoing. I would be ashamed and I would hate it, but someone had to do it.”

And so he became a goalie because someone had to fill the net.

“I don’t think I took hockey that seriously until probably at college when I realized I could do it professionally,” he said. “That was a blessing for me because I didn’t burn out at a young age. Eventually, I realized this is probably what I am best at doing.

“In fact, I’m still playing because I think I am good at what I do and nothing else is even close.”

He came to North America for the first time at the age of 16. “My parents wanted me to live abroad as an exchange student,” said Olkinuora, who ended up in Salt Lake City, where he played for Chadder’s AAA junior hockey team. “Thankfully, I was able to mix hockey with that experience, but hockey wasn’t the purpose.”

Coming overseas for the first time was an adjustment. “I didn’t know what I didn’t know, but it was different,” he said. “You have to learn which shampoo to pick, what is conditioner, which stores have what, things like that. It’s eye-opening to live in a different country.”

Olkinuora was the MVP of the 2022 IIHF World Championship in Finland.

Photo credit: Getty Images

Fortunately, speaking the language was not one of his challenges. “English was always a strength,” he said. “I used to watch the Cartoon Network before school and when you’re good at something and you enjoy it, you become even better at it. It’s like a snowball.”

Even today, Olkinuora continues to test himself. He currently has a streak of more than 800 days on the Duolingo language app, rotating among French, Spanish and Russian.

It was during his time in Salt Lake City that he says something sparked his interest in potentially playing college hockey. “I realized it was something I could do, but truthfully I wanted to play major juniors,” he said. “I wanted to play in Canada because I thought that would be a better route, but nothing came out of talking to coaches so I went back to Finland for two years.”

He kept emailing coaches. “I didn’t know what I was doing, but I made my own highlight video,” he said. “I sent it to 60 schools and most of them, probably 40, didn’t respond. Half of the ones who did respond either said I was messaging the wrong person – ‘I’m the head coach; I don’t do the recruiting’ – or they said they were already filled. A few said that I should come over and play juniors so we can see you play live because a two-minute clip

of highlights with rock music in the background isn’t doing it.”

So Olkinuora returned to play for the Sioux Falls Stampede in the USHL. “I came back for a year in South Dakota because it was a major hub for recruiters. But it was not a good year and I received no college offers, so I went home for the summer and figured I would turn pro there.”

Three schools, however, did express interest even though they didn’t have anything concrete to offer. One of the schools was the University of Denver, where he was recruited by the man who would later become the head coach of the Detroit Red Wings.

“Derek Lalonde recruited me but I never met him because he left before I got there,” said Olkinuora, who played two seasons at Denver, where he flourished under the direction of David Lassonde, the school’s goalie coach.

“He was demanding but we clicked,” Olkinuora said. “Obviously when you’re playing well, you cherish those memories, which maybe seem better than they are. But I had a great time in Denver, mostly because of how we worked together.”

Olkinuora admits that he’s one of those guys who feels that he needs a goalie coach.

“The goalie position is somewhat unique where you can benefit guidance,” he said. “It’s a cliche but

Olkinuora was recruited to play at the University of Denver by current Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde.

it’s a solo sport inside a team sport. Your own game doesn’t necessarily reflect the team’s performance and vice versa. You might play well and you can lose, or you might play poorly and you still win. You need a goalie coach who can see that and fix things.

“Things might be going well but a goalie coach may tell you, ‘Hey, you’re getting away with it, but you need to fix this and that.’ Of course, as you get older, you realize that the goalie coach is not always necessarily right. When you’re younger, they’re always right. Eventually, you learn to take some things and let other things go. The great goalie coaches understand that.

“With the best goalie coaches, there’s a dialogue. First off, they ask questions. Not everyone does that. Secondly, they also listen. They’re curious about what will work and what will not. And their best students are open to trying new things. I’ve always tried to be open-minded and not be stubborn.”

It was in college that Olkinuora learned about everything from proper work ethic to the little things that become routine as you develop your technique.

“People say that being a goalie is mostly mental,” he said. “We all have physical attributes, more or less similar, but it’s the way you think, the way you handle pressure, how you think or not think about the big picture that matters.

“As a goalie, you’re out there alone for the whole game, so I do understand the idea that it’s more mental than physical. That’s why the best goalie coaches haven’t necessarily been the most technically inclined people. They know that while you’re out there performing, they are the ones that should be doing the thinking. The goalie should not be thinking.”

After his sophomore season, he signed with the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets in April 2013. He spent the next three seasons shuttling between the team’s AHL and ECHL affiliates. The first two years meant going from the west coast (the ECHL’s California-based Ontario Reign) to the east coast (Newfoundland, where the St. John’s IceCaps of the AHL played).

“That was before the minor leagues had optimized the distances between teams,” he said. “I had a great time in California. Being in the ECHL, for me, was the best place to play at the time. I played close to 30 games in a row at one point, whereas in the AHL, I only played once every two weeks.

“In California, the sun is shining every day. Our team was first in the league and we had 10,000 fans a game. That being said, I told myself after every season that I’m never going back to that league again. And still, I spent three years there.

“I felt like I was better than the ECHL, but I didn’t get to play much in the AHL and when I did, it was a disaster. As a young guy, you need a lot of repetition and confidence-building and the team wasn’t good so it was a tough environment for me.”

Olkinuora decided to go back to Finland to reestablish himself.

“I became a lot more ambitious and reverseengineered the path that I thought I needed to follow,” he recalled. “I still wanted to play in the NHL, but how do you get there? I need to play in the KHL, which is the second-best league in the world. How do I get to the KHL? I have to be on the national team. How do I get to the national team? I have to be a starter in Finland. How do I become a starter? I need to play well, become a starter, and then get some national team exposure because the KHL recruits national team guys.”

Everything went according to plan. After establishing himself as one of the best goalies in the Finnish Liiga, Olkinuora signed with the team in Vladivostok, Russia, which is where he became a teammate with Adam Almquist, a member of the 2013 Calder Cup-winning Griffins team.

“I’m glad that he was there for my first year because he’s a great guy,” Olkinuora said. “The travel wasn’t bad, but it was a lower budget team, and the lower the budget, the worse things are and the less organized it is. Sometimes it seems like there is no logic, but we got to places and we played the games.

“Vladivostok is a very scenic place, a former naval base where we saw submarines downtown every day. We called it the San Francisco of Russia, but the further east you go in Russia, the less English they speak. In my first year there, I had to learn Russian to survive. To talk to the cab driver, to book a reservation at the restaurant, or to order food, you have to learn real quick.”

The following season, Olkinuora found himself in Magnitogorsk, Russia, where he played with Andrej Nestrasil, another former Griffin (201114). “He’s another great guy, very genuine,” he said. “Being in Russia, it’s important to have good imports you get along with and I was really lucky to have met those two guys.”

By his third year in Russia, Olkinuora was feeling more and more comfortable, even though it meant being apart from his wife, Emily Usset, whom he had started dating during his college days in Denver. “Hockey was the main focus, the center of everything, so you get used to the other things,” he said. “It was an adventure.”

In February 2022, Olkinuora went to Beijing for the Olympic Winter Games. The captain of the Finnish hockey team was Valtteri Filppula,

the former Griffins and Red Wings player who was honored as a flag bearer during the Parade of Nations for the Olympic opening ceremony. Olkinuora’s partner in the net was Harri Sateri, who played for the Griffins during 2018-19.

“There was speculation that NHL players might participate in the Olympics, so I thought there was only a small chance that I could make the team as the No. 3 goalie,” he said. “When the NHL backed out, I realized that I had a chance to play.”

China had zero tolerance toward COVID at the time, so strict protocols were in place. “Most of us had already had COVID but they kept me locked in a separate room for two days because they thought I was still testing positive when some of my values were still high.”

Olkinuora managed to see action in one game, out-dueling Magnus Hellberg and Sweden for a 4-3 overtime win. “Due to the protocols, I lost my chance to compete for the No. 1 spot, but it didn’t matter because Harri played unreal and we won the whole thing. I feel lucky that I even got to play one game. It was a cool experience and I have a gold medal to show for it.”

He returned to Russia, but a month later everything changed when Vladimir Putin decided to invade Ukraine.

“I was coming off the high of the Olympics and I

was excited about playing in the playoffs because I was the starter and we had a good team,” he said. “I thought we had a good chance and it was going to be the first time I might be able to win something with a club team.

“When the war broke out, people were calling me every day. The media in Finland started saying we were part of Putin’s propaganda because Putin loves hockey, he’s backing the league, and the KHL is his baby. So basically by us being there, we were showing support for the war, which was a bit of a stretch because if anything, we weren’t funding the war, we were taking money away from the war by being paid. But it’s the optics.”

Olkinuora was not happy that something political could affect his decision to play. “I was further from the border to Ukraine than Finland is and it wasn’t like this was a Brittney Griner thing,” he said. “I was just there playing hockey.”

He stayed long enough to appear in one postseason game.

“I played the first playoff game, but listening to the Russian national anthem was tough,” he said. “Suddenly it was like a 180-turn and I just couldn’t stay. All of the other Finnish players in the league were talking about leaving, so I thought then that there was no way I was staying.

“I felt so bad for the team. They didn’t

Olkinuora was a member of the gold medal-winning Finnish hockey team at the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Photo credit: Getty Images

understand what was going on because they have different news outlets, but the attack on Ukraine is very disturbing, it’s insane. Still, the decision was really tough, but I don’t regret it. I cut all ties with Russia.”

He flew to Saint Petersburg and he and the other Finnish players drove to Helsinki. “It’s sad because some of the guys had played for the same team for nine years and they had the same championship hopes,” he said. “I honestly thought I might finish my career in the KHL. Sometimes life happens.”

Thankfully, two months later, Olkinuora was able to leave all the negativity behind after he was named the MVP of the 2022 IIHF World Championship. “I knew it could be a season for the ages because it was the year of the Olympics and the World Championships at home. I had played in the previous world championships when we won silver, so I knew I had to chance to play.”

Finland won the gold medal behind Olkinuora’s stellar goaltending. He played five games during the group stage, posting four shutouts and allowing a single goal. During the entire tournament, he allowed only a total of nine goals in eight games, including a shutout streak of 206:44.

“Not many teams have won the tournament when they are hosting it, so that was a big priority for us,” Olkinuora said. “It was in my hometown,

too, so it felt like, of course, we’re going to win it. We have to win. We had a really good team, so it was so much fun and something I’ll remember forever.”

Olkinuora signed to play this season in Switzerland, but he had the option to sign an NHL contract before June 15. When the Red Wings made a last-minute offer, he jumped at the opportunity. “I had to make the decision within an hour, right before midnight,” he said. “It was a good feeling. I had almost given up on coming back, especially at my age, but I feel like I still have a lot to give. I was excited to have the chance to make it happen.”

And so Olkinuora is waiting in the wings, hoping to help the Griffins make a second-half drive to the playoffs. The arrival of Hellberg and, more recently, Alex Nedeljkovic in Grand Rapids have cut into his playing time, but he is doing his best to wait his turn.

After a slow start, Olkinuora strung together several solid appearances between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve.

“I feel confident about my game and I’m excited to play more,” said Olkinuora, who credits his wife Emily for keeping him sane and balanced. “I really think we can be successful the rest of the way. As always, I welcome the challenge.”

Olkinuora signed a free-agent contract with the Red Wings last summer.

Mark Newman

IN HIS FATHER’S FOOTSTEPS

Defenseman Albert Johansson is doing his best to learn the style of play that will allow him to follow his father’s path to the NHL.

Story and photos by

Albert Johansson tried other sports growing up – a little floorball, some soccer – but it only delayed the inevitable.

“We were a hockey family,” he says, thinking about his upbringing.

Both of his brothers – Gabriel, who is eight years older; and Oliver, who is four years older –played hockey. Which is no surprise, given that the boys’ father was a former professional hockey player himself.

Roger Johansson played 150 games with the Calgary Flames and another 11 games with the Chicago Blackhawks through four NHL seasons (1989-91, 1992-93, 1994-95) but spent most of his career as a defenseman in the Swedish Elite League.

As a harbinger of his hockey future, Albert was born during his father’s last season.

Too little to know any different, the youngest Johansson was strapping on skates almost as soon as he could walk, learning to love the ice at the age of two. By five or six, he was already showing signs of being an accomplished player beyond his years.

“At home, it was hockey all the time,” Johansson recalled. “My dad was coaching one of my brother’s teams, so after school, I was always going to the rink so that I could go on the ice with them. It just felt natural to play hockey.”

Although separated by several years, the brothers

played informally together, which is usually to the benefit of the youngest, who often amplifies the talent of those before him. “When I was younger, I looked up to them,” he said. “I wanted to be like my brothers.”

Albert did his best to learn from the lessons laid before him, even if he was playing out of position.

“During the winter back home, we would play street hockey,” he said. “I liked hockey because my dad was a former hockey player and my brothers played, too. Because I was the youngest, I always had to play goalie.”

Albert, however, harbored no illusion of ever becoming a goalie. Instead, he gravitated to the position that his father played professionally, even though there was never any push to follow in his father’s footsteps. “Most of the time, he would just say, ‘Go out and play your game – have fun.’

“He didn’t want to be that guy who says ‘Do this’ or ‘Don’t do that.’ He was just my dad. He encouraged me to do what I was good at. ‘Just play your game.’ He knew he didn’t have to say anything because he trusted the coaches of my teams.”

Even so, a little instruction would inevitably seep into the conversation at the Johansson household. “Of course, when I was younger, it was hard not to talk hockey back home,” he said.

“As I got older and started playing for the

Johansson is from Karlstad, a rather rural Swedish town conveniently located between Stockholm and Oslo, Norway.

national team and the men’s team in Karlstad, I could start asking for tips and advice.”

At age 18, Johansson was selected in the second round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft by the Detroit Red Wings. He was the 60th overall pick. “I was just so happy,” he said. “The first feeling I got was that I knew Detroit is a good organization. I was impressed by the way they talked about how they wanted to work with me. It felt like they cared about the players they drafted.”

Johansson had appeared in three games with Färjestad BK during the 2018-19 season before the draft, spending most of the year with the Färjestad junior team. In 40 games, he recorded five goals and 24 assists for 29 points, tied for second most in the league among defensemen.

There was never any doubt that he would stay in Sweden at the time. “The Red Wings said we just want to sign you,” Johansson recalled. “We are not going to bring you over now, so you can stay and play in Farjestad. I thought that was fine.”

He played the full 2019-20 season in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) with the Färjestad BK team in Karlstad. In 42 games, he tallied two goals and 11 assists for 13 points – respectable numbers for a first-year pro. In his second season with the team, he upped his production to eight goals and 11 assists

in 44 games.

“After that season, they asked me how I felt about going over and I told them that I didn’t know if I am ready to go over right now. For me, it felt like it would be good to play one more year in the SHL and play big minutes, including the power play and PK, so that I could grow as a player.

“They agreed with me. They said, ‘If you’re not feeling ready, we’re not going to bring you over because it’s not going to be good for us or good for you. So stay in Sweden and we can talk again after the season and see what you think.’

“I’m thankful for that because I ended up having a good year in Sweden.”

Johansson was already getting guidance from former Red Wings defenseman Niklas Kronwall, who watches over the progress of the Detroit organization’s many Swedish prospects while serving as an advisor to general manager Steve Yzerman.

“We talked after the games,” Johansson said. “Sometimes he came to Karlstad the day before a game and we would go out for dinner and just talk. Sometimes he came onto the ice before team practices and we would do shooting drills or small d-zone work. Sometimes we would watch video.

“He’s a really good guy and he’s helped me a

Johansson is a mobile defenseman with good puckhandling skills.

lot, of course.”

Johansson’s final season in Sweden didn’t begin as well as he had hoped.

“I had a pretty tough start to my season – things didn’t go my way,” he said. “In my mind, I knew it would be my last year in Sweden. It was the last year of my contract back home and it was the second year that Detroit had loaned me out to Sweden.

“Because it was my third year in the SHL, I think there was more pressure, both from myself and Färjestad as well as Detroit. I felt like I had to show that I was ready and tried to do things that didn’t work, so I got frustrated.”

A few chats with the Red Wings helped get him back on track. “When I talked to Kronwall, he said, ‘Just keep it simple – start there.’ He said, ‘We know you’re good, you know you’re good. Just play your game. Just keep working.’ And so I did.”

His struggles – whether real or imagined –eventually faded.

“I don’t think I played that good, but the longer the season went, I started feeling like I was playing better and better. I think the last 10 games of the regular season and the playoffs, I was peaking and playing good hockey. I got to play a lot of minutes and that’s how you get better, when you play lots.”

And though his father stayed in the background, Johansson was often reminded of the fact that he

was playing for Karlstad, where his father had won three league championships (1988, 1997, 1998) during nine seasons with the hometown team.

“They have photos in the locker room there and when I was sitting in my stall, I was under a photo of my dad with the trophy,” he said. “Before every game during the playoffs, I would look at the photo and think, if we win, it can be me and my dad in lookalike photos with the trophy.”

“When I talked to the newspaper, they would say ‘now it’s your turn’ and ‘how much do you want to win and do what your dad did?’ And I said, ‘Of course, I want to win.’”

Sixth-ranked among the 10 teams entering the playoffs, Färjestad BK reached the finals against the second-ranked Luleå HF team, the same organization his father had faced to win the Le Mat Trophy as Swedish champions in 1997.

It took seven games, but Färjestad won its 10th championship, the perfect ending to Johansson’s time in Sweden.

Not surprisingly, Johansson felt a little bit like a fish out of water when he joined the Griffins this fall. The adjustment to the smaller ice surface in North American rinks was particularly problematic for a young defenseman who had grown accustomed to the larger, open ice surface in Sweden.

Johansson was a second-round pick of the Red Wings in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

“My first 10 games here, I was thinking, ‘What is this?’ It felt like there were players everywhere. It seemed like I didn’t have any time with the puck,” Johansson recalled. “But after those first 10 games, I started to feel like I had more time than I realized. I started to learn when I could make a play, when I just needed to chip out the puck, when I could join the rush or when I had to stay back.

“And now it feels like it’s getting better every game.”

There were also adjustments to be made living in a new country. His acclimation was aided by the fact that there are three other Swedes on the Griffins. “It’s a big step moving over from Sweden by ourselves for the first time,” he said. “It helps to have a couple of Swedes around. It makes you feel a little more comfortable.”

At the midpoint of the 2022-23 season, Johansson felt like he was finally finding his game.

“When I am playing well, I’m not thinking too much. Everything is coming naturally. I know what to do,” he said. “It’s making that good first pass to the forwards so they can skate into the offensive zone. I’m feeling comfortable and not getting stressed out. Everything just comes. I’m just out there, having fun, enjoying the game.”

Johansson would like to contribute more offensively, but he knows the points will eventually come if he continues to play the right way and keep things simple. “I’ve always been a little more of an offensive player, but I want to be a two-way defenseman,” he said. “I want to be a player who can play big minutes, play a shutdown game, and help the team win.”

He knows he is a work-in-progress.

“There are still ups and downs,” he said. “Some games you can feel like you’re playing good now and some games are tougher. That’s how a season goes. There are ups and downs. You have to keep working and learn from every day.”

Johansson was able to spend 11 days with his brothers in Grand Rapids during early January and he was planning to welcome his parents three weeks later – a nice break of sorts during what will be his longest season to date. “It’s a lot of games but that’s the fun part,” he said. “You want to play.”

He remains focused on his ultimate goal.

“My dream, of course, is to play in Detroit, but it’s a good step coming over and playing in the American League,” he said. “You try to listen and learn as much as you can. You have to learn how to play here. The more games you play, the more comfortable you can be. If the chance comes, I’ll be more ready.”

Johansson has represented his country in international play several times.

POSITIVE INFLUENCE

Assistant athletic trainer Anthony Polazzo is dedicated to providing the best possible care to bolster the health and well-being of the Griffins’ players.

For professional athletes to perform to the best of their abilities, they need to feel their best.

That’s easier said than done when fatigue and injuries – whether acute or chronic – can deter the realization of that goal. Given that the sport of hockey is so physically demanding, a player’s fitness status puts a premium on the people with the responsibility for keeping him on the ice.

Now in his fifth full season as the assistant athletic trainer for the Griffins, Anthony Polazzo is a key member of the team behind the team, one of several behind-the-scenes professionals who are committed to caring for the physical condition of the Griffins’ players.

Ironically, it was football, not hockey, that first drew Polazzo to his chosen profession.

A native of Menominee, Mich., Polazzo was a member of the 2006 state-champion Maroons football team. He had played linebacker in middle school, but injuries led him to move to the center

position in high school, where the Maroons’ single-wing offense meant virtually every snap was a misdirection play. It was a successful strategy, as Menominee outscored its opponents 538-44 during an unbeaten season that still ranks among the most dominating performances in Michigan high school football history.

More significantly for Polazzo, his football experience exposed him to the benefits of rehabilitation and fostered an interest in a career in physical therapy. Although he had never been downstate until he was a senior in high school, he was contemplating going to Grand Valley State University in Allendale when his mother convinced him to check out Northern Michigan University first.

Polazzo ultimately acquiesced to his mother’s wishes and enrolled in the Marquette school, where an advisor recommended that he give athletic training a look.

Story by Mark Newman Photos by Nicolas Carrillo

At Northern, Polazzo spent a semester working with the United States Olympic Education Center (USOEC), which put him in the training room with athletes from a variety of sports, including boxing, men’s Greco-Roman wrestling, women’s freestyle wrestling, men’s and women’s weightlifting, as well as men’s and women’s speedskating.

Working with Olympic hopefuls provided Polazzo with a broad-based educational experience, allowing him to be exposed not only to the whole spectrum of sports injuries but also to the various strategies and techniques that athletic trainers use to keep individuals of all shapes and sizes in peak condition.

During his senior year, Polazzo finally got to work with the NMU hockey team (which included freshman Jared Coreau, the goaltender who would lead the Griffins to their second Calder Cup title six years later). Practicing his craft with the team’s head athletic trainer, Polazzo got to observe every game and every practice. “Working with the hockey team solidified my desire to become an athletic trainer,” he said. Polazzo noticed that there was something different about hockey players from the other athletes with whom he had worked.

“I don’t know what it was, but they always

seemed to be happy,” he recalled. “You could see their camaraderie and how they were almost like a family. I had seen a certain closeness among athletes during my time with the USOEC, but the hockey community felt just a little closer. It felt like something I wanted to be a part of.”

Upon graduation from Northern after four years, Polazzo accepted an internship at the University of Notre Dame, where it seemed like every sport had its own facility. He worked all the summer camps at the school, everything from lacrosse to soccer to basketball. “We were busy from sunup to sundown,” he said.

He eventually returned to Marquette, where he worked in a physical therapy clinic for a year doing treatments and outreach. “I spent a fifth year up there because I didn’t want to leave Marquette,” said Polazzo, who decided to pursue his master’s degree in health care administration at Grand Valley, where he also began teaching as a graduate assistant.

“When I first started, I was so nervous because of the public speaking aspect, but I fell in love with teaching,” said Polazzo, who is still an adjunct professor at the school. He teaches a course in first aid and CPR every semester. “I try to keep the class light and fun, but I think it’s one of the more important classes because you never

When he’s not working with the Griffins, Polazzo works in the University of Michigan Health-West clinic.

know when you might find yourself in a position where you have to act during an emergency.”

Polazzo’s first taste of professional sports came during a summer internship with the Detroit Tigers in Florida. He mainly worked with the Tigers’ rookie ball team, but he also worked in the organization’s main rehab location in Lakeland, which allowed him to observe how veterans helped mentor young players.

His first actual job in the field came at Evanston Township High School in Illinois, where he stayed for only nine months. “There might have been a year or two of my life where you might find a picture of me wearing a Packers jersey, but I don’t talk about those years now,” he said. “I grew up a Bears fan, so I always wanted to live in Chicago. But once I got the experience, I decided I wanted to move back to Grand Rapids.”: Back in West Michigan, Polazzo became employed by Metro Health, where he began working at Grand Rapids Christian High School. It was there that he met Dr. Ed Kornoelje, a longtime team physician of the Griffins. “I asked if I could observe him working a Griffins game some night and instead he connected me with John Bernal, the head athletic trainer for the Griffins at the time.”

Bernal saw someone eager to learn while Polazzo saw a golden opportunity to gain valuable experience at the professional hockey level. “He said, ‘I could use some help on game nights, so you’re welcome to come back any time you’re free,’” said Polazzo, who volunteered as much as he could for the next three years.

Polazzo attended most home games when he wasn’t working for the school or had other work commitments. “Being able to work with Bernal and to see everything he did was extremely beneficial,” he said. “He had been an assistant athletic trainer in the NHL, so he had been around and picked up a lot of valuable techniques over the years.”

Eventually, the volunteer opportunity became a full-time job as Polazzo became an athletic trainer for University of Michigan Health-West, a medical partner of the Griffins. In his expanded role, he covers all home games and practices, as well as a select number of road trips and the team’s joint training camps with the Detroit Red Wings in Traverse City.

Polazzo works not only with head athletic trainer Josh Chapman, but also with physical therapist Eldon Graham, strength and conditioning coordinator Marcus Kinney,

Polazzo earned his bachelor’s degree in athletic training from Northern Michigan University in 2011.

massage therapist Ronald Marckini, and sports data analyst Jack Rummells. “We work as a team, working in conjunction with each other,” he said.

Most days start around 7 a.m. “We talk every morning about what we have going on,” he said. “It works to our advantage that we can share different ideas. We’re all looking at different ways that we can optimize the players’ performance and prevent things like injuries and fatigue.”

Fatigue poses one of the greatest challenges at the minor league level, especially for guys who played at the collegiate level or in Europe where shorter schedules are the norm. In the AHL, players have to learn to deal with back-to-back games or even 3-in-3 weekends.

“It’s a long season with a lot of games in a short amount of time,” Polazzo said. “As fatigue increases, the chance for injury goes up. We try to tell the guys if they’re feeling anything, let’s get on it sooner so it doesn’t become worse during the season.”

Injury prevention is only one of several domains of athletic training. On any given day, Polazzo might be providing immediate care and treatment, working with players toward rehabilitation and reconditioning, or providing direction and guidance to help them achieve

maximum health and well-being.

His work might involve wrapping or taping a specific part of the body to help a player who is nursing an injury. It could be helping a guy with a sore groin do some extra stretching to get them ready before a game. “There are different stretching techniques to work different muscles, just like there are different taping techniques and different types of tape, depending on the need,” he said.

The tasks can vary from day to day. “No two injuries are the same, even on the same guy. The same injury might require a different approach the second time,” he said. “There’s no cookie cutter approach because every situation is different and might call for something different.”

That’s why Polazzo makes it a point to chat with visiting athletic trainers. By sharing new ideas – what works, what doesn’t – athletic trainers are able to better care for their players, which is the shared goal of all those who are looking to improve the overall health and wellbeing of athletes.

“You never know what will help each athlete,” Polazzo said. “A technique might help one player but might not help the next, so you will have to try something a little different because

injuries are a part of the sport. Not even the best prevention programs can stop injuries from happening.”

The Griffins’ athletic trainers work under the direction of the team physicians. “We keep open lines of communication,” Polazzo said. “They give us the parameters and we determine the exercises that will work within those parameters. Whether it’s an acute issue that will go away or it’s a chronic problem that requires continual monitoring and treatment, we always want to provide the best possible care.”

Being observant is a prerequisite for the job.

“We’re always keeping an eye on things, whether it’s during practice or during a game,” he said. “We’re not just watching for things to happen, but to monitor the little things that might impact a player’s ability to perform to the best of his ability. It’s all about keeping guys on the ice so they can do their jobs. We’re trying to help them prolong their careers.”

The field of athletic training has become increasingly sophisticated. In recent years, the Griffins have bolstered their coaching staff by adding more and more off-ice professionals whose focus is solely on the physical side of the sport and not the Xs and Os.

Attention to pre-season screening, data analytics, and biomechanics is now commonplace in the AHL. Almost everything – from heart rates to hydration levels – is now monitored as organizations continue to look for ways to maximize the performance of their teams.

New techniques - whether dry needling (Western medicine’s answer to acupuncture) or blood flow restriction therapy for rehabilitation, as a couple of examples – continue to be investigated and/or implemented. “The fact is we’re always learning,” he said. “Every year there is something new.”

Polazzo is loving every minute of his time with the Griffins. His wife, Kelsey, is a nurse in the neonatal unit at Corewell Health. They met as students at Grand Valley. “She works crazy hours as well – nights and weekends,” he said. “She loves coming to the games when she gets the time.”

He admits that he is quite content in his current position. Being contracted by University of Michigan Health-West, he gets to help out in the clinic as well as work local running and cycling events. “My wife and I love Grand Rapids,” he said. “She loves her job and I love what I do. We love the community here. We go back to Marquette every chance we get, but this is now home.”

A native of Menominee, Polazzo enjoys returning to the U.P. as often as he can.

CAN YOU DIG IT?

Women’s Pro Volleyball Coming to Grand Rapids in 2024

West Michigan’s newest sports franchise was born on Dec. 5, 2022, when DP Fox Sports & Entertainment announced the launch of a women’s professional volleyball team that will play at Van Andel Arena as a member of the newly formed Pro Volleyball Federation beginning in February 2024.

The historic announcement was made by Dan DeVos, chairman and CEO of DP Fox, in a packed press conference at Van Andel Arena attended by Pro Volleyball Federation executives as well as local government officials, business leaders, and volleyball coaches and athletes.

“We’re excited that our West Michigan Pro Volleyball franchise is the first to be announced in the Pro Volleyball Federation, and we are very proud to bring women’s professional sports to Grand Rapids and Van Andel Arena,” said DeVos, who is also co-owner and CEO of the American Hockey League’s Grand Rapids Griffins. “Volleyball’s popularity is exploding. The Midwest is a hotbed for the sport, the Big Ten is the most dominant conference in the NCAA, and there are a number of strong club, high school and college programs across our region.

“This is a true women’s major-league sport and team coming to Grand Rapids. We strongly believe in the league’s vision to provide the highest level of women’s professional sports in our country, and we are excited to be in on the ground floor,” added DeVos.

Pro Volleyball Federation is the premier women’s professional volleyball league in North America with world-class players and coaches, including some of America’s greatest volleyball players. Pro Volleyball Federation will be played at a major-league level in pro arenas with elite athletes who, for the first time, have an opportunity to make a real living wage and play at the highest level without leaving the country. Founding partners of the league include Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Super Bowl champion Trent Dilfer.

In a video message played during the press conference, Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss remarked that “this is such an exciting announcement for our community. I can tell you as the first female mayor of our city I am especially excited to hear that we will have a women’s pro team playing downtown. I know I’ll be excited to see them and attend the games, but I know that it will also have a huge impact on girls all throughout our city and region. They will be mentors and individuals that girls right here in our city can look up to.”

At press time, West Michigan Pro Volleyball was holding a “Name the Team” contest, with the team’s moniker set for introduction this spring. Fans are encouraged to visit wmprovolleyball.com to sign up for the team’s email list and to receive information about tickets and sponsorships, and to visit provolleyballfederation.com to learn more about the league.

Dan DeVos announced the launch of Grand Rapids’ newest pro sports team on Dec. 5, during a standing room-only press conference at Van Andel Arena.

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.

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.

HIGH STICKING

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

HOLDING

Clutching an opposing player’s body with the hands, arms or legs.

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.

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.

HOOKING

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

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.

SPEARING

Called for using the stick like a spear.

KNEEING

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

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 198 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 25 goalies and 173 skaters who have worn an NHL sweater after playing for Grand Rapids, along with the dates of the NHL debuts/returns.

IT ALL STARTS HERE

Bold = Has played in the NHL this season (as of Jan 24, 2023)

Italics = Had name engraved on the Stanley Cup after playing for Grand Rapids

All photos by Getty Images

THE CHOSEN ONES

Three first-round selections in the NHL Entry Draft have made their Griffins debuts this season, with Sebastian Cossa, Simon Edvinsson and Jakub Vrana joining 40 other top picks who’ve played in Grand Rapids since 1996. Find the last name of each of them by searching horizontally, vertically and diagonally, both forward and backward. Have fun!

Kevyn ADAMS (Boston 1993)

Scott ALLISON (Edmonton 1990)

Claude BOIVIN (Philadelphia 1988)

Dennis CHOLOWSKI (Detroit 2016)

Mathieu CHOUINARD (Ottawa 1998)

Daniel CLEARY (Chicago 1997)

Carlo COLAIACOVO (Toronto 2001)

Sebastian COSSA (Detroit 2021)

Patrick EAVES (Ottawa 2003)

Simon EDVINSSON (Detroit 2021)

Brad FERENCE (Vancouver 1997)

Mark GREIG (Hartford 1990)

Kevin GRIMES (Colorado 1997)

Kerry HUFFMAN (Philadelphia 1986)

Jody HULL (Hartford 1987)

Jonas JOHANSSON (Colorado 2002)

Jakub KINDL (Detroit 2005)

Derek KING (NY Islanders 1985)

Krys KOLANOS (Phoenix 2000)

Niklas KRONWALL (Detroit 2000)

Dylan LARKIN (Detroit 2014)

Francois LEROUX (Edmonton 1988)

Anthony MANTHA (Detroit 2013)

Brad MAY (Buffalo 1990)

Tom MCCOLLUM (Detroit 2008)

Dylan MCILRATH (NY Rangers 2010)

Mark MITERA (Anaheim 2006)

Ryan MURPHY (Carolina 2011)

Robert PETROVICKY (Hartford 1992)

Matt PUEMPEL (Ottawa 2011)

Michael RASMUSSEN (Detroit 2017)

Darren RUMBLE (Philadelphia 1987)

Moritz SEIDER (Detroit 2019)

Darrin SHANNON (Pittsburgh 1988)

Riley SHEAHAN (Detroit 2010)

Brendan SMITH (Detroit 2007)

Jason SPEZZA (Ottawa 2001)

Evgeny SVECHNIKOV (Detroit 2015)

Joe VELENO (Detroit 2018)

Jakub VRANA (Washington 2014)

Stephen WEISS (Florida 2001)

Landon WILSON (Toronto 1993)

Filip ZADINA (Detroit 2018)

PARTING SHOT

The special jerseys worn by Jakub Vrana and the rest of the Griffins barely had a “Touch of Grey,” but there were enough tie-dyed colors to please any Jerry Garcia fan when the Springfield Thunderbirds visited Van Andel Arena on Jan. 21 for Grateful Dead Night presented by Acrisure.

Photo by Mark Newman

Crisp.