2023-24 Griffiti - Issue #3

2023-24 SEASON ISSUE NO. 3

VALUABLE VETERAN TIM GETTINGER

O F F I C I A L

M A G A Z I N E

O F

T H E

G R A N D

R A P I D S

G R I F F I N S

We’re big fans of the Griffins.

We’re also 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!

Member FDIC. ®, Huntington® and Huntington. Welcome.® are federally registered service marks of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. ©2022 Huntington Bancshares Incorporated.

Vol. 27, No. 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS STARTING LINEUP 26 ��������GET WHILE THE GETTIN’S GOOD Tim Gettinger joined the Griffins this season after five years in the New York Rangers organization.

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32 ��������READY TO ROCK Griffins rookie Amadeus Lombardi is starting to find his groove during his first full season in the AHL. 42 ��������MENTOR WITH A MISSION Goaltending development coach Roope Koistinen is dedicated to helping players achieve their dreams.

50 ��������MO’ MUSCLE At the age of 22, former Griffins defenseman Moritz Seider continues to get stronger as he builds his Calder Trophy-winning career in the NHL. 58 ��������CAREER CHANGE New mom Alyssa Jensen is thrilled to have the chance to play pro volleyball nearly six years after completing her collegiate career at MSU.

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ON THE BENCH 2..........Chalk Talk 4..........Scouting Report 9..........Griffins Schedule 10.......Welcome Letters 12.......AHL Tradition 15.......Charitable Goals 16.......AHL Team Directory 21.......Detroit Red Wings 22.......Promotional Calendar

40.......Meet the Griffins 65.......Griffins Records 68.......Griffins All-Stars 73.......Penalty Calls 74.......AHL Teams Map 76.......It All Starts Here 79.......Kids Page 80.......Parting Shot

At 6-foot-6, Tim Gettinger is an oversized power forward with good hands and good hockey sense, enabling him to excel in high-pressure situations.

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Photo by Mark Newman

Griffiti magazine is published four times a year by the Grand Rapids Griffins, Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St., Grand Rapids, MI 49503. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. All contents ©2024 Grand Rapids Griffins.

For advertising information, contact Griffins Sales & Marketing, (616) 774-4585.

Unsolicited manuscripts and other materials will not be returned.

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WITH GRIFFINS HEAD COACH DAN WATSON Coaches do their best to put players in situations where they can succeed, but the best-laid plans can be derailed as much by a lack of confidence as a lack of execution.

Griffins head coach Dan Watson felt his team needed to string together a series of victories to prove they were better than the inconsistent play that had plagued the team for the first third of the season.

His wish finally came to fruition right after Christmas, when the Griffins won five consecutive games including four on the road, where the team had compiled a 2-9-3 record. Even though the Griffins proceeded to go winless in their next three games at home – losing 3-2, 2-0, and 3-2 in overtime – there was a sense the team had turned the corner.

If the Griffins still needed a confidence boost, they certainly got it during a January weekend when they posted back-to-back come-from-behind road victories against the Manitoba Moose.

The team overcame three-goal deficits to win both contests. After recording a 5-4 overtime victory on Jan. 19, the Griffins tallied four third-period goals for a 4-3 triumph on Jan. 20.

“Hopefully, the confidence can soar from here,” Watson said, reflecting on the comeback wins. “Doing it back-to-back nights on the road is really hard to do. There’s no crowd out there energizing us, so the guys in the locker room are the only ones who can do it. Those games tested our character – ‘let’s see what we’re made of ’ – and, obviously, the guys responded.”

Watson says while winning in such a dramatic fashion is not sustainable – it’s rare for any pro hockey team to fight its way back from a two-goal deficit, let alone a three-goal margin – the fact that the Griffins managed to do it not once but twice in the space of a weekend is a positive sign.

“When you go from being down to coming back 2 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

to win on back-to-back nights, it builds confidence.

There’s a belief that we can do this – it is possible.

It shows our resiliency. It doesn’t matter how many goals we are down. The game’s not over until that final buzzer rings,” he said.

“Our guys felt it – there was a lot of fist-pumping and high-fives. We can talk about how to come back, but until they do it and actually experience what it feels like, that’s when it starts to become real.”

Watson would like his team to stick with a shootfirst mentality.

“Honestly, I think guys are trying to be too perfect at times, and that’s not how the game has to be played.

You don’t have to make the perfect play every single time. Sometimes the message just needs to be: get pucks and bodies to the net and you’ll be rewarded because that’s where the majority of goals are scored.

We’ve got to learn to play on the inside and worry less about our perimeter play.

“With the personnel we have, we know we’re going to see the highlight-reel goals, but those usually aren’t the goals that win games. We need to get more pucks on the net, create more traffic, and create more chaos in front of the goalie.

“When we went on that five-game win streak, we were averaging 60-plus shot attempts a game. When we went on the three-game winless skid, we were down to 35-45 shot attempts. We got away from that shot-first mentality. Everyone knows the importance of getting the puck to the net. It’s predictable.

Let’s get there.”

Watson said scoring goals in the so-called tough areas of the ice will become increasingly important during the season’s second half.

“You’ll see, especially down the stretch when games mean so much, that it gets a little bit harder to score,” he said. “When you get to the end of the season, those

hard-to-score goals happen within five feet of the crease, and the teams willing to go there are often the ones that enjoy the greatest success.”

The Griffins’ recent success has been buoyed by the red-hot play of two Red Wings prospects: 2022 firstround draft pick Marco Kasper and 2021 third-round draft pick Carter Mazur.

Kasper was named AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Jan. 21 after recording five points in the two comebacks. He scored the overtime game-winner on Jan. 19, then secured his first two-goal game as a pro before assisting on Zach Aston-Reese’s gamewinner with 12 seconds remaining in the second comeback. Mazur, who had a pair of assists in the Jan. 19 comeback, recently scored seven goals in a ninegame stretch.

“Both are learning how to play pro hockey and learning what it takes,” Watson said. “They’re learning to play inside, being tenacious and relentless with their work. Their bodies are built for that style of play and they’re doing it more consistently. As a result, they’re getting rewarded.”

Watson hopes their success will encourage other young players who may be still struggling to find the net.

“It’s a 100 percent confidence battle,” he said. “Guys tend to overthink things. So we’ll show them video to try to get them to simplify their game – move your feet, get pucks in every chance you can, and be great

defensively when you don’t have the puck.”

“We’re trying to get them to simplify the game versus trying to make the 85-foot saucer pass through three sticks. They start to force pucks into areas that aren’t open because they’re looking to make a great play to get the attention of the coaching staff, management, or whoever’s at the game.”

Watson was looking forward to a stretch where the Griffins will play 12 of their 15 games at home by the beginning of March.

“This is a great opportunity for us to make a push,” he said. “We’re a game over .500, and we don’t want to see 500 again. Once we’re over that hump, we don’t want to go back. We want to keep climbing.”

He is confident that the Griffins have demonstrated the ability to score enough goals to win. “If we get three goals, we should win games,” he said. “With our defensive mindset, we should be able to hold teams to two goals or less. But we need to increase our compete level in certain areas.”

He feels the Griffins have demonstrated the kind of work ethic that should enable them to outwork other teams most nights.

“We’re still developing that grit, that compete level that it takes to win and be successful every single night in this league,” he said. “Those comeback wins show our no-quit attitude. Anything’s possible with this group and they feel it. Now they can believe it.”

2023-24 GRIFFINS HOCKEY OPERATIONS STAFF

General Manager Shawn Horcoff

Head Coach Dan Watson

Assistant Coach Steph Julien

Assistant Coach Brian Lashoff

Goaltending Coach Roope Koistinen

Video Coach Erich Junge

Athletic Trainer Austin Frank

Assistant Athletic Trainer Katie Berglund

Physical Therapist Zack Harvey

Equipment Manager Brad Thompson

Asst. Equipment Manager Kyle Hornkohl

Sports Science Data Analyst Jack Rummells

Strength-Cond. Coordinator Marcus Kinney

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 3

SCOUTING REPORT All statistics are through games of Jan. 21, 2024

MANITOBA FEB. 9, FEB. 10

• Rookie Brad Lambert participated in the AHL All-Star Classic, ranks second on the team in points (12-13—25), and is tied for 12th among first-year AHL players through 29 appearances. Lambert was the 30th overall pick by Winnipeg in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

• Defenseman Dmitry Kuzmin is in his first season in the AHL after playing alongside Griffins forward Amadeus Lombardi from 2021-23 with the OHL’s Flint Firebirds. Kuzmin paced the Firebirds during the 2023 OHL playoffs with eight points, one better than Lombardi.

CLEVELAND FEB. 16

• Cleveland’s roster consists of three former first round draft picks in Corson Ceulemans (25th in 2021), Brendan Gaunce (26th in 2012) and Stefan Matteau (29th in 2012). Ceulemans is in his first full season as a professional, while Matteau has competed in 92 NHL games. Gaunce has suited up for 161 contests and serves as captain of the Monsters.

• Rookie forward James Malatesta capped off his junior career in style during the 2022-23 campaign with the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, as he was dubbed the QMJHL MVP and the CHL MVP. The 20-year-old also won the QMJHL title in addition to claiming the CHL Memorial Cup.

TEXAS

FEB. 21, FEB. 24 • Mavrik Bourque ranks second in the AHL with 43 points (15-28—43) in 35 games, and rookie Logan Stankoven ranks first with 44 points (17-27—44) in 35 contests. The Stars also lead the league with 3.77 goals scored per game through 35 outings.

• Through 35 games, the Stars rank second in the AHL on the power play with a 24.2% conversion rate. Texas is even better at home at 27.3% (1st), while its road power play comes in at 21.0% (12th). Kyle McDonald and Logan Stankoven lead the roster with six power-play goals apiece (T11th in the AHL), while Stankoven ranks first on the team with 13 power-play assists (T4th in the AHL).

4 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

MILWAUKEE FEB. 25

• Through 21 games, Yaroslav Askarov ranks third in the AHL with a 2.16 goals against average and fourth with a .922 save percentage. Askarov has a 4-4-0 record with a 1.89 GAA in eight career games against the Griffins.

• Milwaukee’s captain, Kevin Gravel, hails from Kingsford, Michigan, in the U.P. and was selected with the 148th pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the LA Kings. Gravel became a Calder Cup champion in 2015 with the Manchester Monarchs in the franchise’s final campaign in the AHL.

IOWA

FEB. 28, MARCH 1 • Former Griffins head coach Ben Simon returns to Van Andel Arena for the first time since his departure from Grand Rapids last offseason. Simon spent five seasons as the head coach of the Griffins from 2018-23 and served as an assistant coach for the team from 2015-18. Simon’s five seasons as bench boss made him the longesttenured head coach in franchise history, and his 144 wins rank second in Griffins history.

• Jesper Wallstedt was selected with the 20th overall pick by Minnesota in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, five selections behind netminder Sebastian Cossa. Through 21 games this season, Wallstedt ranks 16th in the AHL with a 2.61 GAA and ninth with a .916 save percentage. The 21-year-old has a 2-2-2 record against the Griffins with a 2.94 GAA through six appearances.

ROCKFORD MARCH 2

• The Griffins have been shut out twice through the first four games of the season series against Rockford. Rookie Drew Commesso posted an 18-save shutout on Oct. 28, 2023, his first as a pro, while Mitchell Weeks was perfect on Jan. 12, 2024 with 22 saves to earn his first AHL shutout.

• Defenseman Nolan Allan is the lone first-round draft pick on Rockford’s roster, as he was selected with the 21st overall pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2021 NHL Entry draft. Last season, the 20-year-old claimed the WHL title with the Seattle Thunderbirds in addition to winning a gold medal with Team Canada at the World Junior Championship.

CHICAGO MARCH 8

• Former Griffin Chris Terry (2018-20) is featured on Chicago’s roster for the first time in his career. On Nov. 12, 2023, Terry became just the 26th player in AHL history to record at least 700 points, and he now has 723 points (306-417—723) in 788 career games.

• The Griffins are 99-84-2-8-4 all-time against their division rivals. From 2012-17, Grand Rapids possessed a 30-12-2-0 (.705) mark against the Wolves before Chicago returned the favor by going 32-10-2-0 (.750) against the Griffins from 2017-22. The tables have turned once again, as Grand Rapids has won five of the past seven meetings against Chicago (5-1-0-1), including the first three this season.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 5

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W010834

2023-24 SEASON

Dear Griffins Fans, A new day is dawning for professional sports in Grand Rapids!

For the first time since 2018, the Griffins are embarking on an American Hockey League season under new leadership. The Detroit Red Wings in June named Dan Watson the 12th head coach in our franchise’s illustrious history, and he brings both a wealth of organizational experience and an impressive resume of success from his 14 seasons with our ECHL affiliate, the Toledo Walleye.

Watson never missed the playoffs in six seasons as Toledo’s head coach, reaching the Kelly Cup Finals twice and leading the Walleye to three division titles, three 100-point seasons, and two regular season championships. The fastest coach in ECHL history to reach 100 wins and the winningest head coach in Walleye history, Watson was named the ECHL’s 2016-17 Coach of the Year.

His accomplishments speak for themselves, but it’s his familiarity with Griffins players and Red Wings prospects that give him an edge. Watson coached 56 future or former Griffins as Toledo’s head coach, and we are excited to see what this season has in store for him and his all-new coaching staff, which includes 2022-23 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League Coach of the Year Steph Julien, longtime Griffins defenseman Brian Lashoff, and goaltending coach Roope Koistinen.

Watson, though, is not the only new sheriff in town.

West Michigan’s first major-league women’s sports team, the Grand Rapids Rise (grrise.com), will take to the Van Andel Arena floor in January as members of Pro Volleyball Federation. A Rise roster packed with some of the finest volleyball players in the world – including a U.S. Olympian, collegiate national champions, All-Americans, and members of several countries’ national teams – will commence a 24game season under the guidance of head coach Cathy George. The winningest coach in the history of Michigan State volleyball, George led the Spartans for 17 seasons and totaled 35 years as a collegiate head coach, including 11 seasons at Western Michigan. Now she’s preparing to make an even bigger mark on the largest stage the sport of volleyball has ever enjoyed in the United States.

Whether it’s thanks to a Griffins team you’ve loyally supported for 28 seasons or a Rise squad that you will soon fall in love with, there will be no shortage of breathtaking moments and incredible athletes for you to cheer at Van Andel Arena over the next nine months. Enjoy the ride!

Sincerely,

Dan DeVos Chief Executive Officer Grand Rapids Griffins

10 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

2023-24 SEASON

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESID Dear Fans,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2023-24 American Hockey League season, as we continue a tradition of excellence that can be traced back to our league’s founding nearly nine decades ago.

DearThe Fans, AHL is as proud as ever of its role in developing nearly all of the

players, coaches, executives, trainers, broadcasters and officials who

SCOTT HOWSON PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

TT HOWSON

ND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

you see throughout the National Hockey League today. Generations It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2023-24 American of our great fans have cheered on future superstars, Stanley Cup champions and Hockey Hallcontinue of Famers asathey have comeof through the League season, as we tradition excellence th AHL. traced back to our league’s founding nearly nine decades a This season is sure to be another memorable one, from the

excitement of opening night to the pageantry of the AHL All-Star The AHL is as proud as ever of its role in developing nearly Classic in San Jose to the thrills and emotion of the Calder Cup players, coaches, executives, trainers, broadcasters and offi Playoffs. you see throughout the National League Ge On behalf of all of our teams, thank you forHockey your continuing supporttoday. of thegreat AHL. fans have cheered on future superstars, Stanle of our champions Sincerely, and Hockey Hall of Famers as they have come AHL.

This Scott season is sure to be another memorable one, from th Howson President & CEO | American Hockey League excitement of opening night to the pageantry of the AHL A Classic in San Jose to the thrills and emotion of the Calde Playoffs.

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

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 11

BY THE NUMBERS

A TRADITION OF

87.2% Percentage of all NHL players in 2022-23 who were graduates of the AHL

924 Former AHL players who skated in the NHL last season

THE BEGINNINGS Embarking on its 88th season of play in 2023-24, 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.

Bears captured their league-best 12th championship last spring.

Frank Calder, the National Hockey League’s president at the time, was instrumental in the forming of this new league, and his name would be given to its championship trophy. The first Calder Cup was won by the Syracuse Stars in 1937; the Hershey

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

375 AHL players who also played in the NHL in 2022-23

238 Former 1st- and 2ndround NHL draft picks who skated in the AHL in 2022-23

L . T O R . : A H L G R A D UAT E S M I K KO R A N TA N E N , I G O R S H E S T E R K I N , TAG E T H O M P S O N , J A S O N R O B E R T S O N , L I N U S U L L M A R K

12 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

THE PLAYERS

THE LEGENDS

THE COACHES

In today’s National Hockey League nearly 90 percent of the players are AHL alumni, including 2022-23 Vezina Trophy winner Linus Ullmark, Norris Trophy recipient Erik Karlsson and Selke Trophy winner Patrice Bergeron.

The 2023 Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights were stocked with AHL graduates including captain Mark Stone, goaltender Adin Hill and three-time AHL All-Star and Conn Smythe Trophy winner Jonathan Marchessault.

For nearly nine decades, the American Hockey League has been home to some of the greatest players in the history of our sport. In fact, there are 130 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame who have been affiliated with the AHL during their careers. All-time greats from Milt Schmidt and Gump Worsley to Roberto Luongo and Martin St. Louis came through the AHL ranks and now find themselves enshrined in Toronto, and the coveted Calder Cup is inscribed with the names of legendary AHL alumni like Johnny Bower, Larry Robinson, Gerry Cheevers, Andy Bathgate, Tim Horton, Al Arbour, Emile Francis, Patrick Roy, Doug Harvey and Billy Smith.

At the start of the 2023-24 season, the National Hockey League featured 22 head coaches who were former AHL bench bosses, including Bruce Cassidy of the 2023 Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights and newcomers Greg Cronin of the Anaheim Ducks, Ryan Huska of the Calgary Flames and Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals.

Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper, Toronto’s Sheldon Keefe, Minnesota’s Dean Evason, Edmonton’s Jay Woodcroft and Detroit’s Derek Lalonde are also among the current NHL coaches who spent time in the American Hockey League before making the jump.

During the 2022-23 season, a total of 924 AHL alumni played in the National Hockey League. There were 375 players who skated in both leagues last year alone, and 238 former first- and second-round NHL draft picks developed their skills in the AHL last season, including Simon Nemec, David Jiricek, Jiri Kulich, Lukas Reichel, William Eklund, Jesper Wallstedt, Thomas Harley and Calder Cup champions Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre.

J O N AT H A N M A RC H E S SAU LT 3-TIME AHL ALL-STAR 2023 STANLEY CUP CHAMPION

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 13

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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.

2023-24 CHARITABLE GOALS PARTNERSHIPS SPONSOR Acrisure

BHS Insurance

Centennial Securities

Consumers Credit Union

Fox Motors

Kilwins

Meijer

Planet Fitness

Tito’s

PLAYER

DONATION

JOEL L’ESPERANCE

$100

CROSS HANAS

$100

DOMINIK SHINE

$50

AUSTIN CZARNIK

$100

CARTER MAZUR

$100

GRIFFINS GOALTENDERS

Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital

PER GOAL

Feeding America West Michigan

PER GOAL

Kids’ Food Basket

PER GOAL

Fostering Futures Scholarship Fund

PER GOAL

Griffins Youth Foundation

PER GOAL

$1

Kids’ Food Basket

PER SAVE

TARO HIROSE

$50

TYLER SPEZIA

$50

GRIFFINS HOME PENALTY KILL

CHARITY BENEFITED

PER GOAL

Jamie Daniels Foundation Boys & Girls Clubs

PER GOAL

$25

Kids’ Food Basket

PER PENALTY KILL Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 15

A H L D I R EC TO RY

EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION: Bridgeport, Charlotte, Hartford, Hershey, Lehigh Valley, Providence, Springfield, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton NORTH DIVISION: Belleville, Cleveland, Laval, Rochester, Syracuse, Toronto, Utica

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

NHL Affiliation:........................... New York Rangers Home Ice:....................................XL Center (15,635) General Manager:................................ Ryan Martin Interim Head Coach:..............................Steve Smith Entered AHL:...............................................1997-98 Calder Cups:........................................... One (2000) Seasons in Playoffs:..................................... 16 of 24 2022-23 Record:...................35-26-4-7, 81 pts./.563 Website:............................... hartfordwolfpack.com

PROVIDENCE BRUINS

NHL Affiliation:..................................Boston Bruins Home Ice:.Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence (11,273) General Manager:.................................... Evan Gold Head Coach:....................................Ryan Mougenel Entered AHL:...............................................1992-93 Calder Cups:........................................... One (1999) Seasons in Playoffs:..................................... 24 of 29 2022-23 Record:...................44-18-8-2, 98 pts./.681 Website:................................providencebruins.com 16 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS

NHL Affiliation:..........................New York Islanders Home Ice:.................. Total Mortgage Arena (8,412) General Manager:.......................... Chris Lamoriello Head Coach:.......................................Rick Kowalsky Entered AHL:...............................................2001-02 Calder Cups:.................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs:..................................... 10 of 20 2022-23 Record:...................34-30-7-1, 76 pts./.528 Website:............................bridgeportislanders.com

HERSHEY BEARS

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:....................................... 7 of 11 2022-23 Record:...................39-25-5-3, 86 pts./.597 Website:............................... charlottecheckers.com

LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS

NHL Affiliation:....................... Washington Capitals Home Ice:............................... Giant Center (10,500) GENERAL MANAGER:..........................Bryan Helmer Head Coach:..........................................Todd Nelson Entered AHL:...............................................1938-39 Calder Cups:....... 12 (1947, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1974, 1980, 1988, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2023) Seasons in Playoffs:..................................... 70 of 83 2022-23 Record:...................44-19-5-4, 97 pts./.674 Website:......................................hersheybears.com

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:..................................... 13 of 25 2022-23 Record:...................37-29-3-3, 80 pts./.556 Website:................................phantomshockey.com

SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS

WILKES-BARRE/ SCRANTON PENGUINS

NHL Affiliation:................................. St. Louis Blues Home Ice:...................... MassMutual Center (6,793) General Manager:.............................Kevin Maxwell Interim Head Coach:......................... Daniel Tkaczuk Entered AHL:...............................................2016-17 Calder Cups:.................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs:.........................................2 of 5 2022-23 Record:...................38-26-3-5, 84 pts./.583 Website:..................... springfieldthunderbirds.com

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 22 2022-23 Record:...................26-32-8-6, 66 pts./.458 Website:......................................wbspenguins.com

2023-24

BELLEVILLE SENATORS

NHL Affiliation:..............................Ottawa Senators Home Ice:.................................... CAA Arena (4,400) General Manager:.............................Ryan Bowness Head Coach:.............................................David Bell Entered AHL:...............................................2017-18 Calder Cups:.................................................... None Seasons In Playoffs:.........................................1 of 4 2022-23 Record:...................31-31-6-4, 72 pts./.500 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 14 2022-23 Record:...................33-32-5-2, 73 pts./.507 Website:............................. clevelandmonsters.com

LAVAL ROCKET

NHL Affiliation:........................ Montreal Canadiens Home Ice:....................................Place Bell (10,043) General Manager:................................Kent Hughes Head Coach:............................. Jean-Francois Houle Entered AHL:...............................................2017-18 Calder Cups:.................................................... None Seasons In Playoffs:.........................................2 of 4 2022-23 Record:...................33-29-7-3, 76 pts./.528 Website:..........................................rocketlaval.com

THE ROAD TO THE CALDER CUP

ROCHESTER AMERICANS

NHL Affiliation:.................................Buffalo Sabres Home Ice:.......................................Blue Cross Arena at the 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:..................................... 48 of 65 2022-23 Record:...................36-27-6-3, 81 pts./.563 Website:............................................... amerks.com

TORONTO MARLIES

NHL Affiliation:........................Toronto Maple Leafs Home Ice:...................... Coca-Cola Coliseum (7,851) General Manager:..................................Ryan Hardy Head Coach:.........................................John Gruden Entered AHL:...............................................2005-06 Calder Cups:........................................... One (2018) Seasons in Playoffs:..................................... 12 of 16 2022-23 Record:...................42-24-4-2, 90 pts./.625 Website:...................................................marlies.ca

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

NHL Affiliation:...................... Tampa Bay Lightning Home Ice:.........Upstate Medical University Arena at Onondaga County War Memorial (6,110) General Manager:..................................Stacy Roest Head Coach:.......................................Joel Bouchard Entered AHL:...............................................1994-95 Calder Cups:.................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs:..................................... 17 of 27 2022-23 Record:...................35-26-7-4, 81 pts./.563 Website:...................................syracusecrunch.com

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:.........................................5 of 8 2022-23 Record:...................35-27-6-4, 80 pts./.556 Website:........................................uticacomets.com

A total of 23 teams will qualify for the AHL’s 2024 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 17

A H L D I R EC TO RY

WESTERN CONFERENCE PACIFIC DIVISION: Abbotsford, Bakersfield, Calgary, Coachella Valley, Colorado, Henderson, Ontario, San Diego, San Jose, Tucson CENTRAL DIVISION: Grand Rapids, Chicago, Iowa, Manitoba, Milwaukee, Rockford, Texas

CALGARY WRANGLERS

NHL Affiliation:................................Calgary Flames Home Ice:.............Scotiabank Saddledome (19,289) General Manager:.................................Brad Pascall Head Coach:..............................................Trent Cull Entered AHL:...............................................2022-23 Calder Cups:.................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs:.........................................1 of 1 2022-23 Record:.................51-17-3-1, 106 pts./.736 Website:................................ calgarywranglers.com

HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS

NHL Affiliation:......................Vegas Golden Knights Home Ice:................. The Dollar Loan Center (5,567) General Manager:................................... Tim Speltz Head Coach:............................................Ryan Craig Entered AHL:...............................................2020-21 Calder Cups:.................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs:.........................................1 of 2 2022-23 Record:...................29-38-0-5, 63 pts./.438 Website:......................hendersonsilverknights.com 18 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS

BAKERSFIELD CONDORS

NHL Affiliation:..........................Vancouver Canucks Home Ice:........................Abbotsford Centre (7,073) General Manager:..............................Ryan Johnson Head Coach:.....................................Jeremy Colliton Entered AHL:...............................................2021-22 Calder Cups:.................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs:.........................................2 of 2 2022-23 Record:...................40-25-3-4, 87 pts./.604 Website:............................ abbotsford.canucks.com

NHL Affiliation:..............................Edmonton Oilers Home Ice:................. Mechanics Bank Arena (8,751) General Manager:...............................Keith Gretzky Head Coach:......................................... Colin Chaulk Entered AHL:...............................................2015-16 Calder Cups:.................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs:.........................................3 of 6 2022-23 Record:...................37-31-2-2, 78 pts./.542 Website:.............................bakersfieldcondors.com

COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS

COLORADO EAGLES

NHL Affiliation:.................................Seattle Kraken NHL Affiliation:.........................Colorado Avalanche Home Ice:............................Acrisure Arena (10,100) Home Ice:..............Budweiser Events Center (5,073) Asst. General Manager:.........................Ricky Olczyk General Manager:.......................... Kevin McDonald Head Coach:..........................................Dan Bylsma Head Coach:...............................Aaron Schneekloth Entered AHL:...............................................2022-23 Entered AHL:...............................................2018-19 None REIGN Calder Cups:....................................................

Calder Cups:.................................................... None ONTARIO Seasons in Playoffs:.........................................1 of 1 Seasons in Playoffs:.........................................3 of 3 PRIMARY MARK 90 pts./.625 2022-23 Record:.................48-17-5-2, 103 pts./.715 2022-23 Record:...................40-22-7-3, SAN DIEGO GULLS Website:...........................................cvfirebirds.com Website:................................... coloradoeagles.com PRIMARY MARK

ONTARIO REIGN

NHL Affiliation:............................Los Angeles Kings Home Ice:................................ Toyota Arena (9,491) General Manager:.............................Richard Seeley Head Coach:.........................................Marco Sturm Entered AHL:...............................................2015-16 Calder Cups:.................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs:.........................................5 of 6 2022-23 Record:...................34-32-5-1, 74 pts./.514 Website:....................................... ontarioreign.com PANTONE 429 C

PROCESS BLACK

WHITE

SAN DIEGO GULLS

NHL Affiliation:............................... Anaheim Ducks Home Ice:.........Pechanga Arena San Diego (12,920) General Manager:..................................Rob DiMaio Head Coach:......................................Matt McIlvane Entered AHL:...............................................2015-16 2015-16 Calder Cups:.................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs:.........................................4 of 6 2022-23 Record:...................20-49-2-1, 43 pts./.299 Website:.....................................sandiegogulls.com PANTONE 1655 C

PANTONE MEDIUM BLUE C

PANTONE 5455 C

PROCESS BLACK

WHITE

2023-24

SAN JOSE BARRACUDA

NHL Affiliation:............................... San Jose Sharks Home Ice:...............................Tech CU Arena (4,200) General Manager:........................................Joe Will Head Coach:......................................John McCarthy Entered AHL:...............................................2015-16 Calder Cups:.................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs:.........................................4 of 6 2022-23 Record:...................31-34-2-5, 69 pts./.479 Website:.........................................sjbarracuda.com

CHICAGO WOLVES

NHL Affiliation:............................................... None Home Ice:.............................Allstate Arena (16,692) General Manager:............................Wendell Young Head Coach:........................................ Bob Nardella Entered AHL:...............................................2001-02 Calder Cups:......................Three (2002, 2008, 2022) Seasons in Playoffs:..................................... 14 of 20 2022-23 Record:...................35-29-5-3, 78 pts./.542 Website:....................................chicagowolves.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:..................................... 17 of 20 2022-23 Record:...................41-24-5-2, 89 pts./.618 Website:............................milwaukeeadmirals.com

TUCSON ROADRUNNERS

NHL Affiliation:...............................Arizona Coyotes Home Ice:................................Tucson Arena (6,521) General Manager:.............................John Ferguson Head Coach:.........................................Steve Potvin Entered AHL:...............................................2016-17 Calder Cups:.................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs:.........................................2 of 5 2022-23 Record:...................30-33-8-1, 69 pts./.479 Website:.............................tucsonroadrunners.com

IOWA WILD

NHL Affiliation:...............................Minnesota Wild Home Ice:.........................Wells Fargo Arena (8,356) General Manager:........................... Michael Murray Head Coach:........................................Brett McLean Entered AHL:...............................................2013-14 Calder Cups:.................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs:.........................................2 of 8 2022-23 Record:...................34-27-6-5, 79 pts./.549 Website:.............................................iowawild.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 Calder Cups:.................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs:....................................... 8 of 14 2022-23 Record:...................35-28-5-4, 79 pts./.549 Website:...............................................icehogs.com

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

NHL Affiliation:........................... Detroit Red Wings Home Ice:.........................Van Andel Arena (10,834) General Manager:.............................Shawn Horcoff Head Coach:..........................................Dan Watson Entered AHL:...............................................2001-02 Calder Cups:..................................Two (2013, 2017) Seasons in Playoffs:..................................... 13 of 20 2022-23 Record:...................28-36-4-4, 64 pts./.444 Website:.....................................griffinshockey.com

MANITOBA MOOSE

NHL Affiliation:..................................Winnipeg Jets Home Ice:....................... Canada Life Centre (7,808) General Manager:............................Craig Heisinger Head Coach:......................................Mark Morrison Entered AHL:.................... 2001-02 (played through 2010-11; re-entered 2015-16) Calder Cups:.................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs:..................................... 12 of 16 2022-23 Record:...................37-25-6-4, 84 pts./.583 Website:......................................moosehockey.com

TEXAS STARS

NHL Affiliation:......................................Dallas Stars Home Ice:........... H-E-B Center at Cedar Park (6,779) General Manager:..................................Scott White Head Coach:.........................................Neil Graham Entered AHL:...............................................2009-10 Calder Cups:........................................... One (2014) Seasons in Playoffs:....................................... 9 of 12 2022-23 Record:...................40-20-9-3, 92 pts./.639 Website:........................................... texasstars.com Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 19

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20 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Photo credit: Getty Images

DETROIT RED WINGS

T

he only former Grand Rapids Griffin to be named captain of the Detroit Red Wings, Dylan Larkin is leading the resurgence

TOP AFFILIATE: Grand Rapids Griffins • 22nd 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

in Hockeytown. Now in their second season

MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE VP/GENERAL MANAGER: Steve Yzerman ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGERS: Shawn Horcoff, Kris Draper

boast a wealth of prospects and made several key

COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: Derek Lalonde ASSISTANT COACHES: Bob Boughner, Alex Tanguay, Jay Varady GOALTENDING COACH: Alex Westlund VIDEO COORDINATOR: LJ Scarpace ASSISTANT VIDEO COORDINATOR: Jeff Weintraub

under head coach Derek Lalonde, the Red Wings offseason roster additions that have them poised for a return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

GRIFFINS WHO HAVE EARNED THEIR WINGS Justin Abdelkader Adam Almquist Joakim Andersson Zach Aston-Reese Andreas Athanasiou Sean Avery Riley Barber Ryan Barnes Jonatan Berggren Tyler Bertuzzi Patrick Boileau Darryl Bootland Madison Bowey Mathias Brome Fabian Brunnstrom Mitch Callahan Jake Chelios Alex Chiasson Dennis Cholowski Ty Conklin Chris Conner Jared Coreau Kyle Criscuolo Austin Czarnik Danny DeKeyser

2008-09 2013-14 2011-12 2023-24 2015-16 2002-03 2021-22 2003-04 2022-23 2016-17 2002-03 2003-04 2019-20 2020-21 2011-12 2013-14 2018-19 2022-23 2018-19 2011-12 2011-12 2016-17 2021-22 2022-23 2013-14

Aaron Downey Patrick Eaves Simon Edvinsson Christoffer Ehn Matt Ellis Turner Elson Cory Emmerton Jonathan Ericsson Adam Erne Landon Ferraro Valtteri Filppula Martin Frk Luke Glendening Mark Hartigan Darren Helm Joe Hicketts Taro Hirose Jimmy Howard Filip Hronek Jiri Hudler Matt Hussey Michael Hutchinson Doug Janik Nick Jensen Tomas Jurco

2008-09 2013-14 2022-23 2018-19 2006-07 2021-22 2010-11 2007-08 2022-23 2013-14 2005-06 2017-18 2013-14 2007-08 2007-08 2017-18 2019-20 2005-06 2018-19 2003-04 2006-07 2023-24 2009-10 2016-17 2013-14

Jakub Kindl Tomas Kopecky Niklas Kronwall Marc Lamothe Josh Langfeld Dylan Larkin Brian Lashoff Brett Lebda Ville Leino Gustav Lindstrom Matt Lorito Matt Luff Joey MacDonald Donald MacLean Anthony Mantha Alexey Marchenko Darren McCarty Tom McCollum Dylan McIlrath Derek Meech Wade Megan Drew Miller Kevin Miller Mark Mowers Petr Mrazek

2009-10 2005-06 2003-04 2003-04 2006-07 2015-16 2012-13 2005-06 2008-09 2019-20 2016-17 2022-23 2006-07 2005-06 2015-16 2013-14 2007-08 2010-11 2018-19 2006-07 2018-19 2016-17 2003-04 2003-04 2012-13

Jan Mursak Anders Myrvold Alex Nedeljkovic Andrej Nestrasil Kris Newbury Tomas Nosek Gustav Nyquist Xavier Ouellet Chase Pearson Calvin Pickard Matt Puempel Teemu Pulkkinen Kyle Quincey Michael Rasmussen Dan Renouf Mattias Ritola Jamie Rivers Nathan Robinson Stacy Roest Robbie Russo Moritz Seider Riley Sheahan Brendan Smith Givani Smith Elmer Soderblom

2010-11 2003-04 2022-23 2014-15 2009-10 2015-16 2011-12 2013-14 2021-22 2019-20 2018-19 2013-14 2005-06 2018-19 2016-17 2007-08 2003-04 2003-04 2002-03 2016-17 2021-22 2011-12 2011-12 2019-20 2022-23

Ryan Sproul Garrett Stafford Ben Street Libor Sulak Evgeny Svechnikov Eric Tangradi Tomas Tatar Jordin Tootoo Dominic Turgeon Joe Veleno Jakub Vrana Jason Williams Luke Witkowski Filip Zadina

2013-14 2007-08 2016-17 2018-19 2016-17 2015-16 2010-11 2013-14 2017-18 2020-21 2022-23 2002-03 2021-22 2018-19

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

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 21

MARK YOUR CALENDAR FEB. 10 Princess Night presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union/Character Appearances/Pre-Game Tea Party

FEB. 22 17th Annual Griffins & Sled Wings Sled Hockey Game at Griff’s IceHouse at Belknap Park, benefiting the Grand Rapids Sled Wings and the Griffins Youth Foundation FEB. 24 Hockey Without Barriers & Sensory Friendly Game presented

by University of Michigan Health-West/ Sensory & Mental Health Awareness Jersey Auction

FEB. 16 Friends Night presented by Adventure Credit Union/ Friends Hat Giveaway/Couch from Friends at Arena

FEB. 25 Jake Engel Memorial Dog Game presented

by Nestle Purina/ 5 p.m. Start

22 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

2023-24

MARCH 2 Salute to Badges Night presented by Comerica Bank/Belt Bag Giveaway

MARCH 16 Star Wars Night presented by DTE/Character Appearances/8 p.m. Start

MARCH 13 10th Annual Hockey, Hops & Hope at FOX Subaru, benefiting Easterseals MORC

APRIL 12 HOPE Network Night presented by HOPE Network/ HOPE Network Jersey Auction

MARCH 15 12th Annual Purple Community Game presented

by Van Andel Institute/Purple Jersey Auction

APRIL 21 Fan Appreciation Night presented by Huntington Bank/Mystery Bag Giveaway/5 p.m. Start Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 23

G N O -L N O S A E S E S E H T T U O CK CHE

S N O I T O PROM

urring promotioenasdovcc se e th tage f n o a te o n k Ta ake ! n so a se e th ry Be sure rltoy m t a roughoudogs, free tickets, milit and regula p th eer and discounts and more! of chea bst udent

$2 BEERS AND $2 HOT DOGS

LIBRARY NIGHTS

POST-GAME OPEN SKATES

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

For all Wednesday and Sunday games, fans can present their Grand Rapids Public Library card or Kent District Library card at the Van Andel Arena box office on the night of the game or at The Zone anytime during the store’s regular business hours to purchase an Upper Level Faceoff ticket for $17 (regularly $23), an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $20 (regularly $26), or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $24 (regularly $29). Limit four tickets per card per person, subject to availability.

Bring your skates to the rink and take to the ice for a post-game open skate on Feb. 10. As a reminder, Van Andel Arena has a no-bag policy, but security will allow fans to use bags to bring in their skates.

MILITARY NIGHTS

Every home game, current members of our military can purchase up to four Upper Level Faceoff or Crease tickets for $13 each, four Upper Level Center Ice tickets for $16 each, or four Lower Level Faceoff tickets for $20 each with a valid military ID. The offer also extends to veterans who present a VA ID or discharge papers.

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.

FRIENDS & FAMILY 4-PACKS

These packs are available for all Saturday games during the 2023-24 season and include four or more game tickets, and $20 or more in concession cash. Visit griffinshockey.com/tickets or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.

SUNDAY IS FUN DAY

For all Sunday games except for New Year’s Eve, enjoy $1 small Pepsi drinks and $1 small ice cream cups from 4-6 p.m.

PEPSI READING GOALS

Children with Griff’s Reading Goals bookmarks who have completed the required three hours of reading can redeem their bookmark for two free Upper Level tickets to any of the following games: Bookmark #2 – Feb. 21, Feb. 25, March 27 and April 3.

POST-GAME AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS

Select players will sign autographs from the Griffins’ bench after the games on March 2 and April 21.

APPLIED INNOVATION ISLAND

Presented by Applied Innovation, this section, located on the terrace level above section 118, provides the best seats in the house for groups of up to 40 people, with 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 $13, an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $16, or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $20. Limit one ticket per ID if purchasing in-person. Visit griffinshockey.com/tickets to purchase College Night tickets and sign up for text alerts.

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

24 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

TECHNOLOGY

AU T O M AT I O N

IMAGING

Tim Gettinger joined the Griffins this season after five years in the New York Rangers organization.

Story and photos

by Mark Newman

GET WHILE THE GETTIN’S GOOD

26 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Tim Gettinger has carved a niche for himself as a depth player at the NHL level, having appeared with the New York Rangers in 16 NHL games spread over all but the last of five seasons in the Original Six franchise’s organization.

But after spending the entire 2022-23 season with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, the 6-foot-6 winger felt it was time for a change.

“At my age [25], I felt I was ready for a new opportunity, and when the Red Wings expressed an interest, everything worked out perfectly,” he said. “I had gone back and forth with the Rangers, but this was a chance to be closer to home.

“My wife’s from the Detroit area and both of my parents are from Michigan, so it felt like this is the place I wanted to be. I couldn’t be happier to be here.”

Gettinger grew up in the Cleveland area, but he is far from being a fan of the Buckeyes. Due to his parents’ ties to the Wolverine State, he has always been a big Michigan fan.

“It was always tough living in Cleveland with all these Ohio State fans,” he said. “In grade school, I took a lot of harsh words whenever the Buckeyes beat Michigan, but obviously it’s different now. I guess I got the last say.”

He is glad to get the chance to play in Grand Rapids, a city that had oddly remained relatively

unknown to him.

“I didn’t know much about Grand Rapids, because even after growing up playing hockey almost everywhere, I don’t think I ever played hockey here,” said Gettinger, who was out with an injury when his Hartford team visited Van Andel Arena in December 2022.

“I knew a couple of the guys in Hartford [Turner Elson, Matt Lorito] who had played here and they talked about how amazing it was – the way you are treated, the fan support, and everything – so it seemed like the perfect spot for me.”

Of course, Gettinger is just plain happy being able to play the sport he has always loved, following in the footsteps of a brother eight years older (he also has a sister who is six years older).

“I’m the youngest and, honestly, it was all hockey growing up,” he said. “As soon as I was able to stand, we were playing mini sticks. I was always the goalie.

My brother would put me up against the couch and shoot balls or pucks at me. From the start, I was hooked on hockey and I just stuck with it the whole time.”

Gettinger got his first skates when he was two years old. “I was on the ice right away,” he said. “My earliest memories are playing in the driveway with my brother. He was always my idol because he was older and he was already playing at the time, so it

Gettinger signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Red Wings last summer.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 27

Gettinger is a former fifth-round draft pick of the New York Rangers.

was cool to go to his games as a kid.”

Growing up in the Cleveland suburbs 20 minutes west of downtown, Gettinger played in the Cleveland Barons AAA hockey program. Originally, he thought he was destined to become a goaltender.

“For the first year or two of hockey, they rotate who plays goalie and I always wanted to play goalie for my team,” he said. “But after I played a bit I realized I liked scoring goals, and that’s when I decided that maybe playing in goal is not for me.”

Gettinger was usually tall for his age.

“I was always taller than most kids when I was growing up, but I wasn’t taller than everyone by a lot,” he said. “I went through a growth spurt – I grew three or four inches – around my freshman year of high school. At some point, I was probably 6-foot-4 and 175 pounds and I probably looked awkward. It took a while, but once I started putting on a little bit of weight, I got more comfortable with my body.”

He credits his coaches for showing him how to make the most of his size.

“I had a lot of good coaches growing up. For me, it was learning how to play as a big guy,” he said.

“The big thing was learning how to move my feet and play with size. Once I added some weight and got more comfortable with my size, I felt I was ready for the next level.”

28 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

At age 16, Gettinger left home to play junior hockey for the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario.

“For a kid from Cleveland, the OHL is not usually on the radar,” he said. “Everyone’s thinking about the college hockey route and, being a big Michigan fan, I went to a lot of Michigan hockey games growing up.

That was always my dream, but as I learned more about what the OHL could offer, I started changing my thinking.

“There were a lot of sit-downs with my parents, trying to figure out what was the right call,” he said.

“I was a decent student, but I decided playing in the OHL was the right decision for me. I was able to keep doing my education from my high school back home, so everything worked out.”

Living not far from the shore of Lake Erie, Gettinger was not unfamiliar with winter weather.

While he knew all about lake effect snow, he still was unprepared for the frigid temperatures that awaited him.

“I moved up there, and a week or two before Halloween there was three feet of snow,” he said.

“It’s cold and lots of snow, but I loved it because the whole community and the atmosphere up there is so great with how much they love their hockey. It was awesome.”

Gettinger was good enough during his first year in junior to be named to the 2015 OHL AllRookie Team that included Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat and Ottawa Senators defenseman Jakob Chychrun.

“I think it was a matter of getting my feet warm,” he said. “It’s tough when you first start playing junior hockey, but each year I felt more and more comfortable. I felt like I got stronger each year.”

If he ever felt any impending homesickness, he had family close by.

“My parents came up quite a bit, but my grandparents lived in Cheboygan, which was about an hour and a half drive away, so I could drive down there and hang out with my grandparents for a day whenever we had some time off,” he said.

Gettinger was drafted by the New York Rangers in the fifth round (141st overall) of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft after his second year with the Greyhounds.

“It was a dream come true,” he said. “It’s one of those things when you’re watching hockey nonstop as a kid and you see these guys playing and you think, ‘I want to be that one day,’ and so the opportunity to be drafted, especially by an Original Six team, is amazing.”

Gettinger contends that he had no allegiance to a specific NHL team growing up. “Being from

Cleveland, you’re relatively close to Pittsburgh, Columbus and Detroit,” he said. “I kind of grew up following the Capitals because I was an [Alexander] Ovechkin fan.”

He increased his point total each year – 25, 39, 54, then 69 points – as well as his goal total, which went from 10 in his first season to 31 and 33 in his last two years. Gettinger served as captain of the 2017-18 Soo Greyhounds team that enjoyed a spectacular season, breezing through the regular season with 116 points and a remarkable record of 55-7-6.

The Greyhounds, who strung together a 23-game winning streak, were favorites to win the league championship, only to come up short to the Eastern Conference champion Hamilton Bulldogs in the OHL finals.

“Everything was clicking for a while,” he said. “We had a core group that progressed each year together and everything just jelled. I was the captain, and we had a close team and all the pieces came together.”

He had taken his cues from defenseman Darnell Nurse, a first-round pick of the Edmonton Oilers who served as the Greyhounds’ captain during Gettinger’s first year in the Soo. “I watched how he led the team, how he talked to the guys regardless of their age,” he said. “Being named captain was a great accomplishment and that’s something I’ll never forget.”

Gettinger has appeared in 16 NHL games over four seasons.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 29

Gettinger played last season in Hartford, where former Griffins captain Jamie Tardif is now an assistant coach.

Gettinger spent the next five years of his career with the Rangers organization.

“Being a 20-year-old, it’s tough for any guy trying to play pro hockey, but we had a good group of guys who helped me learn the pro game,” said Gettinger, who played in Hartford for Kris Knoblauch, the current coach of the Edmonton Oilers who replaced Jay Woodcroft this past November.

“The coaching staff helped me tremendously,” he said. “It’s a long season, but you learn what you have to do day in and day out. You’re not going to have your A-game every day, but you have to come to the rink ready to play regardless. “ Gettinger got into four NHL games in his first pro season, making his NHL debut in Madison Square Garden against Ovechkin and the defending Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals on Nov. 24, 2018.

“We had a game in Bridgeport the night before and we were getting ready to play when the coach called me in and said it looks like you’re getting called up. At that moment, everything is such a blur,” he said.

He called his parents, Gary and Shelli Gettinger, along with his brother, Grant. “They’re all crying and I’m crying and that’s one of those conversations that I’ll always remember,” he said.

“There wasn’t much talking, just a lot of tears because they knew how hard I had worked and that getting to play in the NHL was my goal.”

His parents and brother were able to attend his first NHL game, along with his girlfriend (now his wife), Skylar Byrne, who happened to be visiting him in Hartford at the time of his recall.

“To get to play my first NHL game against the guy I looked up to as a kid and to play in Madison Square Garden, one of the coolest buildings and a mecca in the sports world, was just amazing,” he said. “At that age, it wasn’t something I was expecting, but after a shift or two, I started feeling a little more comfortable, even though it was definitely kind of a crazy blur.”

Gettinger would eventually play a total of 16 games with the Rangers, spread over four different seasons. He earned his first and only NHL point to date when he was credited with an assist on a goal by defenseman Jacob Trouba on Nov. 22, 2019.

Over time, he learned how to handle the shuttle between the AHL and the NHL. “The first call-up was definitely eye-opening,” he said. “When you come back down, you start to think about what do I need to do to get back up there. You see what those guys do up there, what it takes to play in the NHL every day, and you 30 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

try to bring that back and continue to work hard every day for your next chance.

“You have to just go out there and work hard and the rest will fall into place.”

This past summer was a time for new beginnings for Gettinger. He tied the knot with Skylar, who had played a year of hockey at Oswego State, a Division III school in Upstate New York, northwest of Syracuse.

“We met when I was playing junior hockey through some mutual friends,” he recalled.

“She came to a game when we were playing in Flint and we started dating. We got married last July, but with the hockey season coming up, we decided to wait on our honeymoon.

We’ll go somewhere this summer, but we’re still figuring it out.”

He admits that signing with the Red Wings seemed like a monumental move.

“For me, it was a big change because I had been in one place ever since I had been drafted,” he explained. “I was with the same organization for almost seven years, counting the years after the draft, and after playing pro there for five years, I knew everything there and had become super comfortable.

“Coming here, I didn’t know anybody on the team or the city, so it was a whole new

environment. But I was ready to face the challenge head-on. I was ready for a new opportunity and I’m glad I took it.”

While Gettinger scored six goals in his first 10 games, the team struggled to find its footing.

He felt the Griffins were finally getting over the hump as the midpoint of the season was approaching.

“We have a good mixture of talented young guys and a good older group, but we’ve been kind of up and down, some good games and some bad games, but that’s going to happen during a long season, so guys are starting to get more comfortable,” he said.

“It’s tough to come into pro hockey and expect success right away, but the young guys have stuck with it and the results are finally coming.”

Still only 25, Gettinger has enough years of experience that he tries to share encouragement where appropriate.

“If everyone’s feeling good about themselves, it’s going to show out on the ice, so that’s what I try to do — try to keep guys positive and happy,” he said. “We’re really close as a group and I think it’s starting to show. Day by day, we’ve gotten better and better.

“Just take one game at a time and, eventually, we’ll get things rolling.

Gettinger tallied a career-high 16 goals with the Hartford Wolf Pack in 2019-20.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 31

Griffins rookie Amadeus Lombardi is starting to find his groove during his first full season in the AHL.

Story and photos

by Mark Newman

READY TO

ROCK 32 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

There’s more than a touch of truth to the old joke about the tourist who asks a New Yorker, “How do you get to Carnegie Hall?” The answer, of course, is Practice! Practice! Practice!

Red Wings prospect Amadeus Lombardi wishes he had learned to play guitar, but his entire life has revolved around hockey – with a healthy dose of music nonetheless.

At age 20, he counts The Beatles, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin among his favorite bands, due in no small part to the influence of his father, Nick Lombardi, once a budding musician.

“I remember being in the car when I was really young, maybe three years old, just listening,” he said.

“The first album I distinctively remember listening to, like a ton, was Sam’s Town by The Killers, which came out in 2006, and I listened a lot to The Beatles’ Abbey Road.”

His father fronted a band called Dropkick Me Jesus (not to be confused with the Bobby Bare song) in the late 1990s before becoming the lead singer and rhythm guitarist of a promising act called Attomik.

“He really should have made it big,” Lombardi says of his father. “Attomik was supposed to tour Europe and India. They were going to make a documentary about it and then stuff happened.

They were the No. 1 indie rock band in Canada, but

they started getting sued for their name because of the ski company, Atomic.

“They were just starting to break through when they got caught up in the lawsuit and didn’t have a lot of money yet. They were in the process of getting signed, so it’s sad.”

But the story was only beginning, not ending.

His dad set aside his musical aspirations in favor of fatherhood. “Once I was born, he wrapped up his music career,” said Lombardi, who was given the name of Amadeus, a moniker derived from the Latin words Ama – the imperative of the word Amare (“to love”) – and Deus (“God”). In other words, a boy loved by God. “My dad lost something – which was music – that he thought was the biggest thing, but as soon as he lost it, I got brought into his life,” Lombardi said. “I became the most important thing to him.”

From the very beginning, his father made his influence apparent. As much Lombardi’s taste in music reflects his upbringing, his hockey development shows equally significant guidance.

“I grew up in a pretty big [Maple] Leafs house and my dad’s favorite players were Doug Gilmour and Wendel Clark, so that’s why I wear #93 [Gilmour] and my brother Ulysses wears #17 [Clark],” he said. “I think my number and name fit together, almost musically. That’s part of the

Lombardi was selected by Detroit in the fourth round (113th overall) of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 33

Lombardi is known for his skating, speed, and stickhandling.

reason, too.”

It became evident that Lombardi’s father was intent on orchestrating a successful path for his children. (Amadeus and Ulysses have a sister named Symphony – “She’s really good at martial arts,” says Lombardi.)

In between lullabies, there were harmonious attempts to gently guide his boys in the right direction.

“My dad loved hockey growing up but he could never afford it until he worked a whole summer when he was 15 so he could buy his own equipment,” Lombardi said. “He signed himself up for hockey – he had a good shot – but when you start at 15, your skating just isn’t there. If he had played when he was younger, he would have been good.”

That’s why he made sure his boys got an early start.

“My dad tells the story that when I was very young, not even a year old, my dad and uncle were watching Don Cherry [Rock ‘em Sock ‘em] 15 and I reached out like I was trying to get into the TV. “So they grabbed a mini stick and net, made a ball of out of tin foil, and showed me how to shoot it into the net. They put the stick in my hands and I shot it, and when it went in, they went crazy, which I 34 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

guess is where it all started.”

His parents took him to his first hockey game in Toronto before his first birthday. According to his dad’s telling, the crowd erupted in a roar when the Maple Leafs won the contest in overtime.

“We were in the top row and my dad picked me up and held me out in the air and I started crying,” Lombardi said, describing his father’s Simba-like move. “My dad says, ‘That’s the day the hockey gods baptized you.’”

Even though he had not played hockey growing up, his father was smart enough to know his sons would need to excel at skating and stick handling if they were going to have a chance.

For years, he had marveled at the puckpossession brand of hockey favored by the Russian Red Army teams.

“When my dad was growing up, he used to watch the Soviet Union because he liked the way the Red Army played,” Lombardi said. “So when I was learning hockey, I used to watch all that stuff. As a kid, I watched a lot of highlights. I loved watching Pavel Bure, Sergei Fedorov, and Sergei Makarov – guys who played that puck possession style.”

Lombardi said he also admired Russians who never played in North America – gifted offensive players like Valeri Kharlamov, a highly skilled,

intelligent, and creative forward who was considered one of the best of his era.

It led Lombardi’s father to find Dr. Yasha Smushkin, a former Soviet Union national coach who had been putting figure skaters and hockey players in the Toronto area through unconventional drills for more than 30 years. His creative approach to teaching went beyond pucks and pylons, pushing athletes to test the limits of their agility like talented musicians might do finger exercises to stretch their abilities.

Imagine, for example, jumping rope while wearing skates.

“When I was about four years old, my dad found this guy who was very unorthodox with these crazy, innovative drills,” Lombardi said of Dr. Smushkin, who died in 2022 at the age of 92. “I think I was the only little kid – most of the others were anywhere from 12 to 16 years old – but Dr. Smushkin let me come into his program.

“He had all these different, really interesting techniques – like jumping off a springboard, spinning around, and then landing and skating out of it – and I think he definitely helped my skating.

Even now, his teaching remains a core part of my skating. He always knew how to get the best out of people.”

Lombardi always wanted more time on the ice.

“Honestly, I’ve got to give a lot of credit to my mom [Jessica] because she would run me around, especially when I was little, to every rink we could find. I was skating four or five times a day – every single pleasure skate we could find, any ice all over the city. She’d run me to Vaughn, back to Newmarket, or Richmond Hill. I was always skating.

“When my siblings were born, she’d have to do it with them. While I was getting dressed in the room, she’d be reading to my sister, making her fall asleep while she had my little brother in the carriage.

She’d bring the carriage to the Zamboni door while holding my sister, and I would skate for however long, whether it was two hours or an hour.

“So that’s when my brother got baptized into hockey [Ulysses, now 15, plays AAA hockey for the North York Rangers]. I give credit to my little sister, too, for always coming along. She sacrificed a lot of her childhood because she was always getting dragged around the rinks. She came to all the games and tournaments, always cheering us on.”

Lombardi simply loved every moment he was able to skate.

“The whole week I was skating every day and then there were tournaments on the weekend, so I was on the ice every day for hours,” he said. “I

Lombardi appeared in two games with the Griffins last season after finishing his junior hockey career.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 35

remember a Sunday when we played two games and Smushkin had a two-hour session that night and I still said, ‘I want to go.’

“My dad was like, ‘No, you’re not going. I’m not letting you go,’ but I went upstairs, got dressed, and begged, ‘Please take me.’ So they took me, but he said, ‘Only for one hour.’ So after one hour, my dad’s banging on the glass. I pretended not to hear or see him, so I skated for the whole two hours.

“Afterwards, I came off the ice and he started undressing me. I’m like, ‘No, don’t. I can’t get undressed.’ And it became this big scene.”

Lombardi, it seems, had relieved himself inside his gear. “I knew if I got off the ice, my dad wouldn’t let me back on,” he said.

His stubborn single-mindedness impressed Dr. Smushkin, who recognized that this little Lombardi kid was something special. “I think I skated with him for a couple of years, but it was a little expensive. When my brother started playing hockey, it just got to be too much. But my time with Smushkin was super crucial for my skating.”

Lombardi tried playing soccer for a year, but he became resolved to dedicate himself to hockey.

During his formative years, he played for various teams in the Greater Toronto Hockey League, the largest amateur league in the world, with over 40,000 participants registered annually.

He is thankful that his household included his dad’s parents. “We lived with my grandparents almost my whole life because my parents had to work so much to afford hockey and with how much they ran me around to practices and games. So there was always a family dynamic.”

Yet, even with all the skating, Lombardi was a relative late-bloomer who was not on the radar of many teams. He was selected by the Flint Firebirds in the 13th round (245th overall) of the 2019 OHL Priority Selection.

And then the pandemic happened.

“I think there’s two ways to look at it,” he said.

“I missed a full season of OHL experience and playing time, but I trained for a year and a half nonstop, which meant time to grow into my body.

I think I grew three inches during COVID. I went from 5-foot-7 to 5-foot-10, so the pandemic gave me time.

“I think I made the most of it but it definitely could have stunted my growth, and I still think I’m working through that now. Instead of three years in the OHL, I only got two, but it was still awesome. I loved playing there.”

During his first year, 2021-22, he tallied nearly a point per game. “I was struggling a little bit with the pace, with the physicality of the play, but I started coming into my own after Christmas that first year, 36 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

and then I had a really good playoff,” he said.

He was good enough to attract the attention of the Red Wings, who took Lombardi in the fourth round (113th overall) of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft.

“It was a crazy feeling because I got drafted so late into the OHL,” he said. “I knew in my heart I could make it, but when the OHL season got canceled, I thought it might be a longer road than I imagined.

But my grandfather was, always, ‘You’re going to get drafted by Detroit.’”

Giovanni Lombardi had played soccer back in his native Italy before coming to Canada, where he drove a bus for the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC). “My grandfather loved [Red Wings general manager and former captain Steve] Yzerman,” he said. “Yzerman was his favorite player when he watched hockey, so for two years, he kept saying, ‘The Red Wings are going to draft you.’ When it happened, there was this crazy feeling of him being right.”

Lombardi returned to Flint, where he blossomed into a star last season under the tutelage of Firebirds head coach Ted Dent, who had led the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs for six seasons (2011-17). During the 2022-23 OHL campaign, Lombardi tallied 45 goals and 57 assists for 102 points in 67 games.

“I was still getting my feet wet that first year,” he said. “I’m not a player who can just come into a situation and be able to play my game right away. I need some time to get comfortable with my team, the staff, myself, and the other guys around the league.

“My first year I think I was a little bit tense, a little tentative. But I worked on my shot a lot, and I started to play the way I can play. The second year went a lot better. I feel like I learned a lot during my two years in Flint.”

Lombardi appeared in two games with the Griffins at the end of last season, which he found beneficial as far as giving him a taste of the pace and style of play that he would need to learn to be able to compete in the AHL. Even so, he admits that he has struggled at times to find his game during his rookie pro season.

“I think the first games of the season were really hard on me,” he said. “It reminded me of my first few games in the OHL. It was so fast, so physical, with not a lot of time and space. Even now I’m still trying to figure it out, but I think it’s been going well lately.

Not surprisingly, the kid who refused to take off his skates is still usually the last to leave the ice at Griffins practices.

“I’ve been trying to work on it, but even for morning skate, there are a lot of times where I’m out there for way too long, and then come game time, I

Lombardi scored his first pro goal against the visiting Toronto Marlies on Nov. 10, 2023.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 37

Lombardi recorded 102 points in 67 OHL games last season.

feel it. I’m like, ‘Well, what was I doing?’ So I’m not doing it after morning skates, but every practice, I stay because every day you can get better, especially at a younger age.

“You’ve got to be willing to put in the work, whether it’s off the ice, working on your mechanics, your mobility, or your strength, which is something I need to work on a ton right now. On the ice, it’s the little things.

“When I’m out there by myself, I try to visualize myself in a play. You see people coming down, you beat a guy, you cut to the net. You make the play so when it happens in a game, you know 100 percent you can do it because you’ve done it in practice so many times.

“I look at every day as a day to improve myself, to get better. If I’m at my best, it’s going to help the team. If I’m at my worst, it’s going to hurt the team. I think I’ve made progress, but the biggest thing right now is probably consistency.

“I’m trying to focus on being the best I can every single game and being more consistent. I’m not worried about points because when you play the right way, they somehow come. So I’m not too focused on points right now. I’m focused on playing the right way, being smart in my own zone, making the smart play, and being consistent every game.”

38 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Lombardi is also doing what he can to keep his mind sharp. He’s reading books like Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman and Be Your Future Self by Dr. Benjamin Hardy.

“I’m really into psychology and my parents always tell me, if you’re not going to be taking classes, you’ve got to make sure you’re reading all the time so you can keep learning things about yourself every day.

“I think reading is a very, very important thing.

I’m a big over-thinker, so I have to work a lot to not get caught up in thinking about the future or thinking about the past. You have to live in the now, live in the present, and reading has helped me out.”

And Lombardi is liking where the Griffins are at present. The team has started to play to its strengths and, most importantly, starting to win hockey games that it would have lost earlier in the season.

“Personal success comes from team success,” he said. “We’ve got some swagger now. We’ve got a lot of guys making smart plays. We’re starting to play for each other. We’re coming together. It’s been happening in the [dressing] room and now it’s transferring to the ice. I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.”

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2023 - 24 GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS ROSTER

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ZACH ASTON-REESE

JONATAN BERGGREN

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Forward 6-0, 204 lbs.

Born: 8/10/94 Staten Island, N.Y.

Forward 6-0, 190 lbs.

Born: 7/16/00 Enkoping, Sweden

ALEX DOUCET

Defenseman 6-3, 223 lbs.

Born: 4/8/93 Littleton, Colo.

17 CROSS HANAS

Forward 6-1, 180 lbs.

Born: 1/5/02 Highland Village, Texas 40 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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SEBASTIAN COSSA Goaltender 6-6, 225 Born: 11/21/02 Hamilton, Ont.

77 JOSIAH DIDIER

Forward 6-0, 198 lbs.

Born: 1/12/02 Shrbrooke, Que.

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Forward 5-10, 170 lbs.

Born: 6/30/96 Calgary, Alta.

Forward 5-8, 170 lbs.

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

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SIMON EDVINSSON Defenseman 6-6, 215 lbs.

Born: 2/5/03 Onsala, Sweden

35 TARO HIROSE

AUSTIN CZARNIK

TIM GETTINGER

Forward 6-6, 218 lbs.

Born: 4/14/98 Cleveland, Ohio

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MICHAEL HUTCHINSON Goaltender 6-3, 200 lbs

Born: 3/2/90 Barrie, Ont.

ALBERT JOHANSSON Defenseman 6-0, 185 lbs.

Born: 1/4/01 Karlstad, Sweden

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MARCO KASPER

Forward 6-1, 183 lbs.

Born: 4/8/04 Innsbruck, Austria

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JOEL L’ESPERANCE Forward 6-2, 210 lbs.

Born: 8/18/95 Brighton, Mich.

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CARTER MAZUR

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Defenseman 6-1, 197 lbs.

Born: 3/27/00 Truro, N.S.

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RILEY SAWCHUK

DOMINIK SHINE

Forward 5-11, 181 lbs.

Born: 3/18/99 Prince Albert, Sask.

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Forward 5-11, 180 lbs.

Born: 4/18/93 Detroit, Mich.

4

NOLAN STEVENS Forward 6-3, 195 lbs.

Born: 7/22/96 Brantford, Ont.

JOHN LETHEMON

Goaltender 6-3, 190 lbs.

Born: 8/15/96 Farmington Hills, Mich.

40 JARED McISAAC

Forward 6-0, 175 lbs.

Born: 3/28/02 Jackson, Mich.

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Defenseman 6-5, 205 lbs.

Born: 1/20/01 Pori, Finland

Forward 5-11, 171 lbs.

Born: 6/5/03 Aurora, Ont.

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WYATT NEWPOWER

BROGAN RAFFERTY

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Defenseman 6-4, 210 lbs.

Born: 12/9/97 Hugo, Minn.

Defenseman 6-1, 203 lbs.

Born: 5/28/95 West Dundee, Ill.

ELMER SODERBLOM

TYLER SPEZIA

Forward 6-8, 249 lbs.

Born: 7/5/01 Goteborg, Sweden

5 ANTTI TUOMISTO

AMADEUS LOMBARDI

Forward 5-10, 175 lbs.

Born: 6/7/93 Detroit, Mich.

22 EEMIL VIRO

Defenseman 6-1, 183 lbs.

Born: 4/3/02 Vantaa, Finland

WILLIAM WALLINDER Defenseman 6-4, 190 lbs.

Born: 7/28/02 Solleftea, Sweden

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 41

Goaltending development coach Roope Koistinen is dedicated to helping players achieve their dreams.

42 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Story and photos

by Mark Newman

Roope Koistinen started playing goalie when he was 4 years old. By the time of his teens, he knew what he wanted to do with the rest of his life.

Although hockey had been his passion, he put an end to any thoughts that his future might lie in donning goalie gear between the pipes. Which is not to say that he was abandoning the position.

“For me, the goaltender is the one position where it’s possible to play a big part in how the game ends,” he said. “You can be the hero or you can be something else and that’s something which has always been fascinating. It’s about stopping the puck. For me, that’s the coolest thing.”

A native of Kiiminki, Finland, Koistinen had long recognized the importance of the goalie position, and he decided earlier than most that he could make more of a difference as a teacher than as a student.

“I had great goalie coaches when I was younger but when I turned 15, we didn’t have a goalie coach. I thought, ‘Okay, I’m all by myself now. I’m not getting help from anybody.’ I was feeling a little bit lost. So

after that season, I told my parents, I want to quit playing. I want to start coaching so I can help the younger guys get better.”

Ultimately, Koistinen decided to keep playing a couple of years more, but in terms of coaching, the die had already been cast.

“I started to coach at the same time that I was playing,” he said. “Every kid who has a dream should have the opportunity to accomplish it, so that’s something I’ve been trying to do ever since. I’m trying to help goalies reach their dreams.”

Koistinen, 31, was hired by the Detroit Red Wings last July to be the goaltending development coach of the Griffins, after serving in various roles with Karpat’s youth programs in Oulu, Finland, since the 201415 campaign. The AHL job was a dreamcome-true for Koistinen, whose journey began several years before joining the Karpat organization.

He started studies at the Verumaki Sport Institute of Finland while he was still living at home. He applied for a bachelor’s degree while coaching full time but eventually dropped out of the program to focus on

Koistinen became the goaltending development coach of the Griffins last summer.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 43

coaching exclusively.

The school taught him coaching basics, but even more beneficial were the networking opportunities that came from pursuing an education with individuals of a similar mind. His time at Verumaki was time well-spent because it would lead to his involvement with Finland’s national hockey program.

At Karpat, Koistinen learned under the tutelage of Ari Hilli, one of the most respected coaches in Finnish hockey who played a significant role in developing a number of NHL goalies, including Pekka Rinne, Niklas Backstrom, and Tim Thomas.

More recently – and perhaps more significantly from the Red Wings’ perspective – Karpat helped mold the talents of several high-caliber NHL prospects who were early round draft picks: Justus Annunen (Colorado, 3rd round), Joel Blomqvist (Pittsburgh, 2nd round), Niklas Kokko (Seattle, 2nd round), and Leevi Merilainen (Ottawa, 3rd round).

From Hilli, Koistinen has learned things that will help guide his work with Red Wings’ first-rounder Sebastian Cossa as well as coming goaltending prospects who hope to develop into future NHL netminders for Detroit.

“He’s a great experienced coach who gives the last word on whatever happens with the goalies in Karpat,” Koistinen said. “He’s absolutely been important in my career so far. I’m still talking with him. I’ve already called him several times this season.”

Working with young goalies – whether they’re U16, U18, U20 or novice pros – Koistinen said a coach has to learn to roll with the punches. “That’s the biggest thing I’ve gotten from him. Whether it’s good or bad, he always knows how to respond and deal with things. Like a goalie, you learn to stay calm, whatever is happening.”

Koistinen said Hilli’s door “has always been open,” which has meant that he’s been able him to learn from a master. “If I have something to ask, he’s ready to talk,” he said. “He’s helped me a lot, giving me different tips.”

From 2018 to 2023, Karpat saw five goalies drafted from its organization, the most for any team during the time period.

44 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

“What I learned from those prospects is that everybody’s different,” he said. “There is no one way to be a great athlete or a great goalie. Obviously there are some similarities, but everyone has a different personality and they get to show their personality through their game.”

According to Koistinen, working with a young goaltender like Cossa, a 21-yearold prospect in his first full AHL season, is different than coaching a veteran like Griffins goalie Michael Hutchinson, a 33-year-old netminder who has appeared in 150-plus NHL games with six different teams.

“With younger players, it’s more about teaching the demands of being a good athlete,” he said. “They have to learn what it takes to be good on the ice, off the ice, the time spent outside of the rink, what they are eating, how they are sleeping.

“Older guys obviously are more mature.

They already know how to do stuff, so I feel like it’s more about the mental focus with them. It’s about controlling their emotions, staying focused on doing their job and stopping the puck.

“I feel like the less a goalie thinks, the better. If your thoughts start to roll around inside your head, you start to think too much and your actions get slow. Stay calm.

Just enjoy that you’re stopping the puck.”

While Koistinen says he is a stickler for details, he is fairly loose when it comes to giving goalies space to express their individual traits.

“The biggest thing is that we work hard every day,” he said. “We come ready for practice. We are getting ourselves ready to play whenever the game is. My job is to help them keep their level of play at the highest level at all times.”

Karpat’s success with developing goalies convinced Koistinen that he could follow his dream of coaching in North America.

He decided to start contacting NHL organizations in the hopes of landing a job.

Last spring, he reached out to Phil Osaer, who is the head of goaltending scouting and development in the Red Wings organization, expressing his interest in a job.

“At the beginning of June, I got a call that they would like to interview me because

Koistinen spent several seasons with the Karpat organization, which has produced a number of NHL goaltending prospects.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 45

In total from 2014-2023, Koistinen’s teams won three league titles, four silver medals, and two bronze medals.

46 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

they had a spot open in Grand Rapids, and that was basically how my story here started,” Koistinen said.

To prepare for his move to North America, Koistinen reached out to fellow Finn goaltending guru Marko Torenius, who became the goaltending coach for the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks last season from SKA Saint Petersburg, and Juha Lehtola, who was similarly hired last season by the AHL’s Hershey Bears after several seasons at HPK Hameenlinna in Finland.

“I started talking with those guys during the last season, trying to gather information about their experience so that if I could get myself over here someday, I would be as prepared as possible,” he said.

Koistinen said he has not fundamentally changed his approach since coming to North America. “I feel like the game is the same.

The net is in the same spot on the rink, the puck is the same,” he said.

“What I’ve had to learn is the culture

and the language because everything else is different from Europe, and that’s something I have needed to learn fast – how to live life here. I feel like I’ve been adjusting pretty well. I feel pretty comfortable with everything.”

His transition at the rink has been aided by the sense of shared responsibility that permeates the Red Wings organization from top to bottom. He talks regularly with not only Osaer but also Alex Westlund, who is the goaltending coach for the Red Wings in Detroit.

“We are overseeing every goalie in the organization together, and sharing what we see and sharing our thoughts,” Koistinen said. “As a goalie department, I feel like we are in a good spot because we are constantly communicating with each other.”

Communication is key with the goaltenders as well.

“I feel like it’s a two-way conversation every time,” he said. “We talk about different

Koistinen brings a wealth of experience to helping goaltenders reach their full potential.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 47

Koistinen spent his entire playing career with KKP’s youth teams in Finland.

situations and how to play them. We share our thoughts on what is the best for them to play different situations. But at the end of the day, the goalie is the one who’s in the net.

He’s the one making the decisions.”

Koistinen reviews video clips with the goalies to help them spot their strengths and weaknesses in order to improve. “We take a deep look at different things, like how to play the penalty kill or how to improve their post play. We try to pick apart different areas of the game.”

If Koistinen has learned anything, it’s that incremental changes work best.

“Guys today have taken thousands of reps, so it’s extremely hard to change something during the season, obviously. You might do it during the summer or over a long stretch, but it takes a lot of patience, a lot of reps, and a lot of time,” he explained. “So when we work on something, it’s usually small things.”

In the end, coaching in North America is no different than in Finland, at least in one respect. “I feel like at the end of the day, 48 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

it’s still the same things: Keep it simple and stop the puck.”

This season has already presented Koistinen and his goaltenders with a number of challenges, but he feels like they are learning together.

“Every season has ups and downs, and now I feel like we are trending in the right direction,” he said. “We are learning together how to be as good as possible with this team.

We look at clips after every game. We talk about what’s happening – what we did, what we saw, what things we could do better.”

Koistinen acknowledges that he is living his dream while doing everything in his power to guide his goalies to championshipcaliber play in the net. His ultimate ambition is to bring out their very best.

“One of my biggest dreams is that I can help somebody to become the best goalie in the world,” he said. “That’s one of the main reasons I’m here. I’m really grateful that I’ve gotten this opportunity and I’m trying to seize it every day.”

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 49

Story and photos by Mark Newman

At the age of 22, former Griffins defenseman Moritz Seider continues to get stronger as he builds his Calder Trophy-winning career in the NHL.

MO’ MUSCLE 50 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Moritz Seider is often regarded as one of the best young defensemen in the NHL, and the German-born Red Wing is willing to throw his weight behind the argument.

As the workhorse of the Detroit defense, Seider usually logs 20-25 minutes each night as he makes his presence felt, both figuratively and physically.

His value to the Red Wings certainly is not confined to his number of goals and assists.

For instance, an impressive 2-1 win over the visiting Tampa Bay Lightning on Jan. 21 saw Seider do those little things that don’t necessarily show on the scoresheet. In a team-high 25:08 of ice time, he recorded one shot on goal and a game-leading four hits, but his impact went beyond the numbers.

He deployed his stick for a goal-saving clearance of the puck in the third period. Earlier, he used his body to slow Victor Hedman as the veteran Lightning defenseman skated into the zone. Although the five-time Norris Trophy finalist outweighed him by 40 pounds, Seider pushed the 6-foot-7 Hedman into the boards, forcing him to cough up the puck.

Seider is not resting on his laurels. After winning the Calder Memorial Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year for his debut season in 2021-22, the former Griffins defenseman has

continued to strengthen his play, adding the necessary muscle to compete against the best hockey players in the world.

Seider returns every summer to his home in Mannheim, Germany, where he works out daily with his long-time trainer Adrian Konig, who had previously been his physiotherapist while being treated for an injury several years ago.

“Having tons of friends there, it’s usually a lot of fun working out in the summer,” Seider said. “We usually start at 8 a.m. with a half-hour prep before one and a half hours of strength and conditioning, then an hour of cardio before an hour of corrective stuff where I work on my shoulders and ankles to prevent injuries – it’s mostly little movements, not too hard, but just time-consuming.

“After that, I have an hour of treatment, so usually the early mornings are pretty packed.

Then I do something with the boys, maybe go out and enjoy the sun a little bit, or drink coffee. I’m trying to get into golf more but that’s still far away.”’

Golf, like his workout sessions, will require more time. In reality, he is still adding muscle.

“It’s going to take a little bit more,” he said.

“I think it’s just a matter of years for my body to follow and grow out, and I feel like I’m still

Seider won the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s rookie of the year in 2021-22.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 51

not there. Hopefully, I’ll be there in a couple more years. I feel like I’m getting stronger every summer.”

Seider concedes he has come a long way since the Red Wings selected him with the sixth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. He joined the Griffins at the start of the 2019-20 season, which would eventually be abbreviated due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I have great memories of Grand Rapids,” he said. “It was my first time living on my own and I enjoyed living with Joe [Veleno, current Red Wings teammate], which was my first time living with someone. On the ice, I think we did a good job of coming together as a team and it was a lot of fun. I had a good time playing really solid hockey and getting to know the American culture.”

Seider said he benefitted from playing with the veteran defensemen on the Griffins’ roster at the time: Brian Lashoff, Dylan McIlrath, and Joe Hicketts.

“I think every player had a little story to tell or something to share,” he said. “We talked a lot about their experiences, and I saw how they stayed calm even though the schedule got pretty busy. I had never played that many games in my life, so it was a big change, but I enjoyed the challenge. They knew how to treat their body and it’s something I incorporated into my game.”

Seider remembers feeling the weight of the schedule around the Christmas break. “After around 30 games in less than three months, it catches up to you pretty quick,” he said. “But I enjoyed visiting every city and all the different rinks, so there were enough distractions for sure.”

He admits he felt his share of homesickness that first year. “I mean, who doesn’t? I think I still feel that way to this day. I really enjoy having the family around,” Seider explained, which is why he still returns to Mannheim, where his parents continue to live.

When COVID-19 delayed the start of the 2020-21 AHL season, the Red Wings loaned Seider back to his original club, Adler Mannheim of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL). With no start date for the DEL in sight, Detroit eventually terminated the agreement and instead loaned Seider to Rogle BK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) for the remainder of the season.

“It was exactly what I needed,” he said. “I think I wasn’t fully ready for a competitive NHL season and I needed a little bit more time. When the chance to play in Sweden came up, I was really happy and thankful for the opportunity. It worked out in a good way and definitely prepared me in 52 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

the long run.”

Seider eventually would be named the SHL’s defenseman of the year. “I had a lot of trust from the coaches, and they helped me get comfortable with Swedish hockey and just have fun every day on the ice. That’s what makes the difference.

“I think if you want to become one of the best, you have to enjoy it. You have to be willing to grind and do the dirty work and still have a smile on your face when you walk off the ice. If you want to be a difference maker, there are so many reasons to put in the extra work.”

Playing for Rogue BK in Sweden also put Seider in close contact with former Red Wings greats Nicklas Lidstrom and Niklas Kronwall.

“And [Henrik] Zetterberg, too, because he lived around the corner,” Seider said. “Mostly, we just talked socially. I liked talking about personal life and getting to know them a little better on a deeper level rather than just always talking about hockey.”

Seider made the Red Wings’ opening day roster out of training camp to start 2021-22, which would end up being a banner season.

He opened his rookie campaign on a high note with two assists in his NHL debut against the two-time defending Stanley Cup-champion Lightning. It was the first time a Red Wings player had multiple assists in his NHL debut since Vyacheslav Kozlov achieved the feat in St. Louis on March 12, 1992.

Seider continued to excel, becoming the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for October after collecting eight assists in his first nine games. It marked the first time a Detroit rookie tallied at least eight helpers in a calendar month since January 2022, when Pavel Datsyuk had eight in 13 games.

That strong play continued, with Seider becoming the second player – and first defenseman – in Red Wings history to score his first career goal in overtime when he netted the game-winner on Nov. 6, 2021 in Buffalo during a 4-3 victory, joining Modere “Mud” Bruneteau (Dec. 14, 1935, at Toronto).

From Feb. 9 to March 4, 2022, Seider set a franchise record for the longest point streak by a rookie defenseman, recording 12 points with a plus-6 rating in eight games. It was the fifth time a Red Wings rookie, at any position, recorded an eight-game point streak, and he became the first Detroit defenseman to accomplish the feat since Lidstrom did so twice in 2010-11.

Seider became the fifth rookie blueliner in more than three decades to record 50 points in an NHL season, joining Quinn Hughes (2019-20), Cale Maker (2019-20), Vladimir Malakhov (1992-93),

Seider was a first-round pick (sixth overall) in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 53

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and Lidstrom (1991-92). He led all rookies in assists (43), power-play points (21), and average time on ice (23:03), and he was one of only three first-year NHL players – along with Red Wings teammate Lucas Raymond and New Jersey Devils forward Dawson Mercer – to play in all 82 games.

For his efforts, Seider became just the sixth player in Red Wings franchise history to win the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top rookie, and the first since Roger Crozier in 1964-65.

“It was something really special for the whole organization because it’s a credit to all the great teammates around me,” Seider said. “They really pushed me and battled for me. Obviously, it’s a huge honor and it’s something nobody can ever take from you.”

But Seider being Seider, he took the award as notice that there was still room for improvement.

“I think I can improve in every category,” he said. “If you look at Makar, [Roman] Josi, Hughes, and Hedman, they are all so consistent, and I think that consistency level is something you always want to improve. It’s not necessarily always about being on the scoresheet. There are other ways to have an impact on the game and I think on most nights I can do that.

“I want to continue to grow, whether it’s blocking shots or just playing solid defense trying

to shut down the opponent’s best line. The secret is to keep it simple. The simpler you can keep your play, the easier it is for everyone on your team to read off.”

For Seider, the hits keep coming. During his three seasons in Detroit, he has knocked dozens of opponents off their feet, whether it’s catching unsuspecting skaters with their heads down or repelling retaliatory checks from opponents seeking imaginary revenge.

“Most of the time, it’s a timing thing,” he said.

“It’s catching the guy when he least expects to get hit or before he wants to throw a big hit. It’s not necessarily a huge strength thing. You’re just absorbing as much power from them and usually, the glass is doing a pretty good job of bumping, too. Usually the louder it gets, the less it hurts.”

As his willingness to check a player of Hedman’s stature shows, Seider does not back down from anyone. “There’s a lot of respect for a lot of guys in this league, but I think you shouldn’t be afraid of anyone and that’s the mindset I’m trying to have.”

Seider recently passed Red Wings great Steve Yzerman on the franchise list for most consecutive games played to begin a career.

He takes great pride in being on the ice night after night.

Seider is a mobile defenseman with a number of strengths – a superb skater, slick stickhandler, and a heavy hitter.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 55

Seider played all 82 games in each of his first two seasons in Detroit.

“Just putting on a jersey means a lot and that’s kind of the mindset we have in our locker room,” he said. “You should be really proud of wearing that jersey and it’s something we don’t take for granted.”

Seider feels good about the progress being made by the organization to return to the playoffs.

“We’ve been working really hard,” he said.

“We’ve been putting in the work and we want to get there eventually and, if we continue, hopefully, we’ll be in that spot at the end of the year. Winning is always way more fun and the more we can win, the easier it will be to reach the playoffs.”

Seider has already drawn comparisons to the best defensemen in Red Wings history, with observers suggesting he offers a mix of Lidstrom and Kronwall. But he believes he has a long way to go to reach their heights. “Obviously, it’s nice hearing those two names around your name, but it’s a long process to get there. Two or three years doesn’t make a whole career,” he said.

“If I want to take the next step and become one of the top defensemen in the NHL, it is going to take a lot of work and a lot of extra hours. I think I am different [from those players] and I want to make a name for myself. I want to create my own story.”

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Seider was a mainstay on the Griffins’ blue line during the 2019-20 season.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 57

Jensen was one of the first three players signed by the Grand Rapids Rise, along with Claire Chaussee and Emiliya Dimitrova.

New mom Alyssa Jensen is thrilled to have the chance to play pro volleyball nearly six years after completing her collegiate career at MSU. Story by Mark Newman Photos by Nicolas Carrillo

CAREER CHANGE 58 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Alyssa Jensen was pregnant when news broke in December 2022 that Grand Rapids would be the first city to play in the new Pro Volleyball Federation.

In the spring, when Cathy George, her coach for four seasons at Michigan State University, floated the idea of playing for the new team, the 6-foot-4 Jensen conceded that playing pro was the furthest thing from her mind. She was thinking more about motherhood than starting a new career.

"But she was encouraging me, like 'You could do this,'" Jensen recalled. "And the more I thought about it, my mindset started to shift to 'I know I can I can do this,' and everything fell into place."

Jensen knew it was in her best interests to listen to George because it had paid dividends before.

Aaron Jensen had been a member of the pitching staff for the Grand Rapids Community College baseball team with T.J. George, the older of the Grand Rapids Rise head coach's two boys. (Conner, the younger son, played basketball for Tom Izzo at MSU.) "They lived together and were best friends, so Aaron would always go to MSU football games and volleyball games with T.J.," Jensen said. "Aaron would joke with Cathy, like 'Pull up the roster. Who do you got to set me up with?' That type of thing.

And one night she actually did it.

"She had known Aaron for a long time and she pointed at me and was like, 'Oh, this girl. Good family. Good similar backgrounds. You guys would gel well.' And then she added the kicker, 'But don't talk to her until after the season.'

"I knew T.J. from him being Cathy's son.

When I saw the guy next to him, I was like 'Oh, he's kind of cute. And tall [6-8].' But I didn't think anything about it. And then we met out one night and things went from there. I guess he didn't follow her rule but, to be fair, I didn't either."

Things quickly became serious and, roughly three years later, then-Alyssa Garvelink of Holland wed Big Rapids native Aaron Jensen on Sept. 26, 2020. They welcomed the arrival of their first child, Ella, on May 9, 2023.

Born a week early, Ella was not overly long, but she is already trending toward the tall side of the length charts. Odds are she will not be short.

"I just hope that it's like a normal tall, because it's hard being super tall," she said.

"Even at my height, it's not easy growing up. I grew up in Holland so it's a bunch of Dutch people. I was always on the taller side but not the tallest."

She recalls her eighth-grade summer as the time when she really experienced a growth spurt. "I think I grew like a foot in the summer," she said. "So I went through a kind of an adjustment period to my new tall body."

Always fairly athletic, she played soccer, basketball and volleyball growing up, but by high school it was clear that volleyball was becoming her focus.

"By freshman year of high school, volleyball was already a priority," she said.

"Basketball was just social to me at that point because all my friends played it. I didn't necessarily love basketball like I did volleyball.

"What I loved about volleyball is it's such a team-driven sport, which of course most sports are, but there's a closeness in volleyball that you don't find in other sports. It's kind of a rah-rah sport because we celebrate after each point. I just kind of like that."

She led Holland Christian to conference championships all four years of high school. A self-described homebody, she was looking at attending college in West Michigan – Hope, Calvin or Grand Valley – when she realized she might be able to look further afield.

"Suddenly Michigan State was in the mix

Always fairly athletic, she played soccer, basketball and volleyball growing up, but by high school it was clear that volleyball was becoming her focus.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 59

Jensen was a two-time Second Team All-American as a Spartan in addition to being a two-time First-Team All-Big Ten selection.

and Purdue, too," she said. "But I never went and visited Purdue because when I went to State, it just felt like home. The campus was beautiful and not very far from home, and I loved Cathy. She was so welcoming and her presence was just so fun and intense."

Jensen said playing for George was a positive experience because she knows how to build a team.

"I've always said her philosophy is recruiting good people, and that's who I was always surrounded with – good teammates," she said. "Obviously she cares about volleyball, she wants to win, but deep down, at the root of everything, she likes good people, and she cares about you as a person.

Back then she wanted to set us up for success and teach us all the lessons a typical college person should learn, and I did.

"I can take so many things from my college experience and apply it to life, as I'm sure most people can."

From the beginning, she saw how George's people-first philosophy paid dividends.

60 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

"We had a great freshman class," she said.

"Just learning everything and the speed of the game was obviously different than high school, so there were adjustments, but we had great seniors who took us under their wing and helped us along."

Although Jensen says her first two years at MSU were a bit of a blur, she is confident that she matured as a player during her collegiate career.

"I was definitely more emotional as a freshman," she explained. "Like the highs were really high and the lows were really low, and sometimes I would get a little upset on the court and be very intense in the moment.

"I think as time went on, I matured and found a better balance. I saw that it was probably not great for the team to go through such highs and lows. Now I look back and I think it took me so long to learn that. I wish I had learned it sooner."

Always highly driven, Jensen learned how to work her competitive nature to her advantage.

"My junior and senior years were more memorable to me. I don't know why," she said. "I think it was channeling my competitiveness to offer more encouragement to others, making sure that my teammates knew they didn't have to worry about me."

She was a Second Team All-American during her junior and senior seasons (201617) in addition to earning All-Academic Big Ten honors from 2015-17. "[Being named All-American] was a huge honor because honestly, that wasn't one of my goals. It kind of happened due to team goals, which is not to say that I didn't work for it because I worked hard. It was just a nice cherry on the top to my junior and senior years."

During her time at MSU, Jensen came to appreciate the importance of good defensive play.

"I think I may have enjoyed defense a little bit more, just because a good block can, in my opinion, shift the momentum of a game. Obviously, a good kill can do it as well, but there's something about a block

that kind of shuts the opposing team down and pumps your team up."

After her senior season, Jensen could have played pro volleyball elsewhere – Peru was one option – but in the end, she chose to stay home.

"I had met my future husband and he encouraged me to go, but I've always been a homebody and I like being close to family.

I'm adventurous to a point, but if I didn't have anyone out there with me, that wasn't something I was interested in."

And so, their athletic careers seemingly behind them, Jensen and her new husband settled into 9-to-5 jobs. He still dabbled as an assistant coach for the Kenowa Hills High School baseball team while working as a pharmacy operations supervisor for Meijer. She kept playing volleyball recreationally while employed as a board relations specialist at National Heritage Academies in Grand Rapids.

Then came the baby. Then the new job offer.

If becoming a mother changes your life, becoming a mother and a pro athlete at

Jensen was a finalist for the state’s Miss Volleyball Award during her senior season at Holland Christian High School.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 61

the same time will turn your world upside down.

For Jensen, it's a touch of heaven. "[Becoming a parent] is life-changing, amazing and difficult, but in the most rewarding way," she said with the broadest of smiles. "She's seven months now and every age has just been more fun than the last. She recognizes us, she smiles at us when we come home. It's just the best thing to come home to and see."

Any lingering doubts dissipated once the decision was made to pursue a position with the Rise.

"My husband was super supportive in making it all work with being a new family of three," she said. "I know my volleyball skills didn't go away and I know the training it took to get me there, and honestly, I feel great. Probably even better than I did before. Having a baby kind of changes your body, and I think that shift has worked in my favor."

Jensen is enthusiastic about the arrival of the first full-fledged pro volleyball league

for women – like giving birth to something new all again.

"Just to be a part of the first year is exciting and seeing everything come together has been really cool," she said.

"To have a women's professional sport in the town that I live in is just amazing and I couldn't say no to the opportunity," said Jensen, who grew up going to Grand Rapids Griffins and West Michigan Whitecaps games.

"I know volleyball is big in Grand Rapids with a lot of clubs around, and I just hope that girls and young girls like my daughter, too, can see us play and know that it's an option for them after college if they want.

So, yeah, it's a huge honor."

And so Jensen is eager to start the new career that she never envisioned nor imagined. "It is very exciting because volleyball, like any sport that is growing, just keeps going up," she said. "I'm very fortunate."

Reprinted from the premiere issue of Horizons, the official magazine of the Grand Rapids Rise.

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RECORD BOOK AND LEADERS

Through games of Jan. 23, 2024

GAMES PLAYED All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2022-23

Travis Richards Dominik Shine (3rd) 5 players tied Joel L’Esperance GOALS

655 389 *82 *72

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2022-23

Michel Picard Dominik Shine (T19th) Donald MacLean (2005-06) Joel L’Esperance ASSISTS

158 57 *56 25

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2022-23

Michel Picard Taro Hirose (3rd) Jiri Hudler (2005-06) Taro Hirose POINTS

222 140 60 41

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2022-23

Michel Picard Taro Hirose (7th) Michel Picard (1996-97) Taro Hirose PLUS/MINUS

380 187 101 57

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2022-23

Travis Richards Nolan Stevens (T109th) Ivan Ciernik (2000-01) Alex Chiasson PENALTY MINUTES

+131 +7 *+41 +6

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2022-23

Darryl Bootland Dominik Shine (8th) Darryl Bootland (2005-06) Wyatt Newpower

1,164 459 390 68

Dominik Shine

Donald MacLean

Joey MacDonald

Tom McCollum

Taro Hirose

GOALIE GAMES PLAYED All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2022-23

Tom McCollum Sebastian Cossa (28th) Joey MacDonald (2004-05) Alex Nedeljkovic GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE

263 20 *66 26

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2022-23

Martin Prusek Michael Hutchinson (n/a) Martin Prusek (2001-02) Alex Nedeljkovic WINS

1.83 2.78 *1.83 2.71

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season

Tom McCollum Michael Hutchinson (29th) Joey MacDonald (2004-05) Mike Fountain (2000-01) Alex Nedeljkovic SHUTOUTS

123 9

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2021-22

Joey MacDonald Michael Hutchinson (T22nd) 6 players tied Alex Nedeljkovic/Jussi Olkinuora SAVES

20 1 6 1

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2022-23

Tom McCollum Sebastian Cossa (28th) Joey MacDonald (2004-05) Alex Nedeljkovic SAVE PERCENTAGE

6,640 500 1,785 681

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2022-23

Martin Prusek Michael Hutchinson (n/a) Joey MacDonald (2003-04) Alex Nedeljkovic

.930 .900 .936 .912

2022-23

Michel Picard

* = Led League

34 *34 13

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 65

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

GRIFFINS IN THE ALL-STAR GAME 2022-23 2019-20 2018-19 2017-18 2016-17 2015-16 2014-15 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12

Brian Lashoff (captain) Matthew Ford, Chris Terry Chris Terry Matt Lorito, Matt Puempel Matt Lorito, Robbie Russo, Todd Nelson (head coach) Jeff Hoggan (captain), Xavier Ouellet Xavier Ouellet, Teemu Pulkkinen Alexey Marchenko, Jeff Blashill (co-coach) Chad Billins, Petr Mrazek, Gustav Nyquist Gustav Nyquist

2010-11 2009-10 2008-09 2007-08 2006-07 2005-06 2004-05 2003-04 2002-03

Ilari Filppula, Brendan Smith Patrick Rissmiller Jakub Kindl, Daniel Larsson Jonathan Ericsson, Jimmy Howard Derek Meech, Kip Miller (captain) Valtteri Filppula, Jiri Hudler, Donald MacLean Niklas Kronwall, Joey MacDonald Jiri Hudler, Niklas Kronwall, Travis Richards (captain), Nathan Robinson Marc Lamothe, Mark Mowers

2001-02

2000-01 1999-00 1998-99 1997-98 1996-97

Chris Bala, John Gruden, Kip Miller, Martin Prusek, Petr Schastlivy, Bruce Cassidy (head coach), Gene Reilly (asst. coach) Mike Fountain, Joel Kwiatkowski, Travis Richards, Todd White, Bruce Cassidy (co-coach) John Gruden, Jani Hurme, Kevin Miller, Petr Schastlivy Robert Petrovicky, Maxim Spiridonov Ian Gordon, Kerry Huffman, Michel Picard Jeff Nelson, Michel Picard, Pokey Reddick

2023 - Brian Lashoff

2020 - Chris Terry

2020 - Matthew Ford

2019 - Chris Terry

2018 - Matt Puempel

2018 - Matt Lorito

2016 - Jeff Hoggan and Xavier Ouellet

2015 - Teemu Pulkkinen

2014 - Alexey Marchenko

2013 - Chad Billins

2013 - Petr Mrazek

2013 - Gustav Nyquist

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72 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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

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

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

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

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

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

ROUGHING Called for engaging in fisticuffs or shoving.

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

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

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

SLASHING Striking an opposing player with the stick.

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

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

SPEARING Called for using the stick like a spear.

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

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

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

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 73

2023-24 AHL TEAM MAP

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

74 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

GRIFFINS Photo Credit: Getty Images

IN THE NHL IT ALL STARTS HERE

Since their inception in 1996, the Griffins have sent 205 players to the National Hockey League, and 19 former players or coaches have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. In fact, a Griffins alumnus has had his name engraved on Lord Stanley’s chalice in each of the last four years, 10 times in the last 16 years, and 12 times in the last 19 seasons. In chronological order, here are the 27 goalies and 178 skaters who have worn an NHL sweater after playing for Grand Rapids, along with the dates of their NHL debuts/returns.

76 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

1............Pavol Demitra............................3/17/97 STL at PHX 2............Kevyn Adams...........................10/1/97 TOR vs. WSH 3............Tyler Moss................................10/28/97 CGY vs. PIT 4............Michel Picard..................................1/6/98 STL at SJ 5............Jeff Nelson.............................10/10/98 NSH vs. FLA 6............Patrick Traverse.......................10/10/98 OTT at COL 7............Mark Greig...................................1/7/99 PHI vs. NYI 8............Radim Bicanek............................2/1/99 OTT at VAN 9............Robert Petrovicky........................2/15/99 TB at NYI 10..........Andrei Vasilyev...........................3/5/99 PHX vs. DET 11..........Todd Hlushko...............................4/25/99 PIT vs. NJ 12..........Patrick Lalime............................10/2/99 OTT at PHI 13..........Glen Metropolit......................10/2/99 WSH at FLA 14..........Kevin Miller.............................10/31/99 OTT at ATL 15..........Karel Rachunek.......................10/31/99 OTT at ATL 16..........Erich Goldmann....................11/11/99 OTT vs. NSH 17..........Yves Sarault...............................11/20/99 OTT at NJ 18..........John Gruden...........................11/30/99 OTT vs. CHI 19..........Mike Fountain..............................12/3/99 OTT at NJ 20..........Dave Van Drunen....................12/13/99 OTT at TOR 21..........Petr Schastlivy..............................1/3/00 OTT vs. NJ 22..........John Emmons............................1/6/00 OTT vs. PHX 23..........Slava Butsayev..........................1/28/00 OTT at BUF 24..........Aris Brimanis.............................2/13/00 NYI at NYR 25..........Dieter Kochan............................3/28/00 TB vs. DAL 26..........Jani Hurme....................................4/9/00 OTT vs. TB 27..........Shane Hnidy.............................10/5/00 OTT at BOS 28..........Donald MacLean...................10/14/00 TOR vs. OTT 29..........David Oliver...............................11/4/00 OTT vs. CBJ 30..........Jamie Rivers............................11/12/00 OTT at CAR 31..........Sean Gagnon.........................11/26/00 OTT at NYR 32..........Joel Bouchard........................11/29/00 PHX at COL 33..........Mike Crowley..........................12/8/00 ANA at MIN 34..........Ivan Ciernik.................................1/23/01 OTT at NYI 35..........Darren Rumble..............................2/6/01 STL at COL 36..........Joel Kwiatkowski......................2/19/01 OTT at BUF 37..........Todd White................................2/19/01 OTT at BUF 38..........Chris Neil....................................10/3/01 OTT at TOR 39..........Toni Dahlman..........................1/3/02 OTT vs. WSH 40..........Steve Martins............................1/11/02 OTT at FLA 41..........Kip Miller.......................................1/17/02 NYI at SJ 42..........Jody Hull.........................................2/4/02 OTT at TB 43..........Dmitry Afanasenkov.......................2/6/02 TB at FLA 44..........Simon Lajeunesse..........................3/7/02 OTT at SJ 45..........Martin Prusek...........................3/23/02 OTT vs. ATL 46..........Chris Bala....................................3/27/02 OTT at NYI 47..........Neil Little...................................3/28/02 PHI at CAR 48..........Josh Langfeld..............................3/30/02 OTT vs. TB 49..........Gaetan Royer...............................4/1/02 TB vs. NYR 50..........Jason Spezza...........................10/24/02 OTT at BOS 51..........Sean Avery................................10/29/02 DET vs. SJ 52..........Jason Doig.................................12/3/02 WSH at PIT 53..........Jason Williams.........................12/5/02 DET at PHX 54..........Patrick Boileau......................12/19/02 DET vs. DAL 55..........Stacy Roest...............................2/20/03 DET vs. EDM 56..........Wade Brookbank..................10/9/03 NSH vs. ANA 57..........Julien Vauclair........................10/25/03 OTT at MTL 58........ Jiri Hudler............................10/29/03 DET vs. STL 59..........Curtis Joseph..........................10/30/03 DET at NSH 60..........Darryl Bootland......................11/8/03 DET vs. NSH 61..........Mark Mowers........................11/19/03 DET vs. CBJ 62..........Nathan Robinson..................11/28/03 DET vs. NYI 63..........Blake Sloan.................................12/4/03 DAL at LA 64........ Niklas Kronwall...................12/10/03 DET at BUF 65..........Ryan Barnes...........................12/15/03 DET vs. FLA 66........ Chris Kelly............................... 2/5/04 OTT vs. TOR 67..........Marc Lamothe.........................2/23/04 DET at EDM 68..........Anders Myrvold........................2/26/04 DET at CGY 69..........Mathieu Chouinard...................2/29/04 LA at ANA 70..........Brett Lebda..................................10/5/05 DET vs. STL 71..........Mark Eaton..................................10/5/05 NSH vs. SJ

72..........Chris Osgood.............................10/29/05 DET at CHI 73..........Kyle Quincey..........................11/25/05 DET at ANA 74..........Jimmy Howard.........................11/28/05 DET at LA 75..........Valtteri Filppula.........................12/15/05 DET at FLA 76..........Rob Collins..............................12/17/05 NYI vs. COL 77..........Manny Legace............................1/5/06 DET vs. STL 78..........David Gove...............................1/31/06 CAR at MTL 79..........Tomas Kopecky..............................2/28/06 DET at SJ 80..........Alexandre Giroux........................3/25/06 NYR at TB 81..........Joey MacDonald........................10/19/06 DET at SJ 82..........Derek Meech...............................12/7/06 DET vs. STL 83..........Matt Ellis...................................12/18/06 DET at CBJ 84..........Matt Hussey...............................1/26/07 DET at STL 85..........Sheldon Brookbank.......................2/6/07 NSH at PIT 86..........Danny Syvret..........................2/27/07 EDM vs. PHX 87..........Mark Hartigan.........................11/29/07 DET vs. TB 88..........Drew MacIntyre........................12/13/07 VAN at SJ 89..........Peter Vandermeer..................2/10/08 PHX vs. NSH 90..........Jonathan Ericsson.....................2/22/08 DET at CGY 91..........Garrett Stafford.........................2/23/08 DET at VAN 92..........Darren Helm...............................3/13/08 DET vs. DAL 93..........Mattias Ritola..........................3/15/08 DET vs. NSH 94..........Clay Wilson................................3/25/08 CBJ at NSH 95..........Darren McCarty..........................3/28/08 DET vs. STL 96..........Krys Kolanos.................................11/4/08 MIN at SJ 97..........Landon Wilson.....................11/22/08 DAL vs. ANA 98..........Bryan Helmer.....................11/28/08 WSH vs. MTL 99..........Chris Chelios ..........................12/13/08 DET at PHX 100........Aaron Downey.........................1/29/09 DET vs. DAL 101........Justin Abdelkader..................1/31/09 DET at WSH 102........Ville Leino................................1/31/09 DET at WSH 103........Aaron Gagnon......................10/16/09 DAL vs. BOS 104........Scott Parse................................10/24/09 LA at PHX 105........Doug Janik...............................11/3/09 DET vs. BOS 106.........Ryan Keller................................11/25/09 OTT at NJ 107........Jakub Kindl.............................12/3/09 DET vs. EDM 108........Kris Newbury........................12/14/09 DET vs. PHX 109.........Darren Haydar...........................2/10/10 COL vs. ATL 110........Andreas Lilja................................3/1/10 DET at COL 111.........Jeremy Williams......................10/24/10 NYR vs. NJ 112........Jan Mursak..............................12/27/10 DET at COL 113........Chris Mueller.........................12/28/10 NSH vs. DAL 114........Tomas Tatar......................12/31/10 DET vs. NYI 115........Cory Emmerton........................1/22/11 DET vs. CHI 116.........Patrick Rissmiller......................2/23/11 ATL at BUF 117 .......Tom McCollum .........................3/30/11 DET vs. STL 118 ......Gustav Nyquist ...............11/1/11 DET vs. MIN 119 ........Fabian Brunnstrom....................11/5/11 DET vs. ANA 120.......Brendan Smith..................11/17/11 DET at SJ 121......Mark Cullen.................11/29/11 FLA at CAR 122........Chris Conner..............................12/2/11 DET at BUF 123........Joakim Andersson.................12/27/11 DET vs. STL 124.......Ty Conklin ..........................3/21/12 DET at NYR 125......Riley Sheahan.................4/7/12 DET vs. CHI 126........Brian Lashoff..............................1/21/13 DET at CBJ 127........Mike Knuble...............................1/26/13 PHI at FLA 128........Jamie Tardif.................................2/2/13 BOS at TOR 129........Petr Mrazek ...........................2/7/13 DET at STL 130........ Jonas Gustavsson...................2/19/13 DET at NSH 131........Carlo Colaiacovo.........................4/1/13 DET vs. COL 132........Danny DeKeyser......................10/2/13 DET vs. BUF 133.......Luke Glendening...........10/12/13 DET vs. PHI 134........Xavier Ouellet............................10/21/13 DET vs. SJ 135........Adam Almquist .....................11/4/13 DET at WPG 136........Chad Billins...............................11/5/13 CGY at MIN 137........Patrick Eaves............................12/14/13 DET vs. PIT 138........Tomas Jurco..............................12/15/13 DET vs. TB 139........Jordin Tootoo..........................12/19/13 DET vs. CGY 140........Alexey Marchenko......................1/4/14 DET at DAL 141........Teemu Pulkkinen ..................3/14/14 DET vs. EDM 142........Landon Ferraro........................3/18/14 DET vs. TOR

143.......Calle Jarnkrok....................3/21/14 NSH at CGY 144........Mitch Callahan...........................3/25/14 DET at CBJ 145........Ryan Sproul................................4/13/14 DET at STL 146........Andrej Nestrasil.......................10/9/14 DET vs. BOS 147........Stephen Weiss.......................11/24/14 DET vs. OTT 148.....Mattias Janmark............10/8/15 DAL vs. PIT 149.......Dylan Larkin.....................10/9/15 DET vs. TOR 150...... Kevin Porter...........................10/10/15 PIT at ARI 151.......Andreas Athanasiou......11/8/15 DET vs. DAL 152.....Tomas Nosek...............12/26/15 DET at NSH 153........Eric Tangradi...............................1/25/16 DET at NYI 154.......Anthony Mantha..............3/15/16 DET at PHI 155........Alan Quine...................................4/9/16 NYI vs. PHI 156........Martin Frk..............................10/18/16 CAR at EDM 157.....Tyler Bertuzzi.................11/8/16 DET at PHI 158........Jared Coreau...............................12/3/16 DET at PIT 159.......Nick Jensen........................12/20/16 DET at TB 160........Drew Miller...............................2/28/17 DET at VAN 161........Robbie Russo..............................3/7/17 DET at TOR 162......Dan Renouf.................. 3/27/17 DET at CAR 163......Ben Street.....................3/28/17 DET at CAR 164........Evgeny Svechnikov....................4/3/17 DET vs. OTT 165........Matt Lorito.................................4/8/17 DET vs. MTL 166........Kyle Criscuolo.........................11/17/17 BUF at DET 167........Dominic Turgeon.......................1/14/18 DET at CHI 168........Joe Hicketts..................................1/22/18 DET at NJ 169........Dennis Cholowski.....................10/4/18 DET vs. CBJ 170........Libor Sulak................................10/4/18 DET vs. CBJ 171.....Filip Hronek...................10/4/18 DET vs. CBJ 172........Wade Megan..............................11/1/18 DET vs. NJ 173........Christoffer Ehn........................11/6/18 DET vs. VAN 174........Eddie Pasquale............................12/4/18 TB at DET 175.....Michael Rasmussen........2/7/19 DET vs. VGK 176.....Filip Zadina......................2/24/19 DET vs. SJ 177........Matt Puempel..........................3/23/19 DET at VGK 178.....Dylan McIlrath..................3/25/19 DET at SJ 179........Jake Chelios.................................3/29/19 DET vs. NJ 180.....Givani Smith.............. 10/25/19 DET vs. BUF 181.....Calvin Pickard..............11/29/19 DET at PHI 182........Madison Bowey.....................12/14/19 DET at MTL 183........Taro Hirose...................................2/6/20 DET at BUF 184.....Gustav Lindstrom........... 2/6/20 DET at BUF 185.....Joe Veleno..................... 4/27/21 DET at CBJ 186........Mathias Brome............................5/7/21 DET at CBJ 187.....Moritz Seider................10/14/21 DET vs. TB 188........Riley Barber..............................12/18/21 DET vs. NJ 189........Gemel Smith................................2/2/22 DET vs. LA 190........Luke Witkowski.........................3/12/22 DET at CGY 191........Chase Pearson............................3/24/22 DET at NYI 192........Harri Sateri.................................4/7/22 ARI vs. VAN 193........Turner Elson..............................4/26/22 DET at TOR 194........Matt Luff.................................10/27/22 DET at BOS 195.....Austin Czarnik............... 11/6/22 DET at NYR 196.....Jonatan Berggren...... 11/10/22 DET vs. NYR 197.....Magnus Hellberg........12/14/22 DET at MIN 198........Elmer Soderblom..................12/14/22 DET at MIN 199.....Jakub Vrana................. 2/21/23 DET at WSH 200.....Adam Erne......................3/2/23 DET vs. SEA 201........Alex Chiasson...............................3/4/23 DET at NYI 202.....Simon Edvinsson..........3/18/23 DET vs. COL 203.....Alex Nedeljkovic............3/23/23 DET vs. STL 204.....Zach Aston-Reese........12/11/23 DET at DAL 205.....Michael Hutchinson.......12/23/23 DET at NJ Bold = Has played in the NHL this season (as of Jan. 13, 2024) Italics = Had name engraved on the Stanley Cup after playing for Grand Rapids All photos by Getty Images Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 77

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TECHNOLOGY

78 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

AU T O M AT I O N

IMAGING

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I’VE BEEN EVERYWHERE, MAN

With 32 American Hockey League teams spread from coast to coast, you don’t have to look far to find one from anywhere in the United States or Canada. But how many locations of AHL teams can you search out in the puzzle below? Find each of them – excluding any spaces or punctuation – by searching horizontally, vertically and diagonally, both forward and backward. Have fun!

ABBOTSFORD BAKERSFIELD BELLEVILLE BRIDGEPORT CALGARY CHARLOTTE CHICAGO CLEVELAND COACHELLA VALLEY COLORADO GRAND RAPIDS

HARTFORD HENDERSON HERSHEY IOWA LAVAL LEHIGH VALLEY MANITOBA MILWAUKEE ONTARIO PROVIDENCE ROCHESTER

ROCKFORD SAN DIEGO SAN JOSE SPRINGFIELD SYRACUSE TEXAS TORONTO TUCSON UTICA WILKES-BARRE/ SCRANTON Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 79

Hockey fans are everywhere, as evidenced by a Griffins sticker on the railing in front of the famous Matterhorn peak in the Alps that overlooks Zermatt, Switzerland.

Photo by Mark Newman

80 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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