2014-15 SEASON ISSUE NO. 3
Promising Prospect Anthony Mantha
OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS
CADILLAC CHARLEVOIX CHICAGO GRAND RAPIDS MARQUETTE NEGAUNEE TRAVERSE CITY
Dreams. It’s what drives champions.
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Vol. 19, No. 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS STARTING LINEUP
24 GREAT EXPECTATIONS As a highly touted Red Wings prospect, Anthony Mantha is learning it’s a long road from Grand Rapids to Detroit.
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30 “ROZIE” DREAMS After a nightmare 2013-14 season, Griffins goaltender Jared Coreau envisions a brighter future. 42 PRETTY LUCKY GUY Mike Knuble is grateful for all of the opportunities he has enjoyed in hockey, including his current position as an assistant coach for the Griffins. 49 GOLD STANDARD Former U.S. Olympian Lisa Brown-Miller wants to continue to do her part to promote youth hockey in the Grand Rapids area.
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59 COMEBACK CITY Back-to-back come-from-behind wins prove teams can’t count out the Rochester Americans. ON THE BENCH 2...........Opposing Forces 4...........Chalk Talk 6...........Coming Attractions 9...........Griffins Schedule 12........AHL Tradition 15........AHL Team Directory 19........Detroit Red Wings 21........Promotional Calendar
40........Meet the Griffins 64........Social Media 65........Griffins Records 68........Griffins All-Stars 69........Penalty Calls 74........Arena Map/Ticket Info 76........It All Starts Here 79........Kids Page 80........Parting Shot
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COVER:
Chosen 20th overall in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, Anthony Mantha is the Red Wings’ highest pick since Jakub Kindl (19th overall in 2005). 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 ©2015 Grand Rapids Griffins. For advertising information, contact Griffins Sales & Marketing, (616) 774-4585; fax (616) 336-5464. Unsolicited manuscripts and other materials will not be returned.
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OPPOSING FORCES The Griffins are set to play back-to-back games against three different Western Conference foes – Rochester, San Antonio and Hamilton – while welcoming Midwest Division rival Milwaukee for a pair of clashes a month apart. ROCHESTER (Feb. 6, Feb. 7) FAST FACT: The Americans had allowed five or more goals seven times through the midpoint of the season. FINNISH PHENOM: Joel Armia (#33) was a dominating player in Finland, becoming a top scorer before his 21st birthday during three seasons in his homeland. A first-round pick (16th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Buffalo Sabres, the 6-foot-3 forward has shown signs of breaking out this season after a somewhat disappointing rookie year. Armia, who missed nine games earlier this season with an upper-body injury, needs to stay healthy to continue his progress. WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “You can see that he puts himself in good spots,” said Buffalo left winger Thomas Vanek. “Those are things you can’t teach. You either have it or you don’t, and he seems to have it.”
SAN ANTONIO (Feb. 13, Feb. 14) FAST FACT: The Rampage were the AHL’s highest-scoring team through the first 40 games, averaging 3.35 goals per contest. EDGE OF SUCCESS: Alex Petrovic (#3) is a 6-foot-4 defenseman with excellent allaround skills and good mobility for his size. Hailing from Edmonton, Alberta, the 22-year-old needs to build on the raw talent seen by the Florida Panthers when they chose him in the second round (36th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Petrovic has appeared in 13 NHL games with the Panthers over the past two seasons. WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “He’s a big kid who has skills and really plays with an edge,” said Florida manager of player development Bryan McCabe. “He’s still a young guy who is going to grow and learn. He has all the potential in the world.”
MILWAUKEE (Feb. 18, March 20) FAST FACT: The Admirals reeled off nine straight wins after dropping a 4-2 decision to the Griffins on Jan. 2. STICKING IT OUT: Austin Watson (#51) is a solid two-way center willing to do the little things that win hockey games. The oldest of 10 kids, the 6-foot-3 Ann Arbor native stayed in Michigan when he was 12 so he could keep playing hockey while the rest of the family moved to Florida. The Nashville Predators selected Watson in the first round (18th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “Obviously, he made great strides last year,” Milwaukee head coach Dean Evason said. “He’s matured not only as a hockey player, but as a person. You can see that his confidence level and his leadership role within the group has been good.”
2 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
HAMILTON (Feb. 20, Feb. 21) FAST FACT: The Bulldogs beat the visiting Griffins in back-to-back games on Jan. 16-17. HIGH HOPES: Jarred Tinordi (#5) is a statuesque defenseman with an NHL pedigree and skills that are hard to teach. The 6-foot-6 native of Burnsville, Minn., is the son of former NHL defenseman Mark Tinordi. A first-round pick (22nd overall) of Montreal in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Tinordi saw action in 30 NHL games with the Canadiens during his first two pro seasons. WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “Tinordi has a presence on the ice,” said Montreal head coach Michel Therrien. “He’s playing physical. He’s using his stick well. He’s in good position. He’s becoming more and more confident, which is an excellent sign for a young player.”
OKLAHOMA CITY (March 4) FAST FACT: The Barons have won more than twice as many games in overtime (10) as every other AHL team except one (Hartford, 7). HOCKEY BLOODLINES: David Musil (#6) is an intelligent defenseman who knows how to advance the puck, which is not surprising given his background. Born in Calgary but raised in the Czech Republic, the 21-year-old is the son of former NHL defenseman Frank Musil and nephew of former NHLer Bobby Holik. His grandfather, Jaroslav Holik, competed in the 1972 Winter Olympics with the Czechoslovakia national ice hockey team. WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “I like the way he battles in the corners. He’s definitely strong enough to play (in the NHL),” said former Barons head coach Todd Nelson. “Hopefully he matures and gets quicker as he gets older.”
ROCKFORD (March 14) FAST FACT: The IceHogs have the highest shots-per-game average in the AHL, taking more than 33 shots each game, yet rank only 21st in the league in scoring. CONFIDENCE BUILDER: Phillip Danault (#18) got his first taste of the NHL earlier this season when the Chicago Blackhawks, who had taken him in the first round (26th overall) of the 2011 draft, gave him a two-game audition. A native of Victoriaville, Quebec, Danault is a dynamic skater who has shown that he is capable of playing top minutes in all situations. He scored his first career AHL goal against the Griffins last season. WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “He’s a hard-working guy who can play center ice,” said Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville. “He’s reliable and dependable.”
ADIRONDACK (March 22) FAST FACT: The Flames have been quick starters this season, posting a 14-1-0-1 record when leading after one period. CHANGE OF SCENERY: Drew Shore (#23) was acquired in a Jan. 9 trade after spending the past three seasons in San Antonio with the Florida Panthers organization. A 6-foot-3 center out of Denver, Colo., the 23-year-old played in 68 NHL games, including one with Calgary, before being assigned to Adirondack. Shore was a thorn in the Griffins’ side in three games last season when he had two goals, an assist and scored twice in shootouts. WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “What we like about Drew — and the reason why he was brought here — is that he has some offensive ability,” said Adirondack head coach Ryan Huska. “He’s also shown that he’s reliable on the defensive side of the puck.”
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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When the Griffins stumbled a bit in the standings in January, there might have been a temptation to blame the funk on the fact that mid-winter can be a particularly tough time of year for some teams. Griffins head coach Jeff Blashill wasn’t buying that excuse. “No chance,” he said. “I don’t look at it that way at all. The points you earn in the standings count just the same now as any part of the year. There can be no tough parts in a season.” Nevertheless, the Griffins played four consecutive games without earning a point for the first time in Blashill’s three-year tenure as head coach, a streak that covered 225 regular season and playoff games. “There’s a relentless nature to sports,” he said before the Griffins got back to their winning ways. “You have to show up every single day and be great, whether it means showing up in practice to get better or showing up at games to execute. To a large degree, we’ve done that for most of the year, but we had a stretch that really set us back earlier in the season and now we’re in another stretch.” Of course, part of a coach’s job is to mitigate those stretches. There is always a concern that a few losses could snowball into a lengthy winless streak. “As coaches, we live in ‘concern,’ so we try to focus on the process of how we’re playing,” Blashill said. “We want to eliminate as many bad streaks and create as many good streaks as possible by playing at the top of our game
every single night. You do that by focusing on the process of team play as well as individual play.” After opening the season with a record of 3-6-1-0, the Griffins went 16-6-2-1 from Nov. 12 to Jan. 10. “For about three months, our process was unreal,” he said. “We didn’t win as many games as we wanted, but we had a real good process and we earned points in a lot of games. Now we’ve had two games that were good and two that were bad, and that’s not nearly good enough.” Even so, nobody was pushing the panic button. Although there might be a temptation to make wholesale changes or juggle line combinations when a team isn’t winning, Blashill said it is important not to overreact or make rash decisions. “There’s a difference between not getting the end result and not having any success,” he said. “Sometimes if you stay patient, the desired results will come if you’re doing the right things. Sometimes you keep your lines together because you know it’s just a matter of time.” On the other hand, if nothing is working, it might be time to change things up. “If they make sense, we try different things,” he said. “I don’t think it makes sense to keep doing the same things over and over if you’re not achieving the success you want. If line combinations aren’t working – you’re not creating any chances and you’re giving up way too many – then you’ve got to make some changes.”
“Sometimes if you stay patient, the desired results will come if you’re doing the right things. Sometimes you keep your lines together because you know it’s just a matter of time.”
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Likewise, it’s important that players stick to the game plan. “There are ways to try too hard,” he said. “You’ve got to work extremely hard, but you’ve got to work extremely smart. That means focusing on the process of playing the game the way we want to play and making sure that process is great for 60 minutes every night, just like we want to make sure the process is great for every practice. If it is, results will follow. It’s something that I believe one hundred percent.” The Griffins’ woes during the losing streak could be traced, at least in some measure, to the team’s special teams play. Grand Rapids was 1-for-13 on the power play while allowing five goals in 16 penalty kill opportunities. “As coaches, we look for areas where we can get better, and there’s no question that our special teams haven’t been good enough during the stretches when we haven’t played well,” he said. “We’re looking at every detail and asking where can we get better, and one of those areas is special teams.” As a result, the Griffins focused on their power play one practice and the penalty kill the next. “We haven’t had tons of practice time, so to maximize our time, we’ve tried to focus on our special teams, which is a huge part of the game,” Blashill said.
There was no effort to completely overhaul either the power play or penalty kill. “Sometimes you have to refocus and get back to the core principles that brought you success in the first place. It’s a matter of reemphasizing what is important,” he said. “On the penalty kill, it’s winning more faceoffs and doing a better job of clearing pucks. On the power play, it’s getting more pucks around the cage and making sure we outnumber them to create chances.” Consistency is another ideal. Young players – and older players, too – can get frustrated when the puck isn’t bouncing their way. “Players need to work their way out of their struggles, and that comes from pure determination and hard work,” he said. “Our job as coaches is to help guys get better, and that can be done through meetings and sometimes through video. It can be done by giving more ice time or by taking it away. In a lot of cases, it’s a matter of changing habits.” In the end, the past is just that – the past. In Blashill’s view, it’s all about tomorrow, not yesterday. “Our focus is the same as it was from Day One, and that’s to improve as individuals and to improve as a hockey team,” he said. “During the course of the year, we want to take a thousand steps forward and minimal steps back. Our focus is always moving forward.”
2014-15 GRIFFINS COACHING AND TRAINING STAFF
Head Coach: Jeff Blashill
Assistant Coach: Pat Ferschweiler
Assistant Coach: Dave Noel-Bernier
Assistant Coach: Mike Knuble
Goaltending Coach: Jeff Salajko
Video Coach: Bill LeRoy
Athletic Trainer: John Bernal
Equipment Manager: Brad Thompson
Assistant Equipment Manager: Andrew Stegehuis
Strength & Conditioning Coordinator: Marcus Kinney
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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THE COLOR PURPLE Many of the people who will attend the Purple Feb. 7 Mitch Callahan Bobblehead Giveaway Community Game at Van Andel Arena on Feb. 13 presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union may not be old enough to remember Sheb Wooley’s Missing teeth are not a usual feature of novelty song, “The Purple People Eater,” which bobbleheads, but a Mitch Callahan bobblehead would reached No. 1 on the pop charts in 1958. not be complete without the dental detail. Nor will many remember the Minnesota Vikings Callahan, one of the most popular Griffins players, defensive line from the late 1960s that was known as became infamous beyond hockey circles last season Purple People Eaters. when he tweeted a bloody Sometimes called the selfie after getting hit Purple Gang, the front in the mouth with a four of Alan Page, Carl puck. He lost 10 teeth Eller, Jim Marshall and but gained thousands of Gary Larsen was one of followers on Twitter. the most dominant in The first 2,000 fans NFL history. attending the Feb. 7 game But when fans see against the Rochester the purple jerseys worn Americans will be able by the Griffins, they’ll to take home a Callahan hopefully be reminded bobblehead. of the mission of Van Andel Institute, which Feb. 14 Griffins Scarf adopted the symbolic Giveaway presented by color in honor of Centennial Securities Mitch Callahan displays his hockey smile during last year’s Purple Community Game. cancer survivors and to In hopes of improving represent the hope of their fans’ sartorial all affected by the disease. choices, the Griffins will be giving away souvenir Grandville High School’s girls soccer team hosted scarfs before the Feb. 14 game against San Antonio. the first sports event dedicated to benefiting cancer Fans will also be able to enjoy a post-game skate on research at Van Andel Institute in April 2009. The the Van Andel Arena ice surface. game honored a player’s mother who had passed away from melanoma and raised $8,500 for research. Feb. 21 Star Wars Night presented by Consumers Dozens of events have followed. In February 2012, Energy the Griffins hosted their first Purple Community It will be several months before Star Wars: Episode Game at Van Andel Arena, when the players donned VII - The Force Awakens opens in movie theaters, purple jerseys that were autographed and auctioned but the excitement surrounding the saga created by after the game. George Lucas will likely be felt when the Griffins face The tradition continues with the fourth edition the Hamilton Bulldogs on Feb. 21. of the Purple Game on Feb. 13 when the Griffins The Force will be present, with numerous Star Wars welcome the San Antonio Rampage in the first of characters patrolling The Van as the team hosts Star back-to-back contests. The Griffins will once again Wars Night, presented by Consumers Energy. Fans wear special purple jerseys which will be autographed will also be able to take advantage of a Huntington for a post-game auction. Bank post-game autograph session. In addition, there will be purple concession items such as cotton candy, snow cones, popcorn and March 14 Griffins Cereal Bowl Giveaway cupcakes. Fans will also notice purple Van Andel presented by Flagstar Bank Institute logos embedded in the arena’s ice surface, Battle Creek is the cereal capital of the world, and as well as various Purple Game production elements, the Rockford IceHogs can certainly expect a battle such as songs, videos and graphics. when the Griffins show they eat their Wheaties A special guest will drop the ceremonial puck during their March 14 contest. Lucky charms won’t be before the game, and a salute to cancer survivors will necessary to receive a Griffins cereal bowl, courtesy of take place during the first intermission. Flagstar Bank. 6 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 9
Griffins President & CEO
Dear Grand Rapids Griffins Fans, The Griffins’ 2013-14 season will forever be engrained in our memories, for reasons that go far beyond the year-long celebration of our Calder Cup championship. Never ones to be satisfied with past success, coach Jeff Blashill, his staff and players valiantly defended the Cup. We led the Midwest Division for most of the season, forged a better record than during our championship year and reached the conference semifinals before passing the torch to a worthy successor, the regular season and eventual Cup champion Texas Stars. Given what has transpired over the last two seasons, I don’t believe there’s ever been a better time to be a Griffins fan. Blashill, the American Hockey League’s reigning coach of the year, signed a new contract with the Detroit Red Wings over the summer that will keep him in the organization for the next three seasons. And while we’ve said goodbye to assistant coach Spiros Anastas and longtime friend Jim Paek, both of whom helped us capture the Cup in 2013 and now lead their own teams, we’re thrilled to welcome a pair of highly touted, new coaches with West Michigan ties in Pat Ferschweiler and Dave Noel-Bernier. Last season saw the best of both worlds in terms of our affiliation with the Red Wings. The Griffins earned consecutive playoff berths for the first time since 2007, while nine of our players made their NHL debuts in Hockeytown. Several other recent Grand Rapids alumni, such as Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Tatar and Riley Sheahan, played invaluable roles in Detroit making the playoffs for a remarkable 23rd straight season. Perhaps most impressive was our incredible attendance. We finished second out of 30 league franchises, welcomed more than 300,000 fans for the first time in our 13 AHL seasons – including more than 20,000 for our first-ever outdoor game at Comerica Park in Detroit – and finished with our highest average since 1999-2000. As the Griffins enter season number 19, it’s humbling that your support and interest are as strong and fervent as they’ve ever been. After witnessing these tremendous accomplishments in two seasons under coach Blashill, everyone in Griffins Nation can hardly wait to see what the third act will bring. I look forward to cheering along with you. Sincerely,
Dan DeVos President & CEO Grand Rapids Griffins
10 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
DAVID A. ANDREWS
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
American Hockey League
3RI 1SREVGL 4PEGI ¯ 7TVMRKJMIPH 1% 4LSRI *E\ Dear Fans, It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 2014-15 American Hockey League season, our 79th year of play. We are proud to be entering what is sure to be another exciting season, continuing our tradition of excellence and bringing an entertaining, physical and highly skilled level of professional hockey to more than 6 million fans in arenas across North America. The 2014-15 season will once again feature 30 teams who will be competing for the AHL’s historic Calder Cup championship, and 30 National Hockey League clubs who will be developing their top prospects and future stars in our cities. Last season alone, more than 240 first- and second-round NHL draft picks competed in the American Hockey League, and 347 players took the ice in both the AHL and the NHL. We take great pride in our tradition of developing the best hockey talent in the world, with over 88 percent of today’s NHL players, coaches and officials having honed their skills in the American Hockey League. Through the years, our loyal and passionate fans have enjoyed cheering for more than 100 future Hockey Hall of Famers, and have witnessed the triumphs of more than 100 Calder Cup champions who would go on to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup as well. We’re pleased to continue to deliver professional hockey to the great fans of Glens Falls, N.Y., and we welcome Allentown, Pa., to the league as the Adirondack Flames and Lehigh Valley Phantoms hit the ice this season. The AHL’s two newest entries will join the rest of the league in looking to dethrone the defending Calder Cup champion Texas Stars in the chase for the AHL’s 2015 title. On behalf of all of our teams, players and staff, thank you again for your continuing support of the AHL. I wish you the utmost enjoyment of all the excitement that our 2014-15 season has in store. Sincerely, David A. Andrews President & Chief Executive Officer American Hockey League 8LI%,0
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theahl.com
/TheAHL
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MVPSportsClubs.com
Health & Fitness Destination Fitness | Group Exercise | Aquatics | Basketball | Tennis | Kidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Area
Grand Rapids | Downtown GR | Holland | Rockford
2 014 - 15 A H L D I R E C T O RY
EASTERN CONFERENCE
ATLANTIC DIVISION: Manchester, Portland, Providence, St. John’s, Worcester EAST DIVISION: Binghamton, Hershey, Lehigh Valley, Norfolk, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton NORTHEAST DIVISION: Albany, Bridgeport, Hartford, Springfield, Syracuse
ALBANY DEVILS
NHL AFFILIATION: New Jersey Devils HOME ICE: Times Union Center (6,691) GENERAL MANAGER: Chris Lamoriello HEAD COACH: Rick Kowalsky ENTERED AHL: 2006-07 (as Lowell Devils) CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 2 of 8 2013-14 RECORD: 40-23-5-8, 93 pts. WEBSITE: www.thealbanydevils.com
BINGHAMTON SENATORS
LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS
NHL AFFILIATION: Philadelphia Flyers HOME ICE: PPL Center (8,578) GENERAL MANAGER: Ron Hextall HEAD COACH: Terry Murray ENTERED AHL: 1996-97 (as Philadelphia Phantoms) CALDER CUPS: Two (1998, 2005) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 10 of 18 2013-14 RECORD: 30-38-2-6, 68 pts. WEBSITE: www.lehighvalleyphantoms.com
MANCHESTER MONARCHS
NHL AFFILIATION: Los Angeles Kings HOME ICE: Verizon Wireless Arena (9,852) GENERAL MANAGER: Rob Blake HEAD COACH: Mike Stothers ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 12 of 13 2013-14 RECORD: 48-19-3-6, 105 pts. WEBSITE: www.manchestermonarchs.com
NHL AFFILIATION: Ottawa Senators HOME ICE: Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena (4,679) GENERAL MANAGER: Randy Lee HEAD COACH: Luke Richardson ENTERED AHL: 2002-03 CALDER CUPS: One (2011) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 6 of 12 2013-14 RECORD: 44-24-3-5, 96 pts. WEBSITE: www.binghamtonsenators.com
NORFOLK ADMIRALS
BRIDGEPORT SOUND TIGERS
PORTLAND PIRATES
NHL AFFILIATION: New York Islanders HOME ICE: Webster Bank Arena (8,412) GENERAL MANAGER: Garth Snow HEAD COACH: Brent Thompson ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 7 of 13 2013-14 RECORD: 28-40-2-6, 64 pts. WEBSITE: www.soundtigers.com
HARTFORD WOLF PACK
NHL AFFILIATION: Anaheim Ducks HOME ICE: Norfolk Scope (8,701) GENERAL MANAGER: Bob Murray HEAD COACH: Jarrod Skalde ENTERED AHL: 2000-01 CALDER CUPS: One (2012) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 10 of 14 2013-14 RECORD: 40-26-3-7, 90 pts. WEBSITE: www.norfolkadmirals.com NHL AFFILIATION: Arizona Coyotes HOME ICE: Cross Insurance Arena (6,157) GM/HEAD COACH: Ray Edwards ENTERED AHL: 1993-94 CALDER CUPS: One (1994) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 15 of 21 2013-14 RECORD: 24-39-3-10, 61 pts. WEBSITE: www.portlandpirates.com
PROVIDENCE BRUINS
NHL AFFILIATION: New York Rangers HOME ICE: XL Center (15,635) GENERAL MANAGER: Jim Schoenfeld HEAD COACH: Ken Gernander ENTERED AHL: 1997-98 CALDER CUPS: One (2000) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 14 of 17 2013-14 RECORD: 37-32-1-6, 81 pts. WEBSITE: www.hartfordwolfpack.com
NHL AFFILIATION: Boston Bruins HOME ICE: Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence (11,075) GENERAL MANAGER: Don Sweeney HEAD COACH: Bruce Cassidy ENTERED AHL: 1992-93 CALDER CUPS: One (1999) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 17 of 22 2013-14 RECORD: 40-25-2-9, 91 pts. WEBSITE: www.providencebruins.com
HERSHEY BEARS
SPRINGFIELD FALCONS
NHL AFFILIATION: Washington Capitals HOME ICE: Giant Center (10,500) GENERAL MANAGER: Doug Yingst HEAD COACH: Troy Mann ENTERED AHL: 1938-39 CALDER CUPS: 11 (1947, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1974, 1980, 1988, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 64 of 76 2013-14 RECORD: 39-27-5-5, 88 pts. WEBSITE: www.hersheybears.com
NHL AFFILIATION: Columbus Blue Jackets HOME ICE: MassMutual Center (6,784) GENERAL MANAGER: Chris MacFarland HEAD COACH: Jared Bednar ENTERED AHL: 1994-95 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 8 of 20 2013-14 RECORD: 47-23-1-5, 100 pts. WEBSITE: www.falconsahl.com Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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2 014 - 15 A H L D I R E C T O RY ST. JOHN’S ICECAPS
NHL AFFILIATION: Winnipeg Jets HOME ICE: Mile One Centre (6,287) GENERAL MANAGER: Craig Heisinger HEAD COACH: Keith McCambridge ENTERED AHL: 2011-12 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 2 of 3 2013-14 RECORD: 46-23-2-5, 99 pts. WEBSITE: www.stjohnsicecaps.com
SYRACUSE CRUNCH
NHL AFFILIATION: Tampa Bay Lightning HOME ICE: War Memorial Arena (6,099) GENERAL MANAGER: Julien BriseBois HEAD COACH: Rob Zettler ENTERED AHL: 1994-95 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 11 of 20 2013-14 RECORD: 31-32-4-9, 75 pts. WEBSITE: www.syracusecrunch.com
WESTERN CONFERENCE MIDWEST DIVISION: Grand Rapids, Chicago, Lake Erie, Milwaukee, Rockford NORTH DIVISION: Adirondack, Hamilton, Rochester, Toronto, Utica WEST DIVISION: Charlotte, Iowa, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Texas
ADIRONDACK FLAMES
NHL AFFILIATION: Calgary Flames HOME ICE: Glens Falls Civic Center (4,796) GENERAL MANAGER: Brad Treliving HEAD COACH: Ryan Huska ENTERED AHL: 2014-15 WEBSITE: www.adirondackflames.com
CHARLOTTE CHECKERS
NHL AFFILIATION: Carolina Hurricanes HOME ICE: Time Warner Cable Arena (8,200) HEAD COACH/ GENERAL MANAGER: Jeff Daniels ENTERED AHL: 2010-11 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 2 of 4 2013-14 RECORD: 37-36-1-2, 77 pts. WEBSITE: www.gocheckers.com
CHICAGO WOLVES
NHL AFFILIATION: St. Louis Blues HOME ICE: Allstate Arena (16,692) GENERAL MANAGER: Wendell Young HEAD COACH: John Anderson ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: Two (2002, 2008) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 9 of 13 2013-14 RECORD: 45-21-5-5, 100 pts. WEBSITE: www.chicagowolves.com
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WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS NHL AFFILIATION: Pittsburgh Penguins HOME ICE: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza (8,050) GENERAL MANAGER: Jim Rutherford HEAD COACH: John Hynes ENTERED AHL: 1999-00 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 13 of 15 2013-14 RECORD: 42-26-3-5, 92 pts. WEBSITE: www.wbspenguins.com
WORCESTER SHARKS
NHL AFFILIATION: San Jose Sharks HOME ICE: DCU Center (5,400) GENERAL MANAGER: Joe Will HEAD COACH: Roy Sommer ENTERED AHL: 2006-07 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 8 2013-14 RECORD: 36-34-4-2, 78 pts. WEBSITE: www.sharksahl.com
GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS
NHL AFFILIATION: Detroit Red Wings HOME ICE: Van Andel Arena (10,834) GENERAL MANAGER: Ryan Martin HEAD COACH: Jeff Blashill ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: One (2013) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 8 of 13 2013-14 RECORD: 46-23-2-5, 99 pts. WEBSITE: www.griffinshockey.com
HAMILTON BULLDOGS
NHL AFFILIATION: Montreal Canadiens HOME ICE: FirstOntario Centre (8,819) GENERAL MANAGER: Marc Bergevin HEAD COACH: Sylvain Lefebvre ENTERED AHL: 1996-97 CALDER CUPS: One (2007) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 12 of 18 2013-14 RECORD: 33-35-1-7, 74 pts. WEBSITE: www.hamiltonbulldogs.com
IOWA WILD
NHL AFFILIATION: Minnesota Wild HOME ICE: Wells Fargo Arena (8,162) GENERAL MANAGER: Jim Mill HEAD COACH: John Torchetti ENTERED AHL: 2013-14 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 0 of 1 2013-14 RECORD: 27-36-7-6, 67 pts. WEBSITE: www.iowawild.com
LAKE ERIE MONSTERS
NHL AFFILIATION: Colorado Avalanche HOME ICE: Quicken Loans Arena (20,093) HEAD COACH: Dean Chynoweth ENTERED AHL: 2007-08 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 7 2013-14 RECORD: 32-33-1-10, 75 pts. WEBSITE: www.lakeeriemonsters.com
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2 014 - 15 A H L D I R E C T O RY MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS
NHL AFFILIATION: Nashville Predators HOME ICE: BMO Harris Bradley Center (17,845) GENERAL MANAGER: Paul Fenton HEAD COACH: Dean Evason ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: One (2004) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 12 of 13 2013-14 RECORD: 39-24-6-7, 91 pts. WEBSITE: www.milwaukeeadmirals.com
OKLAHOMA CITY BARONS
NHL AFFILIATION: Edmonton Oilers HOME ICE: Cox Convention Center (6,400) GENERAL MANAGER: Bill Scott HEAD COACH: Gerry Fleming ENTERED AHL: 2010-11 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 4 of 4 2013-14 RECORD: 36-29-2-9, 83 pts. WEBSITE: www.okcbarons.com
TORONTO MARLIES
NHL AFFILIATION: Toronto Maple Leafs HOME ICE: Ricoh Coliseum (7,851) HEAD COACH: Gord Dineen ENTERED AHL: 2005-06 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 6 of 9 2013-14 RECORD: 45-25-2-4, 96 pts. WEBSITE: www.marlies.ca
UTICA COMETS
NHL AFFILIATION: Vancouver Canucks HOME ICE: Utica Memorial Auditorium (3,815) DIRECTOR OF HOCKEY OPERATIONS: Pat Conacher HEAD COACH: Travis Green ENTERED AHL: 2013-14 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 0 of 1 2013-14 RECORD: 35-32-5-4, 79 pts. WEBSITE: www.uticacomets.com
ROCHESTER AMERICANS
NHL AFFILIATION: Buffalo Sabres HOME ICE: Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial (10,662) GENERAL MANAGER: Tim Murray HEAD COACH: Chadd Cassidy ENTERED AHL: 1956-57 CALDER CUPS: Six (1965, 1966, 1968, 1983, 1987, 1996) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 44 of 58 2013-14 RECORD: 37-28-6-5, 85 pts. WEBSITE: www.amerks.com
ROCKFORD ICEHOGS
NHL AFFILIATION: Chicago Blackhawks HOME ICE: BMO Harris Bank Center (5,895) GENERAL MANAGER: Mark Bernard HEAD COACH: Ted Dent ENTERED AHL: 2007-08 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 7 2013-14 RECORD: 35-32-5-4, 79 pts. WEBSITE: www.icehogs.com
SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE
NHL AFFILIATION: Florida Panthers HOME ICE: AT&T Center (6,374) HEAD COACH: Tom Rowe ENTERED AHL: 2002-03 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 12 2013-14 RECORD: 30-37-3-6, 69 pts. WEBSITE: www.sarampage.com
TEXAS STARS
NHL AFFILIATION: Dallas Stars HOME ICE: Cedar Park Center (6,863) GENERAL MANAGER: Scott White HEAD COACH: Derek Laxdal ENTERED AHL: 2009-10 CALDER CUPS: One (2014) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 4 of 5 2013-14 RECORD: 48-18-3-7, 106 pts. WEBSITE: www.texasstarshockey.com
2014-15 PLAYOFF FORMAT Eight ht teams ms in eachh conference will qualify for the 20155 Calder Cup Playoffs: The three hree division winners will be seeded first through third in order of points, and the next five teams in order of points will be seeded fourth through eighth. The conference quarterfinals will be best-of-five series; the conference semifinals, conference finals and Calder Cup Finals will be best-of-seven series. Teams will be re-ordered after the first round so that the highest-remaining seed plays the lowest-remaining seed. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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WE’RE FANS OF THE GRIFFINS. WE’RE ALSO FANS OF THEIR FANS. At Huntington, our community comes first. And we’re proud to support the teams that represent it, like the Grand Rapids Griffins. We’re also proud to support the people in the stands.
The Huntington National Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. ¥ ® and Huntington® are federally registered service marks of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. Huntington.® Welcome.™ is a service mark of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. ©2013 Huntington Bancshares Incorporated.
DETROIT
RED WINGS TOP AFFILIATE
Grand Rapids Griffins (13th Season) through 2016-17
ARENA
Joe Louis Arena • Seating Capacity: 20,066
INFO
Phone: (313) 394-7000 • www.detroitredwings.com
STANLEY CUPS
1936, 1937, 1943, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2008
MANAGEMENT
Ken Holland, Executive VP/General Manager Ryan Martin, Assistant General Manager
COACHING STAFF
Photo: Getty Images
Mike Babcock, Head Coach Tony Granato, Assistant Coach • Jim Hiller, Assistant Coach Andrew Brewer, Assistant Coach – Video Jim Bedard, Goaltending Coach Peter Renzetti, Strength and Conditioning Coach
Tomas Jurco and eight other Griffins made their NHL debuts with the Red Wings during 2013-14. Playing alongside recent Grand Rapids alumni such as Riley Sheahan and Tomas Tatar, they helped Detroit extend its remarkable streak of consecutive Stanley Cup Playoff appearances to 23 seasons.
* Justin Abdelkader, Abdelkader 2008-09 2008 09 Adam Almquist, 2013-14 Joakim Andersson, 2011-12 Sean Avery, 2002-03 Ryan Barnes, 2003-04 Patrick Boileau, 2002-03 Darryl Bootland, 2003-04 Fabian Brunnstrom, 2011-12 Mitch Callahan, 2013-14 Ty Conklin, 2011-12 Chris Conner, 2011-12 Danny DeKeyser, 2013-14 Aaron Downey, 2008-09 Patrick Eaves, 2013-14 Matt Ellis, 2006-07 Cory Emmerton, 2010-11 Jonathan Ericsson, 2007-08 Landon Ferraro, 2013-14 Valtteri Filppula, 2005-06 Luke Glendening, 2013-14 Mark Hartigan, 2007-08 Darren Helm, 2007-08 Jimmy Howard, 2005-06 Jiri Hudler, 2003-04 Matt Hussey, 2006-07 Doug Janik, 2009-10 Tomas Jurco, 2013-14 Jakub Kindl, 2009-10 Tomas Kopecky, 2005-06 Niklas Kronwall, 2003-04 Marc Lamothe, 2003-04 Josh Langfeld, 2006-07
Brian Lashoff, 2012-13 2012 13 Brett Lebda, 2005-06 Ville Leino, 2008-09 Joey MacDonald, 2006-07 Donald MacLean, 2005-06 Alexey Marchenko, 2013-14 Darren McCarty, 2007-08 Tom McCollum, 2010-11 Derek Meech, 2006-07 Kevin Miller, 2003-04 Mark Mowers, 2003-04 Petr Mrazek, 2012-13 Jan Mursak, 2010-11 Anders Myrvold, 2003-04 Andrej Nestrasil, 2014-15 Kris Newbury, 2009-10 Gustav Nyquist, 2011-12 Xavier Ouellet, 2013-14 Teemu Pulkkinen, 2013-14 Kyle Quincey, 2005-06 Mattias Ritola, 2007-08 Jamie Rivers, 2003-04 Nathan Robinson, 2003-04 Stacy Roest, 2002-03 Riley Sheahan, 2011-12 Brendan Smith, 2011-12 Ryan Sproul, 2013-14 Garrett Stafford, 2007-08 Tomas Tatar, 2010-11 Jordin Tootoo, 2013-14 Jason Williams, 2002-03
* 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) and Stephen Weiss (2014-15).
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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One of Michigan’s premier golf destinations. “ - Places to Play” “One of the 25 best golf courses in Michigan” -GOLF DIGEST
Our beautiful Rees Jones signature course is designed to provide a challenging test of golf, while accommodating golfers of all skill levels. Just minutes from downtown Grand Rapids, see for yourself why this stunning jewel has been rated one of the best golf courses around.
www.togc.net
4100 Thousand Oaks Drive, Grand Rapids | East Beltline and 5 Mile - go East one mile | 616.447.7750
Casual and inviting surroundings. Diverse menu. Breathtaking views.
Thousand Oaks is a name synonymous with attention to detail, sumptuous dining and unblemished nature. Once reserved for small parties and business meetings, Thousand Oaks now presents Grand Oaks Banquet and Meeting Facility to accommodate gatherings of all sizes. Nestled into a private, 425-acre setting, yet just minutes from Downtown Grand Rapids, Grand Oaks Banquet Facility offers a refreshing alternative for meetings, receptions, and private parties. From the intimate setting of the Birch Room that seats 60 Guests, the expanse of the Grand Oaks Hall that accommodates up to 350 persons, Grand Oaks Banquet Facility can meet most reception needs in style. Our high performance facility, with its pre-function area, offers a flawless setting for professional meetings and personal events. With a full line of projection screens, audio/visual equipment, stage and wireless business center, Grand Oaks is versatile, reliable, and priced ala-carte to most budgets.
Year-round Golf Lessons. Join the Academy! Call 616-363-GOLF
More than a great place to visit–it’s a great place to live. Call 616-828-6780
2014-15 GRIFFINS PROMOTIONAL SCHEDULE
MARK YOUR
CALENDAR! Check out our Season-Long Promotions on the next page!
Feb. 7: Mitch Callahan Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union/ Mascot Mania/Grandville vs. Detroit Catholic Central High School Hockey (pre-game) Feb. 7-8: 13th Annual Great Skate Winterfest at Rosa Parks Circle (NEW DATES!) ▼
Feb. 14: Griffins Scarf Giveaway presented by Centennial Securities ▼
Feb. 17: Griffins Booster Club Silent Auction Feb. 20: Russian Bar Trio performance ▼
Feb. 9: Griffins & Sled Wings Game at Griff ’s IceHouse (NEW DATE!) ▼
Feb. 13: Purple Community Game presented by Van Andel Institute/Purple Jersey Auction ▼
▲Feb. 21: Star Wars Night presented by Consumers Energy Feb. 22: Griffins Youth Foundation Fundraiser at Uccello’s Restaurants March 14: Griffins Cereal Bowl Giveaway presented by Flagstar Bank Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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▲March 16: Corks, Pucks & Brews at the Goei Center, benefiting Easter Seals Michigan March 20: ‘90s Night/Fan Design Jersey Auction #2 ▼
▲March 22: Dog Night at Van Andel presented by Nestlé Purina and Meijer/ Performance by Olate Dogs, winners of America’s Got Talent/$1 Pepsi Drinks and $1 Ice Cream from 3-5 p.m. April 4: Tomas Jurco Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Michigan Office Solutions April 6: Griffins Booster Club Awards Banquet April 18: Season Finale presented by Huntington Bank/Friday Night Jersey Auction
SEASON-LONG PROMOTIONS $2 Beers and $2 Hot Dogs: Every Friday, enjoy $2 domestic drafts and $2 hot dogs from 6-8 p.m., while supplies last. Get in the D-ZONE: Every Friday night is a Griffins D-Zone night. Avoid the concession lines and get your $2 beers and $2 hot dogs served to you in your seats. Call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2 or visit griffinshockey.com/dzone today! Military Nights: Every home game, current members of our military can purchase up to four Upper Level tickets for $14 each or four Lower Level Faceoff tickets for $18 each with a valid military ID. The offer also extends to veterans who present a VA ID or discharge papers. College Nights: Every Friday, college students can show their ID to purchase an Upper Level ticket for $14 (or $13 in advance at The Zone) and stop by the McFadden’s concourse table to receive a free pass to the post-game party at McFadden’s. Limit one ticket per ID. 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. Wednesday is Hockey Night: For all Wednesday games through March, show your Griffins ticket at participating Arena District restaurants and bars to enjoy Happy Hour specials before the game and Hockey Night specials afterward. Visit griffinshockey.com/hockeynight for a list of participating establishments. 22 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
Amway Winning Wednesdays: Every time the Griffins win at home on Wednesday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the next Wednesday game. Additionally, the first 300 fans to visit the Amway table in Section A will receive a gift. Fans can also enjoy a buy-one, get-one-free deal on a 16 oz. Pepsi all night long at any concession stand that sells fountain drinks.
Wednesdays at Rosa Parks Circle: Before every Wednesday game in January and February, bring your ticket for that night’s Griffins game to Rosa Parks Circle and skate for free. (Skate rentals are always free, compliments of the Griffins Youth Foundation.) One free admission per ticket. Valid Feb. 18. Rink hours are noon-9:45 p.m. Fox Motors Fast Lane: Before every home game, show your Fox Motors keychain to skip the main box office lines in the arena lobby and purchase your tickets at the designated “Fox Motors Fast Lane” ticket window. Post-Game Parties at Peppino’s: Every Wednesday night, join Griffins players and staff for the official post-game party at Peppino’s Sports Grille downtown. Library Nights: For every Sunday and Wednesday game, fans can present their Grand Rapids Public Library card or Kent District Library card at the Van Andel Arena box office on the night of the game or at The Zone anytime during the store’s regular business hours to purchase either an Upper Level ticket for $14 (regularly $16 advance and $19 day of game) or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $18 (regularly $20 advance and $23 day of game). Limit four tickets per card per person, subject to availability.
Friends & Family 4-Packs: Available for all Saturday games, each pack incudes four tickets and $12 in concession cash for a great low price. Visit griffinshockey.com/f4p or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2. Pepsi Reading Goals: Children with Griff ’s Reading Goals bookmarks who have completed the required three hours of reading can redeem their bookmark for two free Upper Level tickets to any one of the following games: Feb. 18; March 22; and April 1, 4 and 8. Post-Game Open Skates: Feb. 14; March 22; and April 18. Huntington Bank Post-Game Autograph Sessions: Feb. 21; March 14; and April 4. MOS Corner Office: Presented by Michigan Office Solutions, this section, located on the terrace level above section 118, provides the best seats in the house for groups of up to 30 people, with La-Z-Boy chairs and an array of unprecedented amenities. Call (616) 774-4585. J. Gardella’s Burger and Beer Special: Take your used Griffins ticket to J. Gardella’s Tavern to enjoy a burger and beer for $5. Refer to the back of your ticket for details. Bagel on the Board: Whenever the Griffins “put a bagel on the board” – i.e. shut out their opponent – you have one week to take your ticket to any Bagel Beanery location to receive one free bagel and a gourmet coffee. All promotions and dates subject to change. For more information, visit griffinshockey.com.
Story and photos by Mark Newman
GREAT EXPECTATIONS As a highly touted Red Wings prospect, Anthony Mantha is learning itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a long road from Grand Rapids to Detroit.
24 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
“To whom much is given, much is expected.” – Sign above the Detroit Red Wings’dressing room exit Anthony Mantha remembers what it was like when he was first learning to play. “When you’re young, it’s all about having fun,” Mantha said. “We would go to the park outside and just skate. My dad and my grandfather would take me to free skates and that was the main message, just have fun, probably all the way up to midget AAA.” Almost from the beginning, Mantha excelled. A natural athlete, he has participated in a plethora of sports – tennis, golf, cross country, handball, soccer, badminton – but hockey was his first love. “Back in those days, it was easy,” he said. “You’re just having fun with your friends and hanging out.” If Mantha is feeling a little nostalgic about growing up in Longueuil, Quebec, north of Montreal, it’s because his first professional season has not been easy. Expectations were high. Many people had anointed Mantha to be the next star in Detroit despite the fact that he is only 20 years old and is still learning to use all of his tools. “For Anthony Mantha, it’s a process,” said Griffins head coach Jeff Blashill. “Everybody wanted to expediate his timeline to a very, very unfair degree. This is a hard, hard league and it’s a huge jump from major junior. I thought the expectations were extremely unfair.” After a season in which he scored 81 goals in 81 games with the Val-d’Or Foreurs in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, Mantha has struggled to show similar results at the AHL level. Through his first 28 games, he had six goals and six assists. From the perspective of his coach, there is no reason to be discouraged. “Anthony is growing as a player and he’s working to get better,” Blashill said. “He’s going to be a great player – it’s just a matter of time and the adjustment process.” Of course, knowing it’s going to take some time hasn’t lessened the frustration felt by Mantha, who is no different from most young players itching for their first NHL opportunity. “The adjustment has been harder than I thought,” he said, even though he has been schooled in the ways of hockey from his childhood.
His grandfather is Andre Pronovost, a fourtime Stanley Cup champion who played for the Red Wings from 1962 to 1965. His father, Daniel Pronovost, played one year of hockey in Europe before an accident cut short his career. “When I began to think about a career in the sport, they gave me advice,” said Mantha, who shares his mother’s name with sisters Kim, Elizabeth and Barbara and is only distantly related to Moe Mantha, the former NHL defenseman who is currently the co-owner and head coach of the Michigan Warriors NAHL team in Flint. His dad and grandfather encouraged him but never pushed, offering helpful advice but never criticizing.
Mantha tallied 24 goals in 24 playoff games last season with Val d’Or. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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“My grandfather always told me to remember three words in French: travail, ténacité and talent,” Mantha said, which roughly translate as work, perseverance and skill. “If you are willing to work and face adversity, you can build a career off your talent.” Mantha came face-to-face with adversity before this season. This past fall, there was talk of Mantha making the Detroit roster right out of major junior hockey. The Red Wings talked about trying him out on the team’s top two lines during exhibition games, and even Mantha harbored high hopes that he could make the team and show that the
Mantha is coming off back-to-back 50-goal seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. 26 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
Wings had made the right decision when they selected him with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. “I had my best summer since I started training,” said Mantha, who was lifting more weights and putting more mass onto his 6-foot-5 frame. “I was confident that things could align and I maybe could stay in Detroit.” But his highly anticipated training camp audition never came to fruition. He suffered a fractured tibia when he hit a rut in the ice and fell awkwardly during a prospects tournament game in Traverse City before the main camp. “I thought I was just sore, so I finished the game,” he recalled. “The next day they kept me out of practice just in case, and two days later they told me to get an X-ray. It was hard when I found out that it was fractured, but I didn’t take it as the end of the world. I needed to pull my sleeves back up, battle through rehab and get back on the ice.” Still, it was a crushing blow. “When the real camp started, they came out with lines and I think I was on a line with (Pavel) Datsyuk and (Gustav) Nyquist,” he said. “I was thrilled, and then the next day I learned I couldn’t even take one practice, let alone play in any exhibition games.” Not surprisingly, it played havoc on his psyche. “My family was supposed to come and watch some exhibition games, but they still came to spend time with me,” he said. “They knew my mental attitude was a little down, so they came to cheer me up.” With a prognosis of being out 6-8 weeks, Mantha did his best to stay positive. He bonded with his three older sisters, talking by phone or text messages. He found a role model for his rehab in his sister Elizabeth, a University of Montreal blueliner who had to recover from her own leg injury last summer. When he finally worked his way back into action in mid-Novembver, he offered a glimpse of what he could do, scoring a goal in two of his first four games in a Griffins uniform. But he tallied only one goal in the next nine games, and one more in a 15-game stretch that started on Dec. 20. It was a humbling experience. “This is really a great league,” he said. “It doesn’t look that fast from the stands, but when you’re in the middle of the action on the ice, you
Mantha made his pro debut on Nov. 14 at Van Andel Arena against the Texas Stars. 28 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
get a different point of view. When you lift your head up, you’ll have one guy on you or maybe two. You’ve got to see the play before it happens. You’ve got to keep moving your feet.” If the injury ever threatened to darken his mood, he found solace in the idea that every cloud has a silver lining. Maybe getting more minutes in the minors wasn’t such a bad idea after all. More games in the AHL now might mean more success in the NHL later. “We all know Detroit’s way of working with their kids,” he said. “If you look at the younger players in the Red Wings’ lineup – (Riley) Sheahan, (Tomas) Jurco, (Gustav) Nyquist and (Tomas) Tatar – they all played here. I hope I can build on the success that they had here.” While it may be difficult to admit, the truth is Mantha was not ready for the NHL, and he is a smart enough player to recognize that fact. “It’s all about becoming an everyday player,” he said. “If I want to end up in Detroit, that’s the message. I need to be on my ‘A’ game every night. I’m playing against men now and there are a lot of heavyweights in this league. If I can work and win my battles against these guys, maybe in
the next few years I could be in the corner with (Zdeno) Chára, winning battles.” He’s determined to silence the whispers. He’s heard the critics who have suggested that he needs to ratchet up his competitive drive. “There were teams at the NHL combine that told me straight up,” he said. “People were saying that my consistency level wasn’t the best. They were saying my 1-on-1 battles weren’t that great. I needed to work on my defensive zone. But I knew it. I know how I play and I knew there were things I needed to improve.” For his mental well-being, Mantha is doing his best to avoid the hype. “I’ve tried to ignore everything, whether it’s good or bad,” he said. “I need to focus on all of the little details that will help make me become a better player. The way I see it, some people are going to like you and some are not.” While the stats may not show it, Mantha is starting to feel better about his play two months into his first professional season. “I think I’m playing good games the past few weeks,” he said. “I just need that finishing touch to come back and then we should be all set.”
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” e i z o “R reams D
Story and photos by Mark Newman
After a nightmare 2013-14 season, Griffins goaltender Jared Coreau envisions a brighter future. 30 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
Not everyone remembers the day they decided what they wanted to do with their life, but Jared Coreau definitely remembers his. “I was at my first NHL game,” Coreau said. “It was Buffalo against Ottawa at the Corel Centre, and I was 5 years old at the time. We sat three rows behind the glass. I don’t remember watching the game, but I do remember staring at the goalies the whole time. It was Damian Rhodes for Ottawa and Dominik Hasek for Buffalo. “I watched everything they did. I watched how they drank water, how they skated to the corners and back. I especially watched Hasek because he had a few quirky things that he did. I watched them the whole time. “The next morning I woke up and told my parents that I wanted to be a goalie. I think they looked at each other like, ‘Oh boy, this is going to cost us some serious money,’ but that’s how it started.” Jeff and Sharon Coreau acquiesced to their son’s wishes, buying him a helmet and used goalie pads. Eventually they bought his first set of custom goalie pads – a set of blue and white Bauer pads in the style of Curtis Joseph, Jared’s favorite goaltender at the time. “I can remember pulling them out of the box,” he said. “I actually slept the whole night in my gear because I refused to take it off, that’s how much I loved it.” He attended week-long summer camps in southern Ontario where he grew up, but when he was 11, he started working with Andrew Mercer, a full-time goalie coach (Coreau still works with him), so that he could learn the fundamentals and refine his technique. It was roughly around the same time that a teacher in his hometown of Perth gave him some valuable advice. “I was in sixth grade and Mr. Pegg talked to us about the importance of education, how you can learn a skill that will earn you money and take care of you for the rest of your life,” Coreau recalled. “He said, ‘Imagine if you could play a sport and then go to school for free.’ I really paid attention when he added that some colleges
charge $40,000 a year for tuition. If sports can get you into school for free, that’s the best thing.” His dream became to earn a scholarship to play Division I college hockey. It wouldn’t come easily. “There was one year where I was cut by seven different teams,” he said. He played Junior A hockey for the Peterborough Stars in the Ontario Junior Hockey League during the 2008-09 season, then played a full season for the Lincoln Stars in the United States Hockey League the following year. It was while he was playing for Lincoln that he was offered a full ride to Northern Michigan University. “It was a dream come true,” he said. “I liked that I was going to a school where I wasn’t going to be able to hide behind an extremely strong team. I wanted some work. Northern had a decent program and I felt like I could be a vital component in their success.” Coreau played three seasons under Wildcats head coach Walt Kyle. He enjoyed living in Marquette (although he liked the summers there more than the winters), found the people “very neighborly” and appreciated that most of the teachers were hockey fans. Nicknamed “Rozie” (a play off the second syllable of his surname), he steadily improved his play and became the No. 1 man in net during his sophomore season. He excelled in the classroom as well as on the ice. Majoring in accounting/corporate finance, he had a 3.7 GPA. Coreau was an undrafted prospect, which meant he was free to sign with any NHL team. “I knew I was going to go pro and my agent (Jerry Buckley) and I talked quite a bit through the process,” he said. “Everybody told me that when the money calls, you can’t say no because you never know what can happen. You could have a bad year or get hurt.” Coreau signed a three-year contract with the Red Wings after his junior year. “I had no idea Detroit had tabs on me,” he said. “Actually, I thought it was going to be Winnipeg.
If you want evidence of the development process, you need look no further than Coreau’s rookie season last year.
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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“It might have been a bit mental, a bit physical, but whatever it was, I wasn’t winning.”
Their scout, Brian Renfrew, was at practices, games and morning skates. He traveled a lot to see me, so when it came down to picking Detroit, I almost felt bad.” Those feelings were eclipsed, however, by his excitement regarding the opportunity to become a prospect in the Red Wings organization. “I knew I wasn’t going to go straight to the NHL,” he said. “I definitely knew I had work to do. I still have work to do. That’s just the way it is. The development process for a goalie is a lot lengthier. It’s a position that takes time. It takes time to become consistent and make all those saves.” If you want evidence of the development process, you need look no further than Coreau’s rookie season last year. He appeared in 25 games between Toledo and Grand Rapids and had one victory to show for his efforts. His cumulative record was 1-16-6. “I thought it was going to be a great year,”
Coreau said. “I had a great prospects tournament. I played the third period in three exhibition games and allowed only one goal. My first game in the AHL, we lost in overtime in Toronto, but I thought I played OK. My first game in the ECHL, we also lost in overtime, but I thought I played great. And then something happened. “I’ve thought about it and I can’t come up with a concrete answer. It might have been a bit mental, a bit physical, but whatever it was, I wasn’t winning.” It was equivalent to Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown. He felt terrible. There were times when he wanted to hide. But he never quit. “I was getting down, but I was showing up every day and doing my best to be a good teammate. I kept working and working and, while the results didn’t show it, I began to feel more confident. During the last two months of the season, I started having a lot better games.”
In January, Coreau became only the second goalie in Griffins history to post back-to-back road shutouts, blanking Iowa and Milwaukee on consecutive nights. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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At 6-foot-5, Coreau has the size that allows him to reach pucks that might elude smaller men.
Recognizing it had been the year from hell, Coreau did the only thing he could. He chose to put last season behind him. “At the end of the year, I figured I could sulk, I could dwell on it and I could let it affect my future or, like (Griffins head coach) Jeff Blashill suggested, I could take what I learned in games and practices and come back a better goalie, and that’s what I did.” Coreau chose to see his rookie season as a building block rather than a stumbling block in his career. “Dusty Collins, who played at Northern before me and played in the AHL, told me that the pros are all about moving forward. No one cares about the previous year and how good or bad it was. If you scored 50 goals last season and you’re only on pace for 20 this year, people will say, “Stop talking about last year and start doing it this year.’ Whether I was in the ECHL
or the AHL, I knew guys didn’t have confidence in me. I needed to change that.” Anxious to put last season behind him, Coreau went 4-2 with Toledo before rejoining the Griffins at the end of November when the Red Wings recalled Petr Mrazek to replace the injured Jonas Gustavsson. In his first start with the Griffins this season, Coreau stopped 35 of 36 shots in a 6-1 win in Adirondack on Nov. 29. A week later, he stopped all 31 shots in a 4-0 shutout in Rockford, then excelled in a 2-1 shootout win the next night in Milwaukee. He won his next three starts, too, running his record to 6-0 and tying a Griffins record for longest winning streak to start a season. What a difference a year can make. Although Coreau didn’t post another win in the month that followed, he didn’t play poorly either. He allowed three or fewer goals
Coreau was named the AHL’s Player of the Week on Feb. 2, becoming the first Griffin to earn that honor since Petr Mrazek in February 2013. 34 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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in five of his next seven starts, and when Tom McCollum joined Mrazek in Detroit on Jan. 11, Coreau became the de facto No. 1 goaltender. “I’m treating it as a big challenge,” he said. “It’s definitely a big opportunity for me and I have to put in the work and have some good starts.” Coreau knows he has plenty of areas that need improvement. Rebound control is one concern. He would also like to be able to play the puck better. “The biggest thing is just making the saves I need to make,” he said. “I know it sounds a bit simple, but I once heard a goalie coach say, ‘I don’t care if you’re the most technically sound goalie or flopping around like a whale, if you stop the puck, you’re going to go places – that’s it.” At 6-foot-5, Coreau has the size that allows him to reach pucks that might elude smaller men. Conversely, there’s the saying, “big goalies, big holes.” So there are pros and cons. Coreau does his best to listen to Blashill, a former goaltender himself. “It’s very advantageous because he’s talked
36 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
to a lot of goalies, from college to pros. He’s compiled these drills we do everyday. They’re simple drills, but they’re important drills. It’s about keeping your feet set, using your stick to control rebounds, making a blocker save without punching at it. It’s all about keeping things tight and in control.” Being in control is certainly now within Coreau’s reach. “In talking with people like Ken Holland and Mike Babcock, they like to see guys go through adversity,” he said. “Andrej Nestrasil spent almost two seasons in Toledo and now he’s in the NHL with Carolina after playing with the Wings. Look at Luke Glendening. He was a walk-on at Michigan, played in Toledo, then came here and now he’s in Detroit. These guys are big role models to me. Perseverance is a huge part of my personality. “I want people to say I faced adversity and worked through it. Last year, I didn’t say much. I just stayed out of everyone’s way. But I worked on everything – I continue to work on things – and this year I feel 100 times better.”
Coreau posted his first pro shutout in Rockford on Dec. 6, which ironically was the IceHogs’ Teddy Bear Toss Night.
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ANDREAS ATHANASIOU
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SHANE BERSCHBACH
Forward 6-2, 200 lbs. Born: 8/6/94 London, Ont.
Forward 6-4, 213 lbs. Born: 11/11/91 Arthabaska, Que.
Forward 6-0, 190 lbs. Born: 2/13/90 Burnsville, Minn.
Forward 5-8, 165 lbs. Born: 5/19/91 Royal Oak, Mich.
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CHRIS BRUTON
MITCH CALLAHAN
COLIN CAMPBELL
JARED COREAU
Forward 5-11, 200 lbs. Born: 1/23/87 Calgary, Alta.
Forward 6-0, 195 lbs. Born: 8/17/91 Whittier, Calif.
Forward 6-1, 200 lbs. Born: 4/17/91 Pickering, Ont.
Goaltender 6-5, 230 lbs. Born: 11/5/91 Perth, Ont.
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SCOTT CZARNOWCZAN
BRENNAN EVANS
LANDON FERRARO
MARTIN FRK
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Forward 6-0, 185 lbs. Born: 8/8/91 Trail, B.C.
Forward 6-0, 194 lbs. Born: 10/5/93 Pelhrimov, Czech Republic
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ALDEN HIRSCHFELD
JEFF HOGGAN
NICK JENSEN
ANTHONY MANTHA
Forward 6-0, 203 lbs. Born: 1/26/88 Dallas, Texas
Forward 6-1, 190 lbs. Born: 2/1/78 Hope, B.C.
Defenseman 6-0, 200 lbs. Born: 9/21/90 Rogers, Minn.
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ALEXEY MARCHENKO
TOM McCOLLUM
ANDY MIELE
PETR MRAZEK
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Goaltender 6-2, 215 lbs. Born: 12/7/89 Cambria, N.Y.
Forward 5-8, 175 lbs. Born: 4/15/88 Detroit, Mich.
Goaltender 6-1, 187 lbs. Born: 2/14/92 Ostrava, Czech Republic
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TOMAS NOSEK
XAVIER OUELLET
NATHAN PAETSCH
KEVIN PORTER
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Defenseman 6-1, 195 lbs. Born: 3/30/83 LeRoy, Sask.
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RYAN SPROUL
MAREK TVRDON
MARK ZENGERLE
Forward 5-10, 185 lbs. Born: 1/2/92 Vantaa, Finland
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Forward 6-2, 215 lbs. Born: 1/31/93 Nitra, Slovakia
Forward 5-10, 185 lbs. Born: 5/12/89 Rochester, N.Y. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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Knuble brings 16 years of NHL experience to his current position as an assistant coach with the Griffins.
Story and photos by Mark Newman
PRETTY LUCKY GUY
Mike Knuble is grateful for all of the opportunities he has enjoyed in hockey, including his current position as an assistant coach for the Griffins.
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When Mike Knuble looks back on his hockey career, he says that he has “no regrets whatsoever,” which is not surprising given all he accomplished after playing four years at the University of Michigan: • Selected in the fourth round of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by Detroit, he broke into the NHL with the Red Wings, playing on both the 1997 and 1998 Stanley Cup championship teams; • Traded to the New York Rangers for a secondround draft choice (eventual Griffin Tomas Kopecky) before the 1998-99 season, he got the opportunity to play with Wayne Gretzky, his childhood hero; • Played in Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, where his teammates included Joe Thornton, Peter Forsberg and Alex Ovechkin; • Recorded nine straight 20-goal seasons after the age of 30, including two seasons where he topped the 30-goal mark; • Played in the 2006 Winter Olympics, representing the United States (thanks to dual citizenship; he was born in Toronto but raised in Kentwood); • Appeared in 1,068 games over the course of 16 NHL seasons. Knuble is “very satisfied” with his career, but he still loves the game, so he's now happy to be serving as an assistant coach to Griffins head coach Jeff Blashill and his staff. The role is an outgrowth of his relationship with Blashill, whom Knuble first met at the 2012 Griffins Youth Foundation Golf Outing. Knuble had played out his contract with the Washington Capitals, but his age and the uncertainty surrounding a potential NHL lockout meant he was without a team for the 2012-13 season. “We had moved our family back (to Kentwood) from Washington,” he said. “It was a combination of things. I was 40. There was anticipation of a work stoppage. For the first time in a long time, we didn't know how things were going to shake out.”
Blashill gracefully offered Knuble the opportunity to skate with the Griffins during practices. “I felt like I still had unfinished business (in the NHL),” he said. “I was very thankful when Jeff opened the door for me to skate with the team. It gave me a place to train and stay productive.” When the NHL returned to action, Knuble still found himself without a team. Finally in January, he signed a 25-game professional tryout with the Griffins in a move that gave him and the AHL affiliate some options. It gave him the freedom to sign with an NHL team if one came calling, and the Griffins got a proven veteran scorer. “My plan was to play in Grand Rapids for a while, knowing that the NHL remained a possibility,” he said. “Being 40 years old, I figured people would want to see 2-3 weeks worth of games.” But Knuble played just one game with the Griffins before the Philadelphia Flyers, with whom he played from 2005-09 and had his most productive years, offered him an NHL contract to finish the 2012-13 season. In retrospect, Knuble is grateful for those few months skating with the Griffins. “It gave me the taste of what life might be like after I retired,” he said. “At first, you're scared to look over the fence and see what's on the other side. Being able to do that and then hop back over the fence and still play was pretty good. It was like a free look.” Knuble would have welcomed the opportunity to return to the Griffins last season. “(Unfortunately) the team was overflowing with veterans, especially after (Jordin) Tootoo and (Patrick) Eaves were sent here,” he said. “It wasn't going to happen.” Truth be told, Knuble wasn't interested in playing 76 games at that point in time. “I felt like I had done all that I could do,” he said. “As an athlete, that's how you want to stop playing. I felt like I had gotten my bang out of the buck. I had maximized all of my opportunities. “I never felt like I was tired of hockey. If I had been 35, I would have absolutely kept playing. But my kids were getting older and I enjoyed
“When you’re playing 76 games in a season, you have to realize every game is important. You never know who is watching.”
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being able to see my kids play.” Although they would have been happy living in any of the places where he had played, Knuble and his wife decided to return to Michigan to be closer to family and friends here, which they felt would be great for their kids: Cam, 14; Anna, 13; and Cole, 10. “Hockey was good to me. It's given us everything we have,” said Knuble, a 2014 inductee to the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame. “But we had never been on spring break with the kids and they need some memories, too, instead of just dad playing hockey all the time.” His current position with the Griffins, which he assumed during the 2013-14 season, allows him to watch his boys play AAA hockey. All three kids play lacrosse, as well as other sports. He loves the fact that he is back where he started, working with prospects within the Detroit Red Wings organization. For Knuble, it's the next best thing to playing.
“Being a Michigan guy, I would have loved another chance in Detroit, but it never came to fruition,” he said. “We talked informally (in the past). I think teams and players kick the tires, but ultimately everyone kept shopping.” Although he never played for the Wings again after the 1997-98 season, he has fond memories of his years in the Detroit system. Getting the opportunity to play with Steve Yzerman, Sergei Fedorov, Brendan Shanahan, Igor Larionov, Nicklas Lidstrom, Larry Murphy and Chris Osgood is something he'll never forget. “I had been drafted in 1991, so I had been following these guys for several years,” he said. “From a distance, I felt like I knew them, but to get in there and see what really made them tick was a great chance to learn. There were six or seven guys on the team who were going to go to the Hall of Fame, so if your eyes weren't open and you weren't listening, it was your fault.”
He loves the fact that he is back where he started, working with prospects within the Detroit Red Wings organization.
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He would have loved to have spent his entire career in Detroit, but ultimately he knew it was for the best when the Red Wings dealt him to the New York Rangers. “I'm thankful there's 29 other teams,” he said. “It's really cool to be in one spot forever, but I'm very thankful for the places I got to play, the teammates I had along the way and all the people we met.” Not too many players can say they got to play with Gretzky, Thornton, Forsberg and Ovechkin. With the opportunity, of course, there is pressure. “The moment those guys are not successful, guess who's going,” Knuble said, chuckling. “You're doing whatever you can to make sure those guys stay successful. When they're scoring goals and you have something to do with it, you get swept up with it.” Knuble eventually found his way to Boston, where he scored 30 goals at the age of 30 in 2002-03, which was his third full season with
the Bruins. It started his streak of nine consecutive 20-goal seasons. “I was lucky,” he said. “I was teetering on the edge of getting contracts and then I found a really nice niche in my 30s. It was a combination of playing with the right guys and being put in the right situations to succeed.” He played for his share of memorable coaches over the years, too, starting with the legendary Scotty Bowman in Detroit. “You try to pull little things from every coach,” he said. “From Robbie Ftorek, it was the importance of faceoffs; with Mike Keenan, it was finding an edge to get yourself ready to play hard every night; with Ken Hitchcock and John Stevens, it was about becoming a leader.” So now Knuble is doing his best to offer little tidbits of advice to the Red Wings' prospects. “It's nothing earth-shattering or groundbreaking, but I try to give my input here and there.” “You always tell players to take the long view,
“As a player, you have to be patient, but urgent at the same time. You may not be called up tomorrow, but you need to get better every day.”
Knuble enjoys talking with the Griffins players. Here he shares a laugh with Jeff Hoggan (left) and Teemu Pulkkinen. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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but the fact is you don't want to be in the minors forever,” he said. “As a player, you have to be patient, but urgent at the same time. You may not be called up tomorrow, but you need to get better every day. So I guess I'd say you have to be patiently urgent, like predictably unpredictable.” He also stresses consistency. “When you're playing 76 games in a season, you have to realize every game is important. You never know who is watching. Even though you're a Detroit prospect, you're still trying out for other teams because another organization might someday sign you or trade for you. The importance of every game is huge. “The hard part is to be consistently good. When you play three games in four nights with travel, it's human nature to feel like you want to take a game off, but they want to see how you do when you're tired, too. The reality is it's a long season.”
In the end, Knuble contends that players need to only worry about those things they can control. “Are you getting stronger in the weight room? Are you paying attention in meetings? Are you learning from what the coaches are saying? As a player, you're the CEO of your career. You need to do everything you can to give yourself the opportunity to advance.” As for his own future, Knuble says he is content for the time being but wouldn't rule out an interest in returning to the NHL as a coach. “Right now, this is a chance for me to keep my foot in the door and stay relevant, to keep tabs on the players and how the game's being played,” he said. “I enjoy coming to the rink. I'll be honest, there's a little social aspect to it, too. I enjoy talking hockey and I enjoy the guys I see every day, so that makes it even more fun. Plus there's a winning environment here, so that's even better. I guess I'd say I'm pretty lucky.”
“I enjoy talking hockey and I enjoy the guys I see every day, so that makes it even more fun.”
After 1,068 games in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals, Knuble enjoys sharing his knowledge of the game with prospects like Landon Ferraro. 46 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
SHA
N
THE
ADVATY CREEK NTAG E
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Story by Mark Newman
Former U.S. Olympian Lisa Brown-Miller wants to continue to do her part to promote youth hockey in the Grand Rapids area.
W
hen Lisa Brown-Miller looks at the Griffins Youth Foundation hockey program, she sees opportunity. Having gone from the only girl on boys teams growing up to a member of the gold medal-winning U.S. women’s hockey team at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano, Japan, she is living proof that playing hockey can be a lifechanging experience. Working with young female hockey players as a coach in the Griffins Youth Foundation program, she is doing her best to share her experience and expertise in hopes of making a difference. “Hockey challenges you to step outside of your comfort zone or to at least make that box a little bit bigger,” she said. “I tell girls to accept the challenge and have fun with it. You might fall the first time, but you can know that you’re going to get better every time you get on the ice. “I fell down a lot when I started. Falling down is OK. Just get back up and go again.” Brown-Miller remembers learning to play with a boy who lived down the street from her home in West Bloomfield, Mich. They took turns wearing his cool hockey gear while they were playing in his living room. “His mother must have been incredibly patient,” she says, chuckling at the memory. “Looking back now, I think it was awesome because it fueled a genuine love for the sport. Every spare moment I had, I was playing, whether it was in the driveway or on the small lake behind our house.” She recalls taking an ice chipper and testing the ice on Flanders Lake when she wasn’t playing at Lakeland Arena in Waterford Township. It was the same rink where Hockey Hall of Fame center Pat Lafontaine skated as a boy, roughly around the same time in the early 1970s. Her parents initially had concerns about her getting hurt, but they were willing to ameliorate their worries to allow her to follow her passion. “I’m thankful they had the courage to take their daughter to the rink so that she could play hockey.” Brown-Miller played on all-boy teams until she was 13 or 14. “I was just another kid on the ice who wanted to play,” she said. “To me, it Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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wasn’t a big deal. I proved I belonged by showing that I was able to do everything as well as them, if not better. I was so driven to play the sport.” When she became a teenager, she started playing girls hockey, playing for a Royal Oak team in a travel league out of Detroit. Between her junior and senior years in high school, she attended a girls hockey camp at Babson College in Wellesley, Mass., near Boston. She discovered that the East Coast “was where it was at.” She was contacted by Harvard and Yale, but figured those schools were a little out of her league, academically speaking. She narrowed her college choices down to the University of New Hampshire and Providence College. “I had never seen a college hockey game, so I had no clue whether or not I would get any playing time,” she said. “The fact that I could continue to play hockey at the college level was all that really mattered at that point.” She chose Providence, where she excelled, earning All-Eastern College Athletic Conference accolades as a sophomore, junior and senior. She was named ECAC Player of the Year and American Women’s Hockey Coaches Association
Prior to her Olympic triumph, Brown-Miller served as the head coach of the Princeton University women’s hockey team from 1991-96.
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Olympics would be much greater than it had been for a world championship team. It was going to require more time away from Princeton,” she said. The decision to leave a prestigious school for a possibility was not easy. There were no guarantees. She could get hurt or not make the final cut. “I would have regretted having let the opportunity pass,” she said. “I could coach as long as I wanted, but I knew I didn’t have much time left to play. It was a relief when I made the decision.” Canada, not the U.S., was the favorite to win gold in the 1998 Winter Games. “They won every tournament,” she said. “It gets to the point where you start learning the words to the Canadian anthem. We felt it would be nice to hear our own at some point.” Brown-Miller said U.S. head coach Ben Smith did a masterful job of picking the right players and assembling the team, not based on ability – all the players were skilled – but on chemistry. “There was a connection that just happened,” she said. “It was a special moment in time with special people who had one common goal, a gold medal.”
Brown-Miller (#3, second from right) joins a group hug with her U.S. Olympic teammates.
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Brown-Miller started coaching in the Griffins Youth Foundation hockey program this year.
Drawing equal parts of inspiration from the Miracle on Ice, Muhammad Ali, and mental training techniques from a sports psychologist, the team scored a come-from-behind victory over Canada in the round-robin portion of the tournament, then beat Canada 3-1 in the gold medal final. Although portions of the Olympics are a blur – she kept a journal to record her thoughts, knowing there would be things she wouldn’t remember – the medal ceremony will forever be etched in her mind. “It was a really beautiful ceremony where the Japanese women walked out in their kimonos with the medals neatly in a basket,” she said. “I remember nudging my roommate, Karyn Bye, and saying, ‘Oh my gosh, this is real.’ After all the visualization, it was surreal. I’m getting goosebumps talking about it. It was definitely a moment in time I’ll never forget.” The team would later visit the White House. A team picture appeared on a Wheaties box – “My dad bought a whole case,” she laughs – and the entire team was inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2009.
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Brown-Miller served as a color commentator for womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hockey at the 2002 Winter Olmpics in Salt Lake City, working alongside Kenny Albert and Joe Micheletti. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was hard, but it was a lot of fun.â&#x20AC;? Her 16-year-old son, Alex, plays for the varsity hockey team at West Ottawa High School, but it was the interest of her daughter Morgan, 14, that brought her into the Griffins Youth Foundation. She had coached the GRAHA girls program at the Patterson Ice Center for a couple of years but wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t coaching anywhere when Morgan expressed an interest in playing hockey last year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;She wanted to play hockey and I just wanted to find a place for her to play.â&#x20AC;? Sensing an opportunity to give back to the game that she loves, Brown-Miller volunteered to be a co-coach with Wendy Foy this year. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the first year that the girls program has had its own practices in between games. Previously, the program practiced in November and December but offered only games once the playing schedule began in January. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I love being out on the ice with the girls,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I wish we could spend even more time
Brown-Miller celebrates her teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gold medal-winning victory by jumping into the stands in Nagano, Japan.
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with them. Most of the girls just need to learn the basics of skating, stickhandling, passing and shooting. “We’re doing the best with what we have, but I wish we could get another day to spend more time with them individually. I know they are getting better. We have two exchange students who had never played, never been on skates, and the improvement they’ve shown over a short period of time just makes me smile.” Brown-Miller, a school quality assistant for National Heritage Academies, admits that she has had inquiries from various colleges about coaching jobs, and while she won’t rule them out in the future, she is taking a pass for the time being. “I know what it takes to coach at that level. It’s evenings and weekends, and that’s time with my kids. Right now, I want to be there for my own kids,” she said. “Hockey has been a part of my life forever and it always will be. I’m not playing as much any more, but I can still give back to the game by coaching. Right now it’s through the Griffins Youth Foundation and I’m really enjoying it.”
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Back-to-back come-from-behind wins prove teams can’t count out the Rochester Americans. When people talk shootouts in hockey, they’re usually talking about the action that follows the overtime period, but a couple of recent AHL games extended that description to the entire contest. The Rochester Americans defeated the league-leading Oklahoma City Barons in an 8-7 shootout on Jan. 18 after overcoming a 7-5 deficit, thanks to four third-period goals, including a pair only a dozen seconds apart. “I don’t remember playing many games like
this in the American Hockey League,” Barons assistant captain Matthew Ford told Michael Baldwin of the daily newspaper, The Oklahoman. “We got one (standings) point out of it, but we certainly weren’t happy to get just one point.” “The last time I played a game like this it was in juniors,” said Barons rookie Iiro Pakarinen, who scored two goals. “It was a very weird game.” Oklahoma City actually outshot Rochester 43-25 in regulation. “Even though we did put up over 40 shots Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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Johan Larsson, who scored the game-winning goal in Rochester’s latest comeback, was selected by the Buffalo Sabres in the second round (56th overall) of the 2010 Entry Draft.
and scored seven goals, that wasn’t one of our best efforts,” said Barons coach Gerry Fleming. “We had too many lapses in our defense. Give them credit. They stuck with their game plan and scored a couple late to tie it up.” Rochester won the contest when Americans right winger Zac Dalpe converted his shootout attempt in the fourth round of the game’s extra frame. It was a satisfying nightcap for Dalpe, who had spent time earlier sleeping on the bus floor during his team’s seven-hour overnight ride from San Antonio to Oklahoma City. “I was just telling my dad that you can either stay up all night or you can get a good night of sleep on the bus floor,” Dalpe told the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. “Hockey is just so weird like that.” Trailing by two goals with about four minutes remaining in regulation, Dalpe and Joel Armia lit the lamp 12 seconds apart to knot the game at 7 and send the game into overtime and, ultimately, the shootout. “You’d think it would be a roller coaster, a game like this, but it was never really like that,” Dalpe said. “It’s inevitable that you’re going to be 60 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
down at some point. We (just) need to find that mood or that zen.” “It was funny, because it was one of those things, even though we were down a couple, we were hanging in there,” Rochester head coach Chadd Cassidy said. “There was kind of a confidence in our team. They knew they could do it.” It was the second big comeback in less than a week for the Americans. Four days earlier, Rochester was trailing 4-1 in the second period before rallying on the road to beat the defending Calder Cup champion Texas Stars 6-5 at the Cedar Park Center. Johan Larsson scored the game-winning goal with just 1:33 remaining in the third period to cap the come-from-behind victory. Tim Schaller tallied a pair of goals for the winners while Mikhail Grigorenko, Brayden Irwin and Jerome Leduc each notched a goal in the winning effort. It ruined what was supposed to be a momentous occasion for the Texas Stars. Returning players were presented their 2014 Calder Cup Championship rings by Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill two hours before the game. Dallas Stars owner Tom Gaglardi, who was
in attendance for the first time since completing his acquisition of the AHL franchise, dropped the ceremonial faceoff. “I said to the guys after the game, ‘we ruined a special night,’” Stars coach Derek Laxdal told Sean Shapiro of the American-Statesman. “That should all be energy you can build off. We go out and lay an egg after we get the 4-1 (lead).” Larsson went from goat to hero in the matter of minutes. His tripping penalty led to a gametying power-play goal by Texas Stars center Travis Morin, but the Americans left winger gained redemption by scoring the winning goal with 93 seconds remaining. “We talked before the game about (there) being no better way to start the second half of the season than with a win tonight,” assistant coach Chris Taylor said. “This is our team, there’s no one else coming. The second half is starting, so let’s have some fun.”
COMEBACK OF ANOTHER SORT When Rob Zepp returned to North America at the start of this season, it was with the intention of playing for the AHL’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. After nine seasons overseas, he wanted to take one more crack at playing closer to home. Although he still harbored dreams of playing in the NHL, the reality was, at age 33, he was no longer a prospect. But the improbable happened when Zepp was recalled by the Philadelphia Flyers and started in net against the Winnipeg Jets on Dec. 21. Zepp backstopped the NHL’s Flyers to a 4-3 overtime victory, becoming the oldest goalie to win his NHL debut since 41-year-old Hugh Lehman accomplished the feat with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1926. “I’ve been playing hockey for 26 years, trying to get here,” Zepp told Sam Carchidi of the Philadephia Inquirer. “And to get here
Rob Zepp returned to North America after nine seasons in Europe, including two in Finland and seven in Germany. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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and be able to play… the game wasn’t perfect, obviously… (but) to get the win at the end was just incredible.” The victory culminated a whirlwind 48 hours for Zepp, who was recalled just hours after Philadephia netminder Steve Mason exited practice with a non-contact injury. “I spoke with my wife right away and she was in tears,” Zepp said. “It had kind of been a long road that we took together. We’ve been together every step of the way and it was pretty emotional. “Pulling the jersey over my head and knowing I was going to go play in a regular season game was a feeling I’ve been dreaming about since I started playing. To get to do that was overwhelming.” Zepp was no stranger to success. His overseas resume shows 208 career wins, including an impressive record of 182-96-0 with the Berlin Polar Bears during the past seven seasons. A fourth-round draft pick of the Atlanta Thrashers (1999) and Carolina Hurricanes (2001), Zepp had appeared in only a handful games at the AHL level prior to his season, appearing in a total of seven contests with the
Lowell Lock Monsters from 2002-04. He had logged more action in the ECHL, appearing in 115 games spread over four seasons with the Florida Everblades. Zepp actually pulled the Philadephia jersey over his head for the first time in Toronto, home of the Hockey Hall of Fame, where he joined the Flyers at the beginning of an eightgame road trip. “It was amazing. It couldn’t have worked out any better,” he recalled. “I’ve watched Hockey Night in Canada countless times. To be a part of it even on the bench and part of that whole experience was really special for a guy from the Toronto area.” Zepp, who grew up less than an hour north of Toronto, was about 9 years old when he had his photo taken with his idol, goalie Jeff Reese of the Newmarket Saints, then an AHL team in Ontario. Reese now happens to be the Flyers’ goalie coach.
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RECORD BOOK AND LEADERS (Through Jan. 22, 2015)
ALL-TIME: ACTIVE LEADER: SINGLE-SEASON:
2013-14:
Games Played Travis Richards ...................... 655 Landon Ferraro (16th)........... 239 5 players tied ........................ *82 Adam Almquist ....................... 73
MITCH CALLAHAN
Goals Michel Picard ...........................158 Landon Ferraro (10th) ................64 Donald MacLean (2005-06) .....*56 Teemu Pulkkinen .......................31
JIRI HUDLER
Assists Michel Picard ................................. 222 Nathan Paetsch (T26th)................... 65 Jiri Hudler (2005-06) ....................... 60 Adam Almquist ............................... 49
BRENNAN EVANS
2013-14:
Points Michel Picard ........................ 380 Landon Ferraro (18th)........... 119 Michel Picard (1996-97) ....... 101 Teemu Pulkkinen .................... 59
Plus/Minus Travis Richards ..................... +131 Brennan Evans (15th) ............ +32 Ivan Ciernik (2000-01) ..........*+41 Mitch Callahan ....................... +23
Penalty Minutes Darryl Bootland ...........................1,164 Brennan Evans (15th) .................... 311 Darryl Bootland (2005-06) ............ 390 Brennan Evans ............................... 111
ALL-TIME: ACTIVE LEADER: SINGLE-SEASON:
Goalie Games Played Joey MacDonald ................... 210 Tom McCollum (3rd) ............. 180 Joey MacDonald (2004-05) ... *66
Goals Against Average Martin Prusek .........................1.83 Petr Mrazek (6th) ....................2.31 Martin Prusek (2001-02).......*1.83
2013-14:
Tom McCollum ........................ 46
Petr Mrazek .............................2.10
Wins Joey MacDonald ............................ 109 Tom McCollum (3rd) ........................ 79 Joey MacDonald (2004-05) ............. 34 Mike Fountain (2000-01)................*34 Tom McCollum ................................. 24
ALL-TIME: ACTIVE LEADER: SINGLE-SEASON:
TOM McCOLLUM ALL-TIME: ACTIVE LEADER: SINGLE-SEASON: 2013-14:
JOEY MACDONALD
Shutouts Joey MacDonald...................... 20 Tom McCollum (7th) ................. 5 5 players tied ............................ 6 Petr Mrazek............................... 3
Saves Joey MacDonald ....................5,362 Tom McCollum (3rd)..............4,380 Joey MacDonald (2004-05) ...1,785 Tom McCollum ......................1,158
PETR MRAZEK Save Percentage Martin Prusek ..............................0.930 Petr Mrazek (T7th).......................0.916 Joey MacDonald (2003-04) .........0.936 Petr Mrazek .................................0.924
* Led League
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2013 AHL All-Star Chad Billins Photo by Alan Sullivan/AHL
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GRIFFINS ALL-STARS 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02
2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06
2013 AHL All-Star Gustav Nyquist Photo by Paul Yacovone III/AHL
2011 AHL All-Star Ilari Filppula
Photo by JustSports Photography/AHL
2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14
Jeff Nelson, Michel Picard, Pokey Reddick Ian Gordon, Kerry Huffman, Michel Picard Robert Petrovicky, Maxim Spiridonov John Gruden, Jani Hurme, Kevin Miller, Petr Schastlivy Mike Fountain, Joel Kwiatkowski, Travis Richards, Todd White, Bruce Cassidy (co-coach) Chris Bala, John Gruden, Kip Miller, Martin Prusek, Petr Schastlivy, Bruce Cassidy (head coach), Gene Reilly (asst. coach) Marc Lamothe, Mark Mowers Jiri Hudler, Niklas Kronwall, Travis Richards, Nathan Robinson Niklas Kronwall, Joey MacDonald Valtteri Filppula, Jiri Hudler, Donald MacLean Derek Meech, Kip Miller Jonathan Ericsson, Jimmy Howard Jakub Kindl, Daniel Larsson Patrick Rissmiller Ilari Filppula, Brendan Smith Gustav Nyquist Chad Billins, Petr Mrazek, Gustav Nyquist Alexey Marchenko, Jeff Blashill (head coach)
2010 AHL All-Star Patrick Rissmiller
Photo by Sports Action Photography/AHL
2013 AHL All-Star Petr Mrazek Photo by Alan Sullivan/AHL
2012 AHL All-Star Gustav Nyquist
Photo by PhotoGraphics Photography/AHL
2009 AHL All-Star Jakub Kindl
Photo by JustSports Photography/AHL
PENALTY CALLS
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114
116
11
8
220 221 222
123
223
124
224
2
$19
122
$16
Upper Level Preferred
121
$21
(rows B-E)
120
$18
AWAY
$22
HOME
$19
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Upper Level Prime
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$24 108
$21
109
$23
VIP Edge
110
$20
206
$27
Lower Level Faceoff
207
$32
$24
208
$29
Lower Level Center Ice
209
$35
Lower Level Preferred
ADVANCE
Van Andel Arena 210
VIP Glass
DAY OF GAME $38
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Tickets
(rows B & C)
12
10
6
4
5
5
20
101 128
102
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Call for pricing and availability
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Upper Level (rows D & up) Suites & Hospitality Areas
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20
6 202
3
20
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Seats may not be available in all price categories. For season, game-plan and group ticket information, call 616.774.4585 or 1.800.2.HOCKEY.
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ONLINE grifďŹ nshockey.com/buytickets
7
THE ZONE Located on the West side of Van Andel Arena
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www.startickets.com or 616.222.4000
Sports Medicine Institute
OfďŹ cial Orthopaedic Physicians of the
William W. Schwab, M.D., F.A.C.S.
Grand Rapids GrifďŹ ns Since Game 1.
Thomas M. Matelic, M.D.
Excellent medicine. Personalized care.
Peter C. Theut, M.D. Michael R.F. Jabara, M.D.
Phone 616-459-7101 www.OAMichigan.com/SMI
IT A
GRIFFINS IN THE NHL
LL STARTS HERE
Since their inception in 1996, the Griffins have sent 147 players to the National Hockey League, 15 of whom have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. In fact, a Griffins alumnus has had his name engraved on Lord Stanleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s chalice in five of the last seven years and in seven of the last 10 seasons. In chronological order, here are the 20 goalies and 127 skaters who have worn an NHL sweater after playing for Grand Rapids, along with the dates of their NHL debuts/returns. 1...............Pavol Demitra ..............................................3/17/97 STL at PHX 2...............Kevyn Adams ............................................ 10/1/97 TOR vs. WSH 3...............Tyler Moss ...................................................10/28/97 CGY vs. PIT 4...............Michel Picard........................................................1/6/98 STL at SJ 5...............Jeff Nelson............................................... 10/10/98 NSH vs. FLA 6...............Patrick Traverse .......................................10/10/98 OTT at COL 7...............Mark Greig........................................................1/7/99 PHI vs. NYI 8...............Radim Bicanek .............................................2/1/99 OTT at VAN 9...............Robert Petrovicky..........................................2/15/99 TB at NYI 10............Andrei Vasilyev............................................3/5/99 PHX vs. DET 11............Todd Hlushko ..................................................4/25/99 PIT vs. NJ 12............Patrick Lalime...............................................10/2/99 OTT at PHI 13............Glen Metropolit........................................10/2/99 WSH at FLA 14............Kevin Miller ................................................10/31/99 OTT at ATL 15............Karel Rachunek........................................10/31/99 OTT at ATL 16............Erich Goldmann ...................................11/11/99 OTT vs. NSH
KEVYN ADAMS, 2006 CAROLINA
76 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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
NIKLAS KRONWALL, 2008 DETROIT
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 Bold = Has played in the NHL this season (as of Jan. 27) Italics = Had name engraved on the Stanley Cup after playing for Grand Rapids. All photos by Getty Images except Niklas Kronwall (Dave Reginek).
SHELDON BROOKBANK, 2013 CHICAGO
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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78 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
PARTING SHOT
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Mitch Callahan demonstrates the screen to perfection, keeping his feet outside the crease while blocking the goaltender’s vision in anticipation of a teammate’s shot at the net. Photo by Mark Newman
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