2022-23 Griffiti - Issue #4

SPECIAL SKILL ELMER SODERBLOM

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

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

TABLE OF CONTENTS

STARTING LINEUP

28........ HIGH CEILING

Statuesque Elmer Soderblom has lofty goals for himself as he tries to carve out his place in the Red Wings organization.

34........ NEVER AN EASY ROAD

Matt Luff has surpassed expectations by pushing harder when others might have quit.

42........ PURE JOY

Tomas Tatar reflects on the Griffins’ first championship and how winning the Stanley Cup would be nothing short of perfect.

48........ LATE BLOOMER

Pontus Andreasson worked his way up from the lower levels of Swedish hockey to earn a ticket to play in North America.

56........ SPORTS SCIENCE SLEUTH

Jack Rummells is investigating the relationship between biomechanics and player performance.

ON THE BENCH

Photo by Mark Newman

WITH GRIFFINS HEAD COACH BEN SIMON

With the American Hockey League being the developmental circuit for the NHL, the success of an organization is not judged by wins and losses alone.

Many young players – no matter if they come to the AHL from college, junior hockey, or Europe –view the AHL as a stepping stone, but the onus is on them to prove that they deserve to be promoted to the next level.

While a combination of factors can influence their evaluation, any improvement is likely to work in their favor.

For Griffins head coach Ben Simon, the 2022-23 season has seen several prospects take substantial steps forward and show they are heading in the right direction.

Highly touted 6-foot-6 defensive prospect Simon Edvinsson has shown the kind of progress that management likes to see in a first-round draft pick.

“Edvinsson has the skillset to make high-end plays but he doesn’t need to make an impact every shift. Sometimes it’s OK not to be noticed,” Simon said. “He has been learning when to make a simple play and to live another day. He thinks the game at such high level, he can try to get from point A to point C without even seeing point B – when point B might be the easier route.

“He’s a big, rangy kid whose size will be a benefit down the road, but he needs to get stronger. He’s only 20 so that will come with time because it’s tough to gain strength during a hockey season. For Simon to be successful, he needs to be consistent with and without the puck and choose his spots at the right time. He has the ability to be a solid twoway player with tremendous offensive upside.”

Albert Johansson is another Swedish defenseman who is showing great potential.

“Johansson has been very consistent,” Simon

said. “Sometimes you don’t notice him but he’s quietly built a very consistent first-year pro season. He’s a smart player. His dad played in the NHL so he’s been around the game forever, and you can tell he’s got a very good mind for the game. He reads plays well and has that sense of anticipation both offensively and defensively.”

While both Edvinsson and Johansson are playing their first season in North America, Jared McIsaac is in his third, having overcome injury setbacks to slowly develop into the steady defenseman that led the Red Wings to choose him in the second round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

“McIsaac has been able to build on last year, when he stayed healthy for the whole season,” he said. “He is at his best when he’s playing with more conviction, playing hard, and ending plays quickly. When he’s engaged physically and mentally, he’s a very effective player, so he needs to make sure he is playing with a little bit of tenacity every shift.”

The development process is different for every prospect. Rarely is the path a straight line. Often, a player will zig-zag his way to the top as he goes up and down on the way to, hopefully, becoming a consistent player that coaches can trust in every situation.

Donovan Sebrango, who recently turned 21, has split this season between Grand Rapids and Toledo, but he has shown the kind of strides that one would expect to see in a young player of his skill and talent level. Sebrango was selected in the third round of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.

“His skating has improved and he’s gotten bigger and stronger in the weight room, but he still needs to be more consistent with his overall play and not try to do too much,” Simon said. “One thing you cannot take from him is that he’s a team-first kid. He works his tail off. He’s the first guy in the gym

Photo: Sam Iannamico

and he’s one of the last guys to leave. For a young kid, he’s got good pro habits.”

Defenseman Wyatt Newpower has worn a cage half of the season because, in his coach’s view, “he’s an old-school, throwback type of player.”

“Wyatt brings an element of physicality that we don’t have a ton of on our roster. He plays hard every night,” Simon said. “As a coach, you like him because you know every shift what you’re going to get out of him. He’s a hard-nosed guy who will do anything for the team. He plays a big role on our penalty-killing unit. He’s willing to block shots. He does a lot of little things that often go unnoticed but his teammates appreciate.”

Swedish rookie Elmer Soderblom is finding his game at the AHL level after spending the first half of the season with the Red Wings. The 6-8 forward has exceptional hands and excellent skating skills for a player of his size.

“He’s got great skills,” Simon said. “He’s already a good player but he needs to learn to play quicker, whether it’s taking it to the net with a little less stickhandling or playing with more urgency to his overall game. It’s keeping it simple at times and not trying to do too much on his own.

“When he’s finishing his checks and he’s heavy on the puck, no one is taking it from him. When he

learns to use his size to his advantage, he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with. As a young kid, he’s still trying to find where he’s going to fit, what kind of player he is going to be.”

Simon has no trouble finding positive things to say about all of the players on the Griffins’ roster, whether it’s Finnish rookie Eemil Viro (“a very competitive kid who’s not afraid to go in the corner with anyone”) or Texas-born Cross Hanas, who has battled injuries this season (“He’s got a great work ethic and I don’t have any doubt he’ll battle back”).

“All of our prospects have shown good growth in their games,” he said. “They have made mistakes and faced adversity, but I like the fact that they’re willing to learn and improve. They’re going to continue to make mistakes, just like the older players, but it’s a matter of learning from the mistakes.

“With all players, but especially young players, the confidence factor is huge. You have to hold them accountable, but there are times when you have to let them figure it out. They have to be able to show growth from their mistakes. Many of our prospects have shown they can face adversity. They get knocked down, but they get right back up.

“The future is bright for a lot of the kids in our system.”

2022-23 GRIFFINS HOCKEY OPERATIONS STAFF

General Manager Shawn Horcoff

Head Coach Ben Simon

Assistant Coach Matt Macdonald

Assistant Coach Todd Krygier

Assistant Coach Mike Knuble

Goaltending Coach Brian Mahoney-Wilson

Video Coach Erich Junge

Athletic Trainer Josh Chapman

Assistant Athletic Trainer Anthony Polazzo Physical Therapist Eldon Graham

Equipment Manager Brad Thompson

Asst. Equipment Manager Charlie Kaser

Sports Science Data Analyst Jack Rummells

Strength-Cond. Coordinator Marcus Kinney

Message Therapist Ronald Marckini

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

SCOUTING REPORT

ROCKFORD

MARCH 10, APRIL 14

• Rockford’s roster includes two Michiganders in D.J. Busdeker and Alec Regula. Busdeker hails from Dexter and played his junior career with the Saginaw Spirit in the Ontario Hockey League, while Regula is a West Bloomfield native who competed for two seasons at Cranbrook Kingswood High School. Regula was also selected with the 67th overall pick by the Red Wings in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, but he never saw action with the Griffins.

• A former first-round draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks (17th overall), Lukas Reichel has 43 points (16-27—43) in 45 games with the IceHogs this season, which ranks third on the roster and ties for 17th in the AHL. In 2020-21, Reichel won a DEL championship in Germany with Eisbaren

Berlin, contributing five points (2-3—5) in nine playoff outings.

• Rookie Cole Guttman ranks sixth among first-year AHL players with 16 goals through 39 games. Last season, Guttman won an NCAA title with the University of Denver. His 45 points (19-26—45) tied for sixth in the NCAA, matching the total of current Griffin Drew Worrad. David Gust has also been a heavy goal scorer for the IceHogs this season, as he is tied for sixth in the league with 21 goals through 48 outings.

CLEVELAND

MARCH 11

• Right wing Trey Fix-Wolansky is scoring 1.26 points per game, as he sits at 48 points (21-27—48) through just 38 games this season. He leads the Monsters in points, goals and assists, while his point-per-game pace

All statistics are through games of Feb. 16, 2023.

ranks 11th in the AHL. Fix-Wolansky is projected to hit 82 points (36-46—82) in 65 AHL games. The former 204th overall pick by Columbus in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft has skated in four NHL games this year with the Blue Jackets but does not have a point.

• Monsters center Justin Richards is the nephew of Griffins legend Travis Richards. Justin is in his first season with Cleveland and has 29 points (8-21—29) through 38 games. During his college career at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, Justin won back-to-back NCAA titles in 2018 and 2019 and was named to the NCAA AllTournament Team in 2019. Justin also won consecutive NCHC Best Defensive Forward awards from 2018-20.

• Rookie defenseman Samuel Knazko competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing and collected a bronze medal for Team Slovakia. Knazko was selected with the 78th overall pick by Columbus in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft and has 18 points (1-17—18) through his first 37 games in the AHL. The 20-year-old began his North America career last season in the Western Hockey League with the Seattle Thunderbirds, compiling five goals and 15 assists in 27 contests.

MILWAUKEE

MARCH 19, MARCH 31

• Admirals captain Cole Schneider has been a pain to deal with for the Griffins, as the left winger has seven points (3-4—7) in five outings this season against Grand Rapids. Since the 2018-19 season, when Schneider joined the Admirals and the Central Division, the veteran has 26 points (10-16—26) in 27 appearances against the Griffins.

• Rookie goaltender Yaroslav Askarov has been a workhorse for the Admirals this season, as the netminder ranks fourth in the AHL and first among rookies with 1836:43 minutes played. Askarov also ranks among the league’s rookie leaders in goals against average (2.55, 4th), wins (18, 1st), shutouts (2, T1st), and save percentage (.912, 5th). He was selected by Nashville with the 11th overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft.

• Milwaukee’s special-team units have been stellar through 47 games this year. The penalty kill for the Admirals ranks 10th on the circuit at 82.2%, while their power play comes in at 22.0% for ninth in the AHL.

CHICAGO

MARCH 22, MARCH 29

• From Dec. 22-Jan. 29, the Griffins strung together three consecutive victories over the Chicago Wolves. This was the first time Grand Rapids pulled off such a feat since Oct. 20-Nov. 28, 2018, a span of 33 meetings between the rivals.

• I t’s been a tale of two stories for the Wolves’ special teams this season. The power play for Chicago sits at 17.0% through 45 games this season, which is good for 27th out of 32 AHL teams. However, the Wolves’ penalty kill has been a bright spot for the team, as it ranks fourth on the circuit at 84.4%.

• Chicago has struggled to find the back of the net this year in addition to allowing far too many into its own cage. The Wolves rank 25th in the league with 162 goals against (3.60 avg.), while they place 27th in the AHL with 132 goals scored (2.93 avg.).

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Dear Griffins Fans,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sincerely,

Dan DeVos Chief Executive Officer Grand Rapids Griffins

SCOTT HOWSON

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Fans,

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

A MESSAGE FROM

Dear Fans,

The AHL is as proud as ever of its role in developing nearly all of the players, coaches, executives, trainers, broadcasters and officials who you see throughout the National Hockey League today. Generations of our great fans have cheered on future superstars, Stanley Cup champions and Hockey Hall of Famers as they have come through the AHL.

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

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

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

Sincerely,

SCOTT HOWSON

Scott Howson President & CEO | American Hockey League

AND CHIEFEXECUTIVEOFFICER

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

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

On behalf of all of our teams, thank you of the AHL.

PRESIDENT

AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

2022-2023 SEASON

PRESIDENTANDCHIEFEXECUTIVEOFFICER AMERICANHOCKEY LEAGUE

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

BY THE NUMBERS

88.2%

A TRADITION OF

992

THE BEGINNINGS

Embarking on its 87th season of play in 202223, the American Hockey League is continuing a tradition of excellence that began in 1936 when the Canadian-American Hockey League joined with the International Hockey League to form what is today known as the AHL. Eight teams hit the ice that first season, representing Buffalo, Cleveland, New

Haven, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Springfield and Syracuse.

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

captured by the Chicago Wolves last spring.

From those roots, the American Hockey League has grown into a 32team, coast-to-coast league that provides fans with exciting, high-level professional hockey while preparing thousands of players, coaches, officials, executives, trainers, broadcasters and more for careers in the NHL.

423

235

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

Former AHL players who skated in the NHL last season

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

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

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

THE PLAYERS

In today’s National Hockey League nearly 90 percent of the players are AHL alumni, including 2021-22 Vezina Trophy winner Igor Shesterkin, Calder Trophy recipient

Moritz Seider and Lady

Byng Trophy winner Kyle

Connor. The 2022 Stanley Cup champion Colorado Avalanche were stocked with AHL graduates including leading scorer

Mikko Rantanen, Nazem

Kadri, Devon Toews and Darcy Kuemper

During the 2021-22 season, a total of 992 AHL alumni played in the National Hockey League. There were 423 players who skated in both leagues last year alone, and 235 former first- and secondround NHL draft picks developed their skills in the AHL last season, including Alexander Holtz, Marco Rossi, Lukas

Reichel, Jakob

Pelletier, Peyton

Krebs, 2022 Calder Cup champion Jack

Drury and AHL Rookie of the Year Jack Quinn

THE LEGENDS

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

THE COACHES

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

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

JARED BEDNAR

AHL DIRECTORY EASTERN CONFERENCE

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

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

BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS

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

Home Ice: Webster Bank Arena (8,412)

General Manager: Chris Lamoriello

Head Coach: ................................. Brent Thompson

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

Calder Cups: None

Seasons in Playoffs: .................................... 10 of 19

2021-22 Record: ................. 31-30-7-4, 73 pts./.507

Website: .......................... bridgeportislanders.com

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS

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

Home Ice: Bojangles’ Coliseum (8,500)

General Manager: Gregory Campbell

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

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

Calder Cups: One (2019)

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

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

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

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

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

Home Ice: XL Center (15,635)

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

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

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

Calder Cups: One (2000)

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

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

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

HERSHEY BEARS

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

Home Ice: Giant Center (10,500)

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

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

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

Calder Cups: 11 (1947, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1974, 1980, 1988, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010)

Seasons in Playoffs: .................................... 69 of 82

2021-22 Record: ................. 34-32-6-4, 78 pts./.513

Website: hersheybears.com

LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS

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

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

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

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

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

Seasons in Playoffs: 12 of 24

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

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

PROVIDENCE BRUINS

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

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

General Manager: Jamie Langenbrunner

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

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

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

Seasons in Playoffs: 23 of 28

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

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

SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS

NHL Affiliation: St. Louis Blues

Home Ice: ..................... MassMutual Center (6,793)

General Manager: ........................... Kevin Maxwell

Head Coach: ................................... Drew Bannister

Entered AHL: 2016-17

Calder Cups: ................................................... None Seasons in Playoffs: ....................................... 1 of 4

2021-22 Record: ................. 43-24-6-3, 95 pts./.625 Website: springfieldthunderbirds.com

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

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

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

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

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

Entered AHL: 1999-00

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

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

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

Website: wbspenguins.com

BELLEVILLE SENATORS

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

Home Ice: CAA Arena (4,400)

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

Interim Head Coach:............................... David Bell

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

Calder Cups: None

Seasons In Playoffs:....................................... 1 of 3

2021-22 Record: ................. 40-28-4-0, 84 pts./.583

Website: .................................... bellevillesens.com

CLEVELAND MONSTERS

NHL Affiliation:.................... Columbus Blue Jackets

Home Ice: Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (18,277/9,447 lower bowl)

General Manager: .................................. Chris Clark

Head Coach: ................................ Trent Vogelhuber

Entered AHL: 2007-08 (as Lake Erie Monsters)

Calder Cups: .......................................... One (2016)

Seasons in Playoffs: ...................................... 3 of 13

2021-22 Record: ................. 28-35-8-5, 69 pts./.454

Website: clevelandmonsters.com

LAVAL ROCKET

NHL

Montreal Canadiens

Place Bell (10,043)

.............................. Kent Hughes

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

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

Calder Cups: None

Seasons In Playoffs:....................................... 1 of 3

2021-22 Record: ................. 39-26-5-2, 85 pts./.590

Website: ........................................ rocketlaval.com

THE ROAD TO THE CALDER CUP

ROCHESTER AMERICANS

NHL Affiliation: Buffalo Sabres

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

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

Head Coach: Seth Appert

Entered AHL: ............................................. 1956-57

Calder Cups: ........................ Six (1965, 1966, 1968, 1983, 1987, 1996)

Seasons in Playoffs: 47 of 64

2021-22 Record: ................. 37-29-7-3, 84 pts./.553

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

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

NHL Affiliation: Tampa Bay Lightning

Ice: ........... Upstate Medical University Arena at Onondaga County War Memorial (6,110)

Manager: ................................ Stacy Roest

Ben Groulx

TORONTO MARLIES

NHL Affiliation: Toronto Maple Leafs

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

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

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

Entered AHL: 2005-06

Calder Cups: .......................................... One (2018)

Seasons in Playoffs: .................................... 11 of 15

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

Website: marlies.ca

UTICA COMETS

NHL Affiliation: New Jersey Devils

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

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

Head Coach: Kevin Dineen

Entered AHL: ............................................. 2013-14

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

Seasons in Playoffs: ....................................... 4 of 7

2021-22 Record: 43-20-8-1, 95 pts./.660

Website: ...................................... uticacomets.com

A total of 23 teams will qualify for the AHL’s 2023 postseason, with five rounds of playoffs leading to the crowning of a Calder Cup champion.

The playoff field will include the top six finishers in the eight-team Atlantic Division, the top five finishers each in the seven-team North and Central Divisions, and the top seven teams in the 10-team Pacific Division.

First Round matchups will be best-ofthree series. The two highest seeds in the Atlantic, the three highest seeds in each of the North and Central, and the first-place team in the Pacific will receive byes into the best-of-five Division Semifinals, with the First Round winners re-seeded in each division. The Division Finals will also be best-of-five series, followed by best-ofseven Conference Finals and a best-ofseven Calder Cup Finals.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

AHL DIRECTORY

CENTRAL DIVISION:

ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS

NHL Affiliation

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

General Manager: Ryan Johnson

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

Entered AHL: .................................... 2021-22

Calder Cups: None

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

2021-22 Record: ......... 39-23-5-1, 84 pts./.618

Website: .................. abbotsford.canucks.com

BAKERSFIELD CONDORS

Edmonton Oilers

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

General Manager: Keith Gretzky

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

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

Calder Cups: None

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

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

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

CALGARY WRANGLERS

NHL Affiliation ....................... Calgary Flames

Home Ice: Scotiabank Saddledome (19,289)

General Manager: ....................... Brad Pascall

Head Coach: .................................. Mitch Love

Entered AHL: 2022-23

Calder Cups: ............................................ N/A

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

2021-22 Record: ...................................... N/A

Website: calgarywranglers.com

COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS

NHL Affiliation ........................ Seattle Kraken

Home Ice: Acrisure Arena (10,400)

General Manager: ....................... Ricky Olczyk

Head Coach: ................................ Dan Bylsma Entered AHL: 2022-23 Calder Cups: ............................................ N/A

COLORADO EAGLES

NHL Affiliation Colorado Avalanche

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

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

Head Coach: Greg Cronin

Entered AHL: 2018-19

ONTARIO REIGN

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

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

cvfirebirds.com

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

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

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

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

HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS

NHL Affiliation Vegas Golden Knights

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

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

Head Coach: Manny Viveiros

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

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

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

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

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

ONTARIO REIGN

Home Ice:..................... Tech CU Arena (4,200)

General Manager: Joe Will

Head Coach: ............................ John McCarthy

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

Calder Cups: None

Seasons in Playoffs: ............................... 4 of 5

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

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

TUCSON ROADRUNNERS

NHL Affiliation

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

General Manager: John Ferguson

Head Coach: ............................... Steve Potvin

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

Calder Cups: None

Seasons in Playoffs: ............................... 1 of 4

2021-22 Record: ......... 23-39-5-1, 52 pts./.382

Website: ................... tucsonroadrunners.com

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

Detroit Red Wings

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

General Manager: Shawn Horcoff

Head Coach: .................................. Ben Simon

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

Calder Cups: Two (2013, 2017)

Seasons in Playoffs: ........................... 13 of 19

2021-22 Record: ......... 33-35-6-2, 74 pts./.487

Website: .......................... griffinshockey.com

CHICAGO WOLVES

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

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

General Manager: Wendell Young

Head Coach: ........................... Brock Sheahan

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

Calder Cups: ............ Three (2002, 2008, 2022)

Seasons in Playoffs: 14 of 19

2021-22 Record: ....... 50-16-5-5, 110 pts./.724

Website: .......................... chicagowolves.com

IOWA WILD

NHL Affiliation ...................... Minnesota Wild Home Ice:............... Wells Fargo Arena (8,356)

General Manager: Michael Murray

Head Coach: .................................... Tim Army Entered AHL: .................................... 2013-14 Calder Cups: .......................................... None

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

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

MANITOBA MOOSE

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

Ice:.............. Canada Life Centre (7,808)

General Manager: Craig Heisinger Head Coach: ............................ Mark Morrison

Entered AHL: ........... 2001-02 (played through 2010-11; re-entered 2015-16) Calder Cups: None

in Playoffs: ........................... 11 of 15 2021-22 Record: ......... 41-24-5-2, 89 pts./.618 Website: moosehockey.com

MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS

NHL Affiliation Nashville Predators

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

General Manager: ....................... Scott Nichol

Head Coach: Karl Taylor

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

Calder Cups: ................................. One (2004)

Seasons in Playoffs: ........................... 16 of 19

2021-22 Record: 39-28-5-4, 87 pts./.572

Website: .................. milwaukeeadmirals.com

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

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

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

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

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

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

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

TEXAS STARS

NHL Affiliation Dallas Stars

Ice:.. H-E-B Center at Cedar Park (6,779)

General Manager: ....................... Scott White

Head Coach: Neil Graham

Entered AHL: .................................... 2009-10

Calder Cups: ................................. One (2014)

Seasons in Playoffs: ............................. 8 of 11

2021-22 Record: 32-28-6-6, 76 pts./.528

Website: ................................ texasstars.com

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 19

DETROIT RED WINGS

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

TOP AFFILIATE: Grand Rapids Griffins • 21st Season

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

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

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

MANAGEMENT

EXECUTIVE VP/GENERAL MANAGER: Steve Yzerman

ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER: Shawn Horcoff

COACHING STAFF

HEAD COACH: Derek Lalonde

ASSISTANT COACHES: Bob Boughner, Alex Tanguay, Jay Varady

GOALTENDING COACH: Alex Westlund

VIDEO COACH: L J Scarpace

ASSISTANT VIDEO COACH: Jeff Weintraub

Lindstrom

Matt Lorito

Luff

MacLean

Marchenko

McCarty

McCollum

Meech

Megan

Miller

Mowers

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

Photo credit: Getty Images

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

MARCH 10

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

MARCH 14

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

MARCH 19

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

MARCH 11

Margaritaville

Night presented by Adventure Credit Union/ Trucker Hat

Giveaway

MARCH 31

2013 Cup Celebration

Game presented by University of Michigan HealthWest/Bob Kaser and Larry Figurski

Talking Bobblehead

Giveaway/2013

Blue Jersey

Auction/Annual

Griffins Team

Equipment Sale

APRIL 14

Fan Appreciation Night presented by Huntington Bank/ Jersey Auction

WEEK OF APRIL 16

2023 Calder Cup Playoffs begin, with $2 beers and $2 hot dogs during every home playoff game. All playoff games on:

CHECKPROMOTIONS OUT THESE SEASON-LONG

$2 BEERS AND $2 HOT DOGS

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

MILITARY NIGHTS

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

FREE RIDE FRIDAY ON THE RAPID

Ride the Rapid to and from any Friday game and enjoy a complimentary fare by showing your ticket to that night’s game. Visit ridetherapid.org for schedule information, routes and maps.

WINNING WEDNESDAYS

Presented by Michigan First Credit Union, every time the Griffins win at home on Wednesday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the next Wednesday game. To redeem a Winning Wednesday ticket, please visit the box office following the Winning Wednesday game, The Zone during normal business hours, or the Van Andel Arena box office prior to the next Wednesday game beginning at 5:30 p.m. Fans who exchange their Winning Wednesday ticket at The Zone on a non-game day will receive 20% off the purchase of one item (excluding jerseys). One discount per person present.

LIBRARY NIGHTS

For all Wednesday and Sunday games, fans can present their Grand Rapids Public Library card or Kent District Library card at the Van Andel Arena box office on the night of the game or at The Zone anytime during the store’s regular business hours to purchase an Upper Level Faceoff or Crease ticket for $16 (regularly $22), an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $19 (regularly $25), or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $23 (regularly $28). Limit four tickets per card per person, subject to availability.

BUDDY’S PIZZA FRIENDS & FAMILY 4-PACKS

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

PEPSI READING GOALS

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

POST-GAME AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS

Select players will sign autographs from the Griffins’ bench after the game on March 11.

MOS CORNER OFFICE

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

COLLEGE DISCOUNT

College students can buy online using their school .edu email address or show their ID at every Friday game to purchase an Upper Level Faceoff or Crease ticket for $16, an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $19, or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $23. Limit one ticket per ID if purchasing in-person. Visit griffinshockey.com/college to purchase College Night tickets and sign up for text alerts.

SUNDAY IS FUN DAY

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

For more information, visit griffinshockey.com.

All promotions and dates subject to change.

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

FACE-OFF FLAVOR IN DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS

FACE-OFF FLAVOR IN DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS

FACE-OFF FLAVOR IN DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS

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

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

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

For reservations visit opentable.com

For reservations visit opentable.com

For reservations visit opentable.com

WHEN THE GRIFFINS SCORE, OUR COMMUNITY WINS

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

2022-23 CHARITABLE GOALS PARTNERSHIPS

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

HIGH CEILING

Elmer Soderblom has lofty goals for himself as he tries to carve out his place in the Red Wings organization.

Story and photos by Mark Newman

Confronted by a spontaneous scenario in which a board game might determine the most competitive member of his family, the Red Wings’ prospect carefully contemplates his answer. For a player who takes pride in being resolutely tenacious, this calculated contest of wills has clearly caused him to waver.

“My dad might be the most competitive,” he says with some hesitation. “He gets really mad if he loses. But so do I. Everybody in the family is very competitive.”

Most of Sweden already knows this.

His mom, Susanne Rittedal Soderblom, was a contestant on the second season (1998) of Robinson, the Swedish version of Survivor which preceded the popular reality TV series that pits a group of contestants in an isolated location. She finished third in 2012 when she was one of 14 returning castaways for Robinson: Revanschen (Revenge), the last season to air on Sweden’s TV4.

“It’s one of Sweden’s most popular TV channels, so it was really fun to watch her,” he said. “She did really well. (Editor’s Note: She made it to day 34). It was really cool to have mom on TV.”

His father, Martin Soderblom, played pro hockey in Sweden from 1985 until almost Elmer’s birth in 2001 – nearly two years after the arrival of older brother Arvid, now a goaltender in the Chicago Blackhawks organization. Their younger sister, Vera, is a freshman NCAA Division I basketball player at the University of South Carolina Upstate.

“Like most dads, he wanted his kids to be the best. But at the same time, he’s done a good job of making us realize that we are the ones who have to do the work,” Soderblom said. “So he hasn’t been a dad who is pushing all the time. He will share some tips and tricks but he allows us to do the work.”

And in the Soderblom clan, that’s a tall order.

If all three kids have big dreams, it’s because their parents have blessed them with good genes. At 6 feet, Vera is one of the taller players on her team. Arvid, who has split this season between the Rockford IceHogs and the NHL, has good size for a goalie at 6-foot-3. But next to them, Elmer is practically a giant because he stands 6-foot-8, just one inch shorter than Zdeno Chara, the tallest player in NHL history.

Height has been his albatross but also an Soderblom is considered an exceptional skater for a player of his size.

asset that could work to his advantage.

“It takes more time to get used to your body when you are so tall,” he said. “It’s something I’ve been working on since I started growing. In order to control your body, it’s something that you have to practice every day and just stick to it.”

Elmer quickly outgrew his older brother.

“I think I started using my dad’s skates when I was about 12 years old,” he said. “My feet grew really fast. I think I had to go up a size every season. I’d go up a size, up a size, up a size. It was crazy. Eventually, I started using custom skates that would fit my feet.

“Sometimes it’s not so beneficial to be taller. It’s tough to find the things you want. Sometimes you just have to go with what fits. If you go up a size, it only gets bigger in the body, so you end with everything too short. You learn not to complain so much.”

Although the brothers played on the same team when they were young, Elmer eventually played with boys in his age group. The brothers continued to practice together in the shooting area that they had set up in their backyard, with Arvid occasionally putting on goalie gear to do his best to stop his little brother’s shots.

Their father had been a defenseman, but neither son had any interest in playing on the blue line.

“I was a forward from the time I stepped on the ice. I liked the feeling of scoring goals so I stuck to playing forward from day one,” said Soderblom, who admired Peter Forsberg growing up. “I felt like the style of forward suited me better. Even though as a big man, you could argue that I should have been a D-man, I always liked playing forward because it meant that I could be a little more offensive.”

As a teenager, Soderblom developed in Frolunda’s junior program, which is known for producing more than its share of elite hockey players. He quickly became as known for his stickhandling as for his size, developing the great hands of a goalscorer and not just being a colossal competitor who crashed the net.

“Growing up, I always had patience,” he said. “I was in a really good organization in Frolunda, so I knew if I kept working and played my game and continued to develop, I would have a pretty good chance of playing for the ‘A’ team there, and that’s what happened.”

Still, he was considered a work-in-progress, even after scoring at a goal-per-game pace at

Soderblom discovered his scoring touch as a young, aspiring hockey player.

ages 15 and 16. Those signs of potential were enough to convince the Red Wings to select Soderblom in the sixth round (No. 159 overall) of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

“Getting drafted was a really cool feeling, especially getting drafted by an organization like Detroit,” he said, noting the number of Swedes who had excelled in a Red Wings jersey. “I was super-honored and happy to see my name on the screen.”

Soderblom led his team in scoring during his last season at the junior level. In 36 games during the 2019-20 season, he tallied 29 goals and 26 assists for 55 points, which placed him fourth in league scoring in Sweden’s J20 SuperElit.

But he struggled a bit after jumping to Frolunda’s top club during the 2020-21 campaign. In 28 games, he recorded three goals and two assists.

“When you’re a young talent, you don’t get much ice time,” he said. “In Sweden, teams only dress 13 forwards and sometimes you’re the 13th forward, so you get only a limited amount of ice time, which means that it’s hard to find your game.”

Even so, he showed flashes of brilliance.

During the 2021 World Junior Championship, he scored a highlight-reel goal when he backhanded the puck between his legs to score a third-period, power-play goal against Team Czech Republic.

“That was amazing,” he said. “I felt like I had the time to be able to try it and it just happened. I think it gave me a little breakthrough because it happened on a big stage where you can show off your game. I was really happy with my performance during the World Juniors.”

Soderblom continued to shine last season, his first full year in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL). He led Frolunda in goal-scoring, posting 21 lamplighters along with 12 helpers in 51 games. “As soon as I started to get more ice time and get the feel for it, things started to go pretty well,” he said. “I felt like I could play my own game. I started to play really well and get some points, which felt good.”

When he is playing his best, Soderblom is using his size and his substantial skill to his advantage.

“I like scoring goals and last year I think I shot the puck more,” he said. “I was playing

Soderblom is one of the tallest players in professional hockey and the tallest in Griffins history.

Soderblom was selected in the sixth round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

with good players and I got to play on the power play, so a lot of things just clicked. It turned out to be a really good season for me.”

Bolstered by newfound confidence, he signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Red Wings last June.

“I was really excited about coming [to the U.S.],” he said. “Of course, I was nervous about moving from Sweden because it was something new, but at the same time, I was pumped up because it was an opportunity to show what I can do. It felt like a big opportunity to learn and take new steps.”

Soderblom had been listening closely to the advice and amiable admonitions of Niklas Kronwall, the former Detroit defenseman who now serves as the Red Wings’ surrogate coach in Sweden for the numerous young prospects playing there.

He might have been as surprised as anyone when he made the Red Wings’ opening night roster, although he was not shocked.

“My goal, of course, was to earn a spot, but I didn’t know how it would go because I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “I just played the

best that I could and did what I could to show what I’ve got. It turned out pretty well when I took a spot in the lineup on opening night.”

He hardly could have imagined a better introduction to the NHL. He scored what proved to be the game-winning goal when his third-period tally led the Red Wings to a 3-0 victory over the Montreal Canadiens at Little Caesars Arena.

“It was almost too much to take in because it was my first NHL game and it was also a home game in front of the Detroit fans,” he said. “The year before I was playing in the SHL and two years ago, I was in the junior league in Sweden. It’s cool how fast things happened.

“I was just really honored to be out there. On top of that, scoring my first goal in my first game was extra special. I’m really happy about that. I’m sure I will remember it for a long time.”

Watching the replay of his first NHL goal, one wonders who was happier: his parents who were in attendance or Soderblom himself, who seemed delighted in his good fortune after knocking in the rebound of a Michael

Soderblom scored his first NHL goal in his NHL debut on Oct. 14, 2022.

Rasmussen wraparound to break a scoreless tie. “Before the game, they told me just to relax and enjoy it, have fun,” he said.

Soderblom appeared in 21 games for Detroit, notching five goals and three assists, before being assigned to Grand Rapids in early January. He had previously appeared in two December games with the Griffins during a brief conditioning stint following a lower-body injury.

“I think I could have played better,” Soderblom said, reflecting on his start with the Red Wings. “I think maybe I was afraid to make mistakes. I need to play my game and keep working to get back there.”

He agrees that it was a challenge to adjust to the way that hockey is played in North America but suggests that the game here works in his favor.

“The ice is so much smaller, but I think it suits me,” he said.” It brings me closer to the net and I can take shots from almost every angle. I think I’ve adjusted to the smaller ice. I like it.”

It is inevitably a disappointment for any player to be told that he needs to improve to play in the NHL, but Soderblom insists that he is determined to “stay positive and just work

hard.” He is, after all, still a 21-year-old rookie who needs to learn how to use his considerable skill. “They want me to use my size and play more physical,” he said.

Soderblom scored four goals in a three-game span for the Griffins after going scoreless in his first six games with the team. Still, he knows that his play will not be judged on points alone.

“The game without the puck is important, too,” he said. “I need to move my feet, I need to improve my play without the puck and be reliable defensively, so the coaches trust me out there. At the same time, I need to play with an edge. I want to use my size and use the things that I am good at. You need to find something to bring to the team every night.

“I want to be a special player.”

Soderblom already stands head and shoulders above other players. Now he wants to play like it.

“Things are starting to click now,” he said. “I want to help this team win while I develop as a player. I’m just trying to be my best and to improve every day to become a better player.

“Hopefully, sooner or later, I will be back up there.”

Soderblom uses his large frame and long stick to protect the puck.

and photos

by Mark Newman

NEVER AN EASY ROAD

Matt Luff has surpassed expectations by pushing harder when others might have quit. Story

Luff signed a one-year contract with the Red Wings last summer after appearing in 87 NHL games over four seasons with the Los Angeles Kings and Nashville Predators.

This has been a memorable season for Matt Luff, but not necessarily for the right reasons.

To say the Oakville, Ontario, native has faced challenges this year would be an understatement, but Luff has built a career on overcoming adversity and rising to the occasion.

This is a guy who once played summer hockey in a rink located high on a mountain in Italy. He was a member of an all-star team assembled from his area, and if the ride on a one-lane road to the top was harrowing for a young teen like Luff, the upward trek was symbolic of the journey that lay ahead.

Growing up in a suburb west of Toronto, Luff was like any hockey-loving kid who might have dreamed that he was destined to play in the NHL, except that it was not going to be easy, no matter what he might have believed.

“I think you’re born with a [hockey] stick in your hand if you’re Canadian,” he said.

As a 16-year-old, Luff was a nearly point-pergame player for his hometown Oakville Rangers, but he fell to the seventh round of the OHL draft. A few months later, he failed to make the cut at training camp with the Belleville Bulls.

He found motivation in the rejection.

“I decided to go down and play with my buddies from my hometown,” Luff said, recalling the resentment he felt for being told he was not good enough.

Luff proceeded to score 56 goals in 66 games (adding 42 assists along the way) during the 2013-14 season in the South Central AAA (SCTA) Hockey League. “I think that was the year that I found my confidence and my game. It felt like I might have a chance.”

He subsequently made the Belleville team on his second try and became a finalist for OHL Rookie of the Year.

Although his play earned the notice of Central Scouting, he found himself forgotten during the 2016 NHL Entry Draft. “I went through my first draft unnoticed and got no camp invites, which kinda sucked,” he said. “That was another motivator. I knew it wasn’t going to be an easy road.”

The Bulls moved to Hamilton the following season and he tripled his output to 27 goals while leading his team in scoring with 57 points in 61 games. He wore an “A” in recognition of his leadership role, but he failed to hear his name called during the NHL draft for the second time

in as many campaigns.

He struggles to find an explanation for the snubs.

“We played on Olympic ice in Belleville, so I think my speed may have been an issue,” he said. “I’m still not the greatest skater, but it’s something I worked on and it’s still something I try to improve. Moving to the smaller ice in Hamilton was a little bit better for my game. I was able to produce more because it was a tighter surface.”

Luff became determined to show that he was good enough to play at the pro level.

“Every kid who plays hockey hopes to get drafted, but I knew I still had two or three years in the OHL, so I felt like I had to get going,” he said. “Luckily enough, I was put in the right spot in Hamilton with the right people. They had the same goal as me, which was to get guys into the NHL. I made sure to leave a good impression every time I got an opportunity.”

It worked.

Luff signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Los Angeles Kings after attending the NHL club’s development and rookie camps as a free-agent invitee. “I signed with the Kings, then took an overnight flight from L.A. to Toronto and met my OHL team in Mississauga for the season

opener,” he recalled. “I got a hat trick and an assist, so it was pretty cool 24 hours.”

His last year in junior was not without some growing pains. He missed all of November with a shoulder injury, then part of February with a concussion. Even so, he tallied 25 goals and 24 assists in 45 regular season games, then added nine points (4-5—9) in seven playoff games. He also appeared in two games with the Ontario Reign, the Kings’ AHL affiliate.

Luff spent the following summer of 2017 preparing for his first full season as a pro. He worked with Mike Donnelly, the former MSU Spartan who had back-to-back 29-goal seasons with the Kings in the early 1990s before becoming a development coach in the Kings organization.

“Mike’s an unbelievable guy,” Luff said. “We formed a good relationship and he’s one of the people who helped me make the NHL. If you had asked me, I don’t think I would have been ready to play in the NHL at 21. I have nothing but great things to say about the L.A. staff and how they develop players.”

Luff showed that he could be a productive player at the pro level during his first full season with the Reign when he played for Mike Stothers, the former Griffins head coach (2007-08) who

Luff inked his first NHL contract in 2016 after being a free-agent invitee to Los Angeles’ training camp.

won a Calder Cup with the Manchester Monarchs in 2015 and is currently an assistant with the Anaheim Ducks.

“Mike Stothers is one of those guys who made sure I was doing the right things,” Luff said. “L.A. was big on defensive play and he preached that you play defense first and you don’t cheat for offense. He did a lot for me during my rookie year.

“I would go play for him any time because he was just a straight shooter. You could go into his office and ask him anything and he would tell you how it actually was. He knew all about messaging and reaching younger guys and he’s one of my favorite coaches to this day.”

Luff split his second pro season between Ontario and the NHL. In 33 games with the Kings, Luff recorded eight goals and three assists. In Nov. 2018, he became only the fifth rookie in L.A. Kings history to score goals in four straight games, a feat that hadn’t been accomplished in more than 30 years.

“I had a good stretch,” he said. “I found good chemistry with Carl Hagelin and Adrian Kempe. Getting to play with both of those guys was great. They put me in a good position – I got some power play time – and I was able to put up some points.

“The best part was I can look back at that time and know that whenever I get the chance, I know I can play in [that] league and I can produce. L.A. took a stab in the dark on an undrafted kid, and to be getting a regular shift at age 21 was pretty surreal.”

The next season was a different story. The Kings had a new head coach, Todd McLellan, the former Red Wings assistant coach who had previously led the San Jose Sharks (seven seasons) and Edmonton Oilers (four seasons).

The change meant Luff had to prove himself all over again. He began the 2019-20 season in Ontario but was back in L.A. within the first month of the season. He saw action in only 18 NHL games, as he found himself in and out of the lineup.

“It was one of those situations where you have to keep working,” he said. “You build confidence the more you play. But when you are in for a game and then out for five or six, that can be pretty hard on you. Many people don’t understand how hard that is on a guy, no matter how old you are.

“When you miss games, it’s not easy to step right back in and play like you would if you were playing every game. You try to stay positive.

Once you get on the negative side, you’re giving them reasons to take you out. I was looking for a regular spot that just never came to fruition.”

After five years in the Kings organization, Luff decided he could benefit from a change of scenery. After an amicable parting of ways, he prepared his bags for a new start, although the departure was not without feeling.

“I respect them for the fact that they gave me a chance when 31 other teams didn’t want to give me one,” he said. “And I’m grateful for the opportunity to play for one of the coolest organizations in hockey.” (Editor’s note: Wayne Gretzky spent eight seasons in L.A.)

Luff signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Nashville Predators for the 2021-22 season. He was assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals and played 30 games in the AHL before he was recalled by the Predators in December 2021. In 23 NHL games, Luff totaled three goals and three assists.

“I settled into a spot as an in-and-out fourthline guy and stuck to that role,” he said. “I had a pretty good year there. If you’ve been to Nashville, you understand the hype around the city. My girlfriend loved it and I have nothing bad to say about the organization.”

Luff felt his time with the Predators helped strengthen his play.

“Nashville helped me with teaching me how to use my body to protect the puck or how to finish checks,” he said. “I think that’s what is cool about changing organizations. People all want different things that you might not have known you had in you.”

Like the Kings, the Predators preached defense first.

“I had learned during my first full year in the NHL that defense is what is going to keep you there and offense is something that will come as you go,” he said. “I think defense is the reason I was able to stick after a couple of months in the AHL. I was able to play their system in the D-zone or be out there for the last minute if we were up a goal. They could trust me.”

Even so, Luff was ready to change jerseys once again. He signed another one-year contract, this time with the Red Wings.

“They had been on my radar because they’re a team close to home. They were also a team that I thought might need guys at some point in the year, whether it was right at the start of the season or sometime later through injuries,” he said. “I had talked to them the previous year during free agency.”

Luff, who has long had a knack for finding the back of the net, once scored 56 goals in 66 games at the major midget level.

He took Detroit’s inquiry into his availability as a sign.

“Any time a team comes twice, it’s a team that is interested,” he said. “I look at what Steve [Yzerman, the Red Wings’ general manager] did in Tampa Bay and what he has done [in Detroit] and I think that’s awesome, plus he’s another straight-shooter who tells you how it is. So it was a pretty simple decision.”

Luff enjoyed a great start in Grand Rapids, picking up three goals and four assists in his first five games in a Griffins jersey. His showing earned him a recall to Detroit, but his luck changed during his second game with the Red Wings.

In a 2-1 win over the Minnesota Wild on Oct. 29, Detroit blocked 19 shots, including three by Luff. The only problem was that one was with his face. Matt Dumba took a slap shot from the point that slid up Luff’s stick and smacked the Red Wing right in the face below his visor.

Luff dropped his stick as he slid across the ice, then quickly tossed aside his gloves and helmet as he made his way off the ice.

“It’s like you’re in instant shock,” Luff said, recalling his misfortune. “I looked down and

thought, ‘Oh no, here we go.’ I saw all the blood and I don’t do good with blood. So I got off the ice and ran down the tunnel to the medical room. They told me they were going to throw some stitches in my mouth and you think, ‘All right.’ The worst part is the needle in the mouth.”

Luff’s initial repair took 16 stitches (eight inside and eight outside his mouth) and probably cost him four teeth (three on the bottom, one on top). Even so, he was back at practice the next day after a sleepless night. As far as Luff was concerned, there was no debate.

“You’re a hockey player and you’re a guy who just got called up, so you want to be at practice.”

The aftermath of getting hit in the mouth was not something that he was looking to repeat anytime soon. Luff compared the experience to a sensation similar to having a mouth full of canker sores.

“My mouth was a mess,” he said. “My stick might have helped a little by deflecting some of the speed. It hurt and it hurt for a long time after, too. I couldn’t eat anything solid for quite a while. I blew out all the gums inside my mouth on the left side. I still have bumps all down along the side where it happened.”

Luff played the next four games wearing a protective cage, which he finally shed before a home game against the Montreal Canadiens on Nov. 8.

Late in the third period of a 2-2 game, Luff was clobbered by Canadiens rookie Juraj Slafkovsky, getting drilled into the boards with a nasty hit from behind while he was off-balance with the puck.

The timing couldn’t have been worse because he was still healing from his first injury. “My dad was there with a business partner and his kid and it was the first game that my girlfriend had seen [a game] since I joined the Red Wings,” he said.

His face smashed against the dasherboard, not only reopening the wounds inside his mouth and breaking his nose but also doing a number on his wrist.

“I think I was a little lucky because my wrist took most of the hit,” said Luff, who stumbled to his feet. “It could have been worst because I could have injured my neck. I went to the hospital to get my head and neck checked out. It turned out to be a long night.”

Slafkovsky was handed a two-game suspension after serving a five-minute major penalty and game misconduct for the hit. Luff, meanwhile, felt like he had been hit by a truck.

“It was scary because I didn’t know the timeline, whether I would need surgery, but I knew that I had obliterated my wrist,” he said. “I’m an unserious guy away from the rink, but I was fully cast with my arm in a sling, so my dad wasn’t joking around like he normally would. He knew it was serious.”

Luff was told that he needed surgery and would be out for 10-12 weeks. The rehab that followed, in Luff’s one-word estimation, “sucked,” but he is thankful for the guidance of Griffins physical therapist Eldon Graham and strength and conditioning coordinator Marcus Kinney during his recovery.

“It was a lot of meds and a lot of physio and a lot of uncomfortable things,” he said., “It took a month before I could move my fingers and get some kind of movement. Eldon and Marcus were the main two guys who stuck with me and made sure I was here seven days a week and they were here right there with me. There were setbacks and there were days where I came in and I was just in a mood.”

His wrist was not the only thing that required rehabilitation. His mental state needed some repair as well. “You train for three months to get

ready for a season and it’s frustrating when you’re watching your teammates battling and you know you still have two months of rehab to go,” he said. “I can’t say I was the happiest kid all the time.”

Luff spent countless hours on a stationary bike in an attempt to keep his legs in shape.

“There’s off-ice shape and on-ice shape. They’re completely different,” he said. “Once you add your gear and your skates and you’re striding on the ice, it’s way different from a bike. I rode the Airdyne seven days a week for three or four weeks until I could tie my skates. When I got on the ice and did my first skate, I think I lasted 15 minutes. I had to stop because I couldn’t breathe.”

When Luff finally returned to action with the Griffins more than 11 weeks after his surgery, he played three games in four nights. He appeared in back-to-back road games against Milwaukee and Chicago in late January, then was back on the ice in Milwaukee two nights later.

“When we went on the ice for the second game against Milwaukee, I thought, ‘Oh my god, I’ve got no legs. I don’t know how I’m going to get through this game,’” he said. “Other guys were halfway through the year, systems all dialed in, and I’m trying to get myself back into playing shape.”

By the time the calendar turned to February, Luff was starting to feel like his old self again. He had three assists in a pair of games in Texas to start the month, a showing that he hopes signals a big second half for himself and the team.

“When I’m playing my best, I’m moving my feet, getting the puck, being around the net, creating plays, and being an offensive threat,” he said. “I’m communicating with my linemates, helping to end plays in the D-zone, and then spending the next 20 seconds in their end to create scoring chances.”

Luff has had enough tumult for a season and hopes that the only drama ahead is the Griffins winning enough games to make a run for a playoff spot. “It’s nice to be back in the lineup and see things go in a positive direction,” he said.

Setbacks aside, he is remaining positive. “We have one of the best teams on paper but this is not an easy league,” he said. “We’ve got the edges of the puzzle figured out and now we’re working on the middle. Once you get into the playoffs, it doesn’t matter where you finish, so getting into the playoffs is what matters.

“I think we’re getting our stride back just in time.”

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Tomas Tatar reflects on the Griffins’ first championship and how winning the Stanley Cup would be nothing short of perfect.

PURE JOY

Story and photos by Mark Newman

It was a split second in time but it captures the essence of the moment.

The photo shows a victorious Tomas Tatar on one knee, a big grin on his face while posing with the spoils of war – the Calder Cup, the first championship in the history of the Grand Rapids Griffins organization, and the Jack Butterfield Trophy, the award he accepted as the postseason MVP.

His jersey, like the cap on his head, is backward. Seeing his last name across his chest may seem odd to the unknowing observer. To those who had followed Tatar’s journey from being the AHL’s youngest player in 2009 to becoming Calder Cup champion and playoff hero four years later, it perfectly captures the ethos of an electrifying performer who has always had a palpable love of hockey.

“Looking at it now, I’m a little embarrassed,” he said of the reversed uniform. “It was a spontaneous moment. I didn’t mean to disrespect the jersey or anything like that. It was nothing like that at all. It was just very spontaneous. There was nothing behind it.

“It was just pure joy and being in the moment. We won because of the organization and they gave us the opportunity to reach our goal together and I was just living in the moment. I have no other explanation. It was just joy, to be honest.”

Even though the moment came a decade ago, Tatar remembers the experience like it was yesterday.

Now a member of the New Jersey Devils, Tatar is playing for his third team since leaving the Red Wings organization in 2018 at the trade deadline, when Detroit dealt him to the Vegas Golden Knights for three draft picks (a first-round pick in 2018, a second-round pick in 2019, and a thirdround pick in 2021).

Tatar has now played more than 750 NHL games, but none more memorable than the 24 games he played during the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs when he scored a league-best 16 goals.

“Like in any sport, it’s not easy to win, but we had a great group of guys,” Tatar recalled. “It was a special year. I felt like we had a great team right from the start.”

Tatar began his unforgettable 2012-13 season in his homeland of Slovakia.

The previous May, Tatar had played for Slovakia at the 2012 IIHL World Championship, where he was the youngest player on the roster. Tatar skated in all 10 games for the silver medal-winning Slovakian team, which finished a surprising second to Russia after defeating the Czech Republic in the semifinals.

With a potential delay in the NHL season due to

a looming lockout, Tatar requested permission to stay in Slovakia before returning to North America to play for Jeff Blashill, the new Griffins head coach who was replacing Curt Fraser.

“After our team finished second at the World Championships, there was a big hockey boom in Slovakia, so I talked to Kenny Holland and Jim Nill at that time and asked if I could play in Slovakia until training camp started,” Tatar said.

“I don’t know if Blash was too excited about that, to be honest, but they let me do it, which was super nice. By the time I came to the Griffins’ camp, I felt like I was already in season mode. I had already practiced with the men’s team back home and had played almost 10 games, so I felt very confident when I came to Grand Rapids.”

Tatar spent most of the year in Grand Rapids, where he had played for Fraser the previous three seasons. “Curt helped me a lot,” Tatar said. “I liked him as a coach and as a person. He was good at taking care of us and helping us get to the next level.”

Having originally come to the Griffins at the age of 18 as a second-round draft pick of the Red Wings, Tatar had practically grown up in Grand Rapids.

Thirteen seasons later, Tatar, 32, is the secondoldest player on the New Jersey roster. Only defenseman Brendan Smith, 34, his former teammate in Grand Rapids and Detroit, is older.

Tatar played four seasons in Grand Rapids.

“It’s always great to see a guy you played with when you were younger,” said Tatar, who jokes that Smith’s English was better than his back then. “Smitty helped me a lot in Grand Rapids, but I need to give credit to a lot of guys who helped me out, whether it was chores around the house, taking me somewhere, or teaching me English.

“It’s not easy for a foreign guy to be in a different country where there’s a little bit of a language barrier. All of the guys were great and Smitty was one of those guys who helped me. By the time we got to the championship, I was feeling like I was at home in Grand Rapids.

“All credit to the guys who helped me along the way to become the person I am today.”

Tatar is also appreciative of the confidence that Blashill put in his play.

“Blash did a tremendous job and he showed why he earned the right to be the Red Wings’ coach,” Tatar said. “I had one of my most fun years under him. He was good and the experience brings back a lot of good memories.”

Tatar was recalled by the Red Wings in early February 2013 and played 18 games with Detroit before returning in mid-March to Grand Rapids, where he would finish the regular season and playoffs. In total, Tatar played 111 games during the

2012-13 campaign.

Judging from his finish, he was no worse for the wear. “I was a young guy who wanted to play the most games possible,” he said. “At that age, you just want to play and enjoy the game and I think that’s what happened.”

Tatar was happy to be playing into the postseason after missing the playoffs during his first three seasons in the AHL.

“Every year, it’s the goal of almost every team to make the playoffs but it’s not easy in the AHL because there are a lot of moving parts, with guys getting called up or sent down,” he said. “It felt like that year, everything was clicking. I was confident that we could have a good run.”

Scoring 16 goals in 24 postseason games was better than good, a stretch that still stands out as the best in his 14-year pro career.

“When the team does well, individuals stand out with it,” he said. “I was just taking each game periodby-period. Every period brought something new and a new challenge, and I was fortunate to find the puck in the net. We kept changing lines. When Gus [Nyquist] and Joakim [Andersson] came back from Detroit, we started playing together as a trio, and we had success.”

The Griffins were considered underdogs to

Tatar led the Montreal Canadiens in scoring during the 2019-20 season.

Photo credit: Getty Images

beat Syracuse, who came into the finals with an 11-1 playoff record. The Crunch’s roster included several players from the Norfolk Admirals, who had steamrolled their way to the Calder Cup the previous season.

The Syracuse team featured several players from Eastern Europe, including Tatar’s fellow countryman Richard Panik; Ondrej Palat, Radko Gudas, and Andrej Sustr from the Czech Republic; Dmitri Korobov from Belarus; and Vladislav Namestnikov from Russia.

“They seemed pretty dominant but I was very eager to beat them because I had some friends on the team,” Tatar said. “They had already won one Cup but we felt like we were right there in the mix with them. It gave me extra motivation to beat those guys and become a champion as well.”

As a team, Tatar said the Griffins were motivated to bring the first Calder Cup to the city.

“Grand Rapids is such a good environment,” he said. “You can tell hockey is big with sold-out arenas, and the whole environment, from the facilities to the people, is outstanding. To reach the finals with the organization was very exciting.”

Tatar is sensing a similar excitement around his current team. At press time, the Devils had the best road record in the NHL this season (21-4-3) and

were battling Boston, Carolina, Toronto, Tampa, and the New York Rangers for playoff positioning in the Eastern Conference.

It’s been a remarkable turnaround for New Jersey, which was 27-46-9 last season, finishing ahead of only the Philadelphia Flyers and Montreal Canadiens.

“Last year was a little frustrating considering the strength of our talent,” Tatar said. “We didn’t finish well and it weighed on me through the summer. I wanted to come back and help more because I could see the potential. We had some new additions and I think this is the outcome. We are having a lot of fun.

“We are playing well, but there is still a long way to reach our goal.”

New Jersey is paced by former No. 1 overall draft pick Jack Hughes, 21, who leads the team in scoring. Tatar has found himself playing on a line with Swissborn center Nico Hitchier, 24, who was the No. 1 overall pick in 2017, and Dawson Mercer, 21, who was a first-round pick by the Devils in 2020.

“We have a very talented team,” Tatar said. “These young guys have a tremendous amount of talent and they’re becoming more mature. They’re learning what it takes to win. So far we are working great as a group.

“The line between winning and losing in the

Tatar is in his second season with the New Jersey Devils.

Photo credit: Getty Images

NHL is very thin. Last season you could feel it in the locker room that it wasn’t good enough. I think everyone was expecting a lot more from themselves. We needed to sacrifice more and it was a big challenge. We wanted to come back and be better.

“As soon as this season started, players were dialed in and we were hungry to win. We have a lot of young talent and the older guys are trying to help make this a great environment for everyone. We are trying to play good hockey every day and it’s been a great season so far.

“With roughly 25 games to go, there is still a big task ahead of us to get to the place we want to be.”

Tatar would like nothing better than to get another crack at the playoffs. He became a healthy scratch in Vegas after the Golden Knights traded for his rights and he found himself sitting on the bench when the Canadiens reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2021, a year after he had been Montreal’s leading scorer.

“I cannot explain what happened in Montreal,” he said. “It was a hard pill to swallow because we were playing good hockey. It was the coach’s decision and I had to respect it, but I was super happy that the guys were doing well. I think I could have helped in the finals, but unfortunately, that was not the case.”

The experience taught him to appreciate every day for what it is.

“I’m always trying to enjoy my time – smile, have fun,” he said. “Over the years, I have found that hockey can be frustrating but that’s something that everybody goes through. Sometimes things don’t go your way but you learn there will be up times when everything is going your way and then you have down times and it’s just a matter of how you will deal with it.”

And so he is enjoying every minute with the Devils as they make their push to the playoffs.

“We’re playing well and we want to pick up as many points as we can,” he said. “I’m very hungry for the playoffs, especially after we didn’t make it last year. We still have some tasks to complete before we get there and we want to focus on that.”

Being on a winning team again rekindles fond memories of Grand Rapids and the Griffins’ Calder Cup run.

“When I was up and down with Detroit, I had to be patient, but at the same time I didn’t mind because I was enjoying my time in Grand Rapids,” he said. “With great teammates and all the great people around me, I was having a lot of fun.”

Tatar knows it’s a long road to winning a championship, but it’s a journey that pays huge dividends in the end. “I was fortunate enough that we did it in Grand Rapids, and it would be a dream to do it again in the NHL.”

Tatar was the playoff MVP when the Griffins won their first Calder Cup championship.

by Mark Newman

Pontus Andreasson worked his way up from the lower levels of Swedish hockey to earn a ticket to play in North America.

LATE BLOOMER

Imagine yourself having grown up in a small town the size of Michigan’s Cedar Springs or Wayland and then moving to a city that is not only a hundred times larger but is also located in a foreign country that you have never visited before.

While you will be pursuing your chosen profession there, the job will not seem the same because – even though the rules have not changed – the way things work and how you are expected to perform is completely different. Everything will seem foreign, because indeed it is.

That has been the experience of aspiring forward Pontus Andreasson, who never has felt comfortable with English. The language is less than common in Munkedal, Sweden, his rural hometown of 3,718, where inhabitants enjoy hiking, salmon fishing, swimming, and canoeing when they’re not passing a puck or kicking a soccer ball.

His father, grandmother, and aunt operated a restaurant while he was growing up in Munkedal, where Andreasson was an only child but had lots of sports-loving friends.

“Everyone in Munkedal either played

hockey or soccer,” said Andreasson, who also enjoyed ping pong. “I always had lots of friends on the team, so I had fun.”

When he was young, Andreasson played sports purely for enjoyment. Never would he have imagined that hockey would become his career or that someday he might play the game in a faraway country where his language skills would be tested just like his puckhandling skills.

Andreasson, however, is not the first from Munkedal to pack his bags to play hockey in North America. Nor is he the first from his village to play for the Grand Rapids Griffins.

Joakim Andersson, a member of the Griffins’ 2013 Calder Cup champion squad, also hails from Munkedal. Andersson, who appeared in 205 NHL games with the Red Wings over five seasons (2011-16), played 208 games in Grand Rapids between 2008 and 2016.

“We talked and he said good things about Grand Rapids and the Detroit organization,” said Andreasson, 24, who is almost a decade younger than his predecessor.

Unlike Andersson, who was already playing

Andreasson wants to strengthen his defensive play to earn more ice time.

in international tournaments at ages 15 and 16, Andreasson was still toiling at the lower levels of Sweden’s junior hockey leagues in his teens. A bit of a late bloomer, he was only beginning to show the talent that would earn him a ticket to play overseas.

In 2013-14, playing for his hometown Munkedals BK team, Andreasson scored 49 goals in just 20 games. “That was a good year,” said Andreasson, who tallied a total of 91 points in those 20 contests. “I just shot and the puck went in. [But] the league was not that good.”

He continued to show progress with Kungalvs IK, where he played two seasons before graduating to the acclaimed junior program at Frolunda.

In 2016-17, Andreasson recorded a single goal and two assists in 40 games at the J20 SuperElit level. “My first year in Frolunda was really hard,” he said. “I don’t think I was playing very good. I didn’t play a lot, so I was in the gym all the time.”

Andreasson, who is 5-foot-10, knew he needed to spend time in the weight room to get stronger.

“I’ve been the small guy my whole career,

so I had to build muscle in the gym to get stronger,” he said, noting that he added 10 kilograms (22 pounds) in the space of a year. “I started to train really hard when I was around 18 or 19 years old. That’s when I started thinking that I maybe could be something and make hockey my work.”

Like his weight, his production grew exponentially during his second season with Frolunda’s junior team. He tallied 45 points in 44 games (13-32—45) and even got a one-game audition with the top Frolunda hockey club.

“Playing in Frolunda was good for my development,” he said. “I’ve had good coaches all of my career.”

He was loaned to Hanhals IF for the 201819 season as he was forced to start his pro career in Hockeyettan, the third tier of hockey in Sweden. The following year, he moved up to Sweden’s second division and played for Bjorkloven IF in HockeyAllsvenskan, where he spent two seasons.

As a player who excelled with the puck on his stick, Andreasson had to fight for his ice time, which is forever a challenge for any aspiring hockey player, especially for one

Andreasson signed a one-year deal with the Red Wings last May.

competing at the lower levels of the Swedish leagues. “I had to work my way up,” he said.

Andreasson finally made the jump to the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) last season, when he played for Lulea in his country’s top circuit.

“It was hard in the beginning,” he said. “But every time you move up, you’re going to play with better players and they’re going to help you. It ended up being a good year for me.”

Andreasson scored 18 goals and added 20 assists for 38 points in 52 games with Lulea, where he played on a line with a pair of experienced forwards: Juhani Tyrvainen, 32, a 12-year vet who had spent the majority of his career in Finland’s top league, and Linus Omark, 36, a 17-year vet who spent seven seasons in the KHL and played 79 NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres.

Omark, who also played parts of three seasons for Todd Nelson in Oklahoma City, played an influential role in preparing Andreasson for his eventual move to North America. “He was a big mentor for me,” Andreasson said. “He’s a really good player

and he’s a really good guy outside the rink. We talked a lot and we still talk today.”

Lulea reached the SHL finals against Farjestad BK, losing the championship in seven games. Andreasson, a finalist for SHL Rookie of the Year alongside current Griffins teammate Simon Edvinsson, tied for the most playoff goals with eight tallies in 13 games.

“Reaching the finals was so exciting,” he said. “It was tough that we didn’t win the last game, but the fans were amazing. It was a memory that I will have for my whole life.”

His improved play attracted the attention of the Red Wings, who signed him to a one-year contract one week after the SHL finals. “It was like a dream,” he said. “It happened so fast. It was something I never thought about.”

Andreasson admits that the move to North America has not been easy. “It was hard for me, mostly because of the English,” he said. “I’ve always been bad at language.”

It has helped that his girlfriend, Wilma, has been at his side for most of the time –her English is very good, having spent some time in Canada – and he has several Swedish teammates (Edvinsson, Albert Johansson,

Andreasson is a skilled forward who is capable of driving the play in the offensive zone.

Elmer Soderblom, and Victor Brattstrom).

“Coming here, I was nervous at first, but it helped that there were other Swedes here so I was not alone,” he said.

Adjusting to the AHL has offered an even greater challenge.

“This is my first time playing on a small rink, so it’s been tough,” he said. “You don’t have the time like you do on the big ice in Sweden. Guys are everywhere, the hockey is a higher tempo, and you skate a lot. I thought we would play a little more with the puck and not chase it so much, so that’s new for me, too.”

Halfway through the 2022-23 season, Andreasson was approaching double-digit totals for both goals and assists, but he feels he can play better.

“This year has had many ups and downs,” he said. “When you’re in and out of the lineup, it’s hard, but I keep working because I want to play more. I think I’m getting better and I learn every day about the game here.”

Andreasson is finally starting to feel more comfortable with playing on the smaller ice surface.

“I want to play solid and not have so many ups and downs like I have had this season,” he said. “I want to play more consistent and be better in the defensive zone. I want to prove that I’m a player the coaches can trust so I can play more. I want to help the team win.”

Of course, Andreasson misses his friends and family. He says the time difference (there’s a six-hour difference between Michigan and Sweden) makes it difficult to stay in touch. He was happy to have his mother visit during Christmas and his father made the trip over in early February.

The abundance of Swedes in the Griffins’ dressing room helps, too. Winning more often will make things even better. “When we play good, we are really good,” he said. “We have a good team. We just have to get the group together and play good every game.”

Even his English is improving.

“It’s a little better but still not good,” he said.

Andreasson, it seems, is his toughest critic.

Andreasson is from the same town as former Griffins and Red Wings center Joakim Andersson.

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Jack Rummells is investigating the relationship between biomechanics and player performance.

SPORTS SCIENCE SLEUTH

Story by Mark Newman

As an All-American offensive lineman at the University of Northern Iowa, Jack Rummells became intrigued by the subject of exercise science and how athletes might be able to benefit from biomechanical data collected during their athletic endeavors.

Rummells is now in his second season as a sports science data analyst for the Griffins. Working in a field that is still relatively new to professional sports, Rummells is exploring ways that archived performance data can guide decisions about players’ routines in practice or games.

“I’ve always been fascinated by unsolved mysteries,” Rummells said. “Each form of data is like a piece of evidence in a mystery. You try to arrange the pieces to build a story. I think being a storyteller is a skill that is important in this role.”

A native of rural Iowa, Rummells tried several school sports until he settled on football at West Branch High School, where

his father served as the offensive coordinator for nearly three decades before stepping down so he had more time to watch his son play in college.

It was in high school that Rummells also found an important mentor. Phil Johnson, a strength and conditioning guru who had married Rummells’ cousin, ran his own private performance development gym where Rummells soon became a regular and soaked up everything he could learn.

“I had an internship there and that’s what got me started doing a lot of reading,” he said. “I got interested in competitive weightlifting, which led me to think I wanted to be a strength coach at the end of the day. I was already buried deep into the literature.”

Never a model musclehead, Rummells started looking at athletics from a cerebral point of view.

He started seeking out distinguishing factors

Rummells is exploring ways that archived performance data can guide decisions about players’ routines in practice or games.

Rummells was a first-team FCS All-American offensive lineman at the University of Northern Iowa.

Rummells designed an Athlete Management System that compiles player data from body monitors that track heart rate, movement, and other biomechanical statistics.

that could push him to be “unusual among the unusual.” The intricacies of sports performance became more than a passing interest. “I wanted my niche to be working hard like everyone else but doing it in a smarter fashion,” he said. “I decided to work my butt off but do it in a way that optimizes my abilities.”

Indifferent about his future in football, he was surprised when the University of Northern Iowa offered him a full-ride scholarship. At 6-foot-5-1/2 and 235 pounds, he was recruited as a defensive end. But the school switched him to the offensive line, where he was able to excel after being redshirted his freshman year.

Rummells quickly became one of the best offensive linemen on the team.

“I had to force-feed myself until I averaged 305 pounds playing weight my last couple of years at school,” he said. “That’s 65-70 pounds and the pounds didn’t come easily. I had a bad relationship with food for a while. Nothing

clinical by any means but to get that weight, I had to go to my dining center three times a day and eat until I left with a stomach ache.

“People think how cool it would be to eat whatever you wanted, but it felt like I was in a consistently sickly state. That’s the downside of being an offensive lineman – 300 pounds is the minimum. At that weight, I felt I still had enough speed and flexibility to be effective.”

Rummells said the best part of his five years at Northern Iowa was learning how to live within a team atmosphere. “I developed a keen awareness of the team culture and a vague sense of how to influence that culture,” he said. “I wanted to be one of the best offensive linemen on my team, and with that came a lot of leadership roles.”

In the classroom, Rummells earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a master’s degree in kinesiology, with a focus on biomechanics.

In the classroom, Rummells earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and a master’s degree in kinesiology, with a focus on biomechanics.

“I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue my football journey,” said Rummells, who went unnoticed during the 2015 NFL Draft. “Free agency was on my radar but I was not sure. I got calls from the [Minnesota] Vikings and [Jacksonville] Jaguars for mini-camp invites.”

Rummells decided to fight for a spot with the Jaguars.

“You’re one of 100 players who are competing for one of three or four open spots,” he said. “You’re wearing only a helmet, no pads, but it’s a very physical three days because everyone is fighting for a job. The heat and humidity index in Jacksonville for that three-day stint was 114 degrees – you can only practice if it’s below 120 – so I was dead-tired, but I knew I was being watched. It was easily the most tired I have ever been in my life.”

Rummells ended up being rewarded with a spot on the Jaguars’ 90-man roster. “If you suffer a lot and you succeed, it makes that

joy of success way better,” he said. “I was very proud that I was able to battle through that.”

He subsequently saw action in a couple of exhibition games but was ultimately cut before the regular season. He went out to Denver for a tryout with the Broncos then attempted to catch on with the Washington Redskins the following season before conceding that his playing days were finally over.

In the meantime, he was working on his Ph.D. in biomedical engineering at the University of Iowa. His dissertation examined “quantifying biomechanical fatigue for predictive athlete modeling” – essentially an effort to see if monitoring an individual’s workload could mitigate overuse injuries. “I was looking at the military where so many injuries are self-inflicted from overuse,” he said. “Because military data is hard to get, I used data from Olympic athletes instead.”

Rummells left the world of academia for a six-month internship with Driveline Baseball,

Statistics alone will not alter the way players approach their jobs, but the data may lead to techniques that help fight fatigue or reduce the potential for injury.

Rummells earned his PhD in biomedical engineering from the University of Iowa.

TRIPLE THREAT

a data-driven performance training center located in Kent, Wash., a suburb of Seattle. The program, which is geared to players of all ages from youth to professional, uses state-ofthe-art motion capture assessments to develop specialized training for elite athletes.

Driveline, which trains 75 professional pitchers and consults with four major league teams, counts Cy Young Award winners Clayton Kershaw and Matthew Boyd among its clients.

“Both of my master’s degree advisors were big baseball fans and they knew I had a huge interest in training and biomechanics,” Rummells said. “Driveline Baseball was one of the few places on their radar that was producing peer-reviewed research while also making people better at that sport, which was the synergy of where I was heading.”

His experience with Driveline two years ago caught the attention of Mike Barwis, the director of sports science and human performance for the Red Wings who was looking for a person to head data collection and analysis in Grand Rapids.

Rummells had virtually no exposure

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Rummells played with the Jacksonville Jaguars during their 2015 training camp and preseason.

to hockey, but his general knowledge and expertise in the sports science field – along with his inquisitive nature – made him an ideal fit for the job. And in his typical fashion, he has immersed himself, delving into every detail that might impact his work.

“I was a multi-sport athlete and I love trying to solve things,” he said. “I enjoy things that have some element of mystery because I’m a curious person in general. I’m always curious to learn more and I think having conversations with players is one of my strengths.”

Having skated only a couple of times before getting the job with the Griffins, Rummells felt the need to lace up some skates to get a feel of what it is like.

“I’m not a spectator of sports,” he said. “I get almost anxious watching sports because I feel like it’s fun that I’m missing out on. [Assistant coach] Mike Knuble gave me a pair of his skates and I’ve taught myself to skate.

When possible, I’m hanging around the ice, seeing where I can help with drills, whether it’s collecting pucks or being a live dummy.

“If I take pride in biomechanics, I should understand the necessary postures.”

Most of his first year with the Griffins was spent building a proprietary version of an Athlete Management System (AMS) that compiles all the data collected from players who have consented to wear body monitors that track heart rate, movement, and other biomechanical statistics.

“We’ve created a program that compiles our on-ice data and produces reports for players and coaches on either a practice-to-practice or game-by-game basis,” said Rummells, whose coding skills have helped build the necessary infrastructure for the app.

Currently, Rummells is collecting various forms of data that can be analyzed and applied in different ways, whether the goal

all this, but LMCU made it so

– Morgan

Having skated only a couple of times before getting the job with the Griffins, Rummells felt the need to lace up some skates to get a feel of what it is like.

is to enhance performance, prevent injury, or optimize rehab and recovery. Although he works autonomously, he shares his findings with Griffins players, coaches, and the team’s high-performance staff (i.e. the athletic trainers as well as the strength and conditioning coordinator).

“We’re still early in the use of statistics, at least in terms of data-driven biometric analysis, so we haven’t yet pinpointed the correct KPI [Key Performance Indicators],” he said. “We need to gather a huge backload of data before teams can employ futuristic AI [artificial intelligence]. At some point, somebody will need to translate all this data into more useful information.”

For now, Rummells continues to collect the kind of data that should prove to be pieces of evidence for change.

Statistics alone will not alter the way players approach their jobs, but the data may lead to

techniques that help fight fatigue or reduce the potential for injury. Coaches may learn how to boost their players’ ability to reach their peak performance.

Not all organizations employ research and development personnel just yet and more than a few coaches remain suspicious of statistics, but Rummells believes it is almost inevitable that sports science will eventually be more universally understood and respected.

“I believe our role is to provide tools that will enhance coaches’ ability to make better decisions,” he said. “Our job is to give players strategies that allow them to optimize themselves. Sports science does not produce step-by-step reports but rather it creates an intuitive awareness of biomechanics and it can provide internal cues that can be beneficial to the athlete.

“By sharing this knowledge, we are building on the shoulders of giants.”

Although he works autonomously, he shares his findings with Griffins players, coaches, and the team’s high-performance staff.

GRIFFINS IN THE ALL-STAR GAME

2019-20 Matthew Ford, Chris Terry

2018-19 Chris Terry

2017-18 Matt Lorito, Matt Puempel

2016-17 Matt Lorito, Robbie Russo, Todd Nelson (head coach)

2015-16 Jeff Hoggan (captain), Xavier Ouellet

2014-15 Xavier Ouellet, Teemu Pulkkinen

2013-14 Alexey Marchenko, Jeff Blashill (co-coach)

2012-13 Chad Billins, Petr Mrazek, Gustav Nyquist

2011-12 Gustav Nyquist

2010-11 Ilari Filppula, Brendan Smith

2009-10 Patrick Rissmiller

2008-09 Jakub Kindl, Daniel Larsson

2007-08 Jonathan Ericsson, Jimmy Howard

2006-07 Derek Meech, Kip Miller (captain)

2005-06 Valtteri Filppula, Jiri Hudler, Donald MacLean

2004-05 Niklas Kronwall, Joey MacDonald

2003-04 Jiri Hudler, Niklas Kronwall, Travis Richards (captain), Nathan Robinson

2002-03 Marc Lamothe, Mark Mowers

2001-02 Chris Bala, John Gruden, Kip Miller, Martin Prusek, Petr Schastlivy, Bruce Cassidy (head coach), Gene Reilly (asst. coach)

2000-01 Mike Fountain, Joel Kwiatkowski, Travis Richards, Todd White, Bruce Cassidy (co-coach)

1999-00 John Gruden, Jani Hurme, Kevin Miller, Petr Schastlivy

1998-99 Robert Petrovicky, Maxim Spiridonov

1997-98 Ian Gordon, Kerry Huffman, Michel Picard

1996-97 Jeff Nelson, Michel Picard, Pokey Reddick

2020 - Chris Terry

2019 - Chris Terry

2018 - Matt Lorito

2015 - Teemu Pulkkinen

2013 - Chad Billins

2020 - Matthew Ford

2018 - Matt Puempel

2016 - Jeff Hoggan and Xavier Ouellet

2014 - Alexey Marchenko

2013 - Gustav Nyquist

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

2013 - Petr Mrazek

Photo by Rachel Ponstein from Rachel Gabrielse Photography

Penalty Calls

BOARDING

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

CHARGING

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

CROSS CHECKING

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

HIGH STICKING

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

HOLDING

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

MISCONDUCT

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

TRIPPING

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

ROUGHING

Called for engaging in fisticuffs or shoving.

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT

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

HOOKING

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

SLASHING

Striking an opposing player with the stick.

WASH-OUT

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

DELAYED PENALTY

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

ELBOWING

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

INTERFERENCE

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

SPEARING

Called for using the stick like a spear.

KNEEING

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

ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS

BAKERSFIELD CONDORS

BELLEVILLE SENATORS

BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS

CALGARY WRANGLERS

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS

CHICAGO WOLVES

CLEVELAND MONSTERS

COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS

COLORADO EAGLES

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS

HERSHEY BEARS

IOWA WILD

LAVAL ROCKET

LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS

MANITOBA MOOSE

MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS

ONTARIO REIGN

PROVIDENCE BRUINS

ROCHESTER AMERICANS

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

SAN DIEGO GULLS

SAN JOSE BARRACUDA

SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

TEXAS STARS

TORONTO MARLIES

TUCSON ROADRUNNERS

UTICA COMETS

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

GRIFFINS IN THE NHL

Since their inception in 1996, the Griffins have sent 199 players to the National Hockey League and 18 former Griffins have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. In fact, a Griffins alumnus has had his name engraved on Lord Stanley’s chalice in nine of the last 15 years and in 11 of the last 18 seasons. In chronological order, here are the 25 goalies and 174 skaters who have worn an NHL sweater after playing for Grand Rapids, along with the dates of the NHL debuts/returns.

IT ALL STARTS HERE

MY CUP OVERFLOWS

Four members of the 2022-23 Griffins had their names engraved on either the AHL’s Calder Cup or the NHL’s Stanley Cup earlier in their careers. Add some color to these vivid moments by using your favorite crayons, pencils, markers or paints.

ALEX CHIASSON

2018 Stanley Cup - Washington

BRIAN LASHOFF

2013 and 2017 Calder Cup - Grand Rapids

ALEX NEDELJKOVIC

2019 Calder Cup - Charlotte

JAKUB VRANA

2018 Stanley Cup - Washington

PARTING SHOT

Austin Czarnik and his Griffins teammates had reason to smile when they participated in the 16th annual Griffins & Sled Wings Game at Griff’s Icehouse at Belknap Park on Feb. 8, 2023. Proceeds from the sled hockey game benefitted the Grand Rapids Sled Wings and the Griffins Youth Foundation.

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo

Crisp.