2022-23 Griffiti - Issue #1

MARITIME MAGIC

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

LINEUP

HOMECOMING

THE

by Mark Newman

WITH GRIFFINS HEAD COACH BEN SIMON

A new season brings renewed enthusiasm and excitement as every team starts with a clean slate. The Griffins look upon the 2022-23 season with great anticipation, eager to erase the frustrations of what became a challenging campaign a year ago.

Griffins head coach Ben Simon acknowledges that while it was disappointing that the team missed the playoffs, he feels his team still managed to be competitive – even with a noticeably thin bench due to the number of injuries in both Detroit and Grand Rapids.

“It stinks that we didn’t make the playoffs, but all you can ask is that guys compete to the best of their ability,” he said. “For the most part, I thought we competed well.”

Last season, the Griffins played only eight games without a player on a PTO (Professional Tryout) contract. PTOs offer a way for hockey teams to address player shortages by signing players on what is essentially an emergency, or temporary, basis.

During the 2021-22 campaign, the Griffins had a grand total of 176 games played on PTO contracts. In comparison, during the 2016-17 season when Grand Rapids won its second Calder Cup championship, the team had a total of two PTO games.

Last season, the Griffins played a total of 44 games – nearly 58 percent of their games – with at least three players on a PTO.

“It was frustrating, but it was a good opportunity for players to come up from the [ECHL] and I give full credit to the guys who played in Grand Rapids last season,” he said. “They dug in and competed every game and gave their best.”

The past year also saw a changing of the guard in the Red Wings’ front office. Pat Verbeek replaced Ryan Martin as the Griffins’ general manager in August 2021, only for Verbeek to leave in February 2022 to become the general manager of the Anaheim Ducks. Verbeek’s departure opened the door for Shawn Horcoff, who became the Griffins’ third general manager in less than a year.

The organization spent the summer replenishing the roster, building depth from top to bottom.

“I’m excited about the players that we should have coming to Grand Rapids this year,” he said. “I think we did a really good job of identifying the holes we needed to fill and we filled them. I believe we will be better as a group and we should be much deeper this season. Of course, every other team is thinking the same thing at this point.”

Simon is hopeful that the Red Wings and Griffins have found the right pieces. “On paper we look good, but a lot can happen as last year proved. We came into last season thinking we might have guys like Lucas Raymond and Joe Veleno. When Detroit encountered some significant injuries, it had a huge impact on our season.”

Making the playoffs will be a major point of emphasis after the team failed to qualify for the postseason for the first time since 2011-12.

“The playoff experience — performing in pressure-cooked situations when everything is magnified — is good for a player’s development,” he said. “Those are the moments when you see whether a player can thrive and excel. Collectively, as a team and a staff, it’s disappointing when

Photo: Sam Iannamico

you’re not able to experience that and it’s not something that we want to repeat.”

Still, the Griffins continue to be successful in developing talent for the Red Wings.

“When you look at Detroit’s lineup, you can see a number of key pieces – [Tyler] Bertuzzi, [Filip] Hronek, [Michael] Rasmussen, [Filip] Zadina, [Givani] Smith, [Moritz] Seider, [Joe] Veleno, and [Gustav] Lindstrom – who are playing significant minutes for the Red Wings,” he said. “We have to make sure that we’re developing players, both for the short-term and long-term.

“At the end of the day, our job is to develop the players who are here, no matter who they might be, whether they’re a first-round draft pick or a call-up from the [ECHL],” he said. “We’re here to help these players improve on a daily basis throughout the season.”

Of course, it helps young prospects when they can learn in a winning environment. “In any sport, as professional athletes, you want to win,” Simon said. “Everyone wants to be a part of a winning organization. Everyone wants to be associated with winners.”

Little victories within games are certainly beneficial but league standings don’t lie when it comes to judging team success.

“The American Hockey League presents the challenge of finding a fine balance between development and winning,” he said. “Winning is a skill, so you want to develop a winning atmosphere where players learn what it takes to win, whether it’s the sacrifices you have to make for your teammates to excel to the little things that win games. It’s a skill that’s transferrable to the next level.”

And when it comes to winning, the Griffins have a solid track record. The Grand Rapids club has posted winning records in 11 of the past 12 seasons, winning the Calder Cup championship in 2013 and 2017.

Simon is making no predictions, but as the season began, he was enthusiastic about the group assembled by the organization.

“We want guys who hopefully will make decisions hard for management and the coaches,” he said. “It’s a good thing when you have to make tough decisions because that means players are exceeding expectations and making you think twice.

“This is a great time of year when everyone is excited because everyone gets a fresh start. Everyone gets to start the season undefeated.”

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

SCOUTING REPORT

SAN DIEGO

OCT. 14, OCT. 15

The Griffins and Gulls meet for the first time since Jan. 25, 2020, when San Diego seized a 3-1 victory at Van Andel Arena. The Griffins are 4-2-0-0 all time against the Gulls, which includes a 2-1-0-0 ledger in West Michigan. In 2021-22, San Diego clinched a playoff berth for the fourth time in the past five seasons. The Gulls finished the campaign with a 28-33-4-3 mark (.463) before suffering a two-game sweep at the hands of the Ontario Reign in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

MILWAUKEE

OCT. 19

Last campaign, the Griffins enjoyed early success against the Admirals as they went 5-1-1-0 to

begin the season series. However, Grand Rapids faltered near the end of the year and finished with five consecutive losses to Milwaukee.

Milwaukee is Grand Rapids’ most frequent opponent all time, with 204 games played between the two historic franchises. The Griffins hold a 107-74-7-8-8 (.598) overall record against the Admirals, including a 57-35-2-3-3 (.620) mark at home.

TORONTO

NOV. 11, NOV. 12

Toronto Marlies captain Rich Clune announced his retirement this offseason after 16 seasons of professional hockey. During his seven seasons with Toronto, Clune collected 59 points (25-34— 59) in 256 regular-season games and added two goals and three assists in 20 playoff outings, capturing the Calder Cup with the Marlies in 2018. The forward served as an alternate captain from 2015-20 before being named the ninth captain in Marlies history before the start of the 2020-21 campaign.

Both Bobby McMann and Alex Steeves return to the Marlies following productive rookie seasons in the AHL in 2021-22. McMann placed fifth among rookies in goals scored with 24 and finished the year with 35 points (24-11—35) in 61 games. Steeves ranked among the league’s rookie leaders in goals (23, T6th), assists (23, T17th) and points (46, 10th).

ROCKFORD

NOV. 16

There are family ties between Rockford and Grand Rapids, as IceHogs goaltender Arvid Soderblom is the older brother of Griffins forward Elmer Soderblom. Arvid competed in his first North American season last year and finished the AHL campaign with a 21-15-2 record, a 2.79 goals against average and a .919 save percentage. Arvid ranked among the league’s rookie goaltending leaders in wins (4th), GAA (4th), save percentage (2nd) and games played (38, T5th).

The Rockford bench looks a little different this year, as Anders Sorensen was named head coach of the IceHogs on July 12, 2022 after spending much of last season as the interim head coach. Former Rockford forward Rob Klinkhammer (2008-12) rejoins the team as an assistant coach. Klinkhammer ranks eighth all time for the IceHogs in games played with 242 appearances.

MANITOBA

NOV. 25, NOV. 26 Manitoba had Grand Rapids’ number last season as it went 6-1-1-0 and outscored the Griffins 21-14 in the series. The Moose finished the 202122 season in second place in the Central Division with a 41-24-5-2 record (.618). Manitoba was eliminated 3-2 by Milwaukee in the second round of the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs.

The Moose enjoyed some stellar goaltending performances against the Griffins last year, as Mikhail Berdin and Arvid Holm went a combined 6-1 against Grand Rapids. Berdin finished the season series with a 1.35 goals against average while his teammate countered with a 1.69 GAA.

TEXAS

DEC. 2, DEC. 3

Former Stars forward Joel L’Esperance became a Griffin this past offseason when he signed a two-year contract with Grand Rapids on July 13. L’Esperance notched 136 points (80-56—136) in 183 games with Texas from 2017-22. In the last three seasons, L’Esperance bagged 18 points (11-7—18) in 19 contests against the Griffins. Texas beat out Iowa and Grand Rapids for the final postseason spot in the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs when it defeated Manitoba 4-2 on April 26. This was the Stars’ eighth overall appearance in the playoffs and their first since 2018. Texas was swept two games to none by Rockford in the first round.

IOWA

DEC. 7

Patrick Curry joined the Wild during the offseason when he signed a one-year AHL contract on July 19. Curry spent the last two seasons with the Griffins and compiled five goals and three assists in 53 outings. In addition, former Griffin and 2017 Calder Cup champion Joe Hicketts (2016-21) will remain in the green and gold uniforms for his final season of his two-year contract with the Minnesota Wild.

The Griffins posses a stellar record all time against Iowa, and last season was no different. Grand Rapids went 5-3-0-0 versus the Wild a year ago and holds a 40-18-4-2 (.672) all-time ledger against its Central Division rival, including a 20-7-3-2 (.703) mark inside Van Andel Arena.

We’re proud to be your hometown bank.

For over 172 years, we’ve been proudly committed to helping Michigan’s businesses and neighborhoods thrive. Because this is our community, and we believe the best way to build it is together. Learn more at Comerica.com/committed.

A MISSION TO INNOVATE

Easy access to dedicated specialists can be life-changing. That’s why we break new ground every day—not on buildings, but on innovative treatments and cures. And it’s why we bring you the best minds in medicine. For communities across West Michigan, one name changes everything.

University of Michigan Health-West

We’ve got you covered on or off the ice.

#1 Member Satisfaction Among Commercial Health Plans in Michigan

At Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network, we’re always ready to help. We strive to provide the broadest access and the best, most helpful support to our members and providers. That’s why we’re so proud of our most recent recognition as a top health plan by J.D. Power, based on our members' satisfaction ranking best in coverage, benefits and provider networks. Learn more about how we're ready to help at bcbsm.com

Gri G

For J.D. Power 2022 award information, visit jdpower.com/awards Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network are nonprofit corporations and independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

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

PRESIDENTANDCHIEFEXECUTIVEOFFICER AMERICANHOCKEY LEAGUE

A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Dear Fans,

A MESSAGE

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.

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.

SCOTT HOWSON

Sincerely, Scott Howson President & CEO | American Hockey League

PRESIDENT AND CHIEFEXECUTIVEOFFICER

HOCKEY LEAGUE

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.

behalf of all of our teams, thank

the AHL.

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

THE BEGINNINGS

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

A TRADITION OF

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

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

captured by the Chicago Wolves last spring.

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

THE NUMBERS 88.2%

423

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

Former AHL players who skated in the NHL last season

992

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

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

CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC DIVISION:

Springfield,

NORTH DIVISION:

Laval,

Syracuse,

NHL

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

Ice:

New York Rangers

Center (15,635)

BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS

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

Home Ice: Webster Bank Arena (8,412)

General Manager: Chris Lamoriello

Brent Thompson

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS

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

Home Ice: Bojangles’ Coliseum (8,500)

General Manager: Gregory Campbell

Head Coach:

Entered AHL:

Geordie Kinnear

2010-11

Calder Cups: One (2019)

NHL

PROVIDENCE BRUINS

HERSHEY BEARS

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

Home Ice: Giant Center (10,500)

General Manager:

Coach:

Bryan Helmer

Todd Nelson

1938-39

Cups:

69 of 82

(1947, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1974, 1980, 1988, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010) Seasons in Playoffs:

34-32-6-4, 78 pts./.513

SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS

NHL Affiliation: St. Louis Blues

Home Ice:

General Manager:

Coach:

MassMutual Center (6,793)

Kevin Maxwell

Drew Bannister

AHL: 2016-17

Cups:

Seasons in Playoffs:

pts./.625

of 4 2021-22

Seasons in Playoffs:

42-24-5-1, 90 pts./.625

6 of 10 2021-22 Record:

gocheckers.com

LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS

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

Home Ice:

PPL Center (8,420)

Manager: Chuck Fletcher

Coach:

Entered AHL:

Cups:

in

Ian Laperriere

1996-97 (as Philadelphia Phantoms)

Two (1998, 2005)

12 of 24

73 pts./.480

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON

PENGUINS

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

Home Ice:

General Manager:

Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza (7,500)

Erik Heasley

J.D. Forrest

pts./.513

BELLEVILLE SENATORS

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

Home Ice: CAA Arena (4,400)

General Manager:

Head Coach:

Entered AHL:

Calder Cups:

Seasons In Playoffs:

2021-22

Ryan Bowness

Troy Mann

2017-18

pts./.583

CLEVELAND MONSTERS

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

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

LAVAL ROCKET

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

Home Ice: Place Bell (10,043)

General Manager:

Kent Hughes

ROCHESTER AMERICANS

NHL Affiliation: Buffalo Sabres

Home Ice:

Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial (10,662)

General Manager:

Calder Cups:

1956-57

Jason Karmanos Head Coach: Seth Appert Entered AHL:

(1965, 1966, 1968, 1983, 1987, 1996)

Seasons in Playoffs: 47 of 64 2021-22 Record:

TORONTO MARLIES

NHL Affiliation: Toronto Maple Leafs

Ice:

General Manager:

Coach:

Coca-Cola Coliseum (7,851)

Ryan Hardy

Greg Moore

AHL: 2005-06

Calder Cups:

in

(2018)

General Manager:

Trent Vogelhuber

Chris Clark Head Coach:

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

Head Coach:

Entered AHL:

Jean-Francois Houle

2017-18

Calder Cups:

One (2016) Seasons in Playoffs:

Calder Cups: None Seasons In Playoffs:

28-35-8-5, 69 pts./.454

3 of 13 2021-22 Record:

clevelandmonsters.com

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

NHL Affiliation: Tampa Bay Lightning

Home Ice:

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

General Manager:

Calder Cups:

1 of 3 2021-22 Record:

39-26-5-2, 85 pts./.590

rocketlaval.com

THE ROAD TO THE CALDER CUP

1994-95

Stacy Roest Head Coach: Ben Groulx Entered AHL:

Seasons in Playoffs:

16 of 26 2021-22 Record: 41-26-7-2, 91 pts./.599

syracusecrunch.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.

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:

4 of 7

None Seasons in Playoffs:

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

uticacomets.com

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

San Jose, Tucson

CENTRAL DIVISION: Grand Rapids, Chicago, Iowa, Manitoba, Milwaukee, Rockford, Texas

ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS

NHL Affiliation

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

General Manager: Ryan Johnson

Head Coach:

Entered AHL:

Jeremy Colliton

2021-22

Calder Cups: None Seasons in Playoffs:

BAKERSFIELD CONDORS

Edmonton Oilers

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

General Manager: Keith Gretzky

Head Coach:

Entered AHL:

Colin Chaulk

2015-16

CALGARY WRANGLERS

NHL Affiliation

Calgary Flames

Home Ice: Scotiabank Saddledome (19,289)

General Manager:

Head Coach:

Brad Pascall

Mitch Love

Entered AHL: 2022-23

Calder Cups:

Seasons in Playoffs:

HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS

NHL Affiliation Vegas Golden Knights

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

General Manager:

Tim Speltz Head Coach: Manny Viveiros

Cups:

Seasons in Playoffs:

39-23-5-1, 84 pts./.618

1 of 1 2021-22 Record:

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:

Seasons in Playoffs:

2021-22

ONTARIO REIGN

NHL Affiliation

Manager:

Angeles Kings

Ice:....................... Toyota Arena (9,491)

Richard Seeley

Marco Sturm

Calder Cups: None Seasons in Playoffs:

2 of 5

37-21-5-5, 84 pts./.618

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

Calder Cups:

2 of 2

None Seasons in Playoffs:

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

coloradoeagles.com

SAN DIEGO GULLS

NHL Affiliation Anaheim Ducks

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

General Manager:

Rob DiMaio

Head Coach: Roy Sommer

Entered AHL:

2015-16

Calder Cups:

4 of 5

None Seasons in Playoffs:

Record: 28-33-4-3, 63 pts./.463

sandiegogulls.com

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

General Manager: Joe Will

Head Coach:

Entered AHL:

John McCarthy

2015-16

TUCSON ROADRUNNERS

NHL Affiliation

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

General Manager: John Ferguson

Head Coach:

Entered AHL:

Steve Potvin

2016-17

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

Detroit Red Wings

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

General Manager: Shawn Horcoff

Head Coach:

Entered AHL:

Ben Simon

2001-02

Calder Cups: None Seasons in Playoffs:

2021-22 Record:

4 of 5

20-42-4-2, 46 pts./.338

CHICAGO WOLVES

NHL Affiliation

Carolina Hurricanes

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

General Manager: Wendell Young

Head Coach:

Entered AHL:

Brock Sheahan

2001-02

Three (2002, 2008, 2022) Seasons in Playoffs: 14 of 19

Calder Cups:

2021-22 Record:

50-16-5-5, 110 pts./.724

chicagowolves.com

MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS

NHL Affiliation Nashville Predators

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

General Manager:

Scott Nichol

Head Coach: Karl Taylor

Entered AHL:

Calder Cups:

Seasons in Playoffs:

2001-02

One (2004)

16 of 19

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

Calder Cups: None Seasons in Playoffs:

2021-22 Record:

1 of 4

23-39-5-1, 52 pts./.382

tucsonroadrunners.com

Calder Cups: Two (2013, 2017)

Seasons in Playoffs:

2021-22 Record:

Website:

13 of 19

33-35-6-2, 74 pts./.487

griffinshockey.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:

MANITOBA MOOSE

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

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

General Manager: Craig Heisinger

Head Coach:

Mark Morrison

Entered AHL: ........... 2001-02 (played through 2010-11; re-entered 2015-16)

32-31-4-5, 73 pts./.507

None Seasons in Playoffs: 1 of 7 2021-22 Record:

iowawild.com

Calder Cups: None Seasons in Playoffs:

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

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

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

TEXAS STARS

NHL Affiliation Dallas Stars

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

General Manager:

Mark Bernard Head Coach: Anders Sorensen Entered AHL:

2007-08 Calder Cups:

None Seasons in Playoffs:

7 of 13 2021-22 Record: 37-30-4-1, 79 pts./.549

icehogs.com

General Manager:

Scott White

Head Coach: Neil Graham

Entered AHL:

Calder Cups:

Seasons in Playoffs:

2009-10

One (2014)

8 of 11

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

Website:

texasstars.com

Better Options. BETTER YOU!

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

Andreas Athanasiou 2015-16

Sean Avery 2002-03

Riley Barber 2021-22

Ryan Barnes 2003-04

Tyler Bertuzzi 2016-17

Patrick Boileau 2002-03

Darryl Bootland 2003-04

Madison Bowey 2019-20

Mathias Brome 2020-21

Fabian Brunnstrom 2011-12

Mitch Callahan 2013-14

Jake Chelios 2018-19

Dennis Cholowski 2018-19

Ty Conklin 2011-12

Chris Conner 2011-12

Jared Coreau 2016-17

Kyle Criscuolo 2021-22

Danny DeKeyser 2013-14

Aaron Downey 2008-09

Patrick Eaves 2013-14

Christoffer Ehn 2018-19

Matt Ellis 2006-07

Turner Elson 2021-22

Cory Emmerton 2010-11

Jonathan Ericsson 2007-08

Landon Ferraro 2013-14

Valtteri Filppula 2005-06

Martin Frk 2017-18

Luke Glendening 2013-14

Mark Hartigan 2007-08

Darren Helm 2007-08

Joe Hicketts 2017-18

Jiri Hudler 2003-04

Matt Hussey 2006-07

Doug Janik 2009-10

Nick Jensen 2016-17

Tomas Jurco 2013-14

Jakub Kindl 2009-10

Tomas Kopecky 2005-06

Niklas Kronwall 2003-04

Marc Lamothe 2003-04

Josh Langfeld 2006-07

Dylan Larkin 2015-16

Brian Lashoff 2012-13

Brett Lebda 2005-06

Ville Leino 2008-09

Gustav Lindstrom 2019-20

Matt Lorito 2016-17

Joey MacDonald 2006-07

Donald MacLean 2005-06

Anthony Mantha 2015-16

Alexey Marchenko 2013-14

Darren McCarty 2007-08

Tom McCollum 2010-11

Dylan McIlrath 2018-19

Derek Meech 2006-07

Wade Megan 2018-19

Drew Miller 2016-17

Kevin Miller 2003-04

Mark Mowers 2003-04

Petr Mrazek 2012-13

Jan Mursak 2010-11

Anders Myrvold 2003-04

Andrej Nestrasil 2014-15

Xavier Ouellet 2013-14

Chase Pearson 2021-22

Calvin Pickard 2019-20

Matt Puempel 2018-19

Teemu Pulkkinen 2013-14

Kyle Quincey 2005-06

Michael Rasmussen 2018-19

Dan Renouf 2016-17

Mattias Ritola 2007-08

Jamie Rivers 2003-04

Nathan Robinson 2003-04

Stacy Roest 2002-03

Robbie Russo 2016-17

Moritz Seider 2021-22

Riley Sheahan 2011-12

Brendan Smith 2011-12

Givani Smith 2019-20

Ryan Sproul 2013-14

Garrett Stafford 2007-08

Ben Street 2016-17

Libor Sulak 2018-19

Evgeny Svechnikov 2016-17

Eric Tangradi 2015-16

Tomas Tatar 2010-11

Jordin Tootoo 2013-14

Dominic Turgeon 2017-18

Joe Veleno 2020-21

Jason Williams 2002-03

Luke Witkowski 2021-22

Filip Zadina 2018-19

for Curtis Joseph (2003-04), Chris Osgood (2005-06), Manny Leg ace (2005-06), Chris Chelios (2008-09), Andreas Lilja (2009-10), Jonas Gustavsson (2012-13), Carlo Colaiacovo (2012-13), Stephen Weiss (2014-15) and Gemel Smith (2021-22).

* not including conditioning

Photo

credit: Getty Images

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

OCT. 14 Opening Night presented by Huntington Bank/Magnet Schedule Giveaway

OCT. 15 Hope Network Night/Hope Network Jersey Auction/PreGame Fan Fest

NOV. 12 Military Appreciation Night presented by

DTE/Water Bottle Giveaway/Military Themed Jersey Auction

NOV. 25

22nd Annual Teddy Bear Toss Game presented by J&H Family Stores

NOV. 26 Country Night presented by Patrón/Bandana Giveaway (ages 21+)/Whiskey Bound Band Performance (Pre-Game and Intermission)

DEC. 2

Seventh Annual Red Kettle Game presented by The Salvation Army/ Red Kettle Jersey Auction

DEC. 5

14th Annual Tip-A-Griffin at Peppino’s, benefiting the Griffins Youth Foundation DEC. 16

Grand Rapids Hall of Fame Night presented by Fox Motors/Calendar Giveaway

NOV. 16

21st Annual School Day Game presented by Consumers Credit Union/11 a.m. Start

DEC. 3

A Griffins Christmas Story presented by Centennial Securities/ Leg Lamp Giveaway/ Santa Claus Visit

DEC. 31

25th Annual New Year’s Eve Celebration/Post-Game Fireworks/6 p.m. Start

JAN. 7 Hockey Without Barriers & Sensory Friendly Game presented by Comerica Bank/ Jonatan Berggren Bobblehead Giveaway

JAN. 13 Salute to Badges Night presented by Pro-Tech Heating & Cooling

at Rosa Parks Circle, benefiting the Griffins Youth Foundation

FEB. 8

16th Annual Griffins & Sled Wings Sled Hockey Game at Griff’s IceHouse at Belknap Park, benefiting the Grand Rapids Sled Wings and the Griffins Youth Foundation

FEB. 11 Princess Night presented by Lake

JAN. 14 Heroes vs. Villains Night presented by Michigan First Credit Union/ Character Appearances JAN. 21-22

18th Annual Great Skate Winterfest

Michigan Credit Union/Princess Appearances/Pre-Game Tea Party

FEB. 25

Hispanic Heritage Night presented by Consumers Energy/T-Shirt Giveaway/Hispanic Heritage Jersey Auction

MARCH 4 Star Wars Night presented by DTE/Character Appearances

SEASON-LONG

CHECKPROMOTIONS OUT

$2 BEERS AND $2 HOT DOGS

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

MILITARY NIGHTS

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

FREE RIDE FRIDAY ON THE RAPID

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

WINNING WEDNESDAYS

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

LIBRARY NIGHTS

For all Wednesday and Sunday games, fans can present their Grand

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

BUDDY’S PIZZA FRIENDS & FAMILY 4-PACKS

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

PEPSI READING GOALS

Children with Griff’s Reading Goals bookmarks who have completed the required three hours or reading can redeem their bookmark for two free Upper Level tickets to any of the following games: Bookmark #1 – Nov. 26, Dec. 7 and 23; Bookmark #2 – Feb. 15, March 19 and 29.

POST-GAME OPEN SKATES

Bring your skates to the rink and take to the ice for a post-game open skate on Oct. 14, Nov. 25, Dec. 31, Jan. 14 and Feb. 11. As a reminder, Van Andel Arena has a no-bag policy, but security will allow fans to use bags to bring in their skates.

POST-GAME AUTOGRAPH SESSIONS

Select players will sign autographs from the Griffins’ bench after the games on Nov. 26, Dec. 3, Jan. 7 and March 11.

MOS CORNER OFFICE

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

COLLEGE DISCOUNT

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

SUNDAY IS FUN DAY

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

more

visit griffinshockey.com.

FACE-OFF FLAVOR IN DOWNTOWN GRAND RAPIDS

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.

MAKING HIS PITCH

Thrown a couple of curves early in his career, defenseman Jared McIsaac wants to show that he can compete at the next level.

Story and photos by Mark Newman

Penalty boxes or pitching mounds could have been in young Jared McIsaac’s future.

Encouraged by family, the boy from the Maritimes seemed destined to pursue athletics of some shape or form. It was just a matter of deciding which option best suited his interests.

Like many Canadian youths, McIsaac had an ice rink in his backyard, a place to polish his skating skills while growing up. But the empty lot next to the family home in Truro, Nova Scotia, also had a baseball mound courtesy of his grandfather, Bill McIsaac, a promising pitcher who had once had a tryout with the Boston Red Sox.

“I wish I could have kept playing baseball,” McIsaac said. “It was great to play – I played every summer – but when hockey started to become serious, I had to quit so I could keep training for hockey.”

Jared’s father and his uncle also played baseball but both were better known for what they did on skates, not cleats. His dad, Jamie,

McIsaac was chosen in the second round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.

was a well-traveled referee who worked junior and college hockey games in the Maritimes, while his dad’s younger brother, Jon McIsaac, became an NHL referee after working his way up from the minor leagues.

“I grew up watching my dad reffing Junior A and college hockey,” McIsaac said. “My mom [Sandra] was always carting me around, watching my dad work as a referee. I’ve been around the rink ever since I was a little guy, so I started skating at an early age.”

Being able to watch a lot of good hockey gave McIsaac a leg up in his development as he was sharpening his skating skills. “Just being around the rink as a young kid, watching my dad, made me want to play even more, which was awesome,” he said.

“I was on a travel team that played in a small rink in Salmon River [Nova Scotia] that might have sat only a couple of hundred people, but it was always packed whenever we played, which was pretty cool to a little kid. You felt like you

Being able to watch a lot of good hockey gave McIsaac a leg up in his development as he was sharpening his skating skills.

were playing in front of 10,000 fans.”

McIsaac continued to hone his skills whenever and wherever possible. “Our basement walls took a beating,” he recalled. “I was always down there, shooting pucks. My mom has pictures of the basement, which had a couple of holes by the stairwell going downstairs that I fired pucks through.

“I loved it. Still love it, obviously.”

Eventually, his parents decided to move the family from Truro to Dartmouth, Nova Scotia (roughly 10 minutes from Halifax), to allow him to play on a bigger stage. It was a momentous move, not only for his parents, who now faced an hour-long commute from Truro, where both worked as correctional officers, but also for his sister Jordan, who was six years his junior.

“My parents thought it would be a good idea to uproot the family so I could be on the ice full time,” he said. “My whole family was very supportive, even my younger sister. She was really young, so it was a big sacrifice for her to leave her friends. Making new friends all over again at a young age is not easy.”

In his new town, McIsaac spent two years at the private Maritime Varsity Academy,

McIsaac (second from left) is fully recovered from surgeries on both shoulders.

where he received hockey instruction as well as access to a one-on-one skating instructor.

“The schooling was pretty strict,” he said. “In the classroom, there was no messing around and we had a lot of homework because of the schedule.”

Gym class meant three days on the ice at the academy in addition to two days of practice with his major bantam team. “Both of my parents were great,” he said. “My dad always had my best interests in mind, but he pushed me pretty hard until he saw that I had the drive and really wanted it.”

McIsaac played two years of major midgets in Cole Harbour, the hometown of his childhood hero, Sidney Crosby. “That’s when my play started taking big leaps,” he said. “I jumped up a year as a 13-year-old, and while there was an adjustment period, I think I was ready for the jump. Playing against older kids helped me, for sure, and I think I ended up putting up some pretty good numbers.”

His numbers were impressive enough to attract the attention of the Halifax Mooseheads, who selected McIsaac with the second-overall pick in the 2016 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League draft.

McIsaac played a career-high 70 games for the Griffins last season.

To this day, McIsaac raves about his time in Halifax. “They have a world-class organization, which they run like an AHL or NHL club,” he said. “They do everything right and set up the players for success. I can’t say enough about what it was like to play there.”’

McIsaac tips his cap to everyone from Halifax Mooseheads majority owner Bobby Smith, who played 15 NHL seasons with the Minnesota North Stars and Montreal Canadiens, to general manager Cam Russell, the former Chicago Blackhawks defenseman who finished his playing career with the Colorado Avalanche in 1998-99. “I owe them a lot of credit,” he said.

His coach during his first year in Halifax was Andre Tourigny, now head coach of the NHL’s Arizona Coyotes. Nico Hischier, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft, was a teammate during his first year with the

Mooseheads, and Red Wings draft pick Filip Zadina was a teammate during his second year.

“I was more of an offensive defenseman at the time, but they ingrained in me that you have to play a two-way game,” he said. “They would harp on the little things, but I think I took huge steps. I played a ton, which definitely helped my development.”

McIsaac, who was chosen by the Red Wings in the second round (36th overall pick) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, had a breakout year during 2018-19, his third season in Halifax, when he tallied 16 goals and 46 assists for 62 points in 53 regular season contests. He added 16 more points in 22 playoff games.

“I really enjoyed playing at home,” he said. “My parents came to all of the games and I always had family there. It was awesome. You couldn’t put a team in a better spot with the fan base and the city. It was a lot of fun to play in the Maritimes.”

McIsaac, who was chosen by the Red Wings in the second round (36th overall pick) in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, had a breakout year during his third season in Halifax.

McIsaac is a two-way defenseman with elite skating skills and a solid array of shots.

It was almost too good to be true. Following his fantastic season in Halifax, McIsaac had surgery to repair his right shoulder. After missing half of the 2019-20 season due to rehab, he injured his other shoulder on the first shift of his professional debut in Finland, which kept him off the ice for an additional six months.

“When it happened the second time in Finland, I was like, ‘This can’t be real.’ It was like I had just finished rehabbing the first one and now I had dislocated the other one,” he recalled. “I think I handled the second a little better because I knew what was coming.”

Having played a total of 39 games between the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons, McIsaac was eager to experience an injury-free campaign. Last year, he ended up appearing in 70 games with the Griffins, the most action he has seen in any single season in his career.

“It was great to play a full season and regain my confidence,” he said. “I think playing that

many games helped put my mind at ease. It was nice not to have to worry about the shoulders. I could just go out and play and have fun. I got to play a lot and I felt like I played pretty well all year.”

Although he had seen action in 10 AHL games with the Griffins at the end of 2020-21, he feels like last season was his first true test

at playing at the professional level.

“It was a fairly big adjustment for me,” he said.

“I needed to tighten my overall defensive game, not give as much time and space to guys. After the first 15 games, I felt like I was settling in and I started getting rewarded for my play, which was huge for my confidence.”

Indeed, the stats support his assessment of his first full pro season, which saw some measure of fatigue late in the season.

After registering three assists in the first 15 games, he tallied five goals and 12 assists over the next 36 games before finishing with four assists in the last 19 games.

McIsaac has represented Canada in international play several times.

Last year, McIsaac appeared in 70 games with the Griffins, the most action he has seen in any single season in his career.

“I thought my game took a huge step forward during the middle part of the season,” he said. “My skating is one of my biggest assets. When I use it the right way, skating efficiently, it shows in my play, which builds my confidence and earns the trust of my coaches who put me in a position to succeed.”

McIsaac found it gratifying that the Griffins’ coaching staff gave him the chance to play in all situations, including both the power play and penalty kill. He finished tied for ninth in rookie scoring among AHL defensemen, but he took greater pride in his growth as a defender. “It’s great when you get your name on the scoresheet, but the less you notice me, the better,” he said. “I want to be known as a defensive guy first; the offense will come later.”

Although injuries may have delayed his development, McIsaac remains optimistic about his chances.

McIsaac finished last season tied for ninth in rookie scoring among AHL defensemen.

“I think I took huge steps last year as far as playing with confidence and using my skating ability to my advantage,” he said. “I wish there was just one thing that I could pick and focus on, but there are all kinds of things that I can do to get better and make the next jump to the big club.

“I just hope to start where I left off. I want to keep developing and continue to make progress in my game.”

McIsaac knows it will be a big thrill should he get the opportunity to play in the NHL this season. “It would be nice to get that first one under my belt, more for my family to be able to see it,” he said. The only thing better would be if he could play in a game where his uncle was a referee.

“It would be cool to share the ice with my uncle,” McIsaac said. “I would love to throw a few digs at him on the way to the penalty box.”

McIsaac knows it will be a big thrill should he get the opportunity to play in the NHL this season. “It would be nice to get that first one under my belt, more for my family to be able to see it,” he said.

McIsaac played most of his junior hockey for the Halifax Mooseheads, the same team for which Colorado Avalanche defenseman Nathan MacKinnon had played four seasons before.

MR. CONSISTENT

Gustav Nyquist has been a dependable player for the Columbus Blue Jackets, the same steady performer who helped the Griffins win their first Calder Cup

seasons ago.

Story and photos by Mark Newman

Much has changed in the life of Gus Nyquist during the past decade.

• At the age of 33, he has become a respected NHL veteran, considered one of the most consistent and dependable players in the league.

• He is in the last season of a four-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets, his second team since leaving Detroit after eight seasons. Many of his former Red Wings teammates are now retired.

• Six years ago, he watched Nyquist, a horse named in his honor and a fifth-generation descendant of Secretariat, win the 2016 Kentucky Derby.

• He is now the father of two beautiful daughters with his wife Danielle, whom he met while attending the University of Maine.

One thing that has not changed is Nyquist’s memory of the 2013 NHL and AHL playoffs. Next spring will mark the 10th anniversary of the Griffins’ remarkable postseason run to the organization’s first Calder Cup championship.

“I feel old – it seems like a long time ago now,” Nyquist chuckled during a recent interview via Zoom from his home in

Columbus. “I have a lot of good memories from that year of playing in Grand Rapids and winning the Calder Cup.”

Although Nyquist had spent the majority of the 2012-13 season in Grand Rapids, he finished the year in Detroit with a Red Wings club that was primed for a promising playoff push.

Alas, it was not to be.

“After being up three games to one against Chicago, we ended up losing in the second round. We lost Game 7 in overtime, which I still remember clearly to this day,” said Nyquist, who assisted on the Red Wings’ lone goal in the 2-1 loss, a game-tying, third-period tally by Henrik Zetterberg. “It was a tough exit.”

Nyquist contends the Red Wings were good enough to win it all.

“Obviously, we were heartbroken,” he said. “We felt like we had a good chance to go all the way. We had a great team but we just couldn’t find a way to close out the series. We felt like we played really well and we had our chances, but we were up against another really good team because the Blackhawks went on to win the Cup that year.”

Nyquist has never had fewer than 40 points in a season at the NHL level.

Photo credit: Gaelen Morse/USA Today Sports

Nyquist played all 82 games last season after shoulder surgery sidelined him for the entire 2020-21 campaign.

The hockey season, however, was not over for Nyquist, nor was it finished for his teammates Joakim Andersson and Danny DeKeyser.

“We were on the bus after that tough loss when Kenny [Holland, Red Wings GM] told us that we were getting on a plane the next night to go to Oklahoma City,” Nyquist recalled. “We flew into Oklahoma, but the game was postponed because of severe weather.”

Tornadoes had hit the Sooner State, but the Barons hockey team had something else to weather. The addition of the battle-tested Red Wings trio gave the Griffins a second wind, helping the visitors erase a 2-1 game deficit by winning the next two games by 4-0 and 3-0 scores.

After a 4-3 loss in Grand Rapids, the Griffins qualified for the Calder Cup Finals by eliminating Oklahoma City with a 5-4 victory in Game 7. “To be able to get another chance to win a championship was really exciting,” Nyquist said. “It was bonus hockey for us and it turned out to be a really good experience to rejoin a great group of guys.”

Nyquist had played a large portion of the season with the Griffins, so it was not like he was unfamiliar with his teammates. In 58 games with Grand Rapids during 2012-13, he had recorded 60 points (23-37— 60), so he felt confident that he could contribute right from the start.

“We found our roles right away and everything kinda clicked,” he said. “That can be a challenge at times, especially when you’re joining a team where everything has been working. Sometimes things don’t work the same with new personnel.”

Nyquist did not need to worry. Teammate Tomas Tatar was the playoff MVP with 16 goals in 24 games, Jan Mursak scored several timely goals, and goaltender Petr Mrazek was practically standing on his head to stop nearly every puck in sight.

But Nyquist also remembers how the team’s veterans – captain Jeff Hoggan, Nathan Paetsch, Brennan Evans and Triston Grant –kept everyone on the same page and managed to temper their emotions from getting too high or too low.

Nyquist joined the Griffins’ 2013 playoff run during the conference finals.

Nyquist has scored at least 15 goals every year but one since becoming an NHL regular in 2013-14.

“I had played quite a few games with the Griffins during the regular season and those guys were tremendous leaders in Grand Rapids,” he said. “They more than pulled their weight and they kept the team on track for the whole playoff run.”

Although none of the quartet was a big point producer, they collectively showed the will and determination necessary to win in the playoffs. “We don’t win the Calder Cup without those guys, that’s for sure,” he said. “If you’re going to go all the way, you’re going to have good leaders in your locker room.”

The whole experience stands out for Nyquist, because he soon learned that long playoff runs are the exception rather than the rule for most players.

Six years after the Griffins’ first Calder Cup title, Nyquist encountered his only other extended playoff push after being dealt at the deadline to San Jose. He appeared in 20 postseason games with the Sharks before being eliminated in the conference finals.

Playoff hockey is an entirely different challenge, according to Nyquist. “It’s a battle on every inch of the ice,” he said. “The physicality

ramps up, so it’s hard to create chances and it’s hard to score goals. If it’s something that you haven’t experienced, it’s hard to describe. Your play has to jump to a whole other level in the playoffs.”

Following the 2018-19 postseason, Nyquist signed a four-year, $22 million contract with Columbus, where he has been a fixture ever since.

Nyquist had always managed to shake off the usual aches and pains of a protracted season, but the wear and tear of a long, grinding schedule finally caught up with him during his first postseason with the Blue Jackets in 2020. “During the playoffs, my arm would go numb after I shot the puck,” he said. “It got to the point where I felt like I couldn’t play anymore. We needed to do something about it.”

He underwent surgery to repair a labral tear in his left shoulder and ended up missing the entire COVID-19 season of 2020-21. It was a bit of a blessing in disguise, as his rehabilitation allowed him to spend more time with his young family.

“During the regular season, you’re on the

Photo Credit: Getty Images

road a lot so you don’t get to see your family as much as you would like, but everyone knows that’s part of the business,” he said. “It was a nice little bonus to be able to spend some time with them.”

Fully recovered, Nyquist appeared in all 82 games last season. It was the sixth time in eight years that he had played every game that he could.

“It was a great feeling to play all 82 and be back to 100 percent,” said Nyquist, who went 14 months between games. “It reminded me of how fortunate we are to be able to do what we love. It was nice to be back playing hockey again.”

Nyquist has proven to be a solid contributor in Columbus, where he has played up and down the lineup and skated in all situations, including special teams. He has become an adept penalty killer with the Blue Jackets. Last season, he finished tied for third in the NHL in shorthanded goals with four.

He owes his extra ice time to former Blue Jackets head coach John Tortorella, who recognized Nyquist’s tools might make him an ideal candidate to be on the ice in shorthanded situations.

“Penalty killing became a new thing for me, ever since I joined Columbus,” he said. “It’s been fun to add another dimension to my game and hopefully I will continue to get better at it. I take a lot of pride in doing it and the whole group does as well.”

Nyquist said he enjoyed playing for Tortorella, who stepped down after the 2019-20 season and opened the door for Brad Larsen, one of his assistant coaches, to take over.

“I loved playing under Torts,” he said. “I thought he was an excellent coach, to be honest. He is a little more old-school, which I liked. He demanded hard work and Lars demands no less. There’s never any quit in our team and Lars expects your best effort every night. Both are tremendous behind the bench and similar in a lot of ways.”

Nyquist also has grown into a leadership role in Columbus. He was the second-oldest player in Columbus last season (Jakub Voracek is two weeks older) when he wore an “A” on his jersey as an alternate captain for the first time for the Blue Jackets.

“We’re a very young team – there’s a bit of

an age gap between us and the next guy down,” he said. “It’s an honor to be an assistant, which was new for me here. I just try to be the best example, both on and off the ice, by working hard and carrying myself in a good way.”

Nyquist thinks back to his time with the Red Wings when he was surrounded by veterans who were ideal models for a young player.

“Coming up in the Detroit organization, I had great mentors like [Henrik] Zetterberg, [Niklas] Kronwall and [Pavel] Datsyuk,” he said. “I was very fortunate. Growing up around those guys, they taught me a lot, just being around the rink and how they prepared and how they carried themselves every day – all that stuff that goes into not only how they played but also how they carried themselves away from the ice.

“The thing that stood out to me was how they brought it every night. They rarely had a bad game. They were just good all the time. They were so consistent. That was something I admired and I’ve tried to do myself.”

Nyquist is excited about the new season. Like the Red Wings, the Blue Jackets have several high draft picks who could earn roster spots in the near future, plus Columbus signed Johnny Gaudreau to a seven-year, $68.25 million contract. Gaudreau had a 40-goal season a year ago with the Calgary Flames, finishing with 115 points in 82 games.

“He’s a big signing for us,” Nyquist said. “He was second in the league in points last season, so he’s going to be a huge help for our offense. Plus we have tons of young prospects who are looking really good, so we’re excited. The organization has been heading in the right direction from the time I’ve been here.”

Nyquist is in the last year of his contract, but he is hopeful of staying in Columbus. “We’ve really enjoyed our time in Columbus,” he said. “I’ve been treated great by the organization and my family loves it here. It’s the last year of my deal, but we’ll see what happens and take it as it comes.”

Could he ever find his way back to the Wings? Never say never.

“I have all good memories from playing in Grand Rapids to going to Detroit,” he said. “I can honestly say that they were two great places to play. It seems like a long time ago now, but the organization helped groom me into the player I am today.”

PONTUS ANDREASSON

5-10, 183 lbs.

Born: 8/24/98

Munkedal, Sweden

SETH BARTON

6-2, 185 lbs.

Born: 8/18/99 Kelowna, B.C.

JONATAN BERGGREN

5-11, 195 lbs.

Born: 7/16/00 Uppsala, Sweden

TRENTON BLISS

6-1, 195 lbs.

Born: 3/16/98 Dallas, Texas

VICTOR BRATTSTROM

6-4, 202 lbs.

3/22/97

SEBASTIAN COSSA

215 lbs.

McMurray,

KYLE CRISCUOLO

AUSTIN CZARNIK

175 lbs.

12/12/92

Twp.,

CROSS HANAS

6-1, 175 lbs.

Born: 1/5/02

Village,

TARO HIROSE

lbs.

Born:

ALBERT JOHANSSON

lbs.

1/4/01 Karlstad, Sweden

STEVEN KAMPFER

198 lbs.

Arbor, Mich.

INSURANCE CYBER SERVICES

INSURANCE CYBER SERVICES

REAL ESTATE SERVICES ASSET & WEALTH MANAGEMENT

REAL ESTATE SERVICES ASSET & WEALTH MANAGEMENT

PROTECT & GROW WHAT YOU WORKED SO HARD TO BUILD. VISIT ACRISURE.COM TO REQUEST

A QUOTE OR FIND A SOLUTION.

PROTECT & GROW WHAT YOU WORKED SO HARD TO BUILD. VISIT ACRISURE.COM TO REQUEST

A QUOTE OR FIND A SOLUTION.

TO SUPPORT

IS

TO SUPPORT

iffi

iffi

Donovan

Griffins iffiiffi

iffi

Whenever you shop Meijer, you help support the Grand Rapids Griffins and hundreds of local sports teams across the Midwest.

Proud Sponsor of the Grand Rapids Griffins

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

CEDRIC LACROIX

Forward

6-1, 180 lbs.

Born: 11/3/94 Shefford, Que.

MATT LUFF

Forward

6-2, 196 lbs.

Born: 5/5/97 Oakville, Ont.

BRIAN LASHOFF

Defenseman

6-3, 215 lbs.

Born: 7/16/90 Albany, N.Y.

JOEL L’ESPERANCE

Forward

6-2, 209 lbs.

Born: 8/18/95 Brighton, Mich.

JOHN LETHEMON

Goaltender

6-3, 196 lbs.

Born: 8/15/96 Northville, Mich.

DONOVAN SEBRANGO

Defenseman

6-2, 195 lbs.

Born: 1/12/02 Kingston, Ont.

JARED McISAAC

Defenseman

6-1, 192 lbs.

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

WYATT NEWPOWER

Defenseman

6-3, 207 lbs.

Born: 12/9/97 Hugo, Minn.

JUSSI OLKINUORA

Goaltender

6-3, 201 lbs.

Born: 11/4/90 Helsinki, Finland

KIRILL TYUTYAYEV

Forward

5-10, 177 lbs.

Born: 8/8/00 Yekaterinburg, Russia

DOMINIK SHINE

Forward

5-11, 180 lbs.

Born: 4/18/93 Detroit, Mich.

JOE VELENO

Forward

6-2, 200 lbs.

Born: 1/13/00 Kirkland, Que.

ELMER SODERBLOM

Forward

6-8, 249 lbs.

Born: 7/5/01 Goteborg, Sweden

EEMIL VIRO

Defenseman

6-0, 165 lbs.

Born: 4/3/02 Vantaa, Finland

TYLER SPEZIA

Forward

5-10, 175 lbs.

Born: 6/7/93 Clinton Township, Mich.

DREW WORRAD

Forward

6-2, 186 lbs.

Born: 6/30/97 Denfield, Ont.

Story by Mark Newman

HOCKEY HOMECOMING

Brighton native Joel L’Esperance is returning to Michigan from the heart of Texas.

Joel L’Esperance grew up in Brighton, Mich., roughly halfway between Grand Rapids and Detroit, the seventh of 10 kids and the youngest boy in a family that was always bustling with activity.

“Life was pretty hectic,” he recalled. “When I was about 10, that was probably the time when it was the craziest. All 10 kids were still at home, so things were busy. There was always something going on, some sibling’s sporting event to go to or your own. My parents were always busy running someone one place or another.”

It proved to be the ideal environment for breeding his competitive nature.

“I had two older brothers who played hockey; one was four years older and the other eight years older,” he said. “I always wanted to compete with them and become better than them. As the younger brother, you want to show them up as best you can. I think they helped push me to get where I am today.”

L’Esperance grew up playing hockey for the Kensington Valley Rebels in the Brighton area. When his coach, Tom Miller, became the head coach of the Detroit Compuware Major AAA team, his dad suggested that he follow his hockey mentor.

“I told my dad that I wanted to play high school hockey with all my buddies, but he convinced me to play AAA hockey for a year to see how I liked it,” he said. “I enjoyed it and I obviously made new friends. Eventually, I was able to get a scholarship to Michigan Tech.”

He continued to play for Compuware until the USHL draft. He played two seasons in Iowa and Nebraska before joining the Houghton-based

Huskies in the U.P.

“Playing in the USHL was a big adjustment,” he said. “The biggest thing was not having all the commotion that I had at home. I had one billet brother instead of three younger sisters and a couple of older siblings still at home. It certainly was a little quieter around the house during the evening.

“I was going to school out there my first year so it kept me busy and kept me from thinking about home too much. By my second year, I felt pretty comfortable there.”

For L’Esperance, choosing which college to attend proved to be a fairly easy decision.

“I looked at a few schools, but in the back of my mind, it was always going to be Michigan Tech if I got the opportunity,” said L’Esperance, who still spends his summers in the U.P. “I had grown up in the area because my parents had a summer place on the water in Houghton, which is where Tech is located.”

Of course, it didn’t hurt that his older brother, Alan (the middle of the three brothers) had lettered in hockey at Michigan Tech in 2010-11, so L’Esperance headed north to play college hockey for four seasons (2014-18).

It was in Houghton where his work ethic truly was forged.

“My freshman year I basically played every Friday night and then sat out Saturday – I didn’t usually dress for the second game,” he said. “It helped me realize that I had to play the right way both nights on the weekend in order to stay in the lineup.”

Consistency became his mantra.

“Playing the same way night in and night out was probably my biggest area of improvement,” he said. “Over the

“I told my dad that I wanted to play high school hockey with all my buddies, but he convinced me to play AAA hockey for a year to see how I liked it,” he said. “I enjoyed it and I obviously made new friends.”

L’Esperance represented the Texas Stars at the 2019 and 2020 AHL All-Star Classics.

Photo credit: Kelly Shea

course of my career, it’s something that I’ve continued to work on, playing every game with the same intensity, the same style of play every time – not taking any nights off.”

His maturity extended beyond the ice.

Before his senior season at Michigan Tech, L’Esperance wed Liana Haataja, the daughter of a former St. Cloud State defenseman who coached hockey in Minnesota. The newlyweds would be later blessed with their first child, daughter Lyla, born on Christmas Eve 2018.

Following the completion of his collegiate career with the Huskies, L’Esperance signed with the Texas Stars, the AHL affiliate of the NHL’s Dallas

Stars. He played the final nine games of the 2017-18 AHL regular season, long enough to earn a role in the postseason.

“I figured I would finish the regular season and then hang around for a little while, but I found a spot in the lineup at the beginning of the playoffs and ended up playing

every game [22, up to and including Game 7 of the Calder Cup Finals],” he said. “That experience was huge for my development.”

Although the Stars fell to the 2018 AHL champion Toronto Marlies in the finals, the experience helped set the tone for his first full pro season that would follow.

“Going into the next year, I felt like I still had that Game 7, Calder Cup Finals mentality,” he said. “I think it helped me

L’Esperance is a product of the Detroit Compuware program.

L’Esperance tallied 30 goals in 54 AHL games with Texas. He was the AHL’s leader in goals when he got the call to make his NHL debut with Dallas on Feb. 16, 2019 against Carolina.

L’Esperance

games last season.

Photo credit: Mollie Kendall

have the kind of rookie season that I had in the AHL. If I hadn’t played in the Calder Cup Playoffs as I did, I don’t know if I would have had the season that I enjoyed in my rookie year.”

L’Esperance tallied 30 goals in 54 AHL games with Texas. He was the AHL’s leader in goals when he got the call to make his NHL debut with Dallas on Feb. 16, 2019 against Carolina. Even though he was held scoreless, he remained in the lineup for several games due to the positive impression he quickly made.

Eventually, he was sent back to the AHL, only to be recalled three days later. He scored his first NHL goal on March 14, 2019 at Minnesota when he deflected a pass from Jamie Benn over

Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk’s left shoulder in a 4-1 win.

“There’s really no words for it, I guess,” L’Esperance said in the moment. “It’s pretty exciting, as you could probably tell with the way I celebrated. It was a surreal experience because my wife had several family members there as well as my brother Alan.”

Actually, his brother missed seeing the big moment.

“It’s pretty funny – he was running a little late from work, trying to get to the game,” L’Esperance recalled. “When he sat down close to my wife, she said, ‘Joel just scored.’ From the time he had got out of his car, listening to the game on the radio, and then into the rink, I had scored.”

L’Esperance spent most of the 2019-20

L’Esperance played four years of college hockey at Michigan Tech.

“I enjoyed Texas. I loved the Austin area. It’s a phenomenal place, as is Dallas. I don’t hold any grudges against the management there. I feel like I was given a fair shot by the organization.”

Photo credit: Getty Images

season in the AHL with Texas, notching 25 goals in 58 games while potting one goal in three NHL games with Dallas. The following year, the pandemic season of 2020-21, he was a fixture on the Stars’ taxi squad, still managing to appear in 12 games with the NHL club.

Although grateful for the opportunity to play hockey during a time that was a struggle for everyone, L’Esperance said it was not easy to maintain the proper mindset.

“It was definitely hard mentally,” he said. “You were traveling with the team, but at the same time, you didn’t know if you were going to be in or out. You would show up at the rink and you didn’t want to prepare like you weren’t going to play because all of a sudden you could find yourself in the lineup.

“So you had to prepare yourself every day like you were going to play and then you’d experience a little letdown when you found out you weren’t playing. With time, it got harder to be prepared when your name wasn’t being called for a couple of weeks.”

He spent the entire 2021-22 season in the AHL, recording a career-high 49 points (24-25—49) in 62 games with the Stars, who were eliminated in the opening round of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

At the end of his stint with the Stars, L’Esperance showed five goals in 33 NHL contests. “I don’t have any hard feelings,” he said. “I enjoyed Texas. I loved the Austin area. It’s a phenomenal place, as is Dallas. I don’t hold any grudges against the management there. I feel like I was given a fair shot by the organization.”

L’Esperance was eager to play closer to home, especially after losing his father in December 2021. He couldn’t have been

happier when he was able to sign a twoyear AHL contract with the Griffins.

“I was hoping to get closer to my mom in Brighton and, as a free agent, obviously the Red Wings and Griffins organizations were at the top of my list,” he said. “It worked out to sign in Grand Rapids and my family and I couldn’t be more excited.”

After four-plus seasons with the Stars, L’Esperance is ready to begin a new chapter in his career. That he is able to join the organization of his favorite boyhood team makes it even more special.

“I’m excited to get started with a new organization,” he said. “You always have a few nerves and anxiety when you start with a new team, but I’ve always played with a good group of guys, so you just find a way to slide into the lineup and do your best to help the team.”

In his own words, L’Esperance sees himself as a strong power forward who likes to take the puck to the net. “I feel like I’m a shoot-first type of player,” he said. “If I get a chance in the slot or the offensive zone, I’m looking forward to shooting first.”

He is ready to fill any role as needed. “I feel like I can play anywhere up or down the lineup if Grand Rapids needs me to do that,” he said. “If I’m playing on one of the top lines, I’ll try to produce as much as I can for the Griffins. I’m just going to show up and wherever they put me, I’m going to play and try to produce as best I can.”

At the age of 27, L’Esperance will be one of the older players on the team. He hopes to be a leader by example. “In my opinion, the way you carry yourself in the room and on the ice is the best way to show leadership,” he said.

L’Esperance sees himself as a strong power forward who likes to take the puck to the net.

“I feel like I’m a shootfirst type of player,” he said. “If I get a chance in the slot or the offensive zone, I’m looking forward to shooting first.”

Simon Edvinsson is a technically skilled, mobile defenseman who is extremely adept at moving the puck.

Sebastian Cossa has compiled a 71-16-7 record during three years of junior hockey with the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Elmer Soderblom has great hands and is an exceptionally skilled stickhandler for a player of his size.

OUT-STANDING

Red Wings prospects made a positive impression during the annual NHL Prospect Tournament.

It’s a tall order to make an impression as a young player and show that you have what it takes to become an NHL regular.

Traverse City’s annual NHL Prospect Tournament provides a platform for pro prospects to get coaches to take notice of their skills as teams prepare for the opening of the regular season with organizational training camps and preseason games.

“It’s a really good way for these young guys, mostly firstand second-year players, to get their feet wet and get a leg up on a training camp,” said Griffins head coach Ben Simon, who was behind the bench as the Red Wings prospects won two of their three games during the Sept. 15-19 event.

The future of the Red Wings’ defensive corps rests in young players like Simon Edvinsson (left) and Seth Barton.

the Columbus Blue Jackets 5-2 in the tourney opener before dropping a 5-4 decision to the Dallas Stars. The Wings defeated the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-1 to close out the event, which Simon feels has become more of a showcase than a tournament.

“You don’t have a lot of preparation and you’re playing three games in four nights, so it can be a bit chaotic,” Simon said. “In the end, you’re looking for guys who can be consistent. Coaches love players who are consistently dependable and accountable and who can learn from their mistakes.

“[As young players], they will inevitably make mistakes, but you want to see them learn from their mistakes and move forward.

Detroit’s team, which consisted of 24 recent draft picks, free agent signees, and tryouts beat

Simon said the tournament, which was preceded by a single practice, offered an

opportunity for the Red Wings’ coaching staff, led by new head coach Derek Lalonde, to size up the talent that could soon help in Detroit.

“With a new head coach in Detroit, they have an opportunity to make an impression on a coach who doesn’t have any preconceived notions,” Simon said. “The Wings want players who can help the team turn the corner and experience success, so it’s a chance for prospects to turn some heads.

“If they can help Detroit, people will take notice.”

A lot of people took notice of a trio of talented young players who couldn’t help but stand out. Topping the list were a pair of first-round picks from the 2021 NHL Entry Draft: 6-foot6 defenseman Simon Edvinsson (6th overall) and 6-foot-6 goaltender Sebastian Cossa (15th overall). Another notable was 6-foot-8 winger Elmer Soderblom (159th overall in 2019), who led Frolunda with 21 goals in his first full season with the Swedish Hockey League club.

“These kids all seem to be really motivated and driven,” Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman said. “There’s definitely room for all of them to move up and move forward. You can never have too many good players and we’re far from having too many good players.”

Yzerman was noncommittal about the chances of any specific player making the Red Wings’ roster on Opening Night, but he saw plenty of potential for good things to come for these rookies to rise to the occasion as they progress in their development.

“Simon [Edvinsson] is 19, one year away from his draft, [but] I think Simon has a good chance,” Yzerman said. “I can’t sit here today and tell you that he’s definitely going to be in the lineup on

Opening Night, but we were pleased with a lot of the things we saw during the three games he played in the NHL Prospect Tournament.

“Sebastian [Cossa] played half of two games and, for me, it was very positive. He’s tall, but you can see that he’s filling out physically, which will allow him to take up more space in the net. He just needs time on the ice… that’s most important. It was very encouraging to watch the two outings that he had.”

Soderblom was equally impressive, according to the Griffins’ head coach. “His skating has gotten so much better, just growing into his body,” Simon said. “He’s become a lot stronger. You don’t teach size. There is an acclimation period. The shorter that acclimation can be to get comfortable in North America, the quicker he’s going to have success.”

Other players who took positive steps during the tournament included Seth Barton, Cross Hanas, Donovan Sebrango, Kirill Tyutyayev, and Eemil Viro.

“I think we have some prospects,” Yzerman said. “We’re starting to amass a pool of prospects who will eventually work their way into the lineup. Not all of them will make it, but it’s encouraging to see some of the kids perform and see them getting closer to becoming NHLers.”

All in all, Yzerman said he was encouraged by what he saw during the tournament. “We’re hopeful that all of our young players continue to take a step forward with all the hope that we become a better hockey team,” he said. “I’m cautiously optimistic.”

A third-round pick (70th overall) in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Eemil Viro plays bigger than his size and doesn’t hesitate to engage with opponents in the defensive zone.

Sebastian Cossa catches the puck while teammate Simon Edvinsson works to clear the opposition from the zone.

A BRIGHTER FUTURE

Griffins general manager Shawn

Story by Mark Newman

is confident that the Red

are developing a solid foundation for the organization.

As the assistant general manager for the Red Wings and general manager of the Griffins, Shawn Horcoff has the same singular focus as everyone else in the organization.

“We’re all in this for the same reason — we all want to win the Stanley Cup,” he said. “The only way it happens is through hard work. It’s not just one person. You need everyone in the organization pulling in the same direction and doing everything they possibly can to get the most out of their job because there are so many areas that go into building a championship team.”

Horcoff was promoted to assistant GM for Detroit in February 2022 when Pat Verbeek left the organization to become the GM of the Anaheim Ducks. Horcoff had previously served as the Red Wings’ director of player development since 2016.

Draft (99th overall) before going on to play 1,008 NHL games with Edmonton, Dallas and Anaheim.

“At the beginning of my career, the whole development process was practically non-existent,” he recalled. “I got drafted by Edmonton after my sophomore year at Michigan State. I might have talked to them a few times. I know they had a scout at my last tournament game during my senior year, but there was no real (development) programming – nothing at all. That’s not Edmonton’s fault. No one did it back then. That’s just the way it was.”

Although he never lifted hockey’s hallowed chalice during a 15-year NHL playing career, Horcoff reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2006 as a member of the Edmonton Oilers.

Horcoff retired after the 2015-16 season. While working out with Kris Draper during the summer that followed, he was offered the opportunity to meet then-assistant GM Ryan Martin and was ultimately invited to join the Red Wings organization under then-general manager Ken Holland.

Although he never lifted hockey’s hallowed chalice during a 15-year NHL playing career, Horcoff reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2006 as a member of the Edmonton Oilers, with whom he played 12 seasons, including the last three as captain.

The Oilers lost Game 7 of the Final to the Carolina Hurricanes, whose roster included center Kevyn Adams. The current GM of the Buffalo Sabres had been a rookie on the very first Griffins team back in 1996-97.

Horcoff has no interest in coming close again. Next time, he wants to be able to win it all.

Not surprisingly, his own experience is what defines his perspective on what it takes to develop winning hockey players.

A graduate of the Michigan State University hockey program under the legendary Ron Mason, Horcoff was selected in the fourth round of the 1998 NHL Entry

“By the time I took over, we had kids who had skating coaches and full-time training coaches, but not everyone had access to the same tools and facilities,” he said. ”When I became director of player development, I took the approach of ‘What would I have wanted when I was young?’ I didn’t have a lot of facilities when I was growing up.”

It was at MSU where Horcoff began his own development process. He has nothing but fond memories of his time with the Spartans, playing four seasons under Mason, who was the winningest coach in college hockey history at the time of his retirement in 2002.

“He was like my development coach, to tell you the truth. He was the reason that I chose Michigan State,” Horcoff said. “I was from western Canada and this was preinternet, so while you knew who some of the best teams were, you didn’t have access

Horcoff played 15 seasons in the NHL, including 12 with the Edmonton Oilers.

Photo credit: Sarah Connors

to all the information that you do now to do your homework.

“For me, it was a matter of which teams were putting the most players into the NHL. At the time, it was Ron Mason and it wasn’t even close. He was known for being a hard coach but also as someone who put players right into the NHL.

“He was great for me. He was the first coach who brought defense to my attention and just how important it was. We put a lot of focus on that – the ability to defend and be reliable in your own end. It helped me stay in the league longer as my career progressed. I stayed close with him after I made the NHL and, though he’s no longer with us [Mason died in 2016 at age 76], I owe him a lot.”

Horcoff blossomed during his four years (1996-2000) at Michigan State. As a senior, he posted career-highs in goals, assists and points, tallying 65 points (14-51— 65) in 42 games when he was a finalist for the Hobey

Horcoff was named assistant general manager of the Red Wings in February 2022.

Baker Award, given annually to the top player in college hockey.

“I was really small coming into college. I wasn’t very big,” he said. “I started college at about 5-foot-11, maybe 165 pounds, and I wasn’t able to do physically what I wanted to do. So I spent my summers there every year.

“I would go home for a couple of weeks but I would come back and work in the facilities at Michigan State, which were incredible and ahead of their time. It took some time – it wasn’t a one- or two-year process – but it did wonders for me physically. By my senior year, I was hitting my stride.

“I remember my jump to college hockey was harder than my jump to the NHL. In terms of being physically ready, it wasn’t even close. When I left college, I was 6-foot1, 200 pounds, and I was ready to physically compete with the guys in the NHL.”

Horcoff started his pro career with the Hamilton Bulldogs in the AHL, where he

played for less than two months before being recalled to Edmonton.

“Every team had their coaching staff, but that was about it,” he recalled. “There was no development staff. Essentially they said, ‘You’re going down to Hamilton and you’re going to be there until you’re good enough to be called up. Just go down and be the best possible player that you can be.’

“Now things are a little bit different. Every organization has skating and strength coaches and all the tools necessary. I don’t think it’s any secret that the American Hockey League is a stepping stone. It’s the place where all the NHL teams put their top prospects and help them develop into NHL players.”

The AHL represents a major leap for all young players, whether they’re coming from juniors, college hockey, or any of the European leagues.

“It’s a really difficult league,” Horcoff said. “More often than not, players think it’s going to be easy. They think they’re going to step in there and succeed. The top draft picks, especially, think they’re going to dominate and that they’re only going to be here for a quick stop on the way to their spot in the NHL where they belong.

“That kind of thinking is very universal. It’s a common mindset among all the players, and then they get here and they realize it’s legit. Every single player who’s in the AHL – it doesn’t matter how old they are, even guys in their early 30s – still thinks they have a chance of making it in the NHL. Although the numbers may be low, [late breakthroughs do] happen now and then.

“The fact is you can make a very good living in the American Hockey League.”

Although he is now charged with overseeing the big picture regarding Red

Wings prospects, Horcoff talks regularly with Dan Cleary, who oversees the program in North America, and Niklas Kronwall, who is in charge of the European player development.

“Our goal as an organization is to make sure that we don’t wish that we would have done this or done that for a player and that maybe things might have turned out differently as a result,” he said. “We want to make sure that we have everything covered and that these players have everything imaginable.

“The NHL is a very hard league to make and you don’t bat a thousand with every draft pick and every free agent that you sign. We want to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to give these kids all the tools necessary to get the absolute most out of their abilities.”

When it comes to making it in the NHL, a player’s position in the draft is of little consequence. The annals of hockey are filled with just as many first-round picks who were a bust as those unheralded players who were able to forge long careers in the NHL. Horcoff played for two examples of the latter.

Craig MacTavish, the last NHL player to be allowed to play without a helmet, was Horcoff’s head coach in Edmonton for eight seasons. Selected in the ninth round of the 1978 NHL Entry Draft, MacTavish ended up playing 1,093 NHL games, more than any other player in the entire draft. Pat Quinn, MacTavish’s successor behind the Oilers’ bench, was never even drafted but played 606 games in the NHL.

“We tell the kids all the time that the best thing about pro hockey is there’s no politics – the best players make it,” Horcoff said. “Truthfully, the higher picks get a little better

“Every single player who’s in the AHL –it doesn’t matter how old they are, even guys in their early 30s – still thinks they have a chance of making it in the NHL.”

opportunity, a few more kicks at the can, but not many.

“We’re in the business of winning hockey games and you look at the best players in your organization to accomplish that. What we want to create is good, healthy competition among everyone, which forces everyone to play harder and play better to drive each other to improve their overall game. I think the kids respond well to that challenge. They want to know if they come in and play well, they will get rewarded.”

Horcoff is a firm believer that every team needs good veterans to mentor the younger players in the organization. Experience can be a team’s best ally as far as the development process is concerned.

“When our young prospects come in, we like to surround them with good, solid veterans,” Horcoff said. “Brian Lashoff is our captain in Grand Rapids and he’s a perfect example of what a really good veteran can do. We’re lucky to have a guy like him

down there. There’s a reason that he’s the captain, and we’re always trying to add more guys like him that we can spread through the lineup.”

Although every organization has prospects who will eventually become regular contributors in the NHL, not every prospect is on the same timeline. Some players take longer to develop than others. Patience is key.

“People respond in different ways,” Horcoff said. “Some people are visual learners, some people like to be pressed hard, and some don’t respond well to that. You have to figure out the best way. You’ve got to spend time with the prospects so they trust you. They have to trust that you have their best interests at heart so when you ask them to do something, they’ll actually do it. If they don’t trust you, it’ll never happen.”

Horcoff doesn’t believe there is a right way or wrong way to develop players. Some organizations like to push prospects before

Horcoff served as the Oilers’ captain during his last three years in Edmonton.

Photo credit: Abel Images

they might be ready while others choose to let their prospects marinate in the minors. For years, the Red Wings had enough talent that the organization could allow players to become “over-ripe” before calling them up.

Circumstances usually determine when a player gets the call, according to Horcoff.

“In truth, it’s often the player that decides when he goes up. More often than not, it’s your best players at the time. It might depend on their position or whether they’re a power play guy or a penalty killer or an energy guy, but we usually try to reward the players who are playing the best at the time, given what we need.

“When guys do get called up, their play will dictate whether they’re ready or not. If they come up and they dominate, they’re not going to go down. On the other side, if they come up and they struggle, it shows that they’re not ready yet so we’re going to put them in a position, probably back in the minors, where they can play more and

develop until they are ready.”

And when it comes to development, honesty is the best policy. Management can attempt to be diplomatic and tactful when providing guidance, but when it comes to evaluating talent and describing the best course forward, it’s best to be upfront.

“It’s all about being honest with them,” Horcoff said. “You don’t need to sugarcoat anything or lie to them. They’re not 15 years old. They’re in pro hockey, playing in a man’s league and they need to learn to handle criticism well and properly.

“You don’t want to crush their confidence, but there’s a way to be honest with them and tell them that there are certain things they need to work on. That’s what we try to do. We will tell them, ‘If you want to play in the NHL, here’s what you have to do.’ But not just tell them. Show them. Back it up with video. ‘Here’s what you have to do better to make the NHL.’ Let them know what they have to do to get to the next level.”

Before becoming general manager of the Griffins, Horcoff had been the Red Wings’ director of player development since 2016.

Photo credit: Dave Reginek - Getty Images

Getting players to develop in a winning atmosphere is equally important.

“First and foremost, we want to put a good team together to do two things –we want to win and we want to develop players,” Horcoff said. “Sometimes those two things can coincide well and other times they can be like oil and water. That’s always a fine line.

“Our philosophy is we want our young kids to play, but at the same time we want them to earn their ice time. We also want to bring in good veteran players who can help carry the load and help us win by showing these young guys how to play the right way, and how to do the right things both on and off the ice.

“Every single guy is fighting for their job every single night. No one is willing to give it up to any kid coming in. They want to go out and prove that they’re better, not just to the guys on their own team but also to the guys on the other side of the ice. The AHL is

a very competitive league. It’s a hard league to produce points in.

“It’s impossible to put three 18- or 19-year-olds together and think they’re going to lead the league in scoring. It doesn’t happen. The league’s too good. There are too many good players.”

The Wings were disappointed that the Griffins failed to make the playoffs last season, a situation the organization tried to rectify by signing players to add depth at every position. Horcoff is hopeful that the Wings have addressed last season’s shortcomings.

“In order to make the playoffs, you have to win games. Once you get to the playoffs, it’s a whole different story,” he said. “If we’re going to be successful in Detroit, our young guys need to learn how to play in big games and how to perform under pressure. That’s what winning in the American League can do for you. It’s not quite like the Stanley Cup Final, but it’s as close as you can get.

“We want them to learn how to handle those situations so when they do get to the NHL, they have a little of that feeling like they’ve been there before.”

While everything looks good on paper, the proof will be on the ice.

“We have a lot of good young players and we’ve added some veteran players who can help them,” Horcoff said. “Of course, you don’t know what you will have until the end of the exhibition season when the big club figures out what they want. There are a lot of decisions that have to be made in Detroit first.”

That the Red Wings’ rebuilding process has had its challenges is no surprise, given that this was unfamiliar territory for a team that had made the playoffs for 25 consecutive seasons.

As Horcoff can attest, you learn as you go. Horcoff studied finance and mathematics at MSU, but there are no classes for hockey management.

“I had the benefit of playing in the NHL for a long time and being around a lot of different situations, from different sets of players to different coaches to different organizations. You see what works and what doesn’t work.

“I was lucky to spend time watching and listening to guys like Kris Draper, Ryan Martin and Ken Holland. As the years go by, you sit through more and more things and you’re asked a few more questions and you answer a few times. Eventually, Steve Yzerman and Pat Verbeek came in and my role grew and became more involved on the management side.

“There’s nothing in college to help you figure this out but you need to live it and I’ve found that I really enjoy it. I’m looking forward to doing this as long as I can. I’m excited to help build a winning organization.”

SCENES FROM OUR SUMMER

The offseason provides an opportunity for the entire Griffins organization to relax, rest and refresh before turning our focus to and preparing for the next hockey season. But front office staff, Griff, and some players and coaches who’ve made their nests in West Michigan still stay busy by being active in the community and giving back to the fans who mean so much to our success.

Here’s how we spent our summer vacation.

GRIFFINS YOUTH HOCKEY CAMPS

Kids don’t have to change on the fly much during our Griffins Youth Hockey Camps, traditionally held at Griff’s IceHouse at Belknap Park in Grand Rapids and Griff’s IceHouse West in Holland. But our camp staff certainly had to this summer, when unforeseen circumstances forced the Holland camp to be relocated to Griff’s Georgetown. The two sold-out, week-long camps provided fun and major-league instruction from Griffins coaches and players for more than 120 kids ages 6 to 16.

LIDS AT THE LIBRARY

More than a hundred kids received a free bike helmet thanks to the 19th summer of the Griffins’ award-winning “Put A Lid On It!” bike helmet safety program. Two Lids at the Library events once again served as the centerpiece, as the Griffins and volunteers from Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital and other program partners visited branches of the Grand Rapids Public Library and the Kent District Library to properly fit helmets for kids.

GRIFFINS BIKE RODEO

Howdy, pardners! In late July, the Griffins teamed up with Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, the Kent County Sheriff’s Office, and several other local police agencies to host our first-ever bike rodeo in the parking lot behind Van Andel Arena. Kids received helmets for their noggins and safety checks for their bikes before testing their bicycling skills and learning rules of the road. Games of Hockey Sauce and free ice cream rounded out the fun.

SEASON TICKET MEMBERSHIP GAME AT THE WHITECAPS

It’s hard to beat either a cozy winter night of hockey at Van Andel Arena or a beautiful summer evening of baseball at LMCU Ballpark. The West Michigan Whitecaps hosted dozens of Griffins season ticket members for a late-season game, with center Tyler Spezia and head coach Ben Simon each throwing out a first pitch.

GRIFFINS YOUTH FOUNDATION GOLF CLASSIC

The 28th annual event was held at the stunning American Dunes Golf Club in Grand Haven for the second straight year, with Griffins players and coaches highlighting rounds at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at this Jack Nicklaus-designed gem of a course. Proceeds benefited both the Griffins Youth Foundation and Folds of Honor, which provides scholarships for the families of killed and injured U.S. military personnel.

DETROIT RED WINGS STREET HOCKEY CLINIC

Just as training camp was beginning in Traverse City for Red Wings prospects and Griffins players, dozens of kids whose pro hockey ambitions need a little more seasoning took part in a Red Wings street hockey clinic at the Plainfield Meijer. Griffins staffers and Griffins Youth Foundation volunteers were out in force to teach hockey skills to these aspiring stars, many of whom schooled Griff during his stints between the pipes.

Michel

Travis

Tom

Brian

GRIFFINS IN THE ALL-STAR

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

2019

2018

Matt Lorito

2020 - Matthew Ford

2018 - Matt Puempel

2016 - Jeff Hoggan and Xavier Ouellet

- Alexey Marchenko

Bright Futures Begin Here

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.

HOOKING

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

MISCONDUCT

10-minute or disqualification

penalty for excessive or additional misbehavior on the ice.

ROUGHING

Called for engaging in fisticuffs or shoving.

SLASHING

Striking an opposing player with the stick.

TRIPPING

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

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT

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

WASH-OUT

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

DELAYED PENALTY

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

ELBOWING

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

INTERFERENCE

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

KNEEING

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

SPEARING

Called for using the stick like a spear.

ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS

BAKERSFIELD CONDORS

BELLEVILLE SENATORS

BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS

CALGARY WRANGLERS

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS

CHICAGO WOLVES

CLEVELAND MONSTERS

COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS

COLORADO EAGLES

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS

HERSHEY BEARS

IOWA WILD

LAVAL ROCKET

LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS

MANITOBA MOOSE

MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS

ONTARIO REIGN

PROVIDENCE BRUINS

ROCHESTER AMERICANS

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

SAN DIEGO GULLS

SAN JOSE BARRACUDA

SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

TEXAS STARS

TORONTO MARLIES

TUCSON ROADRUNNERS

UTICA COMETS

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

GRIFFINS IN THE NHL

Since their inception in 1996, the Griffins have sent 193 players to the National Hockey League and 18 former Griffins have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. In fact, a Griffins alumnus has had his name engraved on Lord Stanley’s chalice in nine of the last 15 years and in 11 of the last 18 seasons. In chronological order, here are the 24 goalies and 169 skaters who have worn an NHL sweater after playing for Grand Rapids, along with the dates of the NHL debuts/returns.

IT

STARTS

Petrovicky

Hlushko

Lalime

Metropolit

Miller

Rachunek

Goldmann

Sarault

Gruden

Fountain.............................12/3/99

Van Drunen 12/13/99

Schastlivy

Emmons

Brimanis

Kochan

Hurme

MacLean

Lamothe

Chouinard

Lebda

Mark Eaton

Osgood

Quincey..........................11/25/05

Howard

Valtteri Filppula

Collins

Legace

Gove

vs.

Danny DeKeyser

DET vs. BUF

Luke Glendening 10/12/13 DET vs. PHI

Ouellet........................... 10/21/13 DET vs. SJ

Adam Almquist 11/4/13 DET at WPG

Chad Billins 11/5/13 CGY at MIN

Patrick Eaves 12/14/13 DET vs. PIT

Jurco............................. 12/15/13 DET vs. TB

Tootoo.........................12/19/13 DET vs. CGY

Alexey Marchenko 1/4/14 DET at DAL

Teemu Pulkkinen 3/14/14 DET vs. EDM

at

LA at ANA

DET vs. STL

NSH vs. SJ

DET at CHI

at ANA

DET at LA

DET at FLA

NYI vs. COL

DET vs. STL

CAR at MTL

Tomas Kopecky 2/28/06 DET at SJ

Alexandre Giroux 3/25/06 NYR at TB

MacDonald 10/19/06 DET at SJ

Meech

Matt Ellis

Matt Hussey

DET vs. STL

DET at CBJ

DET at STL

Sheldon Brookbank 2/6/07 NSH at PIT

Syvret.........................2/27/07 EDM vs. PHX

Mark Hartigan 11/29/07 DET vs. TB

Drew MacIntyre 12/13/07 VAN at SJ

Peter Vandermeer

PHX vs. NSH

Ericsson....................2/22/08 DET at CGY

Stafford

DET at VAN

Darren Helm 3/13/08 DET vs. DAL

Mattias Ritola 3/15/08 DET vs. NSH

Clay Wilson 3/25/08 CBJ at NSH

.........Darren McCarty

DET vs. STL

Krys Kolanos 11/4/08 MIN at SJ

Landon Wilson 11/22/08 DAL vs. ANA

Bryan Helmer 11/28/08 WSH vs. MTL

Chelios

Aaron Downey

12/13/08 DET at PHX

DET vs. DAL

Justin Abdelkader 1/31/09 DET at WSH

Ville Leino 1/31/09 DET at WSH

Gagnon

10/16/09 DAL vs. BOS

Parse............................... 10/24/09 LA at PHX

Doug Janik

Ryan Keller

DET vs. BOS

OTT at NJ

Jakub Kindl 12/3/09 DET vs. EDM

Newbury

12/14/09 DET vs. PHX

Darren Haydar 2/10/10 COL vs. ATL

Andreas Lilja 3/1/10 DET at COL

Williams 10/24/10 NYR vs. NJ

Mursak

Chris Mueller

Tomas Tatar

Emmerton

12/27/10 DET at COL

NSH vs. DAL

DET vs. NYI

DET vs. CHI

Ferraro

......Calle Jarnkrok

3/18/14 DET vs. TOR

3/21/14 NSH at CGY

Mitch Callahan 3/25/14 DET at CBJ

Ryan Sproul 4/13/14 DET at STL

Andrej Nestrasil 10/9/14 DET vs. BOS

Weiss ......................11/24/14 DET vs. OTT

Janmark...........10/8/15 DAL vs. PIT

Dylan Larkin 10/9/15 DET vs. TOR

Kevin Porter 10/10/15 PIT at ARI

......Andreas Athanasiou ..... 11/8/15 DET vs. DAL

Nosek.............. 12/26/15 DET at NSH

Eric Tangradi 1/25/16 DET at NYI

Anthony Mantha 3/15/16 DET at PHI

Alan Quine 4/9/16 NYI vs. PHI

Frk................. 10/18/16 CAR at EDM

157.....Tyler Bertuzzi................ 11/8/16 DET at PHI

158 Jared Coreau 12/3/16 DET at PIT

159 Nick Jensen 12/20/16 DET at TB

160.......Drew Miller ..............................2/28/17 DET at VAN

Robbie Russo 3/7/17 DET at TOR

162.....Dan Renouf.................. 3/27/17 DET at CAR

Ben Street 3/28/17 DET at CAR

Svechnikov ........ 4/3/17 DET vs. OTT

Lorito ................................4/8/17 DET vs. MTL

Criscuolo............. 11/17/17 BUF at DET

Dominic Turgeon 1/14/18 DET at CHI

Joe Hicketts 1/22/18 DET at NJ

Cholowski..........10/4/18 DET vs. CBJ

Libor Sulak 10/4/18 DET vs. CBJ

Hronek

DET vs. CBJ

Wade Megan 11/1/18 DET vs. NJ

Ehn

11/6/18 DET vs. VAN

Eddie Pasquale 12/4/18 TB at DET

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

Zadina

2/24/19 DET vs. SJ

Puempel..........................3/23/19 DET at VGK

McIlrath

3/25/19 DET at SJ

Jake Chelios 3/29/19 DET vs. NJ

Smith

Pickard

Bowey

10/25/19 DET vs. BUF

11/29/19 DET at PHI

12/14/19 DET at MTL

Hirose..................... 2/6/20 DET at BUF

Lindstrom

Veleno

Brome

Seider

Barber

Rissmiller......................

McCollum

Nyquist

Brunnstrom

Smith

ATL at BUF

DET vs. STL

DET vs. MIN

DET vs. ANA

2/6/20 DET at BUF

4/27/21 DET at CBJ

5/7/21 DET at CBJ

10/14/21 DET vs. TB

12/18/21 DET vs. NJ

Smith.................... 2/2/22 DET vs. LA

Witkowski

Pearson

Sateri

Elson

Played in the NHL

3/12/22 DET at CGY

3/24/22 DET at NYI

4/7/22 ARI vs. VAN

DET at TOR

the

enormous metropolitan areas to tiny towns and everywhere in between, American Hockey League teams can be found in a range of cities

North America,

of which have

to their rich

city’s

pay

Windy City

Big

to

City of

Finest

Queen City

Capital of

Renaissance City

City

City

City

City

Capital of the

Valley

(Fort Collins)

Rapids

(Las Vegas)

Moines)

(Montreal)

Desert)

Valley (Allentown)

(Winnipeg)

Old Pueblo (1,052,030)

City (959,768)............................................

West (917,673)

City USA (865,310)

to the West (834,678)

of the West (719,146)

City of Firsts (695,305)

City (658,281)

Chocolate Town (596,305)

The Diamond City (567,750)

The Choice City (362,533)

Screw Capital of the World (336,278)

The Handshake City (290,211)

Berry Capital of Canada (195,726)

The Gateway to the Golden North (111,184)

Palm Deezy (53,892)

PARTING SHOT

Coaches preach to finish every check, but something may have gotten lost in translation for Quebec native Jacob Mathieu when the free-agent invitee to the NHL Prospect Tournament opted to stick-check Finnish defenseman Mikko Kokkonen during the Red Wings’ game against Toronto.

Now that’s what you call a close shave!

Photo by Mark Newman

Crisp.