32 minute read
A BRIGHTER FUTURE
Griffins general manager Shawn Horcoff is confident that the Red Wings are developing a solid foundation for the organization.
Advertisement
Story by Mark Newman
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.
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
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 Although he never lifted all. That’s not Edmonton’s hockey’s hallowed chalice fault. No one did it back then. That’s just the during a 15-year NHL way it was.” playing career, Horcoff Horcoff retired after the 2015-16 season. While reached the Stanley Cup working out with Kris Final in 2006 as a member Draper during the summer that followed, he was of the Edmonton Oilers. 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. “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.
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 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.
Horcoff started his pro career with the Hamilton Bulldogs in the AHL, where he
Horcoff was named assistant general manager of the Red Wings in February 2022.
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.
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.
“Every single player “The NHL is a very hard league to make and who’s in the AHL – you don’t bat a thousand it doesn’t matter how with every draft pick and every free agent old they are, even guys that you sign. We want to make sure that we’re in their early 30s – still doing everything we can thinks they have a chance to give these kids all the tools necessary to get of making it in the NHL.” 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
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.
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
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.”
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.ai16630754198_12317 Griffiti ad.pdf 1 9/13/22 9:23 AM
Earn more with 3.00%* Max Checking.APY
Kevin and Brittany, LMCU Members You can earn nearly $450 extra every year with our 3.00% APY Max Checking.*
Open an account today. Visit LMCU.org/MaxChecking, call (800) 242-9790, or stop by your local branch.
Kevin and Brittany are LMCU members and were compensated for their time. *APY = Annual Percentage Yield. Rate as of 9/12/22 and subject to change after account opening. Nearly $450 is earned at 3.00% APY on balances of $15,000. Some requirements apply to earn 3.00% APY on balances up to $15,000. Fees may reduce earnings. Interest not paid on balances over $15,000. $5 membership required if not a member. Federally insured by NCUA.
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.
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.
RECORDBOOKAND Entering 2022-23 Season LEADERS
GAMES PLAYED
All-Time
Travis Richards Active Leader Brian Lashoff (2nd) Single-Season 5 players tied 2020-21 Tyler Spezia GOALS
All-Time
Michel Picard Active Leader Kyle Criscuolo (T40th) Single-Season Donald MacLean (2005-06) 2020-21 Riley Barber ASSISTS
All-Time
Michel Picard Active Leader Brian Lashoff (11th) Single-Season Jiri Hudler (2005-06) 2020-21 Jonatan Berggren 655 580 *82 74
158 43 *56 28
222 94 60 43 POINTS
All-Time
Michel Picard Active Leader Brian Lashoff (26th) Single-Season Michel Picard (1996-97) 2020-21
All-Time
Jonatan Berggren PLUS/MINUS Travis Richards Active Leader Brian Lashoff (23rd) Single-Season Ivan Ciernik (2000-01) 2020-21 Dan Renouf PENALTY MINUTES
All-Time
Darryl Bootland Active Leader Dominik Shine (14th) Single-Season Darryl Bootland (2005-06) 2020-21 Dominik Shine
* = Led League
Travis Richards Dominik Shine Tom McCollum
380 125 101 64
+131 +32 *+41 +14
1,164 351 390 141
Michel Picard Victor Brattstrom Brian Lashoff
All-Time
GOALIE GAMES PLAYED Tom McCollum Active Leader Victor Brattstrom (22nd) Single-Season Joey MacDonald (2004-05) 2020-21 Calvin Pickard GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE
All-Time
Martin Prusek Active Leader Victor Brattstrom (26th) Single-Season Martin Prusek (2001-02) 2020-21 Calvin Pickard WINS
All-Time
Tom McCollum Active Leader Victor Brattstrom (24th) Single-Season Joey MacDonald (2004-05) Mike Fountain (2000-01) 263 74 *66 43
1.83 3.32 *1.83 2.58
123 11 34 *34 21 SHUTOUTS
All-Time Joey MacDonald 20
Active Leader Victor Brattstrom (T22nd) 1
Single-Season 6 players tied 6
2020-21 Victor Brattstrom/Calvin Pickard 1 SAVES
All-Time
Tom McCollum Active Leader Victor Brattstrom (19th) Single-Season Joey MacDonald (2004-05) 2020-21 Calvin Pickard SAVE PERCENTAGE 6,640 843 1,785 1221
All-Time
Martin Prusek Active Leader Victor Brattstrom (T23rd) Single-Season Joey MacDonald (2003-04) 2020-21 Calvin Pickard 0.930 0.894 0.936 0.918
2020 - Chris Terry
2019 - Chris Terry
2018 - Matt Lorito
2015 - Teemu Pulkkinen 2020 - Matthew Ford
2018 - Matt Puempel
2016 - Jeff Hoggan and Xavier Ouellet
2014 - Alexey Marchenko
GRIFFINS IN THE ALL-STAR GAME
2019-20 Matthew Ford, Chris Terry 2018-19 Chris Terry 2017-18 Matt Lorito, Matt Puempel 2016-17 Matt Lorito, Robbie Russo, Todd Nelson (head coach) 2015-16 Jeff Hoggan (captain), Xavier Ouellet 2014-15 Xavier Ouellet, Teemu Pulkkinen 2013-14 Alexey Marchenko, Jeff Blashill (co-coach) 2012-13 Chad Billins, Petr Mrazek, Gustav Nyquist 2011-12 Gustav Nyquist 2010-11 Ilari Filppula, Brendan Smith 2009-10 Patrick Rissmiller 2008-09 Jakub Kindl, Daniel Larsson 2007-08 Jonathan Ericsson, Jimmy Howard 2006-07 Derek Meech, Kip Miller (captain) 2005-06 Valtteri Filppula, Jiri Hudler, Donald MacLean 2004-05 Niklas Kronwall, Joey MacDonald 2003-04 Jiri Hudler, Niklas Kronwall, Travis Richards (captain), Nathan Robinson 2002-03 Marc Lamothe, Mark Mowers 2001-02 Chris Bala, John Gruden, Kip Miller, Martin Prusek, Petr Schastlivy, Bruce Cassidy (head coach), Gene Reilly (asst. coach) 2000-01 Mike Fountain, Joel Kwiatkowski, Travis Richards, Todd White, Bruce Cassidy (co-coach) 1999-00 John Gruden, Jani Hurme, Kevin Miller, Petr Schastlivy 1998-99 Robert Petrovicky, Maxim Spiridonov 1997-98 Ian Gordon, Kerry Huffman, Michel Picard 1996-97 Jeff Nelson, Michel Picard, Pokey Reddick
The AHL All-Star Classic was not held in either 2020-21 or 2021-22 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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.
DELAYED PENALTY Referee extends his arm and points to the penalized player until the penalized team regains possession of the puck.
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.
INTERFERENCE When a player impedes the progress of an opponent who is not in possession of the puck.
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.
SPEARING
Called for using the stick like a spear.
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.
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
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 ALL
STARTS HERE
1...........Pavol Demitra...........................3/17/97 STL at PHX 2...........Kevyn Adams..........................10/1/97 TOR vs. WSH 3...........Tyler Moss...............................10/28/97 CGY vs. PIT 4...........Michel Picard..................................1/6/98 STL at SJ 5...........Jeff Nelson............................10/10/98 NSH vs. FLA 6...........Patrick Traverse......................10/10/98 OTT at COL 7...........Mark Greig...................................1/7/99 PHI vs. NYI 8...........Radim Bicanek...........................2/1/99 OTT at VAN 9...........Robert Petrovicky.......................2/15/99 TB at NYI 10.........Andrei Vasilyev..........................3/5/99 PHX vs. DET 11.........Todd Hlushko..............................4/25/99 PIT vs. NJ 12.........Patrick Lalime...........................10/2/99 OTT at PHI 13.........Glen Metropolit.....................10/2/99 WSH at FLA 14.........Kevin Miller............................10/31/99 OTT at ATL 15.........Karel Rachunek......................10/31/99 OTT at ATL 16.........Erich Goldmann...................11/11/99 OTT vs. NSH 17.........Yves Sarault..............................11/20/99 OTT at NJ 18.........John Gruden..........................11/30/99 OTT vs. CHI 19.........Mike Fountain.............................12/3/99 OTT at NJ 20.........Dave Van Drunen...................12/13/99 OTT at TOR 21.........Petr Schastlivy..............................1/3/00 OTT vs. NJ 22.........John Emmons...........................1/6/00 OTT vs. PHX 23.........Slava Butsayev.........................1/28/00 OTT at BUF 24.........Aris Brimanis............................2/13/00 NYI at NYR 25.........Dieter Kochan...........................3/28/00 TB vs. DAL 26.........Jani Hurme...................................4/9/00 OTT vs. TB 27.........Shane Hnidy.............................10/5/00 OTT at BOS 28.........Donald MacLean..................10/14/00 TOR vs. OTT 29.........David Oliver..............................11/4/00 OTT vs. CBJ 30.........Jamie Rivers...........................11/12/00 OTT at CAR 31.........Sean Gagnon........................11/26/00 OTT at NYR 32.........Joel Bouchard.......................11/29/00 PHX at COL 33.........Mike Crowley.........................12/8/00 ANA at MIN 34.........Ivan Ciernik................................1/23/01 OTT at NYI 35.........Darren Rumble.............................2/6/01 STL at COL 36.........Joel Kwiatkowski.....................2/19/01 OTT at BUF 37.........Todd White...............................2/19/01 OTT at BUF 38.........Chris Neil...................................10/3/01 OTT at TOR 39.........Toni Dahlman.........................1/3/02 OTT vs. WSH 40.........Steve Martins...........................1/11/02 OTT at FLA 41.........Kip Miller......................................1/17/02 NYI at SJ 42.........Jody Hull........................................2/4/02 OTT at TB 43.........Dmitry Afanasenkov......................2/6/02 TB at FLA 44.........Simon Lajeunesse.........................3/7/02 OTT at SJ 45.........Martin Prusek..........................3/23/02 OTT vs. ATL 46.........Chris Bala...................................3/27/02 OTT at NYI 47.........Neil Little..................................3/28/02 PHI at CAR 48.........Josh Langfeld.............................3/30/02 OTT vs. TB 49.........Gaetan Royer..............................4/1/02 TB vs. NYR 50.........Jason Spezza..................10/24/02 OTT at BOS 51.........Sean Avery...............................10/29/02 DET vs. SJ 52.........Jason Doig................................12/3/02 WSH at PIT 53.........Jason Williams........................12/5/02 DET at PHX 54.........Patrick Boileau.....................12/19/02 DET vs. DAL 55.........Stacy Roest..............................2/20/03 DET vs. EDM 56.........Wade Brookbank..................10/9/03 NSH vs. ANA 57.........Julien Vauclair.......................10/25/03 OTT at MTL 58....... Jiri Hudler...........................10/29/03 DET vs. STL 59.........Curtis Joseph.........................10/30/03 DET at NSH 60.........Darryl Bootland.....................11/8/03 DET vs. NSH 61.........Mark Mowers........................11/19/03 DET vs. CBJ 62.........Nathan Robinson.................11/28/03 DET vs. NYI 63.........Blake Sloan.................................12/4/03 DAL at LA 64....... Niklas Kronwall..................12/10/03 DET at BUF 65.........Ryan Barnes..........................12/15/03 DET vs. FLA 66....... Chris Kelly..............................2/5/04 OTT vs. TOR 67.........Marc Lamothe........................2/23/04 DET at EDM 68.........Anders Myrvold.......................2/26/04 DET at CGY 69.........Mathieu Chouinard..................2/29/04 LA at ANA 70.........Brett Lebda.................................10/5/05 DET vs. STL 71.........Mark Eaton.................................10/5/05 NSH vs. SJ 72.........Chris Osgood............................10/29/05 DET at CHI 73.........Kyle Quincey..........................11/25/05 DET at ANA 74.........Jimmy Howard........................11/28/05 DET at LA 75.........Valtteri Filppula........................12/15/05 DET at FLA 76.........Rob Collins.............................12/17/05 NYI vs. COL 77.........Manny Legace...........................1/5/06 DET vs. STL 78.........David Gove..............................1/31/06 CAR at MTL 79.........Tomas Kopecky.............................2/28/06 DET at SJ 80.........Alexandre Giroux.......................3/25/06 NYR at TB 81.........Joey MacDonald.......................10/19/06 DET at SJ 82.........Derek Meech..............................12/7/06 DET vs. STL 83.........Matt Ellis..................................12/18/06 DET at CBJ 84.........Matt Hussey..............................1/26/07 DET at STL 85.........Sheldon Brookbank......................2/6/07 NSH at PIT 86.........Danny Syvret.........................2/27/07 EDM vs. PHX 87.........Mark Hartigan........................11/29/07 DET vs. TB 88.........Drew MacIntyre.......................12/13/07 VAN at SJ 89.........Peter Vandermeer.................2/10/08 PHX vs. NSH 90.........Jonathan Ericsson....................2/22/08 DET at CGY 91.........Garrett Stafford........................2/23/08 DET at VAN 92.........Darren Helm......................3/13/08 DET vs. DAL 93.........Mattias Ritola.........................3/15/08 DET vs. NSH 94.........Clay Wilson...............................3/25/08 CBJ at NSH 95.........Darren McCarty.........................3/28/08 DET vs. STL 96.........Krys Kolanos................................11/4/08 MIN at SJ 97.........Landon Wilson....................11/22/08 DAL vs. ANA 98.........Bryan Helmer.....................11/28/08 WSH vs. MTL 99.........Chris Chelios .........................12/13/08 DET at PHX 100.......Aaron Downey........................1/29/09 DET vs. DAL 101.......Justin Abdelkader..................1/31/09 DET at WSH 102.......Ville Leino...............................1/31/09 DET at WSH 103.......Aaron Gagnon.....................10/16/09 DAL vs. BOS 104.......Scott Parse...............................10/24/09 LA at PHX 105.......Doug Janik..............................11/3/09 DET vs. BOS 106........Ryan Keller...............................11/25/09 OTT at NJ 107.......Jakub Kindl............................12/3/09 DET vs. EDM 108.......Kris Newbury.......................12/14/09 DET vs. PHX 109........Darren Haydar..........................2/10/10 COL vs. ATL 110.......Andreas Lilja...............................3/1/10 DET at COL 111........Jeremy Williams.....................10/24/10 NYR vs. NJ 112.......Jan Mursak.............................12/27/10 DET at COL 113.......Chris Mueller........................12/28/10 NSH vs. DAL 114.......Tomas Tatar.....................12/31/10 DET vs. NYI 115.......Cory Emmerton.......................1/22/11 DET vs. CHI 116........Patrick Rissmiller......................2/23/11 ATL at BUF 117 ......Tom McCollum ........................3/30/11 DET vs. STL 118 .....Gustav Nyquist ..............11/1/11 DET vs. MIN 119 ........Fabian Brunnstrom...................11/5/11 DET vs. ANA 120 ......Brendan Smith.................11/17/11 DET at SJ 121......Mark Cullen................11/29/11 FLA at CAR 122.......Chris Conner.............................12/2/11 DET at BUF 123.......Joakim Andersson................12/27/11 DET vs. STL 124......Ty Conklin .........................3/21/12 DET at NYR 125......Riley Sheahan.....................4/7/12 DET vs. CHI 126.......Brian Lashoff.............................1/21/13 DET at CBJ 127.......Mike Knuble..............................1/26/13 PHI at FLA 128.......Jamie Tardif................................2/2/13 BOS at TOR 129.......Petr Mrazek ..........................2/7/13 DET at STL 130....... Jonas Gustavsson...................2/19/13 DET at NSH 131.......Carlo Colaiacovo........................4/1/13 DET vs. COL 132......Danny DeKeyser.............10/2/13 DET vs. BUF 133......Luke Glendening..........10/12/13 DET vs. PHI 134.......Xavier Ouellet...........................10/21/13 DET vs. SJ 135.......Adam Almquist .....................11/4/13 DET at WPG 136.......Chad Billins..............................11/5/13 CGY at MIN 137.......Patrick Eaves...........................12/14/13 DET vs. PIT 138.......Tomas Jurco.............................12/15/13 DET vs. TB 139.......Jordin Tootoo.........................12/19/13 DET vs. CGY 140.......Alexey Marchenko.....................1/4/14 DET at DAL 141.......Teemu Pulkkinen .................3/14/14 DET vs. EDM 142.......Landon Ferraro.......................3/18/14 DET vs. TOR 143......Calle Jarnkrok...................3/21/14 NSH at CGY 144.......Mitch Callahan..........................3/25/14 DET at CBJ 145.......Ryan Sproul...............................4/13/14 DET at STL 146.......Andrej Nestrasil.......................10/9/14 DET vs. BOS 147.......Stephen Weiss......................11/24/14 DET vs. OTT
148.....Mattias Janmark...........10/8/15 DAL vs. PIT
149......Dylan Larkin.....................10/9/15 DET vs. TOR 150..... Kevin Porter..........................10/10/15 PIT at ARI 151......Andreas Athanasiou.....11/8/15 DET vs. DAL
152.....Tomas Nosek..............12/26/15 DET at NSH
153.......Eric Tangradi..............................1/25/16 DET at NYI 154......Anthony Mantha.............3/15/16 DET at PHI 155.......Alan Quine..................................4/9/16 NYI vs. PHI
156.....Martin Frk.................10/18/16 CAR at EDM 157.....Tyler Bertuzzi................11/8/16 DET at PHI
158.......Jared Coreau..............................12/3/16 DET at PIT 159......Nick Jensen........................12/20/16 DET at TB 160.......Drew Miller..............................2/28/17 DET at VAN 161.......Robbie Russo.............................3/7/17 DET at TOR
162.....Dan Renouf.................. 3/27/17 DET at CAR
163.......Ben Street.................................3/28/17 DET at CAR
164.....Evgeny Svechnikov........4/3/17 DET vs. OTT
165.......Matt Lorito................................4/8/17 DET vs. MTL
166.....Kyle Criscuolo............. 11/17/17 BUF at DET
167.......Dominic Turgeon......................1/14/18 DET at CHI 168.......Joe Hicketts.................................1/22/18 DET at NJ
169.....Dennis Cholowski..........10/4/18 DET vs. CBJ
170.......Libor Sulak................................10/4/18 DET vs. CBJ
171.....Filip Hronek..................10/4/18 DET vs. CBJ
172.......Wade Megan.............................11/1/18 DET vs. NJ 173.......Christoffer Ehn.......................11/6/18 DET vs. VAN 174.......Eddie Pasquale............................12/4/18 TB at DET
175.....Michael Rasmussen.......2/7/19 DET vs. VGK 176.....Filip Zadina.....................2/24/19 DET vs. SJ
177.......Matt Puempel..........................3/23/19 DET at VGK 178.......Dylan McIlrath............................3/25/19 DET at SJ 179.......Jake Chelios................................3/29/19 DET vs. NJ
180.....Givani Smith............. 10/25/19 DET vs. BUF 181.....Calvin Pickard.............11/29/19 DET at PHI 182.....Madison Bowey.........12/14/19 DET at MTL 183.....Taro Hirose..................... 2/6/20 DET at BUF 184.....Gustav Lindstrom.......... 2/6/20 DET at BUF 185.....Joe Veleno .................... 4/27/21 DET at CBJ
186.......Mathias Brome...........................5/7/21 DET at CBJ
187.....Moritz Seider...............10/14/21 DET vs. TB 188.....Riley Barber.................12/18/21 DET vs. NJ 189.....Gemel Smith....................2/2/22 DET vs. LA 190.....Luke Witkowski ............3/12/22 DET at CGY 191.....Chase Pearson .............. 3/24/22 DET at NYI 192.....Harri Sateri ....................4/7/22 ARI vs. VAN 193.....Turner Elson..................4/26/22 DET at TOR
Bold = Played in the NHL during the 2021-22 season
Italics = Had name engraved on the Stanley Cup after playing for Grand Rapids All photos by Getty Images
Don’t miss any of the action this season! Listen To Bob Kaser’s play-by-play on Newsradio WOOD 106.9 FM / 1300 AM. Stream the action on iHeartRadio!
*ALL PLAYOFF GAMES AND WHEN REGULAR SEASON CONFLICTS ARISE.
A BIG THANKS TO OUR RADIO SPONSORS FOR THEIR HELP IN BRINGING GRIFFINS HOCKEY TO YOU THIS SEASON.
AHL GEOGRAPHY 101
From enormous metropolitan areas to tiny towns and everywhere in between, American Hockey League teams can be found in a range of cities throughout North America, all of which have colorful nicknames that pay homage to their rich histories. Each city’s nickname is listed below in descending order by its 2021 population estimate. Can you match each nickname with the AHL team that plays in that market? Good luck!
AA; 25. N; 26. FF; 27. J; 28. W; 29. EE; 30. A; 31. C; 32. I E; 14. L; 15. K; 16. V; 17. DD; 18. D; 19. B; 20. Q; 21. R; 22. O; 23. Z; 24. 1. G; 2. CC; 3. T; 4. P; 5. X; 6. F; 7. BB; 8. M; 9. H; 10. Y; 11. U; 12. S; 13. ANSWER KEY AHL TEAM
A ........Abbotsford B ........Bakersfield C ........Belleville D ........Bridgeport E.........Calgary F.........Charlotte G ........Chicago H ........Cleveland I .........Coachella Valley (Palm Desert) J.........Colorado (Fort Collins) K ........Grand Rapids L.........Hartford M .......Henderson (Las Vegas) N ........Hershey O ........Iowa (Des Moines) P ........Laval (Montreal) Q ........Lehigh Valley (Allentown) R ........Manitoba (Winnipeg) S ........Milwaukee T.........Ontario U ........Providence V ........Rochester W .......Rockford X ........San Diego Y ........San Jose Z.........Springfield AA ......Syracuse BB ......Texas (Austin) CC ......Toronto DD......Tucson EE.......Utica FF.......Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
NICKNAME (POP.)
1. The Windy City (9,509,934)................................. 2. The Big Smoke (6,202,225) ................................ 3. Gateway to Southern California (4,653,105)....... 4. The City of Saints (4,291,732)............................. 5. America’s Finest City (3,286,069) ....................... 6. The Queen City (2,701,046)................................. 7. Bat City (2,352,426)............................................. 8. Sin City (2,292,476)............................................. 9. Rock & Roll Capital of the World (2,075,662) .... 10. The Capital of Silicon Valley (1,952,185) .......... 11. The Renaissance City (1,675,774) .................... 12. Cream City (1,566,487) ..................................... 13. Stampede City (1,481,806) ............................... 14. Insurance Capital of the World (1,211,906)...... 15. Calder City (1,091,620)...................................... 16. Flower City (1,084,973)..................................... 17. The Old Pueblo (1,052,030) .............................. 18. Park City (959,768)............................................ 19. Nashville West (917,673) .................................. 20. Band City USA (865,310) .................................. 21. Gateway to the West (834,678)......................... 22. Hartford of the West (719,146)......................... 23. The City of Firsts (695,305)............................... 24. Salt City (658,281)............................................. 25. Chocolate Town (596,305) ................................ 26. The Diamond City (567,750)............................. 27. The Choice City (362,533)................................. 28. Screw Capital of the World (336,278)............... 29. The Handshake City (290,211).......................... 30. Berry Capital of Canada (195,726).................... 31. The Gateway to the Golden North (111,184) .... 32. 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!
PROUDLY OFFERING:
READY TO SELL YOUR CAR? Get instant cash or trade-in at any Fox Location.
LEARN MORE AT FoxCashOffer.com
Crisp.
