2021-22 Griffiti - Issue #1

2021-22 SEASON ISSUE NO. 1

E S T. 1 9 9 6

Defenseman Brian Lashoff

CAPTAIN CONSISTENT O F F I C I A L

M A G A Z I N E

O F

T H E

G R A N D

R A P I D S

G R I F F I N S

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Vol. 25, No. 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS STARTING LINEUP 26 ������ ‘18’ Griffins captain Brian Lashoff counts himself lucky to have spent his entire career playing in the Red Wings organization.

26

34 ������ DRIVING FORCE Head athletic trainer Josh Chapman is determined to help Griffins players reach their full potential.

42 ������ WINNING CHEMISTRY As the new general manager of the Griffins, Pat Verbeek hopes to help Steve Yzerman catch lightning in a bottle a second time.

50 ������ BACK TO THE FUTURE Traverse City welcomed the return of NHL prospects for the first time in two years.

52 ������ HEARTS ON THEIR SLEEVES The Griffins’ talented radio tandem discovered they shared more than a healthy enthusiasm for hockey.

34

ON THE BENCH 2..........Chalk Talk 4..........Scouting Report 9..........Griffins Schedule 12.......AHL Tradition 16.......AHL Team Directory 21.......Detroit Red Wings 22.......Promotional Calendar 40.......Meet the Griffins

65.......Griffins Records 68.......Griffins All-Stars 73.......Penalty Calls 74.......Arena Map/Ticket Info 76.......It All Starts Here 79.......Kids Page 80.......Parting Shot

COVER:

42

Entering 2021-22, Brian Lashoff had played in 12 different seasons for the Griffins, making him the longest-tenured player in franchise history. Travis Richards played 10 seasons in Grand Rapids to rank second.

Photo by Mark Newman

Griffiti magazine is published four times a year by the Grand Rapids Griffins, Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St., Grand Rapids, MI 49503. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. All contents ©2021 Grand Rapids Griffins.

For advertising information, contact Griffins Sales & Marketing, (616) 774-4585; fax (616) 336-5464. Unsolicited manuscripts and other materials will not be returned.

52

WITH GRIFFINS HEAD COACH BEN SIMON Every new season brings a level of excitement, but this year’s American Hockey League slate should be special for a few reasons.

The 2021-22 campaign will hopefully be the Griffins’ first full season since the 2019-20 season was cut short by the pandemic. It will also mark the beginning of a new journey for several promising prospects, as the Detroit Red Wings organization says goodbye to some stalwart contributors while laying out the welcome mat for a number of new and old faces.

“I think there’s a sense of hope and optimism with the start of every training camp and preseason,” said Griffins head coach Ben Simon. “Everybody starts with a clean slate. Everyone looks a little bigger, a little stronger, and a little faster and you can’t help but get a little excited about that.”

Simon said the organization is looking forward to getting back to some semblance of “normal” after posting a 16-12-3-1 record during a shortened schedule last season.

“We’re excited about getting back to a team atmosphere where we can be around each other more and hopefully not have to make trips on two different buses or to have to work with social distancing in separate locker rooms,” he said. “It’s going to be a welcome change to be back to normal.”

While playing hockey in the middle of a pandemic presented its share of challenges, Simon believes the team came out for the better.

“Last season was difficult in some regards, but in other ways, it was easier,” he said. “I think the pandemic made our players, coaches and staff become way more prepared to adapt and to be able to change on the fly.

“Going into this year – having already gone through the rookie tournament and training camp – it’s good just to have a sense of normalcy, even with a number of protocols still in place. Obviously, 2 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Photo: Sam Iannamico

there are concerns about the potential resurgence of new variants of the coronavirus, but we’re looking forward to playing a full schedule of games.”

Owing to a light early schedule and several postponements, the Griffins played their final 16 games over a span of only 30 days last season, including stretches of four games in five days and six games in nine days. The team managed an 8-8 road record despite busing to and from the host city on the same day of 14 of those 16 games.

“It was tough mentally and became a grind toward the end of the season, but I thought the guys were extremely diligent and respectful,” he said. “They realized how much sacrifice went into giving them the opportunity to play. I thought they were very mature in how they handled all the crazy protocols that came with the privilege.”

The Griffins begin this season without the services of three veterans who were key members of the 2017 Calder Cup championship team. Dylan McIlrath signed with the Washington Capitals while Dominic Turgeon and Joe Hicketts both signed contracts with the Minnesota Wild.

“We’re certainly going to miss guys like Dylan, Dominic, and Joe – they were huge factors in the success that the Griffins have enjoyed in recent years.

We can’t thank them enough for what they did here and we wish them nothing but success,” he said.

“Fortunately, Detroit continues to do a very good job of finding the right veterans to balance with the young kids who come up through the system. The Wings find veterans who are good hockey players but who also have good character, good morals, and a good work ethic – guys who not only can help drive the competitiveness in practice and games but who can also help the younger players become good pros both on and off the ice.”

Among the current crop of veterans are two players who have been part of the organization previously.

Luke Witkowski, a defenseman and Holland, Mich., native who played his college hockey at Western Michigan University, was a member of the Red Wings during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons.

Dan Renouf, a member of the 2017 Calder Cup team while playing for the Griffins from 2015-18, returns to the organization after appearing in 18 NHL games with the Colorado Avalanche last season.

Simon was pleased with his team’s play during the NHL Prospect Tournament in September, even though the squad dropped two of the three games it played.

“When you evaluate the three games as a whole, the guys did a good job of competing,” he said.

“The games provide a good measuring stick for the coaching staff to see how our prospects match up against their peers in other organizations.

The tournament also gives us an opportunity to see where these kids fit in the landscape of our organization, both short-term and long-term.”

Simon said the prospects showcase also provided a chance for more established players to step up and take larger roles.

“This year was a good opportunity for guys like Joe Veleno, Chase Pearson and others who had been in rookie camps previously to assume a little more of a leadership role and show some of the younger guys what it takes,” he said.

“Both of those guys have shown excellent maturity, both physically and mentally. Joe, for example, looks like he put on 20 pounds of muscle.

Playing in Sweden was a great experience for him last year. Chase was a two-time captain at Maine, so we know he can be a leader. and this is a big year for him to lean on the characteristics and those traits

that helped him enjoy success in college.”

Simon said the NHL Prospect Tournament began the evaluation process for his entire staff, including new video coach Justin DeMartino, who most recently served as the assistant coach and video coordinator for the Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League.

“It was a great week for us to get back in game mode,” Simon said. “From a coaching perspective, it provides a great opportunity to get back into a routine and a rhythm. It gives all of the coaches, myself included, our first chance to start to get to know these kids who will be playing in the organization.”

On paper, the Griffins will feature some players with the kind of high-end skill that could eventually see them become fixtures in Detroit for years to come. But Simon cautions against bestowing any label of stardom on a player.

“Sometimes you have to temper expectations, because it takes longer for some players to become acclimated than others. Some of them are living on their own for the first time. They’re finding a new apartment, they’re getting used to a new country, a new city, and new coaches.

“There’s a lot that goes into becoming a pro and getting used to your surroundings. Getting comfortable and gaining confidence is part of the process. Confidence is especially huge, and once you establish that confidence, you’re going to have the chance to become a better player. We’ll see how quickly some of these young guys get acclimated and gain confidence.

“It should be an exciting year, to say the least.”

2021-22 GRIFFINS HOCKEY OPERATIONS STAFF

General Manager

Pat Verbeek

Video Coach

Justin DeMartino

Head Coach

Assistant Coach

Ben Simon

Matt Macdonald

Athletic Trainer

Assistant Athletic Trainer

Josh Chapman

Anthony Polazzo

Assistant Coach

Assistant Coach

Goaltending Coach

Todd Krygier

Mike Knuble

Brian Mahoney-Wilson

Equipment Manager

Assistant Equipment Manager

Strength-Conditioning Coordinator

Brad Thompson

Charlie Kaser

Marcus Kinney

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 3

SCOU REPO

ROCKFORD

CHICAGO

OCT. 15, DEC. 3, DEC. 4

OCT. 27, OCT. 31, NOV.17, NOV. 26

• Top affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks since 2007, the IceHogs cemented their organizational future in April when the NHL club purchased its AHL farm team from the City of Rockford. The IceHogs became the 21st AHL team to be owned by its parent club.

• Thanks to the purchase, the 40-year-old BMO Harris Bank Center will undergo a $23 million renovation.

The IceHogs simultaneously signed a new 15-year lease at the downtown Rockford arena.

• Rockford struggled last season, finishing last in the six-team Central Division with a 12-19-1-0 mark.

• Former Griffins great Derek King begins his third full season as head coach of the IceHogs. He played in Grand Rapids from 1999-01 and 2002-04 and is the franchise’s all-time leading playoff scorer (1625–41) while ranking fifth in regular-season points (73-130–203).

• The Wolves ran away with the Central Division title

4 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

in 2020-21, posting a 21-9-1-2 record that was good for the third-highest points percentage in the AHL (.682).

• After fortifying last season’s roster by virtue of a temporary affiliation with the Nashville Predators, Chicago goes solo once again this season, serving as the primary affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes.

• The Wolves’ stacked lineup last season was made manifest by the team’s rankings in numerous statistical categories, as Chicago ranked first in the AHL in goals scored per game (4.00), second in shorthanded goals scored (7), fourth on the power play (24.8%), seventh in goals allowed per game (2.85), and ninth in penalty killing (83.2%).

• Goaltender Beck Warm was named to the 2020-21 Central Division All-Star Team after going 8-4-1 with a 2.74 goals against average, a .914 save percentage and two shutouts.

TING ORT MILWAUKEE

MANITOBA

• After opting out of the 2020-21 campaign due to the COVID pandemic, the Admirals return to the ice this season and resume serving as the home of the Nashville Predators’ prospects.

• Milwaukee’s Phil Tomasino (13-19–32), Tommy Novak (8-24–32) and Tanner Jeannot (10-11–21) comprised three of last season’s top four scorers for the rival Chicago Wolves, who housed Nashville-contracted players while the Admirals were dark. Tomasino’s production earned him a spot on the AHL’s All-Rookie Team.

• Left wing Anthony Richard returned to the organization over the summer, re-signing a one-year deal with the Predators. Richard was a Griffins’ nemesis last season while playing for Chicago, scoring seven goals in 10 games against Grand Rapids.

• Admirals head coach Karl Taylor and assistants Scott Ford and Greg Rallo all served as assistant coaches on the Wolves’ staff last season, staying connected with many of the players who will form the foundation of Milwaukee’s 2021-22 roster.

• Evgeny Svechnikov, Detroit’s first-round pick from 2015 who won a Calder Cup with the Griffins two years later, signed a one-year contract with the Moose in August after becoming a free agent. In 186 games over parts of five seasons in Grand Rapids, Svechnikov tallied 39 goals and 62 assists for 101 points.

• Two other Griffins alumni have joined the Manitoba organization, including pro development scout Spiros Anastas, an assistant coach on Grand Rapids’ 2013 championship squad, and developmental goaltending coach Drew MacIntyre, who manned the Griffins’ pipes between 2004-06.

• Mark Morrison begins his first season as Manitoba’s bench boss after spending four seasons with the Anaheim Ducks as an assistant coach. He previously logged six seasons in the Winnipeg Jets organization as an AHL assistant.

• The Moose finished second in the one-and-done Canadian Division last season, posting an 1813-3-2 record.

OCT. 30

NOV. 12, NOV. 13

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 5

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W005282

2021-22 SEASON

Dear Griffins Fans, Welcome back! What a long, strange trip it’s been, and in many ways continues to be.

These last 19 months have tested all of us in ways we could never have imagined, impacting everything from our loved ones and livelihoods down to the most trivial aspects of daily living. Amidst this turmoil, having a shared sense of community and common rallying points has never felt more vital or craved, even if that just means gathering at Van Andel Arena to watch a Griffins game with 10,834 of our closest friends.

We’ve never taken the roar of a huge crowd for granted, but it will sound unimaginably sweet to hear that again this season.

DAN DEVOS LETTER FROM THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

The slow return to normalcy is coming with some exciting changes to your fan experience, most notably advances like fan-friendly mobile ticketing technology and cashless arena concessions that offer mobile ordering and easy pickup. They have the added benefit of making our game-night operations as contactless as possible.

While the shortened 2020-21 campaign was technically our 25th season, we’ve saved the celebrations of the first quarter-century of Griffins hockey to share with you this year! Among the many promotions, giveaways and special events we have planned are two that you certainly won’t want to miss: the jersey number retirement ceremonies for Griffins greats Michel Picard (Feb. 19) and Jeff Hoggan (April 2), who will take their rightful places in the arena’s rafters alongside Travis Richards, currently the only player in our franchise’s history to have been so honored.

As we pay tribute to the great memories and legends of our storied past, let’s not forget about the newest Griffins who will be looking to forge their path east to Hockeytown. The Detroit Red Wings boast one of the deepest and most promising prospect pools in the NHL – led by high draft picks like Lucas Raymond and Jonatan Berggren – that is sure to give us many reasons to cheer as we chase an eighth consecutive berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

If all of that wasn’t enough to look forward to, we’re beyond excited about the return to our broadcast booth of Bob Kaser, the newest, incredibly deserving member of the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame.

Our beloved Voice of the Griffins missed the entire 2020-21 season while recovering from heart surgery but is now thankfully back to full strength, and he’s spreading the gospel of both Griffins hockey and heart health.

On behalf of Griffins players and staff from the past and the present, I salute you for your loyalty through the years and hope you enjoy the celebration of our 25th anniversary season.

Sincerely,

Dan DeVos Chief Executive Officer Grand Rapids Griffins

10 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

2021-2022 SEASON

Dear Fans, It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2021-22 American Hockey League season, the latest chapter in a tradition of excellence that can be traced back more than eight decades.

SCOTT HOWSON PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

We’re thrilled to have 31 teams back on the ice this fall, and we’re especially excited to have our passionate fans back to cheer on our players inside arenas across North America. Our clubs remain dedicated to ensuring everyone’s health and safety, allowing us to continue our role as the top development league for nearly all of the players, coaches, executives, trainers, broadcasters and officials in the National Hockey League today.

On behalf of all of our teams across the United States and Canada, thank you for your continuing support of the AHL, and I will see you at the rink.

Sincerely,

SCOTT HOWSON PRESIDENT & CEO | AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 11

BY THE NUMBERS

A TRADITION OF

87.7% Percentage of all NHL players in 2020-21 who were graduates of the AHL

890 Former AHL players who skated in the NHL last season

THE BEGINNINGS Embarking on its 86th season of play in 2021-22, the American Hockey League is continuing a tradition of excellence that began in 1936 when the Canadian-American Hockey League joined with the International Hockey League to form what is today known as the AHL. Eight teams hit the ice that first season, representing Buffalo, Cleveland, New

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

Hershey Bears have captured the most championships in league history with 11.

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

From those roots, the American Hockey League has grown into a 31-team, coast-to-coast league that provides fans with exciting, high-level professional hockey while preparing thousands of players, coaches, officials, executives, trainers, broadcasters and more for careers in the NHL.

268 AHL players who also played in the NHL in 2020-21

193 Former 1st- and 2ndround NHL draft picks who skated in the AHL in 2020-21

L . T O R . : A H L G R A D U AT E S M I K KO R A N TA N E N , S E M YO N VA R L A M O V, T Y L E R T O F F O L I , YA N N I G O U R D E , M A R K S T O N E

12 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

THE PLAYERS

THE LEGENDS

THE COACHES

In today’s National Hockey League nearly 90 percent of the players are AHL alumni, including 2021 Vezina Trophy winner Marc-Andre Fleury, Lady Byng Trophy recipient Jaccob Slavin and Bill Masterton Award winner Oskar Lindblom. The 2021 Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning were stocked with AHL graduates including Conn Smythe Trophy winner Andrei Vasilevskiy, leading scorer Nikita Kucherov, and former Calder Cup champions Ondrej Palat, Alex Killorn and Tyler Johnson.

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.

At the start of the 2021-22 season, the National Hockey League featured 21 head coaches who were former AHL bench bosses, including two-time Stanley Cup winner Jon Cooper of the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Colorado’s Jared Bednar, Washington’s Peter Laviolette, Pittsburgh’s Mike Sullivan, Nashville’s John Hynes, Toronto’s Sheldon Keefe, Vancouver’s Travis Green and the N.Y. Islanders’ Barry Trotz are also among the current NHL coaches who spent time in the American Hockey League before making the jump.

During the 2020-21 season, a total of 890 AHL alumni played in the National Hockey League. There were 268 players who skated in both leagues last year alone, and nearly 200 former first- and second-round NHL draft picks developed their skills in the AHL last season, including Quinton Byfield, Jack Quinn, Cole Perfetti, Thomas Harley, Trevor Zegras, Martin Kaut and Nick Robertson.

“Without my time in the AHL, the door to the NHL does not open.”

- J O N CO O PE R AHL COACH OF THE YEAR | ’11-12 CALDER CUP CHAMPION | ’12 STANLEY CUP CHAMPION | ’20, ’21

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 13

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 15

A H L D I R EC TO RY

EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION

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

NORTH DIVISION

Belleville, Cleveland, Laval, Rochester, Syracuse, Toronto, Utica

BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS

NHL Affiliation............................New York Islanders Home Ice.......................Webster Bank Arena (8,412) General Manager............................ Chris Lamoriello Head Coach.................................... Brent Thompson Entered AHL................................................ 2001-02 Calder Cups......................................................None Seasons in Playoffs.........................................9 of 18 2020-21 Record...................... 8-14-2-0, 18 pts./.375 Website..............................bridgeportislanders.com

NHL Affiliations......Florida Panthers, Seattle Kraken Home Ice....................... Bojangles’ Coliseum (8,600) General Manager......................... Gregory Campbell Head Coach.....................................Geordie Kinnear Entered AHL................................................ 2010-11 Calder Cups............................................. One (2019) Seasons in Playoffs...........................................5 of 9 2020-21 Record......................................Did not play Website........................................... gocheckers.com

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HERSHEY BEARS

LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS

NHL Affiliation............................. New York Rangers Home Ice......................................XL Center (15,635) General Manager..................................Ryan Martin Head Coach.......................................Kris Knoblauch Entered AHL................................................ 1997-98 Calder Cups............................................. One (2000) Seasons in Playoffs.......................................15 of 22 2020-21 Record...................... 14-9-1-0, 29 pts./.604 Website.................................hartfordwolfpack.com

NHL Affiliation.........................Washington Capitals Home Ice.................................Giant Center (10,500) GENERAL MANAGER............................Bryan Helmer Head Coach..............................................Scott Allen Entered AHL................................................ 1938-39 Calder Cups.....11 (1947, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1974, 1980, 1988, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010) Seasons in Playoffs.......................................68 of 81 2020-21 Record...................... 24-7-2-0, 50 pts./.758 Website........................................hersheybears.com

NHL Affiliation............................Philadelphia Flyers Home Ice......................................PPL Center (8,420) General Manager...............................Chuck Fletcher Head Coach.........................................Ian Laperriere Entered AHL.... 1996-97 (as Philadelphia Phantoms) Calder Cups................................... Two (1998, 2005) Seasons in Playoffs.......................................12 of 23 2020-21 Record...................... 18-7-4-2, 43 pts./.672 Website..................................phantomshockey.com

PROVIDENCE BRUINS

SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

NHL Affiliation....................................Boston Bruins Home Ice................................ Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence (11,273) General Manager............................................... TBD Head Coach......................................Ryan Mougenel Entered AHL................................................ 1992-93 Calder Cups............................................. One (1999) Seasons in Playoffs.......................................22 of 27 2020-21 Record...................... 15-6-2-2, 34 pts./.680 Website................................. providencebruins.com

NHL Affiliation................................... St. Louis Blues Home Ice........................MassMutual Center (6,793) General Manager............................Kevin McDonald Head Coach......................................Drew Bannister Entered AHL................................................ 2016-17 Calder Cups......................................................None Seasons in Playoffs...........................................0 of 3 2020-21 Record......................................Did not play Website.......................springfieldthunderbirds.com

NHL Affiliation......................... Pittsburgh Penguins Home Ice........Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza (8,050) General Manager................................. Mike Vellucci Head Coach..............................................J.D. Forrest Entered AHL................................................ 1999-00 Calder Cups......................................................None Seasons in Playoffs.......................................17 of 20 2020-21 Record.................... 13-13-4-2, 32 pts./.500 Website........................................wbspenguins.com

16 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

2021-22

BELLEVILLE SENATORS

CLEVELAND MONSTERS

LAVAL ROCKET

NHL Affiliation............................... Ottawa Senators Home Ice......................................CAA Arena (4,365) General Manager.................................Pierre Dorion Head Coach..............................................Troy Mann Entered AHL................................................ 2017-18 CALDER CUPS....................................................None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS......................................0 of 2 2020-21 RECORD.................. 18-16-1-0, 37 pts./.529 Website........................................bellevillesens.com

NHL Affiliation......................Columbus Blue Jackets Home Ice......................Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse (18,926/9,447 lower bowl) General Manager..................................... Chris Clark Head Coach............................................. Mike Eaves Entered AHL............2007-08 (as Lake Erie Monsters) Calder Cups............................................. One (2016) Seasons in Playoffs.........................................3 of 12 2020-21 Record.................... 16-10-1-2, 35 pts./.603 Website...............................clevelandmonsters.com

NHL Affiliation..........................Montreal Canadiens Home Ice..................................... Place Bell (10,062) General Manager...............................Marc Bergevin Head Coach...............................Jean-Francois Houle Entered AHL................................................ 2017-18 CALDER CUPS....................................................None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS......................................0 of 2 2020-21 RECORD.................... 23-9-3-1, 50 pts./.694 Website............................................rocketlaval.com

ROCHESTER AMERICANS

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

NHL Affiliation...................................Buffalo Sabres Home Ice............................... Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial (11,215) General Manager............................Jason Karmanos Head Coach............................................Seth Appert Entered AHL................................................ 1956-57 Calder Cups.....Six (1965, 1966, 1968, 1983, 1987, 1996) Seasons in Playoffs.......................................46 of 63 2020-21 Record.................... 11-15-2-1, 25 pts./.431 Website ................................................ amerks.com

NHL Affiliation........................Tampa Bay Lightning Home Ice......................War Memorial Arena (6,230) General Manager................................... Stacy Roest Head Coach.........................................Benoit Groulx Entered AHL................................................ 1994-95 Calder Cups......................................................None Seasons in Playoffs.......................................15 of 25 2020-21 Record.................... 19-10-3-0, 41 pts./.641 Website.....................................syracusecrunch.com

TORONTO MARLIES

UTICA COMETS

NHL Affiliation..........................Toronto Maple Leafs Home Ice........................Coca-Cola Coliseum (7,851) General Manager....................................Ryan Hardy Head Coach............................................ Greg Moore Entered AHL................................................ 2005-06 Calder Cups............................................. One (2018) Seasons in Playoffs.......................................11 of 14 2020-21 Record.................... 16-17-0-2, 34 pts./.486 Website.................................................... marlies.ca

NHL Affiliation..............................New Jersey Devils Home Ice............Utica Memorial Auditorium (3,860) General Manager.............................Dan MacKinnon Head Coach..........................................Kevin Dineen Entered AHL................................................ 2013-14 Calder Cups......................................................None Seasons in Playoffs...........................................3 of 6 2020-21 Record.................... 16-11-0-1, 33 pts./.589 Website..........................................uticacomets.com

THE ROAD TO THE CALDER CUP A total of 23 teams will qualify for postseason play in 202122, with five rounds of playoffs leading to the crowning of a Calder Cup champion.

In each of the AHL’s four divisions, all but two teams will qualify for postseason play, creating a playoff field of six teams in the Atlantic Division, five in the North Division, five in the Central Division and seven in the Pacific Division. Teams will be ranked by points percentage in the regular-season standings.

First Round matchups will be best-of-three series. The top two teams in the Atlantic Division, the top three teams in each of the North and Central Divisions, and the firstplace team in the Pacific Division 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-of-seven Conference Finals and a best-of-seven Calder Cup Finals.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 17

A H L D I R EC TO RY

WESTERN CONFERENCE PACIFIC DIVISION

Abbotsford, Bakersfield, Colorado, Henderson, Ontario, San Diego, San Jose, Stockton, Tucson

CENTRAL DIVISION

Grand Rapids, Chicago, Iowa, Manitoba, Milwaukee, Rockford, Texas

COLORADO EAGLES

ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS

BAKERSFIELD CONDORS

NHL Affiliation............................Vancouver Canucks NHL Affiliation............................... Edmonton Oilers Home Ice..........................Abbotsford Entertainment Home Ice...................Mechanics Bank Arena (8,751) & Sports Centre (7,018) General Manager................................ Keith Gretzky Woodcroft General Manager................................Ryan Johnson Head Coach........................................ JayONTARIO Head Coach................................................Trent Cull Entered AHL................................................ 2015-16 PRIMARY M Entered AHL................................................ 2021-22 Calder Cups......................................................None Calder Cups......................................................None Seasons in Playoffs...........................................1 of 4 Seasons in Playoffs..............................................N/A 2020-21 Record.................... 24-14-0-1, 49 pts./.628 Website..............................abbotsford.canucks.com Website...............................bakersfieldcondors.com

HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS

NHL Affiliation...........................Colorado Avalanche NHL Affiliation....................... Vegas Golden Knights Home Ice................Budweiser Events Center (5,289) Home Ice................................ Orleans Arena (7,773) General Manager.............................Craig Billington General Manager.....................................Tim Speltz Head Coach............................................Greg Cronin Head Coach.......................................Manny Viveiros Entered AHL................................................ 2018-19 Entered AHL................................................ 2020-21 Calder Cups......................................................None Calder Cups......................................................None SAN DIEGO GULLS Seasons in Playoffs...........................................1 of 1 Seasons in Playoffs..............................................N/A MARK pts./.500 2020-21 Record.................... 15-15-3-1, 34PRIMARY 2020-21 Record.................... 25-13-0-1, 51 pts./.654 Website.....................................coloradoeagles.com Website........................hendersonsilverknights.com

ONTARIO REIGN

NHL Affiliation..............................Los Angeles Kings Home Ice..................................Toyota Arena (9,491) General Manager...............................Richard Seeley Head Coach....................................John Wroblewski Entered AHL................................................ 2015-16 STOCKTON HE Calder Cups......................................................None of 4 MARK Seasons in Playoffs...........................................3 PRIMARY 2020-21 Record.................... 17-19-4-0, 38 pts./.475 Website.........................................ontarioreign.com

PANTONE 429 C

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SAN DIEGO GULLS

SAN JOSE BARRACUDA

STOCKTON HEAT

NHL Affiliation.................................Anaheim Ducks Home Ice.......... Pechanga Arena San Diego (12,920) General Manager................................Bob Ferguson Head Coach.........................................Joel Bouchard Entered AHL................................................ 2015-16 Calder Cups......................................................None Seasons in Playoffs...........................................3 of 4 2020-21 Record.................... 26-17-1-0, 53 pts./.602 Website.......................................sandiegogulls.com

NHL Affiliation.................................San Jose Sharks Home Ice................. SAP Center 2015-16 at San Jose (17,496) General Manager..........................................Joe Will Head Coach.......................................... Roy Sommer Entered AHL................................................ 2015-16 Calder Cups......................................................None Seasons in Playoffs...........................................4 of 4 2020-21 Record.................... 15-15-4-2, 36 pts./.500 Website.......................................... sjbarracuda.com

NHL Affiliation..................................Calgary Flames Home Ice.............................Stockton Arena (10,050) General Manager...................................Brad Pascall Head Coach..............................................Mitch Love Entered AHL................................................ 2015-16 Calder Cups......................................................None Seasons in Playoffs...........................................1 of 4 2020-21 Record.................... 11-17-2-0, 24 pts./.400 Website........................................stocktonheat.com

PANTONE 1655 C

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18 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

PANTONE 186 C

PANTONE 110 C

PANTONE 425 C

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2021-22

TUCSON ROADRUNNERS

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

CHICAGO WOLVES

NHL Affiliation.................................Arizona Coyotes Home Ice..................................Tucson Arena (6,791) General Manager...............................John Ferguson Head Coach..............................................Jay Varady Entered AHL................................................ 2016-17 Calder Cups......................................................None Seasons in Playoffs...........................................1 of 3 2020-21 Record.................... 13-20-3-0, 29 pts./.403 Website...............................tucsonroadrunners.com

NHL Affiliation............................. Detroit Red Wings Home Ice...........................Van Andel Arena (10,834) General Manager...................................Pat Verbeek Head Coach............................................. Ben Simon Entered AHL................................................ 2001-02 Calder Cups................................... Two (2013, 2017) Seasons in Playoffs.......................................13 of 18 2020-21 Record.................... 16-12-3-1, 36 pts./.563 Website.......................................griffinshockey.com

NHL Affiliation...........................Carolina Hurricanes Home Ice.............................. Allstate Arena (16,692) General Manager..............................Wendell Young Head Coach......................................Ryan Warsofsky Entered AHL................................................ 2001-02 Calder Cups................................... Two (2002, 2008) Seasons in Playoffs.......................................13 of 18 2020-21 Record...................... 21-9-1-2, 45 pts./.682 Website......................................chicagowolves.com

IOWA WILD

MANITOBA MOOSE

MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS

NHL Affiliation.................................Minnesota Wild Home Ice........................ Wells Fargo Arena (15,181) General Manager..................................Mike Murray Head Coach............................................... Tim Army Entered AHL................................................ 2013-14 Calder Cups......................................................None Seasons in Playoffs...........................................1 of 6 2020-21 Record.................... 17-13-4-0, 38 pts./.559 Website.............................................. iowawild.com

NHL Affiliation................................... Winnipeg Jets Home Ice..............................Bell MTS Place (15,294) General Manager..............................Craig Heisinger Head Coach........................................Mark Morrison Entered AHL........ 2001-02 (played through 2010-11; re-entered 2015-16) Calder Cups......................................................None Seasons in Playoffs.......................................10 of 14 2020-21 RECORD.................. 18-13-3-2, 41 pts./.569 Website....................................... moosehockey.com

NHL Affiliation...........................Nashville Predators Home Ice.....UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena (12,700) General Manager...................................Scott Nichol Head Coach..............................................Karl Taylor Entered AHL................................................ 2001-02 Calder Cups............................................. One (2004) Seasons in Playoffs.......................................15 of 18 2020-21 Record......................................Did not play Website............................. milwaukeeadmirals.com

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

TEXAS STARS

NHL Affiliation..........................Chicago Blackhawks Home Ice.................BMO Harris Bank Center (5,895) General Manager................................Mark Bernard Head Coach............................................. Derek King Entered AHL................................................ 2007-08 Calder Cups......................................................None Seasons in Playoffs.........................................6 of 12 2020-21 Record.................... 12-19-1-0, 25 pts./.391 Website.................................................icehogs.com

NHL Affiliation....................................... Dallas Stars Home Ice.............H-E-B Center at Cedar Park (6,800) General Manager................................... Scott White Head Coach...........................................Neil Graham Entered AHL................................................ 2009-10 Calder Cups............................................. One (2014) Seasons in Playoffs.........................................7 of 10 2020-21 Record.................... 17-18-3-0, 37 pts./.487 Website.............................................texasstars.com Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 19

20 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

DETROIT RED WINGS W

ith a young core powered by former Griffins such as Tyler Bertuzzi, Filip Hronek and Filip Zadina, the 202021 Detroit Red Wings achieved the NHL’s largest improvements last season in terms of both points percentage and goal differential.

Michael Rasmussen, Gustav Lindstrom and Givani Smith are among the Griffins alumni looking to join them full-time in Hockeytown in 2021-22, as Grand Rapids and Detroit begin their 20th season of affiliation.

TOP AFFILIATE: Grand Rapids Griffins • 20th 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: Pat Verbeek COACHING STAFF HEAD COACH: Jeff Blashill ASSISTANT COACHES: Doug Houda, Alex Tanguay GOALTENDING COACH: Jeff Salajko VIDEO COACH: LJ Scarpace ASSISTANT VIDEO COACH: Jeff Weintraub

GRIFFINS WHO HAVE EARNED THEIR WINGS

Justin Abdelkader Adam Almquist Joakim Andersson Andreas Athanasiou Sean Avery Ryan Barnes Tyler Bertuzzi Patrick Boileau Darryl Bootland Madison Bowey Mathias Brome Fabian Brunnstrom Mitch Callahan Jake Chelios Dennis Cholowski Ty Conklin Chris Conner Jared Coreau Danny DeKeyser Aaron Downey Patrick Eaves Christoffer Ehn Matt Ellis Cory Emmerton Jonathan Ericsson Landon Ferraro Valtteri Filppula Martin Frk Luke Glendening Mark Hartigan Darren Helm Joe Hicketts Taro Hirose

2008-09 2013-14 2011-12 2015-16 2002-03 2003-04 2016-17 2002-03 2003-04 2019-20 2020-21 2011-12 2013-14 2018-19 2018-19 2011-12 2011-12 2016-17 2013-14 2008-09 2013-14 2018-19 2006-07 2010-11 2007-08 2013-14 2005-06 2017-18 2013-14 2007-08 2007-08 2017-18 2019-20

Jimmy Howard Filip Hronek Jiri Hudler Matt Hussey Doug Janik Nick Jensen Tomas Jurco Jakub Kindl Tomas Kopecky Niklas Kronwall Marc Lamothe Josh Langfeld Dylan Larkin Brian Lashoff Brett Lebda Ville Leino Gustav Lindstrom Matt Lorito Joey MacDonald Donald MacLean Anthony Mantha Alexey Marchenko Darren McCarty Tom McCollum Dylan McIlrath Derek Meech Wade Megan Drew Miller Kevin Miller Mark Mowers Petr Mrazek Jan Mursak Anders Myrvold

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

Andrej Nestrasil Kris Newbury Tomas Nosek Gustav Nyquist Xavier Ouellet Calvin Pickard Matt Puempel Teemu Pulkkinen Kyle Quincey Michael Rasmussen Dan Renouf Mattias Ritola Jamie Rivers Nathan Robinson Stacy Roest Robbie Russo Riley Sheahan Brendan Smith Givani Smith Ryan Sproul Garrett Stafford Ben Street Libor Sulak Evgeny Svechnikov Eric Tangradi Tomas Tatar Jordin Tootoo Dominic Turgeon Joe Veleno Jason Williams Filip Zadina

2014-15 2009-10 2015-16 2011-12 2013-14 2019-20 2018-19 2013-14 2005-06 2018-19 2016-17 2007-08 2003-04 2003-04 2002-03 2016-17 2011-12 2011-12 2019-20 2013-14 2007-08 2016-17 2018-19 2016-17 2015-16 2010-11 2013-14 2017-18 2020-21 2002-03 2018-19

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

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 21

MARK

YOUR

E S T. 1 9 9 6

OCT. 15 Opening Night presented

by Huntington Bank/ Magnet Schedule and Glow Stick Giveaways OCT. 30 Go Orange Night presented

by Kids’ Food Basket/ Chris Terry Bobblehead Giveaway/Orange Jersey Auction OCT. 31 Jake Engel Memorial Dog Game presented by Nestlé Purina/Costume Contest for Dogs and Their Owners

NOV. 12 Calendar Giveaway presented by Fox Motors NOV. 13 Military Appreciation Night presented by DTE/Mitch Callahan Champion Series Bobblehead Giveaway/ Camo Jersey Auction NOV. 17 20th Annual School Day Game presented by Army National Guard/Winning Wednesday/11 a.m. Start

NOV. 26 21st Annual Teddy Bear & Mitten Toss Game presented by J&H Family Stores

DEC. 18 Holly Jolly Holiday Celebration presented

by Comerica Bank/Kids 25th Anniversary Jersey Giveaway/Santa Claus Appearance

DEC. 3 Sixth Annual Red Kettle Game presented by The Salvation Army/Red Kettle Jersey Auction

DEC. 19 Salute to Frontline Workers presented by MET & MESP DEC. 31 24th Annual New Year’s Eve Celebration/Post-Game Fireworks/6 p.m. Start (NO $2 Beers and $2 Hot Dogs)

DEC. 4 Country Night

OCT. 15

NOV. 13

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CALENDAR JAN. 8 Heroes vs. Villains Night presented by Marathon/ Character Appearances JAN. 15 Tyler Bertuzzi Champion Series Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Michigan Office Solutions JAN. 22 The Mighty Griffs Night presented by Michigan First Credit Union/Poster Giveaway/Mighty Griffs Jersey Auction

FEB. 5 Princess Night presented

by Lake Michigan Credit Union/Princess Appearances/Tea Party FEB. 19 ‘90s Night presented by Play Gun Lake/Michel Picard Jersey Number Retirement Ceremony/Mini Van Andel Arena Replica Giveaway/Throwback Jersey Auction

FEB. 26 Hockey Without Barriers & Sensory Friendly Game presented by Adventure Credit Union/Tomas Tatar Champion Series Bobblehead Giveaway

MARCH 18 10th Annual Purple Community Game presented by Van Andel Institute/Purple Jersey Auction APRIL 2 Margaritaville Night presented by Centennial Securities/Jeff Hoggan Jersey Number Retirement Ceremony/Beach Hat Giveaway

MARCH 5 Star Wars Night presented

by DTE/Character Appearances

APRIL 22 Fan Appreciation Night presented by Huntington Bank APR. 2

FEB. 26 FEB. 19

APR

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N O -L N O S A E S E S E H T T U CHECK O

G

S N O I T O PROM

urring motionsdovcc ro p se e th tage f n o a te no ke a e k Ta a ! m n so to a re se su e e th B roughoudtogs, free tickets, military and regularlyp th eer and discounts and more! of chea bst udent

$2 BEERS AND $2 HOT DOGS Every Friday, enjoy $2 domestic drafts and $2 hot dogs from 6-8 p.m., while supplies last.

MILITARY NIGHTS Every home game, current members of our military can purchase up to four Upper Level Faceoff tickets for $14 each, four Upper Level Center Ice tickets for $17 each or four Lower Level Faceoff tickets for $20 each with a valid military ID. The offer also extends to veterans who present a VA ID or discharge papers.

COLLEGE NIGHTS Presented by Michigan First Credit Union, 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 ticket for $13 (or $12 in advance at The Zone) or an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $16 (or $15 in advance at The Zone). Limit one ticket per ID if purchasing in-person.

Visit griffinshockey.com/college to sign up for College Night alerts.

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 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 either an Upper Level Faceoff ticket for $14 (regularly $16 advance and $19 day of game), an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $17 (regularly $19 advance and $22 day of game) or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $20 (regularly $22 advance and $25 day of game). Limit four tickets per card per person, subject to availability.

FRIENDS & FAMILY 4-PACKS Presented by Buddy’s Pizza and available for all Saturday games, each pack includes four tickets and $20 in concession cash for a great low price.

Visit griffinshockey.com/f4p or call

(616) 774-4585 ext. 2. Continuing this season, fans may use their concession cash to purchase healthy choice menu options at the stand located outside of section 126, including low-fat yogurt, apples, oranges, granola bars and smoothies.

SUNDAY IS FUN DAY For all Sunday games, enjoy $1 small Pepsi drinks and $1 small ice cream cups from 3-5 p.m.

PEPSI READING GOALS Children with Griff’s Reading Goals bookmarks who have completed the required three hours of reading can redeem their bookmark for two free Upper Level tickets to any of the following games: Bookmark #1 – Oct. 27 and 31; Dec. 19 and 22; Bookmark #2 – Jan. 26; March 9 and 16; April 6.

MOS CORNER OFFICE Presented by Michigan Office Solutions, this section, located on the terrace level above section 118, provides the best seats in the house for groups of up to 30 people, with La-Z-Boy chairs and an array of unprecedented amenities. Call (616) 774-4585 ext. 4.

DAVE & BUSTER’S FREE SUPERCHARGE Take your Griffins ticket to Dave & Buster’s or show your mobile ticket to receive a free supercharge of your Power Card.

All promotions and dates subject to change.

For more information, visit griffinshockey.com.

24 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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18

Griffins captain Brian Lashoff counts himself lucky to have spent his entire career playing in the Red Wings organization.

Lines form on my face and my hands Lines from on the left and the right I’m in the middle The middle of life I’m a boy and I’m a man I’m eighteen and I like it – “Eighteen,” Alice Cooper Story and photos

by Mark Newman

B

rian Lashoff probably could find a hundred reasons why he is happy to be playing in Grand Rapids for the Red Wings organization, but he is content to stop at 18.

Eighteen is the age that Lashoff happened to be when he started playing hockey for the Griffins 13 seasons ago, which is almost a lifetime ago when you’re talking about the career of a professional athlete.

26 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Now 31, Lashoff is the captain of the Griffins, having played more than 500 games in the organization, which makes him the longest active-serving AHL player with one team. For a unique perspective, the most recent player with a longer stint is Bill Needham, the league’s all-time leader in games played for only one team with 981. His career with the Cleveland Barons ended in 1971.

Lashoff, who has worn a Red Wings jersey for 136 NHL games spread over seven different seasons, is humbled by his journey from an undrafted, free agent teenager to a venerable veteran, now considered the de facto leader of a franchise that has won two American Hockey League championships during his playing tenure.

“Being captain means a ton to me,” Lashoff said. “Considering how much this city and this team means to me, it’s a big deal to know that you’re the guy that management, the coaches and the players trust to be in that role. I’ve been fortunate to have learned a lot from the guys before me. I think they helped me feel that I was completely ready to step into this role.”

Lashoff wore the number 32 when he joined the Griffins near the end of the 2008-09 season, making his pro debut between his last two years

in junior hockey. He switched to the number 18 during the 2014-15 season.

“When I came back to Grand Rapids after playing a season in Detroit, somebody was already wearing 32, so Dogg [Griffins equipment manager Brad Thompson] gave me 18,” Lashoff said. “I had a couple of different numbers in juniors and when I got traded to the Kingston Frontenacs, they gave me 18, which is also the number I wore in world juniors. I didn’t ask for the number; that’s just what they gave me. The number 18 just seems to follow me.”

Two summers ago, Lashoff married his long-time girlfriend, Nicolina Clemente. Their wedding date was July 18. And last summer, when the couple welcomed the arrival of their first child, daughter Maeve was born a day early on July 1 at 11:18. “She knew,” Lashoff said. “She came at the right minute.”

He is thrilled to add “dad” to his résumé.

Maeve, he notes, is an Irish name, the only name they had chosen if they were lucky to have a girl.

They had agreed to remain in the dark about the baby’s gender until birth.

“I wanted to know, but Nic said we’re waiting,” he said. “It took me a bit [to become convinced], but now I’m glad that we waited. If I had found

Lashoff became the 17th captain of the Griffins before last season.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 27

out, I know I would have blown it, [plus] I think it was good for Nic because [the surprise] gave her something extra to get through those last few hours of labor.”

Lashoff said becoming a first-time father was an “awesome experience,” but admits that the eventful moment had him on pins and needles.

“It was a little nerve-racking, but Nic did unbelievably well,” he said. “She was tougher than I was. I think I was nervous the whole time.

I brought a bunch of snacks for her, but they didn’t want her to eat, so I ended up eating all the snacks out of stress.”

Welcoming a newborn into the Lashoff lineup quickly became “a team effort,” according to the Griffins’ captain. Nicolina’s mother came for the first 10 days after Maeve’s arrival, followed by his parents, then his older brother Matt and his family.

“Having family here with us was a huge stress reliever,” Lashoff said. “Nic’s mom was amazing.

She really helped out those first 10 days after we had Maeve. My parents were amazing as well.

And once we got the hang of things, it was nice to have my brother and his family come and get to meet her.”

Lashoff ’s brother Matt, a former first-round

pick of the Boston Bruins who played 74 NHL games, has three kids while Nicolina’s sister has two kids, so Brian and Nicolina were no strangers to nieces and nephews. Bringing home a baby, however, is a different story.

“You think you know what to expect and then you find that it has its own journey,” he said. “It’s crazy how [having a baby] changes your life – in a good way, of course. It’s stressful and exciting and awesome all at the same time. It’s been great.”

There’s a certain unpredictability that comes with rearing a child, as every parent can attest.

Learning to expect the unexpected becomes a way of life, but Lashoff – like most people living in the pivot of a pandemic – had already had plenty of practice.

On March 12, 2020, the day after he reached the 500-game milestone with the Griffins, the AHL announced that it was suspending its season due to concerns over COVID-19. Two months later, the league officially canceled the regular season and the Calder Cup playoffs.

“It felt strange,” Lashoff said. “It felt like we had unfinished business because we had a team that was starting to roll in the right direction heading toward the playoffs. There was so much uncertainty, and we didn’t get to say the Lashoff made his Griffins debut at the age of 18.

28 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Lashoff was a member of Grand Rapids’ 2013 and 2017 Calder Cup championship teams.

normal goodbyes to guys that you might not ever play with again.

“It just felt weird being in a world that none of us had ever experienced.”

Coronavirus or no coronavirus, Lashoff was just happy to have managed to play in his 500th game in his adopted city.

“I take [the milestone] very seriously,” he said.

“This has become a second home for me and then my wife and now Maeve as well – actually it’s her first home. The city of Grand Rapids and this team mean so much to me that to reach 500 games and win a couple of championships in the process is really important to me.”

His longevity with the same organization is undoubtedly rare, most certainly in the minor leagues where players often bounce from one team to the next to improve their chances of playing at the NHL level.

“It’s especially true for someone in my position where I have been up and down a lot, playing in both Detroit and Grand Rapids,” he said. “It gives me a sense of pride to get to know the young guys who come here year after year and then see them eventually play in the NHL. I was once in their position, trying to get to Detroit, and

now I’m on the other side. I’m still striving to get called up every season, but the best part is I get to watch them grow and hopefully be a part of their development.”

Lashoff aims to do what he can to encourage young prospects in Grand Rapids while reminding them about the value of hard work and dedication — or “going all in,” as he describes the process.

“While they’re in Grand Rapids, I try to tell them to enjoy their time here,” Lashoff said.

“When you’re playing in the minors, it can be a grind in terms of the length of the season and the schedule. A lot of the young guys want to play in the NHL and they want to do it right away. If it doesn’t happen, you need people around you who can keep your mind right and keep you striving in the right direction. I’ve tried to do that and I’ve been fortunate to see some guys that I can call great friends now go up and play.”

Among the NHL defensemen who have made their way through Grand Rapids during Lashoff ’s tenure are Brendan Smith, Nick Jensen and Filip Hronek, three players who collectively account for more than 1,000 games in the NHL. All three played at least two seasons with the Griffins Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 29

before sticking at the top level.

“The need for instant gratification is as much of sports as it is in life, and sometimes things don’t happen that way,” Lashoff said. “The guys who stay in the NHL are often the ones who take the time to grind through the minors and overcome the challenges that come their way.

The only way out of adversity of any kind is to ‘go all in’ and I’ve seen a bunch of guys do that.

“If I can have a small part in a guy making it to the NHL and he has some success there, it not only gives me a sense of pride but also some validation that I’m doing the right things.”

In recognition of his quiet leadership – Lashoff is not the loudest voice in a room, preferring to let his play and work ethic do the talking – the organization announced he would become the 17th captain of the Griffins before the 2020-21 season. He received the news from his brother’s two oldest children. “[Griffins coach] Ben [Simon] got in touch with my brother and they had Ryder and Lila, my nephew and niece, tell me over video in the dressing room one day right before the season.

So that was pretty cool.”

Lashoff acknowledges that being named captain is a tremendous honor. He does not Lashoff has played 136 games with the Red Wings over the course of seven NHL seasons.

30 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

hesitate to give credit to the captains for whom he has played during his dozen seasons in Grand Rapids – in order, Darren Haydar, Jamie Tardif, Garnet Exelby, Jeff Hoggan, Nathan Paetsch and Matthew Ford.

“I’ve played with a lot of great leaders and mentors during my career,” said Lashoff, who adds the names of Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and Niklas Kronwall in Detroit as strong influences. “They all brought something different to the table, and while not every guy was the same, I think I learned a lot from each and every one of the guys.

“Being a leader in the minors is a little different from being in the NHL, from working with the different personalities to the different expectations of young guys wanting to be called up. It’s about building a culture that is competitive every single day, where guys want to come to the rink every day and have fun while building a winning atmosphere.”

Preparing for last season in the face of the coronavirus was a challenge for every player, let alone the captain. “It didn’t make things easy for my first year, that’s for sure,” Lashoff said.

The abrupt ending to the 2019-20 season, coupled with the protracted delay to the season

Lashoff is only the second player to reach the 500-game plateau with the Griffins.

that followed, left players in a quandary of how to stay prepared to play, both physically and mentally.

“There was a lot of time spent training, both off and on the ice, but also managing the time off,” he said. “You want to work out, but you also know that you’re never going to have that much time off again during your career. So it was a balancing act because we didn’t know when we were going to start up again. You want to use the time to your advantage and be ready when the time came to play, but you also don’t want to get burnt out.”

Of course, the uncertainty was not confined to the sports world. But while an office worker can jump into a car at a moment’s notice to return to work, an athlete needs to physically prepare themselves to play if they want to attain peak performance while purposely conditioning their bodies to avoid injury.

“When the 2020 calendar hit October, which is usually when the season starts, and we still weren’t playing, we started to wonder because dates kept getting pushed back. Then leagues in Europe started to hit ‘pause,’ so we didn’t know what to expect. There’s a different level of mental

strength that you need to learn when you go through something like a pandemic. Of course, the whole world was in the same boat, that’s for sure. But for us, it was the uncertainty that was the hardest.”

Lashoff said that Griffins head coach Ben Simon and his staff stayed in touch with players to help them keep their heads on straight.

“Ben was really good about making sure that guys were doing mentally okay,” he said. “It was a stressful time for everyone and he wanted to make sure guys were handling all of the uncertainty. We were training to get ourselves ready but when the date changes, what do you do? You want to stay mentally ready, so you do the best you can.”

For Lashoff, the involuntary stoppage was a blessing in disguise. As relative newlyweds, he and Nicolina were able to spend more time together. “We bought a house in Ada just as everything was being shut down,” he said. “We closed April 1st, then moved in during May, which gave us time to work on the house before she got pregnant.”

Nicolina had left her job at the Van Andel Institute to work in research and development

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 31

for Empirical Bioscience, a local biotechnology company involved in COVID-19 testing – perfect timing for a change in employment when you’re pregnant during a pandemic and access to regular testing offered peace of mind. Her new job also gave the Griffins a connection to the testing kits that were needed as the abbreviated season got underway.

And so Lashoff and his teammates welcomed the challenge of a strange, new season with open arms.

“The coaches did a good job of managing expectations and letting us know what they wanted out of us. As the captain, I couldn’t have been more proud of the guys as far as how they took things as seriously as they could. We got through the season with very little exposure to the virus and we were able to play not only all the games that were originally scheduled, but we added some games as well.”

He admits that it seemed very odd to be playing inside an empty arena for the majority of the season due to COVID-19 restrictions.

“Stepping out onto the ice for the first time without fans was a very eerie feeling,” he said.

“You miss the roar of the crowd, especially considering how passionate our fans are. You Lashoff has helped mentor a number of current NHL defensemen.

32 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

realize how much of a difference they can make, how much they are on our side, and how they can change the sway of a game by surrounding us with their support.”

He credits the Griffins’ front office with doing “an amazing job” of making the whole experience as game-like as possible. He chuckles at the memory of seeing cardboard cutouts in the stands behind the teams’ benches.

“It was definitely strange walking out into an arena without fans and seeing cardboard cutouts of guys I used to play with behind the bench,” said Lashoff, spotting Martin Frk and Jeff Hoggan as a couple of the familiar faces in the crowd. It was an inside joke inside a strained season that required more levity than normal because nothing was normal, except for facial masks, social distancing, and testing.

“With all of the social distancing rules, including split locker rooms for the whole season to keep guys spread out, we couldn’t get the same camaraderie that we are used to getting,” he said.

“We tried to keep things light, to find things outside that we could do to help the team bond because that’s just as important as the systems we play. You want to make sure that guys will go to war for each other because you feel close like

a family, which was difficult to achieve during a season where the main goal was not to be close.”

Looking back, he is thankful that things went as well as they did. “Guys not only took the protocols seriously, but they also took the season seriously,” Lashoff said. “Every single guy believed that we weren’t just showing up to play 32 games to get it over with but to give it everything we have. I think it speaks to the culture in the room.”

The season was unusual on a personal level, too, for Lashoff. For the first time in his career, he missed an extended amount of time. “I sprained my knee during a game in Iowa when my skate got caught in a rut in the ice and I was pushed at the same time,” he said. “It was kind of a freak thing that couldn’t be avoided.”

Lashoff was out for six weeks when there were only about six weeks left in the season. “I got close to being able to play but I just ran out of time,” he said. “I’ve always been durable and been able to play through a lot of things, so that was tough. I tried to help guys as much as I could, whether it was sharing little things that I saw or providing moral support whenever I could.”

It was during the rehabilitation process that Lashoff was momentarily knocked for a loop.

During a season where players learned to roll with the punches, he was surprised to learn that he was traded not once but twice on the same day. First, the Red Wings traded Lashoff to the Columbus Blue Jackets for defenseman David Savard. The Wings then traded Savard to the Tampa Bay Lightning in exchange for a 2021 fourth-round draft pick. Columbus subsequently traded Lashoff to Tampa for the Lightning’s 2021 first-round pick and 2022 third-round pick.

Both Detroit and Columbus retained part of Savard’s salary in the complicated three-team deal that had the hockey world abuzz right before the NHL trade deadline.

“I got a call from [then-Griffins general manager] Ryan Martin, who shared the particulars of the trade. He reassured me that I wasn’t going anywhere, that Tampa was assigning me back to Grand Rapids. At that point, I was still injured and it was questionable whether I was going to be back in time to play, so it was purely a contract move. I talked to Tampa as well and they told me that I could continue my rehab here and continue being the captain.

“But for a couple of hours, it was a complete whirlwind. I had everyone and their brother

texting or calling me. ‘What’s going on?’ Once I explained things, they were like, ‘Oh, that makes sense.’ But it was definitely strange to get the call from Ryan, who did a good job of explaining to me what it was all about and how it worked. I found it interesting because that side of the game – how deals are made – is something you learn to appreciate as you get older, especially when the same deal works for three teams.”

Lashoff signed a new one-year contract with the Red Wings this past summer. He is hoping the new season brings back some sense of normalcy, not only for the team but also for the fans. He is excited about the prospects that could be playing for the Griffins as the Red Wings continue their rebuilding efforts.

“We should have a good mixture of veteran guys who have had success in this league with a new crop of younger guys,” he said.

“Management has done a good job of finding talented young players and the development staff continues to show they know when these guys are ready to come in here and contribute.

“The biggest thing is to continue to create that culture of success that we’ve had, where guys are battling for each other every single day.”

It’s very likely there could be several Swedes on this year’s team, which would bring Lashoff back to the beginning of his career when the Griffins roster included the likes of Gustav Nyquist, Joakim Andersson, Adam Almquist and Calle Jarnkrok.

Lashoff looks forward to doing his best to help mentor prospects as others did for him when he was younger. His jersey number aside, he is no longer 18 and it’s now his place to fill the role of a veteran. As captain, he will remind those who are new to Grand Rapids that the AHL is a good place to learn.

“It’s not a bad thing to play here. It’s a really good league to see which players are ready,” Lashoff said. “The best young players in this league find a way out and will eventually play in the NHL. Young guys always want to go up as soon as possible, but sometimes it doesn’t work that way. Not everyone is ready to play in the NHL at 18, 19 or 20 years old. There are not a lot who are. So this is a really good spot for those guys who want to work hard before they’re able to go up and stay up.”

And if anyone has their doubts, Lashoff will be happy to share all the reasons they need to stay positive – even if the number won’t go past 18.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 33

When Griffins athletic trainer Josh Chapman looks at where he is today, there is one person beyond all others who has been his guiding force.

Karen Chapman was a single mom, working as a night-shift nurse in the emergency department of YaleNew Haven Hospital, a 1,541-bed facility that traces its history back to 1826, when it became only the fourth voluntary hospital in the nation. She worked long hours – from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. – while also doing her best to raise her two boys, Josh and his younger brother Jason.

He still remembers his first hockey game, an experience that left the kind of indelible impression that would set the course for his career.

The young family attended a minor league game featuring The Beast of New Haven, a curiously named team that played in the American Hockey League for only two seasons (199798 and 1998-99) and featured a grotesque logo inspired by the ghoulish gargoyles found throughout the buildings at Yale University.

“My mom bought tickets and it just happened that our seats were right by the tunnel,” Chapman recalled. “Naturally I was curious and I saw the players coming out and I connected with Craig Ferguson, who was the captain of the team.

He gave me a fist bump which I thought was one of the coolest things.”

Chapman had little exposure to hockey before that night, so he found himself mesmerized.

“From the first game I saw, I was absolutely Story by Mark Newman / Photos by Sam Iannamico hooked… the bright, white ice… the sounds and smells of the arena,” he said. “I kept begging my mom for season tickets and eventually she caved and we ended up getting season tickets right by that tunnel. I was always that kid, leaning over the railing.

‘Can I get a high-five? Can I get a stick?’

“Eventually, I met Craig Ferguson in the elevator after a

DRIVING FORCE Head athletic trainer Josh Chapman is determined to help Griffins players reach their full potential.

34 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Griffins athletic trainer Josh Chapman and his colleagues around the league were selected as winners of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award for 2020-21.

game. He was walking to his car and we were going to ours and I was starstruck. He started recognizing me and brought me a stick after a game. It was a cool connection to have.”

Chapman would later convince his mother to take him to the equipment store and buy him skates and a stick, and then sign him up for youth hockey. It was a significant step for a kid from Miami who had said goodbye to Florida when his parents divorced and he moved with his mom and brother to Camden, Conn.

“I didn’t really know much about hockey before The Beast got me into the sport,” he said. “I started late – I was about 8 when I started playing youth hockey – so I was a little behind kids who were my age, but I loved it so much. I was playing street hockey all the time, so I learned the game and kept playing up until high school. I knew I wasn’t going to play pro hockey, but I was having fun because I loved the game.”

Chapman even got his mom to invest some of her money to help him with strength and conditioning before his last year of high

school. “I was always that small, scrawny kid, but I finally had enough and committed myself to a summer of offseason training and I really made some strides.

“My senior year I was one of the last kids cut. Obviously, it was hard to swallow. I had waited too late to start training and investing in becoming a good hockey player. But I think the experience served me well because it taught me an important lesson. If you really want something, you have to be committed and you’ve got to put in the extra work. You can’t wait until it’s too late.”

He found further inspiration when his mom was nominated for Yale-New Haven’s Nurse of the Year in 2002. “Because she was a night shift nurse, mainly in ER, she dealt with the traumas and all the serious stuff that would come in,” he said. “Hearing stories of her helping others and how she was able to make an impact in a person’s time of need was really an inspiration to me. To see her get nominated and then hear about the impact she had on her fellow nurses and colleagues inspired me to go into medicine.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 35

Chapman joined the Griffins before the 201920 season, replacing John Bernal, who served as the Griffins’ athletic trainer for eight seasons (2011-19).

“I knew I didn’t want to be a doctor, so I was initially thinking about physical therapy.

I knew I wanted to be in a position where I could help people but still stay in athletics.”

He enrolled at Merrimack College, a private school in North Andover, Mass. which is just north of Boston.

“I was intrigued because Merrimack had a Division I hockey team, so I would be able to combine my two passions,” he said. “I was lucky to be placed as a student athletic trainer with the hockey team and I loved it. I was essentially there every day, working with the players doing rehab and getting treatment. It sparked my interest and got me thinking this could be a really cool career move.”

His plans were upended near the end of his freshman year.

“My mom came home from a typical day, and then she usually slept through the afternoon,” he recalled. “I was coming back for Easter break and when I got home, she was still on the couch, a little disoriented and her speech was off.”

36 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Chapman took his mom to the hospital, where they learned she had suffered an aneurysm. She underwent major surgery, which was followed by a week in the hospital for her recovery, but sadly she never improved. She died on April 29, 2011. She was 54.

“It threw my life upside down,” he said.

“Going back to Merrimack for my sophomore year was emotionally one of the hardest decisions I ever made.”

He found strength in a conversation that he had with his mother shortly before she died.

“She said, ‘No matter what happens, find what you love and do it to the best of your ability.’ After she passed, those words really resonated and she remains a driving force for me to this day,” he said. “I saw her work ethic and the dedication she had for her job.

She never complained. I saw the sacrifices she made. She taught us to treat people the way you want to be treated and that’s what I’ve tried to do.”

His brother wanted to attend a college down south after finishing high school, so Chapman

decided to transfer to the University of Tampa while his brother enrolled at St. Leo University, a Division II school located about 30 minutes northeast of Tampa.

In Tampa, Chapman worked with the basketball team as well as other scholarship athletes at the school. Meanwhile, he made landing an internship with the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning his singular focus. He wrote a letter to Tom Mulligan, the head athletic trainer for the Lightning, in hopes of getting his foot in the door.

While the NHL team had a relationship with the University of South Florida, it had no ties to the University of Tampa.

“One day, one of my professors got a call from the team saying that I could shadow during the team’s development camp, a week-long event where prospects worked on skill development,” he said. “I thought it would be my only chance to collect as much information as possible, so I was really attentive, wanting to learn, asking all these questions, just trying to get a feel of what the job would be like.”

Chapman had a blast. “I learned so much in that short time,” he said. “When the fall semester came around, I got another call about an internship that had opened up with the Lightning for the fall semester. I couldn’t believe it.

“I was so excited, so I jumped on the opportunity on top of all the schoolwork I had.

I totally immersed myself in the experience.

It truly opened up my eyes that athletic trainers can make such a big impact within the framework of a sports team. That was the moment when I decided that I planned on doing this for my entire career.”

He stayed with the Lightning for more than a year after completing his internship with Tampa’s medical staff. He got to know everyone from Hockey Hall of Fame player Martin St. Louis to the team’s current captain, Steven Stamkos. “It was a great experience working with NHL players because you see how they approach things. It’s their job and their careers that are on the line, so they are very on top of taking care of their bodies. They are very proactive. They want to take care of issues before they become a big problem.”

Following his graduation in 2014, Chapman became a certified athletic trainer. He was

employed by CORA Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Centers, a job that included overseeing the sports programs at Tampa Catholic High School. He eventually landed an assistant athletic trainer position with the Tampa Bay Rowdies of the North American Soccer League. “I had minimal knowledge of soccer, but it gave me the opportunity to focus on the treatment and rehab of the players while learning what I could about the sport.”

Chapman could hardly believe his good fortune when he was able to parlay that experience into a job with the Orlando Solar Bears hockey team. He spent three seasons as the head athletic trainer for the ECHL club, managing all medical and training operations for the organization before he landed his current position with the Griffins.

“Even though I was reluctant to give up the warm weather in Florida, I knew working in the Red Wings organization, an Original Six team, was an opportunity too good to miss,” he said. “I also knew Grand Rapids was a good city with a reputation for putting good teams on the ice.”

The move fit perfectly with his plan to propose to his girlfriend, Madaline, whose family was in Chicago. The job with the Griffins would bring them closer to her family.

Of course, not everything works out as planned.

Chapman’s first season in Grand Rapids was curtailed by the consequences of the coronavirus. As an athletic trainer, he usually is prepared for the unexpected, but pandemics normally would be considered beyond the scope of most in his field. “I’m not an epidemiologist, so dealing with a coronavirus is not exactly my strong point,” he said.

Chapman and assistant athletic trainer Anthony Polazzo suddenly found themselves at the center of a crisis.

“We were watching the news and saw that the virus could affect a wide spectrum of people,” he said. “Even though athletes are younger and in great physical condition, they can still be at risk. We did our best to educate the players so they could make informed decisions. A lot of times, we were learning on the fly because the information was changing daily. It was a challenge to stay on top of things so we could answer any questions they might have.”

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 37

Prior to the Griffins, Chapman spent three seasons as the head athletic trainer for the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears.

Photo courtesy Orlando Solar Bears

In the early stages of the pandemic, Chapman thought that COVID-19 might be little more than an inconvenience.

“When we got the word that the AHL was shutting down, that was when it hit. ‘Ok, this is something real.’ We started to hear that the borders were beginning to close, so guys quickly decided to head back to Europe or Canada or wherever they came from,” Chapman said. “It was like a whirlwind.

Everything happened so quickly and so fast that we didn’t even get closure on the [2019-20] season.”

Going into summer and fall of 2020, Chapman and the rest of the Griffins found themselves in a world of unknowns. “There were conversations and rumors, but we knew the league was putting together protocols for a safe return to play,” said Chapman, who got married on July 12, 2020. “What we didn’t know was when we were going to be back playing.”

When the AHL announced it would start an abbreviated season in early February 2021, Chapman and Polazzo were ready to spring into action.

38 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

“There was a level of excitement but also some nerves about how we were going to safely operate,” he said. “We knew it wasn’t going to be a normal season with normal operations.

It was going to be something very different.

We knew there would need to be greater attention to detail and that our day-to-day life was going to need to be well-thought-out and well-planned.”

The state of Michigan, for example, required that all athletes be tested six times a week.

“We did testing every morning, using a combination of lab and point-of-care testing,” Chapman said. “The point-of-care tests took about 10 minutes to read, which allowed us the time to isolate any player that might be symptomatic or show a potential positive test result.”

Once players were inside the building, Chapman and Polazzo had to enforce a maskwearing policy. “No one likes wearing a mask but everyone understood it was for everyone’s protection,” Chapman said. “We also worked with the coaching staff and equipment managers to space out the players throughout the locker rooms to allow for social distancing.

Meetings were either virtual or with strict time measures in place to limit player’s potential exposure. There was a lot more planning involved. It was quite the challenge.”

With the hockey team operating in a “bubble,” the onus of enforcement fell on everyone inside the protected area. Besides masks and social distancing, players were encouraged to practice frequent hand-washing and hand sanitizer use. Nutrition was all graband-go. Everything from meals to showers to time in the weight room was regulated.

“We even limited our hotel stays to reduce our potential exposure, which meant we ended up busing on the day of games,” he said.

“Instead of traveling in one bus, we used two.

[Griffins coach] Ben Simon and I sat down before every road trip and came up with a seating chart in an effort to give everyone the space they needed to protect themselves.

“It impacted everything from the time that players walked in the door until they left the building, but everyone bought in because they were grateful to be back playing.

Certainly, there were times when they needed to be reminded, but they understood that it was a serious virus and the protocols

were in place for their well-being as well as their teammates.”

Chapman said the circumstances called for a full team effort. He is grateful that the organization only encountered a couple of isolated cases of covid exposure. The few games that were postponed were usually because of cases on the opposing team.

If he was surprised by anything, it was not that the Griffins had a couple of positive tests but that they had so few.

“Going into the season, we knew it was not a matter of ‘if ’ but ‘when.’ As quickly as the coronavirus was spreading, it was bound to happen,” Chapman said. “Obviously, our goal was to eliminate the possibility of COVID and have no cases, but we had to be prepared to deal with it when it happened.”

In recognition of their work during the pandemic, the head athletic trainers from all 31 AHL clubs were selected as winners of the Yanick Dupre Memorial Award for 2020-21 for their extraordinary efforts. In presenting the “Man of the Year” Award, the AHL also acknowledged the work of the assistant athletic trainers, equipment managers, team doctors, and medical staffs whose tireless efforts contributed to a successful season, albeit an abbreviated one.

“It was a great honor to be recognized and acknowledged, but I feel that all of the other people behind the scenes deserved to share the award with me,” Chapman said. “They collectively made me look good. It was truly a team award.”

As the summer turned to fall and the coronavirus’ new delta variant was posing a new threat, Chapman was hopeful that the 2021-22 AHL season would more closely resemble seasons of the past.

“Playing in empty arenas was so different,” he said. “Last season made all of us on the team appreciate the things we once enjoyed, whether it was the little daily interactions or just hanging out in the locker room. We all missed the comfort of that team environment and we missed the energy of the fans when we have a full building. I’m looking forward to having Van Andel Arena packed and hearing the crowd again.

“I’m going to be happy if I don’t have to swab 30 noses every day, but most of all we’re just hoping for things to return to normal.”

A Miami native, Chapman grew up in Connecticut, where he played youth hockey.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 39

2021 -22 11

27 RILEY BARBER

51

Defenseman 6-2, 185 lbs.

Born: 8/18/90 Kelowna, B.C.

9

KYLE CRISCUOLO

Forward 5-9, 175 lbs.

Born: 5/5/92 Southampton, N.J.

17 Forward 5-10, 162 lbs.

Born: 6/30/96 Calgary, Alta.

40 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

1

JONATAN BERGGREN Forward 5-11, 183 lbs.

Born: 7/16/00 Uppsala, Sweden

PATRICK CURRY

Forward 5-11, 187 lbs.

Born: 1/9/96 Schaumburg, Ill.

Defenseman 6-3, 215 lbs.

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

Goaltender 6-4, 198 lbs.

Born: 3/22/97 Goteborg, Sweden

TURNER ELSON

KADEN FULCHER

Forward 6-0, 181 lbs.

Born: 9/13/92 New Westminster, BC

71 BRIAN LASHOFF

VICTOR BRATTSTROM

36

15

18 TARO HIROSE

E S T. 1 9 9 6

48 SETH BARTON

Forward 6-0, 194 lbs.

Born: 2/7/94 Pittsburgh, Pa.

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS ROSTER

Goaltender 6-3, 201 lbs.

Born: 9/23/98 Brigden, Ont.

3 JON MARTIN

Forward 6-2, 216 lbs.

Born: 8/23/95 Winnipeg, Man.

JARED McISAAC Defenseman 6-1, 195 lbs.

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

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40 RYAN MURPHY Defenseman 5-11, 185 lbs.

Born: 3/31/93 Aurora, Ont.

81

WYATT NEWPOWER Defenseman 6-3, 194 Born: 12/9/97 Hugo, Minn.

20

LUCAS RAYMOND

32

Defenseman 6-3, 210 lbs.

Born: 6/1/94 Pickering, Ont.

Forward 5-10, 175 lbs.

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

28

Forward 6-2, 200 lbs.

Born: 8/23/97 Alpharetta, Ga.

KIRILL TYUTYAYEV

Forward 5-9, 146 lbs.

Born: 8/8/00 Yekaterinburg, Russia

CALVIN PICKARD Goaltender 6-1, 210 lbs.

Born: 4/15/92 Moncton, N.B.

65

DONOVAN SEBRANGO

DOMINIK SHINE

Defenseman 6-1, 190 lbs.

Born: 1/12/02 Kingston, Ont.

90

79 TYLER SPEZIA

CHASE PEARSON

37 DAN RENOUF

Forward 5-10, 183 lbs.

Born: 3/28/02 Gothenburg, Sweden

31

22

Forward 5-11, 180 lbs.

Born: 4/18/93 Detroit, Mich.

38 JOE VELENO

Forward 6-2, 200 lbs.

Born: 1/13/00 Kirkland, Que.

HAYDEN VERBEEK Forward 5-10, 183 lbs.

Born: 10/17/97 Kingston, Ont.

21

LUKE WITKOWSKI Defenseman 6-2, 217 lbs.

Born: 4/14/90 Holland, Mich.

DENNIS YAN

Forward 6-2, 197 lbs.

Born: 4/14/97 Portland, Ore. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 41

Winning

Pat Verbeek

Chemistry Pat Verbeek and Steve Yzerman were linemates when they played together for the Red Wings between 1999-2001.

As the new general manager of the Griffins, Pat Verbeek hopes to help Steve Yzerman catch lightning in a bottle a second time.

42 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Verbeek (shown here with Chris Chelios), played for five NHL teams over a 20-year playing career.

Something clicks.

Call it synergy, a special connection to a psychological space. It’s a meeting of the minds that is unspoken but unmistakable. Some call it chemistry, although it’s not really science.

As members of separate Stanley Cupwinning teams, Pat Verbeek and Steve Yzerman were both familiar with the indescribable intangibles necessary to win championships. As Red Wings teammates for two seasons at the turn of the century (19992001), they shared the same internal drive for perfection.

In Tampa, the pair worked together to help assemble the pieces of the Lightning team that has won the last two Stanley Cups. Verbeek worked alongside Yzerman for nine seasons as director of professional scouting (2010-12) and assistant general manager and director of player personnel (2012-19) before rejoining the Red Wings before the 2019-20 season.

Now, with the departure of Ryan Martin, who joined the front office of the New York Rangers this past August, Verbeek has assumed the general manager duties of the Griffins in the AHL while continuing in his role as

assistant general manager of the Red Wings.

“I’m excited about the opportunity,” Verbeek said. “It’s a very important job for our organization right now. I look forward to continuing the winning culture in Grand Rapids and providing our prospects every necessary resource to develop as professionals and become impactful players in the NHL.” Yzerman and Verbeek have been on roughly the same page for some time. While Yzerman was putting together a Hall of Fame career in Detroit, Verbeek was making a name for himself on his own.

Nicknamed the “Little Ball of Hate” as a result of his shorter stature and pesky playing style, Verbeek recorded seven seasons with at least 35 goals for the New Jersey Devils, Hartford Whalers and New York Rangers before heading to Dallas, where he won the Stanley Cup in his third season (1998-99) with the Stars.

During the twilight of his career, Verbeek signed with the Red Wings. In Detroit, he passed the 1,000-point mark, scored his 500th goal, and moved into the top 25 in career goalscoring before returning to Dallas for his final NHL season in 2001-02. He is the only player Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 43

in NHL history to total over 500 career goals and 2,500 career penalty minutes.

Playing together in Detroit, Verbeek and Yzerman found they were usually on the same wavelength.

“For about a year and a half, we were linemates on the ice, so I got to play with him quite a bit,” Verbeek said. “In a lot of ways, we thought the game the same way. Whenever we’ve had discussions, I can’t explain it, but we just see things the same.”

Verbeek, who retired after the 2001-02 NHL season, became a part-time color analyst for television broadcasts of the Red Wings’ road games when his playing days were done.

Yzerman retired after the 2005-06 season and in September 2006, both men joined the Red Wings front office; Yzerman as vice president and Verbeek as a scout.

“When I sat down for my interview with [former Wings general manager] Kenny Holland a long time ago – and it is a long time ago now – I had just finished playing,” Verbeek recalled. “I hadn’t been out of the game for long, so one of the unique advantages for me is that when I went into scouting, I already knew a bunch of players. Unlike some scouts, I didn’t have to start from scratch.”

Verbeek spent four years learning his trade, an important time that was fundamental to his development as an evaluator of talent.

“Oh, I’ve made mistakes on some guys,” he admits. “I’ve seen some players turn out better than I thought and some guys who didn’t turn out as well as I imagined they would. You draw on the mistakes that you’ve made and you analyze where you went wrong and you look at the things you did right.”

Scouting, as Verbeek quickly learned, is not an exact science. Projecting the development of teenagers who usually will not be ready to play at the NHL for several years, if at all, is a challenge.

“It’s not an easy thing,” Verbeek said. “It takes time. As you’ve seen over the years, especially with amateur players, it’s a difficult

thing to predict where they will be down the road. Some guys aren’t going to hit the heights that you think they might while some guys are going to blow it out of the water when you thought they never would.”

When Yzerman became the general manager in Tampa, he recruited Verbeek to join him in the Lightning organization.

Verbeek said it’s hard to explain why, but he believes that he and Yzerman continue to be in sync – often, if not always. “He and I think very similarly about players,” Verbeek contends.

“There are times when you have to get to the blatant truth and I don’t have any problem doing that. I think he appreciates the honesty.”

He knows that the future fortunes of the Red Wings rest in their ability to not only find the right players but also to foster their development to maximize their talents.

“I know it’s going to be a huge challenge,” Verbeek said. “When you really want to get your organization headed in the right way, you have to develop players. I’m looking at this as an important role in helping the Detroit Red Wings get back to where we need to be, which is back in the playoffs and winning the Stanley Cup again.”

When Red Wings management makes the decisions that will determine which players will play in Grand Rapids for the Griffins, Verbeek believes there needs to be a balance between development and an emphasis on winning hockey games.

“We want to win,” he said. “We want our young players exposed to winning and we want them learning what it takes to win. At the same time, they have to earn their ice time. We’ll give them every opportunity to perform and if they do, we’ll give them more rope to go, and if don’t, we’ll reel them in a bit to simplify their game and get them going in a direction to help them become better players.”

Finding the right veterans to mentor young talent is crucial to Detroit’s development process.

“One of our primary focuses is that we

“I’m looking at this as an important role in helping the Detroit Red Wings get back to where we need to be, which is back in the playoffs and winning the Stanley Cup again.”

44 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Verbeek earned a Stanley Cup ring with the Dallas Stars in 1999.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 45

Verbeek is excited to oversee the development of the Red Wings’ top prospects.

46 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

have a lot of young players coming into the organization now and we want to support them with some good veterans, especially ones who can provide scoring so our young guys aren’t strapped with having to provide all the offense. The same can be said for our defensemen. We have some quality veterans who can mentor our younger defensemen.”

When it comes to drafting prospects, the Red Wings have seemed to focus on one country in particular, which they hope will be as fertile for their future as it has in the past.

Over the past couple of decades, the Red Wings organization has thrived on the talents of Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg and Niklas Kronwall – not to mention Tomas Holmstrom, Johan Franzen, Gustav Nyquist, Jonathan Ericsson and others from the Scandinavian country of Sweden.

The concentration of talent has prompted a continued search for prospects there, putting the Red Wings in a sweet spot for developing future stars.

The 2021-22 roster for the Frolunda Hockey Club, one of the top teams in the highest Swedish league, features several Red Wings

prospects, including defenseman Simon Edvinsson, who was selected by Detroit with the sixth pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, as well as Liam Dower Nilsson, Theodor Niederbach and Elmer Soderblom.

Lucas Raymond, the fourth overall pick in the 2020 NHL draft who played the past two seasons with Frolunda, will play in Grand Rapids if he does not make the Red Wings lineup this fall. It’s the same case for another Swede, Jonatan Berggren, a 2018 draft pick who had a breakout season with Skellefteå last year. Other recent Red Wings draft picks playing in Sweden include Gustav Berglund, Albert Johansson and William Wallinder.

Is there an advantage to having several prospects in the same country or the same league or even on the same team?

“It’s nice when your scouts can do one-stop shopping and can watch all your kids play in the same place,” Verbeek said. “When you have several prospects in the same place, it’s a little easier to get them together for a development camp and get them to work on those things that they need to work on.

“While it’s true that we have a few guys

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 47

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playing for Frolunda, it’s just one of those things that worked out the way it did.”

Of course, every player’s journey is different, whether they play in Sweden, Finland or Russia. Verbeek said while there is no guiding philosophy as to when the organization should leave a player in Europe or when they should be brought to North America, there is a little bit of strategic thinking.

“Shawn Horcoff and Dan Cleary oversee the development of our players and they’re in touch with the kids that we’re watching while we are getting progress reports (from our scouts),” he said. “Depending on their contract status, we’ll make decisions on when to bring them here.

“We’re aware that it’s a big step for these guys and we want to make sure that they’re ready both on and off the ice. We tend to wait to make sure that they are ready to come, especially the Europeans. I know if I was 18 or 19, it would be hard for me to live in Sweden, Finland, the Czech Republic, or even Russia for that matter.”

Verbeek is enthusiastic about the Griffins’ prospects for the 2021-22 season.

“It’s exciting,” he said. “You always want to see your young players get to the NHL and we’re excited about their skill level, their hockey sense, and their ability to provide offense, which is important moving forward if we want to take some good steps in the right direction.

“Having said that, we’re not going to rush them. When they’re ready, they’re ready. The NHL is a tough league to develop in. We’ll give them every opportunity to make the hockey team in Detroit, but if they’re not quite ready then they’ll go to play in Grand Rapids and develop there.”

Although a large portion of the Red Wings’ fan base would welcome the idea that management would embrace an immediate infusion of youth in Detroit, Verbeek says it is unlikely, which is no surprise given prior

quotes attributed to him on the subject.

“Nobody ever says you left a player in the minors too long,” he said. “It’s always that you brought them up too soon.”

Verbeek prefers to let players mature and develop before they get promoted. Nobody benefits from being rushed into the NHL. “I think you do more damage when you bring a kid up too soon before they’re ready,” he said. “It’s better to have players be overripe than not ripe at all. We like to see them play their way out of the AHL. When they start to dominate in the AHL, that’s when you know they’re ready.”

Patience is key.

“When you bring them up, you know there’s going to be some growing pains at the NHL level,” he said. “Most of the time, guys have already gone through their share of adversity in the minors, so that they know how to overcome anything they might run into.”

The Red Wings are obviously anxious to return to being a perennial playoff team, but they are content to let players develop at their own pace. Some guys are going to take longer than others to become comfortable at the AHL level, let alone in the NHL. “That’s why I keep telling our scouts that they have to keep watching,” Verbeek said.

“Keep watching every day because players change and you want to be able to try to be able to predict when they will change so you’re ready when they do change.”

Verbeek plans to do plenty of watching himself. “What’s nice is that the majority of the Griffins’ games fall on the weekends, so I’ll still have opportunities to scout and do all the things that I’ve been doing for Steve the last couple of years.”

The influx of young talent has the Red Wings’ brass buzzing about the future and the potential in Grand Rapids this season.

“I’m excited,” Verbeek said. “We should be a very good team.”

“It’s better to have players be overripe than not ripe at all. We like to see them play their way out of the AHL. When they start to dominate in the AHL, that’s when you know they’re ready.”

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 49

BACK TO THE

FUTURE Traverse City welcomed the return of NHL prospects for the first time in two years.

Chase Pearson shows he can be an energetic sparkplug as well as a punishing penalty killer.

Photos by Mark Newman

Jonatan Berggren is one of the top offensive talents in the Red Wings’ pipeline. A top-10 scorer last year in the Swedish Hockey League, he became only the 13th player in SHL history to compile over 40 points in a season at age 20 or younger.

Kirill Tyutyayev is a small but savvy sniper who hopes to surprise people during his first season in North America.

Detroit Red Wings fans got a glimpse of their hockey team’s possible future when Traverse City hosted the NHL Prospect Tournament at Centre Ice Arena in September, after the 2020 event was cancelled by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Although no championship trophy was awarded this year, the five-team field included the Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues, and Toronto Maple Leafs. The five-day event, which was held Sept. 16-20, featured round-robin action, with each team playing either three or four games.

50 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Lucas Raymond displays great offensive potential as the Wings’ highest draft pick since the team took Keith Primeau third overall in 1990.

The Red Wings beat the Stars 5-4 to open the tournament, before losing to the Blues and the Blue Jackets by scores of 5-2 and 7-3, respectively. The results were less important than the opportunity to see top NHL prospects for the first time.

Lucas Raymond, a Swedish winger who was selected fourth overall by the Wings in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, sparkled during his North American debut, tallying three goals in the first two games. Sebastian Cossa, the young Canadian goaltender drafted 15th

Donovan Sebrango played all of last season with the Griffins after the Ontario Hockey League cancelled its season.

Joe Veleno hopes to build on the momentum that saw him play five games with the Red Wings at the end of the NHL season last year.

Jared McIsaac, who has endured shoulder surgeries in consecutive seasons, continues to battle through injuries.

overall by the Wings this summer, donned a Detroit sweater for the first time at the tender age of 18.

Jonatan Berggren, another highly touted Swede who was selected in the second round of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, suffered an injury in the first period of the second game and sat out the third game along with Raymond for precautionary reasons.

Russian winger Kirill Tyutyayev, a 2019 seventhround pick who signed with Grand Rapids after playing in Belarus last season, scored twice in the tournament

Sebastian Cossa posted a 171-1 record last season with the Edmonton Oil Kings, leading the WHL in goalsagainst average (1.57), save percentage (.941) and shutouts (4).

opener. Other tournament goal scorers included Joe Veleno and Chase Pearson, both of whom were expected to compete for NHL roster spots during the Red Wings’ training camp.

Jared McIsaac, one of Detroit’s top defensive prospects, lost consciousness after taking a hit from behind into the boards during the game against Columbus. He was taken to a hospital for evaluation and later released.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 51

Story by Mark Newman Bob Kaser and Larry Figurski will begin their 21st season together as the primary broadcast team for the Griffins.

HEARTS

ON THEIR SLEEVES

The Griffins’ talented radio tandem discovered they shared more than a healthy enthusiasm for hockey.

52 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Bob Kaser

Bob Kaser and Larry Figurski have been a team on Griffins radio broadcasts for so long that they are practically joined at the hip.

But Kaser, the veteran radio play-by-play announcer, and Figurski, the local sports anchor-turned-color analyst, now have another connection that neither could have imagined when they started working together more than 20 years ago.

Both are heart attack survivors.

They have something else in common.

They both want to remind people that what happened to them could happen to anyone.

They believe men and women should have regular checkups to catch any potential problem before something serious could threaten their life.

It’s somewhat ironic, since both men wear their hearts on their sleeves. You can hear in their voices that they have the same passion for hockey, an incurable condition that they shared even before they became the Griffins’ primary broadcast team in 2000.

A Kalamazoo native who grew up in Flint, Kaser marked a return to his home state when he joined the Griffins after 10 seasons (1990-2000) as director of communications and broadcasting for the IHL’s Kansas City

Larry Figurski

Blades. He was already highly regarded, having twice been awarded the Bob Chase Award as IHL Broadcaster of the Year (199394 and 1997-98).

A metro Detroit native, Figurski is a graduate of Detroit Catholic Central High School, where he was in the same graduating class as Don McSween, the ex-NHL defenseman who served as captain during the Griffins’ inaugural season (1996-97).

“I have been playing hockey since I was five years old,” Figurski said. “Like every other kid playing the sport, I wanted to play in the NHL. In my case, that obviously was never going to happen. So I dreamed about being the next Bruce Martyn [the legendary radio voice of the Red Wings for 31 seasons, from 1964-1995].”

Figurski started in radio after graduating from Central Michigan University. He switched to television when he began reading the news for the station in Alpena, Mich., which at the time was the fourth-smallest market in the U.S. Within months, he was promoted to news director, the position he held before he was hired to work for 9&10 News in northern Michigan (Traverse City/Cadillac).

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 53

Both Kaser and Figurski have been recipients of the prestigious James H. Ellery Award presented annually in recognition of outstanding media coverage of the AHL. Figurski was honored for his work at WOOD-TV8 during the the 2019-20 season, a decade after his partner won the award in the Radio category (2009-10).

54 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

“It’s one thing to know the game, but it’s another to be able to articulate it and Larry does that so very well.

Seeking to build his resumé, Figurski left Michigan to work for a couple of years in Springfield, Mo., before returning to the state to join WZZM-TV in 1996, the same year that the Griffins franchise began play in the IHL. He came to WOOD-TV8 after four years as a sports anchor and reporter at the ABC affiliate.

Figurski initially served as the host of the station’s long-running franchise segment, “Positively Michigan,” which had been previously hosted by Dick Evans and Warren Reynolds, two of the most respected broadcasters in the station’s history. He had big shoes to fill but did so admirably for three years before moving back to sports.

It was Randy Cleves, the Griffins’ senior director of public and community relations, who played matchmaker. Cleves, who had previously worked with Kaser in Kansas City, introduced Figurski to Kaser, who immediately saw the possibilities in a potential

partnership with a fellow fanatic.

“I could tell right away that Larry was the right guy,” Kaser said. “It’s one thing to know the game, but it’s another to be able to articulate it and Larry does that so very well. Over my years in broadcasting, I have worked with some great people, including (part-time color commentator) Lou Rabaut in Grand Rapids, and Larry is exceptional. He is so professional and he is so prepared.”

Figurski, however, was not prepared for what happened on the night of July 7, 2008.

“I had worked a regular day and I was driving home on M-6 after playing hockey,” he recalled. “I was glad that I hadn’t stayed afterward for a beer with the boys because on the way home I felt like I had a cramp right in the middle of my chest. Even so, I drove right past Metro Hospital. When I got home, my wife took one look and said, ‘We’re going to the hospital.’

Kaser (shown here with Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill) is a 10-time winner of the Michigan Association of Broadcasters’ Broadcast Excellence Award.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 55

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Figurski (shown here with former Griffins captain Jeff Hoggan) started his radio partnership with Kaser before the 2000-01 season.

“We went in and it seemed strange because everything that was being said was in the past tense. I was shocked when they said, ‘You’ve had a heart attack.’ I had this weird sensation from my fingertips to my shoulders, too, but I didn’t realize that’s what was happening to me.”

Figurski was being prepped for a cardiac catheterization when his condition suddenly changed. If he wasn’t sure that he was having a heart attack before, there was no doubt in the next moment.

“Wham – just like that – I had the proverbial ‘elephant on your chest’ feeling. I was gasping for air. I felt this huge weight and then saw the machines go and everyone came rushing to my side.”

He would later learn that he had an almost complete blockage of his left anterior descending (LAD) artery, completely restricting blood flow to a large portion of his heart, including the front part, which is the ‘workhorse’ of the heart.

“It’s called a widowmaker, for all the

obvious reasons,” Figurski said. “I had a 5-6 minute window to survive.”

The medical staff quickly sprung into action. “I remember the doctor saying, ‘I don’t have time to find a good spot’ and ‘this might hurt a bit’ and then feeling a sensation that was like having a pen shoved into my groin.

They eventually broke the blockage and put in a stent.”

His condition was described as similar to having a stone in a garden hose that had broken free and then suddenly shuts off the flow. “They told me if I had walked into the hospital even a few minutes later, I would have been dead.”

Figurski was incredibly lucky to have survived.

Kaser still remembers hearing about his radio partner’s heart episode for the first time.

“I’ll never forget the day,” Kaser said. “I was on M-21 driving back from Flint and I was so riveted by the conversation that I had to stop and pull over. This was my close friend and radio partner who almost died, so Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 57

Figurski has been a fixture on the Grand Rapids sports scene since 1996, the year the Griffins began play.

“Stress was getting the best of me and I had a bout with depression.

I was eventually diagnosed with a gluten allergy. I just never felt normal.”

I pulled off the road into this park to continue the conversation.”

Kaser says he had no premonition or ominous feeling that this was some kind of foreshadowing of his future. “It was only a concern for a dear friend,” he said.

Nevertheless, a little more than 11 years later, Kaser would have his own story to tell.

Kaser looks like the picture of good health, but he admits that he had not felt right for a long, long time before he suffered a mild heart attack in December 2019.

Of course, medical conditions are not always evident and some circumstances can lead to outcomes that a person might not foresee.

Kaser had been on medication to control his cholesterol for quite some time. “You feel like that medication is the magic potion that allows you to live your life like anyone else,

so you can eat and drink whatever you want. Flint probably has the best food on the planet, but none of it is good for you,” said Kaser, who enjoyed eating coney dogs and Halo burgers as much as anyone.

“Big John Steak & Onions… Dawn Donuts…

Supreme Donuts – I was a train wreck when it came to my diet,” he continued, listing all the stops he would make whenever he went back home to Flint. “Little Caesars Pizza was probably the healthiest thing I liked to eat.”

Kaser said he felt like something has been off since his days in Kansas City when he was caring for his father, who had moved in before he passed away from lung disease. “Stress was getting the best of me and I had a bout with depression. I was eventually diagnosed with a gluten allergy. I just never felt normal.”

Kaser had spent a Saturday morning at Griff ’s IceHouse that December, announcing Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 59

Kaser, the director of the annual Griffins Youth Foundation Golf Classic, was inducted into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2021.

“The surgery was very successful, but I remember waking up at one point in the ICU and thinking I was literally dying.”

the introduction of the teams at the start of the Griffins Youth Foundation hockey season. “When I was leaving the rink, I felt something in my chest, but I didn’t think much of it,” he said.

He drove to the downtown Kilwins store, which he co-owns with partners along with the Kilwins and Jersey Junction stores in East Grand Rapids. All three stores are managed by his wife Rosalie, and he was making one of his usual deliveries.

“I was talking to one of our partners, Andy Young, and according to him we had a 10-minute conversation, but I couldn’t recall a single second because my mind was so off due to what was happening in my chest,” he said.

“I went home and told my wife and we went to Metro Hospital where they put in a stent the next day.”

Kaser finished the 2019-20 season, which

was ultimately cut short by the coronavirus. He admits that he began feeling “cruddy” again.

He was in the protective bubble with the team at the time, preparing for the start of the new season. He decided to make a call to his cardiologist’s office.

Soon after he was in an ambulance on his way to the Meijer Heart Center. Surgery was planned for five days later because doctors wanted to ween blood thinners from his system, but his surgery was moved up a day when his heart showed signs of faltering.

Kaser had quintuple bypass surgery, meaning all five of the major vessels to his heart were showing varying signs of concern.

The doctor harvested blood vessels from his leg to be grafted onto his heart vessels, with the bloodstream being routed around (bypass) the blocked portions.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 61

He spent eight hours in the operating room. “The surgery was very successful, but I remember waking up at one point in the ICU and thinking I was literally dying,” Kaser said.

“I had a 10-inch scar on my chest but the most pain I felt was in my left leg where they had taken the veins.”

Recovery took place over the next several months and while Kaser still experiences some occasional fatigue, he says he feels like he has a new lease on life. “I do feel like a million dollars,” he said. “I forgot what it was like to feel good because it had been so long.”

Certainly, a heart attack is something that nobody ever wishes for, but health scares have a way of resetting people’s priorities. “I want to be around to see my boys getting married and having kids,” Kaser said.

“I’m looking forward to becoming a grandfather, being a good husband to my wife, and hanging with friends. That stuff means so much more to me now than it ever did.”

He is thankful that Figurski was willing and able to do the play-by-play for the Griffins’ home broadcasts (both radio and TV) last season.

Figurski admits that he felt more than a little trepidation.

“I was nervous because I didn’t want to embarrass anybody,” he said. “Let’s be honest.

I was following the best guy in the American Hockey League. I was taking over for a guy who belongs in the NHL and who has proven he can do it at the NHL level.”

Kaser made his NHL broadcast debut during the 2016-17 season when he handled the radio play-by-play for 13 Detroit Red Wings games, filling in for the ailing Ken Kal, who temporarily lost his voice. Kaser also called one telecast on Fox Sports Detroit.

“I was never 100 percent convinced that I was good enough to work in the NHL,” Kaser said. “In the back of my mind, I thought I could probably do it, but I never aggressively went after the NHL because I didn’t know how it could get any better than living in Grand

Rapids and working for the Griffins.

“I feel so fortunate to have had the career that I’ve enjoyed,” Kaser continued. “I don’t know how anyone could have had it better than I have had during my time in the minor pro ranks of any sport, from the places where I have worked to the people I’ve worked for to the people I’ve worked with.”

“But working the Wings games was an absolute blast… I loved every second of it.”

Having proven he could handle the job, Kaser put himself in the running to be the radio voice of the NHL’s Boston Bruins the following season. Although he didn’t get the job, he is proud to have been among the final three in the running.

Kaser understood Figurski’s apprehension, but he also knew his partner would excel in his chair during his absence.

Figurski was not a complete stranger to play-by-play, having filled in a few times for Kaser previously. But this was for an entire season, albeit an abbreviated one due to the pandemic. “The plan was for me to do 16 games when I had maybe done only eight games stretched over several years previously,” Figurski said.

“Doing color and play-by-play are apples and oranges,” he continued. “They are not the same, not even close. As the play-byplay voice, Bob tells you what happened. As the color analyst, my job is to tell you why or how it happened because you can’t see it on the radio.

“I’ve certainly learned a lot listening to Bob, but I just tried to be me. I was just going to let it fly and whatever came out, came out.

Bob is Bob. You can’t replace Bob. So I tried to be myself.”

Figurski admits he quickly adjusted to his expanded role. “I started to become more comfortable and it got a little easier with each game,” he said. “I know I’m no Bob Kaser, but by the end, I really enjoyed it. It was a blast and fun to do, but I am very happy being Bob’s sidekick.”

Kaser didn’t listen and watch every game –

A heart attack is something that nobody ever wishes for, but health scares have a way of resetting people’s priorities.

62 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

he was trying to focus on his recovery – but he saw and heard enough to shower praise on his partner’s efforts.

“Over time, you could see that he became more and more confident in that chair,” Kaser said. “By the end, he was just having himself a ball – to the point where maybe he wishes I would go away,” he added with a laugh.

Figurski is content to resume his normal place in the broadcast booth. During the playoffs, he is usually between the benches, which is his favorite place to work because he is right in the middle of the action. Over the years, he’s dodged his share of sticks and flying pucks.

“It’s the buzz, the atmosphere, the excitement that you feel when you’re at ice level,” Figurski said. “It’s also how you can tell that Bob and I have really good chemistry, whether you like us or not.

“Bob is at center ice at the top of the building on one side and I’m on the other side of the building at ground level and yet we rarely step on each other, even with no real sightline between us. I can tell when he’s

giving me the space to go and I can pop in and pop out, give him five seconds or 30 seconds, then give him the space that he needs to do the play-by-play.”

And yet both men will approach the coming season somewhat gingerly, not having worked together for the better part of 18 months.

“The last time I did color for a hockey game was the last time Bob did play-by-play, and that was pre-pandemic,” Figurski said. “We did the game on a Wednesday night [March 11, 2020] and the next day the AHL stopped the season. But we’ve worked together so long, I’m sure the chemistry will come back. I’m banking on the fact that 20 years together will make it easier.”

“I am so happy just to be alive and on the mend,” Kaser said. “Heading into the new season, I’m as excited as can be.”

They know they might be a little rusty, but that’s OK because it happens at the beginning of every season. And no matter how long it takes them to find their chemistry again, you can be sure of one thing. They will put their hearts into everything.

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RECORDBOOK ANDLEADERS Entering 2021-22 Season

GAMES PLAYED Travis Richards Brian Lashoff (2nd) 5 players tied Riley Barber, Joe Hicketts GOALS Michel Picard Turner Elson (T45th) Donald MacLean (2005-06) Riley Barber ASSISTS Michel Picard Brian Lashoff (18th) Jiri Hudler (2005-06) Taro Hirose

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2020-21 All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2020-21 All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2020-21

655 513 *82 32

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2020-21

158 40 *56 20

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2020-21

222 83 60 23

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2020-21

POINTS Michel Picard Brian Lashoff (33rd) Michel Picard (1996-97) Riley Barber PLUS/MINUS Travis Richards Turner Elson (17th) Ivan Ciernik (2000-01) Turner Elson PENALTY MINUTES Darryl Bootland Brian Lashoff (21st) Darryl Bootland (2005-06) Dylan McIlrath

380 109 101 34 +131 +38` *+41 +6 1,164 269 390 70

* = Led League

Michel Picard

Calvin Pickard

Darryl Bootland

Turner Elson

Brian Lashoff

Joey MacDonald

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2020-21 All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2020-21 All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2020-21

GOALIE GAMES PLAYED Tom McCollum Calvin Pickard Joey MacDonald (2004-05) Kevin Boyle, Pat Nagle GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE Martin Prusek Calvin Pickard Martin Prusek (2001-02) Pat Nagle WINS Tom McCollum Calvin Pickard Joey MacDonald (2004-05) Mike Fountain (2000-01) Kevin Boyle

263 36 *66 12

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2020-21

1.83 2.90 *1.82 2.78

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2020-21

122 18

All-Time Active Leader Single-Season 2020-21

34 *34 7

* = Led League

SHUTOUTS Joey MacDonald Calvin Pickard 6 players tied Kaden Fulcher SAVES Tom McCollum Calvin Pickard Joey MacDonald (2004-05) Pat Nagle SAVE PERCENTAGE Martin Prusek Calvin Pickard Joey MacDonald (2003-04) Pat Nagle

20 3 6 1 6,640 944 1,785 256 0.930 0.902 0.936 0.892

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 65

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GRIFFINS IN THE ALL-STAR GAME 2020

Matthew Ford

2 019

2 018

Chris Terry

2 016

Chris Terry

2020

Matt Puempel

2 018

Matt Lorito

2 015

2 014

Jeff Hoggan and Xavier Ouellet

Teemu Pulkkinen

Alexey Marchenko

2 013

2 013

2 013

Chad Billins

Petr Mrazek

2019-20

Matthew Ford, Chris Terry

2005-06

2018-19

Chris Terry

2004-05

Niklas Kronwall, Joey MacDonald

2017-18

Matt Lorito, Matt Puempel

2003-04

2016-17

Matt Lorito, Robbie Russo, Todd Nelson (head coach)

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

2002-03

Marc Lamothe, Mark Mowers

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

1999-00

2009-10

Patrick Rissmiller

1998-99

Robert Petrovicky, Maxim Spiridonov

2008-09

Jakub Kindl, Daniel Larsson

1997-98

Ian Gordon, Kerry Huffman, Michel Picard

2007-08

Jonathan Ericsson, Jimmy Howard

1996-97

Jeff Nelson, Michel Picard, Pokey Reddick

2006-07

Derek Meech, Kip Miller (captain)

68 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

2001-02

2000-01

Valtteri Filppula, Jiri Hudler, Donald MacLean

Chris Bala, John Gruden, Kip Miller, Martin Prusek, Petr Schastlivy, Bruce Cassidy (head coach), Gene Reilly (asst. coach) Mike Fountain, Joel Kwiatkowski, Travis Richards, Todd White, Bruce Cassidy (co-coach) John Gruden, Jani Hurme, Kevin Miller, Petr Schastlivy

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 71

Behind every goal. fastsigns.com/467

72 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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

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

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

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

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

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

ROUGHING Called for engaging in fisticuffs or shoving.

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

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

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

SLASHING Striking an opposing player with the stick.

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

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

SPEARING Called for using the stick like a spear.

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

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

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

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 73

ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS BAKERSFIELD CONDORS BELLEVILLE SENATORS BRIDGEPORT SOUND TIGERS CHARLOTTE CHECKERS CHICAGO WOLVES CLEVELAND MONSTERS 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 STOCKTON HEAT SYRACUSE CRUNCH TEXAS STARS TORONTO MARLIES TUCSON ROADRUNNERS UTICA COMETS WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

74 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Griffins in the NHL Since their inception in 1996, the Griffins have sent 186 players to the National Hockey League, 17 of whom have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. In fact, a Griffins alumnus has had his name engraved on Lord Stanley’s chalice in eight of the last 14 years and in 10 of the last 17 seasons. In chronological order, here are the 23 goalies and 163 skaters who have worn an NHL sweater after playing for Grand Rapids, along with the dates of their NHL debuts/returns.

76 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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 Bold = Played in the NHL during the

2020-21 season Italics = Had name engraved on the Stanley Cup

after playing for Grand Rapids All photos by Getty Images

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 77

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78 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

KIDS PAGE • KIDS PAGE • KIDS PAGE • KIDS PAGE Lord Stanley and the Griffins

Stacy Roest

Thirty-two Griffins players have had their names engraved on the NHL’s Stanley Cup at some point during their careers, including 17 who earned the honor after playing for Grand Rapids. Tampa Bay assistant general manager Stacy Roest became the latest member of that club, and the first in a non-playing role, when the Lightning defeated Dallas in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, and Tampa Bay’s repeat in 2021 over Montreal made him only the second alum to win two cups after leaving Grand Rapids. The names of Griffins alumni have been added to the cup in eight of the last 14 years and in 10 of the last 17 seasons.

Photo Credit Getty Images

Can you search and find the last names of all 17 former Griffins who went on to hoist the Stanley Cup? Good luck!

Kevyn ADAMS 2006 Carolina Dmitry AFANASENKOV 2004 Tampa Bay Sheldon BROOKBANK 2013 Chicago Mark EATON 2009 Pittsburgh Valtteri FILPPULA 2008 Detroit Darren HELM 2008 Detroit Jiri HUDLER 2008 Detroit Chris KELLY 2011 Boston Tomas KOPECKY 2008 Detroit, 2010 Chicago Niklas KRONWALL 2008 Detroit Brett LEBDA 2008 Detroit Darren MCCARTY 2008 Detroit Derek MEECH 2008 Detroit Chris OSGOOD 2008 Detroit Kevin PORTER 2016 Pittsburgh Stacy ROEST 2020 and 2021 Tampa Bay (Assistant GM) Darren RUMBLE 2004 Tampa Bay Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 79

PARTING SHOT No hockey player was wearing a mask when the Spanish flu pandemic interrupted the 1919 Stanley Cup Playoffs.*

*It would be 40 years before Jacques Plante became the first goalie to wear a mask (as shown) in the NHL in 1959.

80 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

The Stanley Cup was not awarded in 1919 because the series between the Montreal Canadiens and Seattle Metropolitans was postponed after Game 5 was called following one hour and 40 minutes of overtime.

Hockey Hall of Fame legend Joe Hall had left the game early, having fallen ill to the horrendous and fatal influenza that was ravaging North America. Several other players on both teams became infected and the Stanley Cup Final was eventually cancelled. Hall died in a Seattle hospital four days later. He was 37.

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