2013-14 Griffiti - Issue #1

2013-14 SEASON ISSUE NO.1

CALDER CITY

East Grand Rapids’ Luke Glendening Cradles the Cup

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

CONSIDER THIS OUR VERSION OF A HIGH FIVE, STANDING “O” AND CHEST BUMP ALL IN ONE. Congratulations Griffins on winning the Calder Cup and being such a vital part of our community.

Member FDIC. Huntington® is a federally registered service mark of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. Huntington.® Welcome.TM is a service mark of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. ©2013 Huntington Bancshares Incorporated.

Vol. 18, No. 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS STARTING LINEUP

24 ROAD TO THE CALDER CUP

A postseason summary and pictorial essay covers the Griffins’ journey from Midwest Division champions to Cup winners as the AHL’s best team.

24

30 CASTING CALL

Following the directions of the Griffins’ unique design, Terryberry produced a blockbuster ring to commemorate the team’s Calder Cup championship.

32

FRANK’S TRAVELS

The Calder Cup passed from player to player as it journeyed across North America this summer.

42

GROWTH POTENTIAL

Red Wings prospect Martin Frk has a lot of what hockey scouts call upside. To realize his potential, he will have to listen, learn and labor his way through the development process.

48

HUNGRY FOR SUCCESS

Now in his second season with the Griffins, Red Wings prospect Tomas Jurco is craving an opportunity to play in Detroit.

58

32

NEW SEASON, NEW TWISTS

New teams and new events highlight the AHL’s 2013-14 slate.

ON THE BENCH 2...........Next Opponents 4............Chalk Talk 6............Coming Attractions 9............Griffins Schedule 12.........AHL Tradition 14.........AHL Team Directory 19.........Detroit Red Wings 21.........Promotional Calendar 40.........Meet the Griffins

65.........Griffins Records 68.........Griffins History 70.........Griffins All-Stars 71.........Penalty Calls 74.........Arena Map/Ticket Info 76.........It All Starts Here 79.........Kids Page 80.........Parting Shot

42

COVER:

East Grand Rapids native Luke Glendening holds the Calder Cup while standing high above Van Andel Arena on the helipad of the JW Marriott Hotel.

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 ©2013 Grand Rapids Griffins.

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

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PLAYERS TO WATCH

UPCOMING HOME OPPONENTS MILWAUKEE (Oct. 18, Nov. 20)

The Admirals welcome the return of Austin Watson, 21, one of the top prospects of the Nashville Predators. The 6-foot-3 center scored 20 goals during his first pro season in 2012-13 when he ranked fifth among all AHL rookies.

Watson had a decorated junior career, winning a pair of OHL titles and a Memorial Cup in addition to becoming the first American to win the Wayne Gretzky 99 Award as the OHL’s 2012 playoff MVP. A first-round pick (18th overall) by Nashville in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Watson was born and raised in Ann Arbor, where he was the oldest of 10 children.

CHARLOTTE (Oct. 25, Oct. 30)

The Checkers will benefit from the addition of high-scoring forward Chris Terry, 24, who passed through waivers after failing to make the Carolina Hurricanes’ roster out of training camp. A native of Brampton, Ontario, Terry has scored 92 goals over the past four AHL seasons, including 2010-11 when his 34 goals led all AHL Eastern Conference players. He tallied a single-season team-record eight game-winning goals a year ago when he also notched the gamewinning goal in his NHL debut against New Jersey. Terry never missed a game due to injury in his first four professional seasons.

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

ROCKFORD (Nov. 6, Nov. 15)

The IceHogs will be looking for continued improvement by defenseman Adam Clendening, 20, who was named a secondteam AHL All-Star and Rockford’s Rookie of the Year last season when he had nine goals and 46 points in 73 games. A second-round pick (36th overall) of the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, the 5-foot-11 Clendening played two seasons at Boston University after two years in the U.S. National program. A native of Wheatfield, N.Y., he was a member of Team USA’s gold medal-winning team at the 2010 IIHF World U18 Championships, where he led all defensemen in scoring.

TEXAS (Nov. 29, Nov. 30)

The Stars expect big things from Jamie Oleksiak, 20, a 6-foot-7 defenseman who was a first-round pick (14th overall) by the Dallas Stars in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Born in Toronto, Oleksiak spent a good part of his youth in the Midwest, where he played for Little Caesars’ Minor Midget team in Detroit as well as the USHL’s Chicago Steel and the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit. He also played one season of college hockey at Northeastern University. An excellent skater who is poised with the puck, Oleksiak was a member of the bronze medal-winning Team Canada at the 2012 World Junior Championships.

ROCHESTER (Dec. 6, Dec. 7)

The Americans re-signed checking forward Frederick Roy, 22, this past summer after the Buffalo Sabres prospect appeared in 64 games during his first season as a pro. Although best known as the youngest son of NHL goaltending legend Patrick Roy, the 5-foot-10 winger started making a name for himself during 2011-12 when he won the Guy Carbonneau Award as the best defensive forward in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Roy played all five seasons of junior hockey with the Quebec Remparts under his father, who is now the head coach of the Colorado Avalanche.

CHICAGO (Dec. 11)

The Wolves are the new affiliate of the St. Louis Blues, and NHL prospect David Shields, 22, will be looking to score not only his first goal in Chicago but also his first in the AHL after playing 107 games with Peoria the past two seasons. A sixth-round pick of the Blues in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound Rochester native is a stay-at-home defenseman who is not afraid to get physical. Prior to turning pro, Shields spent four seasons with the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He was his team’s second-leading scoring defenseman in 2010-11.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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The Griffins enter the 2013-14 season as the reigning champions for the first time in their 18-year history. Defending the Calder Cup will be a challenge that none of the other 29 teams in the American Hockey League will face.

Of course, a team doesn’t earn extra points for being defending champs, but there is undoubtedly great value in having battled through the playoffs and survived as the last team standing.

Players returning from last year’s Calder Cup team now know what it takes to win it all.

“This year is a new year,” Griffins head coach Jeff Blashill said. “We have a different compilation of players and I’m sure that we’ll have our own set of unique challenges this year as well. There’s no question that there were valuable lessons that were learned through our experience last year, and hopefully those lessons can be applied at different times this season. But everybody starts at zero and everybody is trying to make the playoffs.”

The desire to repeat will be strong. To improve its chances of putting another championship-caliber team on the ice, the organization re-signed four players – Jeff Hoggan, Nathan Paetsch, Brennan Evans and Triston Grant – who provided the veteran leadership that was instrumental in helping shape the development of the team’s young talent and pushing the team to realize its full playoff potential.

“It was critical that we were able to bring back Hoggan, Paetsch, Evans and Grant because, first, they’re very good hockey players and, second, we feel their character creates a winning culture,” Blashill said. “They come to practice every single day and they work extremely hard. They compete in every game. And they’re selfless. Those are three characteristics we want in our players, and they represent those things as well as anybody.”

While some observers may see the Griffins as the team to beat, Blashill doesn’t worry about what will motivate other teams. He’s more concerned about making sure his team maintains the same drive and determination that allowed it to excel at such a high level last season.

“Internally, the only concern after you have success is that you might lose that hunger, that day-to-day drive, that extraordinary work ethic that 4

allowed you to have that success in the first place,” he said. “With our group of guys, I think we won’t have to worry about that. We have a group of guys who were a part of the Calder Cup championship team, but ultimately they’ll have to create their own identity and culture within our locker room.”

Last season, Blashill drilled his team on “the process,” the importance of instilling the proper work ethic, day after day, night after night, whether it was in practice or during games. Having seen the process work in action, he is not likely to veer from the message.

“Unfortunately for our returning players, our opening meeting will be almost exactly the same as last year’s opening meeting,” he said. “I’d like to change the message to pique interest, but I won’t because the core principles will stay exactly the same. I’ll always be the coach who coaches the process, not the outcome, and I’m a believer that good outcomes always follow good process.”

Does he worry about his message getting stale?

“If the core principles of the process are as important as I believe them to be, then the message shouldn’t ever get stale,” he said. “At the same time, if the message needs to be improved, you should change it. But don’t change just for the sake of change.”

A whole new set of players will be indoctrinated into the process this season. Calder Cup Playoff MVP Tomas Tatar is now with the Red Wings, as are Joakim Andersson, Danny DeKeyser and Brian Lashoff, with Gustav Nyquist likely headed to Detroit in the near future.

Francis Pare is now playing in Finland, Jan Mursak is in Russia, and Chad Billins signed with the Calgary Flames organization.

In their place are a number of fresh faces: Martin Frk, Calle Jarnkrok, Xavier Ouellet and Ryan Sproul, among others.

“The nature of the American Hockey League is you have turnover every year, and you’re bound to lose some good players,” he said. “We’re fortunate in that (Red Wings assistant general manager) Ryan Martin and the Wings scouting staff have done a great job, not only in drafting players, but also in signing critical free agents.

“We feel our group has the talent to be

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

successful as a team. What we will see over time is whether we have the combination of character and talent that it takes to be really special.”

The talent seems to be there. For the first time in 15 years, the Red Wings this fall won the prospects tournament which precedes their main training camp in Traverse City, going unbeaten in the round-robin tourney which included the Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Minnesota Wild, St. Louis Blues and New York Rangers.

Blashill cautions against reading too much into the prospects title.

“It means we have a good crop of drafted players, some of whom have already played for us, some who are joining us this season and some who will come to us in the future,” he said. “We had a good showing and it demonstrates that we have good, young talent in the organization, but it’s still only a four-day tournament.”

With the influx of so many young players, one might expect that the Griffins will have to endure some growing pains. Blashill perishes the thought.

“What I know is that we can’t afford growing pains. Nobody can,” he said. “You have to grab as many points as possible from Day One.” Blashill points out that the Griffins, the third seed in the Western Conference last season by virtue of winning the Midwest Division, were only five points better than the ninthseeded team that missed the playoffs.

Milwaukee, the eighth seed, won 41 games, only one less than the Griffins. Rockford, which missed the qualifying cut by one spot,

actually had 42 wins, the same as the Griffins, who had five fewer regulation losses.

“Every point is critical, and the difference in talent between the teams is minimal,” Blashill said. “It becomes a matter of which teams are willing to make that extraordinary sacrifice and which teams are going to pay extraordinary attention to detail every single day in order to make sure they’re on top.”

Although a strong start is key, showing improvement during the course of the season is just as important. “I would hope that our team will grow as the season progresses and that we will be a better team at the end of the season than we were in the beginning,” he said. “We want to win Game 1 just as much as we want to win Game 76.”

The Griffins will be counting heavily on the continued development of players like Tomas Jurco, Riley Sheahan and Adam Almquist. “Your best chance to have a really good team every year is for guys to make improvements,” Blashill said. “These are the guys who get increased roles and who have to become your ‘go-to’ players.”

There is certainly potential for the Griffins to repeat, but Blashill won’t be harping on that message. “Every team wants to win the Calder Cup and we’ll talk about it one time.

After that, our total focus will be on trying to become a playoff team,” he said.

“Everybody thinks they have a chance to win the Calder Cup at the beginning of the season, but before you win the Cup, you’ve got to qualify for the playoffs. That will be our focus.

“I’m excited to get going.”

2013-14 GRIFFINS COACHING AND TRAINING STAFF

Head Coach: Jeff Blashill

Assistant Coach: Jim Paek

Assistant Coach: Spiros Anastas

Video Coach: Bill LeRoy

Athletic Trainer: John Bernal

Equipment Manager: Brad Thompson

Assistant Equipment Manager: Andrew Stegehuis

Strength & Conditioning Coordinator: Marcus Kinney

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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COMING ATTRACTIONS CALDER CUP COLLECTIBLES

on Saturday, Nov. 30 when the Griffins face the Texas Stars.

Other giveaways during the season will include a mini championship banner, a snow globe, several bobbleheads and a replica championship ring. For specific dates, see the promotional schedule on pages 21-22.

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Nov. 6 13th Annual Matinee Game

n the sports memorabilia market, few things carry more cachet than items that come from championship seasons.

Imagine if you had a baseball from the 1927 New York Yankees, a signed football from the 1972 Miami Dolphins or even a signed basketball from the 198889 Detroit Pistons.

In your dreams…

The market for licensed (unsigned) sports merchandise is $12 billion, with the autographed market estimated to be $1.5 billion. The average value of autographed memorabilia is $180 but can reach much higher. In fact, the most expensive piece of memorabilia ever was Babe Ruth’s game-used jersey, sold at $4.4 million.

Sports memorabilia tends to increase in value over time. It would be nice but probably unrealistic to own something as valuable as a signed hockey stick from the 1997 Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings.

The Griffins will offer their own pieces of history when the team holds a game-worn Calder Cup Finals home jersey auction following the team’s home opener against the Milwaukee Admirals on Oct. 18.

But if you don’t have the money to spend, take heart.

Thanks to a number of promotional giveaways planned during the course of the 2013-14 season, Griffins fans will have several opportunities to secure swag to commemorate the team’s first Calder Cup championship.

One hot item is likely to be the Griffins’ Championship DVD giveaway, which is planned for Saturday, Dec. 7. Fans attending the game will receive a DVD filled with regular season and Calder Cup highlights (one per family).

The first major freebie of the season will be the 2014 Calendar Giveaway presented by Fox Motors 6

Interactive and educational displays for elementary and high school students will be set up throughout the concourse before the Griffins face the Rockford IceHogs in a game with an 11 a.m. start.

It’s also the second Amway Winning Wednesday of the season. Every time the Griffins win at home on Wednesday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the next Wednesday game. Additionally, the first 300 fans to visit the Amway table in Section A will receive a gift. Fans can also enjoy a buy-one, getone-free deal on a 16 oz. Pepsi.

Nov. 29 Teddy Bear Toss Presented by

J&H Family Stores Fans are encouraged to bring new, store-tagged teddy bears and stuffed animals to throw onto the ice when the Griffins score their first goal. The annual Teddy Bear Toss benefits Hug-A-Bears of Kent County, which serves a number of organizations, including DeVos Children’s Hospital, Gilda’s Club, Hospice for Children, Kent County Adoption Center and the YWCA Domestic Crisis Center.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

SEASON SCHEDULE S

M

T 1

October W 2

T 3

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S

RCH

TOR

7:05

6

7

8

9

10

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14

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MIL

RFD

20

21

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CHI

IA

6:05

28

29

CHA

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S

M

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1

2

7:00

8:00

8:00

December

3

8

9

10

15

16

17

22

23

24

29

TOR

TOR

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M

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5:00

7:00

7:00

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T

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M

November T

W

T

3:00

HAM

7:00

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S

RFD 5:00

10 17

4 11 18

5

RFD

12 19

MIL

24

25

26

S

M

T

8:00 7:00

27

7:30

9

14

RFD

CHI

21

IA

CHI

TEX

TEX

28

W

T

RCH

CHI

12

MIL

MIL

5

6

7

RFD

9

IA

19

RFD

CHI

12

13

14

CHI

25

MIL

RFD

7:00 8:05

8:00

7:00

7:00

8:00

8:00

28

6:00

February W

T

F

1

8:00 7:00

S

MIL

19 SA

5:00

S

20

7:00 8:05 7:00

2

7:00 7:00

21

22

27

28

29

M

T

W

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CHI 7:00

3

4

7:00

LE

6

9

10

11

12

13

16

17

18

19

20

MIL

24

25

MIL

27

5:00

S

M

T 1

8:00

W IA

7:00

TOR 7:00

SA

IA

3

16

ABB

ABB

23

TEX

TEX

30

CHI

7:00

8:30 7:00

March T

F

7:00

SA

9

10

11

12

8:00

SA

OKC

OKC

IA

7:00

S

7:00

7:00

12

CHA

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15

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7:00

LE

Post-Game Open Skate Huntington Bank Post-Game Autograph Session Fan 4-Pack Home Game Pepsi Reading Goals Redemption Date

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17

18

19

20

25

26

27

CHI

24

MIL

31

Home

Away

4:00

F

11

1:30

7:00

HAM HAM

7:00

S

ABB

10:00

6

ABB

9

8:00

7:00

10:00

8

7:00

CHI

OKC

7

IA

7:00

4

OKC

6

8:00

3

7:00

CHA

S

RFD

2

7:05

April T

7:00

RCH

7:00 7:00

8:00

7:00

8:00

2

8:00

January

RCH 7:00

2

7

11AM

MIL

S

HAM

5

4

F

LE

7:30

6:00

LE

ABB – Abbotsford CHA – Charlotte CHI – Chicago HAM – Hamilton IA - Iowa

8:00

IA

8:00

IA

8:05

2:05

RFD

RFD

8:00

7:00

First-Ever Outdoor Game at Comerica Park

All times Eastern.

Dates, opponents and times subject to change.

7:00

IA

Games broadcast live on

Primary Affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings

LE – Lake Erie MIL – Milwaukee OKC – Oklahoma City RCH – Rochester RFD – Rockford

TO PURCHASE TICKETS OR FOR MORE INFO, VISIT GRIFFINSHOCKEY.COM OR CALL 1.800.2.HOCKEY.

SA – San Antonio TEX – Texas TOR – Toronto

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 9

CA L D E R C U P

CHAMPIONS

Dear Grand Rapids Griffins Fans, At our championship rally on June 19 at Van Andel Arena, Griffins captain Jeff Hoggan gestured toward the Calder Cup and told the thousands in attendance that “you, the fans, have earned this…this belongs to you.”

Truer words have never been spoken.

It’s a long and interesting journey that we’ve traveled together, and now we celebrate the start of the 18th season of Griffins hockey as defending Calder Cup champions!

From the drop of the first puck in 1996, to our move to the AHL in 2001, to the start of our affiliation with the Detroit Red Wings in 2002 and all the seasons that have followed, we’ve watched hundreds of hockey games at Van Andel Arena.

We enjoyed most of them, were heartbroken at other times, but we were together through it all. And after proudly watching more than a dozen Griffins go on to win the Stanley Cup, many as members of the 2008 Red Wings, we finally earned the right to hoist our own championship trophy, the first ever for a pro hockey team from Grand Rapids.

Since Day One, our players, coaches and staff have worked tirelessly toward the goal of bringing a championship home. To accomplish it, and to be able to share the Calder Cup with everyone in West Michigan, has brought pride and joy beyond words.

We had an outstanding team last season, a special group of men who gave so much of themselves both on and off the ice. That’s what made them champions.

But this incredible journey we’ve experienced never would have been possible without you. We never wavered in our goal, you never wavered in your support, and the result was something we’ll all cherish for a lifetime.

However, the journey is not over. As you’ve discovered, once you drink from the cup, you realize there’s nothing quite like that taste, and it really makes you want to do it again. That’s our goal for this season, as a city, an organization and a fan base.

Jeff Blashill and his coaching staff welcome back a solid core of veterans and numerous battle-tested prospects who will be joined by several promising rookies. The challenge of repeating is never easy, but as always, the one thing we can promise is another thrilling ride.

Sincerely,

Dan DeVos President & CEO Grand Rapids Griffins

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

DAVID A. ANDREWS

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

American Hockey League

One Monarch Place – Springfield, MA 01144 Phone: (413) 781-2030 Fax: (413) 733-4767 Dear Fans, It is my great pleasure to welcome you to another exciting season of American Hockey League action.

We are proud to be entering our 78th season of continuous play, bringing a tradition of excellence and an entertaining, physical, and highly skilled level of play to more than 6 million hockey fans annually across North America.

Once again in 2013-14, there are 30 teams competing for the historic Calder Cup championship and all 30 National Hockey League clubs are developing their top prospects and draft picks in the AHL. Last season more than 270 first- and second-round NHL draft picks competed in the American Hockey League, and 346 players took the ice in both the AHL and the NHL. We continue to be proud of our tradition of developing the best hockey talent in the world, with over 87 percent of today’s NHL players, coaches and officials having honed their skills in the American Hockey League. Our loyal and passionate fans through the years have enjoyed cheering for more than 100 future Hockey Hall of Famers, and have rooted for more than 100 Calder Cup champions who would go on to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup as well.

In this Olympic year we are excited to bring an international twist to our schedule: In December, the Rochester Americans will represent the AHL at the prestigious Spengler Cup tournament in Davos, Switzerland. And in February, Färjestad BK -- one of the top teams in the Swedish Hockey League -- will face off against the AHL’s best at the 2014 AHL All-Star Classic in St. John’s, N.L. We’re pleased to welcome the fans in Iowa and Utica back to the AHL as the Iowa Wild and Utica Comets begin play this fall, joining the rest of the league in looking to dethrone the defending Calder Cup champion Grand Rapids Griffins in the chase for the AHL’s 2014 crown.

On behalf of all of our teams, thank you again for your continuing support and I wish you the utmost enjoyment in following your club through what is sure to be another terrific season.

Sincerely,

David A. Andrews President & Chief Executive Officer American Hockey League

/TheAHL

theahl.com

@TheAHL

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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HISTORY

The American Hockey League is enjoying its 78th season

of play in 2013-14, continuing a tradition of excellence that began in 1936 when the Canadian-American Hockey League merged with the International Hockey League to form what is today known as the AHL. Eight teams hit the ice that first season, playing in Buffalo, Cleveland, New Haven, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Springfield and Syracuse.

A Tradition of Excellence Est. 1936

Frank Calder, the National Hockey League’s president at the time, was instrumental in the forming of the 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 77th championship was captured by the Grand Rapids Griffins last spring.

LEGENDS

Photo: New York Times

Over the past three-quarters of a century, the American Hockey

Adam Oates Honored Member, Hockey Hall of Fame 1986 Calder Cup Champion

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 George Armstrong, 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 trophy is inscribed with the names of legendary AHL alumni like Patrick Roy, Larry Robinson, Gerry Cheevers, Andy Bathgate,Tim Horton, Al Arbour, Emile Francis, Doug Harvey and Billy Smith.

The American Hockey League has created its own legends as well, and in 2006 began

honoring them with the formation of the AHL Hall of Fame. The eighth class of inductees, recognized in 2013, included Harvey Bennett, Ken Gernander, Jim Morrison and Peter White. They join the likes of Johnny Bower, Fred Glover, Jody Gage, Mitch Lamoureux, Willie Marshall, Frank Mathers, Eddie Shore, Bruce Boudreau, Tim Tookey, Zellio Toppazzini and others as distinguished members of the American Hockey League Hall of Fame.

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

Photo: AP

n today’s National Hockey League more than 87 percent of the players are AHL alumni, including 2013 Norris Trophy winner P.K. Subban of the Montreal Canadiens and 2013 Lady Byng and Art Ross Trophy recipient Martin St. Louis of the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 2013 Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks were stocked with AHL graduates as well, among them Duncan Keith, Patrick Sharp, Corey Crawford, Bryan Bickell, Brandon Saad, Dave Bolland and head coach Joel Quenneville.

Corey Crawford 2013 Stanley Cup Champion

PLAYERS

During the 2012-13 season, more than 800 AHL alumni played

Photo: Steven Christy

in the National Hockey League, including 346 who skated in both leagues last year alone. Philadelphia’s Claude Giroux, Boston’s Brad Marchand, Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf and Minnesota’s Zach Parise were among the 21 AHL graduates who led their NHL teams in scoring, and former AHL All-Stars Pekka Rinne, Tuukka Rask, Cory Schneider, Braden Holtby and Jimmy Howard were among the 27 AHL goaltending alumni who paced their NHL clubs in victories. More than 270 former first- and second-round draft picks developed their skills in the AHL last season, including 2013 AHL scoring champion Brandon Pirri and 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs MVP Tomas Tatar.

Edmonton Oilers defenseman Justin Schultz was an All-Rookie Team selection in both the NHL and the AHL in 2012-13.

COACHES

At the start of the 2013-14 season, the National Hockey League featured 23 head coaches who

were former AHL bench bosses, including recent Stanley Cup champions Joel Quenneville (Chicago, 2010, 2013), Claude Julien (Boston, 2011), Dan Bylsma (Pittsburgh, 2009), Mike Babcock (Detroit, 2008), Randy Carlyle (Anaheim, 2007), Peter Laviolette (Carolina, 2006) and John Tortorella (Tampa Bay, 2004).

“The American Hockey League has been essential in developing my potential both as a player and as a coach.

Being able to hone my skills and improve at a high level of competition was key to reaching my goals of playing in the NHL, becoming a head coach and winning the Stanley Cup.” -- Dan Bylsma, Head Coach, Pittsburgh Penguins and 2014 U.S. Olympic Team 2011 Jack Adams Award Winner, 2009 Stanley Cup Champion FANS

F

Graig Abel Photograaphy

or just the second time in league history, more than 6.5 million fans attended regular-season AHL games in 2012-13, and the average of 5,710 fans per game was the third-largest ever. The Hershey Bears paced the league for the seventh year in a row, averaging 10,046 fans per game last season, and showcase games in Philadelphia, Buffalo, Toronto, Washington and Montreal all drew better than 18,500 fans each.

The Toronto Marlies and Hamilton Bulldogs squared off at a sold-out Air Canada Centre on Boxing Day last season.

STARS

The AHL All-Star Classic showcases the league’s top talent each

Photo: Alan Sullivan/AHL

year in an All-Star Skills Competition and All-Star Game. The 2013 Dunkin’ Donuts AHL All-Star Classic was held in front of capacity crowds in Providence, R.I., and televised live across the U.S. and Canada.

Of the 630 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since 1995, more than 93 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Patrice Bergeron, Daniel Briere, Ryan Callahan, Zdeno Chara, Niklas Kronwall, Chris Kunitz, Ryan Miller, Bobby Ryan, Jason Spezza and Eric Staal. /TheAHL

theahl.com

Ryan Hamilton 2013 AHL All-Star Game MVP

@TheAHL

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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2 013 - 14 A H L D I R E C T O RY

EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC DIVISION: Manchester, Portland, Providence, St. John’s, Worcester NORTHEAST DIVISION: Adirondack, Albany, Bridgeport, Hartford, Springfield EAST DIVISION: Binghamton, Hershey, Norfolk, Syracuse, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

ADIRONDACK PHANTOMS

NHL AFFILIATION: Philadelphia Flyers HOME ICE: Glens Falls Civic Center (4,794) GENERAL MANAGER: Paul Holmgren HEAD COACH: Terry Murray ENTERED AHL: 1996-97 (as Philadelphia Phantoms) CALDER CUPS: Two (1998, 2005) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 10 of 17 2012-13 RECORD: 31-38-3-4, 69 pts.

WEBSITE: www.phantomshockey.com

NHL AFFILIATION: Washington Capitals HOME ICE: Giant Center (10,500) GENERAL MANAGER: Doug Yingst HEAD COACH: Mike Haviland ENTERED AHL: 1938-39 CALDER CUPS: 11 (1947, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1974, 1980, 1988, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 64 of 75 2012-13 RECORD: 36-31-3-6, 81 pts.

WEBSITE: www.hersheybears.com

MANCHESTER MONARCHS

NHL AFFILIATION: Los Angeles Kings HOME ICE: Verizon Wireless Arena (9,852) GENERAL MANAGER: Rob Blake HEAD COACH: Mark Morris ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 11 of 12 2012-13 RECORD: 37-32-3-4, 81 pts.

WEBSITE: www.manchestermonarchs.com

ALBANY DEVILS

NHL AFFILIATION: New Jersey Devils HOME ICE: Times Union Center (6,691) GENERAL MANAGER: Chris Lamoriello HEAD COACH: Rick Kowalsky ENTERED AHL: 2006-07 (as Lowell Devils) CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 7 2012-13 RECORD: 31-32-1-12, 75 pts.

WEBSITE: www.thealbanydevils.com

BINGHAMTON SENATORS

HERSHEY BEARS

NORFOLK ADMIRALS

NHL AFFILIATION: Anaheim Ducks HOME ICE: Norfolk Scope (8,701) GENERAL MANAGER: Bob Murray HEAD COACH: Trent Yawney ENTERED AHL: 2000-01 CALDER CUPS: One (2012) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 9 of 13 2012-13 RECORD: 37-34-4-1, 79 pts.

WEBSITE: www.norfolkadmirals.com

NHL AFFILIATION: Ottawa Senators HOME ICE: Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena (4,679) PRESIDENT: Tim Smith HEAD COACH: Luke Richardson ENTERED AHL: 2002-03 CALDER CUPS: One (2011) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 5 of 11 2012-13 RECORD: 44-24-1-7, 96 pts.

WEBSITE: www.binghamtonsenators.com

PORTLAND PIRATES

BRIDGEPORT SOUND TIGERS

PROVIDENCE BRUINS

NHL AFFILIATION: New York Islanders HOME ICE: Webster Bank Arena (8,412) GENERAL MANAGER: Garth Snow HEAD COACH: Scott Pellerin ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 7 of 12 2012-13 RECORD: 32-32-7-5, 76 pts.

WEBSITE: www.soundtigers.com

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

NHL AFFILIATION: New York Rangers HOME ICE: XL Center Veterans Memorial Coliseum (15,635) GENERAL MANAGER: Jim Schoenfeld HEAD COACH: Ken Gernander ENTERED AHL: 1997-98 CALDER CUPS: One (2000) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 14 of 16 2012-13 RECORD: 35-32-6-3, 79 pts.

WEBSITE: www.hartfordwolfpack.com 14

NHL AFFILIATION: Phoenix Coyotes HOME ICE: Androscoggin Bank Colisee (3,677) GENERAL MANAGER: Brad Treliving HEAD COACH: Ray Edwards ENTERED AHL: 1993-94 CALDER CUPS: One (1994) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 15 of 20 2012-13 RECORD: 41-30-3-2, 87 pts.

WEBSITE: www.portlandpirates.com NHL AFFILIATION: Boston Bruins HOME ICE: Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence (11,075) GENERAL MANAGER: Peter Chiarelli HEAD COACH: Bruce Cassidy ENTERED AHL: 1992-93 CALDER CUPS: One (1999) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 16 of 21 2012-13 RECORD: 50-21-0-5, 105 pts.

WEBSITE: www.providencebruins.com

SPRINGFIELD FALCONS

NHL AFFILIATION: Columbus Blue Jackets HOME ICE: MassMutual Center (6,784) GENERAL MANAGER: Chris MacFarland HEAD COACH: Brad Larsen ENTERED AHL: 1994-95 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 7 of 19 2012-13 RECORD: 45-22-5-4, 99 pts.

WEBSITE: www.falconsahl.com Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

2 013 - 14 A H L D I R E C T O RY ST. JOHN’S ICECAPS

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

NHL AFFILIATION: Winnipeg Jets HOME ICE: Mile One Centre (6,287) GENERAL MANAGER: Craig Heisinger HEAD COACH: Keith McCambridge ENTERED AHL: 2012-13 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 2 2012-13 RECORD: 32-36-3-5, 72 pts.

WEBSITE: www.stjohnsicecaps.com

NHL AFFILIATION: Pittsburgh Penguins HOME ICE: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza (8,050) GENERAL MANAGER: Ray Shero HEAD COACH: John Hynes ENTERED AHL: 1999-00 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 12 of 14 2012-13 RECORD: 42-30-2-2, 88 pts.

WEBSITE: www.wbspenguins.com

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

WORCESTER SHARKS

NHL AFFILIATION: Tampa Bay Lightning HOME ICE: War Memorial Arena (6,159) GENERAL MANAGER: Julien BriseBois HEAD COACH: Rob Zettler ENTERED AHL: 1994-95 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 11 of 19 2012-13 RECORD: 43-22-6-5, 97 pts.

WEBSITE: www.syracusecrunch.com

NHL AFFILIATION: San Jose Sharks HOME ICE: DCU Center (5,400) GENERAL MANAGER: Joe Will HEAD COACH: Roy Sommer ENTERED AHL: 2006-07 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 7 2012-13 RECORD: 31-34-4-7, 73 pts.

WEBSITE: www.sharksahl.com

WESTERN CONFERENCE MIDWEST DIVISION: Grand Rapids, Chicago, Iowa, Milwaukee, Rockford NORTH DIVISION: Hamilton, Lake Erie, Rochester, Toronto, Utica WEST DIVISION: Abbotsford, Charlotte, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Texas

ABBOTSFORD HEAT

NHL AFFILIATION: Calgary Flames HOME ICE: Abbotsford Entertainment & Sports Centre (7,046) GENERAL MANAGER: Jay Feaster HEAD COACH: Troy G. Ward ENTERED AHL: 2009-10 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 2 of 4 2012-13 RECORD: 34-32-4-6, 78 pts.

WEBSITE: www.abbotsfordheat.com

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS

NHL AFFILIATION: St. Louis Blues HOME ICE: Allstate Arena (16,692) GENERAL MANAGER: Wendell Young HEAD COACH: John Anderson ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: Two (2002, 2008) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 8 of 12 2012-13 RECORD: 37-30-5-4, 83 pts.

WEBSITE: www.chicagowolves.com

NHL AFFILIATION: Detroit Red Wings HOME ICE: Van Andel Arena (10,834) HEAD COACH: Jeff Blashill ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: One (2013) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 7 of 12 2012-13 RECORD: 42-26-4-4, 92 pts.

WEBSITE: www.griffinshockey.com

HAMILTON BULLDOGS

NHL AFFILIATION: Montreal Canadiens HOME ICE: Copps Coliseum (8,819) GENERAL MANAGER: Marc Bergevin HEAD COACH: Sylvain Lefebvre ENTERED AHL: 1996-97 CALDER CUPS: One (2007) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 12 of 17 2012-13 RECORD: 29-41-1-5, 64 pts.

WEBSITE: www.hamiltonbulldogs.com

NHL AFFILIATION: Carolina Hurricanes HOME ICE: Time Warner Cable Arena (6,800) HEAD COACH/ GENERAL MANAGER: Jeff Daniels ENTERED AHL: 2010-11 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 2 of 3 2012-13 RECORD: 42-26-4-4, 92 pts.

WEBSITE: www.gocheckers.com

CHICAGO WOLVES

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

IOWA WILD

NHL AFFILIATION: Minnesota Wild HOME ICE: Wells Fargo Arena (8,162) GENERAL MANAGER: Jim Mill HEAD COACH: Kurt Kleinendorst ENTERED AHL: 2013-14 WEBSITE: www.iowawild.com

LAKE ERIE MONSTERS

NHL AFFILIATION: Colorado Avalanche HOME ICE: Quicken Loans Arena (20,093) DIRECTOR OF AHL OPERATIONS: David Oliver HEAD COACH: Dean Chynoweth ENTERED AHL: 2007-08 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 6 2012-13 RECORD: 35-31-3-7, 80 pts.

WEBSITE: www.lakeeriemonsters.com

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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2 013 - 14 A H L D I R E C T O RY MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS

TORONTO MARLIES

OKLAHOMA CITY BARONS

UTICA COMETS

NHL AFFILIATION: Nashville Predators HOME ICE: BMO Harris Bradley Center (17,845) GENERAL MANAGER: Paul Fenton HEAD COACH: Dean Evason ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: One (2004) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 11 of 12 2012-13 RECORD: 41-28-4-3, 89 pts.

WEBSITE: www.milwaukeeadmirals.com NHL AFFILIATION: Edmonton Oilers HOME ICE: Cox Convention Center (7,500) GENERAL MANAGER: Bill Scott HEAD COACH: Todd Nelson ENTERED AHL: 2010-11 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 3 2012-13 RECORD: 40-25-2-9, 91 pts.

WEBSITE: www.okcbarons.com

NHL AFFILIATION: Vancouver Canucks HOME ICE: Utica Memorial Auditorium (3,847) DIRECTOR OF HOCKEY OPERATIONS: Pat Conacher HEAD COACH: Travis Green ENTERED AHL: 2013-14 WEBSITE: www.uticacomets.com

ROCHESTER AMERICANS

NHL AFFILIATION: Buffalo Sabres HOME ICE: Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial (10,662) GENERAL MANAGER: Darcy Regier HEAD COACH: Chadd Cassidy ENTERED AHL: 1956-57 CALDER CUPS: Six (1965, 1966, 1968, 1983, 1987, 1996) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 43 of 57 2012-13 RECORD: 43-29-3-1, 90 pts.

WEBSITE: www.amerks.com

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

NHL AFFILIATION: Chicago Blackhawks HOME ICE: BMO Harris Bank Center (5,895) GOVERNOR: Mark Bernard HEAD COACH: Ted Dent ENTERED AHL: 2007-08 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 6 2012-13 RECORD: 42-31-2-1, 87 pts.

WEBSITE: www.icehogs.com

SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE

NHL AFFILIATION: Florida Panthers HOME ICE: AT&T Center (6,374) GENERAL MANAGER: Michael Santos HEAD COACH: Peter Horachek ENTERED AHL: 2002-03 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 11 2012-13 RECORD: 29-38-2-7, 67 pts.

WEBSITE: www.sarampage.com

TEXAS STARS

NHL AFFILIATION: Dallas Stars HOME ICE: Cedar Park Center (6,863) GENERAL MANAGER: Scott White HEAD COACH: Willie Desjardins ENTERED AHL: 2009-10 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 4 2012-13 RECORD: 43-22-5-6, 97 pts.

WEBSITE: www.texasstarshockey.com 16

NHL AFFILIATION: Toronto Maple Leafs HOME ICE: Ricoh Coliseum (7,851) GENERAL MANAGER: Dave Poulin HEAD COACH: Steve Spott ENTERED AHL: 2005-06 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 5 of 8 2012-13 RECORD: 43-23-3-7, 96 pts.

WEBSITE: www.marlies.ca

2013-14 PLAYOFF FORMAT Eight teams in each conference will qualify for the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs: The three division winners will be seeded first through third in order of points, and the next five teams in order of points will be seeded fourth through eighth.

The conference quarterfinals will be best-of-five series; the conference semifinals, conference finals and Calder Cup Finals will be best-of-seven series.

Teams will be re-ordered after the first round so that the highest-remaining seed plays the lowest-remaining seed.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

Legacy.

SM

It’s what success builds.

At Comerica Bank, we’re proud supporters of the Calder Cup Champion Grand Rapids Griffins.

Here’s to a winning 2013-14 season!

comerica.com Member FDIC. Equal Opportunity Lender.

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Casual and inviting surroundings.

Diverse menu. Breathtaking views.

Thousand Oaks is a name synonymous with attention to detail, sumptuous dining and unblemished nature. Once reserved for small parties and business meetings, Thousand Oaks now presents Grand Oaks Banquet and Meeting Facility to accommodate gatherings of all sizes. Nestled into a private, 425-acre setting, yet just minutes from Downtown Grand Rapids, Grand Oaks Banquet Facility offers a refreshing alternative for meetings, receptions, and private parties. From the intimate setting of the Birch Room that seats 60 Guests, the expanse of the Grand Oaks Hall that accommodates up to 350 persons, Grand Oaks Banquet Facility can meet most reception needs in style. Our high performance facility, with its pre-function area, offers a flawless setting for professional meetings and personal events. With a full line of projection screens, audio/visual equipment, stage and wireless business center, Grand Oaks is versatile, reliable, and priced ala-carte to most budgets.

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Year-round Golf Lessons.

Join the Academy!

Call 616-363-GOLF

More than a great place to visit–it’s a great place to live.

Call 616-828-6780

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

DETROIT

RED WINGS Petr Mrazek became just the second goalie in history to win his ECHL, AHL and NHL debuts in the same season by making 26 saves for the Red Wings in a 5-1 win at St. Louis on Feb. 7, 2013.

TOP AFFILIATE

Photo: Getty Images

Grand Rapids Griffins (12th Season) Through 2016-17

ARENA

Joe Louis Arena Seating Capacity: 20,066

INFO

Phone: (313) 394-7000 www.detroitredwings.com

STANLEY CUPS

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

MANAGEMENT

Ken Holland, Executive VP/General Manager Ryan Martin, Asst. GM/Hockey Administration

COACHING STAFF

Mike Babcock, Head Coach Tom Renney, Associate Coach Bill Peters, Assistant Coach Keith McKittrick, Assistant Coach — Video Jim Bedard, Goaltending Coach Peter Renzetti, Strength and Conditioning Coach

GRIFFINS WHO HAVE EARNED THEIR WINGS*

Justin Abdelkader, 2008-09 Joakim Andersson, 2011-12 Sean Avery, 2002-03 Ryan Barnes, 2003-04 Patrick Boileau, 2002-03 Darryl Bootland, 2003-04 Fabian Brunnstrom, 2011-12 Ty Conklin, 2011-12 Chris Conner, 2011-12 Aaron Downey, 2008-09 Matt Ellis, 2006-07 Cory Emmerton, 2010-11 Jonathan Ericsson, 2007-08 Valtteri Filppula, 2005-06 Mark Hartigan, 2007-08 Darren Helm, 2007-08 Jimmy Howard, 2005-06 Jiri Hudler, 2003-04 Matt Hussey, 2006-07

Doug Janik, 2009-10 Jakub Kindl, 2009-10 Tomas Kopecky, 2005-06 Niklas Kronwall, 2003-04 Marc Lamothe, 2003-04 Josh Langfeld, 2006-07 Brian Lashoff, 2012-13 Brett Lebda, 2005-06 Ville Leino, 2008-09 Joey MacDonald, 2006-07 Donald MacLean, 2005-06 Darren McCarty, 2007-08 Tom McCollum, 2010-11 Derek Meech, 2006-07 Kevin Miller, 2003-04 Mark Mowers, 2003-04 Petr Mrazek, 2012-13 Jan Mursak, 2010-11 Anders Myrvold, 2003-04

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

Kris Newbury, 2009-10 Gustav Nyquist, 2011-12 Kyle Quincey, 2005-06 Mattias Ritola, 2007-08 Jamie Rivers, 2003-04 Nathan Robinson, 2003-04 Stacy Roest, 2002-03 Riley Sheahan, 2011-12 Brendan Smith, 2011-12 Garrett Stafford, 2007-08 Tomas Tatar, 2010-11 Jason Williams, 2002-03

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

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Fitness | Group Exercise | Sports Performance | Aquatics | Basketball Tennis | Kid’s Stuff | Soccer | Lacrosse | Football | Volleyball | & MORE!

What More Could You Ask For? West Michigan’s Sports and Fitness Leader

Get Fit. Have Fun! GRAND RAPIDS | DOWNTOWN GR | HOLLAND | ROCKFORD | KENTWOOD

Nov. 29: Teddy Bear Toss presented

by J&H Family Stores Nov. 30: 2014 Calendar Giveaway presented by Fox Motors/ Season Ticket Holder Party Dec. 7: Championship DVD Giveaway presented by Southwest Airlines Dec. 14: Mini Banner Giveaway presented by Centennial Securities/ Grand Rapids Owls Jersey Auction

SP

Nov. 18: Tip-A-Griffin at Uccello’s Restaurants

IN

Nov. 6: 13th Annual Matinee Game (11 a.m. start)

IFF

Oct. 22: Griffins Booster Club Meet the Team Banquet

GR

Oct. 18: Opening Night presented by Huntington Bank/ BannerRaising Ceremony/ Game-Worn Calder Cup Finals Jersey Auction

2013-14

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

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Dec. 30: Inaugural Outdoor Game at Comerica Park

Jan. 18: Joakim Andersson Bobblehead Giveaway/Outdoor Game Jersey Auction Jan. 18-19: 12th Annual Great Skate Winterfest at Rosa Parks Circle Feb. 3: Griffins Booster Club Silent Auction Feb. 15: Jeff Hoggan Calder Cup Figurine Giveaway presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union Feb. 18: 9th Annual Griffins/ Sled Wings Sled Hockey Game at Griff’s IceHouse

OT

ION

AL SC

HEDULE

March 8: Star Wars Night presented

by Consumers Energy

Dec. 31: 17th Annual New Year’s Eve Celebration/Post-Game Fireworks Jan. 11: Snow Globe Giveaway presented

by Comerica Bank

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March 10: 3rd Annual Reds, Whites & Brews at the Goei Center, to benefit Easter Seals Michigan March 29: Petr Mrazek Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Michigan Office Solutions April 5: Replica Championship Ring Giveaway presented by Amway April 7: Griffins Booster Club Awards Banquet April 18: Season Finale presented by Huntington Bank/Friday Night Jersey Auction

Feb. 21: Salute to Heroes Night/ Camouflage Jersey Auction Feb. 22: Team Trading Card Set Giveaway March 7: Purple Community Game presented by Van Andel Institute/ Purple Jersey Auction

Check out our Season-Long Promotions on the next page!

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SEASON-LONG PROMOTIONS $2 Beers and $2 Hot Dogs: Every Friday, enjoy $2 domestic drafts and $2 hot dogs from 6-8 p.m., while supplies last.

Get in the D-ZONE: Every Friday night is a Griffins WGRD D-Zone night. Avoid the concession lines and get your $2 beers and $2 hot dogs served to you in your seats. Call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2 or visit griffinshockey. com/dzone to get your tickets today! The D-Zone sevengame pack includes games on Oct. 18, Nov. 15, Dec. 13, Jan. 17, Feb. 14, March 7 and April 18, and the 14-pack includes all Friday games with the exception of Dec. 6 and Jan. 10.

H&R Block College Nights: Every Friday, college students can show their ID to purchase an upper bowl ticket for $13 (or $11 in advance at The Zone) and stop by the McFadden’s concourse table to receive a free pass to the post-game party at McFadden’s.

Free Ride Friday on The Rapid: Ride the Rapid to and from any Friday game and enjoy a complimentary fare by showing your ticket to that night’s game.

Visit ridetherapid.org for schedule information, routes and maps.

Wednesday is Hockey Night: For all Wednesday home games from December through March, show your Griffins ticket at participating Arena District restaurants and bars – including Peppino’s Sports Grille, home of the Griffins’ Wednesday post-game

parties with the players – to enjoy Happy Hour specials before the game and Hockey Night specials afterward.

Visit griffinshockey.com/hockeynight for a list of participating establishments.

Amway Winning Wednesdays: Every time the Griffins win at home on Wednesday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the next Wednesday game. Additionally, the first 300 fans to visit the Amway table in Section A will receive a gift.

Fans can also enjoy a buy-one, get-one-free deal on a 16 oz. Pepsi all night long at any concession stand that sells fountain drinks.

Fan 4 Packs: For select games, receive four tickets and $12 in concession cash for a great low price. Valid for games on Nov. 30; Dec. 7 and 14; Jan. 11 and 18; Feb. 15 and 22; March 8 and 29; and April 5. Visit griffinshockey. com/f4p or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.

Pepsi Reading Goals: Children with Griff’s Reading Goals bookmarks who have completed the required three hours of reading can redeem their bookmark for two free upper level tickets to any of the following games: Bookmark #1 - Nov. 20, 29, and 30; Dec. 11 and 20; Bookmark #2 - Feb. 5 and 23; March 5; and April 2 and 4.

Sunday is Fun Day!: Every Sunday, enjoy $1 Pepsi drinks and $1 ice cream from 3-5 p.m.

Post-Game Open Skates: Oct. 18; Dec. 7 and 31; Jan. 11; Feb. 22; March 29; and April 18.

Military Nights: Every home game, current members of our military can purchase up to four upper bowl tickets for $13 each (or $11 in advance at The Zone) with a valid military ID. The offer also extends to veterans who present a VA ID or discharge papers.

Huntington Bank Post-Game Autograph Sessions: Dec. 7 and 14; Jan. 11; Feb. 15; March 8; and April 5.

Library Nights: For every Sunday and Wednesday game, fans can present their Grand Rapids Public Library card or Kent District Library card at the Van Andel Arena box office on the night of the game or at The Zone anytime during the store’s regular business hours to save $7 off the price of a Lower Level Faceoff ticket (regularly $18 in advance and $20 day of game). Limit four tickets per card per person, subject to availability.

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.

All promotions and dates subject to change. For more information, visit griffinshockey.com.

Join the conversation with Stop by the Social Media Hub behind section 104 on game night to subscribe to our Griffins Nation email, snap a pic at our photo kiosk and see your social media messages displayed on our TV! /grgriffins

/griffinshockey

/griffinshockey

Check out griffinshockey.com/socialmedia to follow us on all of our social channels.

Tweet your song requests to @GriffDJMaxx! Use #GoGRG with the song title and artist name and get ready to rock out.

Download the official Griffins iPhone and Android app to stay connected with the Griffins on the go!

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

ROAD TO THE CALDER CUP: A Pictorial Essay By Mark Newman

“From the start, we knew we had something special. It ended up being a fairytale run.”

– Brennan Evans

Triston Grant checks an Aeros player into the

boards.

Western Conference Quarterfinals (best-of-5) Griffins vs. Houston Aeros Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 26 – HOUSTON 3, Grand Rapids 0 Game 2 – Sun., Apr. 28 – Grand Rapids 3, HOUSTON 2 Game 3 – Wed., May 1 – GRAND RAPIDS 4, Houston 2 Game 4 – Fri., May 3 – Houston 4, GRAND RAPIDS 1 Game 5 – Sat., May 4 – GRAND RAPIDS 7, Houston 0 The Midwest Division champion Griffins took on the high-flying Aeros, winners of seven of their last nine regular season games. After being held scoreless in the series opener, the Griffins got even in Game 2 on the strength of two goals, including the game-winner, by rookie Tomas Jurco.

Defenseman Adam Almquist, another rookie, recorded the game-winning goal in Game 3 before the Aeros sent the series to the limit with a decisive 4-1 win in Game 4. But the Griffins left no doubt about the outcome of Game 5 with four second-period goals, including a pair by Tomas Tatar, as goaltender Petr Mrazek stopped all 24 Houston shots.

Teemu Pulkkinen fights the Aeros’ captain for the puck.

Western Conference Semifinals (best-of-7) Griffins vs. Toronto Marlies Game 1 – Fri., May 10 – Grand Rapids 7, TORONTO 0 Game 2 – Sat., May 11 – TORONTO 4, Grand Rapids 2 Game 3 – Wed., May 15 – GRAND RAPIDS 5, Toronto 4 Game 4 – Fri., May 17 – GRAND RAPIDS 4, Toronto 1 Game 5 – Sat., May 18 – Toronto 4, GRAND RAPIDS 1 Game 6 – Tue., May 21 – Grand Rapids 4, TORONTO 3 Grand Rapids started the series against the second-seeded Marlies practically the same way it finished its series against Houston, with Tatar again getting two goals and Mrazek blocking all 25 shots he faced. After the Marlies bounced back in Game 2, the Griffins took the next two contests. Jan Mursak scored the eventual gamewinner in Game 3 while a trio of third-period goals gave the Griffins a come-from-behind victory in Game 4. The Marlies refused to go quietly, winning Game 5. Down 3-1 going into the third period of Game 6, the Griffins once again rallied with three goals, including the series clincher by Luke Glendening.

24

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

Jeff Hoggan scored goals in Games 3 and 4 against the Marlies.

s

Tatar opened and closed the Toronto series with multiple-goal games.

Glendening scored the series-clinching goal against Toronto.

“Our mindset was always even-keeled. When it looked like we might have shot ourselves in the foot, we always bounced back. We had a never-quit attitude.” Western Conference Finals (best-of-7) – Griffins captain Jeff Hoggan

Mitch Callahan leans into an Oklahoma City defender.

Jurco launches the series-clinching shot against the Barons.

Griffins vs. Oklahoma City Barons Game 1 – Fri., May 24 – GRAND RAPIDS 2, Oklahoma City 1 Game 2 – Sat., May 25 – Oklahoma City 4, GRAND RAPIDS 2 Game 3 – Wed., May 29 – OKLAHOMA CITY 4, Grand Rapids 1 Game 4 – Sat., June 1 – Grand Rapids 4, OKLAHOMA CITY 0 Game 5 – Sun., June 2 – Grand Rapids 3, OKLAHOMA CITY 0 Game 6 – Tue., June 4 – Oklahoma City 4, GRAND RAPIDS 3 Game 7 – Wed., June 5 – GRAND RAPIDS 5, Oklahoma City 4 Defenseman Brennan Evans, who had been held without a goal in 76 regular season games, scored the first goal in what would prove to be a closely fought series, and Landon Ferraro recorded the game-winner to give the opener to the Griffins. Oklahoma City took the next two games, but Game 4 was postponed for a day after a huge tornado-spawning storm caused flooding in the Cox Convention Center. When the series resumed a day later, the return of Gustav Nyquist and Joakim Andersson seemed to spark the rejuvenated Griffins, who won the next two games with shutouts as Mrazek stopped 40 and 37 shots, respectively, in Game 4 and 5. The Barons turned the tables on the Griffins in Game 6, scoring three times in the third period, but the Griffins clinched the series and their first-ever berth in the Calder Cup Finals with third-period goals by Mursak and Jurco in a come-from-behind 5-4 victory.

Mrazek saw everything the Barons shot his way in Games 4 and 5 with back-to-back shutouts.

Francis Pare battles a Barons player for the puck.

Pare shares a congratulatory moment with Jurco.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

25

“We were confident going into the playoffs. We had been playing well through the whole year and we knew we could surprise some teams because nobody was expecting us to go far.”

– Landon Ferraro

2013 Calder Cup Finals (best-of-7) Griffins vs. Syracuse Crunch Game 1 – Sat., June 8 – Grand Rapids 3, SYRACUSE 1 Game 2 – Sun., June 9 – Grand Rapids 6, SYRACUSE 4 Game 3 – Wed., June 12 – GRAND RAPIDS 4, Syracuse 2 Game 4 – Fri., June 14 – Syracuse 3, GRAND RAPIDS 2 Game 5 – Sat., June 15 – Syracuse 5, GRAND RAPIDS 2 Game 6 – Tue., June 18 – Grand Rapids 5, SYRACUSE 2 The Griffins were considered underdogs against The Crunch, who had won 11 of 12 playoff games and had 10 players from Norfolk’s 2012 championship squad. Riley Sheahan’s third-period goal was the difference in Game 1 while the Griffins got goals from six different players (Tatar, Triston Grant, Ferraro, Jurco, Francis Pare and Mursak) to edge the Crunch in Game 2. Late third-period goals by Mursak and Hoggan broke a 2-2 tie to give the Griffins a commanding 3-0 series advantage. Hoping to clinch the Cup at home in front of rabid, standing-room-only crowds, the Griffins dropped the next two games, forcing Game 6 in Syracuse. The Crunch got on the board first before second-period goals

by Mitch Callahan and Tatar put the Griffins up 2-1. Syracuse tied the game early in the third period, but a slap shot by Evans found the net and put the Griffins up for good, with Tatar and Andersson icing the victory and the first championship in the organization’s 17-year history.

Mrazek was solid during the Finals against Syracuse, as he had been throughout the playoffs.

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Chad Billins uses positioning to outwork the bigger Syracuse player.

Evans scored the biggest goal of his career in Game 6 of the Calder Cup Finals.

Hoggan scored a big goal in Game 3 to give the Griffins a commanding series lead.

Jurco had become one of the Griffins’ most dangerous players by the playoffs.

Riley Sheahan celebrates his game-winning goal in the series opener against Syracuse.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

“Everything starts at the top. Blash is one of the best – he’s one of the up-and-coming coaches who will be in the NHL soon. He kept us all moving in the right direction and the older guys did their part by echoing what he said. It was his system and we tried to lead by example.”

– Jeff Hoggan, speaking about Griffins head coach Jeff Blashill

Head coach Jeff Blashill stuck to his message and the players listened.

Mursak scored in 10 different games during the Griffins’ playoff run.

Jurco had eight goals during the playoffs, third-best on the team.

Danny Dekeyser joined the Griffins from Detroit for the Finals, solidifying the team’s defense.

Billins (far right) celebrates a goal with (l-r) Andersson and Nyquist in Game 4 against Syracuse.

Mrazek jumps in celebration moments before the Griffins clinched their first Calder Cup title.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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“Being a young guy, I may not appreciate it as much as some of the older guys, but winning the Cup is kind of overwhelming.

When I watch the videos, seeing all the guys celebrating together, it gives me the shivers.

To this day, I get chills thinking about it.”

– Mitch Callahan

As Griffins captain, Hoggan was first to lift the Calder Cup trophy.

Brian Lashoff, who spent nearly half of the season with Detroit, was thrilled to help the Griffins capture the Cup.

Glendening shares his excitement at bringing a championship to his hometown.

Nyquist helps Griffins equipment manager Brad Thompson take a celebratory drink from the Cup. 28

Mrazek was stellar during the playoffs with a 2.31 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage.

Veterans (l-r) Grant, Evans, Hoggan and Paetsch were central to the championship run.

Griffins assistant coach Jim Paek, who won two Stanley Cups as a player, celebrates his first Calder Cup.

Tatar won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as MVP of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

GO GRIFFINS!

Calder Cup Champions

Terryberry is Proud to Handcraft the 2013 Griffins Calder Cup Championship Rings Right Here in Grand Rapids.

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Following the directions of the Griffins’ unique design, Terryberry produced a blockbuster ring to commemorate the team’s Calder Cup championship.

To capture the organization’s first 1 Calder Cup, the Griffins followed a long and arduous process that covered 100 games: 76 regular seasons contests on the way to a Midwest Division title, and 24 playoff games – just two fewer than the maximum – to eliminate Houston, Toronto, Oklahoma City and Syracuse.

To commemorate this championship, Grand Rapids-based Terryberry relied on a long and time-honored process to create the rings that were awarded to Griffins 3 players, coaches and staff, as well as Red Wings hockey operations personnel.

Twenty-five Terryberry employees worked on each ring, which feature 73 gemstones set in and around the base, and spent up to 15 hours producing each ring over a two-week period.

1. Before production of the ring began, the actual design is mapped out in CAD. This allows Terryberry to create a gemstone map, along with other details, to ensure the look of the final piece adheres to the unique Griffins specifications.

2. Personalized inserts are created so that each ring can be customized for the recipient, including their last name and jersey number or position.

3. Rings are formed in wax prior to the casting process.

4. Wax versions of the Griffins’ rings are set into a tree 30

Photos by Randy Cleves

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formation as part of the casting process.

5. Casting gold comes in the form of small round pellets, which melt quickly to ease the casting process.

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6. The casting process uses space created by wax to produce cavities that are filled with precious metal.

7. Flasks full of white investment are put into the casting oven for an extended period of time and heated to more than 1,000 degrees.

8. Terryberry uses heat to manipulate rings and ensure a sensational finished product.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

9. Griffins rings come out of the casting process and are ready for the next step in the production process.

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10. Terryberry craftspeople manipulate each ring by hand to ensure a sensational finished product.

11. Griffins inserts are prepped to be set into the ornate top of the rings.

12. The ring top insert is locked into a fixture in order to set various size gemstones into the piece.

13. The Griffins’ design includes gemstones that are delicately set in both sides of the design.

14. Championship rings are meticulously polished by hand in order to highlight the unique aspects of the design.

15. Polishing compound is removed from the ring with the use of steam.

16. View of a complete ring-top with the Griffins’ logo surrounded by a field of diamonds.

17. Each ring includes one side with the recipient’s last name, jersey number or position, and the Red Wings’ logo coupled with the Griffins’ crest.

18. The other side of the ring features the Griffins’ Calder Cup championship logo and the series results of their 2013 playoff run.

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

The Calder Cup passed from player to player as it journeyed across North America this summer.

In 1994, the New York Rangers started a tradition that enables each member of the Stanley Cup-winning team to retain the trophy for a day.

No such tradition officially exists for the Calder Cup, the trophy awarded to the champions of the American Hockey League and named for Frank Calder, who served as the first president of the National Hockey League from 1917 to 1943.

When Jeff Hoggan won the Calder Cup as a member of the Houston Aeros in 2003, his time with the second-oldest actively awarded professional ice hockey playoff trophy was limited. “You didn’t really get to savor it,” he said. “You just got ready for the next year.”

So when Grand Rapids won its first Calder Cup, Griffins head coach Jeff Blashill felt it was time for a new tradition.

“Blash thought it would be great if a few guys could spend some time with it,” said Hoggan, who served as

captain of the 2012-13 championship team. “So we had a great summer, even if it was short.”

Logistics and timing prevented the Calder Cup from traveling overseas, but the trophy made its way across North America, going from Marysville, Mich., the home of Chad Billins, to Whittier, Calif., a city about 12 miles southeast of Los Angeles, where Mitch Callahan spends his summers.

The journey actually started in Syracuse, N.Y., where the Griffins defeated the Crunch 5-2 to win Game 6 of the Calder Cup Finals.

The team celebrated first on the ice, then later in the dressing room before heading home on Redbird III, the private plane of the Detroit Red Wings.

The Griffins held a championship rally at Van Andel Arena the following night, June 19, which kicked off a number of community appearances by the trophy.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

33

The West Michigan Whitecaps, for example, honored the Griffins’ first title in their 17-year history during a pre-game ceremony on June 27.

Blashill, along with East Grand Rapids native Luke Glendening and radio broadcaster Bob Kaser, showed up at Fifth Third Ballpark with the Calder Cup in tow. Blashill and Glendening each threw out first pitches before the game and signed autographs, while Kaser made a guest appearance in the radio booth with Whitecaps broadcaster Ben Chiswick for one inning.

After making the rounds in Grand Rapids, the Cup spent the better part of six weeks crisscrossing several Canadian provinces and a number of states.

It was given a triumphant welcome in British Columbia, where Hoggan took the trophy to the top of Mount Hope, where he had proposed to his wife.

“The big dream was always going to be to take the Stanley Cup up there, but that’s not going to happen now,” Hoggan said. “There’s a lookout above my hometown, but it’s a pretty good hike, so I thought I could get a helicopter, fly it up there, and I would do the hike.

“Then the helicopter people told me they didn’t fly to the lookout, they flew to the top, above the snow, 6,000 feet up. I said, ‘Oh, I’m not hiking that. Can I jump in with it?’”

Hoggan planned to take his wife, Chevonne, and children, Hunter and Cam, but the kids were

34

apprehensive about flying in a helicopter, so he took his brothers, Aaron and Mark, instead. “It was awesome,” Hoggan said. “We took some photos and one of them ended up on the front page of the newspaper.”

Later, that afternoon, Hoggan assembled a bunch of his buddies to play street hockey in the city park.

“Growing up, we played street hockey every day at my house, so I promised the boys that if we won the Calder Cup, I’d bring it back and we’d play street hockey for it,” Hoggan said.

“We took over the town’s tennis courts and we had four teams of six guys each, all playing street hockey in front of the mayor who came down and watched. Landon (Ferraro) came down from the city (Vancouver) and joined us, as did some friends from Chilliwack. We had a fun game, then had a barbecue at my place.”

Hoggan said it felt special to share the Calder Cup with his family. “My kids had come to Games 4 and 5 in Grand Rapids, but not Syracuse, so they were pretty pumped to see the trophy,” he said. “They were excited because they got to drink orange juice out of it.”

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

Ferraro took the trophy to Spanish Banks, a series of beaches in Vancouver along the shores of English Bay. “I went with my brother, mom and dad, and grandma and grandpa, and we got some great shots with the city view and the mountains behind,” said Ferraro, whose father, Ray, played

beach and have a bonfire, but I figured nobody in L.A. would know what it is,” he said. “So instead I had a private pool party with a bunch of family and friends.”

Hoggan got a second look at the Cup on its way to Manitoba. Living in Omaha, the largest city in the Cornhusker State, Hoggan thought it would be appropriate to get a photo of the Cup in the cornfields – an appropriate allusion to baseball’s Field Of Dreams (which was set in neighboring Iowa).

“In Omaha, I organized a game on ice with a bunch of old-school guys, plus hometown players like Jed Ortmeyer, who plays for San Antonio, and Warren Peters, who played in Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton last season,” Hoggan said.

Brennan Evans took the Calder Cup golfing when it showed up in Edmonton, Alberta. “I had it atop the golfcart for 18 holes,” he said. “It didn’t help my game. I played brutal.”

His original plan was to take the Cup out on the water. “We had the boat and the lake, but I felt like the repercussions of dropping it in the lake would outweigh the pictures,” he said. “I’d have felt pretty bad if I had dunked the trophy in the lake because it’s so heavy.”

Instead, Evans held a big party at his house with family and friends. He took a few pictures of his newborn daughter, Vera, in the Cup. Family and friends also celebrated with Nathan Paetsch when he welcomed the Cup to Spencerport, N.Y. “We got a big tent and a bounce house for the kids, and it was a lot of fun,” he said.

18 seasons in the NHL and never got close to winning the Stanley Cup. “It was a lot of fun sharing it with everyone.”

Ferraro also brought the Cup to the Burnaby Winter Club, where he had played hockey growing up. “We took it there for a couple of hours, and there were a couple of kids’ camps going on, so that was fun. Then we went to my dad’s place and had a barbecue with friends and family.”

He enjoyed his time with the Cup but was more than happy to send it to its next destination.

“By the end of the day, I was ready to ship it to California,” he said. “Carrying it around all day is a lot of work. That thing is not light.”

In Southern California, the cup was delivered to Mitch Callahan, who thought the Calder Cup could use some sun. “I was going to take it to the Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

35

Kellen, who will be three in December, was a bit dismayed when his dad sent the Cup on its way. “He asked, ‘Daddy, where’s your big, big trophy?’ He expected me to keep it the whole time.

“So now we have to win it again this year or my son will be very disappointed.”

Griffins equipment manager Brad Thompson held a Sunday afternoon picnic at Johnson Park for family and friends in late August. Some 300 people, including WOOD-TV weekend anchor Larry Figurski, showed up for hot dogs and brats.

Although his family had come to Syracuse to see him win the Cup, Paetsch said it was “extremely special” to be able to celebrate the championship with them at home. His son, Kellen, was especially excited. “He got up for a week after, saying, ‘Mommy, mommy, daddy won the Cup,” Paetsch said.

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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“It was pretty laidback – wear your T-shirt and shorts and just hang out,” Thompson said. “My dad came up from Indiana and I caught up with a lot of buddies from high school.”

Two weeks later, Thompson reunited with another high school buddy, Jim Heintzelman, a former Griffins assistant equipment manager who is now with the Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.

The Wyoming Park High School graduates brought hockey’s most hallowed hardware to Osgood Brewing in Grandville.

“I don’t now if both Cups had ever been in the same place at the same time because of two buddies who had gone to high school together,” Thompson said, “but we always told each other it was something we were going to do it if ever happened.

“The whole experience was surreal. I remember looking back at the Cups and all the people, and it was just hard to believe.”

JOIN THE

GRIFFINS KIDS CLUB!

Membership for kids 12 and under includes: • Official Kids Club t-shirt • Free ticket to a Griffins game • Members-only Kids Club parties • Monthly newsletters and contests • Only $15 to join • Free VIP wristband • And more!

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For more information, visit the Griffins Kids Club Booth located at the top of the stairs near section 101, go to griffinshockey.com, email kidsclub@griffinshockey.com or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 3161

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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2013-14

ROSTER

5

ADAM ALMQUIST

Defenseman 5-11, 178 lbs.

Born: 2/27/91 Huskvarna, Sweden

31

LOUIS-MARC AUBRY

Goaltender 6-5, 235 lbs.

Born: 11/5/91 Perth, Ont.

27 Forward 6-0, 205 lbs.

Born: 10/5/93 Pelhrimov, Czech Republic

MITCH CALLAHAN

Defenseman 6-4, 230 lbs.

Born: 1/6/82 North Battleford, Sask.

LUKE GLENDENING

Forward 5-11, 195 lbs.

Born: 4/28/89 Grand Rapids, Mich.

8

WILLIE COETZEE

Forward 6-0, 195 lbs.

Born: 8/17/91 Whittier, Calif.

Forward 5-10, 185 lbs.

Born: 11/7/90 Johannesburg, South Africa

20

29 BRENNAN EVANS

33 MARTIN FRK

15 15

Forward 6-4, 213 lbs.

Born: 11/11/91 Arthabaska, Que.

44 JARED COREAU

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22

LANDON FERRARO Forward 6-0, 182 lbs.

Born: 8/8/91 Trail, B.C.

GLEASON FOURNIER Defenseman 6-0, 195 lbs.

Born: 9/8/91 Rimouski, Que.

10

23 TRISTON GRANT

Forward 6-1, 218 lbs.

Born: 2/2/84 Neepawa, Man.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

JEFF HOGGAN Forward 6-1, 190 lbs.

Born: 2/1/78 Hope, B.C.

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2013 Calder Cup Champions – Grand Rapids Griffins Adam Almquist Joakim Andersson Louis-Marc Aubry Chad Billins Mitch Callahan Danny DeKeyser Brennan Evans Landon Ferraro Gleason Fournier

Luke Glendening Triston Grant Jeff Hoggan Tomas Jurco Brian Lashoff Jan Mursak Andrej Nestrasil Gustav Nyquist Nathan Paetsch

Francis Pare Teemu Pulkkinen Riley Sheahan Brett Skinner Tomas Tatar Tom McCollum (G) Petr Mrazek (G) Jordan Pearce (G)

CADILLAC

CHARLEVOIX

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To another remarkable season.

Good Luck to the 2013 Calder Cup Champions, may it be another victorious journey in the 2013 - 2014 season. Fox Motors is a proud sponsor of the Grand Rapids GriďŹƒns.

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12

CALLE JARNKROK

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Forward 6-0, 188 lbs.

Born: 9/25/91 Gavle, Sweden

30

NICK JENSEN

Defenseman 6-1, 193 lbs.

Born: 9/21/90 Rogers, Minn.

26 TOM MCCOLLUM

Forward 6-0, 200 lbs.

Born: 2/4/87 Pefferlaw, Ont.

13

ANDREJ NESTRASIL

Forward 6-3, 210 lbs.

Born: 2/2/91 Prague, Czech Republic

6 Forward 5-11, 185 lbs.

Born: 1/2/92 Vantaa, Finland

Forward 6-1, 200 lbs.

Born: 12/28/92 Kosice, Slovakia

Goaltender 6-1, 187 lbs.

Born: 2/14/92 Ostrava, Czech Republic

XAVIER OUELLET

Defenseman 6-0, 200 lbs.

Born: 7/29/93 Bayonne, France

7 RILEY SHEAHAN

Forward 6-2, 215 lbs.

12/7/91 St. Catharines, Ont.

ALEXEY MARCHENKO Defenseman 6-2, 212 lbs.

Born: 1/2/92 Moscow, Russia

RICHARD NEDOMLEL

Defenseman 6-5, 228 lbs.

Born: 7/1/93 Jablonec nad Nisou, Czech Republic

4

16

Forward 5-11, 185 lbs.

Born: 9/1/89 Halmstad, Sweden

3

42 PETR MRAZEK

GUSTAV NYQUIST

19 TEEMU PULKKINEN

TOMAS JURCO

34 DAVID MCINTYRE

Goaltender 6-2, 215 lbs.

Born: 12/7/89 Cambria, N.Y.

11

28

NATHAN PAETSCH Defenseman 6-0, 195 lbs.

Born: 3/30/83 LeRoy, Sask.

39 RYAN SPROUL

Defenseman 6-4, 205 lbs.

Born: 1/13/93 Toronto, Ont.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

MAREK TVRDON Forward 6-2, 215 lbs.

Born: 1/31/93 Nitra, Slovakia

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GROWTH POTENTIAL

Red Wings prospect Martin Frk has a lot of what hockey scouts call upside.

To realize his potential, he will have to listen, learn and labor his way through the development process.

Story by Mark Newman People are not born hockey players any more than people are born artists, writers or doctors. Some people may be naturally more creative or think more scientifically than others, but ultimately it’s experience – perseverance, practice and purpose – that allows one to rise in a chosen profession.

As a top prospect of the Detroit Red Wings, Martin Frk has a lot of natural ability. Ask Frk (pronounced ferk) about his cannon-like shot and he will tell you that he has no explanation for it, almost as if he was born with a hockey stick in his hands and could blast pucks through the back of the net at birth.

“I don’t really know,” Frk said. “I didn’t do anything special – nothing at all. It just came like that.”

Frk wasn’t born with skates on his feet, but he came close.

Growing up in the Czech Republic, he went skating on a lake with his father for the first time when he was only 2-1/2 years old. His first practice was when he was three, and he 42

didn’t exactly embrace the notion of playing organized hockey.

“My dad said I didn’t like it,” Frk chuckled.

“When my parents bought my first gear, they said I didn’t like wearing it because I only liked skating in my pants, which is kind of funny now. Fortunately, I got to like hockey as I got older.”

His skills continued to progress the more he played. One would assume his shot improved with time and strength, but Frk cannot specify anything out of the ordinary that would explain his ability to already shoot the puck with pro-caliber authority.

He admits that he spent a lot of time studying other players. “When I was in the rink, I liked to watch the older guys,” he said.

“It was fun for me to see what they did on the ice.”

In time, others started watching Frk. At age 16, he was the leading scorer for HC Karlovy Vary in the Czech Extraliga and he skated for the Czech Republic in the Under-18 World

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

Championship, drawing the attention of scouts from Canadian junior hockey teams.

When the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League drafted him in 2010, he jumped at the chance to come to North America.

“I told my parents I wanted to go and try to someday make the NHL,” Frk recalled.

The move wasn’t the easiest. “I didn’t speak English at all,” said Frk, who on top of his linguistic liability lost a tooth after taking a snapshot in the face. “The first half of the season was kind of hard because I didn’t know what to do.” Still, he finished as Halifax’s second-leading scorer with 22 goals and 50 points as a rookie.

His second season in 2011-12 presented a different challenge. He suffered a concussion when he was elbowed in the head during a preseason game while attempting a spin-orama. He missed almost half of the season, then took a while to return to form.

“I couldn’t do anything for three months, so I wasn’t in any shape to play,” he said. “I found out really quick that I wasn’t like I had been in training camp. Everything seemed way faster.”

Fortunately, he showed no residual effects of

post-concussion syndrome. He finished with 16 goals and 29 points in only 34 games, but the missed time dampened the enthusiasm of scouting reports that had Frk as a potential top-10 NHL draft pick.

Passed over by every team in the first round of the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Frk was selected in the second round by Detroit with the Red Wings’ first pick (49th overall).

Frk was determined to show the Wings that they had made the right choice. Everything came together last season, his third and final year in Halifax, when he played on the Mooseheads’ top line alongside center Nathan MacKinnon and winger Jonathan Drouin.

MacKinnon was the No. 1 overall pick by Colorado in this year’s draft while Drouin went No. 3 overall to Tampa Bay. “I played with probably the best two players in the Q league, so it was kind of easy for me,” Frk said. “I couldn’t have had a better year.”

Frk had 35 goals and 84 points in 56 games during the regular season, many coming off his blistering shot that was often set up

by Drouin (41 goals and 105 points in 49 games) and/or MacKinnon (32 goals and 75 points in 44 games).

Frk won the 2013 Memorial Cup with the Halifax Mooseheads.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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Basically, the trio was unstoppable.

“I just tried to stay somewhere in the slot and wait for the puck to come to me,” he said. “I would listen to them most of the time because I wanted to make them happy. When everyone is happy on the line, you’re going to play better.”

The Mooseheads won the President Cup as the playoff champion of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, sweeping all 12 games in the three rounds. Halifax absolutely dominated the first two rounds, outscoring its opponents 46-9.

Halifax went on to win the 2013 Memorial Cup, the four-team round-robin tournament that also featured the London Knights, champions of the Ontario Hockey League; the Portland Winterhawks, champions of the Western Hockey League; and the host Saskatoon Blades.

“We had a great team that played amazing the whole year,” Frk said. “We never stressed about winning because we didn’t lose too many games. Even in the playoffs, we only lost one game.”

His highlights included setting franchise records with five goals and eight points in an 11-1 QMJHL playoff victory over St. John’s, then scoring a hat trick and an assist in a 9-2

Memorial Cup trouncing of London. “It was amazing,” he said of his eight-point night.

“When I started getting all those points, they just kept passing it to me so I could get more and more, and I had the best game of my life.”

Still, Frk was often overshadowed by his highly touted teammates. He insists it never bothered him. “I didn’t care,” he said. “I knew they were good, and for me, it was just perfect because someday I will look back and be able to say I played with them.”

Of course, Frk knows things may not be so easy this season, but his motivation has never been higher. “I’m very excited for my first pro season,” he said. “It will be a big step from junior hockey, but hopefully I will do well and our team will do well, too.”

He knows he has work to do. Although scouts have praised his tools – his shot, his hands, his vision, his strength on the puck – they feel he needs to improve his conditioning, his skating and his defense.

Frk was tired after a long season, but he went back to the Czech Republic this summer for only a couple of weeks before heading to Montreal, where he trained alongside several NHL players including skaters Martin Havlat, Milan Michalek and Michael Frolik and goalies Marc-Andre Fleury and Ondrej Pavelec.

Detroit used its first pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft to select Frk in the second round.

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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www.mackenzies.info

“I spent a lot of time in the gym,” said Frk, who is striving to improve his core strength and foot speed. My legs don’t always go like they’re supposed to go. I have to be ready for the season.”

His defensive play is likely to be a work-inprogress. “With the Mooseheads, we didn’t have to worry too much about defense – it was all offense,” he said. “Now I might be on the third line in Grand Rapids, so I will have to learn to play defense more. That’s my job now.”

Griffins head coach Jeff Blashill is confident that Frk is up to the challenge, but concedes it might take time.

“He’s very competitive,” Blashill said. “He wants to be a good player and with that, he’s hard on himself. He will have to learn to work through the frustration that it’s harder to have success in pro than in junior hockey.”

Blashill believes the AHL will be a good test for Frk. “He came from a line that had three great players and every night they had the puck all the time. Now he’s going to have to learn how to create the same offense, but in tighter areas and against tighter checking, and that will be a

process,” Blashill said. “For Frk to improve, he’s going to have to stay with it.”

Like every AHL rookie, Frk will learn the value of forechecking and backchecking – in essence, the importance of playing both ends of ice.

“Everybody needs to learn to be a little bit better defensively as they move up every level, and he’s no different,” Blashill said. “He’s highly competitive with lots of ability, and I think he’s going to be a very good player in the end. How fast his adjustment will be, we’ll see.”

Frk hopes to be a quick study. “Everyone knows the Red Wings have the best organization. They know what they’re doing with their young guys when they send them to Grand Rapids and let them play a couple of years here,” he said.

“I’m happy to be here.

If the coach tells me to do something, I’ll do it. You have to learn as fast as you can.”

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

LIFE FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC CENTRES

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

HUNGRY for SUCCESS Story and Photos by Mark Newman

Now in his second season with the Griffins, Red Wings prospect Tomas Jurco is craving an opportunity to play in Detroit.

Tomas Jurco is one hungry hockey player.

In the figurative sense, the hunger alludes to his appetite for competition, his push to play in the NHL someday. In a literal sense, it means he misses his mother’s cooking.

For Jurco, being thousands of miles from his home in Slovakia is the same as being a long way from a good meal.

He’s learning to play hockey in the tighter rinks of North America, but he struggles with the tightening he feels in his stomach when he thinks of going months without his mother’s szegedin gulás and knedl’a (Slovak stew and dumpling), zemiakové placky (potato pancakes), jaternica (sausage) or kapustnica (sauerkraut soup).

“I miss it, for sure,” he said. “When I come home, she puts everything on the table, and I like anything my mom cooks. Now when she reads this, she will be so proud that she will go

into the kitchen and cook something, even if there is no one home.”

At age 20, Jurco knows he has time to get bigger and stronger. With his mother’s help, he was able to add several pounds this past summer. “I came into training camp at 202, but then three weeks later, I’m back at 196 because, to be honest, I don’t like the food here. It’s hard for me to get bigger and stronger if I can’t put on weight.”

But when you have a craving to play in the National Hockey League, you do whatever it takes.

Jurco, who grew up in Kosice, Slovakia, has had NHL dreams for almost as long as he can remember, although he might never have become a hockey player had it not been for his older sister, Petra.

“My parents took us to the rink to sign up my sister for hockey,” he recalled. “It didn’t go well because they didn’t have any female leagues, but they told my parents that if I wanted to play, I could come tomorrow for practice. So we came back the next day, and I guess I liked it.”

“Liked” is putting it lightly. He played the game zealously, often outdoors with Petra and her friends, who were five years older.

“I was like 5, 6, 7 and could barely hold my stick. I was always the youngest one and they

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

49

Jurco was Detroit’s first choice (35th overall) in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

didn’t want to play with me because I wasn’t good,” he said. “But my sister said, ‘I’m not playing unless he’s playing.’ So they always took me, which was really nice.”

Petra became like the brother he never had. They were inseparable. Other kids had joysticks; they had hockey sticks. They played together and got in trouble together.

“I remember one time when we broke a window,” he said. “We were living in an apartment, like most families in Slovakia, and we were playing with a tennis ball in our room.

My sister shot it, and I think it might have tipped off my stick because it bounced and cracked the window.

“We tried to hide it so our mom wouldn’t see it because we knew she would be really mad. We put some flowers in the way, and I think we were able to hide it for about a week before she found it. At the time, she was pretty mad. Now, it’s a good memory.”

Jurco flashed back on those childhood memories in the midst of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, when his sister was a member of Slovakia’s women’s hockey team and he was playing his first year in North America.

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They were on opposite ends of the continent – he was playing for the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League – but he couldn’t have felt closer to her.

“The time difference was less than if I had been home in Slovakia,” he said. “I remember watching late at night, and it was cool to see her play in an NHL arena in front of 20,000 people.”

Thanks to his sister’s dutiful support, Jurco’s skill set was usually ahead of the other boys his age. It helped that he was slavishly devoted to improving his play, even when he wasn’t on the ice.

“I’d sit on top of my bed with my stick, so if the puck fell, it wouldn’t make that much noise because my parents would get mad with all the banging,” he said. “I’d lean against the bed, the wall next to me. Sometimes it was hard not to hit the wall with the puck. It would leave marks and my mom would get mad. But the more I practiced, the better and better I got until there were less marks and less noise, too.”

He enjoyed watching hockey clips on his computer, becoming especially fond of a certain young player in Pittsburgh. Jurco was 12 going on 13 when Sidney Crosby made his NHL debut.

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“I really liked him and the way he could do all these tricks,” Jurco said. “I started watching all these videos, and he made a big impact on me. I started making up my own tricks and kept doing it for a couple of years.”

By now, Jurco was playing with guys who were three or four years older. His stickhandling skills were improving and the tricks he could do with the puck were becoming increasingly impressive. One day, a friend came with his video camera, and they spent an hour recording the budding star in action.

The video was uploaded onto a Slovakian website and, much to Jurco’s chagrin, eventually found its way onto YouTube.

“I never meant to put myself on YouTube,” he said. “I was pretty surprised when it became so popular, but it got to be embarrassing because guys thought I had put myself out there, and that’s not me.”

He started feeling like he had become a sideshow. When someone called him a clown, he knew the tricks had to stop. “I said, ‘That’s enough. I’m not in the circus. I’m a hockey

player.’ Things got to be too much about YouTube and not enough about hockey. I’m not like those basketball players from the Harlem Globetrotters.”

Playing in a hockey-mad country like Canada would only heighten the hullabaloo.

Coming to North America was something that Jurco had been thinking about for a long time. “It wasn’t a hard decision for me; it was probably harder on my parents,” he said. The adjustment, however, wasn’t so easy.

Communication was difficult at best – he learned English in school, but it was the British form and people spoke too fast – and he missed his mother’s cooking.

On the ice, Jurco adapted quickly. After a slow start, he finished his first year in Saint John with 26 goals. He tallied 31 goals in 60 games during his second season and 30 goals in 48 games in his third. His team won the QMJHL’s President Cup in back-to-back seasons while appearing in the league finals for three consecutive years.

After the Sea Dogs won the Memorial Cup in 2011 as the top junior team in Canada, it was

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

expected that Jurco would be among the top picks in the NHL Entry Draft. Many scouting reports projected him to be a first-rounder.

“I was really hoping someone would pick me in the first round, so I could go on stage and put on the jersey,” he said. “When my name didn’t come, we went back to the hotel, and it was hard for me to sleep because being drafted in the first round had been my dream. I was disappointed.”

As it turned out, it was a blessing in disguise.

“On the second day, I got picked early by Detroit. It was my sister’s favorite team when she was young – she used to love Yzerman – so it was pretty exciting for my family.

“Just being drafted was exciting, especially being from Slovakia. There aren’t too many players that get drafted from our country.”

He came to Grand Rapids last season, eager to shed the image of being a viral video sensation. But he struggled early, was a healthy scratch twice, and doubters began to question his ability.

“When I had my struggles during the beginning, I know some people were saying

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Jurco tallied three game-winning goals during the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs.

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After a slow start, Jurco became one of the Griffins’ most dangerous players in the second half of last season.

‘he’s just a YouTube guy’ and that made me mad,” he said. “I knew I had to prove I could be a good hockey player.”

Sitting in the stands when he was healthy only stoked his competitive fires.

“It was really frustrating for me because I’m not the type of guy who says, ‘I’m young, I don’t have to play.’ I always want to play and I always want to be the best, even if I’m playing on the best team,” Jurco said. “So the first few months were really hard.”

Griffins head coach Jeff Blashill wasn’t completely surprised.

“Jurco came in a really confident player but probably didn’t know how to play to be successful in pro hockey – he had to learn it,” Blashill said. “In the process, his confidence got chipped away a bit. As you’re struggling, that happens.”

A few meetings with Blashill gave Jurco some direction. “We talked a lot,” Jurco said.

“Blash is a great coach. He tells you what you have to improve to play for him. It’s good for players to know exactly what they need to do better.”

He can’t pinpoint a particular game, but it was sometime in February – possibly when his buddy 54

Andrej Nestrasil rejoined the Griffins from Toledo – that things started to click for Jurco.

“Jurco listened and bought into the process,” Blashill said. “He worked on the things that he needed to do to get better and in the end, I thought he emerged as one of our most dangerous players during the second half, especially when we lost (Gustav) Nyquist, (Joakim) Andersson and (Tomas) Tatar.”

Looking back, Jurco thinks he might have been too tentative at first.

“I was afraid to make turnovers,” he said. “I was playing too easy and that’s not my style of hockey. I like to play with the puck. I have to make plays. When I don’t have the puck, I’m not good. So I started carrying the puck a little more and really paying attention to winning every battle. Luckily, I started playing well and finished strong.”

In March, Jurco recorded his first two-goal game. In April, he scored four goals in a sevengame stretch. In the Calder Cup Playoffs, he had eight goals, which was third best on the team.

“His learning curve was great,” Blashill said.

“He was as improved as any player we had, and he was only 20 years old – a lot of his peers were still playing junior hockey.”

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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Jurco was thrilled to win the Calder Cup in his rookie season, but on the plane trip back from Syracuse, he looked miserable. He was battling the effects of a badly infected elbow.

“I felt terrible, watching everyone celebrating,” Jurco said. “I know how it feels to win and I wanted to be able to celebrate with the team, but I couldn’t. My elbow was sore, I felt cold and I had a bad headache. I wanted to be happy, but I had the worst couple of days.”

Jurco stayed in Grand Rapids a couple of extra days until the doctors were sure that he was improving. He was glad to get home – glad to be eating his mom’s cooking again – but now he is eager to continue his career trajectory.

Blashill is confident that Jurco is up for the task.

“He’s got skills that other guys don’t have,” Blashill said. “He’s got a chance to be a top-six forward in the NHL, and very few guys get that opportunity. What he has to do now is take his play and turn it into production on a consistent basis without sacrificing anything from his defense or team game. That’s the challenge of learning to be a go-to guy.

“He’s going to face the other team’s best defenders on a more regular basis, and he’s going to have to learn to be successful while facing those guys. Tatar learned it. Nyquist learned it. Now he’s going to learn it, and that’s going to be the next step in his maturation process.”

Jurco is ready for the challenge.

“I’m hoping to be a leader on the ice,” he said. “I want to have a good year and, to be honest, play a couple of games with the Red Wings. That’s my dream, and I feel I’m more ready than I was last year. I want to play there one day; that’s why I’m here.”

Jurco knows he has to be patient.

“Obviously, I’m only 20 and although I’ll be 21 soon, I’m still young,” he said. But getting a taste of the NHL would be like icing on the cake – and almost as good as mom’s cooking.

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NEW SEASON, NEW TWISTS New teams and new events will highlight the AHL’s 2013-14 slate.

The 78th season of the American Hockey League will offer a pair of new teams in familiar cities, two outdoor games, participation in two special events with an international flair, and the return of a test rule that will be implemented by both the NHL and the AHL. In other words, the 2013-14 season should be doubly good.

The AHL welcome the Iowa Wild, who play in Des Moines as the top development team of the NHL’s Minnesota Wild, and the Utica Comets, who hit the ice in New York as the primary affiliate of the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks. The clubs effectively replace teams in Houston and Peoria.

Both cities have had previous affiliations to the AHL. Des Moines and the Wells Fargo Arena were home to the Iowa Stars, the affiliate of the Dallas Stars, from 2005 until 2008, and the Iowa Chops, the farm team of the Anaheim Ducks, during the 2008-09 season. The Utica Memorial Auditorium hosted the Utica Devils, New Jersey’s affiliate, from 1987 through 1993.

The head coach of the Utica Comets is Travis Green, who played 14 seasons in the NHL before becoming a coach in the junior hockey ranks. He was most recently the assistant general manager and interim head coach of the Portland Winterhawks, the Memorial Cup runner-up.

The Iowa Wild, meanwhile, are led by head coach Kurt Kleinendorst, who previously helmed AHL teams in Lowell (2006-09) and Binghamton (2010-12), winning the Calder Cup in 2011. Although drafted by the New York Rangers, he never played in the NHL. Kleinendorst played professionally for teams in Germany, Finland and the Netherlands.

International experience could come in handy for those chosen for the coaching staff of the 2014 AHL All-Star Classic which will be held in St. John’s, Newfoundland, on Feb. 11-12 and will feature a special international twist.

Taking place just prior to the start of the men’s Olympic hockey tournament, the 2014 AHL 58

All-Star Classic will see a team of AHL All-Stars face off against Färjestad BK, one of the top professional teams in the Swedish Elite League (SEL), in the two-day event (skills competition and AHL All-Star Game).

The 2014 AHL All-Star Classic will mark the first time ever that an SEL team has competed in North America. Founded in 1932 and based in the city of Karlstad, Sweden, Färjestad BK is one of the most successful franchises in all of European hockey, having played in 19 league finals and won nine Swedish league championships, including four since 2002.

Also on the international front, the Rochester Americans will take a 12-day break from the AHL schedule to participate in the prestigious Spengler Cup tournament in Davos, Switzerland, from Dec. 26-31. This will mark only the second time that an AHL club has been invited to take part in the annual event, which began in 1923; the Americans skated to a third-place finish in 1996.

Rochester will also take part in one of the two outdoor games on the 2013-14 AHL schedule; the defending Calder Cup champion Grand Rapids Griffins will participate in the other.

On Dec. 13, the Americans will host the Lake Erie Monsters at Frontier Field to kick off the Frozen Frontier in Rochester, New York. Less than three weeks later on Dec. 30, the Griffins will take on the Toronto Marlies at Comerica Park in Detroit as part of the Hockeytown Winter Festival leading up to the 2014 NHL Winter Classic.

Besides the outdoor game in Detroit, seven NHL arenas – Montreal’s Bell Centre, Washington’s Verizon Center, Toronto’s Air Canada Centre, Buffalo’s First Niagara Center, Raleigh’s PNC Arena, Ottawa’s Canadian Tire Centre and Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center – are scheduled to host AHL action this season.

The Griffins and Americans will clash at the home of the Buffalo Sabres on Feb. 8.

In operation since 1936, the AHL continues to serve as the top development league for all 30 NHL teams. More than 87 percent of today’s NHL players are American Hockey League

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

graduates, including 630 on the NHL’s openingday rosters.

Among the notable AHL players making the jump this year are four Griffins who began the season on the parent Detroit Red Wings’ active roster: Joakim Andersson, Danny DeKeyser, Brian Lashoff and 2013 Calder Cup Playoff MVP Tomas Tatar.

Tyler Johnson, who won the Les Cunningham Award as the AHL’s most valuable player last season, opened the 2013-14 campaign on the Tampa Bay Lightning’s roster alongside several other former Syracuse Crunch teammates, including Richard Panik, Ondrej Palat, Mark Barberio and Radko Gudas.

Chris Brown, who led all AHL rookies with 29 goals for the Portland Pirates last year, started the 2013-14 season with the Phoenix Coyotes.

Meanwhile, 2013 AHL All-Rookie defenseman Sami Vatanen made the roster of Anaheim Ducks and Second Team AHL All-Star goaltender Curtis McElhinney stuck with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

One final twist for 2013-14 is the return of a rule that was tried last season with great success.

On Oct. 1, AHL President and CEO David

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Andrews announced that the AHL’s Board of Governors had approved the implementation of hybrid icing beginning with the 2013-14 season.

Hybrid icing was used in the AHL for the duration of the NHL lockout in 2012-13, but was discontinued once the National Hockey League resumed play in order to maintain a consistent application of the rule in both leagues. It was used again in both leagues during the 2013 preseason.

“We are pleased to see the National Hockey League and the NHLPA adopt the hybrid icing rule that was successfully implemented in the AHL last season,” said AHL President and CEO David Andrews. “We join with the NHL and the NHLPA in believing that this rule will reduce an unnecessary risk of injury and make our game safer for our players.”

AHL Rule 82.1 (Icing) now states that on a potential icing play, at the instant the first player in pursuit of the puck reaches the end-zone faceoff dots, the linesman will determine which player would be the first to reach the puck and either whistle or wave off the icing infraction at that point.

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(Through 2012-13)

GRIFFINS RECORDS

GRIFFINS ALL-TIME LEADERS

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GAMES PLAYED Travis Richards............................................. 655 Michel Picard................................................ 364 Francis Pare................................................... 363 Jamie Tardif................................................... 316 Derek Meech................................................. 304 Ryan Oulahen................................................ 302 Darryl Bootland............................................ 293 Logan Pyett.................................................... 288 Matt Ellis........................................................ 282 Dave Van Drunen......................................... 280

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GOALS Michel Picard................................................ 158 Francis Pare................................................... 102 Tomas Tatar.................................................... 87 Jamie Tardif..................................................... 78 Kip Miller......................................................... 75 Derek King....................................................... 73 Darryl Bootland.............................................. 72 Matt Ellis.......................................................... 69 Jiri Hudler........................................................ 65 Tomas Kopecky............................................... 63

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ASSISTS Michel Picard................................................ 222 Travis Richards............................................. 182 Francis Pare................................................... 135 Kip Miller....................................................... 133 Derek King..................................................... 130 Jiri Hudler...................................................... 114 Tomas Tatar.................................................. 109 Glen Metropolit.............................................. 88 Jeff Nelson........................................................ 87 Matt Ellis.......................................................... 84

GRIFFINS’ ALL-TIME LEADERS IN GOALTENDING WINS

SINGLE-SEASON TOP TEN

GOALS 1. Donald MacLean...........*56......................2005-06 2. Michel Picard..................46......................1996-97 3. Jiri Hudler........................36......................2005-06 4. Mark Mowers..................34......................2002-03 Jeff Nelson........................34......................1996-97 6. Slava Butsayev.................33......................2000-01 Michel Picard..................33......................1999-00 8. Jeremy Williams..............32......................2009-10 Tomas Kopecky...............32......................2005-06 Michel Picard..................32......................2002-03 Derek King.......................32......................2000-01 ASSISTS 1. Jiri Hudler........................60......................2005-06 2. Jeff Nelson........................55......................1996-97 Michel Picard..................55......................1996-97 4. Glen Metropolit..............53......................1998-99 5. Michel Picard..................52......................2002-03 6. Derek King.......................51......................2000-01 7. Valtteri Filppula..............50......................2005-06 8. Darren Haydar................49......................2008-09 9. Eric Manlow....................48......................2005-06 Stacy Roest.......................48......................2002-03 POINTS 1. Michel Picard................101......................1996-97 2. Jiri Hudler........................96......................2005-06 3. Jeff Nelson........................89......................1996-97 4. Donald MacLean.............88......................2005-06 5. Michel Picard..................84......................2002-03 6. Derek King.....................*83......................2000-01 7. Mark Mowers..................81......................2002-03 Glen Metropolit..............81......................1998-99 9. Darren Haydar................80......................2008-09 10. Eric Manlow....................73......................2005-06 PENALTY MINUTES 1. Darryl Bootland............390......................2005-06 2. Matt Ruchty...................364......................1996-97 3. Chris Neil.......................354......................2000-01 4. Wade Brookbank..........337......................2001-02 5. Darryl Bootland............336......................2004-05 6. Darcy Simon..................327......................1996-97 7. Peter Vandermeer.........310......................2004-05 Bruce Ramsay................310......................1997-98 9. Bruce Ramsay................306......................1996-97 10. Chris Neil.......................301......................1999-00 *Led League

JOEY MacDONALD JIMMY HOWARD MIKE FOUNTAIN MARC LAMOTHE TOM MCCOLLUM DANIEL LARSSON

(109) (90) (55) (54) (45) (45)

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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NHL AFFILIATIONS

Ottawa Senators 1999-2002, Detroit Red Wings 2002-Present

SEASON RECORDS (IHL 1996-2001, AHL 2001- Present)

YEAR GP 1996-97 82 1997-98 82 1998-99 82 1999-00 82 2000-01 82 2001-02 80 2002-03 80 2003-04 80 2004-05 80 2005-06 80 2006-07 80 2007-08 80 2008-09 80 2009-10 80 2010-11 80 2011-12 76 2012-13* 76 * Won Calder Cup 68

W 40 38 34 51 53 42 48 44 41 55 37 31 43 34 36 33 42

L 30 31 40 22 22 27 22 28 35 20 32 41 25 39 34 32 26

T OTL SOL PTS GF - - 12 92 244 - - 13 89 225 - - 8 76 256 - - 9 111 254 - 4 3 113 279 11 0 - 95 217 8 2 - 106 240 8 0 - 96 195 - 2 2 86 200 - 1 4 115 323 - 6 5 85 226 - 2 6 70 210 - 6 6 98 255 - 3 4 75 244 - 2 8 82 227 - 7 4 77 245 -- 4 4 92 234

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

GA 246 242 281 200 196 178 177 166 200 247 244 245 226 265 254 249 205

FINISH 10 of 19 11 of 18 15 of 16 2 of 13 1 of 11 4 of 27 2 of 27 5 of 28 17 of 28 1 of 27 17 of 27 25 of 29 8 of 29 26 of 29 23 of 30 24 of 30 7 of 30

(* = Led League) SCORING 1996-97.......Michel Picard......................... 101 points 1997-98.......Michel Picard........................... 69 points 1998-99.......Glen Metropolit....................... 81 points 1999-00.......Michel Picard........................... 68 points 2000-01.......Derek King.............................. 83 points* 2001-02.......Kip Miller................................ 56 points 2002-03.......Michel Picard........................... 84 points 2003-04.......Michel Picard........................... 54 points 2004-05.......Niklas Kronwall....................... 53 points 2005-06.......Jiri Hudler............................... 96 points 2006-07.......Kip Miller................................ 72 points 2007-08.......Carl Corazzini.......................... 60 points 2008-09.......Darren Haydar......................... 80 points 2009-10.......Jeremy Williams...................... 63 points 2010-11.......Ilari Filppula ........................... 64 points 2011-12.........Jamie Johnson /Gustav Nyquist/

Tomas Tatar............................ 58 points 2012-13........ Gustav Nyquist.............................60 points GOALS 1996-97.......Michel Picard..................................... 46 1997-98.......Michel Picard..................................... 28 1998-99.......Glen Metropolit................................. 28 1999-00.......Michel Picard..................................... 33 2000-01.......Slava Butsayev.................................. 33 2001-02.......Petr Schastlivy................................... 22 2002-03.......Mark Mowers.................................... 34 2003-04.......Kevin Miller....................................... 27 2004-05.......Eric Manlow...................................... 21 2005-06.......Donald MacLean................................ 56* 2006-07.......Matt Ellis........................................... 26 2007-08.......Carl Corazzini.................................... 24 2008-09.......Darren Haydar................................... 31 2009-10.......Jeremy Williams................................ 32 2010-11.......Jamie Tardif...................................... 27 2011-12.......Tomas Tatar...................................... 24 2012-13.......Landon Ferraro.................................. 24

PENALTY MINUTES 1996-97.......Matt Ruchty.................................... 364 1997-98.......Bruce Ramsay.................................. 310 1998-99.......Jared Bednar................................... 220 1999-00.......Chris Neil......................................... 301 2000-01.......Chris Neil......................................... 354 2001-02.......Wade Brookbank............................. 337 2002-03.......Ryan Barnes.................................... 151 2003-04.......Ryan Barnes, Darryl Bootland........... 175 2004-05.......Darryl Bootland............................... 336 2005-06.......Darryl Bootland............................... 390 2006-07.......Darryl Bootland............................... 222 2007-08.......Kyle Quincey.................................... 149 2008-09.......Aaron Downey................................. 126 2009-10.......Paul Crosty...................................... 170 2010-11.......Greg Amadio................................... 230 2011-12.......Garnet Exelby.................................. 177 2012-13.......Triston Grant................................... 196 GOALTENDING WINS 1996-97.......Pokey Reddick........................(30-14-10) 1997-98.......Ian Gordon.............................. (23-16-4) 1998-99.......Neil Little................................ (18-21-5) 1999-00.......Jani Hurme.............................. (29-15-4) 2000-01.......Mike Fountain......................... (34-10-6) * 2001-02.......Martin Prusek............................ (18-8-5) 2002-03.......Marc Lamothe......................... (33-18-8) * 2003-04.......Joey MacDonald....................... (22-12-3) 2004-05.......Joey MacDonald....................... (34-29-2) 2005-06.......Jimmy Howard.......................... (27-6-2) 2006-07.......Jimmy Howard........................ (21-21-3) 2007-08.......Jimmy Howard........................ (21-28-2) 2008-09.......Daniel Larsson......................... (22-12-2) 2009-10.......Daniel Larsson ........................ (23-24-2) 2010-11.......Jordan Pearce.......................... (20-15-5) 2011-12.......Joey MacDonald....................... (11-11-3)

Tom McCollum......................... (11-16-0) 2012-13.......Petr Mrazek............................. (23-16-2)

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2013 AHL All-Star Petr Mrazek Photo by Alan Sullivan/AHL

2013 AHL All-Star Chad Billins Photo by Alan Sullivan/AHL

2012 AHL All-Star Gustav Nyquist

Photo by PhotoGraphics Photography/AHL

2010 AHL All-Star Patrick Rissmiller

Photo by Sports Action Photography/AHL

GRIFFINS ALL-STARS 1996-97

1997-98

1998-99 1999-00

2000-01

2001-02

2002-03 2003-04

2004-05 2005-06

2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13

Jeff Nelson, Michel Picard, Pokey Reddick Ian Gordon, Kerry Huffman, Michel Picard Robert Petrovicky, Maxim Spiridonov John Gruden, Jani Hurme, Kevin Miller, Petr Schastlivy Mike Fountain, Joel Kwiatkowski, Travis Richards, Todd White Chris Bala, John Gruden, Kip Miller, Martin Prusek, Petr Schastlivy Mark Mowers, Marc Lamothe Jiri Hudler, Niklas Kronwall, Travis Richards, Nathan Robinson Niklas Kronwall, Joey MacDonald Valtteri Filppula, Jiri Hudler, Donald MacLean Kip Miller, Derek Meech Jonathan Ericsson, Jimmy Howard Jakub Kindl, Daniel Larsson Patrick Rissmiller Ilari Filppula, Brendan Smith Gustav Nyquist Chad Billins, Petr Mrazek, Gustav Nyquist

2009 AHL All-Star Jakub Kindl

Photo by JustSports Photography/AHL

2013 AHL All-Star Gustav Nyquist Photo by Paul Yacovone III/AHL

2011 AHL All-Star Ilari Filppula

Photo by JustSports Photography/AHL

2009 AHL All-Star Daniel Larsson

Photo by JustSports Photography/AHL

PENALTY CALLS

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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Tickets

Van Andel Arena

VIP Glass

$32

DAY OF GAME $34

Lower Level Preferred

$26

$28

Lower Level Center Ice

$22

$24

Lower Level Faceoff

$18

$20

VIP Edge

$18

$20

Upper Level Preferred

$16

$18

Upper Level

$14

$16

ADVANCE

Suites & Hospitality Areas Call for pricing and availability

www.startickets.com or 616.222.4000 THE ZONE Located on the West side of Van Andel Arena ONLINE griffinshockey.com Seats may not be available in all price categories.

For season, game-plan and group ticket information, call 616.774.4585 or 1.800.2.HOCKEY.

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

Treating

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From concussion care to fractures and sprains, we’ll get you in quickly and back to your activities sooner.

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GRIFFINS IN THE NHL

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Pavol Demitra 3/17/97 STL at PHX Kevyn Adams 10/1/97 TOR vs. WSH Tyler Moss 10/28/97 CGY vs. PIT Michel Picard 1/6/98 STL at SJ Jeff Nelson 10/10/98 NSH vs. FLA Patrick Traverse 10/10/98 OTT at COL Mark Greig 1/7/99 PHI vs. NYI Radim Bicanek 2/1/99 OTT at VAN Robert Petrovicky 2/15/99 TB at NYI Andrei Vasilyev 3/5/99 PHX vs. DET Todd Hlushko 4/25/99 PIT vs. NJ Patrick Lalime 10/2/99 OTT at PHI Glen Metropolit 10/2/99 WSH at FLA Kevin Miller 10/31/99 OTT at ATL Karel Rachunek 10/31/99 OTT at ATL Erich Goldmann 11/11/99 OTT vs. NSH Yves Sarault 11/20/99 OTT at NJ John Gruden 11/30/99 OTT vs. CHI Mike Fountain 12/3/99 OTT at NJ Dave Van Drunen 12/13/99 OTT at TOR Petr Schastlivy 1/3/00 OTT vs. NJ John Emmons 1/6/00 OTT vs. PHX Slava Butsayev 1/28/00 OTT at BUF

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Neil Little 3/28/02 PHI at CAR Josh Langfeld 3/30/02 OTT vs. TB Gaetan Royer 4/1/02 TB vs. NYR Jason Spezza 10/24/02 OTT at BOS Sean Avery 10/29/02 DET vs. SJ Jason Doig 12/3/02 WSH at PIT Jason Williams 12/5/02 DET at PHX Patrick Boileau 12/19/02 DET vs. DAL Stacy Roest 2/20/03 DET vs. EDM Wade Brookbank 10/9/03 NSH vs. ANA Julien Vauclair 10/25/03 OTT at MTL Jiri Hudler 10/29/03 DET vs. STL Curtis Joseph 10/30/03 DET at NSH Darryl Bootland 11/8/03 DET vs. NSH Mark Mowers 11/19/03 DET vs. CBJ Nathan Robinson 11/28/03 DET vs. NYI Blake Sloan 12/4/03 DAL at LA Niklas Kronwall 12/10/03 DET at BUF Ryan Barnes 12/15/03 DET vs. FLA Chris Kelly 2/5/04 OTT vs. TOR Marc Lamothe 2/23/04 DET at EDM Anders Myrvold 2/26/04 DET at CGY Mathieu Chouinard 2/29/04 LA at ANA

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Brett Lebda 10/5/05 DET vs. STL Mark Eaton 10/5/05 NSH vs. SJ Chris Osgood 10/29/05 DET at CHI Kyle Quincey 11/25/05 DET at ANA Jimmy Howard 11/28/05 DET at LA Valtteri Filppula 12/15/05 DET at FLA Rob Collins 12/17/05 NYI vs. COL Manny Legace 1/5/06 DET vs. STL David Gove 1/31/06 CAR at MTL Tomas Kopecky 2/28/06 DET at SJ Alexandre Giroux 3/25/06 NYR at TB Joey MacDonald 10/19/06 DET at SJ Derek Meech 12/7/06 DET vs. STL Matt Ellis 12/18/06 DET at CBJ Matt Hussey 1/26/07 DET at STL Sheldon Brookbank 2/6/07 NSH at PIT Danny Syvret 2/27/07 EDM vs. PHX Mark Hartigan 11/29/07 DET vs. TB Drew MacIntyre 12/13/07 VAN at SJ Peter Vandermeer 2/10/08 PHX vs. NSH Jonathan Ericsson 2/22/08 DET at CGY Garrett Stafford 2/23/08 DET at VAN Darren Helm 3/13/08 DET vs. DAL

SINCE THEIR INCEPTION IN 1996, THE GRIFFINS HAVE SENT 131 PLAYERS TO THE NATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE, 15 OF WHOM HAVE GONE ON TO WIN THE STANLEY CUP. IN FACT, A GRIFFINS ALUMNUS HAS HAD HIS NAME ENGRAVED ON LORD STANLEY’S CHALICE IN FIVE OF THE LAST SIX YEARS AND IN SEVEN OF THE LAST NINE SEASONS. IN CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER, HERE ARE THE 20 GOALIES AND 111 SKATERS WHO HAVE WORN AN NHL SWEATER AFTER PLAYING FOR GRAND RAPIDS, ALONG WITH THE DATES OF THEIR NHL DEBUTS/RETURNS. 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 Bold = Played in the NHL during the 2012-13 season Italics = Had name engraved on the Stanley Cup after playing for Grand Rapids All photos by Getty Images except Niklas Kronwall (Dave Reginek).

Niklas Kronwall, 2008 Detroit

Kevyn Adams, 2006 Carolina

Mark Eaton, 2009 Pittsburgh

Chris Kelly, 2011 Boston

Tomas Kopecky, 2010 Chicago

Sheldon Brookbank, 2013 Chicago

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

KIDS

PAGE

A vibrant and colorful cast of characters won the Griffins’ first Calder Cup championship last season, under the leadership of captain Jeff Hoggan.

Relive the excitement of this incredible moment by using your favorite crayons, pencils, markers or paints to give this picture a splash of color.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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PARTING SHOT

SURREAL! Luke Glendening lifts the Calder after the Griffins win the championship.

Photo illustration by Mark Newman

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions

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