2013-14 SEASON • ISSUE NO. 3
TWO-WAY TALENT Cory Emmerton Returns After a Pair of Seasons With the Red Wings
OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS
WE’RE FANS OF THE GRIFFINS. WE’RE ALSO FANS OF THEIR FANS. At Huntington, our community comes first. And we’re proud to support the teams that represent it, like the Grand Rapids Griffins. We’re also proud to support the people in the stands.
The Huntington National Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. ¥ ® and Huntington® are federally registered service marks of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. Huntington.® Welcome.™ is a service mark of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. ©2013 Huntington Bancshares Incorporated.
derally mark of
Vol. 18, No. 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS STARTING LINEUP
24 POSITIVE ATTITUDE Cory Emmerton is determined to take his career day-by-day and continue to prove that he can be a valuable two-way player at the NHL level.
24
30 DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER The Grand Rapids Griffins f ed the Toronto Marlies in an outdoor game at Comerica Park that will be long remembered. 32 TAKING FLIGHT After two turbulent seasons, Andrej Nestrasil is finally s eering his career in the right direction. 43 MAKING THE GRADE Like most professional hockey players, David McIntyre is a student of the game. He’s more than willing to put in the hard work necessary to graduate to the next level. 51 MEDAL WINNER Former Griffin Youth Foundation player Andrea Stewart was a member of Team USA at the World University Games in Italy.
32
58 BROTHERLY LOVE Rockford’s Terry and Alex Broadhurst are the latest in a long line of brothers who have played on the same team.
ON THE BENCH 2............Players to Watch 4............Chalk Talk 6............Coming Attractions 9............Griffins chedule 12.........AHL Tradition 14.........AHL Team Directory 19.........Detroit Red Wings 21.........Promotional Calendar 40.........Meet the Griffi
65.........Griffins ecords 68.........Griffins istory 70.........Griffins ll-Stars 71.........Penalty Calls 74.........Arena Map/Ticket Info 76.........It All Starts Here 79.........Kids Page 80.........Parting Shot
43
COVER:
Cory Emmerton returned to the Griffin after spending the past two seasons with the Detroit Red Wings. Photo by Mark Newman
Griffiti magazine is published four times a year by the Grand Rapids Griffins, Van Andel Ar 130 W. Fulton St., Grand Rapids, MI 49503. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. All contents ©2014 Grand Rapids Griffin For advertising information, contact Griffins Sales & Marketing, (616) 774-4585; f (616) 336-5464. Unsolicited manuscripts and other materials will not be returned.
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1
PLAYERS TO WATCH
UPCOMING HOME OPPONENTS CHICAGO (Jan. 31, March 5)
The Wolves believe things are looking up for Jani Hakanpaa (#6), a 6-foot-6 defenseman from Kirkkonummi, Finland, who has grown two inches since being selected in the fourth round (104th overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft y the St. Louis Blues. Hakanpaa, who moved to North America in the middle of last season, is considered a solid two-way defenseman who skates well for a player of his size, although it remains an area for improvement. The 21-year-old has already represented Finland several times on the international level.
LAKE ERIE (Feb. 5)
The Monsters like the aggressive style of Gabriel Beaupre (#47), a stay-at-home defenseman who doesn’t take unnecessary risks with the puck. A sixth-round pick (153rd overall) of the Colorado Avalanche in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, he 21-year-old Beaupre split last season between Lake Erie and the CHL’s Denver Cutthroats. A native of St. Jean-Chrysostome, Quebec, the sturdy 6-foot2 Beaupre is known as a fearless shot blocker and big hitter who is not afraid to drop the gloves if the need arises. 2
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
SAN ANTONIO (Feb. 14, Feb. 15)
The Rampage hope that center Jared Gomes (#12) can rebound from a disappointing fi st half. A native of Brampton, Ontario, Gomes tallied only one goal in his fi st 38 games this season after scoring 16 goals a year ago. A late-bloomer who was undrafted, the 25-yearold Gomes played three years of college hockey at the University of Prince Edward Island after playing out his junior hockey eligibility in the OHL. He earned the Clare Drake Award as the 2009-10 Canadian Interuniversity Sport Rookie of the Year.
OKLAHOMA CITY (Feb. 21, Feb. 22)
The Barons are taking advantage of the blossoming talents of Anton Lander (#16), a 6-foot center from Sundsvall, Sweden. A second-round pick (40th overall) of the Edmonton Oilers in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, he 22-year-old Lander has already exceeded last season’s point total in less than half the number of games, scoring at a point-per-game pace. A smart two-way player with excellent hockey sense, Lander served as an alternate captain for bronze medal-winning Team Sweden at the 2010 World Junior Championship.
MILWAUKEE (Feb. 23)
The Admirals like the puck-moving skills of Charles-Olivier Roussel (#55), a 6-foot-1 defenseman from St. Eustache, Quebec. Chosen in the second round (42nd overall) of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft y the Nashville Predators, the 22-year-old Roussel is playing only his second full professional season after splitting his rookie campaign between Milwaukee and the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones. Roussel was a teammate of the Griffins’ Tomas Jurco on the 2012 Quebec Major Junior Hockey League champion Saint John Sea Dogs.
IOWA (March 7, March 8)
The Wild see great promise in Johan Gustafsson (#31), a 6-foot-2 goaltender from Koping, Sweden, who is playing his fi st season in North America. A technically skilled netminder who is quite agile and moves smoothly in the crease, the 21-year-old Gustafsson was chosen in the sixth round (159th overall) by the Minnesota Wild in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. e was Sweden’s starting goalie in the 2010 World U18 Championship, winning a silver medal. His goals-against average was 1.70 or less the past two seasons in Sweden. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
3
O
ne power play usually represents only two minutes in a 60-minute hockey game, but how a team performs with the man-advantage or shorthanded can have a signifi ant impact on the outcome of the contest. “Special teams play is often the difference between winning and losing,” said Griffins head coach Jeff lashill. “The timing can be especially critical. Sometimes you can go 1-for-5 on the power play, but that goal comes after the game is over. Other times you might go 1-for-5, but you score on your fi st opportunity and create great momentum for your team.” The Griffins devote a considerable amount of practice time to special team drills. Blashill said the team will usually spend time practicing the power play or penalty kill at least once or twice a week, especially early during the season. For any given game, the Griffins will fi ld two power play units and two penalty killing units. The team will usually hold a special teams meeting before each game to discuss the desired strategy for that night’s opponent. “In both areas, it has to be a unit,” Blashill said. “You might get an individual making a special play on the power play once in a while or an individual making a mistake on the penalty kill, but generally speaking, you need
the unit as a whole to be good.” Although some players may play on both units, often times players are assigned to only one. “Some players’ skill set will fit one better than the other, so our goal is to put the best players on the ice to do the job,” he said. “We’re fortunate in our organization to have good offensive and defensive players who can function in one or the other, or even both. The truth is that if you don’t have good pieces, you’re not going to have a good whole.” Developing a power play or penalty killing unit that is successful on a consistent basis can be a challenge. “One of the realities we face in the American Hockey League is that you will have players come and go,” Blashill said. “With injuries and player movement up and down, you really have no chance to keep them consistent.” Blashill and his coaching staff tress systems to allow different players to move in and out of the special teams units. Decisions about personnel and which unit sees more playing time will vary. “If one unit is going better than the other, you might lean more toward one than the other,” he said. On the power play, it’s all about creating scoring opportunities. “We want to create chaos at the net by getting pucks to the net, and making sure we have men moving to the net so we can retrieve the puck and then look to re-attack,” he said.
“We’ve improved our penalty killing because we’ve won faceoffs, we’ve had a really good forecheck and forced the other team’s hand...
4
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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“The teams with high percentages do that – they score on what look like broken plays, but in fact it’s really retrievals and attacks.” A good power play unit will produce by scoring on 20-25 percent of its opportunities. “That means you’re not scoring at least three out of four times, which means you’re not going to score on the power play every game,” Blashill said. “What you can’t do is go on long droughts. You need to persevere, keep doing the right things and trust that in time the puck will go in for you.” Th ough the fi st 40 games of this season, the Griffins’ power play and penalty kill were both ranked in the league’s top 10. “It doesn’t really matter where you rank; it matters how you perform the next game,” Blashill said. “Rankings are based on how you have executed up to now, and we’ve got to keep getting better because we’re going to face new challenges as we continue through the season.” The Griffins’ penalty killing efforts have been particularly impressive, especially as of late. Since allowing nine goals on 27 chances through the fi st six games of the season, the Griffins have been killing penalties at a better than 90 percent clip. “We’ve improved our penalty killing because we’ve won faceoffs, e’ve had a really good forecheck and forced the other team’s hand, and we’ve won loose puck battles and cleared
them down the ice,” Blashill said. “The less time you spend in your zone during a penalty kill, the better chance you’ll have to build a higher percentage.” While the power play and penalty kill are equally important, Blashill believes it’s the latter that is crucial, as every penalty is accentuated late in the season and during the playoffs “Your penalty kill can really help you win games,” he said. “That was an area of great importance and improvement last year for us during the Calder Cup playoffs, nd it was an area of focus this year. After our fi st six games, we’ve been really good.” But they could be better. “It’s hard to say for sure, but I believe if your penalty kill is not good in the playoffs, ou’re going to have a hard time winning. You can fi d examples of teams that were subpar on the power play and still won championships, but you’d be hard-pressed to fi d a team that won a championship without being good on the penalty kill.” In the end, Blashill doesn’t care whether the Griffins are ranked fi st or last, as long as they are executing on the ice. “You can have a great ranked penalty kill, but if you can’t kill a penalty at a critical juncture in a game, it won’t help you at all. We have to keep working at it and make sure we’re consistent and relentless in our approach.”
2013-14 GRIFFINS COACHING AND TRAINING STAFF
Head Coach: JeffBlashill
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
.
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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
5
COMING ATTRACTIONS WEAR THE COLORS WITH PRIDE
Camouflage is common among competing creatures in the animal kingdom. Chameleons change their skin patterns to resemble their background. Dragonflies se motion camouflage to minimize the risk of detection by predators, and horned lizards flatten their bodies to the ground to hide their shadow. In human terms, the use of camouflage by military forces started in the mid-18th century with simple drab colors, but has since expanded to include stealth technology such as radar-absorbing materials, infrared methods and even auditory camoufl ge. What does camouflage have to do with the Griffins? When the Griffins take the ice for their Friday, Feb. 21 game against the Oklahoma City Barons, the team will be wearing special camouflage jerseys. One might surmise that they will be all-white to blend with the ice and make them invisible to their opponents. Instead, the jerseys will be adorned in one-of-a-kind red camouflage, inspired by one of the Griffins’ main colors and a tribute to the men and women who serve the Red, White and Blue. “Salute To Heroes” Night honors all local heroes for their service. A post-game auction in the Intermission Restaurant & Bar will allow the highest bidders to take home the jersey of their favorite player. As is the case for all home games this season at Van Andel Arena, current members of the 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 extends to veterans who present a VA ID or discharge papers. The Griffins will also wear special jerseys on Friday, March 7 when Van Andel Institute presents the third annual Purple Community Game. 6
Wearing purple-colored jerseys against the Iowa Wild, the Griffins will promote the awareness and detection of cancer and other diseases. Van Andel Institute started sponsoring Purple Community activities several years ago to give people a common theme on which to build support for a variety of fundraisers, including walkathons, motorcycle rallies, bake sales and sporting events. At Van Andel Institute, researchers continue to seek ways to better diagnose and treat assorted diseases. Events like the Purple Game provide an opportunity to rally the community behind a common cause. The Griffins’ purple jerseys will be auctioned to the public following the game, with proceeds benefitting Van Andel Institute.
March 8 Star Wars Night presented by Consumers Energy Fans are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite Star Wars characters as the arena becomes filled with more than its share of stormtroopers, Darth Vaders and assorted creatures from around the galaxy. Watch as the Griffins unleash The Force against the Iowa Wild. Don’t forget two annual special events that are planned for the coming weeks: Feb. 18 Ninth Annual Griffin and Sled Wings Game Griff ’s IceHouse will host the ninth annual event that pits teams comprised of Griffins and Sled Wings against each other in a unique sled hockey contest. Fans can experience the challenge of sledding on the ice for a $1 donation while Griffins players and coaches sign autographs before the game. The event, which starts at 5 p.m. with a 6:30 p.m. faceoff, benefits the Griffins Youth Foundation and the Sled Wings. Griff ’s IceHouse at Belknap Park is located at 30 Coldbrook St. NE in Grand Rapids.
Feb. 15 Jeff oggan Calder Cup Figurine Giveaway presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union Griffins captain Jeff oggan will be immortalized with his own figu ine when Grand Rapids plays host to the San Antonio Rampage. The fourth of six Huntington Bank Post-Game Autograph Sessions will give fans the opportunity to get autographs from a select group of Griffins. March 3 Third Annual Corks, Pucks & Brews Feb. 22 Griffin Team Trading Fans can sample wine and craft Card Set Giveaway beer at the third annual Corks, Fans will receive a Griffins team Pucks & Brews event at the Goei trading card set that will feature Center, located at 818 Butterworth players currently with the Detroit Street SW. Griffins players and Red Wings as well as a number of coaches will be on hand to serve players who will be wearing the fans, who can also savor delicious winged wheel for many years to food prepared by YoChef Catering come. Would you be willing to trade and enjoy a silent and live auction, your Petr Mrazek for your neighbor’s music and more. Tomas Jurco? Sponsored by The Grand Rapids The fi h of seven Post-Game Griffins and Carrettino Italian Open Skates is also scheduled for Market & Wine, the event will this night, so bring your skates and benefit Easter Seals Michigan. take to the Van Andel Arena ice Business or dress attire is requested. surface for a skating session following Please note that you must be 21 or the game against the Oklahoma over to attend. City Barons.
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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All times Eastern. Dates, opponents and times subject to change.
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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 oggan 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 fi st 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 fi ally earned the right to hoist our own championship trophy, the fi st ever for a pro hockey team from Grand Rapids. Since Day One, our players, coaches and staff ave 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 he 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 lashill and his coaching staff elcome 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
10
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
11
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
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
At
were (Chi Bab 2006
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.
I
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.
12
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Corey Crawford 2013 Stanley Cup Champion
Graig Abel Photograaphy
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.
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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
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.
Graig Abel Photograaphy
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During the 2012-13 season, more than 800 AHL alumni played
Photo: Steven Christy
ason ence ckey ue to t the New gfield
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.
Photo: AP
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
13
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, Springfiel 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
GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS
NHL AFFILIATION: Detroit Red Wings HOME ICE: Van Andel Arena (10,834) HEAD COACH: Jeff Blashil 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.griffinshock .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 Daniel 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
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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 abres 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 th ough third in order of points, and the next fi e teams in order of points will be seeded fourth through eighth. The conference quarterfinals will b best-of-fi e series; the conference semifinal , conference finals and alder Cup Finals will be best-of-seven series. Teams will be re-ordered after the firs round so that the highest-remaining seed plays the lowest-remaining seed.
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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Legacy. SM
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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
DETROIT
RED WINGS
s.
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 Seaso Through 2016-1
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
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anse of eds in rsonal versatile,
e to o live.
GRIFFINS WHO HAVE EARNED THEIR WINGS*
Justin Abdelkader, 2008-09 Adam Almquist, 2013-14 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 Danny DeKeyser, 2013-14 Aaron Downey, 2008-09 Patrick Eaves, 2013-14 Matt Ellis, 2006-07 Cory Emmerton, 2010-11 Jonathan Ericsson, 2007-08 Valtteri Filppula, 2005-06 Luke Glendening, 2013-14 Mark Hartigan, 2007-08 Darren Helm, 2007-08 Jimmy Howard, 2005-06 Jiri Hudler, 2003-04
Matt Hussey, 2006-07 Doug Janik, 2009-10 Tomas Jurco, 2013-14 Jakub Kindl, 2009-10 Tomas Kopecky, 2005-06 Niklas Kronwall, 2003-04 Marc Lamothe, 2003-04 Josh Langfeld, 2006-07 Brian Lashoff, 2012-1 Brett Lebda, 2005-06 Ville Leino, 2008-09 Joey MacDonald, 2006-07 Donald MacLean, 2005-06 Alexey Marchenko, 2013-14 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 Xavier Ouellet, 2013-14 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, 2007-0 Tomas Tatar, 2010-11 Jordin Tootoo, 2013-14 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!
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Get Fit. Have Fun! GRAND RAPIDS | DOWNTOWN GR | HOLLAND | ROCKFORD | KENTWOOD
2013-14 GR
IFF IN
SP
MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
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Check out our Season-Long Promotions on the next page! Feb. 3: Griffins ooster Club Silent Auction
Feb. 22: Team Trading Card Set Giveaway
Feb. 15: Jeff Hoggan alder Cup Figurine Giveaway presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union
March 3: 3rd Annual Corks, Pucks & Brews at the Goei Center, to benefit Eas er Seals Michigan
Feb. 18: 9th Annual Griffins/Sl Wings Sled Hockey Game at Griff’s IceHouse
March 7: Purple Community Game presented by Van Andel Institute/Purple Jersey Auction
Feb. 21: Salute to Heroes Night/ Camouflage Jersey uction
March 8: Star Wars Night presented by Consumers Energy
ball ORE!
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NAL
SCHEDULE
March 29: Petr Mrazek Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Michigan Office Solutions April 5: Replica Championship Ring Giveaway presented by Amway April 7: Griffins ooster Club Awards Banquet April 18: Season Finale presented by Huntington Bank/Friday Night Jersey Auction
Feb. 21
Feb. 22 Feb. 15
March 29
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March 3
Feb. 18
March 7
March 8
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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.
the game and Hockey Night specials afterward. Visit griffinsho ey.com/hockeynight for a list of participating establishments.
Get in the D-ZONE: Every Friday night is a Griffi 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 seven-pack or 14-pack tickets today!
Amway Winning Wednesdays: Every time the Griffins win t home on Wednesday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the next Wednesday game. Additionally, the first 300 fans o 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.
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 through March, show your Griffi ticket at participating Arena District restaurants and bars – including Peppino’s Sports Grille, home of the Griffi ’Wednesday post-game parties with the players – to enjoy Happy Hour specials before
Sunday is Fun Day!: Every Sunday, enjoy $1 Pepsi drinks and $1 ice cream from 3-5 p.m. 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. 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 pri e 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. Fan 4 Packs: For select games, receive four tickets and $12 in concession cash for a great low price. Valid for games on 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: Feb. 5 and 23; March 5; and April 2 and 4. Post-Game Open Skates: Feb. 22, March 29 and April 18. Huntington Bank Post-Game Autograph Sessions: Feb. 15, March 8 and April 5. 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 amenities. Call (616) 774-4585. All promotions and dates subject to change. For more information, visit griffins ckey.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
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Check out griffinshockey.com/socialmedia to follow us on all of our social channels. Download the official Griffins iPhone and Android app to stay connected with the Griffins on the go! 22
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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POSITIVE ATTITUDE Cory Emmerton is determined to take his career day-byday and continue to prove that he can be a valuable two-way player at the NHL level. Story and photos by Mark Newman
C
ory Emmerton is not taking anything for granted. When it comes to professional sports, he knows that nothing is given, everything is earned, and there are no guarantees. At the age of 25, the young Red Wings center has already learned the harsh realities of the business. Faced with salary-cap issues and too many forwards, Detroit placed Emmerton on waivers before the season with the intention of sending him back to Grand Rapids, where he had begun his pro career in 2007. After two full seasons in Detroit, including last year when he was one of only four players to dress for all 48 Red Wings games, Emmerton thought he had shown he was a capable NHL player. But he was now on his way to the minors – a victim of Detroit’s roster crunch. “The waiting is the hard part,” he said of being placed on waivers. “You can end up anywhere. I was just hoping to be picked up and get a chance to stay in the NHL, somewhere new, somewhere I could develop new roots. And then nothing happened.”
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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
To his relief, 36 hours later he was back to Detroit, where he found himself in the starting lineup for the Red Wings’ season opener after the organization decided to put Patrick Eaves on long-term injured reserve. Emmerton assisted on the Red Wings’ fi st goal of the season, then later was awarded a penalty shot after being hauled down on a breakaway. He played three more games in Detroit before he was fi ally sent to Grand Rapids to make room for Luke Glendening’s NHL debut. He eventually would be recalled by Detroit for a five-game stint in December, then again in mid-January when Joakim Andersson was sidelined with a lower body injury. Th ough it all, Emmerton never moped, never slacked off. He only worked harder. “Every day is a new opportunity,” Emmerton said. “It’s all about choosing the right attitude. You want to stay positive, have the right mindset and do what you can to prove yourself – and that’s all I’m trying to do.” Last season was a pivotal year for Emmerton.
ng r s on
He was coming off h s fi st full NHL season, having played in 71 games with the Red Wings in 2011-12 following a minor league stint that saw him play 217 games in a Griffins uniform over the course of three-plus seasons. Then the lockout happened, which put his development on indefin te hold. “I was kind of stuck,” he recalled. “I was a young NHL player who couldn’t go to the minors without clearing waivers, and there were so many veterans going to Europe that there weren’t many teams with spots open for guys like me. It was hard. “We skated every day in the Detroit area, but it’s like practice. Practice is one thing and a game is a whole other world. Then I went to Finland and ended up getting hurt (a broken fi ger in his fi st game). Everything was a mess until the season started.” Emmerton worked extra hard with a trainer in Detroit so that he would be ready to play after the NHL owners and players settled their differences. “We had a younger team and with all the injuries, it was a good year for growth for a lot of people,” Emmerton said. “We kept battling, and to win the fi st round (against the second-seeded Anaheim Ducks) was huge. When we took the eventual Cup winners (Chicago Blackhawks) to Game 7 in overtime, well, you don’t forget those moments.
“I thought, ‘I’ll take all the experience I gathered and try to put it to good use.’” When he was fi st sent to Grand Rapids earlier this year, Emmerton was disappointed but not down. It helped that he was returning to a familiar environment, even though many of the faces had changed from three years earlier. “Tommy McCollum was one of the few players still here, but I knew Dogg (Griffins’ equipment manager Brad Thompson) and (assistant coach) Jimmy Paek, plus I knew Blash (Griffins head coach Jeff lashill) from my fi st year in Detroit when he was an assistant there. I knew a lot of the front office eople, which makes it an easier transition.” The hard part was reacquainting himself with the AHL game. “The biggest thing is the pace,” he said. “It’s a different league, a different style of play. I think it took me a few weeks to adjust before I felt comfortable and could play the way I like to see myself playing. Of course, it helped that the Griffins have such a good team here.” The Griffins had failed to make the playoff during Emmerton’s last two seasons in Grand Rapids, so he readily admits that he was more than pleased to be walking into a regular spot with the defending Calder Cup champions. “Everyone is awesome, from the veterans to the young kids who are eager to play and improve
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Emmerton won 50 percent or more of his faceoffs in eight of the Red Wings’ 13 games during the 2013 Stanley Cup playoffs. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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Get your tickets @ griffinshockey.com. Use promo code VAI when purchasing tickets.
For information on Van Andel Institute and Purple Community, visit vanandelinstitute.org
A disciplined two-way player, Emmerton was whistled for only four penalty minutes in 48 games last season.
every day,” he said. “In pro sports, winning is everything. They won it all last year, and the team has continued that trend this year by continuing to play good hockey and be successful. “When you don’t make the playoffs, hat’s a long summer of missing hockey at a time when other young players are getting to play and develop in hard situations. The best thing you can do is win and learn what it takes to win. “When you have people who like what they’re doing and are happy to be a part of a team, it makes for a good environment, and that’s going to be good for the development of young hockey players who are trying to learn what it takes.” On a team already blessed with a number of veterans – Jeff oggan, Nathan Paetsch, Brennan Evans and Triston Grant – Emmerton was happy to assume a quiet leadership role. “The biggest thing for me after coming here was to do my part. Those guys were here last year, and they know what they’re doing and what they’re talking about. I don’t have to be necessarily verbal. For me, it’s more of an on-ice
thing – doing the right things and showing it on the ice.” Emmerton credits the Griffins’ coaching staff with making sure the team is prepared for every game. “You look at Jimmy Paek and you can see why he’s been coaching here so long. He’s such a good person. He cares about everyone. He’s out there every day teaching, pulling people aside. He did that with me when I was younger.” Emmerton had a similar experience during Blashill’s one season as an assistant coach in Detroit. “He helped me a lot my fi st year, talking to me and helping me do the right things,” he said. “We had a good relationship in Detroit, and that was good for me when I came back to Grand Rapids. He’s in a different role now, and you can see that he’s a big reason why this team has had so much success. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that there’s a lot of talent here, too. “As a head coach, you still have to put players in the right situations and get them to perform. I think he’s done a good job of figu ing out what
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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works for different guys, because not everyone is the same and not everyone responds to the same things. That’s the trick you have to learn as a head coach. Just from being here for a while, I can see he knows what he’s doing.” Emmerton tallied one goal and eight assists in his fi st 14 games with the Griffins. Over the next 17 games, he recorded nine goals and 11 assists, registering at least one point in all but three games during the stretch. “I told myself to stay positive – at least I was getting the opportunity to play on a good team and play a lot,” he said. “Winning is fun. Everybody feels better when you win. That much never changes in any sport.” Blashill has nothing but good things to say about how Emmerton has handled his situation. “Cory has had a great attitude,” he said. “He’s ingratiated himself to the team and bought into helping us win. His game has been very, very good.”
Emmerton scored his first NHL goal in his NH debut against the Chicago Blackhawks. 28
With the Griffins, Emmerton gets to play more minutes in one game than he might play in two or three games in Detroit, where he is usually relegated to the fourth line. “When your ice time is limited, you’re really just surviving as a hockey player,” Blashill said. “Now he’s playing on one of our top two lines and, as his role has increased, it’s allowed him to really show his offensive ability.” Emmerton has blossomed, showing the signs of real offensive skill that led the Red Wings to choose him in the second round (41st overall) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft “With increased ice time comes increased responsibility, and Cory’s done a lot of things to help us win a lot of games,” Blashill said. “He can skate well, has good poise with the puck, has a good head for offense and can make a play. He’s been an absolute complete player for us, playing on the power play and penalty kill as well.” In short, Emmerton has done everything asked of him, and he’s managed to keep his head on straight at the same time. “I don’t know if people understand how hard it is to move even a few hours away,” Emmerton said. “You have everything in one place and sometimes at a moment’s notice you have to move. That’s the downside of professional sports. But I’m not complaining. After all, that’s what you sign up for.” Emmerton says he is thankful that he has the full support of his fiancée, Suzy Richardson. The couple are planning to get married next summer, probably in the Detroit area, which is halfway between his hometown of London, Ontario, and Grand Rapids, which is her hometown. “She’s handled all the moving and stuff, so she’s had a lot of work to do,” Emmerton said. “I have the easy job of just focusing on myself and playing hockey. I know all of the guys with signifi ant others really rely on them to take care of things away from the rink.” Not knowing what tomorrow will bring can be both terrifying and thrilling. Again, Emmerton prefers to look on the bright side. “Very few players get to stay in one place forever,” he said. “Wherever you end up, you have to look at it as another life experience because getting to travel all over the world can be exciting. When people ask about my situation, I tell them I’m just living it day-by-day. The best thing is I’m having fun, just like everyone else here.”
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER
The Grand Rapids Griffins faced the Toronto Marlies in an outdoor game at Comerica Park that will be long remembered. The players wore gloves and there might have been a time or two when a player batted a puck out of the air, but there was no talk of innings or strike zones, and the only reference to curves was the angle of players’ sticks. A total of 20,337 fans – the largest home crowd in Griffins history – saw a memorable American Hockey League game between the hosts from Grand Rapids and the Toronto Marlies under the lights of Comerica Park in Detroit on December 30, 2013. Braving temperatures that 1
dipped into the teens, the two teams battled back and forth in a historic matchup that was never separated by more than a goal. In the end, the Marlies were triumphant, taking a 4-3 shootout victory after goalie Drew MacIntyre stopped all four of the Griffins’ shootout attempts. “Cool Hand” Luke Glendening paced the Griffins with a pair of second-period goals. Xavier Ouellet scored the other Grand Rapids goal and Brennan Evans added two assists. 2
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THE GAME IN PICTURES 1. The Tiger sculpture in front of Comerica Park wore a Detroit hockey jersey for the occasion. 2. Goalie pads and hockey jerseys seemed an unusual sight inside the Detroit Tigers locker room. 3. The Comerica Park grounds crew rolled fake snow onto the field o make up for the missing white stuff.
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4. Griffins p yers assembled for a team photo after the morning skate. 5. Nathan Paetsch walks the runway to the ice surface. 6. Griffins goali Tom McCollum and his teammates were dressed in candy cane-striped uniforms that looked pretty sweet.
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7. Andrej Nestrasil looks for space to clear the loose puck from the Griffi ’ zone. 8. Defenseman Adam Almquist lines up with forwards (from left) Riley Sheahan and Calle Jarnkrok. 9. Griffins head coach Jeff Blashi shoots an icy stare at the referee. 10. Brennan Evans fi es the puck past the reach of Marlies left winger Troy Brodie. 11. Marlies winger Spencer Abbott tries to push a loose puck past Griffins goali Tom McCollum.
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12. Toronto’s Jamie Devane gets a taste of Triston Grant’s slugging power. 13. The snow flies as Griffi defenseman Alexey Marchenko steals the puck from the Marlies’ Josh Leivo. 14. Marlies goaltender Drew MacIntyre blocks Riley Sheahan’s shootout attempt.
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15. The Griffins thered for one final photo before leaving Comerica Park.
Photo Credits: Photos 2,3,4,6,7,8,9,10,12,14,15 by Mark Newman Photos 1,5,11,13 by John Kosak
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TAKING FLIGHT Story and photos by Mark Newman
After two turbulent seasons, Andrej Nestrasil is fin lly steering his career in the right direction. 32
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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here is a pivotal point in a hockey player's career where he fi ally establishes himself, a time when he realizes it is his moment to shine and that if he doesn't grab the proverbial brass ring, he could lose his chance to make his mark. For Andrej Nestrasil, that moment may have come at the end of the Griffins' triumphant Calder Cup championship run, but it wasn't on the ice. It was in the air. On a plane. With a microphone in his hand. On the fli ht back to Grand Rapids, the 22-year-old Red Wings prospect took a leading role, stepping into the spotlight as he playfully interviewed many of his teammates for a local television station, taking charge of the postgame celebration by injecting a little extra excitement into a time that every player on the plane would remember for the rest of his life. Nestrasil had practiced with the Griffins during the entire postseason run and had dressed for only one game, but it would be enough to get his name on the Cup. In the end, he had experienced the whole process. There was no way that he was going to let down his teammates at that moment. "I know that if I had played a bigger role, I would have enjoyed it 100 times more than I did, but I was so happy for the guys," Nestrasil recalled. "I loved every single one of those guys, and so when Game 6 was done, I could see all of them were so drained and so tired, but I didn't want them to fall asleep. I wanted them to enjoy themselves and have a good party on the plane. They will always remember the game and raising the Cup, but I wanted to make sure they remembered the party afterwards, too." It may be symbolic, but someday he may look back at the celebration as the moment his career took off. Andrej Nestrasil has had a zest for hockey as long as he can remember. Born in Prague, one of the great cities in the world, he learned to love life at a young age. His family may not have had much, but they had each other. The second oldest of five boys, Nestrasil started playing hockey at age three, following in the footsteps of his big brother, Boris. "When we were young, we lived in a really small apartment because we were really poor," Nestrasil said. "My older brother and
Nestrasil split the past two seasons between Toledo and Grand Rapids.
me actually slept in the same room with my parents. We had actual beds, but my mom and father slept on the fl or in the same bedroom on tiny mattresses. "When my father came home from work, he would move the mattresses and set up a net and we would play every day for three hours. We'd play best-of-7s, and whoever won got three hockey cards and whoever lost – and it was always me because I was two years younger – would get only one. But at least I had some." Nestrasil may have been too young to remember, but home videos document that Boris never babied his little brother. "He would cross-check me and pin me against the wall," he said. "My mom was always recording us when we played, and you could see he was just killing me."
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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Nestrasil interviewed many players, including Griffins goalie etr Mrazek, during the Calder Cup celebration on the flig t back to Grand Rapids.
Eventually the family moved to an apartment outside the city where there was a hockey playground next to the apartment complex. "Those were the best of times," he remembers. "We didn't have Xbox or PlayStation, but guys would bring their sticks over to our house, and we would play street hockey or play on roller blades until our mom called us home for dinner." Prague was the perfect place for a boy with big dreams. "Most of the people who live in great cities, they don't appreciate what they have," he said. "When I'm back home now, I love to go downtown and just walk around, stop somewhere and have a coffee because it's absolutely magical. I just love the history. "Many of our buildings are a lot older than America. You guys just found the land and we already had our city for hundreds of years. You walk down these tiny streets and see the restaurants, the galleries, the artists and all the tourists. It's unbelievable. I've been to Paris and some other European cities, but Prague is my favorite of all time." His nostalgic feelings are colored by his memories. "My father would always record NHL Power Week on Sunday mornings. It was the 34
only time we could actually see NHL action," Nestrasil said. "When we were growing up, school was always No. 1. As long as we did well in school, we were allowed to play hockey. We were raised that the dream was to play in the NHL." Nestrasil played both soccer and hockey growing up, but his future started pointing seriously in the direction of hockey when he was chosen for the Czech Republic national team in U16 international competition. "To get drafted by the NHL, I knew I either had to play in the highest Czech league or play junior hockey in Canada," he said. "There was no chance I was going to play in the highest Czech league at 17. I might be able to practice with the team, but then nobody would see me play. I had to go to Canada. It was hard, but every major decision like that is hard. The worst part is that there is no way to know if your decision will be good or bad. You've got to take the leap of faith." Nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say – Nestrasil felt the opportunity was worth the risk. Nestrasil wanted to play junior hockey in either the Ontario or the Western leagues. "I told my agent I just didn't want to play in Quebec," he said. Of course, he ended up
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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Nestrasil has already played more games in Grand Rapids this season than he did in either of his first wo seasons.
playing in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He was drafted eighth overall by the team in Victoriaville, a small provincial city located between Montreal and Quebec City. Although he initially didn't want to go, it was a proverbial blessing in disguise. "It was actually a good thing," he said. "All of the guys there speak English, but they don't speak as fast as people in the U.S., so it was easier for me to learn. I already knew the basics because I had been studying English since I was 6 years old, but until you live in the country, you don't really learn." Nestrasil lived in the beautiful home of the team president and his young family. The house was big enough that it had its own hockey rink in the basement. "The rink was like 20 meters long by 5 meters wide, and it had synthetic ice that you could skate on, along with boards, a scoreboard and even locker rooms. It was unbelievable." He played well in Quebec but was reluctant to attend the 2009 NHL Entry Draft in Montreal. The NHL's Central Scouting Services ranked him the 133rd skater in North America before the draft, hich meant it was possible that he would be not chosen until a late round, if at all. "My billet said I should go, 36
but I didn't want to go all the way there and make my father pay for the plane tickets and then not be drafted." Red Wings European scout Vladimir Havluj recommended that Nestrasil attend. He listened. In the end, Detroit selected him in the third round with the 75th overall pick. "It was one of my best moments in my early career," he said. "It was so cool to see all of the people there, but now I realize that the draft doesn't mean anything. Getting drafted doesn't guarantee anything. The team doesn't even have to sign you." But Detroit did sign Nestrasil to a three-year entry-level contract. He started his pro career in Grand Rapids, but was sent to Toledo, only to return a week later to the Griffins. Playing with Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist, he had two goals and an assist in his fi st three games. Then he was bumped off he line and went 19 straight games without a point. "I had never played fourth line in my life," Nestrasil said. "I had always played fi st or second line, and the fourth line is a whole different story. I struggled." Nestrasil ended up playing the majority of his rookie season in Toledo, then ended up back in the ECHL for the fi st half of his
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
worked really hard with (assistant coach) Spiros Anastas to make sure he improved, and he's done a good job." Nestrasil has spent the entire 2013-14 season thus far with the Griffins. He has enjoyed playing on a line with Mitch Callahan and Triston Grant. "I fi ally made peace with myself that the fourth line was going to be where I played this year. That's my role," he said. "Now I even have power play time, and I'm so happy. But that's hockey. Thi gs go up and down. You've got to be ready and take advantage of any chance that you can get and make the most out of it." He speaks from experience. Nestrasil was a healthy scratch during the entire Griffins' playoff un until one of his teammates became ill before a game. "Even though the chance that I would play was very tiny – like slim to nothing – I had to be ready in case something happened, so I practiced with the team, then practiced again with the other (young) guys. It was rough. Nobody likes sitting in the stands. Then one day (Jan) Mursak has diarrhea. What are the
second season. He eventually stuck in Grand Rapids in mid-February 2013, registering three goals and two assists in the last 19 games of the regular season. "My fi st year, I was so frustrated. I was not enjoying myself. I was not happy playing hockey," Nestrasil said. "My second year, I figu ed there was nothing I could do about it, so I said to myself, 'Let's just enjoy it and have fun and let's get better every day.’" It worked. Or, more appropriately, he worked. "I've been impressed with Andrej's perseverance dating back to two years ago," Griffins head coach Jeff lashill said. "Nick Vitucci in Toledo felt that from Andrej's fi st year to second year, he was by far the most improved player. That had a great deal to do with us bringing him up here and ultimately keeping him here. "Andrej showed how much he cared and how much he was committed to becoming a good hockey player. The other thing that speaks volumes for Andrej is that we asked him to be prepared to play center, and he
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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
37
chances that because one guy is stuck on the toilet all day, my name is going to be on the Cup? It sounds kind of funny, but that's how it goes in life." And so now Nestrasil is content to keep working hard. "I'm just happy for every opportunity I get," he said. "What I learned over the past couple of years is that you can't let the little things disturb you. You've got to be confide t that you're a good player, no matter what line you play. You've got to believe in yourself and go out and just do it." He feels the Griffins will have the opportunity to do great things in the playoffs gain. "We know we have a great group of players and a great coaching staff. We can do great things, but we need to make sure we come out on the ice every night and play like we want to win the Cup. That's the goal – to win the Cup again." Nestrasil hopes he will get the chance to play a bigger role this time, and if the Griffins accomplish the ultimate, he knows how he will celebrate. "If we win, I promise I'll do a few more interviews," he said.
T
Nestrasil and Petr Mrazek are fellow countrymen from the Czech Republic.
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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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2013-14
ROSTER
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ADAM ALMQUIST
Defenseman 5-11, 178 lbs. Born: 2/27/91 Huskvarna, Sweden
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LOUIS-MARC AUBRY
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Forward 6-4, 213 lbs. Born: 11/11/91 Arthabaska, Que.
18 PATRICK EAVES
Forward 6-0, 195 lbs. Born: 6/1/88 St. Thomas, Ont.
JARED COREAU
Forward 6-0, 195 lbs. Born: 8/17/91 Whittier, Calif.
Goaltender 6-5, 235 lbs. Born: 11/5/91 Perth, Ont.
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44 CORY EMMERTON
Forward 5-11, 205 lbs. Born: 5/1/84 Calgary, Alta.
31 MITCH CALLAHAN
BRENNAN EVANS
Defenseman 6-4, 230 lbs. Born: 1/6/82 North Battleford, Sask.
LANDON FERRARO Forward 6-0, 182 lbs. Born: 8/8/91 Trail, B.C.
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GLEASON FOURNIER Defenseman 6-0, 195 lbs. Born: 9/8/91 Rimouski, Que.
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33 MARTIN FRK
Forward 6-0, 205 lbs. Born: 10/5/93 Pelhrimov, Czech Republic
LUKE GLENDENING
Forward 5-11, 195 lbs. Born: 4/28/89 Grand Rapids, Mich.
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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• Fiv TRISTON GRANT
Forward 6-1, 218 lbs. Born: 2/2/84 Neepawa, Man.
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XAVIER OUELLET
Forward 6-3, 210 lbs. Born: 2/22/91 Prague, Czech Republic
Forward 5-11, 185 lbs. Born: 1/2/92 Vantaa, Finland
Forward 6-2, 215 lbs. 12/7/91 St. Catharines, Ont.
PETR MRAZEK
Goaltender 6-1, 187 lbs. Born: 2/14/92 Ostrava, Czech Republic
21 TREVOR PARKES
Defenseman 6-0, 195 lbs. Born: 3/30/83 LeRoy, Sask.
7 RILEY SHEAHAN
Forward 6-1, 200 lbs. Born: 12/28/92 Kosice, Slovakia
NATHAN PAETSCH
Defenseman 6-0, 200 lbs. Born: 7/29/93 Bayonne, France
19 TEEMU PULKKINEN
Forward 6-0, 200 lbs. Born: 2/4/87 Pefferlaw, Ont
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34 DAVID McINTYRE
Goaltender 6-2, 215 lbs. Born: 12/7/89 Cambria, N.Y.
ANDREJ NESTRASIL
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Defenseman 6-1, 193 lbs. Born: 9/21/90 Rogers, Minn.
TOM McCOLLUM
Defenseman 6-2, 212 lbs. Born: 1/2/92 Moscow, Russia
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NICK JENSEN
Forward 6-0, 188 lbs. Born: 9/25/91 Gavle, Sweden
ALEXEY MARCHENKO
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22 RYAN SPROUL
Defenseman 6-4, 205 lbs. Born: 1/13/93 Toronto, Ont.
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
JORDIN TOOTOO Forward 5-9, 198 lbs. Born: 2/2/83 Churchill, Man.
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MAKING THE GRADE Like most professional
hockey players, David McIntyre is a student of the game. He’s more than willing to put in the hard work necessary to graduate to the next level.
McIntyre matched his career high with 33 points in 68 games with the Houston Aeros last season.
H
Story and photos by Mark Newman
igh test scores do not guarantee success in the real world any more than hockey statistics hold the promise of championships. Numbers do lie. It’s the lucky player who learns that the value of his contributions on the ice cannot be measured purely in points. Getting goals and assists are a worthy pursuit, but they do not solely determine the development or even the long-term potential of a player any more than good grades can mark someone as the next Bill Gates or Steve Jobs. “It’s about being a complete player,” Griffins head coach Jeff lashill said. “We want winning hockey players in this organization, not just point-getters. Certainly points are part of it, but so is being responsible defensively and being hard to play against.”
So when the Griffins started looking to add depth at the center position this past summer, Blashill wanted a smart, experienced player who was hungry for success and willing to work hard for another chance at the NHL – a player like David McIntyre. Blashill knew McIntyre as a good college player – he was a Hobey Baker fi alist at Colgate University – but he also remembered him from last season, when McIntyre and his Houston Aeros gave the Griffins all they could handle during the Calder Cup playoffs “I had heard good things from my contacts in college hockey, that he had good offensive abilities, that he cared a lot about winning, and that he played really hard,” Blashill said. “I saw all three of those things when he was in Houston in the playoffs. e was one of the guys who stood
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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McIntyre, who graduated from Colgate with a bachelor’s degree in educational studies, is considered a smart, tenacious player.
out because of how hard he played and how hard he was to play against.” McIntyre registered 15 goals and 18 assists playing for the Minnesota Wild’s American Hockey League affiliate last season. More signifi antly, his plus-minus was an impressive +19, by far the best number on a strong team. It showed that he could be responsible defensively as well as a threat on offense. With the Aeros relocating to Iowa during the off- eason, McIntyre was already prepared to move. The idea of playing for the defending Calder Cup champions was appealing, and the chance to come to the Detroit Red Wings organization made his decision that much easier. “Detroit is an organization that every other team would like to emulate. They have a history of winning and a history of developing their players, and I think they both go hand-in-hand,” McIntyre said. “When I came to this organization, I came for two reasons: I want to win and I want to develop 44
MY
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as a player. My experience here is only going to better me as a player and as a person. Hopefully, it’s a way to get me back to where I want to be, and that’s the NHL.” McIntyre saw action in seven NHL games two seasons ago when he tallied a goal and assist for the Wild. “It was bittersweet for me, because after you play seven games, you want to play many, many more than seven,” he said. He hopes hard work will help him graduate to the NHL again. “The one thing my father always told me was ‘If you work hard, good things will happen.’ In other words, if you want something bad enough, then go out and get it. That’s the message I grew up with and that’s how I live now.” Growing up in Pefferlaw, a small town about 90 kilometers northeast of Toronto, McIntyre had the concept of dedication, commitment and hard work ingrained into his very being. “My parents demanded good grades, and it was something they preached to my sister and
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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McIntyre scored his first and only NHL goa against St. Louis goalie Jaroslav Halak.
me when we were growing up,” he said, admitting that his focus produced good grades, but his mind was often on hockey. “When the time came for the OHL draft (in 2003), I ade a deal that if I got drafted in the fi st round, I would consider both options. If not, I would go to college.” In the end, the only real decision was which college. The Belleville Bulls selected him in the 13th round (252nd overall). Having drawn the interest of several colleges, he made offi al visits to Niagara University and Rochester Institute of Technology, then toured the campuses of Colgate University and Dartmouth College during the same weekend. “I had lined up a visit to St. Cloud State for the coming week, but there was something about Colgate that kept drawing me back,” he said. “Coming from a small town, I knew that I would love that it was a small school. I really liked the campus, the coaching staff nd the fact that I could get a full athletic scholarship. “When I picked Colgate, I had no trouble seeing myself spend four years there.” McIntyre excelled at the school, both in the classroom and on the ice. He made hockey allstar teams and was selected for the ECAC All-
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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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Academic Team. His most productive season was his junior year when he was nominated for the Hobey Baker Award and garnered several FirstTeam All-American honors. Ironically, his NHL rights were traded twice during the season. The Dallas Stars, who selected him in the fi h round (138th overall pick) in the 2006 NHL Entry Draft, d alt him to the Anaheim Ducks, who traded him to the New Jersey Devils less than two months later. “That was crazy – I certainly didn’t expect it,” he said. “Thankfully, it didn’t affect me in any way directly, although subconsciously you wonder if there’s something wrong, and you wonder if a team really wants you. You battle with those two things in your head over and over again, and at the end of the day, you probably don’t fi d out the answer. “All you can do is control what you can as a hockey player, and that’s your performance.” McIntyre eventually began his pro career with the New Jersey Devils’ AHL affiliate in Lowell but was traded again, this time to Minnesota, with whom he would not only make his NHL debut, but would also score his fi st NHL goal. “The highlight wasn’t necessarily that fi st on the first floor of CityFlatsHotel
goal,” he said. “I got to play in Toronto, which was exciting and close enough that my family and a lot of friends from high school could watch. I also got to witness (Wild teammate) Matt Cullen’s 1,000th game, which was pretty cool to see and experience.” After two seasons in the Wild organization, McIntyre decided to pick up his stakes one more time this past summer. McIntyre admits that the adjustment has been more difficult than he expected. First off, there was the small matter of the weather. Living in Texas, he had forgotten what it was like to scrape ice and snow off h s car every day. He also struggled with his play a bit, fi ding his instincts didn’t always mesh with the systems played by the Griffins. “He’s still getting comfortable in the way we play,” Blashill said. “Now, with all the injuries and call ups, he’s getting more opportunities, and we think he’s beginning to show his true game.” Blashill salutes McIntyre’s professionalism and leadership. Those are things in which the 27-year-old center takes great pride. “Someday I would like to be a head coach at a Division I school,” said McIntyre, who majored cityflatshotel.com
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in educational studies at Colgate. “l enjoy being a leader. There are always fi st-, second- and even third-year players who want to listen and learn, and I try to be a good role model. I try to fi d ways to inspire teammates who are struggling or give a pat on the back to those guys who are playing unbelievably well.” While McIntyre has been working hard to adapt to his new team, he also has been soaking up everything he can for the day when he steps behind the bench. “The messages here are nothing but positive. They want you to work hard and have good habits when you show up to the rink every day. The coaches want us to focus on getting better, and that’s the goal of every person in our locker room. “We all want to win, and everyone understands that last year is over. Th s is a new year and while we have a good team, we have to make sure we put in the effort because you can’t live off hat happened last year. The message that gets preached here is just stick to the process and keep trying to better yourself every day. “That’s good advice, whether you’re playing hockey or working an office ob.”
McIntyre was once traded for former Griffi defenseman Sheldon Brookbank.
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WINNER Former Griffins Youth Foundation player Andrea Stewart was a member of Team USA at the World University Games in Italy.
Andrea Stewart couldn’t believe it. The Michigan State University sophomore was standing on the blueline of an outdoor hockey rink in the middle of majestic mountains in Austria. “It was basically every hockey player’s dream,” Stewart said. “It was so cool.” It was only an exhibition game against the Austrian national team, but it was special all the same. Preparing to play at the 2013 Winter University Games in Trentino, Italy, Stewart thought about how far she had journeyed from her days skating at Griff ’s IceHouse. “If it wasn’t for the Griffins Youth Foundation, I would never have played hockey,” said the Grand Rapids native. “Some of the best memories of my childhood happened there. I’d spend every Saturday in the winter at Griff ’s
ces
e.
Stewart tries to escape the clutches of a jersey-holding opponent.
Stewart is a sophomore on the Michigan State University women’s hockey team.
IceHouse. I can say that I made a lot of friends there over the years.” The daughter of Corey and Lisa Stewart, she was thrilled to have been chosen to play defense on the U.S. Women’s National University Team in the international competition. Even better, her Team USA squad took home the bronze, the fi st medal for the United States in either men’s or women’s competition at the Winter Games. “Th s is a moment none of us will forget,” said Mo Stroemel, head coach of the U.S. Women’s Team. “We couldn’t be happier with how this group represented their country during this tournament, both on and off he ice.” Team USA, which faced stiff c mpetition during the Games, earned a 3-1 victory over Japan in the bronze medal game. A 3-2 shootout loss to Russia in the semifi als cost them a chance to play for gold against Canada. Other teams included Spain and Great Britain. A total of 50 countries competed in a variety of sports, including skiing, snowboarding, speed skating and, of course, hockey. The Games featured the teams parading through the streets of Trentino as part of the Opening Ceremonies. “The whole experience was so much fun,” Stewart said. Stewart and her USA teammates opened the hockey competition with a dramatic win. “We watched ‘Miracle’ before our fi st game to get pumped and then we went out and beat
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
51
Stewart, pictured in the red jersey, often played against older kids at Griff’s IceHouse.
Russia,” she said. “We had all 20-plus girls piled into a hotel room watching the movie on my laptop.” The victory over Russia in the fi st matchup between the two countries was one of the biggest thrills for Stewart, who started skating when she was in second grade. “My parents took my older brother Brad to the rink and coach Mark Izzard (the former Grand Rapids Owls player) asked me if I wanted to skate,” Stewart remembers. “I nodded that I did and that’s how it all started.”
Stewart’s transformation into a hockey player was gradual but remarkable. “When I started, I was a total princess and daddy’s girl, but over the years I became so competitive that I turned into just the biggest tomboy,” she said. Nothing made Stewart happier than skating and playing hockey at Griff ’s IceHouse. “When I was younger, I would do anything I could to get ice time,” she said. “I would basically be at the rink from 8 o’clock in the morning until 5 o’clock at night on Saturdays. I was either teaching, playing, refereeing or working the scoreboard.” Stewart said she was “bound and determined” to improve her skills. “Eventually I was good enough that they let me play with the older kids,” she said. “I snuck my way onto everyone else’s team. I’d even play back-to-back games when I could.” After seventh grade, Stewart graduated to the Southside Owls, a house hockey club that played teams from nearby cities. She later played at Jenison High School. “Playing with boys was never a big deal to me,” she said. “I guess I just fit in with the guys.” It was at Michigan State University that
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Stewart played on an all-women’s team for the fi st time. The Spartans play twice every weekend against teams from the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA). Stewart, who is a marketing major at State, hopes to eventually return to Griff ’s IceHouse
to lend a hand, hoping to encourage other kids to follow in her path. “The Griffins have done so much for the community that I would like to give back for everything they’ve done for Grand Rapids,” she said.
Team USA poses for a photo after a pre-tournament exhibition game. Stewart is in the second row from the bottom, fourth from the left.
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57
BROTHERLY LOVE
Rockford’s Terry and Alex Broadhurst are the latest in a long line of brothers who have played on the same team. Terry and Alex Broadhurst are hockey-playing brothers, which is hardly unique in a sport that has produced its share of famous siblings. Hockey fans will recognize the names of Howe and Sutter, as well as Esposito, Hull, Koivu, Niedermayer, Richard, Sedin, Staal and Stastny. What’s unusual is that the Broadhurst brothers both play for the Rockford IceHogs in the AHL, a situation that is fairly rare – especially when you climb another level to the NHL. Since 1917, only 47 pairs of brothers have played together on the same NHL team. Among that select group, a total of 10 have won the Stanley Cup together. The Broadhursts had never played together Alex Broadhust
58
before this season due to their age difference, although they came close to becoming teammates when Terry was in college. Terry, 25, was playing hockey at the University of Nebraska-Omaha when Alex committed to play for the school. But Alex was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks in the summer of 2011, around the same time that Terry was considering the possibility of signing with Chicago as a free agent. In the end, Terry decided to leave school after his junior season and Alex made the decision to play in the Ontario Hockey League. “I thought it would never happen,” Alex told Rockford’s Icehogs.com. “Terry is four years older than me, so we never had the chance to play on the same team, (although) we almost got to do it in college,” Terry, who split last season between the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye and Rockford, joined the IceHogs near the end of the 2011-12 season after completing his junior year at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Alex, who was chosen in the seventh round (199th overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, egan his pro career this season with the IceHogs. “It’s been a lot of fun,” Terry said. “It’s real exciting for our parents and friends. Now they don’t have to travel far to see the both of us.” The Broadhurst brothers hail from the south suburbs of Chicago, about a 90-minute drive from Rockford, so of course they grew up Blackhawks fans. They are now living the dream, or at least the fi st part of a dream that they hope will one day take them to play in the NHL in the Windy City. “To us, there is a lot of work
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
left o be done, but for (our parents), I’m sure Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks, while Wade they can take a step back and enjoy it,” Terry said. has played the past four seasons in Rockford after “They know how much we’ve sacrific d, and NHL stints in Nashville, Vancouver, Boston and they’ve sacrific d a whole lot more.” Carolina. The Broadhurst boys are driven by a little The 1999-2000 season, which was the Griffins’ sibling rivalry, but mostly by their desire to fi st of three seasons as the NHL affiliate of the improve their skills in order to be promoted to Ottawa Senators, brought Kevin Miller to Grand the NHL. Rapids. He was joined late in the season by his “We are very competitive, but we’ve grown up older brother, Kelly, who had been serving as a a little bit and are a little more mature,” Alex said. volunteer assistant coach with the Griffins after “If you put any kind of game in the same room playing 1,048 games in the NHL with the New with me and him, then it’s going to be a battle and York Rangers and Washington Capitals. a competition. It’s been good though. Everything Kelly Miller retired after the 1999-2000 season I’ve learned in hockey has been from him.” but he was followed by younger brother Kip, “I’ve been trying to be more of a teammate who played two different seasons (2004-05 and than a brother,” Terry said. “I kind of let him 2006-07) in Grand Rapids after middle brother be. He’s been playing the game long enough to Kevin played one fi al season (2003-04) with the know when he needs to change stuff nd when Griffins. he doesn’t. If I feel I need to say something, then I will, but I let him figu e stuff ut on his own. For me, seeing how much he’s Terry Broadhurst developed has been fun.” The Grand Rapids Griffins have been seeing a lot of Terry and Alex Broadhurst, having already played Rockford eight times in the fi st half of the 2013-14 season. But the Griffins are no strangers to hockey-playing brothers. The Griffins have had three sets of brothers who have played on the same team. Todd Nelson, who is in his fourth year as head coach of the Oklahoma City Barons, was the fi st player ever signed by Grand Rapids in 1996. He was joined on the Griffins’ inaugural-season team by younger brother Jeff. Todd would eventually play three more seasons for the Griffins and Jeff ould play two, but the 1996-97 season was the only one in which they both played on the same team. Sheldon Brookbank played two seasons in Grand Rapids, starting in 2001-02 when he was joined on the Griffins by his older brother, Wade. Sheldon is now a member of the defending Stanley Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
59
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(Through Jan. 23, 2014
GRIFFINS RECORDS
GRIFFINS ALL-TIME LEADERS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
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
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 ASSISTS Michel Picard................................................. 222 Travis Richards.............................................. 182 Francis Pare.................................................... 135 Kip Miller....................................................... 133 Derek King..................................................... 130 Jiri Hudler...................................................... 114 Tomas Tatar................................................... 109 Cory Emmerton.............................................. 96 Gustav Nyquist................................................ 90 Glen Metropolit............................................... 88
GRIFFINS’ ALL-TIME LEADERS IN GOALTENDING WINS
JOEY MacDONALD (109)
JIMMY HOWARD (90)
TOM McCOLLUM (62)
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 elson........................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 elson........................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 elson........................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
MIKE FOUNTAIN (55)
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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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65
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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 - - - - - 11 8 8 - - - - - - - - --
OTL - - - - 4 0 2 0 2 1 6 2 6 3 2 7 4
SOL 12 13 8 9 3 - - - 2 4 5 6 6 4 8 4 4
PTS 92 89 76 111 113 95 106 96 86 115 85 70 98 75 82 77 92
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
GF 244 225 256 254 279 217 240 195 200 323 226 210 255 244 227 245 234
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
NISH of 19 of 18 of 16 of 13 of 11 of 27 of 27 of 28 of 28 of 27 of 27 of 29 of 29 of 29 of 30 of 30 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)
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
69
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 elson, 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
Nyquist
I/AHL
ilppula
aphy/AHL
arsson
hy/AHL
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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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N IN FA
IT ALL STARTS HERE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 76
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 Nelso 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 Aris Brimanis 2/13/00 NYI at NYR Dieter Kochan 3/28/00 TB vs. DAL
26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
Jani Hurme 4/9/00 OTT vs. TB Shane Hnidy 10/5/00 OTT at BOS Donald MacLean 10/14/00 TOR vs. OTT David Oliver 11/4/00 OTT vs. CBJ Jamie Rivers 11/12/00 OTT at CAR Sean Gagnon 11/26/00 OTT at NYR Joel Bouchard 11/29/00 PHX at COL Mike Crowley 12/8/00 ANA at MIN Ivan Ciernik 1/23/01 OTT at NYI Darren Rumble 2/6/01 STL at COL Joel Kwiatkowski 2/19/01 OTT at BUF Todd White 2/19/01 OTT at BUF Chris Neil 10/3/01 OTT at TOR Toni Dahlman 1/3/02 OTT vs. WSH Steve Martins 1/11/02 OTT at FLA Kip Miller 1/17/02 NYI at SJ Jody Hull 2/4/02 OTT at TB Dmitry Afanasenkov 2/6/02 TB at FLA Simon Lajeunesse 3/7/02 OTT at SJ Martin Prusek 3/23/02 OTT vs. ATL Chris Bala 3/27/02 OTT at NYI 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
51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75
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 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
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99
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 Mattias Ritola 3/15/08 DET vs. NSH Clay Wilson 3/25/08 CBJ at NSH Darren McCarty 3/28/08 DET vs. STL Krys Kolanos 11/4/08 MIN at SJ Landon Wilson 11/22/08 DAL vs. ANA Bryan Helmer 11/28/08 WSH vs. MTL Chris Chelios 12/13/08 DET at PHX
Niklas
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SINCE THEIR INCEPTION IN 1996, THE GRIFFINS HAVE SENT 140 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 120 SKATERS WHO HAVE WORN AN NHL SWEATER AFTER PLAYING FOR GRAND RAPIDS, ALONG WITH THE DATES OF THEIR NHL DEBUTS/RETURNS. 100 Aaron Downey 1/29/09 DET vs. DAL 101 Justin Abdelkader 1/31/09 DET at WSH 102 Ville Leino 1/31/09 DET at WSH 103 Aaron Gagnon 10/16/09 DAL vs. BOS 104 Scott Parse 10/24/09 LA at PHX 105 Doug Janik 11/3/09 DET vs. BOS 106 Ryan Keller 11/25/09 OTT at NJ 107 Jakub Kindl 12/3/09 DET vs. EDM 108 Kris Newbury 12/14/09 DET vs. PHX 109 Darren Haydar 2/10/10 COL vs. ATL 110 Andreas Lilja 3/1/10 DET at COL 111 Jeremy Williams 10/24/10 NYR vs. NJ
112 Jan Mursak 12/27/10 DET at COL 113 Chris Mueller 12/28/10 NSH vs. DAL 114 Tomas Tatar 12/31/10 DET vs. NYI 115 Cory Emmerton 1/22/11 DET vs. CHI 116 Patrick Rissmiller 2/23/11 ATL at BUF 117 Tom McCollum 3/30/11 DET vs. STL 118 Gustav Nyquist 11/1/11 DET vs. MIN 119 Fabian Brunnstrom 11/5/11 DET vs. ANA 120 Brendan Smith 11/17/11 DET at SJ 121 Mark Cullen 11/29/11 FLA at CAR 122 Chris Conner 12/2/11 DET at BUF 123 Joakim Andersson 12/27/11 DET vs. STL
124 Ty Conklin 3/21/12 DET at NYR 125 Riley Sheahan 4/7/12 DET vs. CHI 126 Brian Lashoff 1/21/13 DET at CBJ 127 Mike Knuble 1/26/13 PHI at FLA 128 Jamie Tardif 2/2/13 BOS at TOR 129 Petr Mrazek 2/7/13 DET at STL 130 Jonas Gustavsson 2/19/13 DET at NSH 131 Carlo Colaiacovo 4/1/13 DET vs. COL 132 Danny DeKeyser 10/2/13 DET vs. BUF 133 Luke Glendening 10/12/13 DET vs. PHI 134 Xavier Ouellet 10/21/13 DET vs. SJ 135 Adam Almquist 11/4/13 DET at WPG
136 Chad Billins 11/5/13 CGY at MIN 137 Patrick Eaves 12/14/13 DET vs. PIT 138 Tomas Jurco 12/15/13 DET vs. TB 139 Jordin Tootoo 12/19/13 DET vs. CGY 140 Alexey Marchenko 1/4/14 DET at DAL Bold = Has played in the NHL this season (as of Jan. 20) 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
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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Photo: Getty Images
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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
Swifter, Higher, Stronger
Photo: Getty Images
Congratulations to Tomas Jurco, who was chosen to play in the upcoming Olympic hockey tournament that will take place in Sochi, Russia, from Feb. 12-23. The second-year forward is set to become just the fi th player in franchise history to participate in the Games as an active Griffi In fact, the Griffins ve had a longstanding relationship with the Olympic Games, with 30 current or former players having been chosen to represent 14 countries, going all the way back to the 1984 Games in Sarajevo. Can you match each player with his Olympic Team?
GRIFFINS ALUMNI (OLYMPIC YEARS) 1. Slava Butsayev (1992) 2. Chris Chelios (2006, 2002, 1998, 1984) 3. Aigars Cipruss (2006, 2002) 4. Pavol Demitra (2010, 2006, 2002) 5. Jonathan Ericsson (2014) 6. Valtteri Filppula (2014, 2010) 7. Erich Goldmann (2002, 1998) 8. Jonas Gustavsson (2014, 2010) 9. Todd Hlushko (1994) 10. Jimmy Howard (2014) 11. Jani Hurme (2002) 12. Curtis Joseph (2002) 13. Tomas Jurco (2014) 14. Mike Knuble (2006) 15. Sergei Kolosov (2010) 16. Tomas Kopecky (2014, 2010) 17. Niklas Kronwall (2014, 2010, 2006) 18. Stefan Liv (2010, 2006) 19. Kevin Miller (1988) 20. Jan Mursak (2014) 21. Michael Nylander (2002, 1998) 22. Rastislav Pavlikovsky (2002) 23. Robert Petrovicky (2002, 1998, 1994) 24. Travis Richards (1994) 25. David Roberts (1994) 26. Konstantin Shafranov (2006, 1998) 27. Andrei Sryubko (2002) 28. Tomas Tatar (2014) 29. Ole-Kristian Tollefsen (2014, 2010) 30. Julien Vauclair (2014, 2006, 2002)
TEAM LETTER _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________
KIDS PAGE A. Belarus
B. Canada
C. Finland
D. Germany
E. Kazakhstan
F. Latvia
G. Norway
H. Slovakia
I. Slovenia
J. Sweden
K. Switzerland
L. Ukraine
M. Unified Team
N. United States
(formerly Soviet Union)
ANSWERS 1. M; 2. N; 3. F; 4. H; 5. J; 6. C; 7. D; 8. J; 9. B; 10. N; 11. C; 12. B; 13. H; 14. N; 15. A; 16. H; 17. J; 18. J; 19. N; 20. I; 21. J; 22. H; 23. H; 24. N; 25. N; 26. E; 27. L; 28. H; 29. G; 30. K
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
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Riley Sheahan scored his first NHL goal on Jan. 1 against the Los Angeles Kings, becoming the fourth player to accomplish the feat in a Red Wings jersey this season, following Danny DeKeyser (Nov. 4), Adam Almquist (Nov. 7) and Tomas Jurco (Dec. 17). Photo by Mark Newman 80
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS • 2013 Calder Cup Champions
PARTING SHOT
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