2016-17 SEASON ISSUE NO. 3
Tomas Nosek O F F I C I A L
M A G A Z I N E
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G R A N D
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Vol. 21, No. 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS STARTING LINEUP 24 TWO-WAY STRENGTH Already one of the most defensively dependable players on the Griffins’ roster, Tomas Nosek has found his scoring touch this season to become a major offensive threat. 32 UNDER THE RADAR Diminutive defenseman Joe Hicketts slipped past the notice of NHL teams, but only because scouts failed to account for the measure of his heart and passion for the game. 42 ZEST FOR THE GAME Ontario native Matt Lorito is an American Hockey League all-star in his second year as a professional.
50 THE LIST Ten things that Griffins right wing Mitch Callahan can’t live without.
24
52 TALENT DETECTIVE Now in his third season as a pro scout for the Chicago Blackhawks, former Griffins enforcer Wade Brookbank closely watches players in the AHL and NHL for potential trades or free agent signings. 56 WALKING ON AIR Bob Kaser, the radio voice of the Griffins, has been on Cloud Nine since realizing his dream of calling an NHL game when he handled play-by-play duties for the Detroit Red Wings 10 times in November and December.
32
ON THE BENCH 2............Chalk Talk 4............Scouting Report 6............Get in the Game 9............Griffins Schedule 12.........AHL Tradition 15.........AHL Team Directory 19.........Detroit Red Wings 21.........Promotional Calendar
40.........Meet the Griffins 63.........Griffins Records 68.........Griffins All-Stars 73.........Penalty Calls 74.........Arena Map/Ticket Info 76.........It All Starts Here 79.........Kids Page 80.........Parting Shot
COVER:
42
Griffins forward Tomas Nosek continues to earn accolades for his strong two-way play. Photo by Mark Newman
Griffiti magazine is published four times a year by the Grand Rapids Griffins, Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St., Grand Rapids, MI 49503. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. All contents ©2017 Grand Rapids Griffins. For advertising information, contact Griffins Sales & Marketing, (616) 774-4585; fax (616) 336-5464. Unsolicited manuscripts and other materials will not be returned.
52
1
Q&A WITH GRIFFINS HEAD COACH TODD NELSON
S
ince the AHL moved to a five-minute 3-on-3 overtime last season, the Griffins have enjoyed great success with the extra frame, winning 10 out of 12 decisions entering the new year. Not surprisingly, the still relatively new format has earned the endorsement of Griffins head coach Todd Nelson.
What’s your general opinion of 3-on-3 overtime? I admit that I was skeptical when it was introduced. I’m a hockey purist and don’t like a lot of changes to the game because I already think the game is fantastic. But once it was put into action, I saw its merits. It’s truly exciting and I’m happy now that it’s part of the game.
Going into overtime, how many rotations of players do you plan? We approach it with two forwards and one defenseman, meaning we usually have four sets of forwards and maybe three to four different defensemen, depending upon the situation.
How do you decide which players to put on the ice? A lot of it is feel. Which players might be fatigued, who is still fresh? With 3-on-3 overtime, the key really is puck possession. We often start with a centerman who has been winning draws that night so we can gain possession of the puck. At the beginning of the game, my lineup card shows not only our lines and sets of defense but also our strategy for 4-on-4 play. Often, I’ll use those same 4-on-4 pairings in overtime. The use of the lone defenseman is usually discretionary, based on what happened during the course of the game. 2 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
How long is the optimal shift during overtime? It all depends. A normal shift might be 40-45 seconds, but sometimes guys can get caught out there. If they’re out longer, they can get fatigued and might need more time to recover, so you always have guys ready to go. Again, a lot of it is feel. If we have a pairing that is creating scoring chances, we might throw them back out again after the next shift. You want to take advantage of that chemistry to expose the other team. Line changes are crucial. When teams switch nets before overtime, it means you have to have good changes between your players. When guys get caught playing in your end, it’s a long change to get fresh guys on the ice. That means you have to be smart with your line changes.
How much does the 3-on-3 format emphasize skating and puck-handling skills? Speed definitely becomes a factor because it creates odd-man rushes, but you also need to have that hockey sense of what to do when you don’t have the puck. Winning battles and stripping the puck from the opponent are critical skills in terms of regaining possession. In general, your more creative players are going to see more ice during overtime. With man-on-man coverage, you basically have three 1-on-1s all over the ice, so your more creative players will be able to use the open ice to their advantage. Good skaters can create chances with their speed alone. Strategies are still evolving. In the beginning, teams would have a 2-on-1 rush and miss the net with the shot and then there would be a 2-on-1 going back the other way. With the emphasis on puck possession, if there isn’t a
clear play, teams will sometimes retreat out of the offensive zone and regroup before reentering the zone. Sometimes you’ll back out to get fresh bodies on the ice.
How much pressure does 3-on-3 put on a team defensively? The goaltender will probably see more odd-man rushes in the five minutes of overtime than he saw during the whole game. So the goaltender’s play is critical. And if he handles the puck well, he can act like a fourth guy on the ice by passing the puck forward to spring guys loose. In the meantime, your defenseman is usually very active. He’s skating down low, doing his best to move the puck to the open man. It’s really a free-for-all.
Does a team’s strategy in overtime change in terms of putting pucks on net? A team’s shot selection definitely matters. You can’t put pucks on the net like you do when you’re playing 5-on-5. If you miss the net or there’s a big rebound, there’s greater potential
for an odd-man rush the other way. The whole emphasis is on puck possession. Your players need to work as a three-man unit to create an opportunity and then be able to strike. They need to communicate and read off each other. Any overtime period can be over in a matter of seconds, so our players have to be ready. You can’t plan for a long overtime because in many cases, it ends quickly. In the playoffs, look at how many games are decided in the first five minutes of overtime. Every point in the standings is critical, so that’s why overtimes are so important and why we practice it often. We do our best to simulate those 1-on-1 battles to help our guys prepare for overtime situations.
Is there anything you’d like to change about the 3-on-3 overtime? Not really. I think it’s great for the game and great for the fans. In the NHL, people love to see skilled players like Sidney Crosby or Connor McDavid because they have so much more ice to work with during overtime. More games are getting decided now in 3-on-3 overtime than with the 4-on-4 format. Shootouts are still exciting, but I think the 3-on-3 overtime is a truer measure of the game.
2016-17 GRIFFINS COACHING AND TRAINING STAFF
Head Coach
Todd Nelson
Video Coach
Bill LeRoy
Assistant Coach
Ben Simon
Athletic Trainer
John Bernal
Assistant Coach
Assistant Coach
Goaltending Coach
Bruce Ramsay
Mike Knuble
Brian Mahoney-Wilson
Equipment Manager
Assistant Equipment Manager
Strength-Conditioning Coordinator
Brad Thompson
Andrew Stegehuis
Marcus Kinney
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
3
GRIFFINS SCOUTING REPORT
The Griffins will play host to a pair of California teams this winter, marking the first-ever visits by the San Jose Barracuda and Stockton Heat. The Barracuda are coached by Roy Sommer, an Oakland native now in his 19th season as bench boss of the Sharks’ AHL affiliate. Sommer entered 2016-17 as the AHL’s all-time leader in regular season wins (648) and games (1,412) by a head coach.
IOWA
• Defenseman Maxime Fortunus is in his 14th pro season, having captained Texas to a Calder Cup title in the spring of 2014. A veteran of nearly 800 AHL regular season games, Fortunus is one of 16 players in league history to play in 100 Calder Cup playoff games, reaching the century mark during Texas’ championship run.
(JAN. 25)
• Former Griffin Teemu Pulkkinen has not lost his scoring touch since he was claimed off waivers from the Red Wings, recording a dozen goals in his first 25 games in a Wild uniform, including a pair of two-goal contests. Pulkkinen, who tallied 31- and 34-goal seasons in back-toback years with the Griffins, has appeared in 79 NHL games. • Iowa snapped an eight-game winless streak at Van Andel Arena with a 4-3 shootout win on Dec. 2.
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA • Barracuda head coach Roy Sommer appeared in 54 games with the
SAN JOSE
PRIMARY MARK
(JAN. 27)
Grand Rapids Owls across two seasons (1977-78, 1979-80). He also played two seasons with the Muskegon Lumberjacks (1985-87) before starting his coaching career with the team as an assistant during the 1987-88 campaign.
• Rookie goaltender Mantas Armalis hails from Lithuania, a small Eastern European country that has produced two notable NHL players: defenseman Darius Kasparaitis (863 games) and forward Dainius Zubrus (1,293 games). • After this inaugural meeting, Grand Rapids will make the return trip to the Bay Area on March 11, as the SAP Center will become the 60th road venue in which the Griffins have played during their 21-year history. 4 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
STOCKTON HEAT PRIMARY MARK
STOCKTON (JAN. 28)
• Goaltender Tom McCollum, a seven-year Griffin and former first-round draft pick by Detroit, will be making his first return to Grand Rapids after signing a two-year, two-way deal with the Calgary Flames on Oct. 15. As of Jan. 10, McCollum had won his only appearance with the Heat, allowing one goal in less than 40 minutes of action. • Ryan Huska is in his third season as head coach of the Heat’s AHL affiliate after spending the previous 12 years as a coach with the Western Hockey League’s Kelowna Rockets, including seven as bench boss (2007-14). Griffins veteran Mitch Callahan played three seasons (2008-11) under Huska. • After meeting for the first time, Grand Rapids will face the Heat again on March 12 at Stockton Arena, which will become the 61st road venue to host the Griffins.
MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS Entering PRIMARY • MARK
MILWAUKEE (FEB. 4, FEB. 24, FEB. 25)
PANTONE 186 C
PANTONE 110 C
PANTONE 425 C
PANTONE 142 C
PROCESS BLACK
WHITE
the first of their three February matchups, the Griffins had allowed only five goals to the Admirals over their last six regular season meetings at Van Andel Arena. Grand Rapids has blanked Milwaukee 2015-16 twice over that span.
• As of Jan. 3, 15 players had skated with both the Admirals and the parent Nashville Predators this season, incuding highly touted Finnish goaltender Juuse Saros, who won his first NHL game in October then recorded his first NHL shutout in late December. • Since the 2013-14 season, the Admirals have struggled against the Griffins with a 10-17-2-3 record (.391), including a 2-12-1-1 mark at Van Andel Arena. Over that same time frame, Milwaukee is 128-66-17-15 (.637) against the rest of the AHL (through Dec. 31).
MANITOBA MOOSE
MANITOBA
• PRIMARY MARK
(FEB. 8, FEB. 15)
PANTONE 282 C
PANTONE 292 C
PANTONE COOL GRAY 4 C
WHITE
When the Griffins welcome the Moose to Van Andel Arena on Feb. 15, it will mark the 16th consecutive season that Grand Rapids has hosted a matinee game. The Griffins2015-16 own a 9-5-0-1 record in home games with an early start.
• The Moose returned to the AHL last season following a four-year absence and were met with a rude welcome from the Griffins. Grand Rapids won three of four games against Manitoba, outscoring the Moose by a 17-6 margin, including 12-3 during a two-game sweep at Van Andel Arena. • Manitoba center Chase De Leo and Griffins rookie Dominic Turgeon were teammates with Portland (WHL) for three full seasons (2012-15) and helped the Winterhawks capture the league championship in 2013.
SAN ANTONIO PANTONE 282 C
PANTONE 2945 C
PANTONE COOL GRAY 11
(FEB. 17, FEB. 18)
PANTONE 429 C
WHITE
• Griffins center Ben Street captained the Rampage in 2015-16, 2015-16 Antonio. Street was limited to 15 games his only season in San due to injury but totaled 21 points (7-14—21) and was named San Antonio’s IOA/American Specialty Man of the Year for his community involvement. • Rampage rookie winger J.T. Compher played three seasons at the University of Michigan (2013-16). His time in Ann Arbor overlapped with current NHLers Dylan Larkin (2014-15) and Zach Werenski (2014-16). • Play during the first two periods has proven to be decisive for San Antonio this season. Through Jan. 10, the Rampage were 120-1 when leading after 40 minutes and 0-11-1 when trailing after two stanzas. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
5
GET IN THE GAME The Griffins offer a multitude of marketing and promotional opportunities for fans and groups looking to do something special with their game-day experience.
Imagine enjoying the exposure of thousands of people to a performance by your school, group or team. Think about the chance to leverage the popularity of Griffins hockey into a oneof-a-kind fundraiser for your organization. Take a moment to consider the thrill of going on the ice at Van Andel Arena or being able to step behind the scenes before a game. All of these are possible through the Griffins’ “Get in the Game” program, a unique opportunity for fans to get involved in the excitement through special ticket offerings that allow groups, large or small, to participate in pre-game, in-game or postgame activities. “We offer a variety of ways for groups to be engaged in either ticket discounts or fundraising opportunities,” said John Hoffa, Griffins director of group sales. “We offer any number of packages or deals that allow people to ‘Get in the Game’ with our team, players and game-day experience.” Hoffa confides that the list of examples is rather long, from performances by school bands to dance and cheer teams to Tae Kwon Do demonstrations. The appeal ranges from young to old, whether it’s youth hockey teams staging shootouts or seniors singing in barbershop quartets. Some opportunities take place during intermissions or timeouts, while high school, college and adult rec teams often play full games either 6 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
before or after the Griffins play. Many organizations have enjoyed the benefit of the team’s “Throw for Dough” program, which allows them to buy discounted tickets and then sell foam pucks as a fundraiser, keeping 100 percent of the profits. Some groups have raised $2,500$3,500 per opportunity. Others have taken advantage of unique ticket pricing that allows them to enjoy the game at a discount and raise funds for their cause (uniforms, trips, etc.) by reselling the cheaper tickets at a higher price through the Griffins’ “Save the Change” program. With the idea to sell tickets, Hoffa said the Griffins do their best to make the process painless for organizations interested in taking their participation to new levels. “We try to take away the pressure of selling tickets,” he said. The possibilities for engagement are almost endless. Fans can participate in the High-Five Alley and welcome the players onto the ice from the Zamboni tunnel, or choirs or bands can sing or play the National Anthem. “We’re continually brainstorming new ideas and we welcome new proposals from groups or organizations,” Hoffa said. To create a memorable experience for your group or simply to get more information about how you can “Get in the Game,” contact the Griffins at 616-774-4584, ext. 4.
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2016-17
SEASON schedule
S
M
T
OCTOBER
W
T
F
S
S
M
W
T
F
S
1
2
3
IA
CHI
8
CLE
10
RFD
MIL
15
TEX
17
TEX 7:00
19
24
CLE
CLE
1 2 9
3
4
5
7
8
13
CHI
CHI CLE
20
21
22
MIL
CHA
27
28
29
CLE
11
16
17
IA
8:00
19
20
RFD
23
24
25
26
27
CHA
30
31
S
M
4 CHI 5:00
5 12
T CLE
12
6
10
W
W
T
F
S
1
7:00
IA
RFD 8:00
1
2
3
IA
7:00
5
CHA
RFD
MIL
10
8
9
10
11
12
MIL
RFD
16
CHA
15
RFD
17
IA
19
CHI
CLE
26
SJ
STK
23
24
22
23
24
RFD
29
30
31
S
M
T
S
M
T
19
7 14
20
21
26
27
CLE
S
M
T
7:00 7:00
Noon
7:00
7:00
6:00
6:00
W
T
F
S
1
2
CHI
MIL
MB
9
IA
8:00
IA
8:00
5
SA
7:00
SA
7:00
STK
MIL
MIL
MIL
7:00
MB
11AM
22
7:00
W
16 23
8:00
2 5:00
3 10
8:00
IA
7:00
7:00
7:00
APRIL
T
F
MB
8:00
8:00
11
CHA 7:00
S
6
7
CLE
13
CHA
MIL
7:00
W
7:00
8:00
MB
2:00
FEBRUARY
RFD
CLE
JANUARY
T
CLE
CLE
7:00
M
29
27
7:00
S
22
20
7:00
7:00
S
14
26
8:00
7:00
F
13
19
7:00
7:00 7:00
T
CHI
25
13
6:00
14
7:00
8
7:00
1:00
12
7:15
7:00
13
7
CHI
7:00
MIL
6
7:00
8:00
DECEMBER
CHA
5
7:00
6
NOVEMBER
T
7:00 7:00
Post-Game Open Skate Huntington Bank Post-Game Autograph Session Friends & Family 4-Pack Home Game Pepsi Reading Goals Redemption Date
@GRIFFINSHOCKEY
7:00 6:00
6 13 20
MIL 4:00
27
Home
Away
SA
8:00
14
7:00 8:00 7:00 7:00
7:00 8:00 7:00 7:00
MARCH T
F
S
1
2
SA
8:30
TEX
TEX
9
10
9:00
16
CHI
CHI
23
RFD
RFD
30
CHA
8:30
15
21
22
28
MIL 7:00
7:00 7:00
8:00
SJ
8:00 8:00
7:00
Games broadcast live on
All times Eastern. Dates, opponents and times subject to change.
CHA - Charlotte CHI - Chicago CLE - Cleveland IA - Iowa MB - Manitoba MIL - Milwaukee
RFD - Rockford SA - San Antonio SJ - San Jose STK - Stockton TEX - Texas
PRIMARY AFFILIATE OF THE DETROIT RED WINGS
TO PURCHASE TICKETS OR FOR MORE INFO, Grand Rapids GRIFFINS VISIT GRIFFINSHOCKEY.COM OR CALL 1.800.2.HOCKEY.
9
Griffins Chief Executive Officer
Dear Griffins Fans, The first 20 years of Griffins Hockey are now in the books, the curtain having been brought down by a remarkable 2015-16 season that featured endless reasons to cheer. With the return of original Griffin Todd Nelson to Grand Rapids as head coach, the Griffins twice obliterated our previous franchise record for consecutive victories, rattling off 15 wins in a row from mid-November to late December before nearly matching that feat later on with a 13-game run. Along the way, we posted another record with 14 straight wins at Van Andel Arena, a streak that began on Veterans Day and didn’t end until nearly 10 weeks later. The playoffs started with a three-game sweep of Central Division champion Milwaukee and concluded with a hard-fought loss to eventual Calder Cup champ Lake Erie, finishing off yet another memorable campaign. As the promise of a new season dawns, Nelson and his staff return to build on last year’s success, with a roster that will feature more than the usual number of fresh faces alongside the likes of longtime defenseman Nathan Paetsch, goaltender Jared Coreau, playoff phenom Tyler Bertuzzi and a host of other future Detroit Red Wings. While the entertainment value offered on the ice is second-to-none, we hope you will enjoy several arena enhancements designed to elevate your game-night experience. In addition to the arena’s free wifi service introduced late last season, be sure to take advantage of our newly launched beacon technology, which works with the Griffins app to deliver timely, personalized messages and special offers to fans at Van Andel Arena. You now have quick and easy access to game day news, discounts, promotions and exclusive experiences, including seat upgrades, Zamboni rides and the High-Five Alley. One final thing to enlighten you about is the installation of the arena’s new innovative and energyefficient Ephesus LED digital lighting system from Eaton. Our players’ performance on the ice and your experience in the stands will both benefit from better balanced and brighter lighting that provides for increased visibility, truer colors and prevention of glare. And just wait until you see the fun we’ll have with these lights during pre-game shows, timeouts and intermissions; there’s a reason they were also installed for Super Bowl XLIX in Glendale, Ariz., and the 2016 NHL All-Star Game in Nashville. On behalf of the entire Griffins organization, I thank you for your continued loyal support and look forward to sharing the 2016-17 AHL season with you. Sincerely,
Dan DeVos Chief Executive Officer Grand Rapids Griffins
10 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
DAVID A. ANDREWS RESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, DAPAVID A. ANDREWS MERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE
DAVID A. ANDREWS
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, American Hockey League Hockey League AAmerican MERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE American Hockey League One Monarch Place – Springfield, 01144 One Monarch Place –Place Springfield, MAMA 01144 One Monarch – Springfield, MA 01144 Phone: (413) 781-2030 theahl.com Phone: (413) 781-2030 Phone: (413) 781-2030theahl.com Fax: (413) 733-4767
Dear Fans, Dear Fans, Dear Dear Fans,
American Hockey League
One Monarch Place – Springfield, MA 01144 Phone: (413) 781-2030 theahl.com my great pleasure to welcome to the 2016-17 American Hockey League season. ItItItItisis my great pleasure towelcome welcome you to the historic 2015-16 American Hockey League is 2014-15 season, is my great pleasure to you toyou the historic 2015-16 American Hockey League season, one that79th is sure to be one of the most memorable campaigns ever. The AHL was founded inbe 1936, and for the past eight decades have established a season, one that sure to one of the memorable campaigns our year ofis play. We are proud tomost be entering what is surewe toever. be another exciting tradition of excellence continues today in and 30 cities across America. season, continuing ourthat tradition of excellence bringing anNorth entertaining, physical and We are celebrating our 80th anniversary season literally from coast to coast: From the shores of the We are celebrating anniversary season from6 coast to fans coast:inFrom theacross highly skilled levelour of 80th professional hockey to literally more than million arenas Atlantic to our five new members in California, all 30 teams will hit the ice to continue a tradition of Dear Fans, We areof coming one ofhallmark the new greatest AHL seasons highlighted byhit welcoming North America. shores the Atlantic tothe our five in California, all 30 teams will the ice five excellence that hasoff been of members the American Hockeyever, League since 1936. great fan bases to theyou league, asbeen well2015-16 as our returnofto Winnipeg. fell all to continue a tradition of that has the hallmark the American Hockey It is California my great pleasure to excellence welcome to the historic American Hockey LeagueRecords season, one The AHL remains ofthe itsonce role inagain developing more 88 percent of in today’s National Hockey League year long, from Roy the winningest coach history, Michael that issince sure to beproud one Sommer of mostbecoming memorable campaigns ever. The 2014-15 season will feature 30than teams who will beleague competing fortothe AHL’s League 1936. players, as well asCup the majority of the NHL’s training staffs, broadcasters Leighton setting thevast career mark forand shutouts, to managers, more than 7.1 million fans attending historic Calder championship, 30coaches, National Hockey League clubs who willand be We areIncelebrating our350 80th anniversary season literally from coast coast: From the officials. total, nearly AHL players were recalled to the NHL lasttoseason alone,the andshores more of than games -thetheir largest turnout in in our 80-year history. Thecities. campaign ended in most developing top prospects and futureallstars in our Last season alone, more than The AHL remains proud of its role developing more 88 percent of today’s Atlantic tofirstour five new members in California, 30 teamsthan willtheir hit the iceintothe continue a tradition 250 former and second-round NHL draft picks developed skills AHL. And throughofthe memorable fashion as the Calder Cup to Cleveland for the firstHockey time in 52 240 firstand second-round NHL draft picks competed in American Hockey League, National Hockey League players, as well asreturned thecheering vast majority ofthe thesince NHL’s coaches, excellence that has been the hallmark ofenjoyed the American Hockey League 1936. years, our loyal and passionate fans have for more than 100 future Hall ofyears Famers, with more than 19,000 fans the for the championship and 347 players took the icepacking in more boththan the “Q” AHLCalder and the NHL. and have witnessed the triumphs of 100 champions whoclincher. would go on to have their managers, training staffs, broadcasters and officials. InCup total, nearly 350 AHL players The AHL remains of its role more than 88 percent of today’s National Hockey League names engraved onproud the Stanley Cupinasdeveloping well. were recalled to the NHL last season alone, and more than 250 former first- and secondas well as the vast of majority of the NHL’s coaches,more managers, training staffs, broadcasters and The AHL remains proud its role inskills developing than 88 percent of in today’s National Weplayers, take great pride in our tradition of developing the best hockey talent the world, with round NHL draft picks developed their in the And through years, loyal total, 350 AHL players were recalled to theand NHL last season alone, andour more than Toofficials. our newInfans in nearly Bakersfield, Ontario, San Diego, San AHL. Jose Stockton; tothe our returning fans in Hockey League players, as well as a vast majority of the NHL’s coaches, managers, training over 88 percent of today’s NHL players, coaches and officials having honed their skills in and passionate fans have more thanAmerica 100 Hall 250 former firstsecond-round NHL picks developed theirfuture skills inHockey the Andtoof through thejoin Manitoba; to all of and you whoenjoyed cheer forcheering AHL draft teamsfor across North -- We are AHL. excited have you staffs, on-ice officials, other executives. Inthan total, 377 AHL players were the American Hockey League. Through the years, our loyal and passionate fans have our excitement loyal and passionate fans haveand enjoyed cheering for more 100 future Hockey Hall of Famers, usyears, from the ofbroadcasters, opening weekend, to the 2016 AHL All-Star Classic in Syracuse, andwho through the Famers, and have witnessed the triumphs of more than 100 Calder Cup champions recalled to the NHL last season and more than 250 firstand and and have witnessed the triumphs ofalone, more than 100 Calder Cup champions who would gosecond-round on to have their enjoyed cheering more than 100 future Hockey Hall offormer Famers, and have witnessed the thrills emotion offor the Calder Cup Playoffs. would go on to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup as well. names engraved on the Stanley Cup as well. NHL draftof picks developed skills the AHL. And theon years, our great fans triumphs more than 100 their Calder Cupinchampions whothrough would go to have their names On behalf of allthe of our teams, players staff, thank you members again for your continuing support of the AHL. have enjoyed cheering forCup more than 100 future of the Hockey Hall of Fame, engraved on Stanley as and well. To our new fans ininBakersfield, Ontario, San Diego, San Jose and Stockton; To our fans Bakersfield, San Diego, San Jose and Stockton; to our returning I wish younew the utmost enjoymentOntario, of all the excitement that our 2015-16 season hasto inour store. fans in and have witnessed the triumphs of more than 100 Calder Cup champions who would Manitoba; to all of you who cheer for AHL teams across North America -We are excited to have you join returning fans in Manitoba; to all of you who cheer for AHL teams across North America go onfrom to have their names engraved on the Cup as to continue to deliver professional towell. the great fans ofand Glens Falls,the us the excitement opening weekend, to theStanley 2016 hockey AHL All-Star Classic in Syracuse, through Sincerely, --We’re We arepleased excited to haveofyou join us from the excitement of opening weekend, to the thrills and of the Calder Cup Playoffs. N.Y., and weemotion welcome Allentown, Pa., to the league as the Adirondack Flames and Lehigh 2016 AHL All-Star Classic in Syracuse, and through the thrills and emotion of the Calder To our Phantoms new fans inhitTucson all of you cheer AHL entries teams from coast coast, Valley the iceand thistoseason. Thewho AHL’s two for newest will join thetorest of CupOn Playoffs. behalf of all of our teams, players and staff, thank you again for your continuing support of the AHL. we excited to have you join us for another terrific year. On behalf of all of our teams, theI are league in looking to dethrone the defending Calder Cup champion Texas Stars in the wish you the utmost enjoyment of all the excitement that our 2015-16 season has in store. players and thank again for your continuing support of the AHL. chase for thestaff, AHL’s 2015you title. On behalf of all of our teams, players and staff, thank you again for your continuing Sincerely, David A. Andrews support of the AHL. I wish you the utmost enjoyment of all the excitement that our Sincerely, On behalf&of all Executive of our teams, President Chief Officer players and staff, thank you again for your continuing 2015-16 season in Istore. American Hockey League support of thehas AHL. wish you the utmost enjoyment of all the excitement that our
2014-15 season has in store.
DavidA.A.Andrews Andrews David Sincerely, President& & Chief Chief Executive Officer President Executive Officer American Hockey League American Hockey League David A. Andrews President & Chief Executive Officer American Hockey League
/TheAHL
theahl.com
@TheAHL
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
11
THEA BEGINNINGS TRADITION
OF EXCELLENCE
A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE since 1936
Marking its 81st season of play in 2016-17, the American Hockey League is continuing a since 1936 tradition of excellence that began in 1936 when the Canadian-American Hockey League THE BEGINNINGS merged with the International Hockey to form what is today known as the THELeague BEGINNINGS AHL. Eight teams hit the ice Marking that firstitsseason, playing Haven, 81st season of playininBuffalo, 2016-17, Cleveland, the AmericanNew Hockey League is tradition of81st excellence that inthe 1936 whenHockey the Canadian-American Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Springfield and Syracuse. Marking its season of play inbegan 2016-17, American League is continuing Ho
merged with the International League to form what Hockey is today k a tradition of excellence that began inHockey 1936 when the Canadian-American
AHL. Eight teams the ice thatat first season, in Buffalo, Cleveland, League merged withhit the International Hockey League towas form instrumental what is today known Frank Calder, the National Hockey League’s president the time,playing in as the AHL. Eight teams hit theProvidence, ice that first season, playing inand Buffalo, Cleveland, New Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Springfield Syracuse. the forming of the new league,Haven, andPhiladelphia, his namePittsburgh, would be givenSpringfield to its championship trophy. Providence, and Syracuse. The first Calder Cup was wonFrank by the Syracuse Stars in 1937;League’s the 80th championship was Calder, the National Hockey president at the time, was ins Frank Calder, National Hockey League’s president at the time, was instrumental captured by Cleveland’s Lake Erie Monsters lastleague, spring. the forming ofthe the new and his name would be given to its champion in the forming of the new league, and his name would be given to its championship
The firstThe Calder thebySyracuse Stars in 1937; thethe 80th trophy. first Cup Calderwas Cupwon was by won the Syracuse Stars in 1937; 80thchamp captured by Cleveland’s Lake Erie Monsters last spring. championship was captured by Cleveland’s Lake Eriea Monsters last spring. From those roots, the American Hockey League has grown into 30-team league that
provides fans with exciting, high-level professional hockey while preparing thousands From roots, American League hasa grown 30-team From those those roots, the the American HockeyHockey League has grown into 30-team into leagueathat of players, coaches, officials,provides executives, trainers, broadcasters and for careers in provides fans with exciting, high-level professional hockeymore whilehockey preparing thousands fans with exciting, high-level professional while preparin players, coaches, officials, executives, trainers, trainers, broadcasters and more for and careers the NHL. ofofplayers, coaches, officials, executives, broadcasters more f in the NHL. the NHL.
THE PLAYERS
THETHE PLAYERS PLAYERS
more than 88 percent of the players are AHL alumni, oday’s Hockey League more than In National today’s National Hockey League more than8888percent percent of of the the players are AHL alumni, ent Braden Holtby of the Washington Capitals. TheWashington Capitals. The luding 2016 are Vezina recipient Braden the players AHL Trophy alumni, including 2016 VezinaHoltby Trophy of recipient Braden Holtby ofstocked the Washington Capitals. Thewere 2016 stocked Stanley Cup gh Penguins were with AHL graduates as well, 16 Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins with AHL graduates as well, champion Penguins wereYear stocked with AHL graduates them 2015Pittsburgh AHL Rookie ofstandouts the Matt Murray and standouts Conor Sheary, eong Year Matt Murray and Conor Sheary, as well, among them 2015 AHL Rookie thehelped Year Matt Murray and yan Rust and Tom Kuhnhackl, whoofall the Penguins to the championship who all helped Penguins the standouts Conorthe Sheary, Bryan Rustto and Tomchampionship Kuhnhackl, who all er being called up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton during the season. helped the Penguins to the championship arre/Scranton during the season.after being called up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton during the season.
selections John Gibson of the Anaheim Ducks (San Diego Gulls)
the Philadelphia Flyers (Lehigh Valley Phantoms).
and Shayne Gostisbehere of thefirstPhiladelphia Flyers (Lehigh Valley addition, more than 250 former and second-round draft picks developed their Phantoms). ls in the AHL last season, including William Nylander, Mikko Rantanen, Jakub rst- Anthony and second-round draft picks developed their ana, Milano Shea Theodore. In addition,Mantha, more thanSonny 250 former first- and and second-round draft
ing William Nylander, Mikko picks developed their skills in the AHL lastRantanen, season, includingJakub William Nylander, Mikko Rantanen, Jakub Vrana, Anthony Mantha, Sonny Milano and Shea Theodore.
Photo: Pittsburgh Penguins
ring the 2015-16 season, a total of 880 AHL alumni played in the National Hockey of 880 AHL alumni played in skated the Hockey ague. There were 377 players in both During the 2015-16 season, awho total of 880National AHL alumnileagues played inlast year alone, including theAll-Rookie National Hockey League. There 377alone, players who in 16 NHL Team selections John Gibson of skated the Anaheim Ducks (San Diego o skated in both leagues lastwere year including both leagues Gostisbehere lastof year alone, including 2016 NHL All-Rookie Team lls) John and Shayne of the Philadelphia (Lehigh Valley Phantoms). ns Gibson the Anaheim Ducks (SanFlyers Diego
Matt Murra 2016 Stanley Cup c 2015 AHL Rookie o MattMurray Murray Matt 2015 AHL Goaltender 2016 Stanley Cup champion
20162015 Stanley Cup champion AHL Rookie of the Year 2015 AHL Rookie of theYearYear 2015 AHL Goaltender of the COACHES2015 AHL Goaltender of the Year
Milano and Shea Theodore.
THE THE COACHES
the start of the 2016-17 season, the National Hockey League featured 23 head coaches who were forme At the start of the 2016-17 season, the National Hockey League featured 23 head coaches who were former AHL bench sses, including 20162016 Calder Cup Jared Bednar the Colorado Jack winner AdamsBarry Award w bosses, including Calder Cupchampion champion Jared Bednar of the of Colorado Avalanche,Avalanche, Jack Adams Award otz of Trotz the Washington Capitals and Cupwinner winner Mike Sullivan, who was promoted from Wilkes-Barre of the Washington Capitals andStanley Stanley Cup Mike Sullivan, who was promoted from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton cember. Vancouver’s WillieLeague Desjardins, Detroit’s Blashill, Tampa Bay’sJon Jon Cooper Minnesota’s December. Vancouver’s Willie Desjardins, Detroit’s Jeff Blashill, Tampa Bay’s Cooper andand Minnesota’s Bruce Bruc the inNational Hockey featured 23Jeff head coaches who were former AHL bench also Boudreau recent Calder winners, and Stanley champions Joel Quenneville, Claude Julien, Dan Bylsm are alsoCup recent Calder Cup winners, and Cup Stanley Cup champions Joel Quenneville, Claude Julien, Dan Bylsma champion Jared Bednar of the Colorado Avalanche, Jack Adams Award winner Barry Mike Babcock also time in the AHLmaking before making the jump. bcockand also spent time inspent the AHL before the jump.
THE COACHES
d Stanley Cup winner Mike Sullivan, who was promoted from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in rdins, Detroit’s Jeff Blashill, Bay’s Jon Cooper and Boudreau “[TheTampa AHL] is necessary for development. It’s a Minnesota’s great league and Bruce a lot of great players are down there. I for wouldn’t be here It’s if itJulien, for those years of great “[TheJoel AHL] isQuenneville, necessary development. aweren’t great league andBylsma a lot of and Stanley Cup champions Claude Dan and Mike improvement and learning, so I’m grateful for it.” L before making the jump. players are down there. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for those years of —improvement Braden Holtby, Washington Capitals and learning, so I’m grateful for it.” 2016 Vezina Holtby, Trophy winner -- Braden Washington Capitals 2010 Cup champion 2016Calder Vezina Trophy winner
2010 Calder champion he AHL] is necessary for development. It’s aCup great league and a lot of great ayers are down there. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for those years of Photo: JustSports Photography provement and learning, so I’m grateful for it.” JustSports Photography
12 Holtby, Grand Rapids GRIFFINSCapitals Braden Washington 16 Vezina Trophy winner
THEbegan LEGENDS has created its own legends as well, and in 2006 THE LEGENDS THE LEGENDS ion ofForthe AHL Hall of Fame. The 11th class of inductees, the past eight decades, the American Hockey League has been home to some of the ruceFor Cline, Ralph Keller, Labbe and Landon. the past eight decades, theJ.F. American Hockey League has been home tohonored some greatest players in the history of ourLeague sport. In Bruce fact, 100 members of the past eight decades, the American Hockey has beenmore homethan to some of the ofthe theHockey greatest players inour theGage, history our sport. Inwith fact, more than 100 honored ower, Fred Jody Mitch Lamoureux, Willie Hall of Fame have been affiliated AHL during their atest players inGlover, the history of sport. Inof fact, more than 100the honored members of careers. All-time members of the Hockey Hall of Fame have been affiliated with the AHL during their greats George Armstrong, Toe Blake, Gump Worsley, Terry Sawchuk, Glenn HallBruce oflike Fame have been affiliated with the AHL during their careers. All-time eHockey Shore, Boudreau, Zellio Toppazzini, and others All-time greats like George Toe Blake, Gump Worsley, Terry Eddie Shore Hall, Brad Park, Ken Dryden, and Brett Hull came through the AHL ranks and now ats likecareers. George Armstrong, Toe Blake,Armstrong, Gump Worsley, Terry Sawchuk, Glenn he American Hockey League Hall of Fame. Sawchuk, Glenn Hall, Brad Park, Ken Dryden, and Brett Hull came through Honored Member, l, Bradfind Park, Ken Dryden, and Brett Hull cameand through the AHLCalder ranks and themselves enshrined in Toronto, the coveted Cup now isthe inscribed with the Hockey Hall of Fame
AHL ranks now themselves enshrined inCalder Toronto, and the coveted Calder d themselves enshrined in find Toronto, the coveted Cup is inscribed with theGerry names ofand legendary AHL and alumni like Patrick Roy, Larry Robinson, Cheevers, Honored Member, AHL Hall of Fame is inscribed theHorton, names ofAl legendary AHL alumni like Patrick Roy, Larryand Billy Smith. mes of Cup legendary AHLwith alumni like Patrick Roy, Larry Robinson, Gerry Andy Bathgate, Tim Arbour, Emile Francis, DougCheevers, Harvey, Robinson, Gerry Cheevers, Andy Bathgate, Tim Horton, Al Arbour, Emile dy Bathgate, Tim Horton, Al Arbour, Emile Francis, Doug Harvey, and Billy Smith. Francis, Doug Harvey, and Billy Smith. The American Hockey League has created its own legends as well, and in 2006 began American Hockey League has created its own legends as well, and in 2006 began honoring them withLeague the formation of the AHL Hall of as Fame. The 11th class of inductees, The has created itsFame. own legends well,ofand in 2006 noring themAmerican with theHockey formation of the AHL Hall of The 11th class inductees, recognized in them 2016, included Bruce Cline, Ralph Keller, and began honoring with the formation the AHL Hall of Fame. The Labbe 11th class of Bruce Landon. ognized in 2016, included Bruce Cline, Ralph of Keller, J.F. Labbe and J.F. Bruce Landon. They join the likesBower, ofinJohnny Bower, Fred Glover, Jody Gage, Lamoureux, More fans attended AHL games in 2015-16 than in anyWillie other season in the inductees, 2016, included Bruce Cline, Ralph Keller, J.F. Mitch Labbe and y join the likes ofrecognized Johnny Fred Glover, Jody Gage, Mitch Lamoureux, Willie Marshall, Frank Mathers, Eddie Shore, Bruce Boudreau, Zellio and others rshall,Bruce Frank Mathers, Eddie Shore, Bruce Boudreau, Zellio Toppazzini, andToppazzini, others Landon. They join80-year the likes of Johnny Bower, Fred Glover, Jody Gage, Mitch Eddie league’s history, topping 7.1 million total and over 6,000 average perSho Eddie EddieShore Shore as distinguished of the American Hockey of Fame. distinguished members the American Hockey League HallShore, of League Fame. Lamoureux, Willieofmembers Marshall, Frank Mathers, Eddie BruceHall Boudreau, Honored Hoc Honored Hall Fame HonoredMember, Member,Hockey Hockey Hallof ofMember, Fame gameand between the regular season and playoffs The Hershey Bears Zellio Toppazzini, others as distinguished members of the American Hockeycombined. Honored Member, AH Honored Fame HonoredMember, Member,AHL AHL Hall of Fame the league for the 10th year in a row, averaging 9,790 fans per home game, League Hallled of Fame. Photo: AHLArchives Archives Photo: AHL
THE FANS
while the Utica Comets sold every oneFANS of its games at the Utica Memorial THEout FANS THE THE FANS Auditorium. The season ended with 19,665 fans packing Quicken Loans Arena fans attended AHL games in 2015-16 in any season in in Cleveland for More the Monsters’ Calder Cup clinching win --other largest crowd More attended AHL games inthan 2015-16 than inthe any other in sea Morefans fans attended AHL games in 2015-16 than in season anythe other league’s 80-year history, topping 7.1 million total7.1 and over 6,000 average per the league’s 80-yearhistory, history, topping million total and overover 6,000 league’s 80-year topping 7.1 million total and 6,000 a ever for a pro hockey game in Ohio. game between the regular season and playoffs combined. The Hershey Bears
average per game between the regular season playoffscombined. combined. The game between the regular season andand playoffs The Her led the leagueHershey for the Bears 10th year in aleague row, averaging 9,790 per home game, led the for the 10th year fans in a row, averaging 9,790
led the league for the 10th year in a row, averaging 9,790 fans per h
while the Utica Comets soldgame, out every its games atsold the Utica Memorial Fans are also continuing to fans follow their and the league inofout record numbers perthe home whileone theof Utica Comets every one ofthe its Utica while Uticateams Comets sold outpacking every one itsLoans games at Auditorium. The season ended with 19,665 fans Quicken Arena games atInternet the Utica Memorial Auditorium. The season ended with 19,665 digitally. Last season, the AHL Network -featuring TheAHL.com Auditorium. The season ended with 19,665 fans packing Quicken L in Cleveland for the Monsters’ Calder Cup clinching win -the largest crowd fans packing Quicken Arena in Calder Cleveland for clinching the Monsters’ in Cleveland for the Monsters’ Cup winCalder -- the lar ever for a proof hockey game in --Ohio. and the official Web sites all 30 clubs --Loans continued toforserve fansgame worldwide, Cup clinching win the largest crowd ever a pro hockey in Ohio. ever forfollow a pro hockey game in Ohio. while more than Fans 2.5 are million fans the AHL and its teams on social media also continuing to follow their teams and the league in record numbers Fans are also continuing to follow their teams and the league in record platforms like Facebook, Twitter Instagram. digitally. Last season, the InternettoNetwork -- featuring TheAHL.com Fans areand alsoAHL continuing follow their teams and the league in recor numbers digitally. Last season, the AHL Internet Network — featuring
Photo: Lindsay A. Mogle
the official Web sites all 30 clubs -- continued to serve fans worldwide, digitally. Last season, the AHL Internet -- featuring Over 7.1 million fans and attended AHL games inofand 2015-16, the TheAHL.com the official sites 30Network clubs continued to Th while more than 2.5 million fans follow theWeb AHL andof itsallteams on — social media and the official Web sites of all 30 clubs -continued serve most in the league’s 80-year history. fans worldwide, while more than 2.5 million fans follow theto AHL and fans platforms likeserve Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. while more thanmedia 2.5 million fans theTwitter AHL and its teams on so its teams on social platforms likefollow Facebook, and Instagram. Over 7.1 million fans attended AHL in 2015-16, the platforms likegames Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
880 88.8
most in the league’s 80-year history. Over7.1 7.1million million fans attended games in 2015-16, the Over fans attended AHL AHL games in 2015-16, the mostininthe the league’s 80-year history. most league’s 80-year history.
377 377 880
88.8 880880 88.8
256256 23 23 377 377 256 256 23
2
AHL players who Former 1st- and 2ndAHL alumni who Percentage of all NHL AHLplayers players who AHL Formerround 1stand 2ndAHL alumni who ormer AHL players Former also played NHL draft picks played for the 2016 layers in 2015-16 who who skated in the AHL players who Former 1stand 2ndAHL alu Percentage of all NHL Former AHL players also played NHL picks played for the who skated inof all the in the NHL AHL alumni who2016 Former 1stAHLround players who AHLLeague players Percentage NHL who draft skated in theand AHL2nd-Stanley Cup champion were graduates NationalFormer Hockey also played played for the 2016 round NHL draft picks also played who skated in the players in 2015-16 round NHL draft picks played fo players in 2015-16 who who skated in the in 2015-16 in 2015-16 Pittsburgh Penguins the AHL League last season in the NHL who skated in the AHL Stanley Cup champion onalofwho Hockey Stanley Cup champion who skatedwho in theskated AHL in in the NHL in the NHL HockeyHockey League were graduates the AHL Stanley Cu were graduates National National Pittsburgh Penguins Penguins in 2015-16in 2015-16 in 2015-16 Pittsburgh League season of the AHL in last 2015-16 last season in 2015-16 in 2015-16 Pittsburgh of the AHL last season “I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I wish every player could play in the AHL before they get the chance to play in the NHL. You learn from guys who are older, approach the game as professionals, and prepare that way. It was great for me.”
-- P.K.in Nashville Predators trade it could for the world. ISubban, wish every player could play in the AHL before uldn’t trade it for the world. I wish“I wouldn’t everyforplayer play theOlympic AHL before gold medalist “I wouldn’t trade itthey thethe world. I wish could play infrom guys who are older, get chance to every play2014 inplayer the NHL. You learn they get the chance to play in the NHL.before Yougame learn from guys2013 who are older, Norris winner the AHL they getprofessionals, the chance to play inTrophy the NHL. approach the as and prepare that way. It was great for me.” 2010 AHLthe Team You learn guys that who are older, approach as oach the game as professionals, and from prepare way. It was great All-Rookie for me.” --game P.K. Subban, Nashville Predators
-
Photo: Getty Images professionals,-and prepare that way. It was great for me.”2014 Olympic gold medalist P.K. Subban, Nashville Predators 2013 Norris Trophy winner -— P.K. Subban, Nashville Predators 2014 Olympic gold medalist 2010 AHL All-Rookie Team 2014 Olympic gold medalist 2013 Norris Trophy winner 2013 Norris Trophy winner Photo: Getty Images 2010 AHL All-Rookie Team 2010 AHL All-Rookie Team
Photo: Getty Images
Photo: Getty Images
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
13
2016-17 AHL DIRECTORY EASTERN CONFERENCE ATLANTIC DIVISION: Bridgeport, Hartford, Hershey, Lehigh Valley, Providence, Springfield, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
ALBANY DEVILS
NORTH DIVISION: Albany, Binghamton, Rochester, St. John’s, Syracuse, Toronto, Utica
NHL AFFILIATION: New Jersey Devils HOME ICE: Times Union Center (6,691) GENERAL MANAGER: Tom Fitzgerald HEAD COACH: Rick Kowalsky ENTERED AHL: 2006-07 (as Lowell Devils) CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 10 2015-16 RECORD: 46-20-8-2, 102 pts./0.671 WEBSITE: thealbanydevils.com
BINGHAMTON SENATORS
NHL AFFILIATION: Ottawa Senators HOME ICE: Floyd L. Maines Veterans Memorial Arena (4,696) GENERAL MANAGER: Randy Lee HEAD COACH: Kurt Kleinendorst ENTERED AHL: 2002-03 CALDER CUPS: One (2011) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 6 of 14 2015-16 RECORD: 31-38-6-1, 69 pts./0.454 WEBSITE: binghamtonsenators.com
BRIDGEPORT SOUND TIGERS
NHL AFFILIATION: New York Islanders HOME ICE: Webster Bank Arena (8,412) GENERAL MANAGER: Garth Snow HEAD COACH: Brent Thompson ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 8 of 15 2015-16 RECORD: 40-29-4-3, 87 pts./0.572 WEBSITE: soundtigers.com
HARTFORD WOLF PACK
NHL AFFILIATION: New York Rangers HOME ICE: XL Center (15,635) GENERAL MANAGER: Jim Schoenfeld HEAD COACH: Ken Gernander ENTERED AHL: 1997-98 CALDER CUPS: One (2000) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 15 of 19 2015-16 RECORD: 41-32-3-0, 85 pts./0.559 WEBSITE: hartfordwolfpack.com
HERSHEY BEARS
NHL AFFILIATION: Washington Capitals HOME ICE: Giant Center (10,500) GENERAL MANAGER: Bryan Helmer HEAD COACH: Troy Mann ENTERED AHL: 1938-39 CALDER CUPS: 11 (1947, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1974, 1980, 1988, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 66 of 78 2015-16 RECORD: 43-21-5-7, 98 pts./0.645 WEBSITE: hersheybears.com
LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS
NHL AFFILIATION: Philadelphia Flyers HOME ICE: PPL Center (8,420) GENERAL MANAGER: Ron Hextall HEAD COACH: Scott Gordon ENTERED AHL: 1996-97 (as Philadelphia Phantoms) CALDER CUPS: Two (1998, 2005) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 10 of 20 2015-16 RECORD: 34-35-4-3, 75 pts./0.493 WEBSITE: phantomshockey.com
PROVIDENCE BRUINS
NHL AFFILIATION: Boston Bruins HOME ICE: Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence (11,075) GENERAL MANAGER: John Ferguson HEAD COACH: Kevin Dean ENTERED AHL: 1992-93 CALDER CUPS: One (1999) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 19 of 24 2015-16 RECORD: 41-22-9-4, 95 pts./0.625 WEBSITE: providencebruins.com
ROCHESTER AMERICANS
NHL AFFILIATION: Buffalo Sabres HOME ICE: Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial (10,662) GENERAL MANAGER: Tim Murray HEAD COACH: Dan Lambert ENTERED AHL: 1956-57 CALDER CUPS: Six (1965, 1966, 1968, 1983, 1987, 1996) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 44 of 60 2015-16 RECORD: 34-38-3-1, 72 pts./0.474 WEBSITE: amerks.com
ST. JOHN’S IC
PRIMARY MA
ST. JOHN’S ICECAPS
NHL AFFILIATION: Montreal Canadiens HOME ICE: Mile One Centre (6,287) GENERAL MANAGER: Marc Bergevin HEAD COACH: Sylvain Lefebrve ENTERED AHL: 2011-12 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 2 of 5 2015-16 RECORD: 32-33-8-3, 75 pts./0.493 WEBSITE: stjohnsicecaps.com
PANTONE 2758 C
PANTONE 187 C
PANTONE 877 C
PANTONE COOL GRAY 11C
WHITE
SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS
NHL AFFILIATION: Florida Panthers HOME ICE: MassMutual Center (6,784) GENERAL MANAGER: Eric Joyce HEAD COACH: Geordie Kinnear ENTERED AHL: 2016-17 WEBSITE: springfieldthunderbirds.com
SYRACUSE CRUNCH
NHL AFFILIATION: Tampa Bay Lightning HOME ICE: War Memorial Arena (6,010) GENERAL MANAGER: Julien BriseBois HEAD COACH: Benoit Groulx ENTERED AHL: 1994-95 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 12 of 22 2015-16 RECORD: 32-29-11-4, 79 pts./0.520 WEBSITE: syracusecrunch.com Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
15
2016-17 AHL DIRECTORY TORONTO MARLIES
CHARLOTTE CHECKERS
UTICA COMETS
CHICAGO WOLVES
WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS
CLEVELAND MONSTERS
NHL AFFILIATION: Carolina Hurricanes HOME ICE: Bojangles’ Coliseum (8,300) GENERAL MANAGER: Derek Wilkinson HEAD COACH: Ulf Samuelsson ENTERED AHL: 2010-11 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 2 of 6 2015-16 RECORD: 36-32-3-5, 80 pts./0.526 WEBSITE: gocheckers.com
NHL AFFILIATION: Toronto Maple Leafs HOME ICE: Ricoh Coliseum (7,851) GENERAL MANAGER: Kyle Dubas HEAD COACH: Sheldon Keefe ENTERED AHL: 2005-06 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 8 of 11 2015-16 RECORD: 54-16-5-1, 114 pts./0.750 WEBSITE: marlies.ca
NHL AFFILIATION: St. Louis Blues HOME ICE: Allstate Arena (16,692) GENERAL MANAGER: Wendell Young HEAD COACH: Craig Berube ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: Two (2002, 2008) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 10 of 15 2015-16 RECORD: 33-35-5-3, 74 pts./0.487 WEBSITE: chicagowolves.com
NHL AFFILIATION: Vancouver Canucks HOME ICE: Utica Memorial Auditorium (3,860) GENERAL MANAGER: Pat Conacher HEAD COACH: Travis Green ENTERED AHL: 2013-14 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 2 of 3 2015-16 RECORD: 38-26-8-4, 88 pts./0.579 WEBSITE: uticacomets.com
NHL AFFILIATION: Columbus Blue Jackets HOME ICE: Quicken Loans Arena (19,665/10,025 lower bowl) GENERAL MANAGER: Bill Zito HEAD COACH: John Madden ENTERED AHL: 2007-08 (as Lake Erie Monsters) CALDER CUPS: One (2016) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 2 of 9 2015-16 RECORD: 43-22-6-5, 97 pts./0.638 WEBSITE: clevelandmonsters.com
NHL AFFILIATION: Pittsburgh Penguins HOME ICE: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza (8,050) GENERAL MANAGER: Jason Botterill HEAD COACH: Clark Donatelli ENTERED AHL: 1999-00 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 15 of 17 2015-16 RECORD: 43-27-4-2, 92 pts./0.605 WEBSITE: wbspenguins.com
WESTERN CONFERENCE CENTRAL DIVISION: Grand Rapids, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Iowa, Manitoba, Milwaukee, Rockford
BAKERSFIELD CONDORS
GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS
NHL AFFILIATION: Detroit Red Wings HOME ICE: Van Andel Arena (10,834) GENERAL MANAGER: Ryan Martin PACIFIC DIVISION: HEAD COACH: Todd Nelson Bakersfield, Ontario, ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 San Antonio, San Diego, BAKERSFIELD CONDORS CALDER CUPS: One (2013) San Jose, Stockton, PRIMARY MARK Texas, Tucson SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 10 of 15 2015-16 RECORD: 44-30-1-1, 90 pts./0.592 WEBSITE: griffinshockey.com
NHL AFFILIATION: Edmonton Oilers HOME ICE: Rabobank Arena (8,751) GENERAL MANAGER: Keith Gretzky HEAD COACH: Gerry Fleming ENTERED AHL: 2015-16 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 0 of 1 2015-16 RECORD: 31-28-7-2, 71 pts./0.522 WEBSITE: bakersfieldcondors.com
IOWA WILD
PANTONE 281 C
PANTONE 172 C
PANTONE 429 C
WHITE
NHL AFFILIATION: Minnesota Wild HOME ICE: Wells Fargo Arena (8,356) GENERAL MANAGER: Brent Flahr HEAD COACH: Derek Lalonde ENTERED AHL: 2013-14 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 0 of 3 2015-16 RECORD: 24-41-5-6, 59 pts./0.388 WEBSITE: iowawild.com 2015-16
THE ROAD TO THE CALDER CUP
16 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
2016-17 AHL DIRECTORY
SAN DIEGO GU
MANITOBA MOOSE
PRIMARY MARK
PRIMARY MARK
MANITOBA MOOSE
SAN DIEGO GULLS
NHL AFFILIATION: Winnipeg Jets HOME ICE: MTS Centre (8,812) GENERAL MANAGER: Craig Heisinger HEAD COACH: Pascal Vincent ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 (played through 2010-11; re-entered 2015-16) CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 9 of 11 2015-16 RECORD: 26-41-4-5, 61 pts./0.401 WEBSITE: moosehockey.com
PANTONE 282 C
PANTONE 2945 C
PANTONE COOL GRAY 11
NHL AFFILIATION: Anaheim Ducks HOME ICE: Valley View Casino Center (12,920) GENERAL MANAGER: Bob Ferguson HEAD COACH: Dallas Eakins ENTERED AHL: 2015-16 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 1 MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS 2015-16 RECORD: 39-23-4-2, 84 pts./0.618 PRIMARY MARK WEBSITE: sandiegogulls.com
PANTONE 429 C
2015-16
WHITE
SAN JOSE BARR PANTONE 1655 C
PANTONE MEDIUM BLUE C
PANTONE 5455 C
PROCESS BLACK
WHITE
PRIMARY MAR
SAN JOSE BARRACUDA
MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS
NHL AFFILIATION: Nashville Predators HOME ICE: UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena (9,591) GENERAL MANAGER: Paul Fenton HEAD COACH: Dean Evason ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: One (2004) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 13 of 15 2015-16 RECORD: 48-23-3-2,101 pts./0.664 WEBSITE: milwaukeeadmirals.com
PANTONE 282 C
PANTONE 292 C
PANTONE COOL GRAY 4 C
WHITE
NHL AFFILIATION: San Jose Sharks HOME ICE: SAP Center at San Jose (6,123, curtained) GENERAL MANAGER: Joe Will HEAD COACH: Roy Sommer ENTERED AHL: 2015-16 CALDER CUPS: None ONTARIO REIGN SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 1 PRIMARY MARK 2015-16 RECORD: 31-26-8-3, 73 pts./0.537 WEBSITE: sjbarracuda.com
ONTARIO REIGN
NHL AFFILIATION: Los Angeles Kings HOME ICE: Citizens Business Bank Arena (9,491) GENERAL MANAGER: Rob Blake HEAD COACH: Mike Stothers ENTERED AHL: 2015-16 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 1 2015-16 RECORD: 44-19-4-1, 93 pts./0.684 WEBSITE: ontarioreign.com
PANTONE 429 C
PANTONE 3155 C
PANTONE 429 C
PANTONE 152 C
STOCKTON
PROCESS BLACK
WHITE
PRIMARY MA
2015-16
STOCKTON HEAT
PROCESS BLACK
WHITE
ROCKFORD ICEHOGS
NHL AFFILIATION: Chicago Blackhawks HOME ICE: BMO Harris Bank Center (5,895) GENERAL MANAGER: Mark Bernard HEAD COACH: Ted Dent ENTERED AHL: 2007-08 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 5 of 9 2015-16 RECORD: 40-22-10-4, 94 pts./0.618 WEBSITE: icehogs.com
NHL AFFILIATION: Calgary Flames HOME ICE: Stockton Arena (9,737) GENERAL MANAGER: Brad Pascall HEAD COACH: Ryan Huska ENTERED AHL: 2015-16 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 0 of 1 2015-16 RECORD: 32-32-2-2, 68 pts./0.500 WEBSITE: stocktonheat.com
TEXAS STA
PRIMARY MAR
2015-16
PANTONE 186 C
PANTONE 110 C
PANTONE 3425 C
METALLIC SILVER 877
PANTONE 425 C
PANTONE 142 C
PROCESS BLACK
TEXAS STARS
NHL AFFILIATION: Dallas Stars HOME ICE: H-E-B Center at Cedar Park (6,863) GENERAL MANAGER: Scott White HEAD COACH: Derek Laxdal ENTERED AHL: 2009-10 CALDER CUPS: One (2014) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 6 of 7 2015-16 RECORD: 40-25-8-3, 91 pts./0.599 WEBSITE: texasstars.com
PANTONE 877 C
PROCESS BLACK
WHITE
SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE
TUCSON ROADRUNNERS
Eight teams in each conference will qualify for the 2017 Calder Cup Playoffs.
The division semifinals will be best-of-five series, with the first-place team playing the fourth-place team and the second-place team facing the third-place team. The division finals, conference finals and Calder Cup Finals will be best-of-seven series.
NHL AFFILIATION: Colorado Avalanche HOME ICE: AT&T Center (6,374, lower bowl) GENERAL MANAGER: Craig Billington HEAD COACH: Eric Veilleux ENTERED AHL: 2002-03 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 4 of 14 2015-16 RECORD: 33-35-8-0, 74 pts./0.487 WEBSITE: sarampage.com
The top four teams in each division, ranked by points percentage (points earned divided by points available), will qualify for the postseason.
NHL AFFILIATION: Arizona Coyotes HOME ICE: Tucson Convention Center Arena (6,700) GENERAL MANAGER: Doug Soetaert HEAD COACH: Mark Lamb ENTERED AHL: 2016-17 WEBSITE: tucsonroadrunners.com
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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WHITE
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DETROIT
RED WINGS
Photo: Getty Images
Riley Sheahan, Tomas Tatar, Joakim Andersson and Gustav Nyquist were among 25 former Griffins who played at least one game for the Red Wings during the 2015-16 campaign. After guiding Detroit to its 25th consecutive playoff berth in his first season as head coach, Jeff Blashill returns to the Red Wings’ bench alongside a staff that includes former Grand Rapids assistant coaches Pat Ferschweiler, Jeff Salajko and Dave Noel-Bernier.
GRIFFINS WHO HAVE EARNED THEIR WINGS
*
Justin Abdelkader, 2008-09 Adam Almquist, 2013-14 Joakim Andersson, 2011-12 Andreas Athanasiou, 2015-16 Sean Avery, 2002-03 Ryan Barnes, 2003-04 Tyler Bertuzzi, 2016-17 Patrick Boileau, 2002-03 Darryl Bootland, 2003-04 Fabian Brunnstrom, 2011-12 Mitch Callahan, 2013-14 Ty Conklin, 2011-12 Chris Conner, 2011-12 Jared Coreau, 2016-17 Danny DeKeyser, 2013-14
Aaron Downey, 2008-09 Patrick Eaves, 2013-14 Matt Ellis, 2006-07 Cory Emmerton, 2010-11 Jonathan Ericsson, 2007-08 Landon Ferraro, 2013-14 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 Nick Jensen, 2016-17
Tomas Jurco, 2013-14 Jakub Kindl, 2009-10 Tomas Kopecky, 2005-06 Niklas Kronwall, 2003-04 Marc Lamothe, 2003-04 Josh Langfeld, 2006-07 Dylan Larkin, 2015-16 Brian Lashoff, 2012-13 Brett Lebda, 2005-06 Ville Leino, 2008-09 Joey MacDonald, 2006-07 Donald MacLean, 2005-06 Anthony Mantha, 2015-16 Alexey Marchenko, 2013-14 Darren McCarty, 2007-08
TOP AFFILIATE
Grand Rapids Griffins 15th Season
ARENA
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 Andrej Nestrasil, 2014-15 Kris Newbury, 2009-10 Tomas Nosek, 2015-16 Gustav Nyquist, 2011-12 Xavier Ouellet, 2013-14 Teemu Pulkkinen, 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 Ryan Sproul, 2013-14 Garrett Stafford, 2007-08 Eric Tangradi, 2015-16 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 (201213), Carlo Colaiacovo (2012-13) and Stephen Weiss (2014-15).
MANAGEMENT
Executive VP/General Manager: Ken Holland Assistant General Manager: Ryan Martin
COACHING STAFF
Joe Louis Arena • Seating Capacity: 20,066
Head Coach: Jeff Blashill
CONTACT
Assistant Coaches: John Torchetti, Doug Houda, Pat Ferschweiler, Chris Chelios
(313) 394-7000 • detroitredwings.com
STANLEY CUPS
1936, 1937, 1943, 1950, 1952, 1954, 1955, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2008
Goaltending Coach: Jeff Salajko Video Coach: Dave Noel-Bernier Strength & Conditioning Coach: Mike Kadar Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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— THERE’S MORE TO A BENCH... THAN JUST ANOTHER PLACE TO SIT. Sitting on the players bench is a lot like sitting on The Rapid. You’re there for only a short time...and then you hop off and show the world what you’re made of. Public transportation can empower people and help build strong communities.
Tell us why you ride The Rapid
MORETOTHERIDE.ORG
2016-17 GRIFFINS PROMOTIONAL SCHEDULE JAN. 27 Presented by WZZM 13
FEB. 17 Sixth Annual Purple Community Game presented by Van Andel Institute/ Purple Jersey Auction
JAN. 28 Social Media Night/ Beer Stein Giveaway presented by Centennial Securities FEB. 4 Tyler Bertuzzi Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union/Scout Night
FEB. 18 Toy Night/Plush Griff Giveaway presented by Flagstar Bank/ Griffins Booster Club Silent Auction
FEB. 6 12th Annual Griffins & Sled Wings Sled Hockey Game, benefiting the Grand Rapids Sled Wings and the Griffins Youth Foundation FEB 18-19 15th Annual Great Skate at Rosa Parks Circle, benefiting the Griffins Youth Foundation (NEW DATES!)
FEB. 8 Presented by Spectrum Health Heart Center FEB. 15 16th Annual Matinee Game presented by Blue Cross Blue Shield/ Griffins Comic Book Giveaway/11 a.m. start
FEB. 21 Sixth Annual Corks, Pucks & Brews at the Goei Center, benefiting Easter Seals Michigan FEB. 24 Presented by Eikenhout Inc. FEB. 25 Star Wars Night presented by DTE Energy MARCH 17 St. Patty’s Day Celebration presented by Spectrum Health Neurosciences Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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MARCH 24 ‘90s Night/ Fan-Designed Jersey Auction #2
APRIL 12 Third Annual Bring Your Dog Game presented by Nestlé Purina
MARCH 29 Fifth Annual Brain Injury Awareness Game presented by Brain Injury Association of Michigan APRIL 8 Mascot Mania/Nathan Paetsch Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Michigan Office Solutions
APRIL 14 Season Finale presented by Huntington Bank/ Friday Night Jersey Auction
SEASON-LONG PROMOTIONS $2 Beers and $2 Hot Dogs: Every Friday, enjoy $2 domestic drafts and $2 hot dogs from 6-8 p.m., while supplies last. Get in the D-ZONE: Presented by Family Fitness, every Friday night is a Griffins 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 today to purchase a package of four or more D-Zone tickets for any Friday night game. Military Nights: Every home game, current members of our military can purchase up to four Upper Level tickets for $14 each or four Lower Level Faceoff tickets for $18 each with a valid military ID. The offer also extends to veterans who present a VA ID or discharge papers. College Nights: Presented by Michigan First Credit Union, college students can show their ID at every Friday game to purchase an Upper Level ticket for $14 (or $13 in advance at The Zone). Limit one ticket per ID. 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. Hockey Night in Grand Rapids: For select Wednesday games (Jan. 25, Feb. 8 and March 29), show your Griffins ticket at participating Arena District restaurants and bars to enjoy Hockey Night specials. Visit griffinshockey.com/hockeynight
for participating establishments and more information. Winning Wednesdays: Presented by Farm Bureau Insurance, every time the Griffins win at home on Wednesday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the next Wednesday game. To redeem a Winning Wednesday ticket, please visit the box office following the Winning Wednesday game, The Zone during normal business hours, or the Van Andel Arena box office prior to the next Wednesday game beginning at 5:30 p.m. Fans who exchange their Winning Wednesday ticket at The Zone on a non-game day will receive 20% off the purchase of one item (excluding jerseys). One discount per person present. Post-Game Parties at Peppino’s: After every Wednesday game, join Griffins players and staff for the official post-game party at Peppino’s Sports Grille downtown. Library Nights: For every 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 purchase either an Upper Level ticket for $14 (regularly $16 advance and $19 day of game) or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $18 (regularly $20 advance and $23 day of game). Limit four tickets per card per person, subject to availability. Friends & Family 4-Packs: Available for all Saturday games, each pack includes four tickets
and $12 in concession cash for a great low price. Visit griffinshockey.com/f4p or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2. Continuing this season, fans may use their concession cash to purchase healthy choice menu options at the stand located outside of section 125, including low-fat yogurt, apples, oranges, granola bars and smoothies. 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: Jan. 25, Feb. 8, March 29 and April 12. Post-Game Open Skates: Feb. 4, Feb. 25 and April 8 Huntington Bank Post-Game Autograph Sessions: Jan. 28 and Feb. 18 MOS Corner Office: Presented by Michigan Office Solutions, this section, located on the terrace level above section 118, provides the best seats in the house for groups of up to 30 people, with La-Z-Boy chairs and an array of unprecedented amenities. Call (616) 774-4585 ext. 4. J. Gardella’s Burger and Beer Special: Available on select tickets, take your used Griffins ticket to J. Gardella’s Tavern to enjoy a burger and beer for $7. Refert to the back of select tickets for details. Win With Wendy’s!: When the Griffins win at home, show your ticket the next day at participating Wendy’s locations in West Michigan to receive a free small cup of chili.
ALL PROMOTIONS AND DATES SUBJECT TO CHANGE. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT GRIFFINSHOCKEY.COM.
22 22 Grand Grand Rapids Rapids GRIFFINS GRIFFINS
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lready one of the most defensively dependable players on the Griffins’ roster, Tomas Nosek has found his scoring touch this season to become a major offensive threat.
24 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
STRENGTH Story and photos by Mark Newman
The national flag of the Czech Republic is formed from a blue isosceles triangle that extends halfway into two equal horizontal bands, one white and one red. Tomas Nosek has had the privilege of standing below that flag, representing his homeland on the ice. It is an honor befitting a young man who is building his reputation as a responsible player who models the two-way ideals treasured by coaches of excelling both offensively and defensively. It’s also a tribute to the work ethic preached by his parents, who both work at a special high school for athletes in his hometown of Pardubice, a city of 160,000 located a little more than an hour east of the Czech capital of Prague. “Behave… be polite… be respectful… be a person with good character,” Nosek said, recalling the ideals instilled by his father Miroslav, a track and field coach, and his mother Daniela, who teaches biology and physical education. Nosek started skating when he was three or four, but his parents encouraged him and his older sister Michaela to explore all athletics
(his sister was a competitive pole vaulter). Whatever the sport, their advice was the same. “My father always said to me that if you want to be the best, you’ve got to work hard,” he said. “My mom was like every mom. ‘Do well in school.’ My older sister was so good in school that I didn’t want to be the bad child.” At 6-foot-5, his father figured his son would likely be tall and athletic. “He prepared me to be an athlete,” said Nosek, who stands 6-foot-2. “He wasn’t pushing me, but I knew what I had to do. He gave me good advice. He knew what I needed to do, so it was good for me.” Nosek loved hockey and excelled at the sport. “I never knew if I would be good enough, but I was always one of the best in every category,” he said. He was good enough to play for HC Pardubice U18 as a 15-year-old, which would ultimately enable him to practice with the pros as a teenager and allow him to be enrolled in an independent study program reserved for elite student-athletes. At 16, Nosek realized he would need to work even harder if he expected to continue to stay a step ahead. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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Nosek, an excellent penalty killer, ranks among the Griffins’ all-time leaders in shorthanded goals.
26 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
“I was skinny when the other guys were so strong,” he said. “I wasn’t the worst, only OK, but I recognized that maybe it won’t be so easy. I worked hard every day and put on some weight. I focused on my game so that it helped my confidence when I started practicing with the top men’s team.” Nosek was ignored by the NHL during his draft year. He injured his shoulder three days before the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup tournament, which might have showcased his talents for scouts. “I was there, but I didn’t play,” Nosek said. “Maybe if I had played, somebody might have drafted me.” The injury sidelined Nosek for several months. As a result, he didn’t make the roster for the World Junior Championship because the Czech Republic coach cited his lack of international experience. “It was bad luck,” he said. His father, meanwhile, continued to mentor his development. In fact, his father served as the Pardubice conditioning coach for a season after he turned pro. “It was my first season in the top pro league and we won the championship together,”
Nosek said. “It was great, but after that, it was like, ‘Wow, I wonder if I will win a title again,’ and I’ve been waiting ever since. Six years later, I’m still waiting.” As a teen playing with men who were 10 to 15 years older, Nosek struggled to find playing time. “When you are young, you only get a little bit of ice time playing on the fourth line,” he said. “On non-game days, they sent me to the second highest league to get more ice time. It helped me because I played on the second line there along with the power play and penalty kill.” In 2012, he finally got the chance to represent his country at the World Junior tournament hosted in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta. His parents watched their son and teammates beat the U.S. and Denmark to advance to the quarterfinals, only to lose to Russia 2-1 in overtime. “It was a special moment,” he said. “It was my first big tournament with the national team and first time in North America.” Nosek, in fact, served as team captain. “I was so surprised,” he said of the honor. “I didn’t know if I would even make the last cut, so
Nosek closed out 2016 and rang in 2017 with back-to-back two-goal games. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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when the coach told me to come to his office, I was worried. He told me I was doing great and I would be the captain of the team. I was like ‘Wow!’ It was the best news I ever got.” Two years later, Nosek went with the men’s national team to Sochi, Russia, for the Channel One Cup that preceded the 2014 Winter Olympics. Although Nosek didn’t make the Olympic cut, it was another opportunity to play against international competition. Nosek signed a two-year free agent contract with the Red Wings in June 2014 after he blossomed during his third full season in the top Czech league. In 52 games, Nosek tallied 19 goals and 25 assists. He was already familiar with the lore of the Red Wings. Hockey Hall of Fame goaltender Dominik Hasek, who won two Stanley Cups during his four seasons in Detroit, also hails from Pardubice. Nosek practiced with Hasek when the legendary goalie was contemplating an NHL comeback before the 2012-13 season. “We met in the locker room every day,” he said. “He’s so competitive. He wants to stop every single puck, even in practice.”
When asked if he ever managed to slide the puck past Hasek, Nosek answers in the affirmative. “After practice, we would have competitions where you would get one shot and one breakout from the hash marks and a couple of times I scored, which made him so mad.” Nosek came to Grand Rapids in the fall of 2014 at the age of 22. It was a big adjustment. “I was thinking I knew English well from school, but I didn’t,” said Nosek, who had studied German as well as British-style English. “Most things I could understand, but the first three or four months, it was hard for me to say anything.” To make matters worse, Nosek cut his hand in a freak household accident a couple of weeks into the season. He was trying to open a package with a kitchen knife when his hand slipped and the blade pierced his hand, cutting 50 percent of the tendons. “It was bad luck, but it was good luck, too,” Nosek said, pointing to the fact that it could have been worse. “The doctor thought I might lose the ability to move my fingers, but everything came back.”
Nosek is considered one of the Griffins’ top faceoff men. 28 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
He missed nearly two months of the season. In retrospect, the injury might have been a blessing in disguise, because the mishap gave Nosek time to move into his apartment and become more accustomed to American life. “Sometimes bad things happen for a reason,” he said. Playing hockey in the U.S. was not going to be easy. “I had never been away from my family or outside of my house, so it was hard,” he said. “My girlfriend (Eliska Chocholovsova) came after two months, and that helped because I had someone to talk to.” Nosek started to feel more comfortable last season when he appeared in 70 games with the Griffins, notching 15 goals and 15 assists. He also appeared in six games with the Red Wings, making his NHL debut in Nashville the day after Christmas. “It was the best Christmas gift ever,” said Nosek, who was happy that his girlfriend made it to the rink in time for the start of the second period. “I was so excited to play my first NHL game. I wasn’t really nervous. “I was nervous when I was little. For my first game in the Czech men’s league, I was nervous.
I was probably the most nervous for my first game for the men’s national team in Prague. It was sold out. There were 17,000 people to watch Czech against Finland. All those experiences helped me.” Nosek did his best to approach it as just another game. “I told myself to just enjoy every shift I got,” he said. “I tried to enjoy the atmosphere and every moment. We won the game. That was the most important thing to me. I was so happy. Nobody wants to lose their first game.” After building a reputation as an ace penalty killer, strong defensive player and excellent faceoff man, Nosek has added another dimension to his play: he has become an offensive threat, netting eight goals in a ninegame stretch to assume the team lead in goals. “Last year I had some problem with scoring,” he said. “I would get chances, but I couldn’t score. Now they’re going in. That’s how it goes. Sometimes you can score from everywhere, sometimes not. If you don’t score for 5-10 games, it gets into your head.” Griffins head coach Todd Nelson is happy to see that Nosek is being rewarded for his efforts.
Nosek was re-signed to a two-year contract by Detroit this past May. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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“He’s a very best in the category complete player at that measures both ends of the the times a player ice,” Nelson said. is on the ice for “He’s a very good even-strength two-way centerman. and shorthanded We count on him to goals versus those play both the power surrendered. play and penalty kill “I want to be a and we rely on him complete player,” he a lot. He’s heading in said. “I don’t want Nosek posted a league-leading plus-30 rating the right direction to be known as just during his rookie season in the AHL. to move up to the a good offensive National Hockey League.” player or be a player who is known only for Nosek takes great pride in being a solid two- defense. I want to be the type of player who way player, a habit that he developed when he can be used wherever the coaches want me.” was a young player in the Czech Republic. In order to play in the NHL – “the best “When you play fourth line in the top league in the world” – Nosek knows he will Czech league, if you allow a goal in a game, have to continue to improve. they never put you back in,” he said. “I tried “I will keep working hard and try to do to never allow a goal when I was on the ice. my best every time I am on the ice,” he said. Where guys on the first line are hungry to “When I was in Pardubice, I tried to work score, I was the opposite and never wanted to harder than all of the other guys. That’s what give one up.” brought me here, and if I can continue to work Nosek was a plus-30 during his rookie hard in Grand Rapids, that’s what will bring season in the AHL, which tied for the league’s me to Detroit.”
Impact. When you become a Laker, you look outward, focusing on others instead of yourself. With professors’ caring guidance, you learn how to make a meaningful, lasting difference. Then, as you go forward into the world, you’re ready to tackle challenges and make meaningful contributions. Like West Michigan itself, your positive impact will be far reaching. That’s the Laker Effect.
gvsu.edu
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ALL-INCLUSIVE WEDDINGS
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Under the Radar Story and photos by Mark Newman
Diminutive defenseman Joe Hicketts slipped past the notice of NHL teams, but only because scouts failed to account for the measure of his heart and passion for the game.
Joe Hicketts hardly seems like an underdog, given the unbelievable enthusiasm and passion he has for his sport. And yet to many of those scouts tasked with identifying potential National Hockey League talent, he was largely an unknown quantity, thanks mainly to the fact that he was unusually small for a defenseman. At 5-foot-8, he would be shorter than any player currently patrolling the blue line in the world’s top league. 32 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
Undersized, undrafted and underrated, Hicketts is nevertheless determined to buck the odds. Convinced he can achieve the unthinkable, he sees the opportunity to go from unwanted to an unlikely success story. Of course, anyone taking the measure of his heart would know better than dismiss his chances. He is no Average Joe. Hicketts has wanted to be a hockey player longer than he can remember. His father put
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Hicketts recorded his first two-goal game in his pro career on Dec. 7 against Chicago.
34 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
him on skates at the age of 2-1/2. As he grew, he spent hours on roller skates in the basement, leaving the drywall filled with puck marks and holes. “I’ve gone back and watched the old VHS tapes of when I was learning to skate and you can just tell that I loved the game from an early age,” he said. “That’s the biggest thing. I knew that this is what I wanted to do even back then.” He was a good student, but his most cherished classroom was not in school but on the outdoor rink located just beyond his backyard in Kamloops, British Columbia. “It was an Olympic-size outdoor rink with lights,” he said. “From the time of grade one or grade two, over the winter, especially during Christmas and the holiday break, I remember my mom would bring me lunch and chicken noodle soup or hot chocolate. I’d go home for dinner for a half hour and then I’d race back. “Getting to learn to skate on an outdoor rink was cool. I always had friends there and it was a lot of fun. I’d join in any game, whether it was older kids or guys my age. I ripped a lot of clothes hopping over the fence that separated the rink from the backyard of our house. Eventually my dad put in a gate for me.” Mike and Lee-Gaye Hicketts knew their son was not to be denied and did their best to feed his passion. His father had a pretty good idea of what it would take to fulfill his dream. He was a referee in the Western Hockey League, a circuit that had produced Shane Doan, Marian Hossa, Jarome Iginla, Patrick Marleau, Chris Phillips and Brad Stuart, among many others. “Being at all those Western Hockey League games gave me a sense of where I wanted to play,” Hicketts said. “When it came time to pick between college and the major junior route, I had seen enough WHL hockey that I knew that’s where I wanted to go.” Hicketts had the blessing of his father, who had gone back to school to become a pharmacist after realizing that the days were numbered for the sawmill where he was employed. “My dad always preached hard work,” he said. “It’s still his biggest piece of advice. As you move up, everyone’s skills and speed are matched pretty closely, so it comes down to how hard you want to work at your job.” From the beginning, Hicketts demonstrated a tenacity that was uncommon for his size. He was unafraid to play a physical game even when he was dwarfed by opponents. “I was actually one
Hicketts signed an entry-level contract with the Red Wings in 2014.
of the tallest guys on our peewee team,” he said. “I just don’t think I’ve grown since then.” He played four seasons for the WHL’s Victoria Royals, where he was coached by Dave Lowry, a one-time scrappy hard-working forward who had played 1,084 games for five NHL teams. “Getting a chance to play for Dave Lowry meant a lot to my development,” he said. “Obviously, he taught me a lot about the game, but he also showed me how to be a pro and go about your business.” Hicketts had been playing defense since he was in peewee hockey. “I played defense because I could skate backwards and half of the kids in Kamloops couldn’t,” he said. Lowry taught Hicketts the finer points of playing defense, most notably critical tools like playing with pace, puck movement and positioning. “In major junior hockey, you don’t always learn the skills you need to learn to move forward,” he said. “Dave was instrumental in teaching me a lot of those habits that you need to play at the pro level.” Hicketts suffered a serious upper body injury early into the season of his draft year (2013-14), an unlucky turn of events during his second Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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Hicketts spent the last four seasons with the WHL’s Victoria Royals, including the past two as captain.
season in Victoria. “Mentally, it kind of messed with me,” he said. “You spend all summer getting ready to be shape and 15 games into the year, I ended up having surgery.” He sat out the next three months. “That was a grind,” he said. “You want to push yourself as much as you can to get back, but you have to be patient. I showed up at the rink every day just to be around the guys so they could bring my spirits up, which was probably the biggest help in terms of getting me through the whole process.” Hicketts played well when he finally returned to the ice. He figured he still had a chance of being drafted. “About three weeks before the draft, I got a call from my coach and asked him if he had heard anything,” Hicketts recalled. “He told me that he thought it would be better if I didn’t get drafted. That hit me hard. I probably said, ‘What do you mean?’ And he went on to explain that I might get an invite to camp from several different teams, whereas if I got drafted I was stuck with one organization.” In retrospect, Hicketts is happy that his coach was right. He parlayed an invitation to 36 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
the Red Wings’ development camp in 2014 into a spot on their prospects tournament team and ultimately earned an entry-level contract. “When the day happened and I didn’t get drafted, it was tough, but to be able to come to an organization like Detroit and earn a contract is something I’ll never forget. I’m really proud of it.” His first time at the Red Wings’ training camp in Traverse City was an unforgettable experience. “I remember that we were having breakfast and (Pavel) Datsyuk was somehow the last guy in line and there was one chair left and it happened to be at our table,” he said. “He sat right beside me. I don’t think I said a word to him all breakfast, but afterwards I texted all my buddies back home that I had just had breakfast with Datsyuk. It was so cool just to be there.” Hicketts blossomed with two big seasons to complete his junior hockey career. He ranked among the top-scoring defensemen in the WHL both years and represented his country in the World Junior Championship tournament twice, winning the gold medal with Canada in 2015. His first selection to the World Junior team
came as a bit of a surprise, after he was uninvited to the evaluation camp the previous summer. “Somehow I ended up making the selection camp in December,” he said. “My attitude was I would go and learn from some of the best defensemen in Canada who were a year older than me. Obviously I wanted to make the team, but I went into camp almost expecting to be cut. “I planned to soak up as much of the experience as I could. It was unbelievable when I actually got the call to play on the team. Being there with (Connor) McDavid, (Sam) Reinhart, (Anthony) Duclair, (Curtis) Lazar and a long list of others was a huge honor.” Hicketts was an alternate captain for Canada at the 2016 World Junior Championship. “Being named a captain the second year was icing on the cake,” he said. “I tried to share my experience from the year before. We wanted to create an environment where everyone came to compete every day but still had fun.” And having fun is what it’s all about for Hicketts, who takes great delight in making open ice checks that level unprepared opponents. “My passion has always been one of the
strongest points in my game growing up,” he said. “I’ve never been the kind of guy who goes into the corner with bigger players thinking he’s going to lose the battle. I’ve always been hungrier and I think that’s what has helped me get to this point.” Hicketts puts in considerable work in the gym to build strength, but he also finds a silver lining in being vertically challenged. “Being short provides me with a lower center of gravity, too, which really helps,” he said. “Even guys on our team will notice when we’re battling oneon-one in practice that being lower to the ice really helps me.” This being his first year in the AHL, Hicketts feels it took him awhile to adjust, not only to living on his own but also to getting his timing down. “You can see that I’m gaining the confidence to step up and assert myself in certain situations. At the same time, I have to be careful not to get myself out of position.” Hicketts’ first pro goal was a big one, an overtime game-winner on Nov. 12 in Milwaukee. “You want to get that first one out of the way. I was starting to squeeze my stick a little bit too much,” he said. “To finally get my first
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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was special and I’ll never forget it. Having it be the game winner was even better.” Griffins head coach Todd Nelson has been impressed by the progress made by young Hicketts, who won’t turn 21 until May 4. “He’s a guy who plays with a lot of courage and passion,” Nelson said. “He’s like every other young player who has to learn to be consistent to establish himself at this level.” For his part, Hicketts is maintaining a can-do attitude. “I try not to listen to all the doubts concerning my size,” he said. “Obviously, I’m aware of my stature.” He holds out hope that he hasn’t finished growing. “I’ve heard that you can grow until age 24 so I still have four years,” he said. “I’m holding out hope.” When he’s told that Griffins teammate LouisMarc Aubry sprouted eight inches in four years, Hicketts’ face brightens. “Hopefully he started at age 21,” he said. All kidding aside, Hicketts will be content to let his enthusiasm grow even if his bones do not. “I just try to go out and have a lot of fun,” he said. “My game is molded around a lot of passion and excitement. I’ve grown up wanting to be a hockey player. It’s my dream.”
38 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
Hicketts won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2015 World Junior Championship.
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2016
2017
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22 CONOR ALLEN
Defenseman 6-1, 205 lbs. Born: 1/31/90 Chicago, Ill.
17
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LOUIS-MARC AUBRY Forward 6-4, 218 lbs. Born: 11/11/91 Arthabaska, Que.
15 MATT CAITO
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JARED COREAU Goaltender 6-6, 220 lbs. Born: 11/5/91 Perth, Ont.
40 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
11
Forward 5-9, 175 lbs. Born: 5/5/92 Philadelphia, Pa.
DANIEL CLEARY
Forward 6-1, 200 lbs. Born: 4/17/91 Toronto, Ont.
55 KYLE CRISCUOLO
Forward 6-0, 185 lbs. Born: 4/23/92 Ottawa, Ont.
COLIN CAMPBELL
Forward 6-0, 195 lbs. Born: 8/17/91 Whittier, Calif.
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31
MIKE BORKOWSKI
Forward 6-1, 200 lbs. Born: 2/24/95 Sudbury, Ont.
MITCH CALLAHAN
Defenseman 5-11, 190 lbs. Born: 8/13/93 Coto de Caza, Calif.
21 TYLER BERTUZZI
Forward 6-1, 205 lbs. Born: 12/18/78 Carbonear, Nfld.
27 MATTHEW FORD
Forward 6-1, 214 lbs. Born: 10/9/84 West Hills, Calif.
MARTIN FRK
Forward 6-0, 200 lbs. Born: 10/5/93 Pelhrimov, Czech Republic
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14
CAL HEETER
Goaltender 6-4, 195 lbs. Born: 11/2/88 St. Louis, Mo.
MATT LORITO
Forward 6-1, 200 lbs. Born: 3/30/95 Barrie, Ont.
20
EDDIE PASQUALE
10 Forward 5-11, 200 lbs. Born: 2/13/87 Coquitlam, B.C.
TOMAS NOSEK
Forward 6-3, 210 lbs. Born: 9/1/92 Pardubice, Czech Republic
5
EVGENY SVECHNIKOV
Forward 6-1, 205 lbs. Born: 10/31/96 Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia
NATHAN PAETSCH Defenseman 6-1, 195 lbs. Born: 3/30/83 Humboldt, Sask.
29 ROBBIE RUSSO
Defenseman 6-3, 205 lbs. Born: 6/1/94 Ajax, Ont.
77 BEN STREET
Defenseman 6-3, 221 lbs. Born: 7/16/90 Albany, N.Y.
4
DAN RENOUF
Goaltender 6-2, 215 lbs. Born: 11/20/90 Toronto, Ont.
BRIAN LASHOFF
Defenseman 6-0, 200 lbs. Born: 9/21/90 St. Paul, Minn.
19 ZACH NASTASIUK
Forward 5-9, 171 lbs. Born: 7/3/90 Oakville, Ont.
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NICK JENSEN
Defenseman 5-8, 180 lbs. Born: 5/4/96 Kamloops, B.C.
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JOE HICKETTS
DYLAN SADOWY
Defenseman 6-0, 195 lbs. Born: 2/15/93 Westmont, Ill.
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Forward 6-1, 205 lbs. Born: 4/2/96 Brampton, Ont.
23 ERIC TANGRADI
Forward 6-4, 230 lbs. Born: 2/10/89 Philadelphia, Pa.
DOMINIC TURGEON
Forward 6-2, 201 lbs. Born: 2/25/96 Pointe-Claire, Que. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
41
Story and photos by Mark Newman
Lorito tallied 32 points in his first 32 games this season before suffering an injury. 42 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
ZEST
FOR THE GAME Ontario native Matt Lorito is an American Hockey League all-star in his second year as a professional.
When the chips are down, Matt “Cool Ranch” Lorito is a bold choice to bring to the table. At 5-foot-9 and 171 pounds, the second-year pro is hardly the most imposing figure on the ice, but he possesses an appealing combination of acceleration, agility and all-around hockey sense – just the right ingredients to add spice to an offensive attack and brand him more than the flavor of the month. In fact, Lorito was recently selected to play for the Central
Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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Division All-Star Team at the 2017 AHL AllWhen the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup Star Classic presented by Capital BlueCross, in 2002, it was their third championship in five to be held Jan. 29-30 at the PPL Center in years and the 11-year-old Lorito dreamed of Allentown, PA. He will be joined at the event by the day that he might pull on a jersey with the teammate Robbie Russo, the Griffins’ secondWinged Wheel like Steve Yzerman, his childhood year defenseman, and Griffins head coach Todd idol. “It was fun to watch all those great players Nelson, who will be behind the bench. on the same team.” For Lorito, the honor is a tribute to his Of course, his parents, John and Lisa, were dedication to the game, a passion that started more concerned that he did well in school. when his father, a Toronto-based lawyer, put him “I was a pretty good student,” Lorito recalled. on skates at the age of 3. “I didn’t always enjoy doing homework because “I fell in love with the game at an early age,” I’d rather have been playing sports, but I always he said, recalling how he lived to play hockey at took pride in the work that I would hand in. every corner growing up. “My dad put a net in I wasn’t the smartest kid, but I worked hard our unfinished basement and did well.” and I used to roller blade Lorito attended “I began to understand the around all the time.” Appleby College from Lorito’s father had game more and that’s when I grades nine through 12, played hockey as a youth earning recognition as but he wasn’t the greatest gravitated toward the Red Wings an honor student at the skater, so he made sure Canadian prep school. – how skilled they were and that Matt would be better. “The academics were a “My dad recognized the way they played the game little tougher, but I think that I had a big passion it’s what I needed to stay compared to all the other teams.” on track. I had good for the game, so he put me into skating programs teachers who made sure and signed me up for hockey camps,” he said. that I kept learning a lot.” “The emphasis on skating started when I was Hockey was just as important as class to the really young, because he knew how important young Lorito, who decided he wanted to go the skating could be in my development.” NCAA route and play for a U.S. school rather Like a lot of boys, Lorito loved to play all than play for a Canadian university. sports, but his size prevented him from excelling “I wasn’t getting recruited at the time, so in some. “I actually liked basketball a lot, but I I knew I was going to have to play juniors was always one of the smallest players, so I knew somewhere first,” he said. “I tried out for the that wasn’t going to be a career option,” he said. “I teams in Oakville and Burlington, which were the mostly played basketball just with friends.” two closest to me, but I ended up trying out for a Lorito also played baseball and soccer for fun, Junior B team in St. Catharines, which is where but hockey was a different story. “At practice, I’d my dad is from.” always be one of the first ones out, just waiting A good showing in junior hockey might lead for the Zamboni to get off the ice, and I would to interest from the U.S. always be one of the last ones off,” he said. “Even “I had a good tryout and made the St. though I played other sports, all I could think Catharines Falcons my first year out of high about was playing hockey.” school,” he continued. “It was a good experience The older he got, the more serious he became. for me. I had a good year and it taught me Although Toronto was only a short drive east of what it took to play junior hockey, plus I stayed his home in Oakville, he took a liking to a team with a billet, so it was my first year living 200 miles in the other direction. away from home.” “I think I was about 9 or 10 when I started The following year, he signed with the to watch hockey a lot more,” he said. “I began Villanova Knights in the North York area of to understand the game more and that’s when I Toronto after showcasing his talents in a couple gravitated toward the Red Wings – how skilled of summer tournaments. While playing for they were and the way they played the game the Knights, he lived on the campus of York compared to all the other teams.” University, where he bunked with a couple of
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44 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
Americans before he moved back home for his second year. Lorito shined with the Knights, tallying 160 points in 97 games during his two seasons in the Ontario Junior Hockey League. His success garnered the interest of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Northeastern University, Canisius College, Niagara University and Cornell University. He eventually signed with Brown University. “I didn’t plan on attending an Ivy League school, but I was definitely excited about the opportunity,” he said. “I really liked the school and the whole atmosphere. The guys on the team were great and the coaches seemed to really want me.” Lorito was age 21 when he started college. “I was a little older, but the experience of playing juniors helped me,” he said. “I think I was more comfortable with myself and it was easier to talk to the other guys. The age difference only mattered to the non-athlete students who didn’t really understand how I could be 21 and a freshman.” Although the classroom work was challenging, Lorito thrived in the college setting.
“I loved Brown,” he said. “I really liked the city of Providence, too. I wouldn’t change anything about my experience there. There were ups and downs, but I definitely grew as a person and that’s one of the main reasons to go to school.” Lorito was a point-per-game player during his sophomore and junior seasons, but he struggled a little during his senior year when he served as a team captain. “I was hoping to sign an NHL contract out of school, so I put a lot of pressure on myself to do well and I obviously wanted the team to do well,” he said. “But we didn’t have the greatest team and when the team doesn’t do as well as you hoped, you tend to try to do too much. You get away from what made you successful in the first place.” Nevertheless, he earned All-Ivy honors for the third straight season as a senior. As a studentathlete, he was a three-time member of the ECAC All-Academic Team and served as a peer advisor away from the ice. “I learned what it takes to be a good leader,” said Lorito, who earned a bachelor’s degree in economics. “You can’t really let it change the way you play the game. Unfortunately, I didn’t realize it until after the season, but it was an overall good learning experience.”
Lorito played four years for Brown University after two years of junior hockey in Canada. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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Lorito signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Red Wings this past summer.
Lorito began his pro career right after his senior season, appearing in 11 games with the AHL’s Albany Devils at the end of the 2014-15 season. He had been scouted by Chris Lamoriello, the son of longtime New Jersey Devils boss (and current Toronto Maple Leafs general manager) Lou Lamoriello, after attending the Devils’ development camp following his junior year. He recorded 12 points (3 goals, 9 assists) in those 11 games, earning an AHL contract last season when he led the Devils in scoring as a rookie. He tallied 54 points (18 goals, 36 assists) in 71 games, which was nearly twice as many games as he had ever played. “There was definitely a point late in the season where I slowed down from a production standpoint,” he said. “I wasn’t used to playing that many games, but I was generally happy with the way the season went.” Lorito benefited from the tutelage of Albany coach Rick Kowalsky, who had been a pointper-game player himself during a 12-year career in the ECHL and AHL. “He taught me a lot of little things, including what it takes to be a pro,” he said. This past summer, Lorito felt he was at a crossroads. “I was interested in staying, but I wasn’t sure how much they liked me,” he said. “The Devils ended up offering me a pretty decent contract,
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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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but then the Red Wings came long and I had the sense they wanted me a little more than New Jersey.” Detroit signed Lorito to a two-year, two-way contract. “A two-year deal gives you the comfort of knowing you can just play and not worry about whether you’re going to be back or not,” he said. “It’’s definitely nice to have that security.” Lorito started the season at center before Griffins head coach Todd Nelson realized that the slick playmaker was more comfortable on the wing. After going the first 10 games of the season without a goal, he recorded nine goals and 10 assists in his next 15 games. “There are things I’ve learned that I wasn’t doing last year, which is why I’ve been able to produce more this year,” he said. “It’s not any one thing. It’s knowing that if I’m playing the right way, the points will come. Last year I think there were times when I got frustrated because the points weren’t coming and I got away from my game.” Nelson thinks Lorito has only begun to scratch the surface of his potential. “He’s a highly skilled player who sees the ice well and creates offense,” Nelson said. “His
48 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
production has gotten more effective since we put him on the wing. He needs to continue to work on his play along the walls and to be stronger in his one-on-battles.” Despite his all-star recognition, Lorito recognizes that he still has plenty of room for improvement. “I have to make sure that I’m staying accountable defensively and that I’m tracking back,” he said. “When things weren’t going my way last season, I might have cheated a little bit for offense or not backchecked as hard as I should have because I wanted to save energy to go the other way. “It’s important that I stick to the team game,” he said. An injury suffered on Jan. 4 threatened to derail his early season success, but Lorito stayed focused. While he would love to get a chance to play in the NHL, he isn’t going to lose any sleep worrying about it. “It’s out of my control,” Lorito said. “I just have to worry about what I can do down here and always look for ways to improve. I want to get better every day so if the call comes, I’m ready.”
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the
List MITCH CALLAHAN
Now in his sixth season with the Griffins, Mitch Callahan has grown to enjoy Michigan, which is a long way from his hometown of Whittier, Calif., about 14 miles south of Los Angeles. Here are 10 things he can’t live without.
2
My Truck I have a black Ford F-150 that I bought last year. It’s my pride and joy. I had a Jeep before, but I always wanted something bigger. It wasn’t the cheapest of vehicles, but I can look at it as something that I’ve earned.
1
Tucker, My Dog He’s like my best friend. He’s a Golden Retriever who will be a year old in February. I drove up to Newaygo to get him and now he weighs 60 pounds. He’s named for Darcy Tucker, who was my favorite player when I was growing up.
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3
Chinese Food I love it all: Kung Pao Chicken, Mongolian Beef, Fried Rice. I could it eat every day, all day, even leftovers for breakfast. Give me soy sauce or sriracha sauce and I’ll go to town.
4
My Phone I use it to stay in touch ial media: with my buddies on soc for my at pch Sna and ram Twitter, Instag to keep nce cha a close friends. It gives me post so ’t don I ng. doi up with what they’re g gettin too old much anymore. I think I’m Tube, too. You for that. I love going on
8 5
Newport Beach I live there every summer. After a quick workout and a quick skate, I like to get away and just enjoy the moment and lay around. I tried surfing, but it was a little too hard. If I can’t be good at something, I’ll stop doing it.
6
TV I think I was too young when Entourage first came out, but I started watching it recently and now I can’t stop. I enjoy comedies. I like to laugh, so I love Family Guy. But my all-time favorite show is probably Friday Night Lights.
7
Money I wouldn’t be able to have a phone, eat Chinese food or watch TV without money. Everybody could always use more, but I have enough to live for now.
Family My parents are my biggest influence and my sister Tawni, who is seven years older, always looked after me. Her middle school was next to my elementary school and she’d pick me up and walk me home every day. I played hockey with my cousins, who were like my best friends growing up. To this day, we all live within a five-mile radius.
9
Music I’m a hip-hop guy, although I’ve started to get into country, even though I never thought I would. My mom swears by country, but she played the slow stuff and it didn’t agree with my ADD. My dad’s into hip-hop, which fits the Southern California lifestyle. I like Drake and The Weeknd. Me and Tango (Eric Tangradi) are team DJs, so we do our best to keep up with the new generation of music.
10
Krispy Kreme Donuts I love the warm, glazed ones. With a glass of milk, you can’t go wrong. I hate to say this, but I came home with a dozen donuts one night and when I woke up, they were all gone. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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TALENT
Story and photos by Mark Newman
DETECTIVE Now in his third season as a pro scout for the Chicago Blackhawks, former Griffins enforcer Wade Brookbank closely watches players in the AHL and NHL for potential trades or free agent signings.
Like many players, Wade Brookbank was unsure what he would do after his put skates away for the final time. Brookbank, who played for 16 different teams in the AHL and NHL including the Grand Rapids Griffins (2001-02), began contemplating his future while with the Rockford IceHogs, his final stop in a 17-year career that came to a close in 2014. “Hockey has been my school my whole life, and I knew I wanted to stay in the game,” Brookbank said recently during an interview in the press box of Van Andel Arena. “I wanted to get my name out there and let people know I was interested in whatever might be available, whether it was a developmental role, a player personnel position or a scouting job.” Brookbank is the first to admit that he was not the most talented player to ever play the game, but he played with enough passion and physicality that he managed to appear in a total of 127 NHL games with Boston, Carolina, Nashville and Vancouver – experience that he hoped to parlay into a post-playing career job. With no playbook on how to break into the other side of the hockey business, Brookbank sent out emails and reached out to past teammates who had finished playing, as well as people he knew in the front offices of various organizations in the AHL and NHL. As it turned out, the Chicago Blackhawks – the NHL parent club of Rockford – was in the market for a new pro scout. 52 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
“I got my foot in the door and kind of kept it there,” he said. “Basically, I found myself in the right situation at the right time. These days, it’s a matter of who you know just as much as how much you know.” The Blackhawks tested Brookbank to see if he had the aptitude to be a scout. The organization took the unusual step of asking
Long before the players take the ice, Brookbank makes notes that will help him form the reports he files after every game.
him to prepare scouting reports on all of his track their ups and downs, so management teammates. “It felt a little weird rating some of can assess players for trades or free agency at my peers and friends, but I tried to be fair and the end of a season,” he said. “It’s usually not still do a good job of it,” he said. urgent, although once in a while management Once Brookbank landed the job, he found might want a quick report on a specific player. there was a whole different dimension to the We’re responsible for keeping a running work that he hadn’t really considered. “I had database on all the players on a team.” to learn all the ins and At the NHL level, outs of the off-ice stuff: Brookbank usually does booking my travel, how not spend much time to get to all the rinks, scouting high-profile even which back doors players. “Typically, to use,” he said. “They we’re focusing on the basically assign the third- and fourth-line teams you’re supposed players who might to scout and it’s up fill roles within our to you to figure out organization in the how to do it.” future,” he said, noting Based in Chicago, that first-line players are Brookbank monitors often untouchable and the Midwest teams in already well-scouted. the AHL as well as the Most of his focus western Canadian teams is on forwards and in the NHL – five in defensemen. “Goalies each league, along with tend to be either really some secondary teams good or really bad,” that are the primary Brookbank chuckles. responsibility of other “All teams have goalie scouts. “That way we coaches and they know can cross-pollinate our what to look for from assessments in terms a technical standpoint, of how players are so it’s not really fair doing,” he said. for me to be scouting Brookbank led the Griffins with 337 penalty Brookbank files goaltenders that closely.” minutes during 2001-02, his lone season in scouting reports on With the sport’s Grand Rapids. the players on a given recent emphasis on team following every game so that Blackhawks speed and skill, Brookbank said most scouts management has fresh information available focus more on abilities than size. “Every team at their fingertips. Reports usually consist wants the same type of player, but there are of number ratings and scouting summaries, some small differences,” he said. “In general, submitted via the RinkNet software utilized we’re all looking for good hockey players.” by all teams. There’s a fine line between the NHL and the Players’ basic skills are assessed – skating, top players in the AHL. puck-handling, shooting – as well as hockey “A lot of players at the AHL level could IQ and effort. “As a former player, I think I play in the NHL and the average fan probably know what it takes to be good,” he said. “What wouldn’t notice, but if you put 10 NHL players I lacked as a player, I’m able to recognize in on the ice versus 10 AHL players, you can see other players and I think that helps a little the difference,” he said. “In general, you’ll see bit. From years of playing, you learn to read a lot more tape-to-tape passes in the NHL, body language and how guys react in certain things happen a lot faster.” situations.” Brookbank believes it is just as important to His job is to build a database of scouting pay attention to intangibles like heart, desire reports over the course of a long season. “You and work ethic as it is to pay attention to skills. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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“Sometimes we’re able to cross guys off our list due to character reasons,” he said. “We always want to bring good guys into our organization, so I rely on my contacts within the league to find out who the good and bad eggs might be. I stay in touch with guys I know who are still playing. “For the most part, the players you see are all good guys who work hard, but it’s the five percent that you don’t want to get on your team. Generally speaking, you already know those guys because the word gets around.” Brookbank believes his radar has improved since he started scouting. “Looking back, I probably would laugh at some of the reports I wrote during my first season,” he said. “I don’t think I was that far off-base, but I feel like I have a better grasp of what to watch for and my reports flow better now. I know what I need to say and how to write it down. I probably will get better every year I scout.” His reports are reviewed by everyone from the Blackhawks’ director of scouting to the general manager, but not other scouts. “We have meetings once a year where we review everything, but otherwise it’s as random as could be. A lot of work gets done on group messaging.” Most of his work is geared toward the long-range planning of teams, although he will periodically look at potential players to address more immediate needs. “Sometimes they’ll give us the qualifications of the type of player they’re looking for and we’ll send in a list of our top five guys,” he said. “There are always lists going back and forth. They ask for our opinion and we give it.” For Brookbank, the switch from sizing up guys on the ice to scouting has been fairly seamless. “I’m enjoying scouting as much as I ever thought I would,” he said. “I would have loved to have played forever, but I was never that good and once you get older, you get slower and you might as well forget about it. When I look back at my playing career, I was very fortunate. I’m really thankful that I was able to play as long as I did.” Scouting requires him to watch five games a week, about 20 games per month. “We’re watching so many games, the winter goes by really fast,” he said. “The only bad parts are all the different flights and that it’s tough being 54 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
Brookbank keeps close tabs on his assigned AHL teams in the Midwest as well as NHL teams from western Canada.
away from the family. Fortunately we get a lot of time off in the summer.” Brookbank and his wife Betsy have four children: two girls, Addie, 9, and Kalyn, 7; and two boys, Connor, 4, and Bobby, 2. “They’ve all been exposed to hockey. In fact, they’ve been to games at Van Andel Arena,” he said. “The winters can seem long, but being able to spend summers with them helps make up for it.” Earning a Stanley Cup ring his first season as a pro scout didn’t hurt either. “I’m extremely fortunate to have landed a job anywhere, and that it happened to be with the Blackhawks was just icing on the cake,” he said, adding that he also gets to hear the occasional musings from the hockey mind of Scotty Bowman, the legendary coach who now acts in an advisory role to his son Stan Bowman, Chicago’s general manager. “I walked into an amazing situation,” he said. “I’m very, very lucky.”
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WALKING
ON AIR
Bob Kaser, the radio voice of the Griffins, has been on Cloud Nine since realizing his dream of calling an NHL game when he handled play-by-play duties for the Detroit Red Wings 10 times in November and December. Story by Mark Newman During his 38 years as a broadcaster, including 17 with the Griffins organization, Bob Kaser has watched countless players get the call to play in the National Hockey League. In early November, it was his turn. Kaser got a phone call from Todd Beam, the Red Wings’ director of communications, telling him that the organization might need him to fill in for Detroit’s radio play-by-play man Ken Kal, who was ill and might have to miss a game or two. “When I got the call, it didn’t really sink in until about an hour later. That’s when it really hit me,” Kaser recalled. “After all these years, I was probably going to get to work my first National Hockey League game. The first thing I did was call my sons.” His sons Charlie and Sam – not to mention his wife Rosalie and a multitude of Griffins fans – had long been convinced that he was good enough to work in the NHL. Kaser, who won his seventh broadcast excellence award from the Michigan Association of Broadcasters last year, wasn’t as sure, but was overjoyed at the prospect. On the morning of Nov. 10, he was
56 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
informed that he should head to Detroit. He was going to call his first NHL game, joined by color commentator Paul Woods, for the broadcast of the Red Wings’ game against the Vancouver Canucks in Joe Louis Arena. “I was nervous for a number of reasons. I was working my first NHL game for the Original Six franchise that I grew up adoring and filling in for someone whom I admire and respect tremendously: Ken Kal, a legend among broadcasters in the sport of hockey. The more of that stuff that crept into my mind, the more nervous I got.” By the time he arrived in Detroit, his nerves were starting to settle. “I got a text from (Tomas) Tatar telling me, ‘Congratulations. Welcome to the big time, kid.’ That was just one of many,” Kaser said. “The way people welcomed me to the NHL was beyond anything I ever experienced in hockey.” It helped that he was well-acquainted with the Red Wings’ coaching staff and players, most of whom have passed through Grand Rapids on their way to the NHL. “I’ve been around the game long enough that I wasn’t
intimidated. I felt very comfortable walking into the Red Wings’ dressing room, and it was especially helpful that first day.” That familiarity, however, brought with it some challenges when it came to calling the game. He slipped and called out “Griffins” a couple of times, including on the first goal of the contest. “It was harder than I thought it would be,” he said. “What made it hard was saying Kronwall, Howard, Mantha, Ericsson, etc., names I’ve associated with the Griffins all these years.” As it was, names and numbers were the least of his worries. More daunting was the stack of cue cards for all of the promotional marketing mentions that needed to be made during the course of the broadcast. “Thank goodness Ken Kal wrote everything out for me. Otherwise, it would have been even more challenging than it was,” Kaser said. “The most difficult thing was getting comfortable with the format of their broadcast and all of the sponsor elements: the penalty kill, the power play, the out-of-town scoreboard, even the out-cues. It seemed overwhelming because I didn’t want to make a mistake and miss anything.”
Kaser was happy to have a veteran color analyst at his side. Now in his 28th season in the Red Wings’ broadcast booth, Woods did his best to make Kaser feel comfortable as he made the transition to the “big leagues.” “Like everyone in Detroit, Paul Woods was incredibly hospitable and gracious,” Kaser said. “I’ve listened to enough Red Wings games that I kind of knew how he operates and how he likes to jump into the conversation.” Two nights after fulfilling his dream of calling a NHL game, he realized a second. “If somebody had asked me if I could get one game in the NHL, where would it be, I would have immediately said ‘Detroit at Montreal’ and, sure enough, my second game was at the Bell Centre in Montreal. Even better, it was on a Saturday, Hockey Night in Canada.” Arriving in Montreal the day before the game began what he deemed “the most surreal two days” of his life. “I was walking around downtown Montreal, getting myself all worked up in anticipation: ‘Original Six in the Bell Centre and I’m the voice of the Detroit Red Wings.’” Prior to the game, Kaser was able to meet Bob Cole, the primary play-by-play
Kaser waited nearly 38 years to make his NHL debut. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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announcer for Hockey Night in Canada on CBC since 1973. “If he’s not my favorite broadcaster of all time in any sport, he’s definitely top three,” Kaser said. “In the sport of hockey, he’s a legend. That’s when it really hit me. This is real. Talking to him in the press box with the Montreal Canadiens’ banners behind us gave me goosebumps.” All the emotion of achieving his childhood dream came to the fore during the singing of the U.S. and Canadian anthems. “Standing up there high above the ice of the Bell Centre, thinking about the moment, speakers blaring, my heart pounding, I literally started to tear up,” Kaser said. For Kaser, it was the realization of a dream that he had long ago given up, partly out of self-doubt and partly out of satisfaction with his current job. “I have been as fortunate as anybody could be in minor pro sports,” he said. “With all due respect to all of the other organizations, I don’t know how it could get any better than living in Grand Rapids and working for the Griffins. It’s the ultimate, so I’ve been very, very spoiled.” So when Kaser was given the chance – not
once, not twice, but nine times – to handle the Red Wings’ play-by-play during Kal’s absence, he tried to relish every moment. And although there was nothing routine about the experience, Kaser became more and more comfortable with each passing game. “When I was prepping for each game, it was fun because I was able to focus just on broadcasting,” he said. “That’s all I did all day long - just prep, prep, prep to make sure I was ready with more information than I could use for each broadcast. I didn’t have all the other distractions that I do with my responsibilities here.” Kaser would sit with Fox Sports Detroit’s John Keating, researching everything he could find on the players. “I would have pages and pages of notes,” he said. Even so, he felt his research paled in comparison to the work of his partner Woods. “He’d get on the plane after a road game and start making notes for the next game,” Kaser said. “Now I know why he talks so fast. It’s because he’s trying to get all the information that he’s gathered into a three-hour broadcast.” Being the broadcast partner of Woods for nine games was an unforgettable experience.
The Red Wings’ locker room did not seem like unfamiliar territory to the veteran broadcaster. 58 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
Meeting Hockey Night in Canada play-by-play announcer Bob Cole for the first time was a big thrill for Kaser.
“It was an absolute blast working with him,” Kaser said. “I loved every second of it. By the fourth or fifth game, the chemistry was really developing and we were clicking. It’s just like linemates in hockey. You get more and more comfortable with each other as time goes by. “I have even more respect for Paul now because he is such an amazing person and a very talented color analyst. He was so incredible to me.” During his three weeks working Red Wings games, Kaser drove back and forth between Grand Rapids and Detroit when he could, making upwards of 12 round trips because he didn’t want to lose sight of his responsibilities with his longtime employer. “I have such a respect for the Griffins organization that I didn’t want to let it down in any way, shape or form,” he said. In between were trips to Washington, D.C., Buffalo and New Jersey. In the nation’s capital, Kaser took the time to walk around the downtown area, soaking up the atmosphere of being in the NHL. “Just the anticipation and excitement of each NHL game was pretty impressive,” he said. “It was the same experience
everywhere we went, thousands of fans wearing jerseys, shirts and hats of the competing teams.” He had plenty of support along the way. “I had more people who offered their congratulations and well wishes than I can count,” said Kaser, noting that he did his best to personally respond to all the emails and texts he received. His last radio game in Detroit was Nov. 30 against the Dallas Stars before Kal finally returned to the microphone on Dec. 1. Kaser was on standby in case the veteran didn’t feel up for the three-game, four-day road trip that followed, but Kal’s health had improved to the point that his services weren’t needed. The Red Wings’ confidence in Kaser’s abilities played out again less than two weeks later, when the organization asked him to sub for Ken Daniels on the Fox Sports Detroit telecast after Daniels’ 23-year-old son died in his sleep. “It was really nerve-racking because TV is a completely different animal and I hadn’t done it in a while,” he said. “What made it hard for me was the fact that Ken Daniels, of all the people, had been the most gracious and complimentary during those three weeks of my radio broadcasts. I got to spend a lot of time with him and he made Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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me feel so comfortable and was so encouraging.” A morning conference call on the day of the Dec. 13 contest with the telecast’s producer and director, along with Mickey Redmond and Chris Osgood, helped ease Kaser’s nerves. A text from Daniels underscored the whole experience. “In the face of this terrible tragedy, it was unbelievable how excited he was for me to get this opportunity,” said Kaser, who was happy to see Daniels return to the booth two days later. “There is something so special about this game. There’s a close-knit nature among the people in the sport that is beyond description, and it extends to us broadcasters.” Working in Detroit again gave Kaser the chance to personally thank Kal for giving him the opportunity in the first place. “I pulled him aside and gave him a big hug,” he said. “I never looked at it as an audition for the NHL. It was an opportunity to fill in for a broadcast legend and good friend.” Nevertheless, working nine Red Wings games on radio and another on TV has rekindled Kaser’s interest in someday landing a fulltime NHL gig. “Thanks to the comments of a number of respected people, I’m now convinced that I
could work in the NHL,” he said. “The feedback I got from executives, fellow media and fans during my three weeks was off the charts. It was overwhelming.” Kaser may toss his hat into the ring for consideration for NHL openings that might arise, such as with the expansion Vegas Golden Knights, but he knows his odds might be better at a blackjack table. “It’s a tough job to get,” Kaser said. “There are only 30 radio jobs and 30 TV jobs in the NHL and there are a boatload of talented people who would love to be doing it. There’s a lot of competition for jobs in the AHL, too, because it’s the second-best league in the world. I realize that I am extremely fortunate to have reached this level.” Still, he wonders “What if?” “Having gotten a taste, there’s a spark now,” he said. “My three weeks was an amazingly delightful experience, so it’s left me with a desire to look into NHL jobs. But if the other option is to spend the rest of my career here, then that’s a pretty awesome thing. If you’re not going to work in the NHL, I don’t know how it could get any better than Grand Rapids.”
Kaser poses with former Red Wings great Igor Larionov (center) and Fox Sports Detroit color analyst Mickey Redmond. 60 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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Robbie Russo
Donald MacLean
Nathan Paetsch
RECORD BOOK AND LEADERS
Jared Coreau
Joey MacDonald
Mike Fountain
(Through Jan. 12, 2017)
ALL-TIME: ACTIVE LEADER: SINGLE-SEASON: 2015-16:
GAMES PLAYED
Travis Richards....................... 655 Louis-Marc Aubry (4th).......... 339 5 players tied......................... *82 4 players tied........................... 75
GOALS
Michel Picard............................158 Mitch Callahan (3rd)...................88 Donald MacLean (2005-06)......*56 Eric Tangradi...............................28
ASSISTS
Michel Picard.................................. 222 Nathan Paetsch (6th)..................... 115 Jiri Hudler (2005-06)........................ 60 Andy Miele....................................... 44
ALL-TIME: ACTIVE LEADER: SINGLE-SEASON: 2015-16:
POINTS
Michel Picard......................... 380 Mitch Callahan (8th).............. 169 Michel Picard (1996-97)........ 101 Andy Miele.............................. 62
PLUS/MINUS
GOALIE GAMES PLAYED
GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE WINS
Martin Prusek..........................1.83 Jared Coreau (7th)....................2.39 Martin Prusek (2001-02)........*1.83 2015-16: Jared Coreau ........................... 47 Tom McCollum.........................2.42
Joey MacDonald............................. 109 Jared Coreau (4th)............................ 56 Joey MacDonald (2004-05).............. 34 Mike Fountain (2000-01).................*34 Jared Coreau..................................... 29
SHUTOUTS
SAVES
SAVE PERCENTAGE
ALL-TIME: Tom McCollum...................... 226 ACTIVE LEADER: Jared Coreau (6th)................... 94 SINGLE-SEASON: Joey MacDonald (2004-05).... *66
ALL-TIME: ACTIVE LEADER: SINGLE-SEASON: 2015-16: * Led League
Joey MacDonald....................... 20 Jared Coreau (T3rd).................. 10 6 players tied............................. 6 Jared Coreau.............................. 6
Travis Richards...................... +131 Nathan Paetsch (2nd)............. +77 Ivan Ciernik (2000-01)...........*+41 Robbie Russo.........................*+40
Tom McCollum.......................5,653 Jared Coreau (4th)..................2,549 Joey MacDonald (2004-05)....1,785 Jared Coreau..........................1,314
PENALTY MINUTES
Darryl Bootland............................1,164 Mitch Callahan (9th)....................... 391 Darryl Bootland (2005-06)............. 390 Tyler Bertuzzi.................................. 133
Martin Prusek...............................0.930 Jared Coreau (3rd)........................0.922 Joey MacDonald (2003-04)..........0.936 Tom McCollum..............................0.923 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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FFIN
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Photo by Scott Thomas/AHL
1996-97 1997-98 1998-99
2004-05
Jeff Nelson, Michel Picard, Pokey Reddick Ian Gordon, Kerry Huffman, Michel Picard Robert Petrovicky, Maxim Spiridonov John Gruden, Jani Hurme, Kevin Miller, Petr Schastlivy Mike Fountain, Joel Kwiatkowski, Travis Richards, Todd White, Bruce Cassidy (co-coach) Chris Bala, John Gruden, Kip Miller, Martin Prusek, Petr Schastlivy, Bruce Cassidy (head coach), Gene Reilly (asst. coach) Marc Lamothe, Mark Mowers Jiri Hudler, Niklas Kronwall, Travis Richards, Nathan Robinson Niklas Kronwall, Joey MacDonald
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1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04
2015 AHL All-Star Teemu Pulkkinen
2014 AHL All-Star Alexey Marchenko
2013 AHL All-Star Petr Mrazek
2013 AHL All-Star Gustav Nyquist
Photo by Lindsay A. Mogle/AHL
Photo by Alan Sullivan/AHL
68 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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Photo by Paul Yacovone III/AHL
2013 AHL All-Star Chad Billins Photo by Alan Sullivan/AHL
2012 AHL All-Star Gustav Nyquist
Photo by PhotoGraphics Photography/AHL
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P E N A LT Y C A L L S
BOARDING Called for any action which causes an opponent to be thrown violently into the boards.
HIGH STICKING Making contact with an opponent while carrying the stick above shoulder hight.
MISCONDUCT 10-minute or disqualification penalty for excessive or additional misbehavior on the ice.
TRIPPING Called for using the stick, arm or leg to cause an opponent to trip or fall.
CHARGING Taking a run at an opposing player using more than three strides to build up speed.
HOLDING Clutching an opposing player’s body with the hands, arms or legs.
ROUGHING Called for engaging in fisticuffs or shoving.
UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT Called for unsportsmanlike actions such as disputing an official’s decision, grabbing the face mask of a player, etc.
CROSS CHECKING A check or block delivered by a player with both hands on the stick and no part of the stick on the ice.
HOOKING The use of the stick or blade to impede the progress of an opponent.
SLASHING Striking an opposing player with the stick.
DELAYED PENALTY Referee extends his arm and points to the penalized player until the penalized team regains possession of the puck.
INTERFERENCE When a player impedes the progress of an opponent who is not in possession of the puck.
SPEARING Called for using the stick like a spear.
ELBOWING Called when a player uses an elbow to impede an opponent.
KNEEING Called when a player uses a knee to impede an opponent
WASH-OUT When used by the referee, it means goal disallowed. When used by linesmen, it means there is no icing or no offside.
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GRIFFINS IN THE NHL
2015-16 GRADUATES
Top Row: Mattias Janmark, Dylan Larkin, Kevin Porter, Andreas Athanasiou Bottom Row: Tomas Nosek, Eric Tangradi, Anthony Mantha, Alan Quine
Since their inception in 1996, the Griffins have sent 159 players to the National Hockey League, 16 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 six of the last nine years and in eight of the last 12 seasons. In chronological order, here are the 21 goalies and 138 skaters who have worn an NHL sweater after playing for Grand Rapids, along with the dates of their NHL debuts/returns. 1............Pavol Demitra...........................3/17/97 STL at PHX 2............Kevyn Adams...........................10/1/97 TOR vs. WSH 3............Tyler Moss................................10/28/97 CGY vs. PIT 4............Michel Picard..................................1/6/98 STL at SJ 5............Jeff Nelson.............................10/10/98 NSH vs. FLA 6............Patrick Traverse.......................10/10/98 OTT at COL 7............Mark Greig...................................1/7/99 PHI vs. NYI 8............Radim Bicanek............................2/1/99 OTT at VAN 9............Robert Petrovicky........................2/15/99 TB at NYI 10..........Andrei Vasilyev...........................3/5/99 PHX vs. DET 11..........Todd Hlushko...............................4/25/99 PIT vs. NJ 12..........Patrick Lalime............................10/2/99 OTT at PHI 13..........Glen Metropolit......................10/2/99 WSH at FLA 14..........Kevin Miller.............................10/31/99 OTT at ATL 15..........Karel Rachunek.......................10/31/99 OTT at ATL 16..........Erich Goldmann....................11/11/99 OTT vs. NSH 17..........Yves Sarault...............................11/20/99 OTT at NJ 18..........John Gruden...........................11/30/99 OTT vs. CHI 19..........Mike Fountain..............................12/3/99 OTT at NJ 20..........Dave Van Drunen....................12/13/99 OTT at TOR 21..........Petr Schastlivy..............................1/3/00 OTT vs. NJ 22..........John Emmons............................1/6/00 OTT vs. PHX 23..........Slava Butsayev..........................1/28/00 OTT at BUF 24..........Aris Brimanis.............................2/13/00 NYI at NYR 25..........Dieter Kochan............................3/28/00 TB vs. DAL 26..........Jani Hurme....................................4/9/00 OTT vs. TB 27..........Shane Hnidy.............................10/5/00 OTT at BOS 28..........Donald MacLean...................10/14/00 TOR vs. OTT 29..........David Oliver...............................11/4/00 OTT vs. CBJ 30..........Jamie Rivers............................11/12/00 OTT at CAR 31..........Sean Gagnon.........................11/26/00 OTT at NYR
32..........Joel Bouchard........................11/29/00 PHX at COL 33..........Mike Crowley..........................12/8/00 ANA at MIN 34..........Ivan Ciernik.................................1/23/01 OTT at NYI 35..........Darren Rumble..............................2/6/01 STL at COL 36..........Joel Kwiatkowski......................2/19/01 OTT at BUF 37..........Todd White................................2/19/01 OTT at BUF 38.........Chris Neil.............................10/3/01 OTT at TOR 39..........Toni Dahlman..........................1/3/02 OTT vs. WSH 40..........Steve Martins............................1/11/02 OTT at FLA 41..........Kip Miller.......................................1/17/02 NYI at SJ 42..........Jody Hull.........................................2/4/02 OTT at TB 43..........Dmitry Afanasenkov.......................2/6/02 TB at FLA 44..........Simon Lajeunesse..........................3/7/02 OTT at SJ 45..........Martin Prusek...........................3/23/02 OTT vs. ATL 46..........Chris Bala....................................3/27/02 OTT at NYI 47..........Neil Little...................................3/28/02 PHI at CAR 48..........Josh Langfeld..............................3/30/02 OTT vs. TB 49..........Gaetan Royer...............................4/1/02 TB vs. NYR 50.........Jason Spezza...................10/24/02 OTT at BOS 51..........Sean Avery................................10/29/02 DET vs. SJ 52..........Jason Doig.................................12/3/02 WSH at PIT 53..........Jason Williams.........................12/5/02 DET at PHX 54..........Patrick Boileau......................12/19/02 DET vs. DAL 55..........Stacy Roest.............................2/20/03 DET vs. EDM 56..........Wade Brookbank..................10/9/03 NSH vs. ANA 57..........Julien Vauclair........................10/25/03 OTT at MTL 58.........Jiri Hudler...........................10/29/03 DET vs. STL 59..........Curtis Joseph..........................10/30/03 DET at NSH 60..........Darryl Bootland......................11/8/03 DET vs. NSH 61..........Mark Mowers........................11/19/03 DET vs. CBJ 62..........Nathan Robinson..................11/28/03 DET vs. NYI 63..........Blake Sloan.................................12/4/03 DAL at LA 64.........Niklas Kronwall...............12/10/03 DET at BUF 65..........Ryan Barnes...........................12/15/03 DET vs. FLA 66.........Chris Kelly..............................2/5/04 OTT vs. TOR 67..........Marc Lamothe.........................2/23/04 DET at EDM 68..........Anders Myrvold........................2/26/04 DET at CGY 69..........Mathieu Chouinard...................2/29/04 LA at ANA 70..........Brett Lebda..................................10/5/05 DET vs. STL 71..........Mark Eaton..................................10/5/05 NSH vs. SJ 72..........Chris Osgood.............................10/29/05 DET at CHI 73.........Kyle Quincey...................11/25/05 DET at ANA 74.........Jimmy Howard.................11/28/05 DET at LA 75.........Valtteri Filppula................12/15/05 DET at FLA 76..........Rob Collins..............................12/17/05 NYI vs. COL 77..........Manny Legace............................1/5/06 DET vs. STL 78..........David Gove...............................1/31/06 CAR at MTL 79..........Tomas Kopecky..............................2/28/06 DET at SJ 80..........Alexandre Giroux........................3/25/06 NYR at TB 81..........Joey MacDonald........................10/19/06 DET at SJ 82..........Derek Meech...............................12/7/06 DET vs. STL 83..........Matt Ellis...................................12/18/06 DET at CBJ 84..........Matt Hussey...............................1/26/07 DET at STL 85..........Sheldon Brookbank.......................2/6/07 NSH at PIT 86..........Danny Syvret..........................2/27/07 EDM vs. PHX 87..........Mark Hartigan.........................11/29/07 DET vs. TB 88..........Drew MacIntyre........................12/13/07 VAN at SJ 89..........Peter Vandermeer..................2/10/08 PHX vs. NSH 90.........Jonathan Ericsson.............2/22/08 DET at CGY 91..........Garrett Stafford.........................2/23/08 DET at VAN 92.........Darren Helm.......................3/13/08 DET vs. DAL 93..........Mattias Ritola..........................3/15/08 DET vs. NSH 94..........Clay Wilson................................3/25/08 CBJ at NSH 95..........Darren McCarty..........................3/28/08 DET vs. STL 96..........Krys Kolanos.................................11/4/08 MIN at SJ 97..........Landon Wilson.....................11/22/08 DAL vs. ANA 98..........Bryan Helmer.....................11/28/08 WSH vs. MTL 99..........Chris Chelios ..........................12/13/08 DET at PHX
100........Aaron Downey.........................1/29/09 DET vs. DAL 101......Justin Abdelkader..........1/31/09 DET at WSH 102........Ville Leino................................1/31/09 DET at WSH 103........Aaron Gagnon......................10/16/09 DAL vs. BOS 104........Scott Parse................................10/24/09 LA at PHX 105........Doug Janik...............................11/3/09 DET vs. BOS 106.........Ryan Keller................................11/25/09 OTT at NJ 107.....Jakub Kindl......................12/3/09 DET vs. EDM 108........Kris Newbury........................12/14/09 DET vs. PHX 109.........Darren Haydar...........................2/10/10 COL vs. ATL 110........Andreas Lilja................................3/1/10 DET at COL 111.........Jeremy Williams......................10/24/10 NYR vs. NJ 112........Jan Mursak..............................12/27/10 DET at COL 113........Chris Mueller.........................12/28/10 NSH vs. DAL 114........Tomas Tatar......................12/31/10 DET vs. NYI 115........Cory Emmerton........................1/22/11 DET vs. CHI 116.........Patrick Rissmiller......................2/23/11 ATL at BUF 117 .......Tom McCollum .........................3/30/11 DET vs. STL 118 ......Gustav Nyquist ...............11/1/11 DET vs. MIN 119 ........Fabian Brunnstrom....................11/5/11 DET vs. ANA 120.......Brendan Smith..................11/17/11 DET at SJ 121......Mark Cullen.................11/29/11 FLA at CAR 122........Chris Conner..............................12/2/11 DET at BUF 123........Joakim Andersson.................12/27/11 DET vs. STL 124.......Ty Conklin ..........................3/21/12 DET at NYR 125.......Riley Sheahan......................4/7/12 DET vs. CHI 126.......Brian Lashoff......................1/21/13 DET at CBJ 127........Mike Knuble...............................1/26/13 PHI at FLA 128........Jamie Tardif.................................2/2/13 BOS at TOR 129........Petr Mrazek ...........................2/7/13 DET at STL 130....... Jonas Gustavsson...........2/19/13 DET at NSH 131........Carlo Colaiacovo.........................4/1/13 DET vs. COL 132.......Danny DeKeyser..............10/2/13 DET vs. BUF 133.......Luke Glendening...........10/12/13 DET vs. PHI 134.......Xavier Ouellet....................10/21/13 DET vs. SJ 135........Adam Almquist .....................11/4/13 DET at WPG 136........Chad Billins...............................11/5/13 CGY at MIN 137.......Patrick Eaves....................12/14/13 DET vs. PIT 138.......Tomas Jurco......................12/15/13 DET vs. TB 139.......Jordin Tootoo..................12/19/13 DET vs. CGY 140.......Alexey Marchenko..............1/4/14 DET at DAL 141.......Teemu Pulkkinen ..........3/14/14 DET vs. EDM 142........Landon Ferraro........................3/18/14 DET vs. TOR 143.......Calle Jarnkrok....................3/21/14 NSH at CGY 144........Mitch Callahan...........................3/25/14 DET at CBJ 145.......Ryan Sproul.........................4/13/14 DET at STL 146.......Andrej Nestrasil...............10/9/14 DET vs. BOS 147........Stephen Weiss.......................11/24/14 DET vs. OTT 148........Mattias Janmark.......................10/8/15 DAL vs. PIT 149.......Dylan Larkin.....................10/9/15 DET vs. TOR 150........Kevin Porter.................................10/10/15 PIT at ARI 151.......Andreas Athanasiou......11/8/15 DET vs. DAL 152........Tomas Nosek..........................12/26/15 DET at NSH 153........Eric Tangradi...............................1/25/16 DET at NYI 154.......Anthony Mantha..............3/15/16 DET at PHI 155.......Alan Quine.............................4/9/16 NYI vs. PHI 156.......Martin Frk.......................10/18/16 CAR at EDM 157.......Tyler Bertuzzi.....................11/8/16 DET at PHI 158.......Jared Coreau........................12/3/16 DET at PIT 159.......Nick Jensen........................12/20/16 DET at TB Bold = Has played in the NHL this season (as of Jan. 10) Italics = Had name engraved on the Stanley Cup after playing for Grand Rapids All photos by Getty Images. Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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INTERNATIONAL MEN OF MYSTERY
Griffiti cover boy Tomas Nosek is one of only 11 Czechs to ever suit up for Grand Rapids. While Canada (267) and the United States (126) have produced the most Griffins, no fewer than 18 countries have seen at least one native son grow up to play for the team.
Can you com plete the grid?
Fill in the names of the countries that have given birth to the 468 players in Griffins history. Good luck! BELARUS (2) CANADA (267) CZECH REPUBLIC (11) FINLAND (7) FRANCE (1) GERMANY (2)
KAZAKHSTAN (1) LATVIA (1) NORWAY (2) POLAND (1) RUSSIA (12) SLOVAKIA (11)
SLOVENIA (1) SOUTH AFRICA (1) SWEDEN (19) SWITZERLAND (1) UKRAINE (2) UNITED STATES (126) Grand Rapids GRIFFINS
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PARTING SHOT
The Incredible Hulk (Joe Hicketts) and the Riddler (Mitch Callahan) face off with an unmasked Darth Vader (WZZM 13’s Kamady Rudd) to promote the Griffins’ Superhero Night on Jan. 7, 2017. Photo by Mark Newman
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