2025-26 Griffiti - Issue #1

TIES THAT BIND SHAI BUIUM

PROUD TO BACK THE GRIFFINS. EVEN PROUDER TO STAND WITH THEIR FANS.

Huntington Bank is honored to support the Grand Rapids Griffins. With every pass and shot, through each hard-fought win and heartbreaking loss, watching you give your all is a thrill we never take for granted.

From your biggest fans at Huntington: Let’s Go Griffins!

Vol. 29, No. 1

TABLE OF CONTENTS

26......... THE FAMILY BUSINESS

An unconventional path led Shai Buium’s family to a life revolving around hockey.

34......... BACK AND BECHER THAN EVER

Twenty-one-year-old forward Ondrej Becher is excited to build upon his first AHL campaign with the Griffins.

42......... A STORYBOOK ENDING

After 29 seasons of spreading the Griffins’ gospel through pen and lens for Griffiti magazine, Mark Newman has called it a career.

46......... COACH AND THE KNUBLES

Pat Ferschweiler learned alongside Mike Knuble and later coached Mike’s son Cam to a national title at Western Michigan University.

54......... NO QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT

A boisterous sellout crowd welcomed the Detroit Red Wings back to Van Andel Arena for the 2025 Red & White Game presented by Corewell Health.

58......... WHEN YOU LOVE THE GRIFFINS, AND THE GRIFFINS LOVE YOU BACK

For 30-year Griffins season ticket members, cheering on the team they adore started on Day One and has never let up.

ON THE BENCH

Detroit 2021 second-round draft pick Shai Buium is forging an NHL path along with his brother Zeev, Minnesota’s firstround selection in 2024.

Photo by Mark Newman

CHALK TALK

WITH GRIFFINS HEAD COACH DAN WATSON

By Jonathan Mills

Head coach Dan Watson doesn’t have a crystal ball that can tell him how the Grand Rapids Griffins will perform in the 2025-26 season. But what the third-year American Hockey League bench boss does have is a strong belief that the hard work his players put in this offseason will be one of the main determinants of the club’s success.

“First and foremost, we are a developmental league,” Watson said. “But we’re trying to win here as well, so it’s a tricky combination of making it work and being successful. The younger guys took another step last year. All these guys who we asked to take a step from the previous summer did last year, and they were a huge part of our success.

“We’re looking for that same type of mentality – that everyone got a little bit better again this summer to prepare for this year. If we continued to do that and can build on that, I’m excited for the year.”

There are plenty of positives Grand Rapids can pull from its 2024-25 campaign, having qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs for the second straight season under Watson while posting a 37-29-4-2 (80 points) record that rendered a third-place finish in the Central Division.

Getting swept out of the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs in three games by the Texas Stars left a sour taste and will be a significant motivator for the Griffins. Everyone on the team knows the areas in which they struggled to get the job done at times last season and are determined to improve upon.

“Our special teams, in terms of our power play, need to be better,” Watson said. “And again, I think those guys taking that next step and understanding what is expected of them now will help them be better. We also need to score more goals. We need to increase our offense.”

Aside from the players themselves, the diverse coaching staff in Grand Rapids will be tasked with getting the most out of the group. Watson believes the trust he continues to build with assistant coaches Steph Julien and Brian Lashoff as well as goaltending coach Roope Koistinen will prove beneficial this season.

“In the first year [2023-24], there was still a feeling-out process,” Watson said. “It wasn’t about trust, per se, but more about how do you work? How do you see the game? What are your thoughts on the game? How do you see individual development and skill development? Now that we have that all figured out, we put our heads down and go to work. We do everything collaboratively, whether that’s the power play, penalty kill or 5-on-5. We then have leaders of those areas.”

Watson is also excited about the knowledge that Brad Krakowitz, who was hired as the new video coach for the Griffins on Sept. 9, will bring to the table.

“He’s going to be instrumental in making sure that we’re organized and have everything dialed in technology-wise,” Watson said about Krakowitz, who most recently served as the assistant video coordinator for the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners from 2022-25. “Overall, [we have] a

great staff once again that is a trustworthy, hardworking, great group of guys. They want our players to have success.”

And with his coaching staff gelling at this year’s NHL Prospect Games in Frisco, Texas, and the Detroit Red Wings’ training camp in Traverse City, Watson said they’re all eager to help the Griffins’ skaters take the next step forward in their development.

“You always try to be as honest as you possibly can with the players,” he said. “Sometimes, the truth hurts. It’s just finding that way, that these guys are one injury or step away from realizing their dreams of playing in the NHL, but you still must tell them the honest truth.”

Watson aims to keep fostering an environment where players can compete and grow, because when their time comes to don the Winged Wheel, they need to be ready.

“We’re going to play very similar to the way Detroit plays,” Watson said. “The biggest thing is the language. We want to make sure how Todd [McLellan], Alex [Tanguay] and Trent [Yawney] are talking and speaking, that we’re speaking the same language in Grand Rapids. It doesn’t matter what system you use. You can still speak the same

language and focus on some of the things that they’re going to be focusing on.

“That’s the biggest thing for us, so when a guy does get called up or sent down it hopefully can be seamless. That way, it takes the thinking out of their game and they can just go play the game.”

In 2024-25, young talent like Marco Kasper, Elmer Soderblom, Carter Mazur and Sebastian Cossa all showcased themselves at the NHL level. And for Watson, being a “small part in that success” means a lot.

“The best part about being a coach is telling a guy that he’s being called up,” he said. “The second-best part is actually watching him play. I remember when Simon [Edvinsson] got called up, when Elmer got called up, when Marco played the first few games of the season with us then he got called up and stayed. Dominik Shine is a great story as well, and you get to see all these guys actually play in a Red Wings sweater.

“Usually, I’m with our coaching staff and around our players, and that’s the buzz. It’s a great feeling knowing that I was a very small part of that, their teammates were a very big part of that, and their support system – family, friends – are all part of that.”

2025-26 GRIFFINS HOCKEY OPERATIONS STAFF

General Manager Shawn Horcoff

Coach Dan Watson

Coach Steph Julien

Coach Brian Lashoff

Roope Koistinen

Video Coach Brad Krakowitz

Trainer Austin Frank

Athletic Trainer Katie Berglund

Therapist Jared VanZant

Manager Brad Thompson

SCOUTING REPORT

MANITOBA

OCT. 17, OCT. 18, OCT. 24

With former assistant coach Eric Dubois departing for ERC Ingolstadt in Germany during the offseason, the Moose hired former Ferris State Bulldog defenseman Bob Nardella to fill the position. Nardella enters his 13th season as an AHL coach in 2025-26, as he served as a skills coach for the Chicago Wolves from 2012-14 before working as an assistant coach for Chicago from 2014-23, raising the Calder Cup in 2022. Most recently, Nardella was the head coach for the Wolves in 2023-24.

After leading the team’s rookies in points (5-22—27) and tying for eighth among AHL rookie defensemen last season, Elias Salomonsson returns for his second season with Manitoba. The 21-year-old Swedish blueliner was selected in the second round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft by the Winnipeg Jets with the 55th overall pick. Salomonsson and Griffins rookie Axel Sandin-Pellikka played together with Skelleftea in the SHL from 2022-24, claiming the league’s title in 2024.

ROCKFORD NOV. 2

The Griffins made history against the IceHogs last season when they combined for 15 goals in a two-game span from April 4-5. The eight goals on April 4 were the most since Grand Rapids defeated Chicago 8-7 in overtime on Dec. 22, 2022, and the only other time the Griffins scored at least seven goals in back-to-back games was Dec. 26-27, 1996 (7-0 W vs. Detroit, 8-3 W at Fort Wayne). In addition, the 15 goals were the most in a two-game span since the team bagged 16 from Jan. 19-23, 2013 (11-6 W at Rockford, 5-4 SOW vs. Oklahoma City).

Former Griffin, Toledo Walleye and Michigan State Spartan Jared Nightingale returned to the IceHogs this offseason as their new head coach. Nightingale previously served as an assistant coach for Rockford from 202124 before spending last season as head coach and director of hockey operations for the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays, winning the Brabham Cup as regular-season champs and earning the John Brophy Award as the ECHL’s Coach of the Year. The Jackson, Michigan, native logged two games with Grand Rapids in 2014-15 and also spent three seasons (2014-17) as Toledo’s captain while Dan Watson was on the Walleye’s coaching staff.

TORONTO

NOV. 12, NOV. 14

The Marlies return to the Griffins’ schedule after a brief one-year hiatus. Last season marked the first without a clash of these Great Lakes foes since the COVID-shortened 2020-21 campaign and the first full season without a meeting since 2018-19. Grand Rapids’ rivalry with Ontario’s capital actually dates to Oct. 29, 2003, when the Griffins tied the Toronto Roadrunners 3-3 in their first-ever meeting. Versus the Marlies, Grand Rapids holds a 35-37-6-2 regular-season mark all time, making Toronto one of just five current AHL teams the Griffins have a losing record against. However, the Griffins have never lost a playoff series against Toronto, winning all three matchups with a cumulative record of 11-5.

Head coach John Gruden returns to the Marlies for his third season with the franchise. The former Ferris State Bulldog also played for the Griffins from 1999-02 and showed 47 points (10-37—47) in 141 regular-season games, adding 11 points (3-8—11) in 27 postseason contests. Gruden represented the Griffins at two all-star games (2000 IHL & 2002 AHL) and was also named to the AHL’s First All-Star Team in 2001-02. Entering this season, Gruden had a 71-49-14-10 (.576) regular-season mark with the Marlies from 2023-25.

CHARLOTTE NOV. 21, NOV. 22

The Checkers, who reached the 2025 Calder Cup Finals, will visit Van Andel Arena for the first time since April 14, 2017. Grand Rapids will then head to Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte for games on Feb. 6-7, its first trip to the Queen City since Dec. 18, 2016. The Griffins have an all-time record of 18-17-0-1 against Charlotte, which includes an 8-10-0-0 mark at home and a 10-7-0-1 road ledger.

Current Griffin John Leonard skated for the Checkers in 2024-25, totaling career-high numbers in goals (36), points (61), games played (72), and plusminus rating (+21). Leonard then posted a team-best and career-high 14 points (8-6—14) in 18 postseason outings en route to the Calder Cup Finals. Last season, Leonard ranked among the AHL’s leaders in points (61, T10th), goals (36, T2nd), power-play goals (10, T9th), shorthanded goals (5, T1st), game-winners (8, T1st), and shots (252, 2nd).

IOWA

NOV. 28, NOV. 30

The Wild’s roster features former Griffins defenseman Wyatt Newpower, who played for Grand Rapids from 2021-24. The 6-foot-4 blueliner compiled 24 points (6-18—24), 180 penalty minutes and a plus-two rating in 148 regularseason games with the Griffins. After his departure, Newpower spent last season with the Bridgeport Islanders and logged 10 points (2-8—10) and 52 penalty minutes in 40 games.

Iowa has a new head coach in Greg Cronin, who most recently served as head coach for the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks from 2023-25. Cronin has 38 years of coaching and player-development experience, including 14 years as a coach in the NHL and seven seasons as a bench boss in the AHL (Bridgeport 2003-05; Colorado 2018-23). At the AHL level, Cronin owns a 242-165-37-14 (.584) record across 458 regular-season games entering the 2025-26 campaign. Cronin’s staff includes goaltending coach Richard Bachman and assistant coaches Nathan McIver and former Griffin Ben Simon.

Dear Griffins Fans,

A lot can happen in 30 years.

Unbreakable friendships can be forged. Beloved traditions can be passed down by generations. Breathtaking moments can be shared and indelible memories made. Cities can unite around common goals and celebrations. Downtowns can be transformed.

All of that and so much more have occurred since the Griffins first skated out onto Van Andel Arena’s ice on Oct. 11, 1996. West Michigan fell in love with this team that bears a mythical moniker, but the franchise’s impact has been very real.

Three times the Griffins have competed in our league’s championship finals, and we brought home the coveted hardware in both 2013 and 2017 to cap off arduous playoff runs that captivated the Calder City.

Fans who endured 16 years without a professional hockey team to cheer for following the departure of the Owls turned out in droves from the start, and we have unending gratitude for your passionate support that continues not just season after season but decade after decade. We have opened the doors to the “Freezer on Fulton” nearly 1,200 times, and we have strived night after night to do our absolute best to not just entertain all 9.1 million of you but truly earn your allegiance.

Five other times we’ve been fortunate to welcome the Detroit Red Wings to town for their annual intrasquad game, and the incredible energy and enthusiasm nearly 11,000 of you brought for the long-awaited return of the Red & White Game on Sept. 21 made a powerful and unforgettable impression on every player wearing the Winged Wheel. (Not to mention Steve Yzerman.)

Far beyond the ice, we remain dedicated to helping improve our community through a range of programs, events and initiatives that since our inception has generated just shy of $10 million for various schools, organizations and nonprofits throughout West Michigan. That commitment is currently amplified by the similar efforts of our third-year women’s pro volleyball team, the Grand Rapids Rise of Major League Volleyball, and it will be further enhanced when our city’s new soccer team, Athletic Club Grand Rapids, begins play in 2027 at Amway Stadium as a member of MLS NEXT Pro.

Thirty years ago, none of us could have imagined the incredible playground for professional sports that downtown Grand Rapids would one day become. I cannot wait to see what the next 30 have in store for us.

Sincerely,

Dan DeVos Chief Executive Officer Grand Rapids Griffins

a message from the president

Dear Fans,

he president

It is my pleasure to welcome you to the historic 90th season of the American Hockey League.

Since we first dropped the puck in 1936, our league has grown to include 32 cities from coast to coast and a truly global community with fans cheering on our teams from around the world. And we remain proud of our commitment to being the top development league for nearly all of the players, coaches, executives, trainers, broadcasters and officials who you see throughout the National Hockey League today.

Since we first dropped the puck in 1936, our league has grown to include 32 cities from coast to coast and a global community with fans cheering on our teams from around the world. And we remain proud of our commitment to being the top development league for nearly all of players, coaches, executives, trainers, broadcasters and officials who you see throughout the National Hockey

For nine decades, you have cheered on future superstars, Stanley Cup champions and Hockey Hall of Famers as they have come through the AHL. This season we reflect on our past while continuing our tradition of excellence, from the excitement of opening night to the pageantry of the AHL All-Star Classic in Rockford to the pure emotion of the Calder Cup Playoffs.

On behalf of all of our teams, thank you for your continuing support of the American Hockey League.

Sincerely,

Scott Howson President & CEO | American Hockey League

For nine decades, you have cheered on future superstars, Stanley Cup champions and Hockey Hall of Famers have come through the AHL. This season we reflect our past while continuing our tradition of excellence, the excitement of opening night to the pageantry of AHL All-Star Classic in Rockford to the pure emotion

On behalf of all of our teams, thank you for your continuing support of the American Hockey League.

scott howson

THE BEGINNINGS

Celebrating its 90th season in 2025-26, the American Hockey League is continuing a tradition of excellence that began in 1936 when the Canadian-American Hockey League joined with the International Hockey League to form what is today known as the AHL. Eight teams hit the ice that first season, representing Buffalo, Cleveland, New Haven, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Springfield and Syracuse.

Frank Calder, the National Hockey League’s president at the time, was instrumental in the forming of this new league, and his name would be given to its championship trophy. The Abbotsford Canucks are the reigning Calder Cup champions after capturing their first title last spring.

From those roots, the American Hockey League has grown into a 32team, coast-to-coast league that provides fans with exciting, high-level professional hockey while preparing thousands of players, coaches, officials, executives, trainers, broadcasters and more for careers in the NHL.

BY THE NUMBERS

87.0%

Percentage of all NHL players in 2024-25 who were graduates of the AHL

891

Former AHL players who skated in the NHL last season

330

AHL players who also played in the NHL in 2024-25

245

Former 1st- and 2nd-round NHL draft picks who skated in the AHL in 2024-25

L. TO R.: AHL GRADUATES WILLIAM NYLANDER , IGOR SHESTERKIN , TAGE THOMPSON , DAVID PASTRNAK , CONNOR HELLEBUYCK

THE PLAYERS

In today’s National Hockey League nearly 90 percent of the players are AHL alumni, including 202425 Vezina Trophy winner and NHL MVP Connor Hellebuyck and Art Ross Trophy recipient Nikita Kucherov. The 2025 Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers were stocked with AHL graduates including former league scoring champion Carter Verhaeghe

During the 2024-25 season, a total of 891 AHL alumni played in the National Hockey League. There were 330 players who skated in both leagues last year alone, and 245 former first- and second-round NHL draft picks developed their skills in the AHL last season, including Artyom Levshunov, David Reinbacher, Nate Danielson, Simon Nemec Denton Mateychuk, Lian Bichsel, 2025 AHL All-Star Challenge MVP Kevin Korchinski, and 2024-25 AHL Top Prospects team members Dalibor Dvorsky Konsta Helenius, Logan Mailloux , Scott Morrow and Bradly Nadeau

THE LEGENDS

For nine decades, the American Hockey League has been home to some of the greatest players in the history of our sport. In fact, there are 136 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame who have been affiliated with the AHL during their careers.

All-time greats from Milt Schmidt and Gump Worsley to Roberto Luongo and Martin St. Louis came through the AHL ranks and now find themselves enshrined in Toronto, and the coveted Calder Cup is inscribed with the names of legendary AHL alumni like Johnny Bower, Larry Robinson, Gerry Cheevers Bathgate, Tim Horton

Francis, Patrick Roy Billy Smith.

THE COACHES

At the start of the 2025-26 season, the National Hockey League featured 21 head coaches who were former AHL bench bosses, including Paul Maurice of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and 2024-25 Jack Adams Award winner Spencer Carbery of the Washington Capitals.

Tampa Bay’s Jon Cooper, Colorado’s Jared Bednar, Edmonton’s Kris Knoblauch, New Jersey’s Sheldon Keefe, San Jose’s Ryan Warsofsky and Winnipeg’s Scott Arniel are also among the current NHL coaches who spent time in the American Hockey

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AHL DIRECTORY

EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC DIVISION:

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

NORTH DIVISION: Belleville, Cleveland, Laval, Rochester, Syracuse, Toronto, Utica

BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS

NHL Affiliation:.......................... New York Islanders

Home Ice: Total Mortgage Arena (8,412)

General Manager: Chris Lamoriello

Head Coach: ................................. Rocky Thompson

Entered AHL: ..............................................2001-02

Calder Cups: None

Seasons In Playoffs:.................................... 10 Of 22

2024-25 Record: ..................15-50-4-3, 37 Pts./.257 Website: ...........................Bridgeportislanders.com

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS

NHL Affiliations: ............................ Florida Panthers

Home Ice: Bojangles’ Coliseum (8,500)

General Manager: Paul Krepelka

Head Coach: .................................. Geordie Kinnear

Entered AHL: ..............................................2010-11

Calder Cups: One (2019)

Seasons In Playoffs:...................................... 9 Of 13

2024-25 Record: ..................44-22-3-3, 94 Pts./.653 Website: .............................. Charlottecheckers.com

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

NHL Affiliation:........................... New York Rangers

Home Ice: Xl Center (15,635)

General Manager: ............................... Ryan Martin

Head Coach: ...................................... Grant Potulny

Entered AHL: ..............................................1997-98

Calder Cups: One (2000)

Seasons In Playoffs:.................................... 17 Of 26

2024-25 Record: ..................30-33-7-2, 69 Pts./.479 Website: .............................. Hartfordwolfpack.com

HERSHEY BEARS

NHL Affiliation:....................... Washington Capitals

Home Ice: Giant Center (10,500)

General Manager: ............................. Bryan Helmer

Head Coach: ...........................................Derek King

Entered AHL: ..............................................1938-39

Calder Cups: 13 (1947, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1974, 1980, 1988, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010, 2023, 2024)

Seasons In Playoffs:.................................... 72 Of 85

2024-25 Record: ..................44-20-7-1, 96 Pts./.667 Website: Hersheybears.com

LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS

NHL Affiliation:.......................... Philadelphia Flyers

Home Ice: ....................................Ppl Center (8,420)

General Manager: Alyn Mccauley

Head Coach: .....................................John Snowden

Entered AHL: . 1996-97 (As Philadelphia Phantoms) Calder Cups: .................................Two (1998, 2005) Seasons In Playoffs: 15 Of 27 2024-25 Record: ..................36-28-6-2, 80 Pts./.556 Website: ............................... Phantomshockey.com

PROVIDENCE BRUINS

NHL Affiliation:.................................. Boston Bruins

Home Ice: .............. Amica Mutual Pavilion (11,273)

General Manager: ................................... Evan Gold

Head Coach: Ryan Mougenel

Entered AHL: ..............................................1992-93

Calder Cups: .......................................... One (1999)

Seasons In Playoffs:.................................... 26 Of 31

2024-25 Record: 41-23-5-3, 90 Pts./.625

Website: ...............................Providencebruins.com

SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS

NHL Affiliation: St. Louis Blues

Home Ice: ..................... Massmutual Center (6,793)

General Manager: ............................Kevin Maxwell

Head Coach: ............................. Steve Konowalchuk

Entered AHL: 2016-17

Calder Cups: ................................................... None

Seasons In Playoffs:........................................ 3 Of 7

2024-25 Record: 34-32-2-4, 74 Pts./.514 Website: Springfieldthunderbirds.com

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS

NHL Affiliation: Pittsburgh Penguins

Home Ice: Mohegan Sun Arena At Casey Plaza (7,500)

General Manager: .............................. Jason Spezza

Head Coach: ................................. Keith Macdonald

Entered AHL: 1999-00

Calder Cups: ................................................... None

Seasons In Playoffs:.................................... 20 Of 24 2024-25 Record: ..................41-23-5-3, 90 Pts./.625 Website: Wbspenguins.com

BELLEVILLE SENATORS

NHL Affiliation:..............................Ottawa Senators

Home Ice: Caa Arena (4,365)

General Manager: .................................. Matt Turek

Head Coach: ............................................ David Bell

Entered AHL: ..............................................2017-18

Calder Cups: None

Seasons In Playoffs:........................................ 2 Of 6

2024-25 Record: ..................34-27-6-5, 79 Pts./.549

Website: .....................................Bellevillesens.com

ROCHESTER AMERICANS

NHL Affiliation: Buffalo Sabres

Home Ice: ........................... Blue Cross Arena At The Rochester War Memorial (10,662)

General Manager: ......................... Jason Karmanos

Head Coach: Michael Leone

Entered AHL: ..............................................1956-57

Calder Cups: ......................... Six (1965, 1966, 1968, 1983, 1987, 1996)

Seasons In Playoffs: 50 Of 67

2024-25 Record: ..................42-22-5-3, 93 Pts./.639

Website: .............................................. Amerks.com

CLEVELAND MONSTERS

NHL Affiliation:.................... Columbus Blue Jackets

Home Ice: Rocket Arena (18,277/9,447 Lower Bowl)

General Manager: .................................. Chris Clark

Head Coach: .................................Trent Vogelhuber

Entered AHL: ......... 2007-08 (As Lake Erie Monsters)

Calder Cups: One (2016)

Seasons In Playoffs:...................................... 5 Of 16

2024-25 Record: ..................35-26-5-6, 81 Pts./.563 Website: ............................ Clevelandmonsters.com

LAVAL ROCKET

NHL Affiliation:........................ Montreal Canadiens

Home Ice: Place Bell (10,043)

General Manager: ........................... John Sedgwick

Head Coach: ..................................... Pascal Vincent

Entered AHL: ..............................................2017-18

Calder Cups: None

Seasons In Playoffs:........................................ 3 Of 6

2024-25 Record: ................48-19-3-2, 101 Pts./.701

Website: ........................................ Rocketlaval.com

THE ROAD TO THE CALDER CUP

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

NHL Affiliation: Tampa Bay Lightning

Home Ice: ....... Upstate Medical University Arena At Onondaga County War Memorial (6,110)

General Manager/Head Coach:..........Joel Bouchard

Entered AHL: 1994-95

Calder Cups: ................................................... None

Seasons In Playoffs:.................................... 19 Of 29

2024-25 Record: ..................37-23-8-4, 86 Pts./.597

Website: Syracusecrunch.com

A total of 23 teams will qualify for the AHL’s 2026 postseason, with five rounds of playoffs leading to the crowning of a Calder Cup champion.

The playoff field will include the top six finishers in the eight-team Atlantic Division, the top five finishers each in the seven-team North and Central Divisions, and the top seven teams in the 10-team Pacific Division.

TORONTO MARLIES

NHL Affiliation: Toronto Maple Leafs

Home Ice: ..................... Coca-Cola Coliseum (7,851)

General Manager: .................................Ryan Hardy

Head Coach: ........................................ John Gruden

Entered AHL: 2005-06

Calder Cups: .......................................... One (2018)

Seasons In Playoffs:.................................... 14 Of 18

2024-25 Record: 37-23-4-8, 86 Pts./.597

Website: Marlies.ca

UTICA COMETS

NHL Affiliation: New Jersey Devils

Home Ice: ............... Adirondack Bank Center At The Utica Memorial Auditorium (3,917)

General Manager: .......................... Dan Mackinnon

Head Coach: Ryan Parent

Entered AHL: ..............................................2013-14

Calder Cups: ................................................... None

Seasons In Playoffs: 5 Of 10

2024-25 Record: 31-33-6-2, 70 Pts./.486

Website: .......................................Uticacomets.com

First Round matchups will be best-ofthree series. The two highest seeds in the Atlantic, the three highest seeds in each of the North and Central, and the first-place team in the Pacific will receive byes into the best-of-five Division Semifinals, with the First Round winners re-seeded in each division. The Division Finals will also be best-of-five series, followed by best-ofseven Conference Finals and a best-ofseven Calder Cup Finals.

Rapids

AHL DIRECTORY

WESTERN CONFERENCE

PACIFIC DIVISION:

Abbotsford, Bakersfield, Calgary, Coachella Valley, Colorado, Henderson, Ontario, San Diego, San Jose, Tucson

CENTRAL DIVISION: Grand Rapids, Chicago, Iowa, Manitoba, Milwaukee, Rockford, Texas

ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS

NHL Affiliation:.......................... Vancouver Canucks

Home Ice: ....................... Abbotsford Centre (7,073)

General Manager: Ryan Johnson

Head Coach: ................................. Manny Malhotra

Entered AHL: ..............................................2021-22

Calder Cups: One (2025)

Seasons in Playoffs: ........................................ 4 of 4

2024-25 Record: ..................44-24-2-2, 92 pts./.639

Website: ........................... abbotsford.canucks.com

BAKERSFIELD CONDORS

NHL Affiliation:..............................Edmonton Oilers Home Ice: ................ Mechanics Bank Arena (8,751) General Manager: Keith Gretzky

of 8

CALGARY WRANGLERS

NHL Affiliation:................................ Calgary Flames

Home Ice: Scotiabank Saddledome (19,289)

General Manager: ................................ Brad Pascall

Head Coach: ......................................... Brett Sutter

Entered AHL: 2022-23

Calder Cups: None

Seasons in Playoffs: ........................................ 3 of 3

2024-25 Record: ..................37-28-4-3, 81 pts./.563 Website: calgarywranglers.com

COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS

NHL Affiliation:.................................Seattle Kraken

Home Ice: Acrisure Arena (10,087)

Asst. General Manager: ........................Ricky Olczyk

Head Coach: ....................................... Derek Laxdal

Entered AHL: 2022-23

Calder Cups: None

ONTARIO REIGN

Seasons in Playoffs: ........................................ 3 of 3

2024-25 Record: ..................37-25-5-5, 84 pts./.583 Website: cvfirebirds.com

COLORADO EAGLES

HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS

NHL Affiliation:......................Vegas Golden Knights

Home Ice: ...................... Lee’s Family Forum (5,567)

General Manager: Tim Speltz

Head Coach: ........................................... Ryan Craig Entered AHL: ..............................................2020-21

Calder Cups: None

Seasons in Playoffs: 1 of 4

2024-25 Record: ..................29-38-3-2, 63 pts./.438

Website: ..................... hendersonsilverknights.com

ONTARIO REIGN

NHL Affiliation:............................ Los Angeles Kings

Home Ice: ............................... Toyota Arena (9,491)

General Manager: Richard Seeley

Head Coach: ........................................Andrew Lord Entered AHL: ..............................................2015-16

Calder Cups: None Seasons in Playoffs: 7 of 8

2024-25 Record: ..................43-25-3-1, 90 pts./.625 Website: ...................................... ontarioreign.com

SAN DIEGO GULLS

SAN JOSE BARRACUDA

NHL Affiliation: San Jose Sharks

Home Ice: ..............................Tech CU Arena (4,200)

General Manager: ....................................... Joe Will

Head Coach: John McCarthy

Entered AHL: ..............................................2015-16

Calder Cups: ................................................... None

Seasons in Playoffs: ........................................ 5 of 8

2024-25 Record: 36-27-5-4, 81 pts./.563 Website: ........................................sjbarracuda.com

TUCSON ROADRUNNERS

NHL Affiliation: Utah Mammoth

Home Ice: ............................... Tucson Arena (6,521)

General Manager: ............................ John Ferguson

Head Coach: Steve Potvin

Entered AHL: ..............................................2016-17

Calder Cups: ................................................... None

Seasons in Playoffs: ........................................ 4 of 7

2024-25 Record: 34-32-4-2, 74 pts./.514 Website: ............................ tucsonroadrunners.com

CHICAGO WOLVES

NHL Affiliation:......................... Carolina Hurricanes

Home Ice: Allstate Arena (16,692)

General Manager: ...............................Darren Yorke

Head Coach: ......................................... Cam Abbott

Entered AHL: 2001-02

Calder Cups: Three (2002, 2008, 2022)

Seasons in Playoffs: .................................... 15 of 22

2024-25 Record: ..................37-31-4-0, 78 pts./.542 Website: chicagowolves.com

IOWA WILD

NHL Affiliation:............................... Minnesota Wild

Home Ice: Casey’s Center (8,356)

General Manager: ........................... Matt Hendricks

Head Coach: ......................................... Greg Cronin

Entered AHL: 2013-14

Calder Cups: None

Seasons in Playoffs: ...................................... 2 of 10

2024-25 Record: ..................27-37-6-2, 62 pts./.431 Website: iowawild.com

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

NHL Affiliation: Detroit Red Wings

Home Ice: ........................Van Andel Arena (10,834)

General Manager: ............................Shawn Horcoff

Head Coach: Dan Watson

Entered AHL: ..............................................2001-02

Calder Cups: .................................Two (2013, 2017) Seasons in Playoffs: .................................... 15 of 22

2024-25 Record: 37-29-4-2, 80 pts./.556

Website: .................................... griffinshockey.com

MANITOBA MOOSE

NHL Affiliation:..................................Winnipeg Jets

Home Ice: Canada Life Centre (7,667)

General Manager: ........................... Craig Heisinger

Head Coach: ..................................... Mark Morrison Entered AHL: 2001-02 (played through 2010-11; re-entered 2015-16)

Calder Cups: ................................................... None

Seasons in Playoffs: .................................... 13 of 18 2024-25 RECORD: 25-41-3-3, 56 pts./.389 Website: .....................................moosehockey.com

MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS

NHL Affiliation:......................... Nashville Predators

Home Ice: ............................. Panther Arena (9,450)

General Manager: Scott Nichol

Head Coach: ........................................... Karl Taylor

Entered AHL: ..............................................2001-02

Calder Cups: One (2004)

Seasons in Playoffs: 19 of 22

2024-25 Record: ..................40-21-5-6, 91 pts./.632 Website: ...........................milwaukeeadmirals.com

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

NHL Affiliation:........................ Chicago Blackhawks

Home Ice: ................................. BMO Center (5,895)

General Manager: Mark Bernard

Head Coach: ................................ Jared Nightingale

Entered AHL: ..............................................2007-08

Calder Cups: None Seasons in Playoffs: 10 of 16

2024-25 Record: ..................31-33-6-2, 70 pts./.486 Website: .............................................. icehogs.com

TEXAS STARS

NHL Affiliation:......................................Dallas Stars

Home Ice: .......... H-E-B Center at Cedar Park (6,778)

General Manager: Scott White

Head Coach: ...................................... Toby Petersen

Entered AHL: ..............................................2009-10

Calder Cups: One (2014) Seasons in Playoffs: 11 of 14

2024-25 Record: ..................43-26-3-0, 89 pts./.618

Website: .......................................... texasstars.com

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 19

DETROIT RED WINGS

Defenseman Simon Edvinsson and forward Marco Kasper spearhead the latest generation of players making an impact in Hockeytown after honing their skills in Grand Rapids, alongside other young Griffins alumni like Moritz Seider, Albert Johansson and Elmer Soderblom.

TOP AFFILIATE: Grand Rapids Griffins • 24th Season

ARENA: Little Caesars Arena • Seating Capacity: 19,515

CONTACT: (313) 471-7000 • detroitredwings.com

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

MANAGEMENT

EXECUTIVE VP/GENERAL MANAGER: Steve Yzerman

VP/HOCKEY OPERATIONS: Nicklas Lidstrom

ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGERS: Shawn Horcoff, Kris Draper, Aaron Kahn

COACHING STAFF

HEAD COACH: Todd McLellan

ASSISTANT COACHES: Alex Tanguay, Trent Yawney

GOALTENDING COACH: Michael Leighton

VIDEO COORDINATOR: Jeff Weintraub

ASSISTANT VIDEO COORDINATOR: Erich Junge

GRIFFINS WHO HAVE EARNED THEIR WINGS

Justin Abdelkader 2008-09

Adam Almquist 2013-14

Joakim Andersson 2011-12

Zach Aston-Reese 2023-24

Andreas Athanasiou 2015-16

Sean Avery 2002-03

Riley Barber 2021-22

Ryan Barnes 2003-04

Jonatan Berggren 2022-23

Tyler Bertuzzi 2016-17

Patrick Boileau 2002-03

Darryl Bootland 2003-04

Madison Bowey 2019-20

Mathias Brome 2020-21

Fabian Brunnstrom 2011-12

Mitch Callahan 2013-14

Jake Chelios 2018-19

Alex Chiasson 2022-23

Dennis Cholowski 2018-19

Ty Conklin 2011-12

Chris Conner 2011-12

Jared Coreau 2016-17

Sebastian Cossa 2024-25

Kyle Criscuolo 2021-22

Austin Czarnik 2022-23

Danny DeKeyser 2013-14

Aaron Downey 2008-09

Patrick Eaves 2013-14

Simon Edvinsson 2022-23

Christoffer Ehn 2018-19

Matt Ellis 2006-07

Turner Elson 2021-22

Cory Emmerton 2010-11

Jonathan Ericsson 2007-08

Adam Erne 2022-23

Landon Ferraro 2013-14

Valtteri Filppula 2005-06

Martin Frk 2017-18

Luke Glendening 2013-14

Mark Hartigan 2007-08

Darren Helm 2007-08

Joe Hicketts 2017-18

Taro Hirose 2019-20

Jimmy Howard 2005-06

Filip Hronek 2018-19

Jiri Hudler 2003-04

Matt Hussey 2006-07

Ville Husso 2024-25

Michael Hutchinson 2023-24

Doug Janik 2009-10

Nick Jensen 2016-17

Albert Johansson 2024-25

Tomas Jurco 2013-14

Marco Kasper 2024-25

Jakub Kindl 2009-10

Tomas Kopecky 2005-06

Niklas Kronwall 2003-04

William Lagesson 2024-25

Marc Lamothe 2003-04

Josh Langfeld 2006-07

Dylan Larkin 2015-16

Brian Lashoff 2012-13

Brett Lebda 2005-06

Ville Leino 2008-09

Gustav Lindstrom 2019-20

Matt Lorito 2016-17

Matt Luff 2022-23

Joey MacDonald 2006-07

Donald MacLean 2005-06

Anthony Mantha 2015-16

Alexey Marchenko 2013-14

Carter Mazur 2024-25

Darren McCarty 2007-08

Tom McCollum 2010-11

Dylan McIlrath 2018-19

Derek Meech 2006-07

Wade Megan 2018-19

Drew Miller 2016-17

Kevin Miller 2003-04

Mark Mowers 2003-04

Petr Mrazek 2012-13

Jan Mursak 2010-11

Anders Myrvold 2003-04

Alex Nedeljkovic 2022-23

Andrej Nestrasil 2014-15

Kris Newbury 2009-10

Tomas Nosek 2015-16

Gustav Nyquist 2011-12

Xavier Ouellet 2013-14

Chase Pearson 2021-22

Calvin Pickard 2019-20

Matt Puempel 2018-19

Teemu Pulkkinen 2013-14

Kyle Quincey 2005-06

Michael Rasmussen 2018-19

Dan Renouf 2016-17

Mattias Ritola 2007-08

Jamie Rivers 2003-04

Nathan Robinson 2003-04

Stacy Roest 2002-03

Robbie Russo 2016-17

Moritz Seider 2021-22

Riley Sheahan 2011-12

Dominik Shine 2024-25

Brendan Smith 2011-12

Givani Smith 2019-20

Elmer Soderblom 2022-23

Ryan Sproul 2013-14

Garrett Stafford 2007-08

Ben Street 2016-17

Libor Sulak 2018-19

Evgeny Svechnikov 2016-17

Eric Tangradi 2015-16

Tomas Tatar 2010-11

Jordin Tootoo 2013-14

Dominic Turgeon 2017-18

Joe Veleno 2020-21

Jakub Vrana 2022-23

Austin Watson 2024-25

Jason Williams 2002-03

Luke Witkowski 2021-22

Filip Zadina 2018-19

* not including conditioning stints for Curtis Joseph (2003-04), Chris Osgood (2005-06), Manny Legace (2005-06), Chris Chelios (2008-09), Andreas Lilja (2009-10),

Photo credit: Getty Images

MARK YOUR CALENDAR 2025-26

OCT. 17

Opening Night presented by Huntington Bank/LED Rally Towel and Magnet Schedule Giveaways

OCT. 18

Calendar Giveaway presented by Fox Motors

NOV. 2

Jake Engel Memorial Dog Game presented by Nestlé Purina/Dog Leash Giveaway

NOV. 12

24th Annual School Day Game presented by Consumers Credit Union/11 a.m. Start/Winning Wednesday

NOV. 14

Military Appreciation Night presented by DTE/Military Jersey Auction

NOV. 22

Super Squad Night presented by Michigan First Credit Union/Character Appearances/Dominik Shine Bobblehead Giveaway

NOV. 28

25th Annual Teddy Bear Toss Game presented by J&H Family Stores

NOV. 30

30th Anniversary Celebration presented by Centennial Securities/Commemorative Poster Giveaway/4 p.m. Start

DEC. 1

17th Annual Tip-A-Griffin at Peppino’s, benefiting the Griffins Youth Foundation

DEC. 13

10th Annual Red Kettle Game presented by The Salvation Army/Red Kettle Jersey Auction

DEC. 21

Hat Tricks & Hoops Night presented by Hope Network/Tank Top Giveaway/ Hat Tricks & Hoops Jersey Auction/4 p.m. Start

DEC. 31

28th Annual New Year’s Eve Celebration presented by Macatawa Bank/Postgame Fireworks/6 p.m. Start

JAN. 17

Old Time Hockey Night presented by Acrisure/Vintage Hat Giveaway/Old Time Hockey Jersey Auction

JAN. 17-18

21st Annual Great Skate Winterfest at Rosa Parks Circle, benefiting the Griffins Youth Foundation

FEB. 15

Sensory & Support Night presented by Comerica Bank/Wall Flag Giveaway/Sensory & Support Jersey Auction/4 p.m. Start

FEB. 16

19th Annual Griffins & Sled Wings Sled Hockey Game at Griff’s IceHouse at Belknap Park, benefiting the Grand Rapids Sled Wings and the Griffins

Youth Foundation FEB. 23

2nd Annual Griffins Winter Golf Classic at Gimme’s Par & Grill, benefiting First Tee – West Michigan and the Griffins Youth Foundation

FEB. 28

Princess Night presented by Lake Michigan Credit Union/ Character Appearances

MARCH 13

14th Annual Purple Community Game presented by Van Andel Institute/Purple Jersey Auction

MARCH 14

Star Wars Night presented by DTE/Character Appearances

MARCH 28

Top Gun Night presented by Adventure Credit Union/Austin

Watson Aviator Bobblehead Giveaway

APRIL 11

Fan Appreciation Night presented by Huntington Bank

CHECKPROMOTIONS OUT THESE SEASON-LONG

$2 BEERS AND $2 HOT DOGS

Every Friday, enjoy $2 domestic drafts and $2 hot dogs from 6-8 p.m., at select stands while supplies last.

MILITARY NIGHTS

Every home game, current members of our military can purchase up to four Upper Level Faceoff or Crease tickets for $16 each, four Upper Level Center Ice tickets for $19 each, or four Lower Level Faceoff tickets for $23 each with a valid military ID. The offer also extends to veterans who present a VA ID or discharge papers.

COLLEGE DISCOUNT

College students can buy online using their school .edu email address or show their ID at every Friday game to purchase an Upper Level Faceoff or Crease ticket for $16, an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $19, or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $23. Limit one ticket per ID if purchasing in-person. Visit griffinshockey.com/college to purchase College Night tickets and sign up for text alerts. (Online purchase fees not applied at the box office).

FREE RIDE FRIDAY ON THE RAPID

Ride the Rapid to and from any Friday game and enjoy a complimentary fare by showing your ticket to that night’s game. Visit ridetherapid.org for schedule information, routes and maps.

WINNING WEDNESDAYS

Every time the Griffins win at home on Wednesday, each fan in attendance will receive a free ticket to the next Wednesday game. To redeem a Winning Wednesday

ticket, please visit the box office following the Winning Wednesday game, The Zone during normal business hours, or the Van Andel Arena box office prior to the next Wednesday game beginning at 5:30 p.m. Fans who exchange their Winning Wednesday ticket at The Zone on a non-game day will receive 20% off the purchase of one item (excluding jerseys). One discount per person present.

LIBRARY NIGHTS

For all Wednesday and Sunday games, fans can present their Grand Rapids Public Library card or Kent District Library card at the Van Andel Arena box office on the night of the game or at The Zone anytime during the store’s regular business hours to purchase an Upper Level Faceoff ticket for $18 (regularly $24), an Upper Level Center Ice ticket for $21 (regularly $27), or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $25 (regularly $30). Limit four tickets per card per person, subject to availability.

FRIENDS & FAMILY 4-PACKS

Presented by Morning Belle, these packs are available for all Saturday games and include four or more game tickets, $20 or more in concession cash, and one free “share it” item from Morning Belle. Visit griffinshockey.com or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.

SUNDAY IS FUN DAY

For all Sunday games, enjoy $1 small Pepsi drinks and $1 small ice cream cups from 3-5 p.m., while supplies last.

PEPSI READING GOALS

Children with Griff’s Reading Goals bookmarks who have completed the required three hours of reading can redeem their bookmark for two free Upper Level tickets to any of the following games: Bookmark #1 – Nov. 2, Nov. 28, Nov. 30, and Dec. 10; Bookmark #2 – Feb. 15, Feb. 18, Feb. 25, and March 4.

POSTGAME OPEN SKATES

Bring your skates to the rink and take to the ice for a postgame open skate on Oct. 17 and Dec. 31. As a reminder, Van Andel Arena has a no-bag policy, but security will allow fans to use bags to bring in their skates.

APPLIED INNOVATION ISLAND

Presented by Applied Innovation, this section, located on the terrace level above section 118, provides the best seats in the house for groups of up to 30 people, with La-Z-Boy chairs and an array of amenities. Call (616) 744-4585 ext. 4.

THE FAMILY BUSINESS

An unconventional path led Shai Buium’s family to a life revolving around hockey.

Story by Kyle Kujawa

Photos by Nicolas Carrillo

Hockey origin stories typically have common roots. They’re set on frozen ponds or backyard DIY rinks and involve parents or relatives who played competitively and want to share the joy of hockey with a new generation.

For the family of Griffins defenseman Shai Buium, the road to becoming a hockey family was a little different. But the results speak for themselves.

It’s certainly not uncommon to see the names of Southern California natives dotting rosters throughout professional hockey. Longtime Griffins fans will never forget two-time Calder Cup champion and Whittier native Mitch Callahan, for example. But the first time Buium expressed an interest in hockey, he was met with, well, some resistance.

“I was 6 years old, and I asked my mom if I could play,” said Buium. “She basically said, ‘Over my dead body you’re playing hockey – no way that’s happening.’”

It’s hard to believe that conversation would lead Miriam and Sorin Buium, Shai’s mother and father who immigrated to California from Israel in 1999, to raise three sons whose

passions would come to dominate the family’s daily schedule. They knew nothing about the sport, but they had moved to an area of San Diego where one of Shai’s cousins had started playing hockey. He planted the seed – and even recommended a favorite team.

“My cousin played local hockey around San Diego,” said Buium. “He liked the Red Wings for some reason, and when it’s your older cousin, you just love whatever they love.”

The middle child between older brother, Ben, and younger brother, Zeev, Shai quickly took to the sport and eventually received parental approval to lace up his skates. Luckily, he had competition waiting for him at a moment’s notice.

“We always got along really well, but all three of us are really competitive,” said Buium. “We would just play 1-on-1-on-1 in the streets with a stick and our rollerblades. My older brother and I would just bully Zeev, so maybe that’s why he’s so tough now and so good on his skates. It paid off for me as well. I think that’s the way to get better, just always compete, and it’s best to do it with your brothers.”

Buium hopes to eventually play in the NHL against his younger brother, Zeev, who debuted for Minnesota during the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

A San Diego native, Buium feels drawn toward the Detroit Lions’ bandwagon, as he was left without an NFL team when his Chargers moved to Los Angeles.

By the time he was 10, Buium was already in need of a new challenge. He joined the Los Angeles Jr. Kings, a premier youth organization in California. The problem: it was a two-hour commute from the family’s San Diego home.

“We’d always get pulled out of school early and do homework in the car,” said Buium. “My mom is awesome, she’d always make food, too. For us, it was pretty easy, but now that I drive, I couldn’t even imagine.”

The driving responsibilities generally fell to his mom on weekdays while his dad ran an air conditioning business in San Diego. To add to the accumulating mileage, all three Buiums made the move to the Jr. Kings, and with each playing within his own age group, that meant long days at the rink.

“We’d be there for hours,” said Buium, whose family eventually moved to Orange County to cut the commute down to one hour each way. “Zeev would practice first, I’d be in a skill session, then I’d practice, and Ben would practice later. We were there a lot.”

Being a member of the Jr. Kings had its perks, as they are based out of the Toyota Sports Performance Center in El Segundo,

which is the primary practice facility of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings. With Crypto.com Arena being among the busiest entertainment facilities in the world, the Kings and their opponents frequently hold game day morning skates away from the bustle of downtown Los Angeles. This allowed for some chance encounters for the Buiums while they killed time at the rink.

“We always saw [NHL teams] there,” said Buium. “We were always asking players for sticks and autographs, just annoying them. I was able to meet a bunch of players, like Pavel Datsyuk and Anze Kopitar. That was pretty special when I was younger.”

While Buium’s Jr. Kings were consistently nationally ranked, he eventually reached the highest rung on the competitive ladder in that area, too, as Los Angeles lacks high-end competition past the youth programs. That led to a move at 14 years old to Minnesota, where all three Buiums eventually followed a path laid by some of the biggest names in the sport.

“My older brother got recruited to go [to Shattuck-St. Mary’s School],” said Buium. “They said, ‘We have another spot on the

under-14 team if Shai wants to come.’ For me, it was a no-brainer. All you do is play hockey and hang out with your buddies. It’s really easy compared to California. The travel is easy, everything is right there.”

Shattuck-St. Mary’s is a prestigious private school located in Faribault, Minnesota, that balances academics with a robust athletics program. Three former NHL first-overall picks – Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon and Macklin Celebrini – are Shattuck alumni, as are the likes of actor Marlon Brando and sportscaster Brent Musburger.

“The competition declines in California when you get past age 16, sadly,” said Buium. “It was probably the best decision I ever made. I loved it because you push each other. Everyone there wants to get better. Everyone there wants to make it to college hockey and play in the NHL.”

While Ben returned home and eventually joined his dad and cousin to assist with the family air conditioning business, Shai spent most of the next four years in this environment, soon followed by Zeev. It was at this stage that the two realized that pro hockey might be in

As a rookie, Buium ranked second among Griffins blueliners with 25 points (2-23–25) in 67 games.

their futures.

“They instill in your head that you can become a pro hockey player while you’re there,” he said. “You see the history there, so probably around 16 years old, I realized that I really have a chance at this.”

In California, the Buiums generally didn’t play hockey year-round. “We barely played in the summer, and we’d go to Israel every other summer,” Buium said, adding that they always packed their rollerblades and still had plenty of time for skating and competing. But at Shattuck, he was able to develop his game thanks to the balance the school offered.

“We would get up at 5:30, skate at 6:00, go to class at 8:00, have practice at 11:00, and go back to class after,” Buium said, noting that his parents were able to visit about once per month. “It’s pretty fun when you’re a kid to go non-stop like that. It was an amazing opportunity. And everybody’s in the dorms together, so you’re just hanging out with buddies and playing hockey every day.”

Buium was drafted into the USHL but started his draft-eligible season at Shattuck. When COVID regulations paused the team’s

schedule, he opted to move to the Sioux City Musketeers, where he first noticed his name ascending NHL draft rankings.

“Probably around January or February is when I started talking to teams,” said Buium. “I was playing really well in the USHL. I was having fun doing it, playing hockey and doing school online. It was a different lifestyle that I loved.”

Eventually, Buium was selected in the second round of the 2021 NHL Draft by Detroit – a full-circle moment after having become a Red Wings fan playing street hockey with his brothers and cousin in their San Diego neighborhood 12 years earlier.

“I talked to them I think twice, and the interviews went well,” he said. “So I wasn’t shocked, but people were telling me I’d go anywhere between the late first to the fourth round, so I’m really fortunate that the Red Wings took me in the second round. And the rest is history.”

While Buium’s draft was conducted virtually, he was able to experience another celebratory family draft moment by being in attendance when Zeev was selected in the first round

(12th overall) by the Minnesota Wild in 2024. The younger Buium brothers also had the opportunity to finally play on the same team, as they both attended the University of Denver in 2023-24.

“It was so fun, being able to grow together and hang out like that, because it might never happen again,” said Buium, who was also collegiate teammates with fellow Griffins Carter Mazur and Antti Tuomisto. “Hopefully it does, but I never took it for granted. That was a pretty special year.”

“Special” is an understatement to describe Buium’s tenure at Denver, one of college hockey’s blue blood programs. He captured two NCAA National Championships, the second coming in the season he skated alongside Zeev. But how interested were the coaches in capitalizing on the familial chemistry on the same defensive pair?

“They actually separated us,” said Buium. “Any time it was a power play or 4-on-4, we were together. Maybe it’s a good thing. [Zeev] and I kind of go at it sometimes, so maybe that’s not good for the rest of the team. We’d go at each other in the locker room, but we always

Buium spent his formative years with the Los Angeles Jr. Kings before moving crosscountry to play at ShattuckSt. Mary’s in Minnesota.

NCAA CHAMPION  GR GRIFFIN

Thirty-three players won an NCAA Division I hockey championship before becoming a Grand Rapids Griffin, but Shai Buium is one of just three to win a pair of titles.

YEAR SCHOOL FUTURE GRIFFIN(S)

Shai Buium, Carter Mazur, Antti Tuomisto

Blake Hillman, Jarid Lukosevicius 2007 MICHIGAN

Justin Abdelkader, Chris Mueller

Buium (left) celebrated the Denver Pioneers’ 2022 title with future Griffins teammates Antti Tuomisto (center) and Carter Mazur.

drafted

overall

turned it on next period. But he and Sean Behrens played well together, and I played well with Boston Buckberger, so it was a good mix.”

Whether it was for harmony on the bench or to spread the high-end talent around the lineup, the decision paid off for both Buiums. Zeev signed his first pro contract last spring and stepped right into the Wild’s lineup for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, while Shai hopes to build on a productive rookie season in Grand Rapids to pave his own road to the NHL.

“It was a huge learning year,” said Buium. “I thought it was good – there are things I wish I did better, but that’s hockey. You learn from that and you grow.”

In particular, Buium is hoping to showcase his offensive talents more in his second professional campaign. Even bigger defensemen, like Buium at 6-foot-3 and 213 pounds, are expected to be able to make plays with the puck in the modern NHL, and having played as a forward until he was 12, he always enjoys being able to produce points.

“Defending is obviously important, and we can have fun doing that as well,” said Buium. “But I love having the puck on my stick and

making plays. That’s where my passion is at.”

Buium returns to his roots in the Orange County area each summer and skates with local NHLers. And while he enjoys the weather, he’s become much more of a traditional hockey player than a stereotypical California beach bum.

“I’m the worst surfer in the world,” said Buium. “I can’t surf for my life. I wish I were good at it, but I more like hanging out at the beach.”

Kyle Kujawa is a Grand Valley State University graduate and lifelong hockey fan who enjoyed a 12-year career in sports that began as a public relations intern with the Griffins in 2010. After two seasons (and one Calder Cup!) as a full-timer, he moved on to the Detroit Red Wings’ PR staff, where he spent nine seasons (2013-22). He turned in his press credentials for the corporate world in 2022 but has remained involved in hockey through various freelance writing gigs, coming full circle with an opportunity to contribute to Griffiti.

Buium,

36th

by Detroit in 2021, became a Red Wings fan as a child by following his cousin’s interest in the team.

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BACK AND BECHER THAN EVER

Twenty-one-year-old forward Ondrej Becher is excited to build upon his first AHL campaign with the Griffins.

Story by Jonathan Mills

Photos by Nicolas Carrillo

Now that his first American Hockey League season is officially in the rearview mirror, Ondrej Becher is confident he knows what it will take for him to keep driving forward in his development as a member of the Grand Rapids Griffins in the 2025-26 campaign.

“I’m really excited about this upcoming year,” Becher said. “Last year was my first full year in Grand Rapids, so I know everything about the team, the city, the coaching staff and the league. I’m ready to be better than last year.”

Last season, Becher recorded 20 points on 10 goals and 10 assists in 59 regular-season games before appearing in a pair of Calder Cup Playoff contests.

“We had a really good group last year,” Becher said about the Griffins, who qualified for the playoffs for the second straight season after compiling a 37-29-4-2 (80 points) record and finishing third in the Central Division. “It made things a lot easier to go through. We talked a lot as a group.”

For the 21-year-old forward, missing the first nine games of last season was a difficult way

to learn what life in the AHL was really like. However, a combination of self-reflection and support from his Griffins teammates helped Becher push through his brief time being sidelined.

“The start of last season was pretty hard for me because I was injured,” Becher said. “I think I got back into it as the season went on, but I had really good teammates last year. They helped me a lot. I got mentally tougher after my injury, and that made it easier for me after it all happened.”

Indeed, Becher settled into a natural groove after making his AHL debut against the Cleveland Monsters at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Nov. 3. At the conclusion of the regular season, Becher was tied for second among first-year Grand Rapids skaters in goals, ranked fourth in both points and assists, tied for first in power-play goals, and had the third-most power-play assists.

Trying to do the best he can to learn from every experience and opportunity that has come his way since being taken by the Detroit Red Wings in the third round (80th overall) of the

Becher’s four power-play goals tied for 16th among AHL rookies last season.

2024

NHL Entry Draft, Becher admitted there was an initial adjustment to the AHL game that he realized quickly.

“I played in Canada for two years before last year, so the size of the rink I was already used to skating on,” Becher said. “The game here is faster, for sure. The guys are stronger and more skilled. Playing against 25-year-old men and everyone else was harder than what I had been used to.”

Becher spent the entire 2023-24 campaign with the Western Hockey League’s Prince George Cougars, ranking among the club’s leaders with 32 goals, 64 assists and 96 points in 58 regularseason games. The skilled forward also notched 19 points (five goals, 14 assists) in 15 postseason contests, helping the Cougars reach the Western Conference Final.

“He got a great opportunity and took advantage of it and was really comfortable in it,” said Kris Draper, Red Wings assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting. “He certainly put up great numbers. His skating is something that, when you watch him play, he has that extra gear. Just another guy that you’re

Becher hopes to improve his two-way game after recording 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 59 regular-season games with Grand Rapids in 2024-25.

sitting there and you watch him and he’s able to bring that speed and skill set.

“One of those late-bloomers. He’s just starting to come into his own and starting to feel comfortable about the type of player that he could possibly be.”

From 2022-24, Becher compiled 134 points on 48 goals and 86 assists in 121 WHL games with Prince George. And before his time with the Cougars, Becher played the majority of the 2021-22 season with AZ Havířov’s under-20 squad in Czechia’s top junior league, recording 36 points (22 goals, 14 assists) in 45 games in addition to appearing in four contests with AZ Havířov in Czechia’s second division.

“I got to see Bechs play the past few World Juniors,” said Dan Cleary, assistant director of player development for the Red Wings. “He’s a little bit older, a late-bloomer I guess, but a fun guy. Obviously, he’s got skills.”

Moving to North America with his NHL dream in hand was also a big lifestyle change away from the rink for Becher, a native of Ostrava, Czechia.

“I left home when I was 18 years old,” Becher

All of Becher’s hard work as a young hockey player came to fruition when he made his AHL debut on Nov. 3, 2024, against the Cleveland Monsters.

Grand Rapids

Becher signed his first NHL contract on Dec. 31, 2024, a three-year, entry-level deal with the Detroit Red Wings.

said. “I moved to a whole different country with people who speak a different language. The people here also live a different lifestyle, which I have had to adjust to. This experience has helped me a lot.”

Looking at his time in West Michigan exclusively, Becher said he loves every minute of living and experiencing everything Grand Rapids has to offer.

“Grand Rapids is such a nice city,” he said. “When I first came there, I didn’t know what to expect from the city, but it’s very nice. Jakub Rychlovsky and I spent most of our time together. We would go out to dinner and spend time together in the afternoons after practices, even things like just going for a walk.”

Becher’s approach to learning and adapting in a new culture behind the scenes exemplifies just how determined he is to succeed. That includes his goal of improving his English.

“When I’m in the locker room, I hear other players speaking English and I try to pick up what they’re saying,” Becher said. “I’m also watching films and TV shows in English, that really helps a lot.”

All of that off-the-ice comfortability, Becher pointed out, positively impacts his play on the ice. He was pleased with his all-around performance last season but wants to grow in situations when the puck isn’t on his stick.

By doing so, Becher feels he can evolve into a more well-rounded and responsible player.

“I’m a centerman, so I definitely want to get better at the defensive side of the game,” Becher said. “Of course, I want to be productive this year and play better on offense as well. I need to get better in everything, and I want to get better in everything.”

The young forward revealed that he’s also been going to the tape to try to grow his game.

“I’m watching other NHL games and players that are really good on the defensive side,” Becher said. “I’m just trying to learn from the best players, whatever I can.”

Becher spent this past offseason training hard with the mindset of coming back better than ever this fall. He said the muscle he added to his frame had him feeling much “bigger and stronger” at the 2025 NHL Prospect Games in Frisco, Texas, and the Red Wings’ training camp

in Traverse City.

“I felt like I was kind of weak last year, so that’s what I worked on,” he said. “I think I did that.”

How did he add weight?

“I was in the gym,” Becher said. “A lot.”

Grand Rapids head coach Dan Watson said he believes Becher’s increased strength will pay big dividends for the young skater in 2025-26.

“He put on some muscle over the offseason, which is certainly going to help,” Watson said. “Whether it’s in the faceoff dot or some battles low, especially being a center, he’s got to really be able to play down low in the defensive zone. In areas where maybe he lacked last year, I think the strength and muscle gain will help.”

This year’s training camp also was an opportunity for Becher to learn from more experienced NHL forwards like Red Wings captain Dylan Larkin and Lucas Raymond.

“They’re unbelievable players,” Becher said. “It’s really hard to play against those guys, but it’s really cool to train with them. I like watching all the veterans and I’m trying to learn something from each of them.”

A growth mindset is one of the most important traits a young hockey player can develop, and Becher certainly brings that to the rink each day. That will prove to be invaluable with the Griffins, who Becher said he is confident can take that next step forward in the franchise’s 30th anniversary season.

“We will have a really good team again this year,” Becher said. “I believe we will have a longer playoff run than last year. I think it’ll be a better season for us all around, so I’m really excited for it. We will see how it goes, but everyone is feeling good about it.”

Jonathan Mills has served as the Detroit Red Wings’ team reporter since the 2021-22 season. He’s covered a broad array of sports and events, including roles at U.S. Figure Skating and the University of Wisconsin athletics department. He earned his master’s degree in sports media from Northwestern’s Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated

Communications after receiving his bachelor’s

from the UW-Madison School of

and Mass Communication.

THIRD ROUND’S THE CHARM?

Ondrej Becher is the most recent of 19 players who’ve skated for the Griffins after being selected by the Detroit Red Wings during the third round of the NHL Entry Draft. Five of them eventually helped Grand Rapids win a Calder Cup, including Dominic Turgeon (pictured) in 2017.

2025 - 26 GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS ROSTER

5-11, 194

griffinshockey.com

from the biggest of the big, to the littlest of the little.

Whenever you shop Meijer, you help support the Grand Rapids Griffins and hundreds of local sports teams across the Midwest.

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WILLIAM LAGESSON Defenseman

6-2, 213 lbs.

Born: 2/22/96 Gothenburg, Sweden

IAN MITCHELL Defenseman

6-0, 192 lbs.

Born: 1/18/99

St. Albert, Alta.

GABRIEL SEGER Forward

6-4, 215 lbs.

Born: 11/15/99

Uppsala, Sweden

ANTTI TUOMISTO Defenseman

6-5, 210 lbs.

Born: 1/20/01

Pori, Finland

JOHN LEONARD Forward

5-11, 196 lbs. Born: 8/7/98 Westwood, N.J.

MICHAL POSTAVA Goaltender

6-1, 205 lbs.

Born: 2/28/02 Valasske Mezirici, Czechia

DOMINIK SHINE Forward

5-11, 175 lbs. Born: 4/18/93 Detroit, Mich.

WILLIAM WALLINDER Defenseman

6-4, 203 lbs. Born: 7/28/02 Solleftea, Sweden

AMADEUS LOMBARDI Forward

5-11, 178 lbs. Born: 6/5/03 Aurora, Ont.

JAKUB RYCHLOVSKY Forward

5-11, 198 lbs.

Born: 8/7/01 Vrchlabi, Czechia

EDUARDS TRALMAKS Forward

6-4, 209 lbs. Born: 2/17/97 Riga, Latvia

AUSTIN WATSON Forward

6-4, 210 lbs.

Born: 1/13/92

Ann Arbor, Mich.

CARTER MAZUR

Forward

6-0, 197 lbs. Born: 3/28/02 Jackson, Mich.

AXEL SANDIN-PELLIKKA Defenseman

5-11, 185 lbs.

Born: 3/11/05

Gallivare, Sweden

JACOB TRUSCOTT Defenseman

6-1, 198 lbs.

Born: 4/12/02

Port Huron, Mich.

A STORYBOOK ENDING

After 29 seasons of spreading the Griffins’ gospel through pen and lens for Griffiti magazine, Mark Newman has called it a career.

Story by Randy Cleves

Photos courtesy of Mark Newman

If a picture is worth a thousand words, it’s impossible to count how many masterpieces Mark Newman painted with his poetic prose during 29 seasons as the writer and photographer for Griffiti magazine.

Some impressive numbers are known, though, such as 121 issues produced, nearly 750 interviews conducted, and more than 1,000 games shot with his ever-present camera in his usual spots along Van Andel Arena’s glass.

This summer, Newman decided it was time to finally lay down his digital recorder, laptop and camera and join the retired ranks of Griffins legends he’s interviewed over the years. Like the great players whose stories he chronicled, Newman never just glided along, rested on his laurels, or took the easy way out. A multitool player, he put in the work, went to the hard places and, as they say, left it all on the ice.

All great epics have a beginning, and Newman’s Griffins saga began well before the first puck dropped. Bob Sack, then the Griffins’ senior VP of business operations, had been the executive director of the First of America Classic Senior PGA tournament when Newman served as a co-chair in 1994. Sack recruited Newman to assist with some marketing projects for the fledgling franchise before inviting him to develop a proposal for the team’s game-night publication.

“Bob said that they wanted to do more than a program, more like a magazine,” said Newman. “He basically said, ‘Come up with the idea, the name, the concept, the budget, story ideas, etc., and if we like your concept, it’s yours.’ When I presented my whole proposal, he said, ‘You have it.’ It felt like a dream project.

“I remember the thrill of seeing people reading the first issue on opening night in 1996. At the time, I thought it would be amazing if my writing gig with Griffiti lasted five years. Then suddenly it was 10, 15, 20, 25…”

So what kept him going with the Griffins for so long?

“It’s the personalities you meet, from coaches to players to staff, to the sport of hockey itself. The excitement that first year was incredible. And then, years later, the championships.

“I’ll always carry fond memories of the hundreds of interviews I’ve had with players and coaches over the years,” Newman said. “Equally, it has been a delight to work alongside the many talented and dedicated people in the Griffins’ office. Their professionalism has always stood out – and that starts at the top with owners Dan DeVos and David Van Andel. I truly appreciated how respectfully I was treated throughout the years, and I hope my work has lived up to the standards of the organization.”

No worries there. In fact, it’s difficult to fully frame Newman’s importance to the franchise’s success during his three decades as the heart and soul of Griffiti. Fans often fall in love with players due to what happens on the ice, but they’ve come to know and appreciate their personalities in no small part through these pages.

Griffins president Tim Gortsema was one of first to join the staff back in 1995 and fully understands what Newman has meant to the team. “Our franchise has been extremely blessed to have Mark as an extended member of our staff,” said Gortsema. “He’s supervested and ‘in it to win it,’ a very talented writer who legitimately cares about the success of the franchise

This photo of Tyler Bertuzzi’s firstperiod goal celebration on May 14, 2015 during Game 4 of the conference semifinals at Rockford is literally one in a million, ranking as Newman’s personal favorite from his storied Griffins career.

and the players. To have had that same guy and that same level of commitment for almost 30 years is unbelievable.”

As woven into the fabric of the Griffins as the banners that hang high above the ice in honor of the team’s Calder Cups, division titles, and retired jerseys, Newman is a renowned repository of institutional knowledge, a pun-master extraordinaire, and a gifted raconteur whose lengthy interviews and booming voice are legend in the Griffins’ locker room and front office. He also earned a reputation for interview preparation, which resulted in him often asking questions that his subjects had never been asked before.

“Over the years it was interesting challenge for me. ‘Okay, I’ve got another hockey player.’ How’s his story unique? And so I did research, looking up what I could, digging, finding out that someone’s mother died when he was 8 years old, or maybe a player was an avid book reader. I always strived to show my subjects were much more than hockey players.

“This goes back to my Grand Rapids Press days, where I started my writing career. If I went into an interview and I started asking the non-traditional questions and showed that I knew something about their career, they’re like, ‘Oh, this guy’s done his homework.’ Now they’re going to talk to me a little bit more. Sometimes they’d tell me they had another interview scheduled but they were enjoying talking to me, so they kept talking to me. I took it as a badge of honor; I was told I’d have 20 minutes, but we’d end up

talking for an hour.”

Far more than a mere hockey scribe, Newman is a longtime entertainment writer whose list of interview subjects reads like a Who’s Who of the last 50 years: Ray Charles, Willie Nelson, U2, Alice Cooper, Robin Williams, Mister Rogers, B.B. King, Ted Turner, Ray Bradbury, Huey Lewis, Loretta Lynn, Ozzy Osbourne, Joan Jett, Big Bird, Magic Johnson, Bo Schembechler and Steve Yzerman. To name a few.

“You realize they’re just doing what they love most. Sometimes it’s what they’re making money at, but everybody has a story. Maybe they fell into this, maybe they were a good singer, a good skater, or a good whatever, and now they’re making the most of their talent. You see guys that have come through here like Darren Helm, who was willing to work harder than anybody. He’s running the arena stairs at night after a game and you say, ‘OK, that guy’s probably going to make it.’

“I never would have imagined all the people I got to meet over the years,” said Newman. “And you know, talking to Steve Yzerman or Scotty Bowman, that was a big thrill anytime I got to meet a Hall of Famer.”

Working around hockey for so long has given Newman a deep appreciation for its players.

“I think I’ve worked with almost every sport. Baseball players, football players, basketball players… but hockey players without a doubt are the best. They’re the nicest, most cordial, most professional of all the athletes I’ve ever dealt with, college or pro.”

Capturing them as a photographer is a much greater challenge than interviewing them.

“The challenge of shooting a hockey game, with the action, the speed of the game and shooting through glass, is not easy. If you can shoot hockey, you can shoot anything. You might think you’ve got the perfect shot, then boom, a linesman or another player is in the way.”

The Griffins’ first Calder Cup win in Syracuse in 2013 provided both one of the greatest memories and most nerve-wracking moments of Newman’s tenure. “I knew you have only one crack at getting that team photo, and I was stressing the whole game. [Detroit Red Wings photographer] Dave Reginek had told me, ‘Mark, when you’re on the ice, you’re in charge. Take charge.’ I remember going on the ice after the final horn and it’s chaos, people are cheering, players are looking in the stands at their wives. And I yelled, ‘I need everybody to look this way and look happy.’ I captured the shot. When we got on the plane after that game, I had the worst migraine, just from the stress.”

Fifteen years ago, a collaboration with Mark Heckman, a dear friend and artist who ultimately lost his battle with cancer, launched a new career for Newman, one as a science writer and invasive species expert. He has since authored four Sooper Yooper children’s books about an environmental superhero and has visited more than 800 schools throughout the Great Lakes region in the U.S. and Canada.

“It’s about a superhero who’s guarding the Great Lakes from invasive species. Billy Cooper is based in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, so he’s a Sooper Yooper. And that’s the only rhyme in the first book, because I’m not Dr. Seuss,” he said with a laugh.

In a fun intersection of Newman’s varied worlds, Griffins broadcaster Bob Kaser ended up portraying Billy’s grandpa in the series’ third book, Sooper Yooper: H2O (Hero 2 Others). “Bob was kind enough to play the part, and I photoshopped him into scenes. The scene of him with the binoculars was shot in the Griffins’ kitchen, and then I put him into the wheelhouse of the freighter. That was fun.”

Another of Newman’s passions – to put it mildly – is music.

His personal Setlist.fm page is a bottomless rabbit hole for music lovers to vicariously explore. We’re talking 1,288 different artists seen, and 1,842 concerts attended in the U.S. and 14 foreign countries. Perhaps the only blemish on his unparallelled music record –and this is a man who owns 15,000 vinyl albums and another 6,000 CDs – is not having seen a concert in all of the 30 countries he’s visited. But just give him time, which he now has more of to pursue his passions.

“I considered aiming for at least 30 years with Griffiti. But then I thought, if I say I worked with the Griffins for 30 years, people would say, ‘Oh, he’s rounding off.’ If I say I did 29 seasons, they go, ‘Well, it was 29 seasons.’

“I remain busy with Lacks Enterprises, where I’m a communication specialist, and I have three book projects I want to do: a book about music, one about the art of collaboration, and then one about sound engineer Bill Chrysler,” Newman said. “If I continued writing 15,000 words for every issue of Griffiti, I knew I was never going to get to them. And with the travel that my wife Kathy and I want to do – we’re going to Spain in October, we’re booked for Turkey next April – there are just too many conflicts.

Griffins broadcaster Bob Kaser portrayed a grandpa in the third book of Newman’s children’s environmental series, Sooper Yooper: H2O (Hero 2 Others).

“The Griffins have been a meaningful part of my life for three decades, so stepping away was not easy. I had to make a decision about how much longer I could do it like I’ve been doing it, and I felt the time had come to give somebody else an opportunity. Those books won’t write themselves overnight, and I’m not getting any younger.”

Being a traveler, Newman always found it interesting to meet players from all over the world. “I enjoyed getting to know guys like Gus Nyquist from Sweden, Tomas Tatar from Slovakia, or Russian players like [Petr] Schastlivy and [Konstantin] Gorovikov, and later [Evgeny] Svechnikov, who’s from a whole different part of Russia, near Japan. I was able to ask Nik Kronwall for travel tips. You know, ‘What do I need to see in Stockholm?’”

He also has a soft spot for the players who overcame the odds to eventually make their marks in the NHL.

“I’ve loved seeing the development of players like Matt Ellis, who people said would never play in the NHL. He was one of the hardest workers the Griffins

Jeff Blashill spent many hours talking with Newman for Chalk Talk and other Griffiti features during his three seasons as the Griffins’ head coach.

Is there a more appropriate place for a shutterbug to visit in Japan than Mount Fuji?

ever had, and he worked his way up and ended up playing more than 300 games in the NHL,” Newman said. “I remember meeting Luke Glendening in 2012, sitting with his parents at their kitchen table in East Grand Rapids. I told him, ‘If everything I read is true – you’re this hard worker, people have always counted you out, you were a walk-on at Michigan – you can be the next Matt Ellis.’”

How does he hope to be remembered by the players and coaches whom he interviewed?

“He’s a good guy. He told a good story. And he treated everybody fairly,” said Newman. “I always said that trust and respect are the two most important things. Earn someone’s trust and you will get their respect.

“There was a time when I hadn’t seen Tatar in a couple of years after he had left the Red Wings organization, and I remember catching up with him outside the locker room at Joe Louis Arena. When he spotted me, he gave me a big hug. It meant a lot to me. You never take players remembering you for granted.

“A lot of people would have loved to do what I got to do. I feel very honored and blessed that the Griffins gave me the opportunity in the first place. It was very special, and I never took it for granted. I was lucky. But you also make your own luck. When you’re given an opportunity, you’ve got to make sure you’re ready.”

Newman estimates that he’s only watched about five Griffins games as a fan since 1996, and he’s looking forward to checking off another one soon. “I’m not going to say when I’m coming, I’m just going to come. I’m going to buy my own ticket and sit in the stands and just watch a game like any other hockey fan.”

He’s ready. And after giving fans a front-row seat to the Griffins for 29 years, he’s earned it.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Mark Newman penned the vast majority of words printed in Griffiti since its debut, and the skates he leaves behind are far too large for one person to fill. So, we’re proud to introduce a stable of talented writers, all with deep ties to the sport or our organization, who have seized the mantle and will pursue Newman’s legacy of excellence: Lorilee Craker, Phil de Haan, Kyle Kujawa, and Jonathan Mills. Learn more about them in the brief bios at the end of each feature story in this issue.

HELLO, NEWMAN!

BY THE NUMBERS

Issues of Griffiti produced

121 (plus 3 digital versions of The Beacon during the 2020-21 COVID season, along with various publications commemorating anniversary seasons and Calder Cup Finals appearances)

Player interviews conducted 434 (who’ve totaled 320,726 NHL games played through the 2024-25 season)

Total interviews conducted 750

Most interviews with one player 6 (Joey MacDonald, Michel Picard)

Most interviews with one coach 18 (Curt Fraser)

Griffins games photographed 1,000+

States/provinces visited on Sooper Yooper school tours 9 (8 Great Lakes states plus Ontario)

Sooper Yooper school visits 838 total, 90-100 per year at peak (record 109)

Students spoken to 192,000 Countries traveled to for leisure 30

Countries having seen a concert in (including the U.S.) 15

Most times hearing a song live 18 (“Roundabout” by Yes)

Most visits to one venue 61 (DeVos Performance Hall) Most artists seen at one venue 88 (Van Andel Arena)

Different artists seen live 1,288 Concerts attended 1,842 Most times seeing one band 15 (Yes, Steve Hackett) Albums owned 15,000+ CDs owned 6,000

LIVE CUTS

Favorite band

First concert

Rush

Backman-Turner Overdrive, Trooper, and The Fools at Wings Stadium in Kalamazoo on Feb. 8, 1976 (17 years old)

First concert at Van Andel Arena Neil Diamond on Oct. 10, 1996 (first arena event)

Most exotic countries in which he’s seen a concert Japan, Iceland

Favorite concerts (“The cliche is that’s like choosing my favorite child, right?”)

Rush, U2, and Cheap Trick, among others

Favorite venue Danforth Music Hall in Toronto Artist he wishes he would’ve seen David Bowie

Strangest band he’s seen The Residents

Pat Ferschweiler learned alongside Mike Knuble and later coached Mike’s son Cam to a national title at Western Michigan University.

Coach and the Knubles

Story by Phil de Haan

Photos by Mark Newman, Getty Images, and Western

Find your wins.

It’s something Western Michigan University men's hockey head coach Pat Ferschweiler first heard while coaching alongside Mike Knuble with the Grand Rapids Griffins during the 2014-15 season.

As Knuble’s long National Hockey League career had wound down, he realized that a new approach was needed, a mindshift he regularly shared with both the Griffins’ players and coaching staff.

Ferschweiler never forgot.

"On the back end of his career, Mike said he realized he wasn't going to go out there and score 25 goals anymore," Ferschweiler recalled. "But he still had to find his wins. Maybe a puck battle win or maybe a clean breakout win. Little things that don't always show up on the scoresheet but make a difference when they're done the right way over and over again."

Now, as Western’s head coach, Ferschweiler is finding lots of wins, including last season when the Broncos went 34-7-1 and skated to the first NCAA National Championship in school history.

But despite being at the top of the college hockey world, Ferschweiler thinks Knuble's lessons are as important now as they ever were.

"What Mike told me is so wise,” Ferschweiler said. "No matter the result, you’ve got to find your wins each day. That keeps you grounded, and it keeps you moving forward."

In hockey and in life, it has become a touchstone for Ferschweiler, one that became even more relevant when Mike Knuble’s son Cam came to Western Michigan to play for the Broncos. The fifth-year senior had a critical role in last season's title run, both on and off the ice as an assistant captain.

In Cam, Ferschweiler saw visible evidence of Mike’s “find your wins” philosophy.

"What Cam did was just continue to work and get better every day," Ferschweiler said. "He didn't play much his first few years, but he found his wins. And then last season he's an assistant captain helping lead his team to a national championship and a very, very important part of us winning the whole thing. Just an incredible young man."

In returning to Western's Lawson Ice Arena as the head coach in 2021-22, Ferschweiler also had a full-circle moment.

A Minnesota native, he came to Western Michigan in 1990 and carved out a reputation as a cerebral, defensive-minded forward who suited

Ferschweiler led Western Michigan to a program-best 34-7-1 record last season.

The Griffins reached the Western Conference Finals in 2014-15 when Ferschweiler served under Jeff Blashill.

up for 116 games for the Brown and Gold with 30 goals, 65 assists and 95 points. He earned the Rob Hodge Most Valuable Player award his senior season and accolades as the CCHA’s Best Defensive Forward in 1991-92.

Ferschweiler also earned his bachelor’s degree in finance in 1993, after which he turned pro and ground his way through the East Coast and International hockey leagues, skating for teams like the Roanoke Express, Kansas City Blades and San Francisco Spiders. He also spent time overseas with the London Knights in the British Ice Hockey Superleague.

“I loved every minute of it,” he said. “The travel, the teammates, the grind. And I learned how teams really function, what keeps players going.”

When his playing days ended, he was planning on going into finance. He had a job waiting for him. But he got a fateful call one day that changed his career path in a significant way.

"I was in Kansas City where I finished my career in the International Hockey League," he said. "I got a call, and they wanted me to be a youth hockey director. They had a beautiful new facility with twin sheets, but it would mean

not being a financial advisor, which would have been a great job and a great career. But I don't know if I love it, and I love hockey."

Ferschweiler knew he wanted to follow his passion, but he had to talk his fiancée Stacie, now his wife, into the decision. With her on board, his career arc suddenly shifted from finance back to hockey, and soon enough he was leading the Russell Stover AAA program in Kansas City to great heights. He built a reputation as an organizer and teacher and attracted attention in the hockey world, including from Jeff Blashill, who invited him back to Western Michigan in 2010.

“I owe Jeff so much,” Ferschweiler said. “He gave me a chance when I didn’t have a conventional coaching résumé. He believed in me.”

Blashill and Ferschweiler worked together for one season at Western before Blashill took an assistant coaching job with the Detroit Red Wings. When Blashill became the head coach of the Griffins in 2012, it set the stage for he and Ferschweiler to be reunited. In 2014-15 the coaching staff included Blashill as the head man with assistant coaches Dave Noel-Bernier,

Ferschweiler and Knuble.

"Mike and I had different playing careers," Ferschweiler said with a smile. "But in coaching, we were both rookies in a way. That year taught me a lot, and I really enjoyed it."

Knuble also has fond memories of the time he and Ferschweiler spent together that season.

“Fersch and I actually crossed over in college for a couple of years,” Knuble recalled. “He was at Western and I was at Michigan. The college hockey world isn’t that big, so I knew who he was. But as we all got to know each other better as coaches that year, I remember being impressed by his adjustment to the pro game and his passion for teaching, for helping young players develop. It was evident already then how much of a teacher of the game he was. And I remember when he would talk about Western, he always had a little twinkle in his eye. He was a proud Bronco, and it didn’t surprise me when he ended up back there as a coach.”

After helping lead the Griffins to the AHL’s Western Conference Finals in his lone season with the franchise, Ferschweiler moved to the NHL, where he served as an assistant under Blashill with the Detroit Red Wings from

2015–19. That experience — game-planning against the best players in the world, adjusting to the relentless pace — sharpened his philosophy. When the chance came to return to Kalamazoo and his alma mater, he took it, and in 2019 he returned to the Western campus as associate head coach. Two years later, on Aug. 3, 2021, he was named head coach of the Broncos, bringing with him an approach he calls "nexttime coaching."

"You don’t tear a kid down for a mistake," he explains. "You show them the better option, and you say, ‘Next time, here’s what we do.’ Players respond when they feel like you’re building them, not punishing them."

On the ice, that translates to an attacking brand of hockey. He wants defensemen jumping into the play, forwards backchecking with urgency and everyone embracing risk within structure.

"We don’t sit back," he said. "We attack. That’s how I want us to play, and it’s what recruits want to be part of."

It has worked. Under his leadership, WMU rose into national prominence, capped by the program’s best-ever run in 2024–25. In addition

Ferschweiler celebrated with his players after clinching the program’s first NCAA hockey championship.

to the national championship last spring, he was named the CCM/AHCA Spencer Penrose Award winner as national Division I Coach of the Year.

Individual honors don’t mean much to him, but as for the national championship, even now, months later, his voice reflects both pride and the deep emotion of a long season as he thinks about seeing those final seconds tick off the clock and knowing that Western was about to be the last team standing.

"I'm a Bronco, and to come back here to Kalamazoo and bring the program to a national championship, I've never been prouder," he said. "So proud of our coaching staff and certainly super proud and happy for the group on the ice that earned it every single day. Because it's not a one-game thing, right, it's a season, and they earned it."

In the midst of the biggest moment of his coaching career, he also had time to reflect on all of the people who helped him along the way, including his parents, a brilliant mother who set expectations high and a father whose work ethic showed him how to keep moving forward. His wife has her own successful career in human

An alternate captain during the Broncos’ title run, Cam Knuble credits Ferschweiler as one of his biggest influences.

resources, and together the couple has raised two daughters now finding their way as adults.

"Family grounds you," he said simply.

It's that perspective that has helped him weather the ups and downs of a profession where firings and criticism are constant. It’s also why Knuble’s find your wins advice resonates so deeply. Indeed, the Knuble connection is more than a coaching footnote. It’s a multigenerational thread that says much about both hockey’s small-world intimacy and the reach and appeal of Western Michigan as a burgeoning hockey hotbed.

First, there were Pat and Mike on the Griffins’ bench, colleagues finding their way as coaches. Then came Cam, Mike’s elder son and a key cog in the greatest coaching moment of Pat's career.

"To coach Cam after working with Mike, it’s definitely one of those full-circle moments you don’t plan," Ferschweiler said.

Cam Knuble, who signed to play this season for the ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings, admits that when he first met Ferschweiler as a 15-year-old going to the Griffins’ coaching room after a game, he might have been a little bit intimidated.

“I think I was scared of him,” Knuble said

Ferschweiler’s ties with Mike Knuble stretch back to their college playing days as rivals with the Broncos and Wolverines.

laughing. “I thought, ‘Wow, he's a pretty intense guy.’ And he still is intense, but playing for him in college, I'm just so thankful for him and really honored to have played for him. He's definitely one of my hockey idols. I want to coach hockey someday, and I plan on running it exactly the way that he did. He's an amazing, amazing coach. A great hockey mind and I have so much respect for him.”

Cam Knuble becoming a coach someday would weave even more of the three stories — Pat’s, Mike’s and Cam’s — into one. A coach learning from a peer. A father seeing his son mentored by that same peer. A son benefiting from both relationships and perhaps down the road passing on the wisdom of both men to the next generation.

Ferschweiler would love to see it happen for Cam Knuble. For all the big stages he’s been on, including NHL arenas and national tournaments, he often circles back to the simple joy of teaching when he talks about coaching. Trophies are great, but so too is breaking down video with players one-on-one, seeing a fourth-line grinder score a goal, watching a D-man flawlessly execute a breakout that's been walked through countless

times in practice.

Those are some of Ferschweiler's many wins as a coach. They’re often not glamorous nor viral highlight material. But it’s the daily work that has made him a respected figure in the game and the steward of a program that’s thriving.

So the phrase echoes still: find your wins.

It has carried him for a decade now, from posts as an assistant to his current slot at the top of the Broncos' organizational chart. It ties him to the Knubles, father and son. It frames how he sees his players. And it explains why, when the spotlight hits, he deflects the credit elsewhere.

"The wins aren’t always in the score," Ferschweiler said. "They’re also in the people you help, the growth you see and the relationships you build."

Phil de Haan brings years of experience as a writer and communications professional to the pages of Griffiti, having crafted features and stories for organizations across West Michigan. A hockey fan since his childhood in Exeter, Ontario, and a longtime member of a local 6 a.m. hockey group, he combines a lifelong love of the sport with a storyteller’s instinct for bringing players and teams to life.

No Quiet on the Western Front

A

boisterous sellout crowd welcomed the Detroit Red Wings back to Van Andel Arena for the 2025 Red & White Game presented by Corewell Health.

Grand Rapids earned the nickname “Hockeytown West” way back in 2002 when the Griffins entered into their first affiliation agreement with the Detroit Red Wings. The relationship between these storied AHL and NHL teams has since borne ample fruit on both sides of the state, including Calder Cups in 2017 and 2013, a Stanley Cup in 2008, and more than 120 players who’ve made the eastbound trip across I-96 to trade in their Griffins jerseys for ones with a Winged Wheel.

But it was a southbound movement of players that fueled the electric atmosphere at Van Andel Arena on the afternoon of Sunday, Sept. 21, as the Red Wings broke training camp in Traverse City before staging their annual intrasquad scrimmage in Grand Rapids for the first time in 14 years.

Detroit’s visit conjured up fond memories of past Red & White Games hosted by the Griffins. From the inaugural event in 2000, when the roar for Steve Yzerman’s introduction rivaled the decibel level of any band that’s played the arena, to the 2011 edition that welcomed the likes of Nicklas Lidstrom, Henrik Zetterberg, Niklas Kronwall, Tomas Holmstrom and Jimmy Howard, West Michigan fans have always made the most of their opportunities to see their Hockeytown heroes play a little closer to home.

The third Sunday in September was no exception. A sellout crowd of 10,834 saw Team White skate past Team Red by a 3-2 count on the strength of a pair of Elmer Soderblom goals.

Alex DeBrincat put Team White on the board early in the opening period, before Soderblom’s first of the afternoon was answered by Team Red’s Jonathan Berggren. Soderblom lit the lamp again early in the second, beating longtime Griffins teammate Sebastian Cossa, and Emmitt Finnie closed out the scoring for Team Red with 3:37 left in the frame.

A pre-planned shootout was held in lieu of a traditional third period, allowing the Red Wings’ forwards to show off their skills. Team Red goals by Lucas Raymond and Berggren were followed by successful Team White tries by Marco Kasper and Andrew Copp, before Amadeus Lombardi put both a stamp on his two-assist performance and a bow on Team White’s triumph by scoring the clincher in round seven.

The rabid fan turnout did not go unnoticed by the Red Wings, starting with captain Dylan Larkin, who turned pro with the Griffins during the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs.

"Unbelievable atmosphere," said Larkin. "I'm not surprised, knowing the hockey fans here in Grand Rapids. I'm sure there are people that drove from all over the west side of the state or all over the state to come and watch and cheer us on and show us some support today. That was really special, and it's something I think I'll always remember."

All of West Michigan will as well.

Story by Randy Cleves / Photos by Nicolas Carrillo, Dave Reginek and Randy Cleves

2025 first-round pick Carter Bear got his first taste of playing in front of a huge crowd with the Winged Wheel on his chest.

Sebastian Cossa will attempt to earn his ticket to Detroit with another strong season in Grand Rapids.

Fans were treated to a pregame autograph session with six Red Wings legends, including Darren McCarty and the famed Grind Line.

Following his lone Griffins season in 2019-20, defenseman Moritz Seider won the NHL’s 2021-22 Calder Trophy as rookie of the year.

The slick skills of defenseman Axel Sandin-Pellikka, the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, were on display.

Future Hall of Famer Patrick Kane ranks second all time among American-born NHL players with 1,343 points.

A seventh-round draft pick in 2023, Emmitt Finnie scored a late goal on assists from Lucas Raymond and Dylan Larkin.

Amadeus Lombardi turned heads by notching two assists and the decisive shootout goal for Team White.

Captain Dylan Larkin provided a souvenir to a young fan before his first game in Grand Rapids since 2015.

Lucas Raymond, the Red Wings’ top scorer in each of the last two seasons, tallied an assist to go with his shootout goal.

Six-foot-eight forward Elmer Soderblom towered over all others by scoring a game-high two goals in Team White’s victory.

A capacity crowd of 10,834 welcomed the Red & White Game back to Van Andel Arena for the first time since 2011.

When You Love the Griffins, and the Griffins Love You Back

For 30-year Griffins season ticket members, cheering on the team they adore started on Day One and has never let up.

Story by Lorilee Craker / Photos courtesy of Cindy Mis, Kathy Pierce and Mollie Youngson

Whom do you think of when you think of a hockey superfan?

A few spring to mind, including the Vancouver Canucks’ “Green Men,” who rattle the refs behind Kermit-colored spandex suits; and the Ottawa Senators’ “Sensquatch,” who lumbers into the games in a red Sasquatch outfit, revving up the fans.

The Grand Rapids Griffins have their own versions of superfans, dozens of whom have had season tickets since the franchise’s inception in 1996. These are the diehard supporters who consider Thanksgiving optional, but not a Griffins game, who want to spend New Year’s Eve with sticks and pucks, not sparklers and prosecco. It doesn’t even have to be a holiday for these fans to show up for their favorite team.

Consider the fan who once attended a simple Wednesday night affair, and whose unswerving support was rewarded by witnessing a hometown boy make an unforgettable debut.

On Dec. 19, 2012, East Grand Rapids native Luke Glendening made his entrance with the Griffins at Van Andel Arena against the Rochester Americans. For Mollie Youngson, the moment is captured forever. “I was with my dad that night,” said Youngson. “Luke had just gotten on the ice for his first shift. I was telling my dad how cool it would be if he got a goal on his first shot on his first shift of his first game. I never got to finish that sentence before he scored.” Glendening gave the Griffins a 1-0 lead in their eventual 4-2 win. (That night was

just the beginning: After winning a Calder Cup in 2013 and playing part of the next for Grand Rapids, Glendening played for the Red Wings for eight years, appearing in more than 500 games.)

For Youngson and other superfans, bolstering the team they adore started on Day One and has never let up in nearly three decades. These fans may not be as flashy as Sensquatch, nor have they squeezed themselves into Spandex to prove their true blue (or black, red and gold) hearts.

No, these fans’ devotion has been revealed over the years with an unwavering commitment to their team, showing up for wins and losses, for championship glory, and unexpected moments of goal-scoring grandeur on a basic weeknight. These devotees show up to cheer on superstars and fourth-liners alike. Come rain or shine, snow or heat (in the case of a long playoff run), these boosters may have come to the Griffins’ inaugural game for the hockey, but they’ve stayed for so much more. Thanksgiving Can Always Be Moved

Eric and Cindy Mis will never forget Oct. 11, 1996, the Griffins’ inaugural home opener at Van Andel Arena. Though the team lost to the Orlando Solar Bears that night, Eric was thrilled to be one of the lucky ones who got to be season ticket holders. After driving back and forth to watch the K-Wings play in Kalamazoo, it was exciting to watch pro hockey right in his own city.

“I have a poster of the first game,” Eric said. “It shows how smoky it was in there because of

Eric Mis’ collection of Griffins and Red Wings memorabilia includes a cherished replica of a Calder Cup ring and every Griffiti magazine ever published.

the fireworks they had that night in the arena.” Smoky and packed. “You couldn’t buy a ticket because it was a sellout.”

That poster is just one of many pieces of Griffins and Red Wings memorabilia Eric has displayed in his basement “man cave,” a trove of pucks and giveaway goodies and jerseys with names such as Kronwall, Abdelkader, and Helm stitched on their backs. His collection includes every Griffiti magazine ever published. For Eric, the museum in his basement is a labor of love, another way to connect to his team.

He and Cindy, and their two boys, enjoyed interacting with players off the ice, too. Eric recalls chatting with a then-22-year-old Niklas Kronwall at a “Tip-A-Griffin” fundraiser. Kronwall played a full season for the Griffins during the 2004-05 NHL lockout. “He was such a nice kid,” Eric said. (Yeah, “nice,” unless of course you were playing against him and were the victim of “Kronwalling” …)

Watching the young Swede deliver devastating hits was just one of the highlights the Mis family has experienced through 29 years of attending nearly every home game. When Cindy was in the hospital and the Griffins won the Calder Cup in 2013, they

both listened to the game on the radio. So it was that much sweeter to be there in person when the team hoisted the Cup on home ice in 2017. “I looked around, and everyone had tears in their eyes,” Eric said.

The Mises have become close to the fans who sit near them. “If somebody’s not there, we notice.”

After all, there really is almost no excuse to miss a game if you can avoid it. New Year’s Eve? The Mises go to their friends’ place after the game. Even seemingly cemented holidays are shifted to make room for their priority: hockey. “We have moved Thanksgiving [to accommodate a hockey game],” Eric said. “We can eat turkey anytime, but once a game is done, it’s done.”

Hello, Again, Hockey

Like many local fans of a certain age, Andy Skiver felt a gaping hole in his life when the Grand Rapids Owls left the city and the International Hockey League in 1980. Oh sure, you could watch the Red Wings, if you had cable TV or drove to Detroit. But there was a major void. So when the Griffins leapt into town on lion’s hindquarters 16 years later, Skiver was all in.

Finally, there was live hockey to watch in

Eric and Cindy Mis would rather move Thanksgiving than miss a Griffins game.

town, but Skiver almost missed the first game. “I didn’t have my ticket,” he said. “I had to call my ticket sales rep to bring me my ticket. I am one of the only people out there with an untorn inaugural game ticket.”

Skiver, the owner of three King’s Room Barber shops in the city, has loads of great memories, including that very first game. “It was super exciting,” he said. “Fun to watch and fun to have hockey back in Grand Rapids.”

Since that first night, Skiver has passionately followed the team through thick and thin, often giving his tickets to employees or customers as a way of expressing his gratitude.

Besides the Calder Cup runs and wins, Skiver’s peak moments were watching Red Wings players such as Chris Osgood, Curtis Joseph, and Darren McCarty take the ice in Grand Rapids for brief stints. Kronwall also stands out as a favorite. “He was amazing with those big, open-ice hits,” Skiver said. “Those hits reminded me of [Red Wing Vladimir Konstantinov] before his accident.”

Skiver continues to root for the home team whenever he can, proudly wearing his Griffins jersey, which he won for attending 40 home

Mollie Youngson and her niece, Annabelle, bask in the glow of the Calder Cup.

Griff holds future superfan Annabelle, possibly already trying to guess the Three Stars of the game.

Kathy and Doc Pierce’s grandchildren, Trenton and Sophia, check out their grandpa’s old perch where he served as goal judge for 18 years.

games. And he can’t wait to see the team hoist another cup. “A championship at home again would be the ultimate.”

A Family Tradition

When Mollie Youngson’s family moved back to Michigan in the late ‘80s, they became “avid” Red Wings fans. “When it was announced the Griffins were coming to Grand Rapids, my dad was excited to get our family season tickets.”

Over the years, Youngson’s family has evolved and changed, as have the players she loves to watch. Jonathan Ericsson, Tomas Tatar, Alexey Marchenko, and Teemu Pulkkinen are near the top of her list of “faves,” but “my longest favorite was Colin Campbell.”

One thing remains the same: For Youngson, being a Griffins fan is a family affair.

“Now that my dad is a full-time Florida resident, my niece has taken over as the go-to person who goes to games with me,” she said. “She is 13 now and went to her first game at 6 months old.”

Whomever she goes with, Youngson honors the lore that goes back to the beginning. “A

tradition that started with my dad is we would guess the Three Stars of the game,” she said. “I’ve gotten the family two rows behind me to join in on our game! By the way, we are usually right.”

The Best Seat in the House

When Kathy Pierce goes to a Griffins game now, she has an angel on her shoulder.

Her late husband, Harold “Doc” Pierce, who died in 2014, was a passionate fan, and a key part of the Griffins family as one of the team’s goal judges, a volunteer position he held from 1996-2014.

“He always said that behind the goalie was the best seat in the house,” said Kathy. That’s why from the start, Doc grabbed season tickets in section 102, row 8, behind the goalie, even before knowing he would serve as goal judge.

Doc’s years in the booth, where his eagle eyes would determine whether a puck had crossed the goal line or not, became more than just a hobby. “He absolutely loved the job,” said Kathy. He loved the team and the organization, too. They loved him back.

When, in 2013, after 17 years and hundreds of games, Doc had to undergo surgery for throat cancer, the team was there for him. Bob Kaser, the Griffins’ renowned play-byplay voice, called the Pierces to ask if he could call them after the surgery. “[The team members] were on their way to a road game in the bus when Bob called,” Kathy said. “He said, ‘The guys would like to say hi,’ and he put every single player on the phone to talk to Doc.”

“Get better, Doc.”

“Thinking of you.”

“We wish you well …”

The players, coaches, and staff didn’t say much, but their sentiments rang loud and clear: We care about you, Doc.

Doc couldn’t say anything at all. His vocal chords had been removed in the surgery. But he listened to each member of the team – his team – and responded in a way that needed no words. “The tears just flowed down his face,” Kathy said.

Kathy and Harold “Doc” Pierce attended games together for 18 years before Doc died in 2014. Ever since, Kathy has felt close to her husband in their old seats, watching the team they love.

After he died in 2014, Doc was memorialized at a funeral so packed that mourners parked blocks away. They were there to remember a beloved man with a heart the size of an Olympic hockey rink, who would “give the shirt off his back” to someone in need.

For Kathy, sitting in their old seats, watching the team they cheered on together, is a comfort and a gift. The first game she attended, though, after Doc’s death, “was tough.”

“Another man was sitting in the [goal judge’s booth] who looked like Doc,” she said. “I wasn’t sure I was going to make it all the way through the game.”

It’s been nearly three decades since Kathy went to the first Griffins game with her husband by her side. She now feels close to Doc there, eight rows above the ice, behind the

goalie. Sometimes she touches the necklace around her neck, a gift from her son. “It’s a hockey player with an angel’s wing,” she said. “So, I know he goes with me to every game.”

Lorilee Craker is the author of 16 books, including Anne of Green Gables, My Daughter and Me, the CBA and ECPA bestseller My Journey to Heaven with Marv Besteman, the Audie Awards nominee Money Secrets of the Amish, and the New York Times bestseller Through the Storm with Lynne Spears. A native of Winnipeg, Manitoba, she lives in a century-old house in Grand Rapids, with her husband, pets, and various international students from around the world. She has loved hockey since becoming a card-carrying member of the Winnipeg Jets Junior Booster Club at age 11.

RECORD BOOK AND LEADERS

Joey MacDonald

Sebastian Cossa

Travis Richards

Darryl Bootland

Dominik Shine

Michel Picard

The AHL All-Star Classic was not held in either 2020-21 or 2021-22 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

GRIFFINS IN THE ALL-STAR GAME

2024-25 Sebastian Cossa, Austin Watson, Dan Watson (head coach)

2023-24 Jonatan Berggren, Simon Edvinsson

2022-23 Brian Lashoff (captain)

2019-20 Matthew Ford (captain), Chris Terry

2018-19 Chris Terry

2017-18 Matt Lorito, Matt Puempel

2016-17 Matt Lorito, Robbie Russo, Todd Nelson (head coach)

2015-16 Jeff Hoggan (captain), Xavier Ouellet

2014-15 Xavier Ouellet, Teemu Pulkkinen

2013-14 Alexey Marchenko, Jeff Blashill (co-coach)

2012-13 Chad Billins, Petr Mrazek, Gustav Nyquist

2011-12 Gustav Nyquist

2010-11 Ilari Filppula, Brendan Smith

2009-10 Patrick Rissmiller

2008-09 Jakub Kindl, Daniel Larsson

2007-08 Jonathan Ericsson, Jimmy Howard

2006-07 Derek Meech, Kip Miller (captain) 2005-06 Valtteri Filppula, Jiri Hudler, Donald MacLean

2004-05 Niklas Kronwall, Joey MacDonald

2003-04 Jiri Hudler, Niklas Kronwall, Travis Richards (captain), Nathan Robinson

2002-03 Marc Lamothe, Mark Mowers

2001-02 Chris Bala, John Gruden, Kip Miller, Martin Prusek, Petr Schastlivy, Bruce Cassidy (head coach), Gene Reilly (asst. coach)

INTERNATIONAL HOCKEY LEAGUE

2000-01 Mike Fountain, Joel Kwiatkowski, Travis Richards, Todd White, Bruce Cassidy (co-coach)

1999-00 John Gruden, Jani Hurme, Kevin Miller, Petr Schastlivy

1998-99 Robert Petrovicky, Maxim Spiridonov

1997-98 Ian Gordon, Kerry Huffman, Michel Picard

1996-97 Jeff Nelson, Michel Picard, Pokey Red

2020 - Chris Terry

2023 - Brian Lashoff

2025 - Austin Watson

2024 - Jonatan Berggren

2025 - Sebastian Cossa

2019 - Chris Terry

2018 - Matt Lorito

2015 - Teemu Pulkkinen

2020 - Matthew Ford

2018 - Matt Puempel

2016 - Jeff Hoggan and Xavier Ouellet

2014 - Alexey Marchenko

Bright Futures Begin Here

PENALTY

BOARDING

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

CHARGING

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

CROSS CHECKING

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

DELAYED PENALTY

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

HIGH STICKING

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

CALLS

HOLDING

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

HOOKING

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

INTERFERENCE

ELBOWING

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

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

KNEEING

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

MISCONDUCT

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

ROUGHING

Called for engaging in fisticuffs or shoving.

SLASHING

Striking an opposing player with the stick.

SPEARING

Called for using the stick like a spear.

TRIPPING

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

UNSPORTSMANLIKE CONDUCT

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

WASH-OUT

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

ABBOTSFORD CANUCKS

BAKERSFIELD CONDORS

BELLEVILLE SENATORS

BRIDGEPORT ISLANDERS

CALGARY WRANGLERS

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS

CHICAGO WOLVES

CLEVELAND MONSTERS

COACHELLA VALLEY FIREBIRDS

COLORADO EAGLES

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

HENDERSON SILVER KNIGHTS

HERSHEY BEARS

IOWA WILD

LAVAL ROCKET

LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS

MANITOBA MOOSE

MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS

ONTARIO REIGN

PROVIDENCE BRUINS

ROCHESTER AMERICANS

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

SAN DIEGO GULLS

SAN JOSE BARRACUDA

SPRINGFIELD THUNDERBIRDS

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

TEXAS STARS

TORONTO MARLIES

TUCSON

IT ALL STARTS HERE

With Florida’s victory over Edmonton in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, forward Tomas Nosek became the first player to hoist the Stanley Cup after winning a Calder Cup (2017) in Grand Rapids.

GRIFFINS IN THE NHL

Since their inception in 1996, the Griffins have sent 214 players to the National Hockey League, and 21 former players or coaches have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. In fact, a Griffins alumnus has had his name engraved on Lord Stanley’s chalice in each of the last six years, 12 times in the last 18 years, and 14 times in the last 21 seasons. In chronological order, here are the 29 goalies and 185 skaters who have worn an NHL sweater after playing for Grand Rapids, along with the dates of their NHL debuts/returns.

Photo credits: Sam Iannamico (L), Getty Images

OTT at TB 43 Dmitry Afanasenkov 2/6/02 TB at FLA 44 Simon Lajeunesse 3/7/02 OTT at SJ

Martin Prusek 3/23/02 OTT vs. ATL

.........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

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

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

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

Witkowski........................3/12/22 DET at CGY

Chase Pearson 3/24/22 DET at NYI

Harri Sateri 4/7/22 ARI vs. VAN

Turner Elson 4/26/22 DET at TOR

Soderblom....... 12/14/22 DET at MIN

Vrana ................ 2/21/23 DET at WSH 200 Adam Erne 3/2/23 DET vs. SEA

Alex Chiasson 3/4/23 DET at NYI 202.....Simon

Mazur..................3/6/25 DET vs. UTA Bold = Played in the NHL during the 2024-25 season

Italics = Had name engraved on the Stanley Cup after playing for Grand Rapids

HITTIN’ THE ROAD

“All roads lead to Rome” is a centuries-old proverb meaning that many different methods can achieve the same goal, or that all actions eventually lead to one outcome. The phrase originated from the Roman Empire’s extensive road network, which radiated from the capital of Rome to connect all parts of the vast empire.

While Michigan’s pothole-filled highways test the fortitude of a vehicle’s suspension in ways that even the ancient, cobbled streets of Italy

never could, they still provide the means for roadtripping Griffins fans to leave the shadow of Van Andel Arena and cheer on their favorite team in venues across the AHL.

The Griffins will travel to nine different cities for their 36 away games this season. Can you arrange the opposing arenas in order of their driving distance from Van Andel Arena, from shortest (mark with a 1) to longest (9)? Good luck!

(P.S. You can’t take the ferry across Lake Michigan, and no cheating with Google Maps allowed!)

(360 miles)

A. Bojangles Coliseum _____, Charlotte, N.C. Charlotte Checkers

B. Allstate Arena _____, Rosemont, Ill., Chicago Wolves

D. Casey’s Center _____, Des Moines, Iowa, Iowa Wild

F. Panther Arena _____, Milwaukee, Wisc., Milwaukee Admirals

H. H-E-B Center _____, Cedar Park, Texas, Texas Stars

C. Rocket Arena _____, Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland Monsters

E. Canada Life Centre _____, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Manitoba Moose

G. BMO Center _____, Rockford, Ill., Rockford IceHogs

I. Coca-Cola Coliseum _____, Toronto, Ontario, Toronto Marlies

PARTING SHOT

With a gleam in his eye and a glint off his helmet, right wing Austin Watson is introduced prior to Detroit’s Red & White Game on Sept. 21. Watson and Team White skated to a 3-2 victory over Team Red before a sellout crowd of 10,834 at Van Andel Arena.

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo