2014-15 Griffiti - Issue #4

2014-15 SEASON ISSUE NO. 4

RAZOR SHARP Goaltender Petr Mrazek

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

Vol. 19, No. 4

TABLE OF CONTENTS STARTING LINEUP

24 RAZOR’S EDGE Red Wings prospect Petr Mrazek has already led the Griffins to one Calder Cup championship.

Will he do it again before graduating to the NHL full time next season?

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30 BRUT FORCE Griffins left wing Chris Bruton is a battler who is willing to fight with everything he has to win a championship.

42 MOTOR CITY MOTIVATION Defenseman Brian Lashoff would like to prove that he belongs back in the NHL. 59 GO WEST, YOUNG MEN The AHL, which has never had a franchise in California, will now have five of them.

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ON THE BENCH 2............Chalk Talk 4............Opposing Forces 5............Coming Attractions 9............Griffins Schedule 12.........AHL Tradition 15.........AHL Team Directory 19.........Detroit Red Wings 21.........Promotional Calendar 40.........Meet the Griffins

50.........Griffins Season Ticket Holders 64.........Social Media 65.........Griffins Records 68.........Griffins All-Stars 69.........Penalty Calls 74.........Arena Map/Ticket Info 76.........It All Starts Here 79.........Kids Page 80.........Parting Shot

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COVER:

Goaltender Petr Mrazek has excelled in net for both the Griffins and Detroit Red Wings this season.

Photo by Mark Newman

Griffiti magazine is published four times a year by the Grand Rapids Griffins, Van Andel Arena, 130 W. Fulton St., Grand Rapids, MI 49503. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. All contents ©2015 Grand Rapids Griffins.

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

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 11

With less than a month to go in the regular season, the Griffins are sprinting to the finish.

Head coach Jeff Blashill has had his team playing at a torrid pace, recently setting a franchise record by earning at least one point in 19 consecutive games over a span of more than six weeks.

Never one to jump the gun, Blashill knows the race may begin at the starting blocks, but it is won at the finish.

“We’re a much better team today than we were at the beginning of the year,” he said. “I’m excited about the fact that the team has grown as a group and as individuals within that group. With the talent we have and the growth that we’ve shown, I think we’re on our way to becoming a very good hockey team.”

“Very good” might be an understatement for a team that broke the previous record of 16 straight games without a regulation loss. The stretch included a seven-game winning streak on the road in which the Griffins outscored their opponents by an astounding 32-4 margin.

“None of that means anything to me,” Blashill said. “Our focus is always on what’s next. Success at high levels of sport requires a relentless approach every single day. If you’re not looking at what’s next, what you’ve done won’t matter one little bit.”

Even so, what the Griffins have been able to accomplish has been impressive in light of the fact that the team was often without the services of leading scorer Teemu Pulkkinen, who was recalled by Detroit twice during the stretch, and No. 3 point producer Mitch Callahan, who was lost for the season with a knee injury only five games into the streak. In addition, one-time AHL all-stars Petr Mrazek and Alexey Marchenko spent extended stints in Hockeytown.

“When I’ve been asked what their loss means, I’ve said it will depend upon the players who will get more opportunity as a result,” 2 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Blashill said. “If their performance is great, then their loss will be minimalized.”

Conversely, if the performance of other players was less than desired in their absence, then the loss of those players would be more significant.

“Mark Zengerle has stepped up and played great hockey,” said Blashill of the undrafted rookie out of the University of Wisconsin who recorded 16 points in 16 games during the stretch. Another rookie, Marek Tvrdon, had nine points in eight games during the run.

“Other guys in important roles who have been real good all year long have continued to play great hockey,” Blashill said. “If you’re going to have success, you better have other guys who can step up.”

Griffins captain Jeff Hoggan has also been a top performer during the team’s resurgence.

“Jeff has excelled as his opportunities have increased,” Blashill said. “He’s such a hardnosed player. The harder the game, the better he shows, and the games certainly get harder towards the end of the season.”

Blashill’s approach to the long season is to slice the schedule into five-game segments. Using his method, success is judged on the team’s ability to earn a minimum of six out of every 10 points, in order to secure a playoff berth.

With the end of the season in sight, his message will not change. There is no prepping for the playoffs.

“Our focus remains the same that it’s been from day one and that’s getting better every day and doing well in each segment so that we eventually can become a playoff team,” he said.

“Nobody has clinched a playoff spot, so let’s keep working toward getting one.”

And what happens to those segments when the playoffs arrive? “We’ll talk about that then,” Blashill said without hesitation.

There are any number of reasons for Blashill to feel good about his team’s chances, but one of the biggest is the goaltending position. By

mid-March, Mrazek, Tom McCollum and Jared Coreau all had streaks where they had gone at least seven games without a regulation loss.

“We feel very fortunate to have three goalies at our disposal who have proven at different points that they can be elite performers in the American Hockey League,” Blashill said.

The fact that only one goalie can play at a time can hardly be considered a problem.

“There’s never any headache in having lots of great players,” Blashill said. “To have great depth at every position is a positive thing that every coach would like.”

Nor is he too worried about keeping everyone happy.

“One of the challenges of being a coach in this league is there’s a whole roomful of guys who want to be at the next level. I don’t think it’s a unique challenge to this league, but it’s certainly one of them,” Blashill said.

“Part of my job is to help our players manage their mental side. We want to make

sure they stay focused on the things they can control and, generally speaking, that’s their play and their attitude.”

There’s no better recent example than Pulkkinen, who was reassigned to Grand Rapids after a sixgame stint with the Red Wings. He wasted little time in showing where he felt he belonged, scoring a hat trick in his first game back with the Griffins.

“When guys get a taste of the NHL and get sent back down, they have to make sure they continue to excel at this level and help us win,” Blashill said. “Teemu has certainly done that.”

With the Griffins putting together their impressive streak several weeks before the postseason, Blashill is asked whether he ever worries that his team might be peaking too soon.

“I’ve never thought about that once in my life,” Blashill says matter-of-factly. “You’ve got to play as well as you can every single day. I don’t like to project, but I think we’ve taken steps toward becoming a really good hockey team. If we want to continue to have success, we’re going to have to continue to take the right steps in that direction.”

“With the talent we have and the growth that we’ve shown, I think we’re on our way to becoming a very good hockey team.”

2014-15 GRIFFINS COACHING AND TRAINING STAFF

Head Coach: Jeff Blashill

Assistant Coach: Pat Ferschweiler

Assistant Coach: Dave Noel-Bernier

Assistant Coach: Mike Knuble

Goaltending Coach: Jeff Salajko

Video Coach: Bill LeRoy

Athletic Trainer: John Bernal

Equipment Manager: Brad Thompson

Assistant Equipment Manager: Andrew Stegehuis

Strength & Conditioning Coordinator: Marcus Kinney

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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OPPOSING FORCES The Griffins complete the home portion of their 2014-15 regular season with games against Toronto, Milwaukee and Charlotte, against whom they have built an 11-4-1-1 record; first, however, they will have to face nemesis Rockford, whom they are battling for Midwest Division supremacy.

ROCKFORD (April 1)

TORONTO (April 4)

FAST FACT: As of early March, the IceHogs’ 18 road wins were second only to Grand Rapids’ 19 among the AHL’s 30 teams.

FAST FACT: When the Marlies beat the Griffins 4-2 on Dec. 2, the victory broke Toronto’s nine-game winless streak, longest in the league this season.

OUT ON A LIMB: Viktor Svedberg (#8) is the Swedish Sequoia, a towering 6-foot-9 defenseman in Rockford’s red jersey. Undrafted, the 23-year-old blueliner was signed to a two-year, entry-level contract by the Chicago Blackhawks after playing four AHL games with the IceHogs. Now in his second season in North America, Svedberg is two-way defender who can use his size to clear his team’s crease while being more than capable of putting the puck on net in the offensive zone.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “He’s pretty coordinated for his size, for sure,” said Rockford head coach Ted Dent. “He’s probably got more puck skills and more awareness with the puck than anyone really thought he had.”

OVERACHIEVER: Connor Brown (#29) is a hard-working, 21-year-old right winger who led the Marlies in scoring and ranked second among AHL rookies as of press time. A sixth-round pick (156th overall) by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, the 5-foot-11 Brown led the Ontario Hockey League in scoring last season with 45 goals and 83 assists for 128 points in 68 games.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “He’s the type of guy who’s had to work for everything he’s gotten – at every level he’s had to prove people wrong,” said Marlies head coach Gord Dineen.

“He’s a guy who wants to create his offense by hounding pucks and creating turnovers.”

MILWAUKEE (April 8)

CHARLOTTE (April 17, 18)

FAST FACT: The Admirals have taken the fewest number of shots in the AHL, averaging less than 28 shots per game.

FAST FACT: The Checkers are the most penalized team in the AHL Western Conference.

HIGH FLYER: Pontus Aberg (#46) is a fleet-footed, 21-year-old left winger whose high-caliber offensive skills and solid work ethic help him compensate for his average 5-foot-11 frame. A second-round pick (37th overall) of Nashville in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, Aberg was a finalist for the 2012 Swedish Elite League Rookie of the Year after ranking second among the league’s junior players in goals and points.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “He can make plays, he can find holes, he can shoot the puck and he’s young,” said Nashville Predators head coach Peter Laviolette.

4 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

NO FLASH IN THE PAN: Justin Shugg (#14) is a 23-year-old left winger who is having his second strong season after splitting his first two pro campaigns between the AHL and ECHL. A fourth-round pick (105th overall) of the Carolina Hurricanes in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Shugg made his NHL debut last December when he was recalled to replace injured former Grand Rapids Griffins and Red Wings center Andrej Nestrasil.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: “He’s obviously, if not our mostskilled guy, one of the top two,” said Charlotte head coach Jeff Daniels. “When he gets the puck around the net, he has the capability to finish. You know, some guys don’t have that natural ability. Shuggy can finish plays.”

MILES OF SMILES

Story by Mark Newman

The Griffins’ game operations staff does its best to make sure fans leave Van Andel Arena happy, regardless of the outcome on the ice.

It goes without saying that the Griffins organization takes great pride in the team on the ice, but the Griffins’ staff also does its best to create a total entertainment experience for fans every night.

StadiumJourney.com recently ranked the Griffins/Van Andel Arena as the top minor league/junior hockey experience for the third straight year, the latest in a string of kudos the franchise has received for fan experience and game presentation.

"The aim is to provide best quality production possible every night," said Phil Cronin, director of game operations for the Griffins. "The trick is to please the fan who might be watching his or her first hockey game as much as the season ticket holder who attends every game.

"We want to put smiles on faces. We're trying to make sure fans leave the arena happy, regardless of the outcome. We want fans to come back and we hope our efforts have just as much to do with that as the on-ice product."

Cronin oversees all aspects of the entertainment agenda, including fan giveaways, the game's video opening, all music and graphics, in-game promotions and intermission activities, as well as tried-and-true elements like Kiss Cam and Hometown Hero.

Within the template of every game, the Griffins like to try something new. "We want to be entertaining with different twists," Cronin said. "Our crew is fantastic, and as creative and talented people, they even come up with things to do on the fly." (continued on next page)

Phil Cronin

From the production booth high above the Van Andel Arena ice surface, Cronin and members of his crew keep a close eye on various elements that comprise an entertaining night of hockey.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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Regular brainstorming sessions frequently provide ideas. "Sometimes the best concepts come from throwing ideas around," Cronin said. "One thing we've learned is that you can't be afraid to swing and miss. Not everything will work, but you'll never know unless you try."

Theme nights have proven to be popular attractions. Star Wars Night has become one of the most popular games every year, as are the nights dedicated to specific decades ('80s Night, for example).

"It's a fun challenge to create all the elements that go into a theme night," Cronin said.

"Sometimes the deadlines can be tight with so many games, but we would like the product to be different every night."

Lego Night grew out of a desire to have a Lego figurine giveaway. The Griffins produced an amazing stop-motion video for the opening, promo team members dressed in Lego costumes, and many of the videoboard elements and graphics were inspired by the toy bricks.

Cronin also looks for recurring characters that strike a chord with fans. "Off the Pipes" plays off the pint-sized personality of the popular roving young reporter known as Piper.

"Concourse Ref," featuring Josh Pettenger, is an unscripted, off-the-cuff bit that is shot the day of a game.

"We wanted to educate our fans about the rules," he said, describing the genesis of "Concourse Ref." "We wanted it to be an informative piece, and it's turned into this completely screwball, laugh-filled bit."

"Griffin Gill," also starring Pettenger, is a raucous riff on infomercial host Marc Gill, promoting upcoming giveaways. "It started with our championship ring giveaway, where we joked about all the different ways you could use the ring, besides wearing it, of course."

Some segments are corporate driven. "In The Driver's Seat With Fox Motors" provides fans with a closer look at a Griffins player.

"Everyone would like to see behind the curtain," said Cronin, who is in his second season with the Griffins after coming to the organization from the Saginaw Spirit of the Ontario Hockey League. "When we come up with new ideas, we try to show the fans something that they're not going to see anywhere else."

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Music is one of the most important tools in Cronin's bag of tricks. "Often the music will depend upon the crowd," he said. "If there is a lull in the action and you feel the energy in the building is dipping, you've got to find a way to bring the crowd back into the game."

"Pump" is Cronin's cue for the DJ to play something uptempo and for PA announcer Eric Zane to generate excitement in the inimitable style that he has honed as a member of radio's Free Beer & Hot Wings Show. “Sometimes we'll ask Eric to improvise and we'll throw the camera on him and he'll come up with something," Cronin said. "Eric loves what he does, loves the game, and he's such a phenomenal talent that it usually works."

Cronin, who earned a bachelor's degree in sports management from Central Michigan University, said he has been fascinated with the game experience ever since he started attending Red Wings games as a child.

He's also a longtime wrestling fan and finds inspiration in the production elements of WWE. "I would love to be a fly on the wall during one of their TV tapings just to see how they run things," he said. "There are so many things happening at once."

Cronin admits that he feels the adrenalin before going to work. "I get nervous every night. To a certain extent, we have a system down that works, but there are always unexpected things that happen that can throw you off your game."

There is the ongoing challenge of making all the different elements fit within the confines of the action. Timeouts are only so long, and intermissions are limited to a specific length.

"Sometimes things will run short and you need to have backup plans so you can continue to entertain," Cronin said. "I would hate for fans to think, 'Gee, there's nothing really going on right now.' It's a delicate balance."

As the postseason approaches, Cronin and the Griffins are already thinking about possible themes and ideas.

"During the playoffs, the philosophy changes a little bit," he said. "It becomes a little more about the product on the ice, and we try to reinforce that with everything we do. But it's still all about keeping people entertained, and we do our best every night to do it."

O P E N TO T H E P U B L I C f o r D I N I N G & E V E N TS

2500 76th Street, Byron Center, MI 616.878.1140 | www.railsidegolf.com

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

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All times Eastern.

Dates, opponents and times subject to change.

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ADK – Adirondack CHA – Charlotte CHI – Chicago HAM – Hamilton IA - Iowa

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS 9

Griffins President & CEO

Dear Grand Rapids Griffins Fans, The Griffins’ 2013-14 season will forever be engrained in our memories, for reasons that go far beyond the year-long celebration of our Calder Cup championship.

Never ones to be satisfied with past success, coach Jeff Blashill, his staff and players valiantly defended the Cup. We led the Midwest Division for most of the season, forged a better record than during our championship year and reached the conference semifinals before passing the torch to a worthy successor, the regular season and eventual Cup champion Texas Stars.

Given what has transpired over the last two seasons, I don’t believe there’s ever been a better time to be a Griffins fan.

Blashill, the American Hockey League’s reigning coach of the year, signed a new contract with the Detroit Red Wings over the summer that will keep him in the organization for the next three seasons. And while we’ve said goodbye to assistant coach Spiros Anastas and longtime friend Jim Paek, both of whom helped us capture the Cup in 2013 and now lead their own teams, we’re thrilled to welcome a pair of highly touted, new coaches with West Michigan ties in Pat Ferschweiler and Dave Noel-Bernier.

Last season saw the best of both worlds in terms of our affiliation with the Red Wings. The Griffins earned consecutive playoff berths for the first time since 2007, while nine of our players made their NHL debuts in Hockeytown. Several other recent Grand Rapids alumni, such as Gustav Nyquist, Tomas Tatar and Riley Sheahan, played invaluable roles in Detroit making the playoffs for a remarkable 23rd straight season.

Perhaps most impressive was our incredible attendance. We finished second out of 30 league franchises, welcomed more than 300,000 fans for the first time in our 13 AHL seasons – including more than 20,000 for our first-ever outdoor game at Comerica Park in Detroit – and finished with our highest average since 1999-2000.

As the Griffins enter season number 19, it’s humbling that your support and interest are as strong and fervent as they’ve ever been.

After witnessing these tremendous accomplishments in two seasons under coach Blashill, everyone in Griffins Nation can hardly wait to see what the third act will bring. I look forward to cheering along with you.

Sincerely,

Dan DeVos President & CEO Grand Rapids Griffins

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DAVID A. ANDREWS

PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, AMERICAN HOCKEY LEAGUE

American Hockey League

One Monarch Place – Springfield, MA 01144 Phone: (413) 781-2030 Fax: (413) 733-4767 Dear Fans, It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 2014-15 American Hockey League season, our 79th year of play. We are proud to be entering what is sure to be another exciting season, continuing our tradition of excellence and bringing an entertaining, physical and highly skilled level of professional hockey to more than 6 million fans in arenas across North America.

The 2014-15 season will once again feature 30 teams who will be competing for the AHL’s historic Calder Cup championship, and 30 National Hockey League clubs who will be developing their top prospects and future stars in our cities. Last season alone, more than 240 first- and second-round NHL draft picks competed in the American Hockey League, and 347 players took the ice in both the AHL and the NHL. We take great pride in our tradition of developing the best hockey talent in the world, with over 88 percent of today’s NHL players, coaches and officials having honed their skills in the American Hockey League. Through the years, our loyal and passionate fans have enjoyed cheering for more than 100 future Hockey Hall of Famers, and have witnessed the triumphs of more than 100 Calder Cup champions who would go on to have their names engraved on the Stanley Cup as well.

We’re pleased to continue to deliver professional hockey to the great fans of Glens Falls, N.Y., and we welcome Allentown, Pa., to the league as the Adirondack Flames and Lehigh Valley Phantoms hit the ice this season. The AHL’s two newest entries will join the rest of the league in looking to dethrone the defending Calder Cup champion Texas Stars in the chase for the AHL’s 2015 title.

On behalf of all of our teams, players and staff, thank you again for your continuing support of the AHL. I wish you the utmost enjoyment of all the excitement that our 2014-15 season has in store.

Sincerely, David A. Andrews President & Chief Executive Officer American Hockey League /TheAHL

theahl.com

@TheAHL

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE since 1936 THE BEGINNINGS The American Hockey League is enjoying its 79th season of play in 2014-15, continuing a tradition of excellence that began in 1936 when the Canadian-American Hockey League merged with the International Hockey League to form what is today known as the AHL. Eight teams hit the ice that first season, playing in Buffalo, Cleveland, New Haven, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Providence, Springfield and Syracuse.

Frank Calder, the National Hockey League’s president at the time, was instrumental in the forming of the new league, and his name would be given to its championship trophy. The first Calder Cup was won by the Syracuse Stars in 1937; the 78th championship was captured by the Texas Stars last spring.

Photo: AHL Archives

From those roots, the American Hockey League has grown into a 30team 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.

THE PLAYERS In today’s National Hockey League more than 88 percent of the players are AHL alumni, including 2014 Norris Trophy winner Duncan Keith of the Chicago Blackhawks and 2014 Vezina Trophy recipient Tuukka Rask of the Boston Bruins. The 2014 Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings were stocked with AHL graduates as well, among them Jonathan Quick, Jeff Carter, Mike Richards, Tyler Toffoli, Dustin Brown, Slava Voynov, Alec Martinez and head coach Darryl Sutter, who was the AHL’s rookie of the year as a player in 1980.

Photo: Getty Images/LA Kings

During the 2013-14 season, more than 870 AHL alumni played in the National Hockey League, including 347 who skated in both leagues last year alone. San Jose’s Joe Pavelski, Carolina’s Eric Staal, Boston’s David Krejci, Anaheim’s Ryan Getzlaf and Nashville’s Shea Weber were among the 20 AHL graduates who led their NHL teams in scoring, and former AHL All-Stars Kari Lehtonen, Jimmy Howard, Ryan Miller, Jonathan Bernier and Ben Bishop were among the 28 AHL goaltending alumni who paced their NHL clubs in victories. More than 240 former first- and second-round draft picks developed their skills in the AHL last season, including standout rookies like Ryan Strome, Filip Forsberg, Alexander Khokhlachev and John Gibson.

Tyler Toffoli 2014 Stanley Cup Champion 2013 AHL Rookie of the Year

THE COACHES At the start of the 2014-15 season, the National Hockey League featured 20 head coaches who were former AHL bench bosses, including recent Stanley Cup champions Joel Quenneville, Claude Julien and Mike Babcock and Calder Cup winners Willie Desjardins, Jon Cooper, Bruce Boudreau, Todd McLellan, Peter Laviolette, Bob Hartley and Barry Trotz.

All-time greats like Fred Shero, Mike Keenan, Pat Quinn, Don Cherry and 2014 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee Pat Burns all coached in the AHL on their way to great NHL careers.

“Without my time in the American Hockey League, the door to the NHL does not open. The AHL gets many of its much deserved accolades for developing players, but the three years I spent in the AHL were the most important in my career to prepare me to be a head coach in the NHL.” -- Jon Cooper, Head Coach, Tampa Bay Lightning 2014 Jack Adams Award Finalist, 2012 AHL Coach of the Year and Calder Cup Champion Photo: Graig Abel/AHL

12 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

THE LEGENDS Over nearly eight decades, the American Hockey League has been home to some of the greatest players in the history of our sport. In fact, more than 100 honored members of the Hockey Hall of Fame have been affiliated with the AHL during their careers. All-time greats like George Armstrong, Toe Blake, Gump Worsley, Terry Sawchuk, Glenn Hall, Brad Park, Ken Dryden and Brett Hull came through the AHL ranks and now find themselves enshrined in Toronto, and the coveted Calder Cup is inscribed with the names of legendary AHL alumni like Patrick Roy, Larry Robinson, Gerry Cheevers, Andy Bathgate, Tim Horton, Al Arbour, Emile Francis, Doug Harvey and Billy Smith.

Photo: AHL Archives

The American Hockey League has created its own legends as well, and in 2006 began honoring them with the formation of the AHL Hall of Fame. The ninth class of inductees, recognized in 2014, included Bill Dineen, Al MacNeil, Bob Perreault and John Slaney. They join the likes of Johnny Bower, Fred Glover, Jody Gage, Mitch Lamoureux, Eddie Shore Willie Marshall, Frank Mathers, Eddie Shore, Bruce Boudreau, Tim Tookey, Zellio Toppazzini and others as distinguished members of Honored Member, Hockey Hall of Fame Honored Member, AHL Hall of Fame the American Hockey League Hall of Fame.

THE FANS

Photo: Christina Shapiro

For the 13th consecutive season, American Hockey League teams drew more than 6.2 million fans to games across North America in 2013-14. The Hershey Bears led the league for the eighth year in a row, averaging 9,664 fans per home game, while the St. John’s IceCaps extended their sellout streak to an AHL-record 114 straight regular-season games at Mile One Centre (plus 19 in the playoffs).

Since the start of the 2001-02 season, more than 85 million fans have attended AHL games.

The Texas Stars brought a Calder Cup championship to their fans at Cedar Park Center in 2014.

Fans are also continuing to follow their teams and the league in record numbers digitally. Last season, the AHL Internet Network -- featuring theahl.com and the official Web sites of all 30 clubs -- got nearly 90 million page views from fans worldwide. Meanwhile, more than one million fans follow the AHL and its teams on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

88.4

870

347

Percentage of all NHL players in 2013-14 who were AHL graduates

Former AHL players who skated in the National Hockey League last season

AHL players who also played in the NHL in 2013-14

19

242

AHL alumni who Former 1st- and 2ndplayed for the 2014 round NHL draft picks who skated in the AHL Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings in 2013-14

“Looking back, I have a great appreciation for the time I spent in the American Hockey League and how it helped me develop as a hockey player. It gave me the opportunity to learn the professional game and play with great teammates, many of whom have gone on to successful careers at the next level.”

-- Duncan Keith, Chicago Blackhawks 2x Stanley Cup Champion, 2x Norris Trophy Winner, 2x Olympic Gold Medalist Photo: Chicago Blackhawks

theahl.com

/TheAHL

@TheAHL Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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MVPSportsClubs.com

Health & Fitness Destination Fitness | Group Exercise | Aquatics | Basketball | Tennis | Kid’s Area

Grand Rapids | Downtown GR | Holland | Rockford

2 014 - 15 A H L D I R E C T O RY

EASTERN CONFERENCE

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

ALBANY DEVILS

NHL AFFILIATION: New Jersey Devils HOME ICE: Times Union Center (6,691) GENERAL MANAGER: Chris Lamoriello HEAD COACH: Rick Kowalsky ENTERED AHL: 2006-07 (as Lowell Devils) CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 2 of 8 2013-14 RECORD: 40-23-5-8, 93 pts.

WEBSITE: www.thealbanydevils.com

BINGHAMTON SENATORS

LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS

NHL AFFILIATION: Philadelphia Flyers HOME ICE: PPL Center (8,578) GENERAL MANAGER: Ron Hextall HEAD COACH: Terry Murray ENTERED AHL: 1996-97 (as Philadelphia Phantoms) CALDER CUPS: Two (1998, 2005) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 10 of 18 2013-14 RECORD: 30-38-2-6, 68 pts.

WEBSITE: www.lehighvalleyphantoms.com

MANCHESTER MONARCHS

NHL AFFILIATION: Los Angeles Kings HOME ICE: Verizon Wireless Arena (9,852) GENERAL MANAGER: Rob Blake HEAD COACH: Mike Stothers ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 12 of 13 2013-14 RECORD: 48-19-3-6, 105 pts.

WEBSITE: www.manchestermonarchs.com

NHL AFFILIATION: Ottawa Senators HOME ICE: Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena (4,679) GENERAL MANAGER: Randy Lee HEAD COACH: Luke Richardson ENTERED AHL: 2002-03 CALDER CUPS: One (2011) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 6 of 12 2013-14 RECORD: 44-24-3-5, 96 pts.

WEBSITE: www.binghamtonsenators.com

NORFOLK ADMIRALS

BRIDGEPORT SOUND TIGERS

PORTLAND PIRATES

NHL AFFILIATION: New York Islanders HOME ICE: Webster Bank Arena (8,412) GENERAL MANAGER: Garth Snow HEAD COACH: Brent Thompson ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 7 of 13 2013-14 RECORD: 28-40-2-6, 64 pts.

WEBSITE: www.soundtigers.com

HARTFORD WOLF PACK

NHL AFFILIATION: Anaheim Ducks HOME ICE: Norfolk Scope (8,701) GENERAL MANAGER: Bob Murray HEAD COACH: Jarrod Skalde ENTERED AHL: 2000-01 CALDER CUPS: One (2012) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 10 of 14 2013-14 RECORD: 40-26-3-7, 90 pts.

WEBSITE: www.norfolkadmirals.com NHL AFFILIATION: Arizona Coyotes HOME ICE: Cross Insurance Arena (6,157) GM/HEAD COACH: Ray Edwards ENTERED AHL: 1993-94 CALDER CUPS: One (1994) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 15 of 21 2013-14 RECORD: 24-39-3-10, 61 pts.

WEBSITE: www.portlandpirates.com

PROVIDENCE BRUINS

NHL AFFILIATION: New York Rangers HOME ICE: XL Center (15,635) GENERAL MANAGER: Jim Schoenfeld HEAD COACH: Ken Gernander ENTERED AHL: 1997-98 CALDER CUPS: One (2000) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 14 of 17 2013-14 RECORD: 37-32-1-6, 81 pts.

WEBSITE: www.hartfordwolfpack.com

NHL AFFILIATION: Boston Bruins HOME ICE: Dunkin’ Donuts Center Providence (11,075) GENERAL MANAGER: Don Sweeney HEAD COACH: Bruce Cassidy ENTERED AHL: 1992-93 CALDER CUPS: One (1999) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 17 of 22 2013-14 RECORD: 40-25-2-9, 91 pts.

WEBSITE: www.providencebruins.com

HERSHEY BEARS

SPRINGFIELD FALCONS

NHL AFFILIATION: Washington Capitals HOME ICE: Giant Center (10,500) GENERAL MANAGER: Doug Yingst HEAD COACH: Troy Mann ENTERED AHL: 1938-39 CALDER CUPS: 11 (1947, 1958, 1959, 1969, 1974, 1980, 1988, 1997, 2006, 2009, 2010) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 64 of 76 2013-14 RECORD: 39-27-5-5, 88 pts.

WEBSITE: www.hersheybears.com

NHL AFFILIATION: Columbus Blue Jackets HOME ICE: MassMutual Center (6,784) GENERAL MANAGER: Chris MacFarland HEAD COACH: Jared Bednar ENTERED AHL: 1994-95 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 8 of 20 2013-14 RECORD: 47-23-1-5, 100 pts.

WEBSITE: www.falconsahl.com Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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2 014 - 15 A H L D I R E C T O RY ST. JOHN’S ICECAPS

NHL AFFILIATION: Winnipeg Jets HOME ICE: Mile One Centre (6,287) GENERAL MANAGER: Craig Heisinger HEAD COACH: Keith McCambridge ENTERED AHL: 2011-12 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 2 of 3 2013-14 RECORD: 46-23-2-5, 99 pts.

WEBSITE: www.stjohnsicecaps.com

SYRACUSE CRUNCH

NHL AFFILIATION: Tampa Bay Lightning HOME ICE: War Memorial Arena (6,099) GENERAL MANAGER: Julien BriseBois HEAD COACH: Rob Zettler ENTERED AHL: 1994-95 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 11 of 20 2013-14 RECORD: 31-32-4-9, 75 pts.

WEBSITE: www.syracusecrunch.com

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

ADIRONDACK FLAMES

NHL AFFILIATION: Calgary Flames HOME ICE: Glens Falls Civic Center (4,796) GENERAL MANAGER: Brad Treliving HEAD COACH: Ryan Huska ENTERED AHL: 2014-15 WEBSITE: www.adirondackflames.com

CHARLOTTE CHECKERS

NHL AFFILIATION: Carolina Hurricanes HOME ICE: Time Warner Cable Arena (8,200) HEAD COACH/ GENERAL MANAGER: Jeff Daniels ENTERED AHL: 2010-11 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 2 of 4 2013-14 RECORD: 37-36-1-2, 77 pts.

WEBSITE: www.gocheckers.com

CHICAGO WOLVES

NHL AFFILIATION: St. Louis Blues HOME ICE: Allstate Arena (16,692) GENERAL MANAGER: Wendell Young HEAD COACH: John Anderson ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: Two (2002, 2008) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 9 of 13 2013-14 RECORD: 45-21-5-5, 100 pts.

WEBSITE: www.chicagowolves.com

16 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

WILKES-BARRE/SCRANTON PENGUINS NHL AFFILIATION: Pittsburgh Penguins HOME ICE: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza (8,050) GENERAL MANAGER: Jim Rutherford HEAD COACH: John Hynes ENTERED AHL: 1999-00 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 13 of 15 2013-14 RECORD: 42-26-3-5, 92 pts.

WEBSITE: www.wbspenguins.com

WORCESTER SHARKS

NHL AFFILIATION: San Jose Sharks HOME ICE: DCU Center (5,400) GENERAL MANAGER: Joe Will HEAD COACH: Roy Sommer ENTERED AHL: 2006-07 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 8 2013-14 RECORD: 36-34-4-2, 78 pts.

WEBSITE: www.sharksahl.com

GRAND RAPIDS GRIFFINS

NHL AFFILIATION: Detroit Red Wings HOME ICE: Van Andel Arena (10,834) GENERAL MANAGER: Ryan Martin HEAD COACH: Jeff Blashill ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: One (2013) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 8 of 13 2013-14 RECORD: 46-23-2-5, 99 pts.

WEBSITE: www.griffinshockey.com

HAMILTON BULLDOGS

NHL AFFILIATION: Montreal Canadiens HOME ICE: FirstOntario Centre (8,819) GENERAL MANAGER: Marc Bergevin HEAD COACH: Sylvain Lefebvre ENTERED AHL: 1996-97 CALDER CUPS: One (2007) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 12 of 18 2013-14 RECORD: 33-35-1-7, 74 pts.

WEBSITE: www.hamiltonbulldogs.com

IOWA WILD

NHL AFFILIATION: Minnesota Wild HOME ICE: Wells Fargo Arena (8,162) GENERAL MANAGER: Jim Mill HEAD COACH: John Torchetti ENTERED AHL: 2013-14 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 0 of 1 2013-14 RECORD: 27-36-7-6, 67 pts.

WEBSITE: www.iowawild.com

LAKE ERIE MONSTERS

NHL AFFILIATION: Colorado Avalanche HOME ICE: Quicken Loans Arena (20,093) HEAD COACH: Dean Chynoweth ENTERED AHL: 2007-08 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 1 of 7 2013-14 RECORD: 32-33-1-10, 75 pts.

WEBSITE: www.lakeeriemonsters.com

TM

2 014 - 15 A H L D I R E C T O RY MILWAUKEE ADMIRALS

NHL AFFILIATION: Nashville Predators HOME ICE: BMO Harris Bradley Center (17,845) GENERAL MANAGER: Paul Fenton HEAD COACH: Dean Evason ENTERED AHL: 2001-02 CALDER CUPS: One (2004) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 12 of 13 2013-14 RECORD: 39-24-6-7, 91 pts.

WEBSITE: www.milwaukeeadmirals.com

OKLAHOMA CITY BARONS

NHL AFFILIATION: Edmonton Oilers HOME ICE: Cox Convention Center (6,400) GENERAL MANAGER: Bill Scott HEAD COACH: Gerry Fleming ENTERED AHL: 2010-11 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 4 of 4 2013-14 RECORD: 36-29-2-9, 83 pts.

WEBSITE: www.okcbarons.com

TORONTO MARLIES

NHL AFFILIATION: Toronto Maple Leafs HOME ICE: Ricoh Coliseum (7,851) HEAD COACH: Gord Dineen ENTERED AHL: 2005-06 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 6 of 9 2013-14 RECORD: 45-25-2-4, 96 pts.

WEBSITE: www.marlies.ca

UTICA COMETS

NHL AFFILIATION: Vancouver Canucks HOME ICE: Utica Memorial Auditorium (3,815) DIRECTOR OF HOCKEY OPERATIONS: Pat Conacher HEAD COACH: Travis Green ENTERED AHL: 2013-14 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 0 of 1 2013-14 RECORD: 35-32-5-4, 79 pts.

WEBSITE: www.uticacomets.com

ROCHESTER AMERICANS

NHL AFFILIATION: Buffalo Sabres HOME ICE: Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial (10,662) GENERAL MANAGER: Tim Murray HEAD COACH: Chadd Cassidy ENTERED AHL: 1956-57 CALDER CUPS: Six (1965, 1966, 1968, 1983, 1987, 1996) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 44 of 58 2013-14 RECORD: 37-28-6-5, 85 pts.

WEBSITE: www.amerks.com

ROCKFORD ICEHOGS

NHL AFFILIATION: Chicago Blackhawks HOME ICE: BMO Harris Bank Center (5,895) GENERAL MANAGER: Mark Bernard HEAD COACH: Ted Dent ENTERED AHL: 2007-08 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 7 2013-14 RECORD: 35-32-5-4, 79 pts.

WEBSITE: www.icehogs.com

SAN ANTONIO RAMPAGE

NHL AFFILIATION: Florida Panthers HOME ICE: AT&T Center (6,374) HEAD COACH: Tom Rowe ENTERED AHL: 2002-03 CALDER CUPS: None SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 3 of 12 2013-14 RECORD: 30-37-3-6, 69 pts.

WEBSITE: www.sarampage.com

TEXAS STARS

NHL AFFILIATION: Dallas Stars HOME ICE: Cedar Park Center (6,863) GENERAL MANAGER: Scott White HEAD COACH: Derek Laxdal ENTERED AHL: 2009-10 CALDER CUPS: One (2014) SEASONS IN PLAYOFFS: 4 of 5 2013-14 RECORD: 48-18-3-7, 106 pts.

WEBSITE: www.texasstarshockey.com

2014-15 PLAYOFF FORMAT Eight teams in each conference will qualify for the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs: The three division winners will be seeded first through third in order of points, and the next five teams in order of points will be seeded fourth through eighth.

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

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

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

17

WE’RE FANS OF THE GRIFFINS. WE’RE ALSO FANS OF THEIR FANS. At Huntington, our community comes first. And we’re proud to support the teams that represent it, like the Grand Rapids Griffins. We’re also proud to support the people in the stands.

The Huntington National Bank is an Equal Housing Lender and Member FDIC. ¥ ® and Huntington® are federally registered service marks of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. Huntington.® Welcome.™ is a service mark of Huntington Bancshares Incorporated. ©2013 Huntington Bancshares Incorporated.

DETROIT

RED WINGS TOP AFFILIATE

Grand Rapids Griffins (13th Season) through 2016-17

ARENA

Joe Louis Arena • Seating Capacity: 20,066

INFO

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

STANLEY CUPS

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

MANAGEMENT

Ken Holland, Executive VP/General Manager Ryan Martin, Assistant General Manager

COACHING STAFF

Photo: Getty Images

Mike Babcock, Head Coach Tony Granato, Assistant Coach • Jim Hiller, Assistant Coach Andrew Brewer, Assistant Coach – Video Jim Bedard, Goaltending Coach Peter Renzetti, Strength and Conditioning Coach

Tomas Jurco and eight other Griffins made their NHL debuts with the Red Wings during 2013-14. Playing alongside recent Grand Rapids alumni such as Riley Sheahan and Tomas Tatar, they helped Detroit extend its remarkable streak of consecutive Stanley Cup Playoff appearances to 23 seasons.

GRIFFINS WHO HAVE EARNED THEIR WINGS *

Justin Abdelkader, 2008-09 Adam Almquist, 2013-14 Joakim Andersson, 2011-12 Sean Avery, 2002-03 Ryan Barnes, 2003-04 Patrick Boileau, 2002-03 Darryl Bootland, 2003-04 Fabian Brunnstrom, 2011-12 Mitch Callahan, 2013-14 Ty Conklin, 2011-12 Chris Conner, 2011-12 Danny DeKeyser, 2013-14 Aaron Downey, 2008-09 Patrick Eaves, 2013-14 Matt Ellis, 2006-07 Cory Emmerton, 2010-11 Jonathan Ericsson, 2007-08 Landon Ferraro, 2013-14 Valtteri Filppula, 2005-06 Luke Glendening, 2013-14 Mark Hartigan, 2007-08 Darren Helm, 2007-08 Jimmy Howard, 2005-06 Jiri Hudler, 2003-04 Matt Hussey, 2006-07 Doug Janik, 2009-10 Tomas Jurco, 2013-14 Jakub Kindl, 2009-10 Tomas Kopecky, 2005-06 Niklas Kronwall, 2003-04 Marc Lamothe, 2003-04 Josh Langfeld, 2006-07

Brian Lashoff, 2012-13 Brett Lebda, 2005-06 Ville Leino, 2008-09 Joey MacDonald, 2006-07 Donald MacLean, 2005-06 Alexey Marchenko, 2013-14 Darren McCarty, 2007-08 Tom McCollum, 2010-11 Derek Meech, 2006-07 Kevin Miller, 2003-04 Mark Mowers, 2003-04 Petr Mrazek, 2012-13 Jan Mursak, 2010-11 Anders Myrvold, 2003-04 Andrej Nestrasil, 2014-15 Kris Newbury, 2009-10 Gustav Nyquist, 2011-12 Xavier Ouellet, 2013-14 Teemu Pulkkinen, 2013-14 Kyle Quincey, 2005-06 Mattias Ritola, 2007-08 Jamie Rivers, 2003-04 Nathan Robinson, 2003-04 Stacy Roest, 2002-03 Riley Sheahan, 2011-12 Brendan Smith, 2011-12 Ryan Sproul, 2013-14 Garrett Stafford, 2007-08 Tomas Tatar, 2010-11 Jordin Tootoo, 2013-14 Jason Williams, 2002-03

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

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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One of Michigan’s premier golf destinations. “ - Places to Play” “One of the 25 best golf courses in Michigan” -GOLF DIGEST

Our beautiful Rees Jones signature course is designed to provide a challenging test of golf, while accommodating golfers of all skill levels.

Just minutes from downtown Grand Rapids, see for yourself why this stunning jewel has been rated one of the best golf courses around.

www.togc.net

4100 Thousand Oaks Drive, Grand Rapids | East Beltline and 5 Mile - go East one mile | 616.447.7750

Casual and inviting surroundings.

Diverse menu. Breathtaking views.

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

Year-round Golf Lessons.

Join the Academy!

Call 616-363-GOLF

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

Call 616-828-6780

2014-15 GRIFFINS PROMOTIONAL SCHEDULE

MARK YOUR

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

April 4: Tomas Jurco Bobblehead Giveaway presented by Michigan Office Solutions April 6: Griffins Booster Club Awards Banquet

April 18: Season Finale presented

by Huntington Bank/Friday Night Jersey Auction April 22: 2015 AHL Calder Cup Playoffs begin! Enjoy $2 beers and $2 hot dogs during every home playoff game.

APRIL 18

APRIL 22

APRIL 4

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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

Get in the D-ZONE: Every Friday night is a Griffins D-Zone night. Avoid the concession lines and get your $2 beers and $2 hot dogs served to you in your seats. Call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2 or visit griffinshockey.com/dzone today!

Military Nights: Every home game, current members of our military can purchase up to four Upper Level tickets for $14 each or four Lower Level Faceoff tickets for $18 each with a valid military ID. The offer also extends to veterans who present a VA ID or discharge papers.

College Nights: Every Friday, college students can show their ID to purchase an Upper Level ticket for $14 (or $13 in advance at The Zone) and stop by the McFadden’s concourse table to receive a free pass to the post-game party at McFadden’s. Limit one ticket per ID. Free Ride Friday on The Rapid: Ride the Rapid to and from any Friday game and enjoy a complimentary fare by showing your ticket to that night’s game. Visit ridetherapid.org for schedule information, routes and maps.

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

Additionally, the first 300 fans to visit the Amway table in Section A will receive a gift. Fans can also enjoy a buy-one, get-one-free deal on a 16 oz. Pepsi all night long at any concession stand that sells fountain drinks.

Fox Motors Fast Lane: Before every home game, show your Fox Motors keychain to skip the main box office lines in the arena lobby and purchase your tickets at the designated “Fox Motors Fast Lane” ticket window.

Post-Game Parties at Peppino’s: Every Wednesday night, join Griffins players and staff for the official post-game party at Peppino’s Sports Grille downtown.

Library Nights: For every Sunday and Wednesday game, fans can present their Grand Rapids Public Library card or Kent District Library card at the Van Andel Arena box office on the night of the game or at The Zone anytime during the store’s regular business hours to purchase either an Upper Level ticket for $14 (regularly $16 advance and $19 day of game) or a Lower Level Faceoff ticket for $18 (regularly $20 advance and $23 day of game). Limit four tickets per card per person, subject to availability.

22 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Friends & Family 4-Packs: Available for all Saturday games, each pack incudes four tickets and $12 in concession cash for a great low price. Visit griffinshockey.com/f4p or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.

Pepsi Reading Goals: Children with Griff’s Reading Goals bookmarks who have completed the required three hours of reading can redeem their bookmark for two free Upper Level tickets to any one of the following games: April 1, 4 and 8.

Post-Game Open Skate: April 18.

Huntington Bank Post-Game Autograph Session: April 4.

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

J. Gardella’s Burger and Beer Special: Take your used Griffins ticket to J. Gardella’s Tavern to enjoy a burger and beer for $5. Refer to the back of your ticket for details.

Bagel on the Board: Whenever the Griffins “put a bagel on the board” – i.e. shut out their opponent – you have one week to take your ticket to any Bagel Beanery location to receive one free bagel and a gourmet coffee.

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

Story and photos

by Mark Newman

Red Wings prospect Petr Mrazek has already led the Griffins to one Calder Cup championship. Will he do it again before graduating to the NHL full time next season?

24 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Petr Mrazek has that swagger. If he were a character out of folklore, he’d be slaying dragons, pulling swords out of stones and rescuing damsels in distress. He has the makings to become a hockey hero for the ages – and he knows it.

The young netminder has all the confidence in the world – and then some – and dreams of the day when he can be considered one of the best goaltenders in the game. And yet such flights of fancy do nothing but foil his focus.

Mrazek has yet to play a full season in the NHL, so nobody is proclaiming him the second coming of Dominik Hasek, his boyhood idol in the Czech Republic, whose unorthodox style allowed him to become a six-time Vezina Trophy winner as the NHL’s top netminder and the only goaltender to win the Hart Trophy twice as the league’s most valuable player.

Still, even at the tender age of 23, Mrazek has demonstrated the kind of talent that prompts grand predictions for his future. He is doggedly determined, unflappable and unflinching in his attitude while showing an uncanny ability to win hockey games at every level.

During 2012-13, his rookie year, Mrazek became the second goalie in history to win his NHL, AHL and ECHL debuts in the same season, eventually backstopping the Griffins to their first-ever Calder Cup when he played every minute of the team’s storied postseason run.

He became the youngest goalie to start for the Red Wings since 20-year-old Chris Osgood in 1993-94. He was just the third goalie under the age of 21 to play for the Red Wings in the last 30 years and among the 10 youngest ever to dress for Detroit – only he and Bill Beveridge (1929) won their NHL debuts.

More significantly, he displayed the kind of confidence that is uncommon in rookie netminders. His patience and poise enabled the Griffins to remain resolutely self-assured, even when facing more-heralded opponents during the playoffs.

“Petr Mrazek is somebody who thrives on pressure,” Griffins coach Jeff Blashill told the assembled media more than once during the team’s successful Calder Cup campaign. “He loves pressure. That’s probably his greatest attribute. He knows big moments.”

Winning the Cup only added to the aura.

“I think it helped my career,” Mrazek said.

Mrazek was drafted 141st overall in the fifth round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

“The Red Wings organization might have looked at me differently after that. ‘Here’s a kid who won a Cup – maybe he’ll be an NHL goalie in a couple of years.’”

Mrazek split his second professional season between the Griffins and Red Wings, posting a 22-9-0-1 record in Grand Rapids while bookending his time in the NHL with shutouts in both his debut and final appearance with Detroit.

He showed flashes of brilliance throughout the 2013-14 season, registering a 10-game winning streak as a Griffin from Oct. 30 to Feb. 1, then starting another eight-game string of victories three weeks later. He opened the Western Conference Quarterfinals with a Griffins playoff-record 55-save performance to lift Grand Rapids to a 2-1 double overtime victory at Abbotsford.

Named to the AHL’s Second All-Star Team, Mrazek ranked second among AHL goaltenders with a 2.10 goals-against average, while his .924 save percentage was third best during the 2013-14 regular season.

“I think I’m becoming a better player,” said Mrazek, who feels he has changed “a lot” since the start of his pro career. “Every day I feel better and better on the ice.”

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

25

Mrazek ranks among the Griffins’ all-time top 5 leaders in several goaltending categories.

Mrazek started uncharacteristically slow this season, dropping two of his first three decisions and finishing the month of October with a 3.80 goals-against average. However, he won his first two starts in November before the Red Wings recalled him to Detroit, where he spent the next three months.

He supplanted injury-prone Jonas Gustavsson on the Red Wings’ bench, eventually finding himself thrust into the No. 1 role after sixth-year starter Jimmy Howard went down with a slight tear of his groin in early January.

Rising to the challenge, Mrazek posted an 8-1-0 record with a 2.54 goals-against average and .913 save percentage in his first 10 starts during Howard’s absence. Although he stumbled in his final start against Pittsburgh, Mrazek had already impressed the Detroit brass with his play.

“Mrazek just wins games,” Red Wings coach Mike Babcock said. “In the end, that’s what matters – winning games.”

His first start replacing Howard came on the same night that the Buffalo Sabres retired Hasek’s number. It was especially fitting since Mrazek was matched against Michal Neuvirth, another member of the next wave of Czech goaltenders.

26 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

“Hasek and (Jaromir) Jagr were heroes for every kid who played hockey in our country,” Mrazek said. “Dom was the inspiration for a generation of young goalies. His style was different, but it was his focus, his confidence and how he won games that I’ll remember.”

Mrazek called it “a special night,” not only because he ended up with the game puck after stopping 25 shots to outduel Neuvirth for a 3-1 Red Wings victory, but also because he stepped onto the ice to shake Hasek’s hand during the pregame ceremony.

“Babs said I should go and shake his hand. He thought it was a nice opportunity for me to say something,” Mrazek recalled. “I thought it was a great idea. It was nice to meet the legend.”

Mrazek would be the first to admit that he didn’t play his best during his time as a standin for Howard. He allowed 13 goals during one three-game span in late January.

“You always feel that you could play better,” he said. “But it was a great stretch for me. I think it helps me for next year. Detroit now knows I can be an NHL goaltender and be there with Howie.

His 13-5-1 record in the NHL this season might have been good enough to keep him in Detroit, but the Red Wings sent him back to Grand Rapids after Howard and Gustavsson

returned to health, simply because they wanted him to keep playing.

“I had a great three months in the NHL,” Mrazek said. “Of course, I had hoped it would be longer. I wanted to stay for the rest of the season, but that’s how it is. It’s just the business.”

Back in Grand Rapids, Mrazek didn’t miss a beat.

From the time of his reassignment to the Griffins on Feb. 17 until his recall to Detroit on March 9, Mrazek did not suffer a regulation loss, going 6-0-1 in the AHL with a 1.13 GAA, .927 save percentage and three shutouts.

Mrazek was named the CCM/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending March 1 after earning three consecutive road victories, including two shutouts.

“I just want to win games. It doesn’t matter if it’s here or in Detroit,” Mrazek said, shortly before being recalled by the Red Wings on March 9 for the fourth time this season.

“You want go home happy, feeling good about yourself.”

Although he would like every game to be a shutout, he knows it’s inevitable that he is going to allow goals. “A friend of mine said, ‘If guys didn’t make mistakes, there wouldn’t be any goals.’ If you let in a goal and you’re still thinking about it, that’s wrong.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s a nice goal or a bad

goal, it’s just a goal. You don’t think about it, you just try to save the next one because it doesn’t matter if the score is 5-4 or 6-5 if you win the game, that’s what it’s all about.

The next week nobody will ask you how you played, they just want to know if you won the game. That’s the one thing I care about.”

Mrazek knows he still has much to learn.

“It’s all about practice,” he said, noting that he listens to everybody from Babcock and Blashill to goaltending coaches Jim Bedard (Red Wings) and Jeff Salajko (Griffins) to Petr Bolek, his mentor in the Czech Republic.

He still talks frequently with Tom Dempsey, who was his goaltending coach in junior hockey with the Ottawa 67’s. “I like to stay in touch with him because it’s good to see what he thinks too,” Mrazek said. “He’s one of the reasons I came (to North America). He helped make me into the goalie I am.”

So many different voices might disrupt the development of lesser talents, but Mrazek has learned to implicitly integrate all the instruction into his daily routine. “You listen and what you like, you put into practice,” he said. I’m lucky to have had all the good coaches that I’ve had.”

Mrazek feels he is still developing his personal style. One thing is for certain: he likes to play the puck. “It’s nice to be able to help the

Mrazek represented the Czech Republic at the 2012 IIHF World Championship and World Junior Championship.

28 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

defense,” he said. “If I can pass the puck and help them move it up the ice faster, we’ll spend less time in our ‘D’ zone, which means less chances.”

He is also trying to stray less out of the crease. “I may not be as aggressive out of the net. I think I’ve settled down a little more,” he said. “It’s important that I’ve been able to find a position that allows me to be aggressive and still stay in the crease.”

Whether he is in Grand Rapids or Detroit during the playoffs, Mrazek intends to do everything he can to give his teammates a chance to win.

“In the playoffs, you never know. It’s a 50-50 chance,” he said, noting that teams are usually evenly matched in both the NHL and AHL during the postseason. “Whoever plays harder and plays smarter will usually be the winner.”

And if he gets the opportunity to be in net during either the Stanley Cup or Calder Cup playoffs, he plans on following the same formula for success. “If there’s more pressure, I think I play better,” he said. “I try to put pressure on myself to win every game.”

Mrazek represented the Griffins at the 2013 AHL All-Star Classic.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

29

Story and photos

by Mark Newman

Griffins left wing Chris Bruton is a battler who is willing to fight with everything he has to win a championship.

30 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Making a career in hockey can be tough. When fighting, figuratively speaking, for ice time is a certainty and fighting toe-to-toe with your opponents becomes your calling card, life isn’t easy.

Chris Bruton loves it.

As a boy growing up in western Canada, Bruton embraced the sport of hockey from an early age. As he got older, he realized that he needed to add fisticuffs to his skillset, much to the chagrin of his mother.

“When I started playing pro hockey, I knew I had to find a role to make a living, and fighting kind of stuck with me,” Bruton said.

“My mom came to one of my first pro games in Abbotsford and during my first shift, I squared off. She got up and walked away. That was it.

She hasn’t watched a game since.”

Bruton has always been a little fearless and

has an adventurous side that came with growing up as the middle child in an active family of three boys born to Ed, a corporate attorney, and Catherine, a flight attendant for Air Canada.

“They’ve been there every step of the way,” said Bruton, who speaks of his parents in glowing terms.

“They understood my love of the game and they never pressured us in anything.

They completely supported us, whether it was the 6 a.m. practices or driving eight hours to watch me play in Spokane in juniors.”

Bruton played four years for the Spokane Chiefs in the Western Hockey League, including 2007-08 when he captained the team to the Memorial Cup and infamously dropped the cup during the post-game presentation when the trophy broke from its base. “When I look back now, I can laugh about it,” he said. “It’s something special to be remembered forever.”

“I’m still extremely competitive, so I want to play every game, contribute and be a piece of the puzzle.”

Bruton signed a contract with the Griffins in November after starting this season on a professional tryout.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

31

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Indeed, his final year in junior hockey is something he’ll never forget.

“That’s what all the blood, sweat and tears – all the hard work – is all about,” Bruton said. “There’s no other job where you can get that kind of gratification. When it all comes together, it’s the greatest feeling in the world. It was a special moment.”

Bruton had his best offensive numbers, totaling 26 goals and 37 assists for 63 points in 67 games, but remained ignored in the NHL Entry Draft. Disheartened, he enrolled at Acadia University in Nova Scotia.

“I was at the pinnacle of my career to that point, playing my best hockey, and to have to take a step back like that, it was kind of tough,” he said. “But my parents were big on getting an education and I respect them very much. I knew their advice was worthy.

“Even though I wasn’t where I felt like I needed to be, I gutted it out and earned my degree in three years. Now I’m very grateful that I have it.”

After school, Bruton got his first taste of pro hockey with the Alaska Aces in the ECHL, where he quickly established himself as a

battler. Twenty-seven games into the 2011-12 season, he was called up to the AHL by the Peoria Rivermen.

“I had two fights in one game and right after the game, Peoria signed me for the rest of the year,” Bruton said. “I put two and two together and realized it was a part of my game that I had to keep going.”

Bruton played the entire 2012-13 season in Peoria, racking up 134 penalty minutes in 69 games, before the New York Islanders signed him to his first NHL contract.

“Getting an NHL contract was a dream and something that I had been working toward forever,” Bruton said. “I went to camp with the Islanders and even got into three NHL exhibition games.”

When you’ve waited your whole life to play in the NHL, an exhibition game is almost as good as the real thing, so Bruton savored his opportunity, which included making his debut in front of family and friends in his hometown of Calgary.

Eventually, he was assigned to the Islanders’ farm team in Bridgeport, where he opened last season as captain of the Sound Tigers. Four

Bruton earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Acadia University in Nova Scotia, finishing college in three years.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

33

games into the season, he blocked a shot and ended up severely injuring his hand.

“I just kept playing, didn’t tell anyone,” Bruton said. “Eventually, they found out that my fifth metacarpal was completely shattered, which meant I had to get pins put in. It was a mess.”

Bruton ended up returning to action too soon. “I could barely move my hand, but I wanted to make up for things,” he said. “I came back way too early and started fighting when I wasn’t fully confident of my hand. I ended up getting a concussion, which cost me more of the season.”

He ultimately appeared in just 41 games and was only partially effective in about half of those.

“I had a tough year both with injuries and mentally. I was just so disappointed because it was supposed to be my breakout year,” Bruton said. “My dad suggested that I get away, so I went to Australia for a month at the end of last season.”

Bruton spent a week in Sydney, then a week in Melbourne, before heading to Byron Bay, Brisbane and Noosa. “I rented a car and did all these surfing villages,” he said. “I loved it. It was awesome, and I came back refreshed.”

He felt recharged after a psychologically draining season.

“I felt hungry again,” he said. “I felt like I could get back to the level where I had been.

I worked really hard all summer between a full-time job and working out. I was supposed to leave for Utica on a Saturday and on the Friday before, I got the call to go to Grand Rapids.”

Bruton was signed to a professional tryout in early October, then signed a standard player’s contract a month later.

“The reason we signed him is because he’s a high character guy who cares about winning first and he’s proven that every day,” said Griffins coach Jeff Blashill. “It’s hard to quantify the leadership that a guy like Bruts brings.”

Of course, being a depth player on a young, talented team like the Griffins means that Bruton has had to sit out some games as a healthy scratch, a fact of life that he has come to accept.

“I’ve probably been scratched the most and played the least, but I can honestly say that

34 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Bruton was captain of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers last season.

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Blash does an unbelievable job,” Bruton said.

“He’s been honest and fair, and has an open door policy. He creates an atmosphere where you are motivated to play.”

He admits that it’s never easy to sit in the stands.

“If you win or lose, you want to be sweating next to the guys, not just sitting in a suit in the stands,” he said. “I’m still extremely competitive, so I want to play every game, contribute and be a piece of the puzzle. Sitting out can be tough to handle. I may sit out for two or three weeks without playing a game.

“When you come back, it’s a matter of playing your role. You need to know what you’re going to do. For me, it’s getting pucks deep in the zone, being physical and making smart plays. It’s being a trustworthy player who knows his role.

“Being a great teammate means you’re good at handling all types of situations. If you do sit out a game, it’s important that you keep a great attitude. You work just as hard, if not harder, to get back into the lineup.”

Bruton loves everything about Grand

36 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

Rapids. “It’s probably one of the best places to be playing,” he said. “I love the city, the organization is fantastic, and the guys are probably the best group that I’ve been around.

“We’ve got a competitive group, guys who want to win, guys who are real gamers. I came here to stick things out so I can be a part of a championship team. We have such a talented group with great depth in defense and goaltending, that I really think we have a chance.”

Having won the Memorial Cup in junior hockey, Bruton would like nothing better than to add a Calder Cup as a pro. A fitness enthusiast and triathlete who has hiked Mount Nelson in Alberta’s Jasper National Park with his family during the summer, Bruton looks forward to the opportunity to scale a hockey pinnacle again.

“Once you win a Cup, you realize it’s the feeling that you’ve been searching for. That’s why I’m here,” he said. “I might only get to play five more games this year and be scratched the rest of the way, but I just want to be on a team that has the chance to win a championship. I really feel like this is the organization to do it.”

Bruton won the Memorial Cup with the Spokane Chiefs in 2008.

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

41

Story and photos

by Mark Newman

MOTOR CITY

Defenseman Brian Lashoff would like to prove that he belongs back in the NHL.

MOTIVATION 42 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

It was precisely one game after the arrival of Lashoff that the Griffins began their record-setting string of games without a regulation loss.

Brian Lashoff didn’t expect to play in Grand Rapids this season.

After spending parts of five seasons with the Griffins, Lashoff figured he had put West Michigan in his rearview mirror. Having signed a three-year contract extension with the Detroit Red Wings in February 2013, he looked firmly ensconced in his position on the blueline in Hockeytown.

But the emergence of Red Wings prospects Xavier Ouellet and Alexey Marchenko this season pushed Lashoff down the depth chart and he found himself a healthy scratch more often than not.

Lashoff, who appeared in only three games with Detroit during December, had not played a game in more than a month when the Red Wings assigned him to Grand Rapids after putting him on waivers on Jan. 31.

What some might have viewed as a negative became a positive – for both Lashoff and the Griffins.

“At the end of the day, it became too long

between games – I need to play,” Lashoff said. “I can’t sit there and watch hockey forever. At 24, I’m still a young guy, so it’s important for me to play.”

The Griffins, for their part, were adding an experienced defenseman with 117 NHL games to his credit.

The move paid immediate dividends. It was precisely one game after the arrival of Lashoff that the Griffins began their record-setting string of games without a regulation loss. It is no small coincidence that the team’s second-half resurgence aligns with the return of the Albany, N.Y., native.

“Lash has done a great job,” said Griffins coach Jeff Blashill. “When he first got down here, he had to get his game going a little bit, but he’s been great ever since. He’s been an elite defenseman in this league at different times in his career, and we believe he’ll continue to be that.”

After spending the better part of the past three seasons in Detroit, Lashoff admits it seemed a little surreal to find himself back in the place where his pro career had started as an

Lashoff was one of only three Griffins players who played in all 76 games during 2011-12, his last full season in Grand Rapids.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

43

Lashoff was a member of the 2013 Calder Cup championship team, appearing in 18 games after being reassigned to Grand Rapids for the Griffins’ playoff run.

44 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

After being a healthy scratch the first four games last season, Lashoff played in 80 of the final 83 contests for the Red Wings.

18-year-old free agent.

“It was a little strange coming back here after being away for so long, but at the same time, I hadn’t played in a long time, so I needed to play,” Lashoff said. “It took me a couple of games before I felt like I had my groove back, where the little things in the game just become second nature – the kind of things you forget about when you’ve been sitting for a month. It’s been good to come back and play a lot of minutes.”

Lashoff had established himself as one of the top defensemen in Grand Rapids before he made his Red Wings debut on Jan. 21, 2013.

He scored his first NHL goal on his very first shot, a snap shot from the point that snuck past Columbus Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky.

That puck now sits in his old bedroom in his parents’ home, but the goal started an unexpected journey for the young defenseman who had gone undrafted out of junior hockey.

For a time, he was paired with Niklas

Kronwall, which meant that he was playing against the opposing teams’ top lines. He ended up playing 31 games during the lockout-shortened 2013 season.

“Kronwall is obviously a leader up there, and he helped me a lot during my first couple of weeks, helped me get adjusted,” Lashoff said.

“The league is different, the guys execute better. You begin to learn what you can do and what you can’t get away with. As you play more games, you definitely get more comfortable.”

After being a healthy scratch the first four games last season, Lashoff played in 80 of the final 83 contests for the Red Wings, including all five playoff games against the Boston Bruins.

“It was good to be able to go through the entire grind of a full NHL season,” Lashoff said. “Playing every night was a confidence builder for me. I started to feel really good. As a learning experience, it was definitely a fun year.”

Even so, he knew there were no guarantees

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

45

did his best to work hard “I’m a stay-at- He in practice, but not seeing any game action eventually began home defenseman to wear on him mentally.

Returning to Grand Rapids who can be solid in meant he would get the opportunity to play again. his own end, but I “When I came down here, I tried to remove the ego from the ” Lashoff said. “I just think I can chip in situation, wanted to play and have fun.”

Blashill quickly offered his more offensively.” support.

when he came into training camp last fall. As the seventh defenseman behind Kronwall, Jonathan Ericsson, Danny DeKeyser, Kyle Quincey, Brendan Smith and Jakub Kindl, he knew he might find himself sitting in the press box more often than he liked.

“I feel like I’ve been pretty good at coming in after not playing for a while and not really missing a beat,” Lashoff said. “At the beginning of the year in Detroit, I felt like I was playing well, but eventually it got to be a little too long between games.”

Although he wasn’t thrilled with his situation, Lashoff never complained. “The biggest thing is you want to be a good teammate,” he said. “You don’t want to look or act frustrated, because then you just become a distraction. I was able to get in a couple of games and the team was doing really well.”

Lashoff appeared in 11 games with the Red Wings before he really started riding the pine.

“I’ve talked a lot with Blash,” Lashoff said. “He’s done a good job of communicating what he expects from me. He’s been a good guy for me to listen to. He’s helped me take myself from a situation that could have frustrated me to one where I feel really good about how I’m playing.

“The best thing I can do for my situation is to play well and help the team win, and everything else will take care of itself. It’s simple, but it’s true. I want to help these guys win games and whatever happens, happens.”

Besides seeing plenty of minutes among the

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Griffins’ top defensive pairs, Lashoff also serves as one of the team’s top penalty killers, a skill that he developed in Grand Rapids and cultivated during his time in Detroit.

“When I turned pro, I wasn’t the type of player who was sent over the boards every time there was a penalty,” Lashoff said. “Now penalty killing is one of my strengths. Blocking shots is an underrated skill, but it’s something that I’ve learned to do.

Penalty killing can change the momentum in a game and it’s something I now enjoy.”

Lashoff feels there is still plenty he can do to improve his play.

“It’s all the little parts of the game – positioning, where to be on the ice to take away time and space from good players, how to break out the puck and get it into the forwards’ hands as quickly as possible, how to get more involved in the transition game,” he said. “I’m a stay-at-home defenseman who can be solid in his own end, but I think I can chip in more offensively.”

He feels fortunate to be enjoying top minutes on a team with a lot of talent. “Everything is great,” he said. “When you’re playing with great guys and the team is rolling, it makes everything easier. The best thing about hockey is winning,

Lashoff has appeared in 117 NHL games with the Red Wings over the past three seasons.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

47

so when you’re winning, it takes the stress out of the situation.”

Lashoff was a member of the 2013 Griffins team that brought the first-ever Calder Cup championship to Grand Rapids. He thinks this year’s team has many of the same ingredients.

“Blash keeps us accountable and pushing in the right direction,” he said. “A lot of things have to go right to win a championship. I think we learned that a couple of years ago.

But if you have the right mindset and you keep working to be good every single day, you put yourself in a good position to have success.”

In the meantime, Lashoff will do everything he can to keep improving and play his way back to the NHL. “I’m still only 24, so I’m motivated. I want to get back as soon as possible. When that will happen, I don’t know, but that’s not something I’m going to worry about,” he said.

“It wasn’t easy getting there, so it won’t be easy to get back. But I’m used to being a guy who has to prove himself every single day, and that doesn’t bother me at all. I’m feeling really good about my game again. I feel like I’ve got it where I want it.” on the first floor of CityFlatsHotel

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52 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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Bob Vezino Pete Wagenmaker Shelly Walters Jack Weigle Arnold Werkema Bruce Whetter Bill Wildey Stephen Williams Dorothy Wilson Steven Wilson Karl Wiltse Jean Wisinski Brandi Woltanski Zach Wolters Cliff Worden Robert Woudstra Steve Wright Tom Wurst Kim Ypma Robert Zaagman Laura Zamiski John Zombor Brent Zomerlei Christina Zuidersma Clear Channel Communications Allen Edwin Homes Alro Steel Corporation American Medical Response Amway

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Go West, Young Men

The AHL, which has never had a franchise in California, will now have five of them.

California is known for its seismic activity, and the hockey world was rocked recently when the AHL announced that five of its franchises would be moving there next fall for the 2015-16 season, the league’s 80th campaign: • The Anaheim Ducks will purchase the Norfolk Admirals franchise and move the organization to San Diego; • The Adirondack franchise owned by the Calgary Flames will relocate from Glens Falls, N.Y., to Stockton;

• The AHL franchise owned by the Edmonton Oilers will move from Oklahoma City to Bakersfield; • The Manchester, N.H., franchise owned by the Los Angeles Kings will head to Ontario, which is located halfway between Los Angeles and San Bernardino; • The AHL franchise owned by the San Jose Sharks will find its way to San Jose from Worcester, Mass.

“Relocating five teams is a complex process,

Five AHL teams will move to the west coast to create a new Pacific Division for the 2015-16 season.

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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The formation of a Pacific Division will allow the impacted teams to benefit from the close proximity of their operations.

and we are very excited to have brought this initiative to a successful outcome,” said AHL president and CEO David Andrews, who explained that the move was the culmination of three years of discussions between the league and westernbased NHL clubs.

Full division alignments and schedule formats will be determined by the AHL Board of Directors at a later date, but the move was seen as a major step forward to further align the NHL with the AHL as its top developmental league.

With the vast majority of the AHL franchises located east of the Mississippi, the westernbased NHL teams felt they were at a competitive disadvantage in terms of costs, travel time and opportunities for practice. The formation of a Pacific Division will allow the impacted teams to benefit from the close proximity of their operations.

“To use a favorite word of our recently retired Teemu Selanne, this is an unbelievable day for hockey,” said Ducks general manager Bob Murray, who added that his organization has

been pursuing such a move ever since Henry and Susan Samueli bought the NHL team in 2005.

Murray recalled how he and his then-boss Brian Burke, the team’s new GM, immediately concluded that having their AHL affiliate on the East Coast – at the time, Portland, Maine – was less than ideal. “We looked at each other (and said), ‘We’ve got to move our minor league team out here.’ So this is a dream come true.”

Hall of Famer and former Detroit Red Wing Luc Robitaille, president of business operations for the Los Angeles Kings, is equally excited about the move.

“This is a wonderful growth opportunity for the game of hockey in the western region, and it will have a tremendous impact for years to come,” said Robitaille, who played 14 of his 19 NHL seasons in L.A. San Jose Sharks chief operating officer John Tortora agreed. “The immense growth of the game of hockey in the state of California shows that hockey fans here love the game and they support it,” Tortora said. “Having our top

AHL president and CEO David Andrews drops the ceremonial puck before the NHL game between the San Jose Sharks and Anaheim Ducks on Jan. 29, 2015 at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.

60 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

prospects playing on the same coast as our National Hockey League team will greatly enhance our ability to monitor their development.”

Oilers president of hockey operations Kevin Lowe estimated that the relocation will lead to an extra 25 to 30 days of practice for the Bakersfield team, with four division foes now within driving distance. The Oklahoma City Barons have had to fly to most of their games, playing in the AHL’s isolated West Division with two teams in Texas, one in Iowa and one in North Carolina.

All agreed that the timing was right for the AHL’s rush to the Golden State.

“This couldn’t have happened 10 years ago, 15 years ago,” said NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly, noting the hockey landscape in California was not ready, even after Wayne Gretzky energized the area with his arrival in 1988.

But the success of the NHL teams in California – Anaheim won the Stanley Cup in 2007, the Kings took the top prize in 2012 and 2014 – coupled with the success of hockey at the ECHL

“They’re excited down there and we’re excited to be going there. This is a pretty good marriage.”

level, proved there was growing fan support for the minor league migration.

The teams involved “shared a vision of player development and overcame their differences,” Daly said. “They each had different interests for the good of player development for their franchises.

At times, I heard the commitment to do this, (but) I didn’t know if they could pull it together. They were able to present a united front and, as a result, we were able to get

this done.”

Despite intense on-ice rivalries, the teams managed to find ways to work together. “It’s pretty amazing,” Robitaille said. “This has been a true team effort by everyone to get the deal done.”

Even so, questions remain. Will the relocated teams travel to play outside the Pacific Division?

How many games will they play? The original proposal brought to the AHL board of governors last spring called for all of the California teams to play just themselves over a reduced schedule, but that seems unlikely, especially given Andrews’ insistence that the league’s 76-game regular season won’t be shortened.

The Oklahoma City Barons organization will move to Bakersfield, Calif., following this season.

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The coming realignment won’t eliminate logistical challenges for every team. The Vancouver Canucks have their affiliate in Utica, N.Y., and the Arizona Coyotes have theirs in Portland, Maine. Meanwhile, Colorado Avalanche prospects play for the Lake Erie Monsters (Cleveland).

Rochester Democrat & Chronicle hockey writer Kevin Oklobzija has speculated that Colorado will eventually abandon Cleveland for a western-based team. Arizona, he suggested, could move its team from Portland to San Antonio, while the Florida Panthers could move their prospects to Portland. The Columbus Blue Jackets, Oklobzija continued, would happily leave Springfield (Mass.) for the Cleveland market to promote an all-Ohio connection.

Of course, at this point, it’s all speculation, but it’s likely that there will be more moves to come. Nevertheless, the AHL is basking in the sunny thoughts of expanding its brand into new markets.

There hasn’t been high-level pro hockey in San Diego since the last incarnation of the

hometown Gulls folded in 2006 after it became part of the ECHL. Today, San Diego is the eighth largest city in the United States.

“San Diego was a really good hockey town a while ago and somewhere it got off the tracks,” Murray said. “It’s a good market. They’re excited down there and we’re excited to be going there. This is a pretty good marriage.”

Eighty-eight percent of current players at the NHL level have played in the AHL, which means that hockey fans in California – whether in Bakersfield, Ontario, San Diego, San Jose or Stockton – will be seeing an excellent brand of the sport.

“Fans will be able to see players one phone call away from the NHL,” he said. “They will be able to see a very, very high skill level, and it will be lot of fun for the fans who have the opportunity to see those games. It will be a great thing for hockey.”

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Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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

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

SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTIONS Follow the Griffins on social media for these promotion details, plus many more!

• Griffins Player Twitterviews • GRCC Guess the First Goal Scorer • Gardella’s Trivia Thursday • Great Clips, Great Shots Photo Contest • Huntington Bank Player of the Month

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• Marge’s Donut Den Sweetheart of the Game

RECORD BOOK AND LEADERS (Through March 19, 2015)

Games Played

2013-14:

Adam Almquist........................ 73

ALL-TIME: Travis Richards....................... 655 ACTIVE LEADER: Landon Ferraro (T14th).......... 262 SINGLE-SEASON: 5 players tied......................... *82

MITCH CALLAHAN

Goals Michel Picard............................158 Landon Ferraro (8th)...................71 Donald MacLean (2005-06)......*56 Teemu Pulkkinen........................31

JIRI HUDLER

Points

2013-14:

Teemu Pulkkinen..................... 59

ALL-TIME: Michel Picard......................... 380 ACTIVE LEADER: Landon Ferraro (16th)............ 133 SINGLE-SEASON: Michel Picard (1996-97)........ 101

Plus/Minus Travis Richards ..................... +131 Nathan Paetsch (7th).............. +49 Ivan Ciernik (2000-01)...........*+41 Mitch Callahan........................ +23

Goalie Games Played

Goals Against Average Martin Prusek..........................1.83 Petr Mrazek (5th).....................2.21 Martin Prusek (2001-02)........*1.83

2013-14: Tom McCollum......................... 46 Petr Mrazek..............................2.10

ALL-TIME: Joey MacDonald.................... 210 ACTIVE LEADER: Tom McCollum (T2nd)............ 186 SINGLE-SEASON: Joey MacDonald (2004-05).... *66

TOM McCOLLUM

ALL-TIME: ACTIVE LEADER: SINGLE-SEASON: 2013-14:

JOEY MACDONALD

Shutouts Joey MacDonald....................... 20 Petr Mrazek (5th)....................... 7 5 players tied............................. 6 Petr Mrazek................................ 3

Saves Joey MacDonald.....................5,362 Tom McCollum (3rd)...............4,533 Joey MacDonald (2004-05)....1,785 Tom McCollum.......................1,158

Assists Michel Picard.................................. 222 Nathan Paetsch (13th)...................... 81 Jiri Hudler (2005-06)........................ 60 Adam Almquist................................ 49

BRENNAN EVANS Penalty Minutes Darryl Bootland............................1,164 Brennan Evans (15th)..................... 317 Darryl Bootland (2005-06)............. 390 Brennan Evans................................ 111 Wins Joey MacDonald............................. 109 Tom McCollum (3rd)......................... 82 Joey MacDonald (2004-05).............. 34 Mike Fountain (2000-01).................*34 Tom McCollum.................................. 24

PETR MRAZEK Save Percentage Martin Prusek...............................0.930 Petr Mrazek (4th).........................0.920 Joey MacDonald (2003-04)..........0.936 Petr Mrazek..................................0.924

* Led League

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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

2014 AHL All-Star Alexey Marchenko Photo by Jeff Parsons/AHL

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

2011 AHL All-Star Ilari Filppula

Photo by JustSports Photography/AHL

GRIFFINS ALL-STARS 1996-97 1997-98 1998-99 1999-00

2000-01

2001-02

2002-03 2003-04

2004-05 2005-06

2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 2013-14

2013 AHL All-Star Petr Mrazek Jeff Nelson, Michel Picard, Pokey Reddick Photo by Alan Sullivan/AHL Ian Gordon, Kerry Huffman, Michel Picard Robert Petrovicky, Maxim Spiridonov John Gruden, Jani Hurme, Kevin Miller, Petr Schastlivy Mike Fountain, Joel Kwiatkowski, Travis Richards, Todd White, Bruce Cassidy (co-coach) Chris Bala, John Gruden, Kip Miller, Martin Prusek, Petr Schastlivy, Bruce Cassidy (head coach), Gene Reilly (asst. coach) Marc Lamothe, Mark Mowers Jiri Hudler, Niklas Kronwall, Travis Richards, Nathan Robinson Niklas Kronwall, Joey MacDonald Valtteri Filppula, Jiri Hudler, Donald MacLean Derek Meech, Kip Miller Jonathan Ericsson, Jimmy Howard Jakub Kindl, Daniel Larsson Patrick Rissmiller 2012 AHL All-Star Gustav Nyquist Ilari Filppula, Brendan Smith Photo by PhotoGraphics Photography/AHL Gustav Nyquist Chad Billins, Petr Mrazek, Gustav Nyquist Alexey Marchenko, Jeff Blashill (head coach)

2010 AHL All-Star Patrick Rissmiller

Photo by Sports Action Photography/AHL

2009 AHL All-Star Jakub Kindl

Photo by JustSports Photography/AHL

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Van Andel Arena 114

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101

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6 7

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74 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

22

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IT A

GRIFFINS IN THE NHL

LL STARTS HERE

Since their inception in 1996, the Griffins have sent 147 players to the National Hockey League, 15 of whom have gone on to win the Stanley Cup. In fact, a Griffins alumnus has had his name engraved on Lord Stanley’s chalice in five of the last seven years and in seven of the last 10 seasons.

In chronological order, here are the 20 goalies and 127 skaters who have worn an NHL sweater after playing for Grand Rapids, along with the dates of their NHL debuts/returns.

1................Pavol Demitra...............................................3/17/97 STL at PHX 2................Kevyn Adams............................................. 10/1/97 TOR vs. WSH 3................Tyler Moss....................................................10/28/97 CGY vs. PIT 4................Michel Picard........................................................1/6/98 STL at SJ 5................Jeff Nelson................................................ 10/10/98 NSH vs. FLA 6................Patrick Traverse........................................10/10/98 OTT at COL 7................Mark Greig.........................................................1/7/99 PHI vs. NYI 8................Radim Bicanek..............................................2/1/99 OTT at VAN 9................Robert Petrovicky...........................................2/15/99 TB at NYI 10.............Andrei Vasilyev.............................................3/5/99 PHX vs. DET 11.............Todd Hlushko...................................................4/25/99 PIT vs. NJ 12.............Patrick Lalime...............................................10/2/99 OTT at PHI 13.............Glen Metropolit.........................................10/2/99 WSH at FLA 14.............Kevin Miller.................................................10/31/99 OTT at ATL 15.............Karel Rachunek.........................................10/31/99 OTT at ATL 16.............Erich Goldmann....................................11/11/99 OTT vs. NSH

KEVYN ADAMS, 2006 CAROLINA

76 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

17.............Yves Sarault................................................... 11/20/99 OTT at NJ 18.............John Gruden.............................................11/30/99 OTT vs. CHI 19.............Mike Fountain................................................12/3/99 OTT at NJ 20.............Dave Van Drunen...................................12/13/99 OTT at TOR 21.............Petr Schastlivy..................................................1/3/00 OTT vs. NJ 22.............John Emmons..............................................1/6/00 OTT vs. PHX 23.............Slava Butsayev............................................1/28/00 OTT at BUF 24.............Aris Brimanis..................................................2/13/00 NYI at NYR 25.............Dieter Kochan...............................................3/28/00 TB vs. DAL 26.............Jani Hurme.........................................................4/9/00 OTT vs. TB 27.............Shane Hnidy................................................10/5/00 OTT at BOS 28.............Donald MacLean...................................10/14/00 TOR vs. OTT 29.............David Oliver................................................. 11/4/00 OTT vs. CBJ 30.............Jamie Rivers.............................................. 11/12/00 OTT at CAR 31.............Sean Gagnon............................................11/26/00 OTT at NYR 32.............Joel Bouchard..........................................11/29/00 PHX at COL 33.............Mike Crowley.............................................12/8/00 ANA at MIN 34.............Ivan Ciernik....................................................1/23/01 OTT at NYI 35.............Darren Rumble.................................................2/6/01 STL at COL 36.............Joel Kwiatkowski.......................................2/19/01 OTT at BUF 37.............Todd White....................................................2/19/01 OTT at BUF 38..........Chris Neil....................................... 10/3/01 OTT at TOR 39.............Toni Dahlman..............................................1/3/02 OTT vs. WSH 40.............Steve Martins...............................................1/11/02 OTT at FLA 41.............Kip Miller...............................................................1/17/02 NYI at SJ 42.............Jody Hull...............................................................2/4/02 OTT at TB 43.............Dmitry Afanasenkov.........................................2/6/02 TB at FLA 44.............Simon Lajeunesse............................................3/7/02 OTT at SJ 45.............Martin Prusek.............................................3/23/02 OTT vs. ATL 46.............Chris Bala.........................................................3/27/02 OTT at NYI 47.............Neil Little..........................................................3/28/02 PHI at CAR 48.............Josh Langfeld................................................3/30/02 OTT vs. TB 49.............Gaetan Royer....................................................4/1/02 TB vs. NYR 50..........Jason Spezza..............................10/24/02 OTT at BOS 51.............Sean Avery....................................................10/29/02 DET vs. SJ 52.............Jason Doig......................................................12/3/02 WSH at PIT 53.............Jason Williams............................................12/5/02 DET at PHX

NIKLAS KRONWALL, 2008 DETROIT

54.............Patrick Boileau........................................12/19/02 DET vs. DAL 55.............Stacy Roest.................................................2/20/03 DET vs. EDM 56.............Wade Brookbank................................... 10/9/03 NSH vs. ANA 57.............Julien Vauclair..........................................10/25/03 OTT at MTL 58..........Jiri Hudler.....................................10/29/03 DET vs. STL 59.............Curtis Joseph...........................................10/30/03 DET at NSH 60.............Darryl Bootland........................................11/8/03 DET vs. NSH 61.............Mark Mowers............................................11/19/03 DET vs. CBJ 62.............Nathan Robinson...................................11/28/03 DET vs. NYI 63.............Blake Sloan.......................................................12/4/03 DAL at LA 64..........Niklas Kronwall........................... 12/10/03 DET at BUF 65.............Ryan Barnes..............................................12/15/03 DET vs. FLA 66..........Chris Kelly........................................ 2/5/04 OTT vs. TOR 67.............Marc Lamothe...........................................2/23/04 DET at EDM 68.............Anders Myrvold........................................2/26/04 DET at CGY 69.............Mathieu Chouinard...................................2/29/04 LA at ANA 70.............Brett Lebda......................................................10/5/05 DET vs. STL 71.............Mark Eaton........................................................10/5/05 NSH vs. SJ 72.............Chris Osgood................................................10/29/05 DET at CHI 73..........Kyle Quincey.............................11/25/05 DET at ANA 74..........Jimmy Howard.............................11/28/05 DET at LA 75..........Valtteri Filppula............................12/15/05 DET at FLA 76.............Rob Collins.................................................12/17/05 NYI vs. COL 77.............Manny Legace................................................1/5/06 DET vs. STL 78.............David Gove..................................................1/31/06 CAR at MTL 79..........Tomas Kopecky.................................2/28/06 DET at SJ 80.............Alexandre Giroux.........................................3/25/06 NYR at TB 81.............Joey MacDonald..........................................10/19/06 DET at SJ 82.............Derek Meech...................................................12/7/06 DET vs. STL 83..........Matt Ellis......................................12/18/06 DET at CBJ 84.............Matt Hussey...................................................1/26/07 DET at STL 85.............Sheldon Brookbank........................................2/6/07 NSH at PIT 86.............Danny Syvret...........................................2/27/07 EDM vs. PHX 87.............Mark Hartigan............................................ 11/29/07 DET vs. TB 88.............Drew MacIntyre...........................................12/13/07 VAN at SJ 89.............Peter Vandermeer..................................2/10/08 PHX vs. NSH 90..........Jonathan Ericsson....................... 2/22/08 DET at CGY 91.............Garrett Stafford.......................................... 2/23/08 DET at VAN 92..........Darren Helm................................. 3/13/08 DET vs. DAL 93.............Mattias Ritola.............................................3/15/08 DET vs. NSH 94.............Clay Wilson....................................................3/25/08 CBJ at NSH 95.............Darren McCarty............................................3/28/08 DET vs. STL 96.............Krys Kolanos.....................................................11/4/08 MIN at SJ 97.............Landon Wilson......................................11/22/08 DAL vs. ANA 98.............Bryan Helmer........................................ 11/28/08 WSH vs. MTL 99.............Chris Chelios .............................................12/13/08 DET at PHX 100..........Aaron Downey.........................................1/29/09 DET vs. DAL 101........Justin Abdelkader...................... 1/31/09 DET at WSH 102..........Ville Leino.....................................................1/31/09 DET at WSH

103..........Aaron Gagnon.......................................10/16/09 DAL vs. BOS 104..........Scott Parse.....................................................10/24/09 LA at PHX 105..........Doug Janik..................................................11/3/09 DET vs. BOS 106...........Ryan Keller..................................................... 11/25/09 OTT at NJ 107........Jakub Kindl.................................12/3/09 DET vs. EDM 108..........Kris Newbury..........................................12/14/09 DET vs. PHX 109...........Darren Haydar............................................2/10/10 COL vs. ATL 110..........Andreas Lilja...................................................3/1/10 DET at COL 111...........Jeremy Williams.........................................10/24/10 NYR vs. NJ 112..........Jan Mursak.................................................12/27/10 DET at COL 113.......Chris Mueller............................12/28/10 NSH vs. DAL 114........Tomas Tatar................................12/31/10 DET vs. NYI 115..........Cory Emmerton.........................................1/22/11 DET vs. CHI 116...........Patrick Rissmiller.........................................2/23/11 ATL at BUF 117 ........Tom McCollum ............................3/30/11 DET vs. STL 118 .......Gustav Nyquist ..........................11/1/11 DET vs. MIN 119 ...........Fabian Brunnstrom........................................11/5/11 DET vs. ANA 120 ........Brendan Smith..............................11/17/11 DET at SJ 121.........Mark Cullen.................................11/29/11 FLA at CAR 122.......Chris Conner................................ 12/2/11 DET at BUF 123........Joakim Andersson....................12/27/11 DET vs. STL 124........Ty Conklin .....................................3/21/12 DET at NYR 125.......Riley Sheahan.................................4/7/12 DET vs. CHI 126........Brian Lashoff................................. 1/21/13 DET at CBJ 127..........Mike Knuble...................................................1/26/13 PHI at FLA 128..........Jamie Tardif..................................................... 2/2/13 BOS at TOR 129........Petr Mrazek .....................................2/7/13 DET at STL 130....... Jonas Gustavsson.......................2/19/13 DET at NSH 131.......Carlo Colaiacovo...........................4/1/13 DET vs. COL 132.......Danny DeKeyser.........................10/2/13 DET vs. BUF 133.......Luke Glendening.......................10/12/13 DET vs. PHI 134.......Xavier Ouellet...............................10/21/13 DET vs. SJ 135..........Adam Almquist .......................................11/4/13 DET at WPG 136..........Chad Billins...................................................11/5/13 CGY at MIN 137.......Patrick Eaves...............................12/14/13 DET vs. PIT 138.......Tomas Jurco.................................12/15/13 DET vs. TB 139.......Jordin Tootoo............................12/19/13 DET vs. CGY 140.......Alexey Marchenko.........................1/4/14 DET at DAL 141.......Teemu Pulkkinen .....................3/14/14 DET vs. EDM 142..........Landon Ferraro..........................................3/18/14 DET vs. TOR 143.......Calle Jarnkrok..............................3/21/14 NSH at CGY 144..........Mitch Callahan.............................................3/25/14 DET at CBJ 145..........Ryan Sproul...................................................4/13/14 DET at STL 146.......Andrej Nestrasil..........................10/9/14 DET vs. BOS 147.......Stephen Weiss..........................11/24/14 DET vs. OTT Bold = Has played in the NHL this season (as of March 19) Italics = Had name engraved on the Stanley Cup after playing for Grand Rapids.

All photos by Getty Images except Niklas Kronwall (Dave Reginek).

SHELDON BROOKBANK, 2013 CHICAGO

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

77

78 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

KIDS

PAGE

PEPPY NONFAT FOOLS (= PLAYOFF OPPONENTS)

Unscramble the goofy words to form the names of the 14 teams that the Griffins have faced during their postseason history, entering the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs. Good luck!

ANAGRAMS

1. A City Shook Abnormal 2. Bathing Lulls Mood 3. Worsening Aberrant Pluckiness 4. A Tax Stress 5. Baa Broods Theft 6. Amoeba’s Motion 7. Jackal’s Dumb Nerve Cell 8. A Reborn Salsa Drool 9. Cannily Conic Insect 10. Churn Causes Cry 11. Author’s Noose 12. Oriental Motors 13. A Kiwi’s Alarmed Mule 14. Coach Loves Wig

A City Shook Abnormal

Bathing Lulls Mood

A Tax Stress

Baa Broods Theft

Amoeba’s Motion

A Reborn Salsa Drool

Cannily Conic Insect

Churn Causes Cry

Author’s Noose

Oriental Motors

A Kiwi’s Alarmed Mule

Coach Loves Wig

TEAMS

ANSWERS 1. Oklahoma City Barons 2. Hamilton Bulldogs 3. Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Penguins 4. Texas Stars

5. Abbotsford Heat 6. Manitoba Moose 7. Cleveland Lumberjacks 8. Orlando Solar Bears 9. Cincinnati Cyclones

10. Syracuse Crunch 11. Houston Aeros 12. Toronto Marlies 13. Milwaukee Admirals 14. Chicago Wolves

Abbotsford Heat Chicago Wolves Cincinnati Cyclones Cleveland Lumberjacks Hamilton Bulldogs Houston Aeros Manitoba Moose Milwaukee Admirals Oklahoma City Barons Orlando Solar Bears Syracuse Crunch Texas Stars Toronto Marlies Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

79

PARTING SHOT

Finn’s ceaseless chirping prompts Griff to go top shelf and capture his cavorting cohort between the pipes during the annual mascot game at Van Andel Arena on Feb. 7, 2015.

Photo by Mark Newman 80 Grand Rapids GRIFFINS

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