Griffins and Wolves to Renew Rivalry in Division Finals
Published on May 12, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release
Grand Rapids Griffins right wing Michael Brandsegg-Nygård (right) vs. the Chicago Wolves
(Grand Rapids Griffins, Credit: Nicolas Carrillo)
This Week's Games
GRIFFINS (3-1) vs. Chicago Wolves (3-2) // Thu., May 14 // Central Division Finals - Game 1 // 7 p.m. // Van Andel Arena
GRIFFINS vs. Chicago Wolves // Sat., May 16 // Central Division Finals - Game 2 // 7 p.m. // Van Andel Arena
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2025-26 Regular-Season Series: 6-3-0-1 Overall, 3-2-0-0 Home
All-Time Regular-Series: 110-94-2-8-6 Overall, 54-42-2-6-4 Home
All-Time Playoff Series: 14-15 Overall, 7-7 Home
NHL Affiliation: Carolina Hurricanes
Setting the Stage: The Griffins clinched their 20th playoff berth (28 postseasons) in 30 seasons with a franchise-best 51-16-4-1 record (.743) and 107 points, claiming first place in the Central Division, first in the Western Conference and second overall in the AHL. After defeating the fourth-seeded Manitoba Moose 3-1, Grand Rapids matches up against the second-seeded Chicago Wolves (36-21-8-7, 87 pts.), who took down the third-seeded Texas Stars 3-2 in the division semifinals. After missing the postseason in both 2023 and 2024, the Wolves return to the division finals for the first time since they won the cup in 2022. Grand Rapids finished the regular season series against Chicago with a 6-3-0-1 record, including 3-2-0-0 at Van Andel Arena and 3-1-0-1 at Allstate Arena. Six of the 10 meetings were decided by one goal and five of them were decided past regulation. The Griffins scored four or more goals in just two of the outings and finished the regular-season series with just a slim plus-two scoring margin (25-23). Chicago registered the lone shutout in the regular season between the two franchises, doing so in a 1-0 victory at Allstate Arena on March 15. Grand Rapids averaged 2.80 goals per game at Chicago and 2.20 goals against the Wolves at Van Andel Arena. Throughout their 30 years as rivals in both the AHL and IHL, the Griffins and Wolves have met in the playoffs six times, with Chicago winning on four occasions. Each time these teams have clashed in the postseason, the winning team has gone on to either win the cup (three times: GR 2017, CHI 2002 and 2000 IHL) or lose to the eventual champion (three times: GR 2003, CHI 2019 and 2004). Over their five previous AHL playoff meetings, the winner reached the Calder Cup Finals three times and won the cup twice. The Griffins and Wolves last met in the playoffs during the 2019 Central Division Semifinals, with Chicago claiming a 3-2 victory. The Griffins are 7-7 at home and 7-8 on the road against Chicago in the postseason. Grand Rapids possesses a 106-90 ledger in the postseason and 22-17 series record, which includes games in the IHL's Turner Cup Playoffs from 1996-01. The Griffins have an 8-7 mark in a best-of-five series. This is Chicago's 16th Calder Cup Playoff appearance in 23 seasons, as it has lifted three Calder Cups in 2022, 2008 and 2002. The Wolves are 110-84 in postseason games and have a 27-12 series record. The Wolves' power play, which ranked 24th in the AHL during the regular season (16.9%), went 3-for-30 (10.0%) against the Griffins. Chicago's penalty kill finished sixth (84.1%) in the AHL and went 32-for-38 against the Griffins (84.2%). Chicago ranked 15th in the AHL with 3.13 goals per game and tied for 10th with 3.03 goals allowed per contest. Grand Rapids placed second in goals per game with 3.54 and first in goals allowed with 2.21.
Championship-Caliber Team: With a 5-2 win at the Cleveland Monsters on March 26, the Griffins clinched a division title for the first time since 2014-15, when they won the Midwest, and claimed the Central Division crown for the first time since 2002-03. With three weeks remaining in the regular season, this marked the Griffins' second-earliest title in franchise history (2002-03 Central-March 9) and their eighth division title overall. Grand Rapids, which has now won six division titles as a member of the AHL, earned the Sam Pollock Trophy for the first time since 2005-06, when it was awarded to the champion of the North Division. With San Jose's 6-3 win over Colorado on April 3, the Griffins clinched the Western Conference regular-season title. This marked their third regular-season conference championship as members of the AHL (2005-06 & 2002-03) and the fifth in franchise history, including IHL Eastern Conference crowns in 2000-01 and 1999-00.
GR/MB Series Recap: After dropping Game 1 at Manitoba 1-0, the Griffins went on to win the next three and secured a 3-1 series victory. For the first time ever, they won a best-of-five playoff series in four games after losing Game 1, and they clinched a series on home ice for the first time since the 2017 Calder Cup Finals. Grand Rapids outscored the Moose 11-5, showing 2.75 goals per game while allowing 1.67 goals. The Griffins also outshot Manitoba 131-91 (32.8 vs. 22.8). Finally, the Griffins' power play finished 4-for-10 (40.0%) and the penalty kill went 8-for-9 (88.9%). Carter Mazur showed a team-best five points and four goals in four outings and John Leonard and Erik Gustafsson led the roster with three assists. In net, rookie Michal Postava logged a 3-1 mark with one shutout, a 1.25 GAA and a .945 save percentage. Grand Rapids' five total goals allowed against Manitoba tied a franchise record for fewest in a four-game series. Marc Lamothe allowed five to Chicago during the 2003 Western Conference Semifinals, a four-game sweep by the Griffins.
CHI/TEX Series Recap: Chicago's series with the Texas Stars went the full five games, with the Wolves winning the decisive Game 5, 6-1, at Allstate Arena. The Wolves split the two games in Texas before returning to Chicago and winning two of the three contests. Two of the five games were decided in overtime. Chicago outscored the Stars 17-13, showing 3.40 goals per game while allowing 2.60 goals. Chicago was outshot by Texas 147-130 (26.0 vs. 29.4). Finally, the Wolves' power play finished 3-for-18 (16.7%) and the penalty kill went 14-for-16 (87.5%). Ryan Suzuki showed a team-high six points and four goals in five outings and Bradly Nadeau led the roster with four assists. In net, Cayden Primeau went 3-2 with a 2.27 GAA and a .918 save percentage.
High Stakes: Throughout their 30 years as rivals in both the AHL and IHL, the Griffins and Wolves have met in the playoffs six times, with Chicago winning on four occasions. Each time these teams have clashed in the postseason, the winning team has gone on to either win the cup (three times) or lose to the eventual champion (three times). Over their five previous AHL playoff meetings, the winner reached the Calder Cup Finals three times and won the cup twice.
Last One Standing: The Griffins are the lone division champion remaining in the Calder Cup Playoffs, as they downed the Manitoba Moose 3-1 in the division semifinals. The Providence Bruins, who finished first in the AHL and Atlantic Division, were bounced by the Springfield Thunderbirds in the largest upset in AHL postseason history. The Thunderbirds finished 38 points below the Bruins in the regular season. The Toronto Marlies took care of the Laval Rocket, who were the top seed in the North Division, 3-2. Finally, the top team in the Pacific, the Ontario Reign, were downed 3-2 to the Coachella Valley Firebirds. In addition to three of the four No. 1 seeds being eliminated, only three of the four two-seeds remain in the Chicago Wolves (Central), Colorado Eagles (Pacific) and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Atlantic).
The Promised Land: On Feb. 27, the Griffins clinched their 20th playoff berth with a 4-1 Hershey Bears victory over the Rockford IceHogs and became the first team to clinch a spot in the postseason. Feb. 27 was the earliest clinching date in team history, surpassing the previous mark of March 6 during the 2003-04 season, and the earliest for an AHL team since 1992-93, when the Binghamton Rangers clinched on Feb. 24 with 24 games remaining. Grand Rapids returns to the Calder Cup Playoffs for the third consecutive season under head coach Dan Watson, after missing the previous two postseasons in 2022 and 2023. The Griffins held at least a share of first place in the Central Division for the entire season and led the entire AHL for much of the campaign.
Prior History: The Griffins and Wolves renew a rivalry that dates back to their IHL days in 1996-97. Both franchises joined the AHL in the same season in 2001-02. Since the 1996-97 IHL season, the teams have met a combined 220 times in the regular season, with the Griffins possessing a 110-94-2-8-6 record (.541). The Wolves are the second-most frequent opponent of the Griffins. Grand Rapids and Chicago have met six times in the postseason (AHL & IHL), with the Wolves claiming four of the six series victories. The Griffins and Wolves last met in the playoffs during the 2019 Central Division Semifinals, with Chicago claiming a 3-2 victory. Over their five previous AHL playoff meetings, the winner reached the Calder Cup Finals three times and won the cup twice. All time in the postseason, the Griffins are 7-7 at home and 7-8 on the road against Chicago.
From Friend to Foe: The Griffins and Wolves share a couple connections on championship-winning teams. Sebastian Cossa and Ronan Seeley won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2022 World Junior Championship. Trey Augustine and Charlie Cerrato won the US U15 Nationals Tier 1 league with Honeybaked U15 AAA in 2021. Wolves head coach Spiros Anastas was a Griffins assistant coach when they lifted the Calder Cup in 2013. Chicago's Givani Smith was the 46th overall pick by the Detroit Red Wings in 2016 and played parts of five seasons with Grand Rapids from 2016-23, totaling 52 points in 148 games. Smith also produced 14 points in 85 games with the Red Wings from 2019-23. Finally, William Lagesson suited up for the Wolves in 2022-23.
Scouting Chicago: The Wolves are led by Felix Unger Sorum who showed 66 points (17-49--66) in 72 games, leading the team in points, assists, games played and power-play assists (15). Unger Sorum ranks among the AHL leaders in points (T6th) and assists (T3rd). Bradly Nadeau, a 2025-26 AHL All-Star Classic participant, ranked first on the roster with 27 goals in 52 outings, in addition to pacing the team in power-play goals (7) and game-winners (5). On the defensive side of the ice, fellow all-star classic selection Domenick Fensore led all of Chicago's blueliners in the regular season with 35 points (10-25--35) in 60 games. Cayden Primeau and Amir Miftakhov split time in net for the Wolves. Primeau led the way with a 21-11-7 mark (wins T11th) with four shutouts (T3rd), a 2.41 GAA (T7th) and a .916 save percentage (T4th) in 39 games (T12th). Miftakhov logged a 12-8-7 ledger with two shutouts, a 3.25 GAA and an .888 save percentage in 28 games. Chicago's top rookie is Evan Vierling who posted 35 points (16-19-35) in 70 contests. In the 2026 postseason, Ryan Suzuki has led the Wolves with six points (4-2--6) and four goals in five games, while Nadeau has a team-high four assists in five outings. In net, Primeau has gone 3-2 in five playoff contests with a 2.27 GAA and a .918 save percentage. The Wolves' roster consists of four former first-round selections in Cal Foote (14th in 2017 TB), Juuso Valimaki (16th in 2017 CGY), Suzuki (28th in 2019 CAR) and Nadeau (30th in 2023 CAR). The Wolves' power play, which ranked 24th in the AHL during the regular season (16.9%), went 3-for-30 (10.0%) against the Griffins. Chicago's penalty kill finished sixth (84.1%) in the AHL and went 32-for-38 against the Griffins (84.2%). Chicago ranked 15th in the AHL with 3.13 goals per game and tied for 10th with 3.03 goals allowed per contest.
Images from this story
 Grand Rapids Griffins right wing Michael Brandsegg-Nygård (right) vs. the Chicago Wolves (Nicolas Carrillo) |
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