Griffins Go Camping with Wings
Published on September 11, 2003 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release
Grand Rapids, Mich. - Nineteen players with Grand Rapids Griffins playing experience will be among more than five dozen Detroit Red Wings stars, prospects and invitees who will take to the ice on Friday, Sept. 12 for the start of Red Wings training camp at Centre ICE in Traverse City, Mich.
Right wing Kevin Miller and defenseman Jamie Rivers, both former Griffins and NHL veterans, signed with Detroit during the offseason. When the Red Wings' main camp opens at 9:45 a.m. tomorrow, they will be joined by 17 players from Grand Rapids' 2002-03 AHL Central Division championship team: goaltenders Marc Lamothe and Joey MacDonald; defensemen Paul Ballantyne, Danny Groulx, Travis Richards, Aaron Schneekloth and Dave Van Drunen; and forwards Ryan Barnes, Hugo Boisvert, Darryl Bootland, Derek King, Tomas Kopecky, Mark Mowers, Michel Picard, Nathan Robinson, Tim Skarperud and Jason Williams.
Griffins head coach Danton Cole and new assistant coach Greg Ireland will assist the Red Wings' coaching staff throughout the camp, which ends next Thursday, Sept. 18. Grand Rapids enters its second season as Detroit's primary affiliate, an agreement that will continue through at least the 2006-07 campaign. Players have been divided into four teams that will practice in two groups each day and play a round-robin tournament leading up to championship games on Tuesday, Sept. 16. Games are scheduled Friday through Monday at 9:45 and 10:45 a.m., concluding with Tuesday's Bronze Medal (4 p.m.) and Gold Medal (6:30 p.m.) contests.
Detroit's training camp roster will be pared down and split into two teams for an intrasquad game next Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., followed by a final practice on Thursday at 10 a.m. The Red Wings will then depart for Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids for that night's 2003 Red & White Game, presented by Chrysler Jeep dealers. Faceoff is at 7:30 p.m.
A limited public sale of 700 individual tickets to the Red & White Game sold out in just 10 minutes this morning, but fans may still obtain tickets through the purchase of a Griffins full or mini-season ticket package by calling (800) 2-HOCKEY. Fans may also visit griffinshockey.com before noon on Wednesday, Sept. 17 to register for a chance to win a pair of tickets and VIP reception passes to the game.
Three members of last year's Griffins squad - Bootland, Groulx and Robinson - participated in Detroit's six-day prospect camp and five-team tournament that concluded on Tuesday. Robinson led the Wings with five goals and seven points in four contests, while Bootland paced the team with four goals.
The Griffins will commence their eighth training camp on Sunday, Sept. 28, and will open the 2003-04 AHL regular season on Saturday, Oct. 11, when they visit the Chicago Wolves at 8 p.m. EDT. Grand Rapids' home opener versus the defending Calder Cup champion Houston Aeros is set for Saturday, Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m.
American Hockey League Stories from September 11, 2003
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