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AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Griffins Set Sail on 2022-23 AHL Season

October 13, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


This Week's Games

GRIFFINS vs. San Diego Gulls // Fri., Oct. 14 // 7 p.m. // Van Andel Arena

GRIFFINS vs. San Diego Gulls // Sat., Oct. 15 // 7 p.m. // Van Andel Arena

Listen: WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 6:45 p.m.

Watch: AHLTV (Free view for opening weekend)

Season Series: First and second of four meetings overall, first and second of two at Van Andel Arena

All-Time Series: 4-2-0-0 Overall, 2-1-0-0 Home

NHL Affiliation: Anaheim Ducks

Noteworthy: The franchises will meet in West Michigan for the first time since Jan. 25, 2020 when San Diego came away with a 3-1 victory. Grand Rapids holds a 28-12-2-0-0 all-time record (0.690) against Anaheim's AHL affiliates.

27th Season of Hockey: The Grand Rapids Griffins begin the franchise's 27th overall season of play, 22nd as a member of the American Hockey League and 21st as the primary affiliate of the 11-time Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings on Friday evening when they host the San Diego Gulls. This year will mark just the ninth time since the 2004-05 campaign that Grand Rapids will open its season at home. The Griffins have competed in 1,989 games between the IHL and AHL and have amassed a 1,043-730-27-70-119 regular-season record (0.585), to go along with 17 playoff appearances, seven division titles and two Calder Cups (2017, 2013).

Take Me to Your Leader: Ben Simon is the first Griffins head coach to return for a fifth season, passing Curt Fraser (2008-12). Due to the shortened COVID-19 seasons from 2019-21, Simon enters this year 69 games behind Fraser in regular-season games coached, and is currently 31 regular-season wins behind Fraser (146 wins, 4th overall). Entering the 2022-23 season, Simon holds a 116-101-19-11 (0.530) regular-season record with the Griffins and a 2-3 (0.400) mark in the Calder Cup Playoffs.

Roster Breakdown: Nineteen players (forwards Pontus Andreasson, Jonatan Berggren, Kyle Criscuolo, Austin Czarnik, Cross Hanas, Taro Hirose, Matt Luff, Chase Pearson and Givani Smith; defensemen Simon Edvinsson, Albert Johansson, Steven Kampfer, Jared McIsaac, Wyatt Newpower, Donovan Sebrango and Eemil Viro; goaltenders Victor Brattstrom, Sebastian Cossa and Jussi Olkinuora) on the roster are under contract with the Red Wings, while nine players (forwards Trenton Bliss, Cedric Lacroix, Joel L'Esperance, Dominik Shine, Tyler Spezia, Kirill Tyutyayev and Drew Worrad; defenseman Brian Lashoff; goaltender John Lethemon) are playing on a Griffins contract. Twelve players are Red Wings draft picks (Berggren, Brattstrom, Cossa, Edvinsson, Hanas, Johansson, McIsaac, Pearson, Sebrango, Smith, Tyutyayev, and Viro). Click here to view a more in-depth roster breakdown.

Rookies: The Griffins have nine players who are considered rookies this season including forwards Pontus Andreasson, Trenton Bliss, Cross Hanas, Kirill Tyutyayev and Drew Worrad, defensemen Simon Edvinsson, Albert Johansson and Eemil Viro, and goaltender Sebastian Cossa.

Joined Forces: Joel L'Esperance signed a two-year deal with the Griffins this past offseason after being a menace to Grand Rapids for the past four seasons with the Texas Stars. In the past four campaigns against the Griffins, L'Esperance has amassed 18 points (11-7-18) and an even plus-minus rating in 21 games. His stat line against Grand Rapids becomes even more impressive if you take out L'Esperance's 2017-18 rookie season when he played just two games against the Griffins and totaled zero points. Throughout the last three years against the Griffins from 2018-22, the Brighton, Mich., native has accumulated 18 points (11-7-18) in just 19 appearances to go along with 10 penalty minutes and a plus-one rating.

How Swede It Is: The Detroit Red Wings have a rich tradition of possessing some of the top talent to come out of Sweden, such as Niklas Kronwall and Nicklas Lidstrom, and more recently Lucas Raymond. This year is no different, as the NHL franchise has sent down a handful of Swedes to the Griffins. In fact, five players hail from Sweden, including Pontus Andreasson, Jonatan Berggren, Victor Brattstrom, Simon Edvinsson and Albert Johansson. Grand Rapids also features one Russian, Kirill Tyutyayev, and two Finnish players in Jussi Olkinuora and Eemil Viro.

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American Hockey League Stories from October 13, 2022


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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