Griffins to Conclude 30th Regular Season
AHL Grand Rapids Griffins

Griffins to Conclude 30th Regular Season

Published on April 14, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release


This Week's Games

GRIFFINS (49-15-4-1) at Iowa Wild (26-34-6-3) // Wed., April 15 // 8 p.m. EDT // Casey's Center

Listen: WOOD 106.9 FM & 1300 AM at 7:45 p.m. EDT

Watch: AHLTV on FloHockey

Season Series: 6-1-0-0 Overall, 3-0-0-0 Away. Eighth of eight meetings overall, fourth of four at the Casey's Center

All-Time Series: 60-27-6-4 Overall, 31-15-1-1 Away

NHL Affiliation: Minnesota Wild

Noteworthy: Under Dan Watson, the Griffins are 17-4-1-1 (.783) against the Iowa Wild since the 2023-24 campaign with a plus-26 scoring margin.

GRIFFINS at Milwaukee Admirals (32-30-4-3) // Fri., April 17 // 8 p.m. EDT // Panther Arena

Listen: WOOD 106.9 FM & 1300 AM at 7:45 p.m. EDT

Watch: AHLTV on FloHockey

Season Series: 6-2-3-0 Overall, 3-1-1-0 Away. Twelve of 12 meetings overall, sixth of six at Panther Arena

All-Time Series: 123-89-7-12-8 Overall, 56-48-5-7-5 Away

NHL Affiliation: Nashville Predators

Noteworthy: Milwaukee is the only team to defeat the Griffins five times this year. Grand Rapids is on a three-game winless skid against the Admirals since March 14 (0-2-1-0).

GRIFFINS at Cleveland Monsters (35-26-6-3) // Sun., April 19 // 3 p.m. // Rocket Arena

Listen: WOOD 106.9 FM & 1300 AM at 2:45 p.m.

Watch: AHLTV on FloHockey

Season Series: 5-2-0-0 Overall, 2-1-0-0 Away. Eighth of eight meetings overall, fourth of four at Rocket Arena

All-Time Series: 83-43-9-14 Overall, 35-24-5-10 Away

NHL Affiliation: Columbus Blue Jackets

Noteworthy: In the last five seasons since 2021-22, the Griffins are 22-9-4-4 (.667) against the Monsters and have outscored them 120-104.

The Time is Now: On March 3, the Griffins claimed the Western Conference regular-season title, which 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. Grand Rapids also clinched the Central Division title on March 26, which marked their sixth division crown as a member of the AHL. It also marked the Griffins' first division title since 2014-15, when they won the Midwest, and the first Central Division title since 2002-03. The Griffins clinched a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs on Feb. 27, marking the earliest clinching date in franchise history (previously March 6) and the earliest for an AHL team since 1993, when the Binghamton Rangers clinched on Feb. 24 with 24 games remaining. The Griffins will return to the Calder Cup Playoffs for the third straight season under head coach Dan Watson. Watson, who has never missed the postseason as a pro head coach, has a 5-7 playoff record in the previous two seasons with Grand Rapids, which includes a trip to the 2024 division finals. Grand Rapids, which has won two Calder Cups (2017 and 2013), is 86-71 (.548) all time during the AHL's postseason. Grand Rapids is 38-11-4-1 against its division rivals, which are the most divisional wins since 2016-17 (40-20-1-3). The Griffins have the possibility of playing either Texas, Manitoba or Milwaukee in the Central Division Semifinals, as they will play the winner of the best-of-three first-round series between the fourth and fifth seeds.

Ups and Downs: The Griffins dropped both games last week with a minus-six margin (9-3) after rattling off a five-game win streak from March 26-April 4. In the five games in April, Grand Rapids has averaged 4.20 goals per game while allowing 2.80 goals. The Griffins have continued their historic campaign with a 49-15-4-1 ledger and 103 points through 69 games. Grand Rapids reached at least 100 points for the first time since 2016-17 and the 103 points are the fifth-most in franchise history. The Griffins also reached the 100-point mark (66 games) faster than any team in franchise history (previously 69 games in 2005-06). The team saw its franchise-record tying 15-game win streak from Nov. 22-Dec. 27 come to an end in overtime on Dec. 31, which also tied for the sixth-longest run in AHL history. In addition, the Griffins' 19-game point streak from Nov. 22-Jan. 7 (18-0-1-0) ended on Jan. 9, which tied for the longest run in franchise history. The Griffins are 25-6-1-1 on the road and 24-9-3-0 at home. The 17-game points streak on the road from Oct. 10-Jan. 23 (15-0-1-1) set a new AHL record, eclipsing the 2010-11 Milwaukee Admirals' 16-game run (10-0-4-2).

Rewrite the Record Book: With the historic season the Griffins have had, several players have joined the franchise's all-time single-season record book. John Leonard ranks among the single-season leaders in goals (32, T9th), shorthanded goals (5, T1st), game-winners (8, 5th), unassisted goals (4, T5th), shootout percentage (.750, T6th) and shooting percentage (.200, 5th). William Lagesson is tied for ninth in plus-minus (+30), Michael Brandsegg-Nygard is tied for fifth in game-winners (8), Amadeus Lombardi is tied for first in overtime goals (3), Dominik Shine is first in shooting percentage (.210), and Eduards Tralmaks is tied for second in shooting percentage (.207). In net, Sebastian Cossa is eighth in wins (26) and tied for seventh in shutouts (5). Fellow goaltender Michal Postava ranks first in GAA (1.78) and second in save percentage (.935). In addition, Leonard (32) is the Griffins' first 30-goal scorer since Eric Tangradi (31) in 2017-18, and his 32 goals are the most by a Griffin since 2014-15 (Teemu Pulkkinen 34). Leonard, Tralmaks (25), Sheldon Dries (23), Shine (21) and Brandsegg-Nygard (20) have all hit the 20-goal mark this season, which marks the first time since 2017-18 that Grand Rapids has at least five 20-goal scorers. Brandsegg-Nygard is also the 11th Griffins rookie to score 20 goals and the first since Jonatan Berggren (21) in 2021-22.

Record Watch: The Griffins have already set the best road record in franchise history with a .788 points percentage (25-6-1-1), beating out the previous record of .713 (26-9-3-2) set in 2002-03. Grand Rapids needs just one win in its final three road games to tie the team record of 26 victories from 2002-03, when it played 40 road contests instead of the current 36. The Griffins also need just one point over their final three games to finish with the best overall record in franchise history. The team is currently at .746 (49-15-4-1), and with one more point can finish no worse than .722, beating the previous record of .719 (55-20-1-4), set in 2005-06.

Welcome to Grand Rapids: Below is a list of players who have recently joined the Griffins following their European or collegiate seasons.

- Trey Augustine (from Michigan State (NCAA)): Made pro debut on April 10 against Chicago (L, 26 saves)

- Kienan Draper (from Michigan (NCAA)): Signed to an ATO by Grand Rapids in April 13

- Eddie Genborg (from Timra (Sweden)): Two points (1-1-2) in nine AHL games. Made AHL debut on March 20 at Rockford. First AHL goal on April 4 at Manitoba

- Anton Johansson (from Leksands (Sweden)): Three points (1-2-3) in five AHL games. First AHL goal on April 4 at Manitoba

- Dylan James (from North Dakota (NCAA)): Signed to an ATO by Grand Rapids on April 12

- Jesse Kiiskinen (from HPK (Finland)): Made AHL debut on April 11 against Rockford (one assist)

Record Setters: Below is a list of team and league records that the Griffins have either set or tied this season.

- Best record in AHL history through 25 games (23-1-0-1, 47 pts.), 30 games (27-1-1-1, 56 pts.), 40 games (32-5-2-1, 67 pts.) and 50 games (40-7-2-1, 83 pts.), while tying for the best start through 35 games (29-3-2-1, 61 pts.)

- Second-best record in AHL history through 55 games (42-9-3-1, 88 pts.)

- Tied second-best record in AHL history through 45 games (35-7-2-1, 73 pts.)

- Reached the 60-point mark in just 32 games, three games faster than any team in AHL history

- AHL record 17-game road points streak from Oct. 10-Jan. 23 (15-0-1-1)

- Tied franchise-record 15-game winning streak from Nov. 22-Dec. 27, which also tied for sixth-longest in AHL history

- Tied franchise-record 19-game points streak from Nov. 22-Jan. 7 (18-0-1-0)

- Franchise-record start with an 8-0 record and was the league's last undefeated team for first time since 2000-01 IHL season

- Started 6-0 at home for first time since 2009-10 (8-0)

- Franchise record for largest margin of victory (9) on Nov. 25 at Texas (10-1 W)

- Franchise record for fewest shots in a game (10) on Jan. 17 versus Milwaukee

- Earliest playoff clinching date in franchise history on Feb. 27 (previously March 6)

- Second-earliest division title in franchise history on March 26 (previously March 9)

- Fastest to 100 points in franchise history in game 66 (previously game 69 in 2005-06)

- Franchise record for most home wins (24) in a 36-game slate (previously 23 in 2023-24)

- Franchise record for most road points (52) in a 36-game slate (previously 42 in 2024-25)

- Franchise record for most road wins (25) in a 36-game slate (previously 20 in 2024-25)

- Franchise record for best road points percentage (.788) across all 30 seasons (previously .713 in 2002-03)

- Franchise record for most overall points (103) in a 72-game season (previously 86 in 2023-24)

- Franchise record for most overall wins (49) in a 72-game season (previously 37 in 2024-25 & 2023-24)

- Franchise record for best points percentage (.746) in a 72-game season (previously .597 in 2023-24)

AHL Leaderboard Tracker:

x Michael Brandsegg-Nygard-Tied for second in game-winners (8), fifth among rookies in goals (20), tied for 12th among rookies in assists (24), tied for seventh among rookies in points (44), sixth among rookies in plus-minus (+19), tied for fourth among rookies in power-play goals (7), tied for seventh among rookies in shots (139), first among rookies in game-winners (8)

Sebastian Cossa-Fifth in GAA (2.28), fourth in save percentage (.917), second in shutouts (5), second in wins (26), 12th in games played (38), 10th in minutes played (2261:50)

Erik Gustafsson-Tied for 11th among defensemen in assists (31)

Alex Kannok Leipert-Tied for 13th in shorthanded assists (2), tied for fifth among defensemen in shorthanded assists (2)

William Lagesson-Tied for fourth in plus-minus (+30), tied for second among defensemen in plus-minus (+30)

John Leonard-Tied for second in goals (32), tied for first in shorthanded goals (5), tied for second in game-winners (8)

Amadeus Lombardi-Tied for 11th in game-winners (5)

Eduards Tralmaks-Tied for 13th in plus-minus (+26)

Antti Tuomisto-Tied for 10th in plus-minus (+27), tied for sixth among defensemen in plus-minus (+27)

Austin Watson-Seventh in penalty minutes (146)

Check out the Grand Rapids Griffins Statistics

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American Hockey League Stories from April 14, 2026


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