Griffins Welcome 10 from Detroit

September 30, 2002 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release

Grand Rapids, Mich. - The Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League on Monday added 10 players to their training camp roster on assignment from the Detroit Red Wings: forwards Nick Greenough, Tomas Kopecky, Mark Mowers, Michel Picard and Nathan Robinson; defensemen Ed Campbell, Danny Groulx and Travis Richards; and goaltenders Marc Lamothe and Joey MacDonald.

With Greenough and Richards on Griffins contracts, 14 Red Wings prospects have now been assigned to Grand Rapids, including forwards Bryan Adams, Ryan Barnes, Darryl Bootland, Matt Ellis and Tim Verbeek, and defenseman Paul Ballantyne.

Campbell, the ninth selection of the New York Rangers in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft, enters his seventh pro season. The 27-year-old spent the last two years as a captain for the AHL's Worcester IceCats, leading them to a regular season championship in 2000-01. Greenough (GREEN-oh), 21, made his pro debut last season with the ECHL's Mississippi Sea Wolves, totaling 15 points (6-9-15) and 224 penalty minutes in 42 games. He also enjoyed two-game stints in the AHL with the Manitoba Moose and Providence Bruins, going scoreless while collecting 16 penalty minutes.

Groulx (GROO), 21, finished his amateur career last season as the highest scoring defenseman in the history of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Named a First-Team All-Star and the league's best defender with 112 points (29-83-112) in 68 games, Groulx was also selected MVP of the Memorial Cup tournament.

Kopecky (koh-PEHTS-kee), 20, was named a Western Hockey League All-Star last season after posting 76 points (34-42-76) in 60 games with Lethbridge. Detroit's second pick in the 2000 draft, he appeared in three games with the AHL's Cincinnati Mighty Ducks over the last two seasons, contributing a goal and an assist.

Lamothe (luh-MAHT), 28, set career bests with 22 wins and a 2.38 goals against average for the AHL's Hamilton Bulldogs in 2001-02. The nine-year veteran and former Montreal draft choice led Hamilton to within one win of the Calder Cup finals with a 1.96 GAA during the playoffs, third-lowest in the league.

MacDonald, 22, posted a 2.88 GAA in 38 games as a rookie for the ECHL's Toledo Storm last season. He also appeared in one playoff game for AHL Cincinnati, making 46 saves in a 3-2 double-overtime loss to eventual champion Chicago in the qualifying round.

Mowers, 28, split time the last four seasons between the NHL's Nashville Predators and AHL's Milwaukee Admirals, totaling 18 points (5-13-18) in 85 NHL contests. Despite playing in just over half of the Admirals' games last season, he paced the team with 19 goals and finished second with 39 points.

Picard, 32, ranks as the Griffins' all-time leader with 109 goals, 133 assists, 242 points, 21 power play goals (tied) and 19 game-winning goals in 211 games. The 14-year veteran, who last played for Grand Rapids in 1999-00, led Germany's Mannheim squad with 52 points (24-28-52) in 60 outings last season.

Richards, 32, stands as Grand Rapids' all-time leader with 458 regular season games played and is the only player to have appeared in each of the franchise's 40 playoff contests. He totaled 29 points (6-23-29) in 72 games for the Griffins last season and owns the highest cumulative plus/minus rating (plus-91) in team history. Robinson, 20, led the Ontario Hockey League in scoring last season and placed third in goals, contributing 110 points (47-63-110) for Belleville. Over his final two junior seasons, he racked up 179 points (79-100-179) in only 133 regular season games, and added 30 points (14-16-30) in 21 playoff outings.

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American Hockey League Stories from September 30, 2002

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