McNamara Back for Eighth Griffins Season

July 16, 2003 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release

Since being hired as GM prior to the Griffins' inception in 1996, the 41-year-old McNamara has served as the architect of one of the premier teams in professional hockey. Under his watch, Grand Rapids has posted overall records of 306-194-68-2 (0.598) during the regular season and 30-25 (0.545) during the playoffs.

Over the last four seasons alone, the Griffins have won four division titles and three regular season conference crowns, while earning more wins (194) and points (425) than any other team at the Triple-A level. Much of this success has been due to affiliations that McNamara helped forge with the Detroit Red Wings (2002-07) and Ottawa Senators (1999-02).

"I've been fortunate each year to have been given the freedom and the resources by our ownership to put together teams that are entertaining for the fans and representative of our city," said McNamara. "I still believe that there is no better organization to be associated with outside of the NHL than the Griffins."

Named the International Hockey League's GM of the Year in 1997 and the Executive of the Year at the 2003 West Michigan Sports Awards, McNamara has displayed a particularly keen eye for coaching talent. Two head coaches he hired - Bruce Cassidy in 2000 and Guy Charron in 1998 - won coach of the year honors and moved on to the NHL following their second seasons in Grand Rapids, while Danton Cole led the Griffins to 48 regular season wins and a 10-5 playoff record in 2002-03, his first year behind an AHL bench.

McNamara came to the Griffins after a four-year stint in Cleveland, where he served as the IHL Lumberjacks' assistant GM and added to the experience he had gained as both a player and an assistant coach. McNamara even took a turn behind the Griffins' bench in 1997-98, guiding the team to a 8-6-6 mark and a playoff berth while serving as head coach during the regular season's final 20 games. A native of Toronto, McNamara earned an economics degree from the University of Notre Dame, where he spent four seasons as the starting goaltender for the Fighting Irish. Upon graduation in 1983, McNamara signed with the NHL's Buffalo Sabres and spent three seasons with their AHL affiliate in Rochester. He moved to the IHL in 1986, logging two seasons with the Milwaukee Admirals, the second as a player/assistant coach.

The McNamara name is well known in hockey circles, as Bob's father, Gerry, was GM of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs from 1982-87.

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American Hockey League Stories from July 16, 2003

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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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