Twice as Nice: Kopecky Becomes First Griffins Alum to Win Two Stanley Cups
June 9, 2010 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Grand Rapids Griffins News Release
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - For the third straight year and the fifth time in the last six seasons, a former Grand Rapids Griffins player will have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup.
Right wing Tomas Kopecky, whose four-year tenure as a Griffin ended in 2006, earned the second Cup of his career thanks to the Chicago Blackhawks' 4-3 overtime win over Philadelphia in Game 6 on Wednesday. A member of the 2008 champion Detroit Red Wings, Kopecky made the Finals for the third straight season and now celebrates alongside Blackhawks equipment assistant Jim Heintzelman, who previously served as the Griffins' assistant equipment manager (2003-07) and visiting locker room attendant (1998-03).
Kopecky, who did not participate in either the 2009 or 2008 Finals due to injuries, contributed six points (4-2-6) in 17 playoff appearances. One of the most prolific scorers in Griffins franchise history, he still ranks among Grand Rapids' all-time leaders with 243 games played (9th), 63 goals (7th), 75 assists (T9th) and 138 points (8th).
Kopecky's triumph came at the expense of Flyers left wing and fellow Griffins alum Ville Leino, who set an NHL record for playoff points by a rookie and tied for sixth in the league with 21 points (7-14-21) in 19 games. Just last spring, Leino paced the Griffins with 13 points (3-10-13) during the 2009 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Thirteen Griffins alumni have now hoisted the most famous trophy in sports a total of 14 times. Mark Eaton became lucky alumnus no. 13 with Pittsburgh last June; Detroit's Valtteri Filppula, Darren Helm, Jiri Hudler, Kopecky, Niklas Kronwall, Brett Lebda, Darren McCarty, Derek Meech and Chris Osgood were added to the cup in 2008; Kevyn Adams won it with Carolina in 2006; and both Dmitry Afanasenkov and Darren Rumble captured the chalice with Tampa Bay in 2004.
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