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One-on-One with Mattias Ritola - Griffiti Magazine - Jan. 18, 2008

Third season as a Griffin…Fourth year pro…Signed to an amateur tryout by Grand Rapids, 3/27/07…Released, 4/12/07…Signed by Detroit, 6/1/07…Assigned by Detroit, 9/30/07…Recalled by Detroit, 3/15/08…Assigned by Detroit, 3/17/08…Recalled by Detroit, 4/13/08…Assigned by Detroit, 10/5/08…Assigned by Detroit, 9/27/09.

2008-09: Played 66 games for Grand Rapids, setting career highs with 15 goals, 27 assists and 42 points…Also placed among Griffins leaders with 15 power play assists (T3rd), three game-winning goals (T3rd) and 165 shots (3rd)…Tallied seven points (3-4—7) during a four-game point streak to begin the season, 10/11/08-10/25/08…Notched the first three-point (2-1—3) night of his pro career, 10/25/08 vs. Hamilton…Set career highs with a three-game goal streak (1/9/09-1/14/09), a four-game assist streak (10/11/08-10/25/08) and a six-game point streak (1/3/09-1/16/09)…Scored on one of six shootout attempts. 2007-08: Served as a “black ace” during the Detroit Red Wings’ run to the Stanley Cup championship…Made his NHL debut with Detroit, 3/15/08 vs. Nashville…Appeared in two games with the Wings and earned his first NHL point with an assist, 3/16/08 at Columbus…Made his Griffins/North American debut, 10/6/07 at Lake Erie…Placed second among Griffins rookies in scoring with 22 points (7-15—22) in 72 games played…Established his career highs of 72 AHL games played and 62 penalty minutes…Scored once in six shootout attempts. 2006-07: Practiced with Grand Rapids near the end of the season after coming over from Sweden and signing an amateur tryout, but he never appeared in a game. 2005-06: Made his debut in the Swedish Elite League at the age of 20 with Leksands…Represented Sweden at the World Junior Championship in Canada, producing four points (2-2—4) in six games. 2004-05: Won a bronze medal with Sweden at the World U18 Championship in the Czech Republic, ranking fifth on the team with four points (1-3—4) in seven games.

Personal: Lives in Borlange, Sweden…Best friends in hockey are teammates Dick Axelsson, Jakub Kindl and Justin Abdelkader…Greatest hockey memory is being a part of the Red Wings’ Stanley Cup champions in 2008…Hockey idol as a youth was Peter Forsberg…Greatest influence on his career were his parents…Plans to be a teacher after his playing career…Most exciting place he’s visited is Japan…Also speaks Swedish…Played soccer and floorball growing up…Once met actor Matt LeBlanc and Swedish soccer star Zlatan Ibrahimovi?…Favorite food is steak…Favorite music artists are Lars Winnerback and Stiko Per Larsson…Favorite movie is A Night at the Roxbury…Favorite TV show is Two and a Half Men…Favorite web site is youtube.com…Favorite author is Dan Brown…Favorite vacation spot is Greece…Roots for the Michigan Wolverines…Favorite sport to watch besides hockey is tennis…Enjoys tennis and playing guitar.