This Week’s Games
GRIFFINS at Texas Stars // Fri., Oct. 5 // 8 p.m. EDT // H-E-B Center at Cedar Park
Listen: WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 7:35 p.m.
Watch: AHLTV (Free this weekend)
Season Series: First of eight meetings overall, first of four at the H-E-B Center
All-Time Series: 12-7-2-0 Road, 25-12-2-3 Overall
NHL Affiliation: Dallas Stars
Noteworthy: Texas lost in Game 7 of the Calder Cup Finals last June to the Toronto Marlies.

GRIFFINS at San Antonio Rampage // Sat., Oct. 6 // 8 p.m. EDT // AT&T Center
Listen: WOOD 106.9 FM/1300 AM at 7:35 p.m.
Watch: AHLTV (Free this weekend)
Season Series: First of eight meetings overall, first of four at the AT&T Center
All-Time Series: 22-14-0-2-1 Road, 44-26-1-5-2 Overall
NHL Affiliation: St. Louis Blues
Noteworthy: After getting swept in all four meetings during the 2015-16 season, the Griffins have won the last eight against San Antonio.

23rd Season of Hockey: The Grand Rapids Griffins begin the franchise’s 23rd overall season of play, 18th as a member of the American Hockey League and 17th as the primary affiliate of the 11-time Stanley Cup champion Detroit Red Wings. They’ll open the 2018-19 campaign on Friday night when they travel to the defending Western Conference champion Texas Stars. Grand Rapids has competed in 1,742 games between the International Hockey League and AHL and has amassed a 927-629-27-51-108 regular season record (0.586), to go along with 16 playoff appearances, seven division titles and two Calder Cups (2017, 2013).

Season Openers: The Griffins own a 13-6-2-1 record (0.659) all time in season openers and a 14-6-2-0 (0.682) mark in road openers. When the season opener comes on foreign ice, the Griffins own a 6-2-2-0 record (0.700). Grand Rapids has opened the season on Oct. 5 twice previously, in 1996 at Indianapolis (1-0 W) and in 2001 vs. Utah (0-3 L).

Simon Says: Ben Simon begins his first season as Grand Rapids’ head coach after being named the 11th head coach in franchise history on June 5. Simon spent the previous three seasons as an assistant with the Griffins under Todd Nelson, who was hired by the Dallas Stars as an assistant coach in May. During Simon’s three seasons as a Grand Rapids assistant, the Griffins posted the third-most regular season victories in the AHL and won the franchise’s second Calder Cup in 2017. Appearing in 21 games and scoring nine points (4-5—9) with the Griffins in 2006-07 as part of an 11-year professional playing career, Simon is the third former Griffins player to serve as Grand Rapids’ head coach, joining Nelson and Danton Cole (2002-05).

Assistant to Head: Ben Simon is the fourth former Griffins assistant to then become the head coach. The previous three, Danton Cole, Greg Ireland and Todd Nelson, all qualified for the postseason in their first full campaign. After serving as an assistant from 1999-2001, Cole led Grand Rapids to a 48-22-8-2 record and a first-place division finish as the head coach in 2002-03. Ireland served as an assistant from 2003-05 before helping the club to a franchise-record 55 victories and the league’s best record in 2005-06. Nelson assisted the Griffins in 2002-03 and guided the team to a fourth-place finish in the Central Division in 2015-16.

Head Coaching Debuts: Head coaches in their first game behind the Griffins’ bench show a 4-4-1-1 record. Curt Fraser (2008-12) owns the best start to a Griffins’ coaching career, beginning his tenure on a seven-game point streak (4-0-2-1).

Z To Make Pro Debut in GR: The sixth overall selection in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft by Detroit, Filip Zadina is expected to make his professional debut with the Griffins this weekend. Zadina will be the highest Red Wings draft pick ever to suit up for the Griffins. Only three players in Griffins history were drafted higher than No. 6: Jason Spezza (No. 2 by Ottawa in 2001), Darrin Shannon (No. 4 by Pittsburgh in 1988) and Stephen Weiss (No. 4 by Florida in 2001).

Roster Turnover, I: With free agents Tom McCollum (Milwaukee Admirals) and Jared Coreau (Anaheim Ducks) joining different organizations in the offseason, the Griffins begin a season without their top two goaltenders (in terms of games played) from the previous season for only the third time in franchise history. The other instances came in 2002-03 during the club’s first affiliation year with Detroit, and in 1999-2000, the team’s first campaign affiliated with Ottawa.

Roster Turnover, II: The Griffins begin the season without three of their top four scorers from 2017-18. Matt Puempel, who scored 54 points in 57 games with Grand Rapids, is the lone returner out of Ben Street (Anaheim Ducks), Matt Lorito (New York Islanders) and Eric Tangradi (New Jersey Devils). The last time Grand Rapids started a season without three of its top four scorers from the previous campaign came at the beginning of the 2015-16 season, when only Andy Miele returned out of a group of Teemu Pulkkinen, Landon Ferraro and Kevin Porter.

Reinforcements, I: Grand Rapids bolsters its lineup with a trio of new veterans who have been league leaders or are coming off career highs in recent years. Chris Terry took home the John B. Sollenberger Trophy as the AHL’s leading scorer last season with a career-high 71 points points in 62 games with the Laval Rocket. Wade Megan won the Willie Marshall Award as the circuit’s top goal scorer in 2016-17 with 33 in 73 appearances with the Chicago Wolves. Carter Camper posted a career-best 61 points in 68 games between Cleveland and Tucson last season.

Reinforcements, II: The Griffins solidified the back end of their defense with a pair of free-agent newcomers in net, Harri Sateri and Patrik Rybar. Sateri placed third and sixth in the AHL last season in save percentage (0.927) and goals against average (2.30), respectively, while appearing in 29 games with Springfield. In his first NHL action last season with Florida, Sateri finished with a 4-4 record, a 2.92 GAA and a 0.911 save percentage in nine games. Rybar led the Czech Extraliga in both GAA (1.73) and shutouts (7), while ranking second in save percentage (0.932) in 36 games with Hradec Kralove last season. This season marks Rybar’s first in North America.

Puemped Up: Sixth-year pro Matt Puempel is set for his first full season in the Red Wings organization. Acquired last Oct. 21 via trade, Puempel produced 54 points (22-32—54) in 57 games with the Griffins last season as part of a career-high campaign of 57 points (23-34—57) in 62 contests.

Model Year: Re-signed to a two-year contract in June, 11th-year pro Matthew Ford returns for his third season with the Griffins. Ford is Grand Rapids’ active leader in goals scored with 36. He’s notched 18 power play goals in a Griffins uniform, including a team-high 12 in 2017-18 that tied for seventh most in franchise history in a single season.

Mitten Ties: Several newcomers to the Griffins have previous ties to the state:

• Jake Chelios played college hockey at Michigan State from 2010-14;
• Marcus Crawford played with the Saginaw Spirit in the OHL from 2014-18;
• Trevor Hamilton was born in Grosse Pointe Farms and appeared in 76 games with the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks from 2014-16;
• Chris Terry played with the Plymouth Whalers in the OHL from 2005-09.

Roster Breakdown: Thirteen players (forwards Axel Holmstrom, Wade Megan, David Pope, Matt Puempel, Givani Smith, Chris Terry, Dominic Turgeon and Filip Zadina; defensemen Jake Chelios, Dylan McIlrath and Vili Saarijarvi; goaltenders Patrik Rybar and Harri Sateri) on the roster are under contract with the Red Wings, while 10 players (forwards Colin Campbell, Carter Camper, Turner Elson, Matthew Ford, Dominik Shine and Trevor Yates; defensemen Marcus Crawford, Matt Finn, Trevor Hamilton and Mackenze Stewart) are playing with a Griffins contract.

Rookies: The Griffins have six players who are in their first full professional season including defensemen Marcus Crawford and Trevor Hamilton, and forwards David Pope, Givani Smith, Trevor Yates and Filip Zadina.

GRG → DRW: Eighteen former Griffins players begin the season on the Red Wings’ active roster, including: Justin Abdelkader, Andreas Athanasiou, Tyler Bertuzzi, Dennis Cholowski, Danny DeKeyser, Jonathan Ericsson, Martin Frk, Luke Glendening, Darren Helm, Joe Hicketts, Jimmy Howard, Filip Hronek, Nick Jensen, Niklas Kronwall, Dylan Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Gustav Nyquist and Libor Sulak.

Texas Notes: Former Griffins head coach Todd Nelson, who led Grand Rapids for the last three seasons and won the 2017 Calder Cup, was hired by Texas’ NHL affiliate in Dallas to be an assistant under first-year head coach Jim Montgomery…As part of the league’s realignment this summer, Texas and San Antonio joined the Central Division, while Cleveland moved to the Eastern Conference’s North Division…The Griffins and Stars, who lost to Toronto in Game 7 of the 2018 Calder Cup Finals, will match up eight times this season…Givani Smith, the 46th overall selection in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft by Detroit, is the younger brother of Gemel Smith, who has logged 63 career games with the Dallas Stars entering 2018-19 and skated in 186 contests with Texas from 2014-17…Grand Rapids has points in eight of the last 10 meetings at Texas (7-2-1-0)…Since the 2013-14 season, the Griffins are 15-5-1-1 in 22 games overall against the Stars.

San Antonio Notes: The Rampage begin their first season as the primary affiliate of the St. Louis Blues…After getting swept in all four meetings during the 2015-16 season, the Griffins have won the last eight overall against San Antonio and outscored the Rampage 41-15 in that span…Grand Rapids has points in seven of its last 10 at the AT&T Center (5-3-1-1)…Second-year Griffin Turner Elson spent the 2016-17 season with San Antonio and scored three points (1-2—3) while being limited to 13 games due to injury…First-year Griffin Wade Megan made his AHL debut with the Rampage on March 28, 2013 versus Grand Rapids and went on to total 31 points (20-11—31) in 115 games with San Antonio from 2012-15.

Father-Son Combo: Should Jake Chelios make his Griffins debut this weekend, he and his father, Chris, will become the first father and son to both play for Grand Rapids during their careers. As part of his 26-year Hall of Fame career from 1983-2010, Chris Chelios appeared in two games with Grand Rapids during the 2008-09 campaign.

Winning Ways: The Griffins have earned 40 or more wins, accumulated 90 or more points and qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs in each of the last six seasons. All are franchise records.

Sustained Success: Since the 2012-13 season, Grand Rapids ranks among the league’s top-5 in regular season wins, points and points percentage.

Familiar Faces in Different Places: A number of key contributors to last season’s 42-win, 93-point team and the 2017 Calder Cup campaign now find themselves with new clubs for the upcoming season.

• Ben Street: team-high 65 points last season, 2017 Calder Cup champion – signed a one-year contract with Anaheim on July 2;
• Jared Coreau: ranks fourth-all time in franchise history in goaltender victories, 2017 Calder Cup champion – signed a one-year contract with Anaheim on July 1;
• Matt Lorito: led team with 56 points in 2016-17, 2017 Calder Cup champion – signed a two-year contract with the New York Islanders on July 2;
• Eric Tangradi: posted a career-high 64 points in 2017-18, 2017 Calder Cup champion – signed a one-year contract with New Jersey on July 25;
• Robbie Russo: Named to the 2016 AHL All-Rookie and Second All-Star Teams, 2017 Calder Cup champion – traded to Arizona on June 24 for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft;
• Dan Renouf: Accounted for 29 points and 183 PIM in 146 games from 2015-18, 2017 Calder Cup champion – signed a one-year contract with Carolina on July 2;
• Tom McCollum: Franchise’s all-time goaltending leader in wins, games played, saves and minutes, 2013 Calder Cup champion – signed a one-year contract with Milwaukee on July 17.

New Teams on Schedule: While 58 of Grand Rapids’ 76 games this season will come against the Central Division, the Griffins’ schedule features their inaugural games against the Pacific Division’s Ontario Reign (two games) and the North Division’s Belleville Senators (four games). Grand Rapids hosts Ontario on Nov. 16 and makes the return trip to Southern California on April 3. The Griffins head to Canada for a pair of late October games with the Senators (Oct. 26-27), before welcoming Belleville to Van Andel Arena for a Friday-Saturday set on Jan. 11-12. The Cleveland Monsters, who moved to the Eastern Conference’s North Division as part of this summer’s realignment, remain on the schedule and the two teams will play four times. Atlantic Division foes Hershey and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton return on the schedule with two contests against each.

Notes on the Newcomers:

Matt Macdonald – assistant coach
Hired on July 2…Spent the last six seasons behind the bench for the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones, including the last four as head coach and director of hockey operations…Guided the Cyclones to a winning record during each of his four campaigns (2014-18) as the club’s head coach, totaling a 142-116-16-14 record (0.545) and two Kelly Cup Playoff appearances…In 2013-14, he served under Ben Simon as the Cyclones advanced to the Kelly Cup Finals and Simon became only the second head coach in ECHL history to reach the championship series in his initial season.

Brad Tapper – assistant coach
Hired on July 2…Guided the ECHL’s Adirondack Thunder to a 41-24-3-4 regular season record (0.618), a North Division title and an appearance in the Eastern Conference Finals during his first season as a professional head coach in 2017-18…Prior to joining Adirondack as head coach and director of hockey operations, Tapper spent the previous three seasons as an assistant in the AHL, serving the Chicago Wolves for two (2014-16) and the Rochester Americans for one (2016-17)…He has totaled a 105-105-11-7 record (0.500) as an AHL assistant and helped Chicago reach the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs…Tapper and Ben Simon were teammates for back-to-back championships, as the duo helped Orlando hoist the IHL’s Turner Cup in 2001 before winning the Calder Cup with Chicago in 2002…Tapper and Simon also skated together as members of Iserlohn in Germany during the 2008-09 campaign.

Forward Carter Camper
Acquired by the Griffins from Tucson, 6/25/18… Scored a career-high 61 points in 68 games in 2017-18 between Cleveland and Tucson…Led Hershey in postseason scoring while leading the club to the 2016 Calder Cup Finals…Tallied one goal in three career NHL games with Boston during the 2011-12 season.

Forward Wade Megan
Signed to a one-year contract by Detroit, 7/1/18…Florida’s 6th choice, 138th overall, in 2009 NHL Entry Draft…In 2016-17, named to the AHL First All-Star Team and won the Willie Marshall Award as the league’s leading goal scorer (33)…Totaled one goal in four NHL appearances with St. Louis…Helped Cincinnati reach the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals in 2014.

Forward David Pope
Detroit’s 5th choice, 109th overall, in 2013 NHL Entry Draft…Named to the NCHC First All-Star Team as a senior at Nebraska-Omaha in 2017-18…Tallied career highs in points (20-21—41), goals (20), assists (21) and games played (35) in 2017-18…Four-time NCHC Academic All-Conference Team selection.

Forward Givani Smith
Detroit’s 2nd choice, 46th overall, in 2016 NHL Entry Draft…Made his professional debut with the Griffins in 2016-17, appearing in three regular season games…Set OHL career highs with 44 points and 26 goals in 64 games with Guelph in 2016-17…Led the OHL in PIM in 2016-17 and 2015-16.

Forward Chris Terry
Signed to a two-year contract by Detroit, 7/1/18…Carolina’s 4th choice, 132nd overall, in 2007 NHL Entry Draft…Won the John B. Sollenberger Trophy as the AHL’s leading scorer with a career-high 71 points in 2017-18…Named to the 2017-18 AHL First All-Star Team…Selected to the 2016-17 AHL Second All-Star Team…Two-time selection to the AHL All-Star Game (2018, 2012)…Scored 60 or more points five times in his AHL career…Notched 30 or more goals three times in his AHL career…Tallied 38 points in 152 career NHL games between Carolina and Montreal.

Forward Trevor Yates
Signed to a one-year contract, 3/29/18…Posted collegiate career highs in points (26), goals (13) and assists (13) during his senior campaign at Cornell in 2017-18…Made his pro debut with the Griffins in 2017-18, skating in two games…Ranked fourth on Cornell in scoring in 2016-17.

Forward Filip Zadina
Detroit’s 1st choice, 6th overall, in 2018 NHL Entry Draft…In 2017-18, named to the QMJHL First All-Star Team and the All-Rookie Team and won the Mike Bossy Trophy as the league’s best professional prospect…Led all QMJHL rookies in points (82) and goals (44) and tied for tops in assists (38) in 2017-18…Represented the Czech Republic at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship and earned a spot on the WJC All-Star Team.

Defenseman Jake Chelios
Signed to a one-year contract by Detroit, 7/1/18…Picked up a career-high 32 points in 76 games with Charlotte in 2016-17…Named an All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in 2013-14 after leading Michigan State’s defensemen in scoring with 21 points…Son of Hockey Hall of Famer Chris Chelios.

Defenseman Marcus Crawford
Signed to a two-year contract, 4/3/18…Posted career highs in points (53), goals (13), assists (40), PIM (53) and games played (68) during his final junior campaign with Saginaw in 2017-18.

Defenseman Matt Finn
Signed to a professional tryout, 10/3/18…Toronto’s 2nd choice, 35th overall, in 2012 NHL Entry Draft…Appeared in 70 career AHL contests between Toronto, Bridgeport and Charlotte…Skated in 89 career ECHL games between Orlando, Missouri and Florida.

Defenseman Trevor Hamilton
Signed to a one-year contract, 3/29/18…Named the Big Ten’s Defensive Player of the Year and a First Team All-Big Ten selection in 2017-18 with Penn State…Made his professional debut with the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye in 2017-18…Named to the USHL Second All-Star Team in 2015-16…Father, Mike, is in his first season as head coach of the USHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks.

Defenseman Mackenze Stewart
Signed to a professional tryout, 9/29/18…Signed to a one-year contract with Toledo (ECHL), 9/5/18…Vancouver’s seventh choice, 186th overall, in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft…Logged six career AHL games, all with Utica in 2015-16 and 2017-18…Appeared in 132 career ECHL games between Kalamazoo (2015-16; 2017-18) and Alaska (2016-17).

Goaltender Patrik Rybar
Signed to a one-year entry-level contract by Detroit, 5/21/18…Led the Czech Extraliga in both GAA (1.73) and shutouts (7) in 2017-18…Represented Slovakia at the 2018 Winter Olympics and at the 2018 IIHF World Championship…Led the Slovakian Extraliga in save percentage (0.933) in 2015-16.

Goaltender Harri Sateri
Signed to a one-year contract by Detroit, 7/1/18…San Jose’s 3rd choice, 106th overall, in 2008 NHL Entry Draft…Ranked sixth in the AHL in GAA (2.30) and third in save percentage (0.927) in 2017-18 with Springfield…Made his NHL debut with Florida in 2017-18, showing a 4-4-0 record, a 2.92 GAA and a 0.911 save percentage in nine games…Represented Finland at the 2018 and 2017 IIHF World Championships, 2009 and 2008 World Junior Championships, and 2007 U18 World Junior Championship.

Photos by Sam Iannamico