July 8, 2016

By Pete Wallner, MLive
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Jeff Hoggan, who served as captain of the Grand Rapids Griffins for four seasons and led the franchise to its only AHL title in 2013, has penned a letter of thanks to the city, fans and former teammates and staff with the team.

The 38-year-old veteran, who learned in June he would not be offered a contract, recently moved with his wife and three children from Grand Rapids and is living in Omaha, Nebraska.

Hoggan hopes to continue his AHL playing career if he can find the right fit.

Here is Hoggan's email, sent Friday to MLive, that he wanted shared:

"My time in Grand Rapids will always be remembered as some of the best of my career, both on and off the ice. My family and I were very fortunate to spend the last four years in the City of Grand Rapids and be part of a first-class organization.

We've built life-long relationships with teammates, coaches, people in the organization and the community of Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids is a place that when the wheels do finally fall off, we would consider returning to raise our family if an opportunity comes about. The sense of family, from ownership down to our hockey operations, is not common among organizations and will truly be missed.

I'm not a big social media guy, but my brother-in-law has shared posts from people that have taken the time share kind words of support and appreciation. (He's been giving me a hard time about why people like me so much ;] They are not just "fans" to me, they've become people I know on a more personal level.

One of the most fulfilling parts of this transition is the calls and texts of appreciation from people, especially former teammates like (Luke) Glendening and (Riley) Sheahan. I took a lot of pride and satisfaction in seeing the growth of my teammates and friends who've moved on to the next level. We share a bond no matter where the journey takes us, and I wish the organization, coaches and my teammates - both past and present - continued success."