September 16, 2014

by Alan Cross – griffinshockey.com
____________________________

It’s a period of transition for the Detroit Red Wings – veteran stars are leaving the organization as their careers come to a close. The days of Stanley Cup glory are in the rearview mirror and the dynasty-that-was is searching for its place in an evolving league.

The Red Wings franchise shares an eerie parallel to the city it calls home: a once-successful powerhouse experiencing regrowth after its former golden years. Still, much like the city, there’s something palpable happening underneath the surface of injuries and lost free agents – a sense that greater things are ahead.

The Grand Rapids Griffins play an ever-important role in the development of their parent club and now, perhaps more than ever, the door is wide open for Griffins to make a serious NHL impact and mold the future of the organization.

So what’s in store for the 2014-15 Griffins?

The main core of Grand Rapids’ veteran presence remains intact, as captain Jeff Hoggan and assistants Brennan Evans and Nathan Paetsch are set to return. The trio has led Grand Rapids to two highly-successful seasons, including the team’s first Calder Cup championship in 2013.

Fan favorite Jordin Tootoo is still searching for his spot after being bought out by the Red Wings organization. However, he’s slated to make an appearance at the New Jersey Devils’ training camp on a professional tryout.

Triston Grant (Milwaukee Admirals), Cory Emmerton (Sochi HC) and David McIntyre (SaiPa Lappeenranta) have all found spots elsewhere, but their voids will be filled by Michigan-grown talents Kevin Porter and Andy Miele.

Porter, a Northville, Mich. native, split the last two seasons between the Buffalo Sabres and the AHL’s Rochester Americans. An eight-year pro, he has played with numerous NHL clubs, including the Phoenix Coyotes, the Colorado Avalanche and the Sabres, for a total of 55 points (29-26—55) and 60 PIM in 206 career NHL games.

Prior to turning pro, Porter spent four seasons at the University of Michigan from 2004-08, earning 183 points (85-98—183) and 115 penalty minutes in 162 games. In his final season with the Wolverines, he earned the CCHA Player of the Year Award and the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey.

Last season, Miele tied for third overall among AHL scorers by posting 72 points (27-45—72) in 70 games with the Portland Pirates. Much like Porter, Miele walked away with the Hobey Baker Award in his senior year at Miami University in 2011. During his time with the RedHawks, he served under the charge of Blashill, who was an assistant coach during Miele’s freshman year. Miele is originally from Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.

Blashill has also brought in a handful of NCAA free agents, some of whom he has experience with in the past. Included in this batch are Tyler Barnes, Shane Berschbach, Kyle Bonis and Mark Zengerle, who was named the Big Ten Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in March.

Among the most-exciting new cogs in the Griffins machine this season could be Anthony Mantha, the renowned QMJHL offensive juggernaut. As one of the most highly-touted Red Wings prospects in recent history, Mantha paced the QMJHL in regular season scoring during 2013-14, compiling 57 goals and 63 assists for 120 points in 57 games with the Val d’or Foreurs.

He comes with a full resume, too. Last season, Mantha captured the Jean Béliveau Trophy as the top scorer in the QMJHL, earned the Michel Brière Memorial Trophy as the league’s Most Valuable Player and was named the CHL Player of the Year.

Mantha will have a chance to bypass the AHL by proving himself at both Detroit’s prospects tournament and training camp. While Hockeytown roster space is limited, an impeccable performance could put Mantha on the Red Wings bench or, at the very least, earn him an eventual NHL call-up at some point during the 2014-15 season. With Detroit’s emphasis on prolonged prospect development, Mantha will in all likelihood land himself an important role on the Griffins this season.

In addition to roster changes, there have been significant shifts in the Griffins’ coaching staff. Pat Ferschweiler and Dave Noel-Bernier join Blashill behind the bench this season after former assistant coaches Jim Paek and Spiros Anastas departed during the offseason.

Paek, who spent nine seasons with Grand Rapids from 2005-14, is now the director of hockey for the Korean Ice Hockey Association and head coach of the Korean Men’s National Team. Under his leadership, South Korea will attempt to earn its first-ever Olympic hockey berth and the right to compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics that will be held on its home turf in Pyeongchang.

Anastas accepted a head coaching position at the University of Lethbridge after spending two seasons with the Griffins as the team’s analytics and advanced scouting coach.

Ferschweiler, who replaces Paek, is a trusted colleague from Blashill’s past, as the two spent a season together at Western Michigan University in 2010-11. Blashill and Ferschweiler’s Broncos more than doubled their win total from the previous season and finished fourth in the CCHA with a conference record of 10-9-9. Their results earned the team its first bid to the CCHA championship game since 1996 after defeating the top-seeded Michigan, 5-2, in the CCHA semifinals.

Noel-Bernier, who has no prior experience with Blashill or the Griffins, has been a recent influential figure in Grand Rapids youth hockey. Since 2013, he has fulfilled the role of director of hockey for the Eagles Ice Center and the Grand Rapids Blades youth program in addition to serving as an assistant coach for the Grand Rapids Christian High School varsity team. He will continue to develop both the Blades and GRCHS while working for the Griffins.

2014-15 will also be a crucial season for many other returning Griffins figures. Mitch Callahan and Landon Ferraro will compete for full-time NHL positions; Martin Frk hopes to improve upon his rookie season after rigorous summer training; and either Xavier Ouellet or Ryan Sproul could see a long-term NHL promotion.

The season’s landscape will continue to be determined leading all the way up to opening night, but the many exciting scenarios at play all but guarantee an exciting season for fans of the Red Wings and Griffins alike.

September 16, 2014

by Alan Cross – griffinshockey.com
____________________________

It’s a period of transition for the Detroit Red Wings – veteran stars are leaving the organization as their careers come to a close. The days of Stanley Cup glory are in the rearview mirror and the dynasty-that-was is searching for its place in an evolving league.

The Red Wings franchise shares an eerie parallel to the city it calls home: a once-successful powerhouse experiencing regrowth after its former golden years. Still, much like the city, there’s something palpable happening underneath the surface of injuries and lost free agents – a sense that greater things are ahead.

The Grand Rapids Griffins play an ever-important role in the development of their parent club and now, perhaps more than ever, the door is wide open for Griffins to make a serious NHL impact and mold the future of the organization.

So what’s in store for the 2014-15 Griffins?

The main core of Grand Rapids’ veteran presence remains intact, as captain Jeff Hoggan and assistants Brennan Evans and Nathan Paetsch are set to return. The trio has led Grand Rapids to two highly-successful seasons, including the team’s first Calder Cup championship in 2013.

Fan favorite Jordin Tootoo is still searching for his spot after being bought out by the Red Wings organization. However, he’s slated to make an appearance at the New Jersey Devils’ training camp on a professional tryout.

Triston Grant (Milwaukee Admirals), Cory Emmerton (Sochi HC) and David McIntyre (SaiPa Lappeenranta) have all found spots elsewhere, but their voids will be filled by Michigan-grown talents Kevin Porter and Andy Miele.

Porter, a Northville, Mich. native, split the last two seasons between the Buffalo Sabres and the AHL’s Rochester Americans. An eight-year pro, he has played with numerous NHL clubs, including the Phoenix Coyotes, the Colorado Avalanche and the Sabres, for a total of 55 points (29-26—55) and 60 PIM in 206 career NHL games.

Prior to turning pro, Porter spent four seasons at the University of Michigan from 2004-08, earning 183 points (85-98—183) and 115 penalty minutes in 162 games. In his final season with the Wolverines, he earned the CCHA Player of the Year Award and the Hobey Baker Award as the top player in college hockey.

Last season, Miele tied for third overall among AHL scorers by posting 72 points (27-45—72) in 70 games with the Portland Pirates. Much like Porter, Miele walked away with the Hobey Baker Award in his senior year at Miami University in 2011. During his time with the RedHawks, he served under the charge of Blashill, who was an assistant coach during Miele’s freshman year. Miele is originally from Grosse Pointe Woods, Mich.

Blashill has also brought in a handful of NCAA free agents, some of whom he has experience with in the past. Included in this batch are Tyler Barnes, Shane Berschbach, Kyle Bonis and Mark Zengerle, who was named the Big Ten Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player in March.

Among the most-exciting new cogs in the Griffins machine this season could be Anthony Mantha, the renowned QMJHL offensive juggernaut. As one of the most highly-touted Red Wings prospects in recent history, Mantha paced the QMJHL in regular season scoring during 2013-14, compiling 57 goals and 63 assists for 120 points in 57 games with the Val d’or Foreurs.

He comes with a full resume, too. Last season, Mantha captured the Jean Béliveau Trophy as the top scorer in the QMJHL, earned the Michel Brière Memorial Trophy as the league’s Most Valuable Player and was named the CHL Player of the Year.

Mantha will have a chance to bypass the AHL by proving himself at both Detroit’s prospects tournament and training camp. While Hockeytown roster space is limited, an impeccable performance could put Mantha on the Red Wings bench or, at the very least, earn him an eventual NHL call-up at some point during the 2014-15 season. With Detroit’s emphasis on prolonged prospect development, Mantha will in all likelihood land himself an important role on the Griffins this season.

In addition to roster changes, there have been significant shifts in the Griffins’ coaching staff. Pat Ferschweiler and Dave Noel-Bernier join Blashill behind the bench this season after former assistant coaches Jim Paek and Spiros Anastas departed during the offseason.

Paek, who spent nine seasons with Grand Rapids from 2005-14, is now the director of hockey for the Korean Ice Hockey Association and head coach of the Korean Men’s National Team. Under his leadership, South Korea will attempt to earn its first-ever Olympic hockey berth and the right to compete in the 2018 Winter Olympics that will be held on its home turf in Pyeongchang.

Anastas accepted a head coaching position at the University of Lethbridge after spending two seasons with the Griffins as the team’s analytics and advanced scouting coach.

Ferschweiler, who replaces Paek, is a trusted colleague from Blashill’s past, as the two spent a season together at Western Michigan University in 2010-11. Blashill and Ferschweiler’s Broncos more than doubled their win total from the previous season and finished fourth in the CCHA with a conference record of 10-9-9. Their results earned the team its first bid to the CCHA championship game since 1996 after defeating the top-seeded Michigan, 5-2, in the CCHA semifinals.

Noel-Bernier, who has no prior experience with Blashill or the Griffins, has been a recent influential figure in Grand Rapids youth hockey. Since 2013, he has fulfilled the role of director of hockey for the Eagles Ice Center and the Grand Rapids Blades youth program in addition to serving as an assistant coach for the Grand Rapids Christian High School varsity team. He will continue to develop both the Blades and GRCHS while working for the Griffins.

2014-15 will also be a crucial season for many other returning Griffins figures. Mitch Callahan and Landon Ferraro will compete for full-time NHL positions; Martin Frk hopes to improve upon his rookie season after rigorous summer training; and either Xavier Ouellet or Ryan Sproul could see a long-term NHL promotion.

The season’s landscape will continue to be determined leading all the way up to opening night, but the many exciting scenarios at play all but guarantee an exciting season for fans of the Red Wings and Griffins alike.