GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Griffins hockey on Newsradio WOOD 106.9 FM & 1300 AM/ESPN 96.1 FM was honored by the Michigan Association of Broadcasters (MAB) during its 2017 Broadcast Excellence Awards, held Wednesday night in Lansing.

A montage of Bob Kaser’s calls from the Griffins’ “Journey to the Calder Cup” was awarded “Merit” in the Play-By-Play Sports category for Commercial Radio Market 2, which includes radio stations in Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Flint, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing and Tri-Cities. The award is based on the criteria of presentation and production values.

For Kaser, the Griffins’ vice president of community relations and broadcasting, this marks the ninth time in the last 17 years that his broadcasts have been recognized by the MAB. Griffins hockey on WOOD won “best” awards for 2016, 2015, 2012, 2006, 2003, 2002 and 2001, along with a “merit” award for 2004.

During home games at Van Andel Arena, Kaser is alternately joined by color commentators Larry Figurski, sports anchor for WOOD TV8, and Lou Rabaut, a Grand Rapids attorney and longtime youth hockey coach and advocate.

Kaser, who has become one of most revered and honored broadcasters in hockey during his 39 seasons behind the microphone, also called 14 NHL games for the Detroit Red Wings last season, handling play-by-play duties for 13 games on the Red Wings’ radio network along with one telecast on Fox Sports Detroit.

“For those who weren’t able to witness our incredible run to the 2017 Calder Cup championship in person, Bob’s play-by-play made them feel as if they had a front-row seat at Van Andel Arena,” said Griffins president Tim Gortsema. “We think that Bob is the best in the business, and the goosebumps you get when listening to his playoff highlights testify to that.”

Now in his 18th season as the Griffins’ play-by-play voice, the Kalamazoo native received the American Hockey League’s 2009-10 James H. Ellery Memorial Award for excellence in radio broadcasting. During his tenure as director of communications and broadcasting for the International Hockey League’s Kansas City Blades (1990-2000), Kaser was awarded the Bob Chase Award as IHL Broadcaster of the Year for both 1993-94 and 1997-98.