GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The top-seeded Grand Rapids Griffins will continue their quest for a third Calder Cup championship by facing the second-seeded Chicago Wolves in the best-of-five Central Division Finals, with Game 1 set for Thursday, May 14 at 7 p.m. at Van Andel Arena. 

After hosting Game 2 on Saturday, May 16, the Griffins will travel to Allstate Arena for Game 3 on Tuesday, May 19 and, if necessary, Game 4 on Thursday, May 21. If needed, Game 5 would be back in Grand Rapids on Saturday, May 23.

The complete schedule is as follows:

* If necessary
All times Eastern and subject to change
All games on WOOD 106.9 FM & 1300 AM and AHLTV on FloHockey

Tickets for Games 1, 2 and 5 (if necessary) at Van Andel Arena are on sale now and can be purchased at The Zone, online through griffinshockey.com/tickets, or via the Griffins app for iPhone or Android.

The Griffins took down the fourth-seeded Manitoba Moose, 3-1, in the best-of-five Central Division Semifinals, while the Wolves defeated the third-seeded Texas Stars, 3-2, in their series.

Grand Rapids has advanced to the Central Division Finals for the second time in the last three years, while this is the first trip to the division finals for Chicago since it won the Calder Cup in 2022.

Throughout their 30 years as rivals in both the AHL and IHL, the Griffins and Wolves have met in the playoffs six times, with Chicago winning on four occasions. Each time these teams have clashed in the postseason, the winning team has gone on to either win the cup (three times: GR 2017, CHI 2002 and 2000 IHL) or lose to the eventual champion (three times: GR 2003, CHI 2019 and 2004). Over their five previous AHL playoff meetings, the winner reached the Calder Cup Finals three times and won the cup twice.

Fans who want to experience every Griffins game at Van Andel Arena during the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs can purchase a Griffins Playoff SuperPass. Enjoy the same great seat at significant savings plus the convenience of the “pay-as-we-play” method of payment. Click here to reserve your Griffins Playoff SuperPass or call (616) 774-4585 ext. 2.

Groups of 10 or more can receive special pricing to playoff games and receive an unforgettable experience. To book a group outing during the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs, click here or call (616) 774.4585 ext. 4. Playoff suites and other premium areas are also available.

Continuing a postseason tradition, the Griffins have extended their popular Friday promotion and are offering $2 beers and $2 hot dogs for all home playoff games from 6-8 p.m., while supplies last. In addition, fans will receive Griffins rally towels, compliments of J&H Family Stores. All Griffins postseason games can be heard on WOOD 106.7 FM & 1300 AM. 

Peppino’s Sports Grille in downtown Grand Rapids will continue to host watch parties for all Griffins road games during the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs. The first party of the division finals will be Tuesday, May 19 when the Griffins travel to Chicago for Game 3 against the Wolves, starting at 8 p.m. EDT at Allstate Arena. Griffins fans can enjoy $3.75 16 oz. and $5 22 oz. domestic beers, $3 fireball shots when the Griffins score, $1 off All-American burgers with kettle chips, and $6 one-topping 10-inch pizzas.

Grand Rapids finished the regular season series against Chicago with a 6-3-0-1 record, including 3-2-0-0 at Van Andel Arena and 3-1-0-1 at Allstate Arena. Six of the 10 meetings were decided by one goal and five of them were decided past regulation. The Griffins scored four or more goals in just two of the outings and finished the regular-season series with just a slim plus-two scoring margin (25-23). Chicago registered the lone shutout in the regular season between the two franchises, doing so in a 1-0 victory at Allstate Arena on March 15. Grand Rapids averaged 2.80 goals per game at Chicago and 2.20 goals against the Wolves at Van Andel Arena.

The Wolves’ power play, which ranked 24th in the AHL during the regular season (16.9%), went 3-for-30 (10.0%) against the Griffins. Chicago’s penalty kill finished sixth (84.1%) in the AHL and went 32-for-38 against the Griffins (84.2%). Chicago ranked 15th in the AHL with 3.13 goals per game and tied for 10th with 3.03 goals allowed per contest. Grand Rapids placed second in goals per game with 3.54 and first in goals allowed with 2.21.

Amadeus Lombardi led Grand Rapids against Chicago with seven points (3-4—7) in six games, while Justin Robidas (3-3—6 in 8 GP) and Felix Unger Sorum (1-5—6 in 10 GP) tied for the team lead the Wolves against the Griffins with six points. Sheldon Dries and Michael Brandsegg-Nygard both paced Grand Rapids with four goals against Chicago, and Robidas and Domenick Fensore both potted three goals. Lombardi, Tyler Angle, Erik Gustafsson and John Leonard posted a team-high four assists against the Wolves, while Unger Sorum led Chicago with five helpers. Leading each team in net were Michal Postava, who went 3-1-0 with a 1.11 GAA and a .956 SV% in six games, and Chicago’s Cayden Primeau, who showed a 2-1-1 mark with one shutout, a 1.48 GAA and a .948 SV% in four contests.

The Griffins and Wolves last met in the playoffs during the 2019 Central Division Semifinals, with Chicago claiming a 3-2 victory. In total, Chicago and Grand Rapids have met five times in the Calder Cup Playoffs, with the Griffins claiming two series victories (2017 CDF 4-1, 2003 WCS 4-0). This historic rivalry dates back to the International Hockey League (1996-2001), highlighted by the Wolves 4-2 series victory in the 2000 Turner Cup Finals. All time in the postseason, the Griffins are 7-7 at home and 7-8 on the road against Chicago. 

This is Grand Rapids’ 20th playoff berth in 30 seasons/28 postseasons (2020 and 2021 were canceled due to COVID-19), and it possesses a 106-90 ledger and 22-17 series record, which includes games in the IHL’s Turner Cup Playoffs from 1996-2001. The Griffins have an 8-7 mark in best-of-five series. This is Chicago’s 16th Calder Cup Playoff appearance in 23 seasons, and it has lifted three Calder Cups in 2022, 2008 and 2002. The Wolves are 110-84 in AHL postseason games and have a 27-12 series record. After missing the postseason in both 2023 and 2024, the Wolves return to the division finals for the first time since they won the cup in 2022.

Other storylines of the series include:

• Third-year head coach Dan Watson makes his third straight Calder Cup Playoffs appearance. He is the third head coach in franchise history to reach the postseason in each of his first three full years as head coach, joining Jeff Blashill (2012-15) and Todd Nelson (2015-18). Watson, who has never missed the postseason as a pro head coach, has an 8-8 playoff record in three seasons with Grand Rapids, which includes two trips to the division finals (2026, 2024). With the ECHL’s Toledo Walleye, Watson went 51-34 (.600) over five postseasons, reaching the Kelly Cup Finals twice (2019 and 2022) and leading Toledo to four Western Conference Finals berths (2017, 2019, 2022 and 2023);

   

• The two clubs have also met 220 times during the regular season, making Chicago the second-most frequent Griffins opponent. Grand Rapids has an all-time record of 110-94-2-8-6 against Chicago, which includes a 54-42-2-6-4 mark at home and a 56-52-0-2-2 ledger on the road;

   

• The Griffins and Wolves share a couple connections on championship-winning teams. Sebastian Cossa and Ronan Seeley won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2022 World Junior Championship. Trey Augustine and Charlie Cerrato won the US U15 Nationals Tier 1 league with Honeybaked U15 AAA in 2021;

   

• Wolves head coach Spiros Anastas was a Griffins assistant coach when they lifted the Calder Cup in 2013. Chicago’s Givani Smith was the 46th overall pick by the Detroit Red Wings in 2016 and played parts of five seasons with Grand Rapids from 2016-23, totaling 52 points in 148 games. Smith also produced 14 points in 85 games with the Red Wings from 2019-23;

   

• Three Griffins have spent time competing in the city of Chicago. William Lagesson suited up for the Wolves in 2022-23, while Erik Gustafsson  played for the Chicago Blackhawks from 2015-16, 17-20 and 21-22. Finally, Eduards Tralmaks became a USHL Clark Cup champion with the Chicago Steel in 2016-17; 

   

• Chicago’s roster consists of four former first-round draft picks. Defenseman Cal Foote (14th in 2017 TB) is the highest draft pick on the roster, followed by defenseman Juuso Valimaki (16th in 2017 CGY), center Ryan Suzuki (28th in 2019 CAR) and forward Bradly Nadeau (30th in 2023 CAR);

   

• Assistant coach Brian Lashoff (2013 and 2017 Grand Rapids) is the lone Griffin to hoist the Calder Cup, while John Leonard reached last year’s Calder Cup Finals with the Charlotte Checkers. Chicago’s Noel Gunler, Ryan Suzuki and goaltending coach Stan Dubicki won the 2022 Calder Cup with the Wolves. Wolves’ head coach Spiros Anastas won the cup as an assistant with the Griffins in 2013. In addition, Chicago’s current assistant general manager Bill Bentley won two Turner Cups (IHL 1998 & 2000) and three Calder Cups (2002, 2008, 2022) all with the Wolves. Finally, Cal Foote won the 2021 Stanley Cup with Tampa Bay but did not see any ice time during the postseason.

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins