GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The American Hockey League on Monday announced that Grand Rapids Griffins center Sheldon Dries has been selected as the Howies Hockey Tape/AHL Player of the Week for the period ending Dec. 21, 2025. 

Dries logged six points (2-4—6) and a plus-eight rating in three games last week to continue the Griffins’ best start to a season in the AHL’s 90-year history (25-1-0-1). Dries posted two-point outings in all three contests and began the slate with two assists in Grand Rapids’ come-from-behind 5-2 victory on Dec. 17 at Iowa. The 31-year-old followed that performance with a goal and an assist in Friday’s 6-2 win at Iowa before tallying the game-winner and another helper in yesterday’s 5-0 shutout over Cleveland.  

This marks Dries’ first-career AHL Player of the Week award, as he continues his ninth year as a professional. The Macomb, Michigan, native ranks third on the roster with 22 points (9-13—22) in 22 games, while also placing second in assists and fourth in goals. In addition, his career-high plus-15 rating is tied for sixth on the team and tied for 10th in the AHL. 

Dries, a former three-time captain at Western Michigan University, is in his second season with the Griffins, having totaled 62 points (34-28—62), 35 penalty minutes and a plus-16 rating in 87 regular-season games with Grand Rapids. Throughout parts of nine AHL campaigns with Grand Rapids, Abbotsford, Colorado and Texas, Dries has 266 points (147-119—266), 257 penalty minutes and a plus-42 rating in 361 regular-season games. The veteran also has 26 points (16-10—26) in 122 NHL games between Colorado and Vancouver. 

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins