Like rogue fries hiding in the bottom of the bag, here are a few tasty morsels that were just too good to let go to waste.


The AHL's westward expansion, spearheaded by the Griffins and five other teams in 2001 and followed by Edmonton this season, will gain even more momentum next year. In addition to the Iowa Stars, who've been preparing for their Des Moines debut since last summer, the league will welcome the Peoria Rivermen as the top affiliate of the St. Louis Blues. It will mark the third league in 11 seasons for the Rivermen, who've played in the ECHL since 1996 after starting as members of the IHL in 1984.


Be sure to visit griffinshockey.com often to catch the latest and greatest on your favorite AHL team. Listen to sound clips from the locker room after every home game, and visit the ever-growing photo gallery. A total of 41 new photos of 19 different players were added just last week, and wallpapers of six new players will be added soon.


The kudos keep rolling in for Griffins defenseman Niklas Kronwall. Following his 2003-04 North American debut, during which he was selected for the AHL All-Star Classic and played in 20 consecutive games with the Red Wings, all he's done this season is lead all AHL rearguards in scoring, on a pace to shatter franchise records for production from a defenseman. (Whew!) The Hockey News has certainly taken notice, listing Kronwall among the AHL's top 10 prospects in its Dec. 28 issue and rating him a "future NHL star." Not exactly going out on a limb there (for those of us who've had the pleasure of watching him play these last two seasons), but fine praise nonetheless.

Among the publication's top 10 European prospects and earning the same rating was right wing Igor Grigorenko. The 21-year-old phenom, drafted by the Red Wings in 2001, is playing for Russia's Ufa Salavat while working his way back from a near-fatal car accident in May 2003.


Former defenseman Don McSween, who captained the Griffins during their inaugural 1996-97 season, will become the 40th member of the Rochester Americans' Hall of Fame when he is inducted in February. McSween, who won an NCAA championship with Michigan State in 1986, played five seasons (1987-92) with the Amerks and still ranks as their all-time leading blueliner with 215 points (45-170--215).


The ever-lengthening list of former Griffins in the coaching ranks increased by one on Dec. 17, when Darren Rumble (1998-00) retired from the Tampa Bay Lightning and was named an assistant coach with the Springfield Falcons.


Congrats to the legion of current and ex-Griffins who have been chosen to play in various all-star games later this month. Seven alums - Muskegon's Dave Van Drunen and Jeff Nelson, Danville's Nic Bilotto and Mike Bayrack, Richmond's David Hymovitz, Fort Wayne's Colin Chaulk and Rockford's J.C. Ruid - have been selected to participate in the UHL All-Star Classic on Jan. 24 in Glens Falls, N.Y. Three familiar faces have been chosen to start two nights later in the ECHL All-Star Game in Reading, PA, including current Griffin Brent Kelly (Johnstown), Las Vegas' Jason McBain and Atlantic City's Luke Curtin. Curtin's teammate, Derek Edwardson, will also take part.