Prospect Info: Grand Rapids Griffins are AHL CHAMPIONS!

[wingsnut19]

Tomáš seems to be a pretty popular first name in Slovakia.

 

[Henkka]

Full list here.

Is Jurco the youngest guy of that group?

 

[Indian]

Is Jurco the youngest guy of that group?

That would be Daňo.

 

[kap0r]

Both Tatar and Jurčo were nominated to the summer olympic camp.

Well, it`ll be rather a party, than a training camp tbh

Highlights:
Day1: Signing of the olympic contracts
Day2: a trip with a cable car, a friendly soccer match in the afternoon and a traditional dinner
Day3: tennis tourney and a grill party
Day4: breakfast and... that`s it )

Halak, Dano, Hrivik, Satan & Zaborsky allready excused themselves

Just clearing it up for the non-slovak speaking members

 

[apre]

Go Griffins!!!

First Cup ever. Great job.

 

[HIFE]

Congratulations Griffs and their fans!!! You guys deserve this win and thanks for your loyalty. It is wonderful to get reports as to who the Red Wings are and will be. Enjoy!

 

[newfy]

I said this in the GDT but ill say it here, the best part of that cup win is that the griffins are a prospect team not a bunch of AHL vets. They have a couple third liners in Hoggan and Pare (Pare gets some top 6) and Evans as a bottom pairing D and thats pretty much it.

That team was built around the future of Detroit and they just took it to a team that was 11-1 in the playoffs before the series started or something like that.

Tatar was the MVP, scored a bunch of goals (17 I think)

Glendening showed why hes a future wing and is getting a contract soon

Sheahan elevated his offense, Callahan potted 6 goals and a couple goals in the cup clinching game, Ferraro and Jurco were great and of c ourse Mrazek stole some games

I agree with the wings brass, I see probably almost 10 NHLers from this AHL squad with the wings real big wave of prospects just coming their this upcoming season

 

[FabricDetails]

Will Grand Rapids have a parade?

 

[GoAwayDanCleary]

Will Grand Rapids have a parade?

Yes.

 

[Henkka]

Thanks Jim Nill. You built this team and the final result came when you were already out of the organization.

What a great great season. Without the lockout, I woudn't have watched these guys that much earlier at season, maybe at all. But those games at start of the season somehow connected me also as a fan in the team that I was interested more of our minor league affiliate than ever.

Championship.

This is rare. Now, what a great feeling.

 

[Frozen Fiend]

Great job Griffins! What a team they've got over there.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Threw it up in the GD thread, but might as well here.



Know it is early, but this team has a great shot at repeating. Much like the team they beat tonight, they come back pretty loaded next year, some players will change, but they got a big time #1 at this level and probably in the future at the NHL level and tons of talent coming in to help fill the holes.

 

[Cbdudek]

Threw it up in the GD thread, but might as well here.



Know it is early, but this team has a great shot at repeating. Much like the team they beat tonight, they come back pretty loaded next year, some players will change, but they got a big time #1 at this level and probably in the future at the NHL level and tons of talent coming in to help fill the holes.

Many of the key players will be gone.

Nyquist, Anderson, Tatar, Mursak will be gone for sure. Those guys really did fuel Grand Rapids to the championship. I don't know if they have a good shot at repeating with their top line gone, but I would say that the future is bright for the Wings.

 

[XO]

Meh, I missed the game, but that's awesome. Blashill have done a great job down there.

 

[The Zetterberg Era]

Many of the key players will be gone.

Nyquist, Anderson, Tatar, Mursak will be gone for sure. Those guys really did fuel Grand Rapids to the championship. I don't know if they have a good shot at repeating with their top line gone, but I would say that the future is bright for the Wings.

We will see how quickly the young talent comes along, obviously Blashill's future is also important.

But I really believe that next years version of the Griffins will have more pure talent. I know that is outlandish on the face of it and certainly the age and maturity will be a little different, but they also have a true #1 goalie while they are feeling it out. This team will be scary talented next year.

Options coming in:

Frk
Jarnkrok
Tvrdon
Pulkkinen
Sproul
Ouellet
Marchenko
Jensen
Nedomlel

They also have some older players that have played well in ECHL and are seasoned pros. No you might not see Nyquist and Tatar, but who knows what Jurco brings to the table next year. Just a filthy amount of talent will be there regardless. Depending on the Vet signings this is a deep team with more talented puck movers and skaters on the backend coming in.

A lot of the group listed is mature too. Don't expect tons of growing pains for Jensen, Jarnkrok, Pulkkinen, and Marchenko.

 

[ricky0034]

Many of the key players will be gone.

Nyquist, Anderson, Tatar, Mursak will be gone for sure. Those guys really did fuel Grand Rapids to the championship. I don't know if they have a good shot at repeating with their top line gone, but I would say that the future is bright for the Wings.

to be fair Nyquist and Anderson only played in the last 8 or so games of the Playoffs

it all depends on how the new guys do really,the defense has the potential to be much better if things go well and I could certainly see Jarnkrok being an elite player in the AHL next year

 

[Crunchrulz]

Congratz Grand Rapids, well played!

 

[Henkka]

Like I see it the summer plan for Griffins:

1.CE - Joakim Andersson - promoted in NHL - replaced by Calle Järnkrok
1.LW - Tomas Tatar - promoted in NHL - replaced by Tomas Jurco
1.RW - Gustav Nyquist - promoted in NHL - replaced by Teemu Pulkkinen

2.CE - Riley Sheahan - keeps his role
2.LW - Tomas Jurco - promoted to 1st line - replaced by Marek Tvrdon
2.RW - Francis Pare - seeks for another challenge - replaced by Martin Frk

3.CE - Luke Glendening - could be signed in NHL - replaced by Landon Ferraro
3.LW - Jeff Hoggan - could seek for another challenge / or could stay and keep his leadership role
3.RW - Jan Mursak - signed in KHL - replaced by Mitchell Callahan

4.CE - Landon Ferraro - promoted to 3rd line - replaced by Louis Marc Aubry
4.LW - Triston Grant - keeps his goon role
4.RW - Mitchell Callahan - promoted to 3rd line - replaced by Trevor Parkes

Depth/Toledo guys:

5.CE - Brent Raedeke or veteran
5.LW - Andrej Nestrasil
5.RW - Willie Coetzee

Defence:

1.LD Adam Almquist - keeps his role
1.RD Nathan Paetsch - seeks for another challenge - replaced by Nick Jensen

2.LD Brett Skinner - will be let walk - replaced by Xavier Ouellet
2.RD Dan DeKeyser/Brian Lashoff split role - both promoted in NHL - replaced by Ryan Sproul

3.LD Brennan Evans - keeps his leadership role and important role as physical and steady stay-at-home guy
3.RD Chad Billins - seeks for another challenge (Europe?) - replaced by Alexei Marchenko

Depth/Toledo
4.LD Gleason Fournier - keeps his role as borderline AHLr
4.RD Max Nicastro - keeps his role as 7th AHL defenceman

5.LD Richard Nedomlel - 1st pair role at Toledo ECHL - AHL emergency callup

Goalies:
1. Petr Mrazek - keeps his role
2. Tom McCollum - relegated in ECHL - replaced by Jared Coreau

3rd goalie/ECHL starter
3. Jordan Pearce - seeks for another challenge - replaced by Tom McCollum

***

Jurco - Järnkrok - Pulkkinen
Tvrdon - Sheahan - Frk
Hoggan/veteran/Glendening - Ferraro - Callahan
Grant - Aubry - Parkes
(Nestrasil - Raedeke/veteran - Coetzee)

Almquist - Jensen
Ouellet - Sproul
Evans - Marchenko
(7th Nicastro)
(8th Fournier)

Mrazek
Coreau
(McCollum)

 

[Cbdudek]

to be fair Nyquist and Anderson only played in the last 8 or so games of the Playoffs

it all depends on how the new guys do really,the defense has the potential to be much better if things go well and I could certainly see Jarnkrok being an elite player in the AHL next year

Nyquist and Anderson played 60+ games in the AHL regular season too.

I think Kulkas Korner really does a better job explaining the situation.

http://kuklaskorner.com/tmr/comment...des-cha?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

An AHL team's roster changes in a hurry.

We know that Nyquist, Andersson, Tatar and Danny DeKeyser will all play for Detroit next season, and that the Wings have to make a decision on Brian Lashoff and his one-way deal.

The Wings want to sign Luke Glendening and possibly Chad Billins to NHL contracts.

Jan Mursak is, for better or worse, headed to Khabarovsk, Russia, to play for Amur of the KHL.

Jeff Hoggan may retire, Triston Grant, Nathan Paetsch, Brennan Evans and Brett Skinner are all AHL-only signed veterans who may pursue better opportunities to play in the NHL elsewhere.

The Wings probably won't bring back UFA-to-be Francis Pare, and they're probably going to qualify Jordan Perace or Tom McCollum, cutting ties with a first-round draft pick as Jared Coreau and Mrazek will be the team's goalies next season.

Players like Trevor Parkes, Willie Coetzee, Andrej Nestrasil and Gleason Fournier, who spent the majority of the season with the ECHL's Toledo Walleye, have to establish themselves at the AHL level, or they'll be facing the same fates as Pare, Raedeke, Pearce and McCollum.

The Griffins' blueline is jam-packed with Ryan Sproul, Xavier Ouellet, Nick Jensen, Alexei Marchenko and Richard Nedomlel all turning pro, Max Nicastro returning and Billins possibly playing for the team, and they'll want to sign a veteran or two, too.

Up front, Tomas Jurco, Riley Sheahan and Landon Ferraro are surely going to be called up next season as injury replacements, and they must step up as leaders with Tatar, Andersson and Nyquist graduating; Mitch Callahan needs to keep improving as a gritty Tootoo-style grinder, Louis-Marc Aubry needs to reestablish himself as a power center in the making, Brent Raedeke has one more chance to prove that his size won't hold him back as a gritty 4th line center, and while Teemu Pulkkinen's going to require an AHL internship, and we don't know whether the team will decide that Calle Jarnkrok's better-served as a first-line center at the AHL level or working his way up the Wings' roster as it's so crowded up front.

And we all know that Jeff Blashill will be speaking to Jim Nill regarding the Dallas Stars' vacancy soon. If he leaves, it's entirely possible that Jim Paek may replace him after half a decade of service as an assistant coach, and we may or may not see Chris Chelios eventually join the team's coaching staff, too.

It's June 19th, and starting on July 5th, NHL'ers and AHL'ers alike are free agents. Ryan Martin faces a huge challenge as the Griffins' general manager, attempting to deal with massive roster turnover and attempts to defend a championship going forward, all while balancing the Griffins' needs with the fact that their primary purpose is to develop the Wings' prospects while filling Van Andel Arena on a regular basis.

But the next couple of days are about celebrating and cherishing the Griffins' amazing accomplishments over this past season. They'll have time to worry about what happens later in a couple of days.

 

[Henkka]

I think Kulkas Korner really does a better job explaining the situation.

http://kuklaskorner.com/tmr/comment...des-cha?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Pretty much George is on the same page than my prediction.

Huge changes, but still a very very potential team.

 

[ProPAIN]

Like I see it the summer plan for Griffins:

1.CE - Joakim Andersson - promoted in NHL - replaced by Calle Järnkrok
1.LW - Tomas Tatar - promoted in NHL - replaced by Tomas Jurco
1.RW - Gustav Nyquist - promoted in NHL - replaced by Teemu Pulkkinen

2.CE - Riley Sheahan - keeps his role
2.LW - Tomas Jurco - promoted to 1st line - replaced by Marek Tvrdon
2.RW - Francis Pare - seeks for another challenge - replaced by Martin Frk

3.CE - Luke Glendening - could be signed in NHL - replaced by Landon Ferraro
3.LW - Jeff Hoggan - could seek for another challenge / or could stay and keep his leadership role
3.RW - Jan Mursak - signed in KHL - replaced by Mitchell Callahan

4.CE - Landon Ferraro - promoted to 3rd line - replaced by Louis Marc Aubry
4.LW - Triston Grant - keeps his goon role
4.RW - Mitchell Callahan - promoted to 3rd line - replaced by Trevor Parkes

Depth/Toledo guys:

5.CE - Brent Raedeke or veteran
5.LW - Andrej Nestrasil
5.RW - Willie Coetzee

Defence:

1.LD Adam Almquist - keeps his role
1.RD Nathan Paetsch - seeks for another challenge - replaced by Nick Jensen

2.LD Brett Skinner - will be let walk - replaced by Xavier Ouellet
2.RD Dan DeKeyser/Brian Lashoff split role - both promoted in NHL - replaced by Ryan Sproul

3.LD Brennan Evans - keeps his leadership role and important role as physical and steady stay-at-home guy
3.RD Chad Billins - seeks for another challenge (Europe?) - replaced by Alexei Marchenko

Depth/Toledo
4.LD Gleason Fournier - keeps his role as borderline AHLr
4.RD Max Nicastro - keeps his role as 7th AHL defenceman

5.LD Richard Nedomlel - 1st pair role at Toledo ECHL - AHL emergency callup

Goalies:
1. Petr Mrazek - keeps his role
2. Tom McCollum - relegated in ECHL - replaced by Jared Coreau

3rd goalie/ECHL starter
3. Jordan Pearce - seeks for another challenge - replaced by Tom McCollum

***

Jurco - Järnkrok - Pulkkinen
Tvrdon - Sheahan - Frk
Hoggan/veteran/Glendening - Ferraro - Callahan
Grant - Aubry - Parkes
(Nestrasil - Raedeke/veteran - Coetzee)

Almquist - Jensen
Ouellet - Sproul
Evans - Marchenko
(7th Nicastro)
(8th Fournier)

Mrazek
Coreau
(McCollum)

Great analysis Henkka. I think our defense will improve by adding Sproul and Ouellet (maybe even Marchenko). One issue I see is replacing Mursak. Although Callahan performed well in the playoffs, I don't see him as a replacement to Mursak (who was probably an MVP candidate tbh). They might replace him with a veteran or give someone like Coetzee or Parkes a shot, but it won't be a skill/ability for skill/ability replacement.

I actually wouldn't mind giving Glendening a shot at the 4th line C role. He and Sheahan will be fighting for that spot. They are both better than Emmerton IMO.

 

[Cbdudek]

Pretty much George is on the same page than my prediction.

Huge changes, but still a very very potential team.

Yup I agree. I think the difference is that Syracuse was pretty much the core that won the championship with Norfolk. Next year, the Griffins will retain maybe 1/3 of the guys that won the championship this year. The rest will be with the Wings or moving on to another team. Thats a pretty big roster turnover.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

How can anyone not want Frankie back? The way I figure, that second line LW spot is open (don't think Tvrdon will necessarily be ready to go immediately. Maybe a Jurco-like learning year), and nobody wants it more than Pare. I think that's a big part of leadership too... not just experience, but also that kind of enthusiasm and heart.

http://fox17online.com/2013/06/19/francis-pare-reacts-to-winning-the-calder-cup/#axzz2WTQwwLOn

 

[Henkka]

How can anyone not want Frankie back? The way I figure, that second line LW spot is open (don't think Tvrdon will necessarily be ready to go immediately. Maybe a Jurco-like learning year), and nobody wants it more than Pare. I think that's a big part of leadership too... not just experience, but also that kind of enthusiasm and heart.

http://fox17online.com/2013/06/19/francis-pare-reacts-to-winning-the-calder-cup/#axzz2WTQwwLOn

Nothing against him, but he could get three times more money when exploring offers from KHL and Europe, than staying only at AHL-salary. Like he said, he will never be in NHL, so it's time to move on. AHL Championship is a perfect way to end his 5-year AHL-career.

Is there any other videos of those Championship celebrations/interwievs? I'd like to see them collected in here.

 

[Unfriendly Ghost]

Is there any other videos of those Championship celebrations/interwievs? I'd like to see them collected in here.

I've been trying to find video of them raising the cup, but no luck so far.