Notes From Grand Rapids

By Adam W Parks

The Griffins have been fire on ice at Van Andel Arena. This can only be a good sign for a prospect-pool in Grand Rapids that is thought to be shallow with Justin Abdelkader, Darren Helm, Ville Leino, and Jonathan Ericsson all wearing red this year.

Home Has Been Good To Griffins

After a slow start on the road, the Griffins have been GReat at home. With a 5-0 mark in Grand Rapids, the Griffs have achieved their best home start in franchise history. Jakub Kindl (four assists in last four games), Evan McGrath (two goals and three assists in last five), and Kris Newbury (two goals and five assists in last five) have lead the way with the scoring, and the goaltending tandem of Daniel Larsson and Thomas McCollum has been superb. In a true time-share, both goalies have an identical record of 3-2-0. McColllum, Detroit's first round draft pick in 2008, has a slight edge in the goals-against column with a 2.57 average, while Larsson leads in save percentage (.916). McCollum stopped 32 of 33 shots on Friday against the Houston Aeros for a 3-1 Griffins victory, while Larsson pitched a 34-save, 2-0 shutout of the Aeros on Thursday.

Familiar Faces Return To the West Side

The Griffins play just two games this week, both at Van Andel Arena, and a few names will be sure to be recognized on the jerseys of the opposing teams. Brontosaurus of the hockey world, Chris Chelios, returns to Michigan with the Chicago Wolves on Friday. At age 47, Cheli can still cut it (at least at the AHL level) as he has one goal and four assists and a team-high plus-7 rating for the Wolves. Gotta wonder if the fans in Chicago are pumped to have him back in the Windy City after leaving for the Wings back in 1999. The Wolves' goaltending duo of Manny Legace and Drew MacIntyre are also quite familiar with the ice in Michigan. Wings fans remember Legace from his days in Detroit, and MacIntyre spent time between the pipes for the Griffins from 2004-06. Legace's legacy in the NHL has been relatively non-memorable. After one season in Los Angeles, six with Detroit, and three in St. Louis, Manny is hoping to get some part-time duties with the Chicago's affiliate, the Atlanta Thrashers. He has a 2-2-1 record with one shutout, a 2.70 GA, and a .914 SP.

Prospecting the Prospects: Janik Called Up, Others To Follow?

Doug Janik will skate with the Wings in Detroit tonight against the Boston Bruins to help fill the defensive void left by former Griffin Jonathan Ericsson and Brian Rafalski, both out with the flu. Janik (6'1" 215) is tied for second in scoring for the Griffins with one goal and five assists, and should provide some added toughness to the Wings lineup that is also minus Brad May; he dropped the gloves to fight Petr Kalus of the Aeros on Friday. Fellow Griffin-defender Jakub Kindl might see some time in Detroit this season as well. Kindl was ranked as the fourth-best prospect for the Wings after the 2008-09 season and has four assists and ten penalty minutes in nine games this season. The Czech was Detroit's first-round pick, 19th overall, for the Wings in an incredible 2005 draft class that included Abdelkader (second round), Helm (fifth), and Mattias Rittola (fourth). Rittola, one more Swedish forward plucked by Detroit, has one goal with four assists. Another Swede, 6'2" Dick Axelsson, has two goals and two assists in seven games in Grand Rapids. He was the third second-round pick by the Wings in 2006 behind Cory Emmerton (also on the Griffins' roster) and Shawn Matthias (now with the Rochester Americans). If injuries and illnesses persist to hamper Detroit's lineup, these Griffins may help bolster the roster in the coming months.

Peace