Grand Rapids Griffins
| Grand Rapids Griffins | |
|---|---|
 2016–17 AHL season
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| City | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| League | American Hockey League |
| Conference | Western |
| Division | Central |
| Founded | 1996 (In the IHL) |
| Home arena | Van Andel Arena |
| Colors | Black, red, silver, white, gold |
| Owner(s) | Dan DeVos |
| General manager | Ken Holland |
| Head coach | Todd Nelson |
| Media |
Fox Sports Detroit NewsRadio WOOD 1300 AM NewsRadio WOOD 106.9 FM |
| Affiliates |
Detroit Red Wings (NHL) Toledo Walleye (ECHL) |
| Franchise history | |
| 1996–present | Grand Rapids Griffins |
| Championships | |
| Regular season titles |
1 IHL (2000–01) 1 AHL (2005–06) |
| Division Championships |
2 IHL (1999–00, 2000–01) 5 AHL (2001–02, 2002–03, 2005–06, 2012–13, 2014–15) |
| Conference Championships |
1 IHL (1999–00) 1 AHL (2012–13) |
| Calder Cups | 1 (2012–13) |
The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). They play in Grand Rapids, Michigan at Van Andel Arena. They are the AHL affiliate to the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League, and are the 2013 Calder Cup Champions.
The franchise began in the now-defunct International Hockey League in 1996 and merged into the AHL in 2001. The only player to have his number retired in team history is Travis Richards. After the 2010–11 season, General Manager Bob McNamara retired leaving the team without a general manager. The Griffins have since forgone a GM and rely instead on the Red Wings for support.
The beginnings of the third International Hockey League (IHL) franchise in Grand Rapids, following the Grand Rapids Rockets and Grand Rapids Owls – teams that existed in the 1950s and late 1970s, respectively – lie in the construction of a 10,000-plus capacity arena in the downtown area. Following the project's authorization, Amway executives Dave Van Andel and Dan DeVos formed West Michigan Hockey, Inc., in January 1995 with the intent of securing a minor league hockey franchise. The group promptly began discussions with the IHL, American Hockey League (AHL) and East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) to gauge interest in the Grand Rapids market. Also that month, Bruce Saurs, owner of the IHL's Peoria Rivermen, visited Grand Rapids to discuss with the group potential relocation of his team. In April, however, the IHL's board of directors voted to waive one of its expansion criteria – that the city's metropolitan area comprise at least one million people – and grant West Michigan Hockey a franchise for US$7 million. The league ultimately was swayed by the community's response, which included over 8,000 season ticket requests, and the new, fully financed arena.
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