Grand Rapids Griffins Calder Cup Playoffs Preview: A Closer Look at the Juggernauts
With the Calder Cup Playoffs around the corner, Mike Fink takes a closer look at the top teams in the American Hockey League.
The story all season in the Central Division has been the Grand Rapids Griffins. Even with a slow March, they have a 26-point cushion for first place in the division and have the second-best record in the league behind only the Bruins. When the Griffins started the season hot, they were firing on all cylinders and looked like an unstoppable force.
While the Griffins have cooled off, they remain the team to beat with a roster that has minimal weaknesses. The Griffins Recipe For Success John Leonard is a longtime AHLer, a 27-year-old veteran who leads the offense but is also a leader in the locker room. He was integral to the Charlotte Checkers playoff run, and the Griffins brought him in hoping he’d provide the same veteran presence.
He’s done that and then some. Leonard leads the team with 51 points but has been pivotal in developing the younger forwards as well. Leonard is just one example.
The Griffins have a handful of vets that have carried them all season, from Sheldon Dries to Dominik Shine to Erik Gustafsson. It’s hard to get some to buy into the American Hockey League team, especially a player like Gustafsson, who has spent his entire career in the NHL. It’s why the coaching staff, led by Dan Watson, deserves credit for getting them to buy in.