Prospect Info: Grand Rapids Griffins Discussion

[Killerjas]

Atleast Griffins won tonight. 3-1

Ned played and was the first star.
Another bagel for Vrana though.

Another bagel? Is that slang for 0 points?

 

[Henkka]

Another bagel? Is that slang for 0 points?

Yeah, 0+0 points and -1 for the only opposite goal at 3-1 win.

 

[waltdetroit]

Another bagel? Is that slang for 0 points?

 

[Holden Caufield]

Ned wins 2 in a row and gets 2nd star.
33 saves in 4-2 victory.

Edvinsson picked up an assist.
Czarnik 2 goals and 1st star.
Vrana 1 assist night and first point in GR

 

[Perfect Human]

 

[Filppula]

Ned saves 36/38 as we’re heading to a shootout. Hirose tied the game with under 2 remaining.

Viro an assist. Nothing else significant.

Vrana 0 points, 0 SOG, -1.

Yikes.

 

[OgeeOgelthorpe]

Ned saves 36/38 as we’re heading to a shootout. Hirose tied the game with under 2 remaining.

Viro an assist. Nothing else significant.

Vrana 0 points, 0 SOG, -1.

Yikes.

Vrana isn’t going to put on a winged wheel uniform again at this rate. Can’t get it together in the minors and playing like he doesn’t want to even lace them up.

 

[jfrank21]

Vrana isn’t going to put on a winged wheel uniform again at this rate. Can’t get it together in the minors and playing like he doesn’t want to even lace them up.

He's being significantly outplayed by Hirose, Czarnik, Hanas, and L Esperance...at least in the 2 full games I've watched this weekend. On the bright side, I can definitely see improvement in Edvinsson's game. He might not be racking up the points, but he is out there seemingly all of the time and always breaking up plays and getting the puck out. He definitely looks more confident and sturdy against this level of competition than he did earlier in the season.

 

[Filppula]

He's being significantly outplayed by Hirose, Czarnik, Hanas, and L Esperance...at least in the 2 full games I've watched this weekend. On the bright side, I can definitely see improvement in Edvinsson's game. He might not be racking up the points, but he is out there seemingly all of the time and always breaking up plays and getting the puck out. He definitely looks more confident and sturdy against this level of competition than he did earlier in the season.

Thanks for the update. Much appreciated.

 

[Henkka]

Vrana isn’t going to put on a winged wheel uniform again at this rate. Can’t get it together in the minors and playing like he doesn’t want to even lace them up.

Yep.

It's very sad.

We lost a great human and hockeyplayer, and also the value of him. Can't trade him for anything reasonable, when the value is ZERO.

This is a devastating loss as an asset.

This Vrana situation is so big factor, for all possibilities, that we can dump the season. Bertuzzi returning isn't gonna turn the needle enough. He is great, but not enough. We should have been less unlucky and get both of those great guys back as 100%, to have a great second half of season. Now that hope is gone.

I did also quit the season today, no it's time to sell like Sabres have done at latest years.

 

[Mijatovic]

Yeah I dont think his skill disappeared. Probably just missing a bunch of fitness.

 

[GrGriffins]

Lashoff and Criscuolo back in the lineup tonight. Vrana & O'Regan are sitting out tonight (veteran limit). Nedeljkovic in goal tonight. Iowa in town tonight and Friday night. Chicago here on Saturday.

 

[FabricDetails]

Who was the last GR coach that we liked/respected/approved? Blash?

 

[ChadS]

Who was the last GR coach that we liked/respected/approved? Blash?

Nelson and Blashill were both great hires.

Didn't realize Simon has been head coach for 5 seasons already, definitely time to move on.

 

[Henkka]

Former Griffins Head coach -history:

Season 2008-09, 0.613%, Curt Fraser - 2nd round exit
Season 2009-10, 0.469%, Curt Fraser - Out of playoffs
Season 2010-11, 0.513%, Curt Fraser - Out of playoffs
Season 2011-12, 0.507%, Curt Fraser - Out of playoffs
---------------------------------
Season 2012-13, 0.605%, Jeff Blashill - WON AHL CHAMPIONSHIP
Season 2013-14, 0.651%, Jeff Blashill - 2nd round exit
Season 2014-15, 0.658%, Jeff Blashill - 3rd round exit
---------------------------------
Season 2015-16, 0.592%, Todd Nelson - 2nd round exit
Season 2016-17, 0.658%, Todd Nelson - WON AHL CHAMPIONSHIP
Season 2017-18, 0.600%, Todd Nelson - 1st round exit (assistant coach: Ben Simon)
----------------------------------
Season 2018-19, 0.572%, Ben Simon - 1st round exit
Season 2019-20, 0.516%, Ben Simon - Corona ended season, but team was anyways out of playoff spot.
Season 2020-21, 0.563%, Ben Simon - No playoffs, would have had playoff spot, 3rd in Division.
Season 2021-22, 0.487%, Ben Simon - Out of playoffs
Season 2022-23, 0.424%, Ben Simon - Gonna be out of playoffs, and one of the worst records at AHL.

That winning% is trending down season-by-season...

GR was very well operated under Jim Nill as the GM. He also hired the last good coach Nelson to Dallas.

When Ryan Martin was promoted to Griffins GM, I think everything started to go south with this team, season by season. Bad coaching hire, worse players.

When Yzerman came back, Pat Verbeek went to Griffins GM spot for 2 seasons (both corona-cut seasons), and it did look for a whole somewhat better. But Verbeek was gone to Anaheim at 2022, I didn't like at all as Shawn Horcoff selection as the new GM. Imo, he is good for player development, but it should end there. GM should have the eye for coach + players.

Now, at first time, even with Horcoff, last off-season seemed to be better with player hires (maybe Yzerman did make them to help Horcoff), but that team-play is still same Ben Simon -crap, that better players won't make any difference.

Jeff Blashill -record there is the best. Best average regular season Win%, best results also at playoffs, always won some series and 1 Champsionship. We should respect that. He did beat Jon Cooper on that Championship year at the Finals. Now he is Cooper's assistant. Quite a lot of respect from there, too.

 

[GrGriffins]

Vrana & Kampfer are the veteran scratches for tonight's game. Nedeljkovic back in goal for GR. Worrad and Sebrango sent to Toledo earlier today.

 

[tabness]

Vrana & Kampfer are the veteran scratches for tonight's game. Nedeljkovic back in goal for GR. Worrad and Sebrango sent to Toledo earlier today.

damn
hope Vrana at least has his life in order and a good happy life looking real bad for his career...

 

[lilidk]

Just give Vrana time and space, time will heal. Meanwhile just forget about him

 

[Christien]

This team isn't good, and they're also very dull to watch.

 

[Pavels Dog]

Meanwhile just forget about him

Great, perfect. Just what you want for one of your most prominent talents.

 

[jfrank21]

Yeah, it's like pulling teeth trying to watch them. I watched Wednesdays game and they blew it. Watching tonight and even after being ok to start, they have promptly started to blow it. 7 d and 11 forwards on an offensively starved team isnt exactly a recipe for success. Fire Simon already.

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

Shut out by Wallstedt, which feels appropriate in a way.

 

[jfrank21]

Shut out by Wallstedt, which feels appropriate in a way.

Yeah, well he's no ECHL All Star! (replacement)

 

[lilidk]

Great, perfect. Just what you want for one of your most prominent talents.

We don't know if he ever played in NHL, but if he does and he's good again it is Like "happy end" .

 

[Filppula]

Shut out by Wallstedt, which feels appropriate in a way.

Isn’t that 2 shut outs in a row by him against us? Absolute lols.

Simon…not sure how he’s still employed in this organisation.