Dries ignites Griffins' historic streak, powering their league-best start with Player of the Week honors and unbelievable offensive production.
The Grand Rapids Griffins were expected to see some regression when top scorer John Leonard was called up to the Detroit Red Wings. Instead, the Griffins have continued to dominate the American Hockey League, with several players elevating their performance in Leonard’s absence.
Grand Rapids has surged to the greatest start to a season in AHL history, posting a 25-1-0-1 record through its first 27 games. The team’s continued success has been fueled in large part by forward Sheldon Dries, who has taken on a leading role during the stretch run.
Dries was named the AHL Player of the Week on Monday after recording six points and a plus eight rating in three games last week. His strong play has helped the Griffins maintain their pace and extend what has already become a historic opening to the season.
Through 22 games, Dries is averaging a point per game with 22 points. He trails captain Dominik Shine by four points for the team lead in scoring, giving Grand Rapids multiple offensive leaders as it continues to roll through the league.
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The Griffins enter the holiday break riding a 14-game winning streak and will look to carry that momentum into their return to action on December 27 against the Milwaukee Admirals. With 45 games remaining on the schedule, Grand Rapids is positioning itself to be mentioned alongside the greatest single seasons in AHL history.
That standard is currently held by the 2009-10 Hershey Bears, who finished the season with a 60-17-0-3 record. If the Griffins can sustain their current form, they may find themselves in rare historical company by the time the season concludes.
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