Record-shattering regular season propels Griffins to a historic campaign, poised to dominate the AHL playoffs and showcase Detroit's rising talent.
The Detroit Red Wings endured a difficult end to their season, missing the playoffs for a tenth consecutive year, but there is at least one major bright spot for the organization moving forward.
Their AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, delivered a historic campaign in one of the strongest regular seasons in league history. The Griffins set a new American Hockey League record with a 17 game road points streak and reached several historic milestones along the way.
Grand Rapids set several record-breaking marks, including the best record in AHL history through 35, 40, and 50 games, while finishing with the second-best record in league history through both 45 and 55 games.
A major driver of that success was forward John Leonard, whose breakout season earned him NHL call ups to Detroit at points during the year. The 27-year-old finished with 33 goals and 21 assists for 54 points in 47 games, ranking second in the league in goals despite playing 22 fewer games than the leader, Belleville’s Arthur Kaliyev.
The Griffins’ success was not limited to offense as their goaltending trio formed the backbone of the historic season. Red Wings top prospect Sebastian Cossa led the way with a 26-8-4 record, a 2.28 goals against average, and a .917 save percentage.
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Backup Michal Postava was even more dominant statistically, going 17-6-0 with a 1.71 goals against average and a .937 save percentage. Depth option Carter Gylander also impressed, posting a 7-0-2 record with a 1.62 goals against average and a .942 save percentage.
Despite dealing with injuries and constant roster movement due to NHL call ups, Grand Rapids maintained elite form throughout the season. The team is now expected to return to full strength as reinforcements arrive from Detroit, including Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Dominik Shine, Carter Mazur, and Axel Sandin-Pellikka.
With one game remaining in the regular season against the Cleveland Monsters, the Griffins sit just behind the Providence Bruins, who currently lead the league with 54 wins compared to Grand Rapids’ 51. Even so, the Griffins’ historic pace has established them as one of the clear contenders heading into the postseason and a strong sign of organizational depth for Detroit’s future.
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