List of Grand Rapids Griffins seasons

The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional ice hockey team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The team is a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference of the American Hockey League (AHL). The Griffins began as an independent expansion franchise in the International Hockey League (IHL) in 1996. After failing to qualify for the IHL playoffs in their third season, the Griffins entered into an affiliation agreement with the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL).[1] In the following season, the team finished the regular season in first place in the Eastern Conference and won the conference in the playoffs before losing to the Chicago Wolves in the Turner Cup Finals. In the 2000–01 season – the IHL's last before folding – Grand Rapids captured the Fred A. Huber Trophy as the team with the best regular season record.

photograph of Aaron Gagnon during a pre-game warm-up
Aaron Gagnon played for the Griffins during their 2008–09 season, in which the team advanced to the AHL's North Division Finals.

Grand Rapids, along with five other IHL teams, joined the AHL in 2001. The Griffins won the West Division in their first season in the league, which was also their last as an affiliate of the Senators. On January 24, 2002, the franchise signed an affiliation agreement with the NHL's Detroit Red Wings,[2] which has since been extended.[3] The Griffins' first season as an affiliate of the Red Wings resulted in the team's winning the Central Division in the regular season and reaching the Western Conference finals in the playoffs, where they lost to the Houston Aeros in seven games. The 2005–06 team won the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy for finishing the regular season with the best record; in the playoffs they again lost in the Western Conference finals, this time to the Milwaukee Admirals.

In their 23 seasons in the IHL and AHL, the Grand Rapids Griffins have won over half of the games they have played and qualified for the playoffs in 17 seasons. The Griffins have won the Calder Cup following the 2012–13 and 2016–17 seasons.

Season-by-season results

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International Hockey League (1996–2001)

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Turner Cup Champions Fred A. Huber Trophy * Conference Champions ^ Division Champions ¤
IHL season Conference Division Regular season Postseason
Finish GP W L SOL Pts [a] GF GA GP W L GF GA Result
1996–97 Northeast 5th 82 40 30 12 92 244 246 5 2 3 12 14 Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 2–3 (Solar Bears)
1997–98 Eastern Northeast 3rd 82 38 31 13 89 225 242 3 0 3 7 13 Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 0–3 (Cyclones)
1998–99 Eastern Northeast 4th 82 34 40 8 76 256 281 Did not qualify
1999–00 Eastern ^ 1st 82 51 22 9 111 254 200 17 10 7 50 41 Won in Conference Semifinals, 4–2 (Lumberjacks)
Won in Conference Finals, 4–1 (Cyclones)
Lost in Turner Cup Finals, 2–4 (Wolves)
2000–01 Eastern 1st 82 53 22 7 113 * 279 196 10 6 4 38 26 Won in Conference Semifinals, 4–0 (Lumberjacks)
Lost in Conference Finals, 2–4 (Solar Bears)
IHL Totals (5 seasons) 410 216 145 49 481 1,258 1,165 35 18 17 107 94 4 playoff appearances

American Hockey League (2001–present)

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Calder Cup Champions Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy * Robert W. Clarke Trophy ^ Division Champions ¤
AHL season Conference Division Regular season Postseason
Finish GP W L T OTL SOL Pts [a] GF GA GP W L GF GA Result
2001–02 Western West ¤ 1st 80 42 27 11 0 95 217 178 5 2 3 11 12 Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 2–3 (Wolves)
2002–03 Western Central ¤ 1st 80 48 22 8 2 106 240 177 15 10 5 36 30 Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 3–1 (Penguins)
Won in Conference Semifinals, 4–0 (Wolves)
Lost in Conference Finals, 3–4 (Aeros)
2003–04 Western West 2nd 80 44 28 8 0 96 196 166 4 0 4 6 17 Lost in Division Semifinals, 0–4 (Wolves)
2004–05 Western West 5th 80 41 35 2 2 86 200 200 Did not qualify
2005–06 Western North ¤ 1st 80 55 20 1 4 115 * 323 247 15 8 7 44 52 Won in Division Semifinals, 4–0 (Marlies)
Won in Division Finals, 4–3 (Moose)
Lost in Conference Finals, 0–4 (Admirals)
2006–07 Western North 4th 80 37 32 6 5 85 226 244 7 3 4 13 16 Lost in Division Semifinals, 3–4 (Moose)
2007–08 Western North 5th 80 31 41 2 6 70 210 245 Did not qualify
2008–09 Western North 3rd 80 43 25 6 6 98 255 226 10 4 6 27 25 Won in Division Semifinals, 4–2 (Bulldogs)
Lost in Division Finals, 0–4 (Moose)
2009–10 Western North 7th 80 34 39 3 4 75 244 265 Did not qualify
2010–11 Western North 6th 80 36 34 2 8 82 227 254 Did not qualify
2011–12 Western North 4th 76 33 32 7 4 77 245 249 Did not qualify
2012–13 Western ^ Midwest ¤ 1st 76 42 26 4 4 92 234 205 24 15 9 80 61 Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 3–2 (Aeros)
Won in Conference Semifinals, 4–2 (Marlies)
Won in Conference Finals, 4–3 (Barons)
Won in Calder Cup Finals, 4–2 (Crunch)
2013–14 Western Midwest 2nd 76 46 23 2 5 99 238 187 10 5 5 23 31 Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 3–1 (Heat)
Lost in Conference Semifinals, 2–4 (Stars)
2014–15 Western Midwest 2nd 76 46 22 2 6 100 249 185 16 9 7 48 46 Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 3–2 (Marlies)
Won in Conference Semifinals, 4–1 (IceHogs)
Lost in Conference Finals, 2–4 (Comets)
2015–16 Western Central 4th 76 44 30 1 1 90 238 195 9 5 4 29 21 Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 3–0 (Admirals)
Lost in Conference Semifinals, 2–4 (Monsters)
2016–17 Western^ Central 2nd 76 47 23 1 5 100 251 190 19 15 4 73 55 Won in Division Semifinals, 3–0 (Admirals)
Won in Division Finals, 4–1 (Wolves)
Won in Conference Finals, 4–1 (Barracuda)
Won in Calder Cup Finals, 4–2 (Crunch)
2017–18 Western Central 2nd 76 42 25 2 7 93 237 210 5 2 3 14 15 Lost in Division Semifinals, 2–3 (Moose)
2018–19 Western Central 4th 76 38 27 7 4 87 217 222 5 2 3 17 15 Lost in Division Semifinals, 2–3 (Wolves)
AHL Totals (18 seasons) 1,408 749 512 27 50 71 1,649 3,966 3,845 147 74 57 430 399 13 playoff appearances
Totals (23 seasons) 1,818 965 656 27 99 120 2,130 5,224 5,010 182 86 81 537 493 17 playoff appearances

Notes

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  • a Wins are worth two points, losses are worth zero points and ties, overtime losses and shootout losses are worth one point.

References

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General
  • Cleves, Randy, ed. (2011). Grand Rapids Griffins 2011–2012 Media Guide (PDF). Grand Rapids Griffins. Retrieved April 21, 2012.
  • "Standings for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the IHL". The Internet Hockey Database. hockeyDB.com. Retrieved October 24, 2009.
  • "Standings for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the AHL". The Internet Hockey Database. hockeyDB.com. Retrieved October 24, 2009.
Specific
  1. ^ Flemming, Gretchen (June 10, 1999). "Griffins join forces with the Ottawa Senators". The Grand Rapids Press. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Booth Newspapers, Inc. p. C1.
  2. ^ Conklin, Joe (January 24, 2002). "'Hockeytown West'; Talk of affiliation began with Detroit's visit to Grand Rapids". The Grand Rapids Press. p. B1.
  3. ^ Conklin, Joe (April 16, 2007). "Heavenly hockey marriage; Red Wings, Griffins extend relationship three more years". The Grand Rapids Press. p. C8.