All Purpose Grand Rapids Griffins Thread

[joesuffP 1,746]

Shootout win... I guess Hirschfield had a seizure during the game, pretty scary

[krsmith17 7,191]

Hirschfeld had the seizure in last night's game against Milwaukee, not tonight's game. It was scary. Reminded me of the whole Fischer incident...

[Richdg 267]

He appears to be fine this morning. Hope he stays that way. as for the Griffins another win last night. Mantha and Tangradi both had 1 G and 1 A.

[daniel1 32]

Anybody know where Athanasiou has been lately? Injured, how bad, when he's due back? I was hoping he would get another call up pretty soon and bump Helm-hands-of-stone back down to the 4th line and pk.

Would be nice to see Tangradi come up again and actually get in few games this time too. Seems he scores every game for GR, and the Wings could sure use his size up front.

Good to see Mantha playing better down there this year. What are the odds he gets a call up this year?

Robbie Russo - can anyone who's seen him play comment on what kind of game he plays? Seems to be putting up the points in GR. Is he ahead of X and Sproul now in terms of making the jump to Det.?

[krsmith17 7,191]

Athanasiou has been out with a lower body injury for the past half dozen games. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but he was in practice a couple weeks ago. I'm not sure when exactly he's due back but Nelson has said that he is day-to-day for about a week now, so I expect him back soon. I think Mantha should get a call up before Athanasiou does again. AA will be coming off another injury and Mantha has been one of the top players down there all season, he should be the first recall in my opinion. Tangradi has been great for the Griffins, but I don't think he'll ever be much of an NHL player. I do wish Nelson would utilize him more in a penalty killing, shut-down role, rather than a power-play offensive role though, because if he ever were to crack the Wings line-up (doubtful), he would need to be relied upon as a 4th line shut-down guy that brings a physical element to the game, not for his offense. Russo is more of an offensive defenseman but he could be considered somewhat of a two-way, since he's decent in his own end as well. Despite the points he's producing, he has never really jumped out at me in any of the games I've seen, which I guess could be considered a good thing. Ouellet is still definitely ahead of him in the pecking order, and I think both Jensen and Sproul should be ahead of him at this point as well.

[daniel1 32]

Athanasiou has been out with a lower body injury for the past half dozen games. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but he was in practice a couple weeks ago. I'm not sure when exactly he's due back but Nelson has said that he is day-to-day for about a week now, so I expect him back soon. I think Mantha should get a call up before Athanasiou does again. AA will be coming off another injury and Mantha has been one of the top players down there all season, he should be the first recall in my opinion. Tangradi has been great for the Griffins, but I don't think he'll ever be much of an NHL player. I do wish Nelson would utilize him more in a penalty killing, shut-down role, rather than a power-play offensive role though, because if he ever were to crack the Wings line-up (doubtful), he would need to be relied upon as a 4th line shut-down guy that brings a physical element to the game, not for his offense. Russo is more of an offensive defenseman but he could be considered somewhat of a two-way, since he's decent in his own end as well. Despite the points he's producing, he has never really jumped out at me in any of the games I've seen, which I guess could be considered a good thing. Ouellet is still definitely ahead of him in the pecking order, and I think both Jensen and Sproul should be ahead of him at this point as well.

Excellent! Thank you very much for the update, I wish I could get down to GR to see some games too.

Curious though as to why there seems to be very little belief within the organization that Tangradi can't have some offensive success at the NHL level? He's not that old (26), and seems to have the size and hands for it. Is his skating sub-par? He was a reasonably high draft pick (2nd rnd, 42nd overall), at one time so scouts must have thought fairly highly of him back then. Maybe he's just a late bloomer? Franzen didn't start putting up any sort of decent goal totals until he was about 28yrs old; till then he was a 4th line, 10 goal/year guy. If Tangradi scores +30 for the Grifs this year and then signs with a different NHL club and puts up 20 next year in the NHL while providing a physical and net-front presence we're all going to be wondering why we didn't at least give him a chance to prove that he could do it with the Wings...

[Buppy 1,720]

Excellent! Thank you very much for the update, I wish I could get down to GR to see some games too.

Curious though as to why there seems to be very little belief within the organization that Tangradi can't have some offensive success at the NHL ...

Tangradi has played 140-odd games in the NHL. 5 goals and 15 points. Maybe he could be a late bloomer, but it's far more likely he just isn't any good.

[krsmith17 7,191]

I've actually never been to a Griffins game, I just watch the games online. It's very annoying that they never come to St. John's to play the IceCaps. Maybe I'll get a chance to get down to the Van next time I'm in Michigan.

As for Tangradi, I don't think he'll ever have what it takes to produce in the NHL, which is why I'd like to see him concentrate on his defensive game. If he could be relied upon to kill penalties and shut down the opposition, I'd love to have him as a forth line guy, that can be defensively sound and add some toughness to the lineup. He certainly doesn't appear to have any potential as a top 6, so if he's ever going to make it back to the NHL, it would have to be as a bottom 6 guy.

[Richdg 267]

Tangradi is an average skater in an organization that wants great skaters. Seems like they forgot about Homer..... he plays the same type of game. Most of his goals have come from 15 ft or closer to the net on rebounds and deflects. Something the RW's need badly!

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

And Anthony mantha scored again

Martin frk got another 2 goals as well, kid was on the verge of probably being let go at the end of this season (thank god he didn't wait till next season to play like this)

I was also surprised to see frk on the ice to get the open net goal, guess the coach trusts him to be on the ice in the last minute

[amato 3,210]

It's definitely nice to see frk putting up the numbers he is.. hopefully he's a late bloomer and develops into at least a third line scorer. I'd be happy with that

[daniel1 32]

Tangradi is an average skater in an organization that wants great skaters. Seems like they forgot about Homer..... he plays the same type of game. Most of his goals have come from 15 ft or closer to the net on rebounds and deflects. Something the RW's need badly!

Yup, sometimes deterimination and some good old fashioned toughness to stand in front of the net and take a pounding can make up for below-average skating. Homer was never pretty when he went into the corners or endured a dozen cross-checks while screening the goalie but he always seemed to do a damn fine job. I'd like to see Tangradi get a shot at least, would be a shame to see him go elsewhere and have success when he was right under our nose this year and we're in need of that type of player again. I don't seen too many Holmstrom type players coming up... even if we do have an Axel Holmstrom in the system lol.

[Buppy 1,720]

Yup, sometimes deterimination and some good old fashioned toughness to stand in front of the net and take a pounding can make up for below-average skating. Homer was never pretty when he went into the corners or endured a dozen cross-checks while screening the goalie but he always seemed to do a damn fine job. I'd like to see Tangradi get a shot at least, would be a shame to see him go elsewhere and have success when he was right under our nose this year and we're in need of that type of player again. I don't seen too many Holmstrom type players coming up... even if we do have an Axel Holmstrom in the system lol.

Again, 143 games, 5 goals, 15 points.

Probably better odds of winning the powerball than Tangradi does of being a productive NHL scorer.

[Bill Berzeench 310]

Again, 143 games, 5 goals, 15 points.

Probably better odds of winning the powerball than Tangradi does of being a productive NHL scorer.

Tangradi is here to protect our waived and conditioning stint players. Cleary, Jurco, and Kindl are not gonna get roughed up with him on the team.

[krsmith17 7,191]

Mantha and Frk with another goal each so far in tonight's game. Frk with an absolute bomb, but how else would he score?... He's very much like Pulkkinen, unbelievable shot, weak skater. Paterson is staring his first AHL game tonight, and has looked very good early on. Seems to be great positionally and quick laterally.

I've never really been sold on Frk, other than his cannon shot, but 18 points (10 goals, 8 assists) in his last 14 games (before tonight) is pretty damn good. His skating has improved drastically though and that was his biggest knock when he was drafted.

[kipwinger 8,522]

Who centers Frk?

[krsmith17 7,191]

Miele, with Bertuzzi on the other wing.

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

Be nice to see little Bert start putting up some points again ..... I think adding mantha by the deadline if he continues next few weeks at this pace could be the best addition we could make without it costing anything

And I'm thinking if frk continues as well to keep scoring nonstop it seems maybe pulkkinen becomes expendable at the trade deadline in a package deal? We got way to many good forwards coming, not enough spots

[krsmith17 7,191]

F***ing brutal! Up 3-0 in the second, lost 4-3. Paterson looked great early on but looked very shaky after he let in a couple. The 3rd goal he'd definitely want back. I think it would have been another W if Coreau were in net. Oh well, can't win 'em all.

Everyone had to know that Bertuzzi's first stint was unsustainable, but overall I think he's looked good. He's been a good set up man, but I'd like to see him score some more dirty goals (he only has 2 all season)...

[Bill Berzeench 310]

Lil Svech is our next stud. I just hope Mantha pans out too.

[krsmith17 7,191]

Yup, can't wait for the 2018 draft to go after Svechnikov's little brother, then 2020 to see him maybe make the Red Wings... Can't we just give the kid the 'C' now?...

[Bill Berzeench 310]

Yup, can't wait for the 2018 draft to go after Svechnikov's little brother, then 2020 to see him maybe make the Red Wings... Can't we just give the kid the 'C' now?...

The A for sure. But Larkin is the C soon. And he will have it for a long time.

[kickazz 5,459]

Yup, can't wait for the 2018 draft to go after Svechnikov's little brother, then 2020 to see him maybe make the Red Wings... Can't we just give the kid the 'C' now?...

Zetterberg era till 2021!

[nyqvististhefuture 1,002]

F***ing brutal! Up 3-0 in the second, lost 4-3. Paterson looked great early on but looked very shaky after he let in a couple. The 3rd goal he'd definitely want back. I think it would have been another W if Coreau were in net. Oh well, can't win 'em all.

Everyone had to know that Bertuzzi's first stint was unsustainable, but overall I think he's looked good. He's been a good set up man, but I'd like to see him score some more dirty goals (he only has 2 all season)...

Yes i can't believe they blew that lead , ugh ... I also bet on them and Columbus , would of needed Blackhawks tomorrow to win 150$ .... Oh well lol

Is athanasiou still out? Missed tonight's game

[krsmith17 7,191]

Yup, still out and apparently still day-to-day...