About The Grand Rapids Griffins
Catch all the excitement on the ice with the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League (AHL). The Griffins are the primary affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings and have been owned since their inception by Dan DeVos, who is also the chairman of the Orlando Magic and the son of Amway co-founder Rich DeVos. The Griffins have won the Calder Cup twice, in 2013 and 2017, and Griffins players have become strong contributors to their parent club's success, including during the Red Wings' 2007-08 Stanley Cup® Championship run.
Founded in 1996, the Grand Rapids Griffins were the third team in the city to play in the International Hockey League (IHL). The Griffins were successful from the beginning, eventually reaching the Turner Cup finals in 2000 and winning the Fred A. Huber Trophy for having the best regular season record in 2000-01.
As one of six IHL teams to successfully join the American Hockey League upon the IHL's demise in 2001, the Griffins began their present association with the Detroit Red Wings in 2002. Notable Red Wings to have played for the Griffins include Jimmy Howard, Valtteri Filppula, Jiri Hudler, and Tomáš Kopecký, while original Griffin Travis Richards had his No. 24 jersey retired in 2006 after 10 seasons of service with the team.
The Griffins play at Van Andel Arena, which seats 10,384 for ice hockey. Opened in 1996, the Van Andel Arena also was home to the Grand Rapids Hoops of the Continental Basketball Association and International Basketball League from 1996 to 2003, and the Arena Football League's Grand Rapids Rampage from 1998 to 2008.
The arena is named for Betty and Jay Van Andel, the latter of whom founded Amway with Rich DeVos. The Van Andel Arena has hosted the 2014 and 2016 Western Collegiate Hockey Association's Frozen Five tournament and is one of the top concert venues in Western Michigan.
