The Daily: Grand Rapid Griffins Join Red Wings On Sidelines For Playoffs

The Grand Rapids Griffins, like their Detroit Red Wings parent club, will be on the sidelines for their league’s playoff competition.

The Texas Stars’ win against the Iowa Wild Saturday eliminated the Griffins from playoff consideration. Excluding the NHL 2004-05 lockout season and the 2019-21 COVID seasons, this is the first time in Griffins’ history that neither the Griffins or the Red Wings are in the playoffs. This will be the first time the Griffins won’t be involved in the AHL’s playoff tournament since 2012.

This is disappointing for the Red Wings’ organization because the franchise’s prospects are deprived of playoff experience. Joe Veleno would have likely also been playing for the Griffins had they qualified. Often, NHL teams sign prospects and send them to the AHL for the playoffs.

The only question now for the Red Wings is whether they will call-up top forward prospect Jonatan Berggren to give him a game or two in Detroit. He boasts 20 goals and 58 points for Grand Rapids. He needs only two to become the top-scoring rookie in Griffins’ history.

The Red Wings sent Riley Barber back to the Griffins before they play the Chicago Wolves Sunday afternoon.

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Hot Wings

If defenseman Moritz Seider reaches the 50-point mark this season, he and Lucas Raymond (23-33-56 in 79 games) will be the third rookie duo in Detroit history to hit 50-or-more points in the same campaign. Dale McCourt (33-39-72 in 76 games) and Reed Larson (19-41-60 in 75 games) did it in 1977-78. Steve Yzerman (39-48-87 in 80 games) and Kelly Kisio (23-37-60 in 80 games) accomplished it in 1983-84.

Cold Wings

The Red Wings are 29 points out of a playoff spot, and not as far along in the rebuild as they would like to be.

Hockey Now Network

Boston: The Bruins are healthy. David Pastrnak, Linus Ullmark, and Hampus Lindholm returned to the lineup, and the Bruins flexed their muscle against the New York Rangers. Boston Bruins win.

Calgary: Elias Lindholm netted his 40th goal and the Calgary Flames are rolling.

Florida: You can’t beat Florida. Patric Hornqvist is setting a culture, and his team is charging through the final month. Now 13 straight wins. Not even Toronto could stop the unbeatable Florida Panthers.

Philadelphia: When the Penguins face the Flyers this afternoon, familiar faces will be mising. Carter Hart, Cam Atkinson, and Rasmus Ristolainen are out of the rest of the season. The hobbled Philadelphia Flyers lineup.

Vancouver: A late charge to make the playoffs will come up short. A hard-fought loss to Calgary put a dagger in the Vancouver Canucks.

Washington: The Capitals trail the Penguins by two points but didn’t play on Saturday. Ilya Samsonov has been pretty good lately–has he claimed the No. 1 job? Washington Capitals analysis.