The Detroit Red Wings AHL affiliate, the Grand Rapids Griffins, opened the 2022-23 season last night against the San Diego Gulls (Anaheim). The two teams will play again tonight at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI. The game time is 7:00 pm ET.
To start the season, the Griffins have 25 players on the roster: 14 forwards, eight defensemen, and three goaltenders. Eighteen of the Griffins players are signed to NHL contracts with Detroit. Ten players drafted by Detroit will be in the opening night lineup. This compares to seven players drafted by the Red Wings who were in the opening lineup one year ago. The Griffins will open the season with six rookies in the lineup, including Detroit draft picks Simon Edvinsson, Albert Johansson, Eemil Viro, and Cross Hanas.
Before the home opener on Friday, the Griffins assigned Detroit’s top goaltending prospect Sebastian Cossa to Toledo (ECHL). The Griffins also assigned forwards Trenton Bliss and Kirill Tyutyayev to play for the Walleye to start the season.
Here is the complete roster to start the season.
Goaltenders (3)
#1 Victor Brattstrom, Detroit’s 9th choice, 160th overall, in 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Detroit/Signed
#31 John Lethmon, Undrafted, Grand Rapids/Signed
#45 Jussi Olkinuora, Undrafted, Detroit/Signed
Defensemen (8)
#3 Jared McIsaac, Detroit’s 4th choice, 36th overall, in 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Detroit/Signed
#5 Eemil Viro, Detroit’s 6th choice, 70th overall, in 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Detroit/Signed
#18 Brian Lashoff, Undrafted, Grand Rapids/Signed
#20 Steven Kampfer, Anaheim’s 5th choice, 93rd overall, in 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Detroit/Signed
#33 Albert Johansson, Detroit’s 4th choice, 60th overall, in 2019 NHL Entry Draft, Detroit/Signed
#37 Donovan Sebrango, Detroit’s 5th choice, 63rd overall, in 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Detroit/Signed
#40 Wyatt Newpower, Undrafted, Detroit/Signed
#77 Simon Edvinsson, Detroit’s 1st choice, 6th overall, in 2021 NHL Entry Draft, Detroit/Signed
Forwards (14)
#9 Matt Luff-RW, Undrafted, Detroit/Signed
#11 Joel L’Esperance-C, Undrafted, Grand Rapids/Signed
#13 Drew Worrad-C, Undrafted, Grand Rapids/Signed
#17 Taro Hirose-LW, Undrafted, Detroit/Signed
#22 Chase Pearson-C, Detroit’s 5th choice, 140th overall, in 2015 NHL Entry Draft, Detroit/Signed
#27 Austin Czarnik-C, Undrafted, Detroit/Signed
#32 Tyler Spezia-C, Undrafted, Grand Rapids/Signed
#41 Cedric Lacroix-LW, Undrafted, Grand Rapids/Signed
#48 Jonatan Berggren-W, Detroit’s 2nd choice, 33rd overall, in 2018 NHL Entry Draft, Detroit/Signed
#51 Kyle Criscuolo-C, Undrafted, Detroit/Signed
#54 Givani Smith-LW, Detroit’s 2nd choice, 46th overall, in 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Detroit/Signed
#65 Dominik Shine-RW, Undrafted, Grand Rapids/Signed
#71 Cross Hanas-RW, Detroit’s 4th choice, 55th overall, in 2020 NHL Entry Draft, Detroit/Signed
#96 Pontus Andreasson-RW, Undrafted, Detroit/Signed
