Filip Hronek named to AHL All-Rookie Team

From the Grand Rapids Griffins:

FILIP HRONEK NAMED TO 2017-18 AHL ALL-ROOKIE TEAM

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Griffins defenseman Filip Hronek on Wednesday was named to the 2017-18 AHL All-Rookie Team, as voted by coaches, players and media in each of the league’s 30 member cities.

In his first full professional season, the 20-year-old Hronek has posted 33 points (9-24—33), 42 penalty minutes and a team-leading plus-21 rating in 62 games for Grand Rapids. Among the league’s rookie defensemen, Hronek ranks second in points, tied for second in goals, third in assists and second in plus/minus rating. He adds four game-winning goals, which ties for the most among all league blueliners.

Hronek’s 33 points are the fifth-most by a first-year defenseman in Griffins history. He paces all team defensemen in power play production with 17 points (3-14—17) and has been instrumental in Grand Rapids’ power play ranking third in the league (21.0%).

Hronek was drafted in the second round, 53rd overall, by Detroit in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.

Hronek becomes just the fourth defenseman in team history to be named to the All-Rookie Team – joining current teammate Robbie Russo (2015-16), Ryan Sproul (2013-14) and Brendan Smith (2010-11) – and the eighth Griffin overall to garner such accolades (Teemu Pulkkinen 2013-14, Gustav Nyquist 2011-12, Justin Abdelkader 2008-09, Jimmy Howard 2005-06). All seven previous All-Rookie Team members from the Griffins have gone on to play at least one game in the NHL.

A native of Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic, Hronek joined the Griffins at the end of the 2016-17 season after concluding his junior campaign with the OHL’s Saginaw Spirit and scored two points (1-1—2) in 10 regular season contests. He helped Grand Rapids win the Calder Cup after appearing in a pair of postseason games.

Hronek will receive a custom-designed crystal award in recognition of his selection to the 2017-18 AHL All-Rookie Team.

The other members of the 2017-18 AHL All-Rookie Team are: goaltender Ville Husso (San Antonio), defenseman Sami Niku (Manitoba), and forwards Mason Appleton (Manitoba), Daniel Sprong (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton) and Dylan Strome (Tucson).

The Griffins continue their push for the playoffs on Friday and Saturday when they travel to take on the Pacific Division-leading Tucson Roadrunners. Both games will start at 10:05 p.m. EDT.

Published by

George Malik

My name is George Malik, and I'm the Malik Report's editor/blogger/poster. I have been blogging about the Red Wings since 2006, when MLive hired me to work their SlapShots blog, and I joined Kukla's Korner in 2011 as The Malik Report. I'm starting The Malik Report as a stand-alone site, hoping that having my readers fund the website is indeed the way to go to build a better community and create better content.

11 thoughts on “Filip Hronek named to AHL All-Rookie Team”

  1. I remember Smith winning that award, with a fantastic season. The future looked so bright. Kindl had almost made the Red Wings as a teenager and now we’ve hit a home run on Smith.

    Future top pair…

    1. oh man. If I had a dollar for every AHL all rookie who did make the NHL and have a pretty good career……..

      2. Yeah that’s what I said. Let’s give up on him. Let’s hope he plays badly going forward. Sigh…

      3. I think links might be blocked until GM approves it or blocked in general.

        If you search:
        AHL all rookie team Wikipedia

        You can find a Czech and German Wikipedia that outlines the all rookie teams. Then you can tell us how much money you made! 🙂

        1. The list of AHL rookie d-men is a mixed bag. A few superstars – Chara, Subban, Carlson. A few others that had good careers or are on that path – Green, Bieksa, Schultz, Vatanen. And then a bunch of total busts. Brendan Smith looks great compared to duds like Sproul, Russo, and many others who never even sniffed the NHL.

          So I stand by my point. Happy for Hronek. He’s developing well. Hope he becomes a star. But be careful reading too much into this “achievement” . Because 6 or 7 years ago this was Brendan Smith, our future #1, our next superstar who dominated the AHL as a rookie.

          And then reality hits…

  2. Congrats to this young man. I am sure a well earned honor. Hope to see some defensive improvement from him over the next year. Another year in GR then probably NHL next. Just my guess.

  3. To many the glass is half empty/half full about life in general. To me it’s 7/8 full. To others it’s always empty. I often feel sorry for the later group.

  4. You have to start somewhere and having great seasons in the AHL is certainly a good way to go.

    Will it translate to NHL success, maybe, maybe not. Depends on the will, the drive, and the heart of the player themselves. Everyone has talent, but how bad do they want it. You can be mediocre at your job and make a living, but you have to work to excel at the next level. Getting a promotion doesn’t mean you are done putting in the work

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