The Grand Rapids Griffins earn praise from SI’s Jacob Punturi today, with Punturi discussing the successes of the Griffins and the Calgary Wranglers:
Grand Rapids Griffins: The Griffins are another top team yet again in the AHL. The leader of the Central Division, they have a 19-9-3 record. It’s a well balanced group, filled with veteran AHL’ers as well as some of the top young players in the Red Wings organization.
The bedrock of the Griffins this season is goaltender Sebastian Cossa. The 2021 first-round pick has been plying his trade in Grand Rapids waiting for a full-time chance with Detroit. Coming off a 40-start season last year, he’s stepped up his game again in his second full professional season. He has a record of 10-5-3 with a 2.31 goals against average and a save percentage of .919%.
The top of their scoring leaders is riddled with veteran professional players like Austin Watson, Joe Snively, and Dominik Shine. It’s significantly helped players like Nate Danielson find their way in the AHL.
Danielson is a player the Red Wings have extremely high hopes for, and he’s working through his first professional season in Grand Rapids. Through 31 games, he has three goals, but also has 16 assists for 19 points. The 20-year-old center is leading the team’s rookies in scoring, and he’s improving every week as the season progresses.
