List of Grand Rapids Griffins seasons

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Aaron Gagnon played for the Griffins during their 2008-09 season, in which the team advanced to the AHL's North Division Finals. Aaron Gagnon.JPG
Aaron Gagnon played for the Griffins during their 2008–09 season, in which the team advanced to the AHL's North Division Finals.

The Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional ice hockey team based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The team is a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference of the American Hockey League (AHL). The Griffins began as an independent expansion franchise in the International Hockey League (IHL) in 1996. After failing to qualify for the IHL playoffs in their third season, the Griffins entered into an affiliation agreement with the Ottawa Senators of the National Hockey League (NHL). [1] In the following season, the team finished the regular season in first place in the Eastern Conference and won the conference in the playoffs before losing to the Chicago Wolves in the Turner Cup Finals. In the 2000–01 season – the IHL's last before folding – Grand Rapids captured the Fred A. Huber Trophy as the team with the best regular season record.

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Grand Rapids, along with five other IHL teams, joined the AHL in 2001. The Griffins won the West Division in their first season in the league, which was also their last as an affiliate of the Senators. On January 24, 2002, the franchise signed an affiliation agreement with the NHL's Detroit Red Wings, [2] which has since been extended. [3] The Griffins' first season as an affiliate of the Red Wings resulted in the team's winning the Central Division in the regular season and reaching the Western Conference finals in the playoffs, where they lost to the Houston Aeros in seven games. The 2005–06 team won the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy for finishing the regular season with the best record; in the playoffs they again lost in the Western Conference finals, this time to the Milwaukee Admirals.

In their 23 seasons in the IHL and AHL, the Grand Rapids Griffins have won over half of the games they have played and qualified for the playoffs in 17 seasons. The Griffins have won the Calder Cup following the 2012–13 and 2016–17 seasons.

Season-by-season results

International Hockey League (1996–2001)

Turner Cup Champions Fred A. Huber Trophy *Conference Champions ^Division Champions ¤
IHL seasonConferenceDivisionRegular seasonPostseason
FinishGP W L SOL Pts [a] GF GA GP W L GF GA Result
1996–97 Northeast5th82403012922442465231214Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 2–3 (Solar Bears)
1997–98 EasternNortheast3rd8238311389225242303713Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 0–3 (Cyclones)
1998–99 EasternNortheast4th823440876256281Did not qualify
1999–00 Eastern ^1st8251229111254200171075041Won in Conference Semifinals, 4–2 (Lumberjacks)
Won in Conference Finals, 4–1 (Cyclones)
Lost in Turner Cup Finals, 2–4 (Wolves)
2000–01 Eastern1st8253227113 *27919610643826Won in Conference Semifinals, 4–0 (Lumberjacks)
Lost in Conference Finals, 2–4 (Solar Bears)
IHL Totals (5 seasons)410216145494811,2581,165351817107944 playoff appearances

American Hockey League (2001–present)

Calder Cup Champions Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy * Robert W. Clarke Trophy ^Division Champions ¤
AHL season ConferenceDivisionRegular seasonPostseason
FinishGP W L T OTL SOL Pts [a] GF GA GP W L GF GA Result
2001–02 WesternWest ¤1st804227110952171785231112Lost in Conference Quarterfinals, 2–3 (Wolves)
2002–03 WesternCentral ¤1st80482282106240177151053630Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 3–1 (Penguins)
Won in Conference Semifinals, 4–0 (Wolves)
Lost in Conference Finals, 3–4 (Aeros)
2003–04 WesternWest2nd8044288096196166404617Lost in Division Semifinals, 0–4 (Wolves)
2004–05 WesternWest5th8041352286200200Did not qualify
2005–06 WesternNorth ¤1st80552014115 *32324715874452Won in Division Semifinals, 4–0 (Marlies)
Won in Division Finals, 4–3 (Moose)
Lost in Conference Finals, 0–4 (Admirals)
2006–07 WesternNorth4th80373265852262447341316Lost in Division Semifinals, 3–4 (Moose)
2007–08 WesternNorth5th8031412670210245Did not qualify
2008–09 WesternNorth3rd804325669825522610462725Won in Division Semifinals, 4–2 (Bulldogs)
Lost in Division Finals, 0–4 (Moose)
2009–10 WesternNorth7th8034393475244265Did not qualify
2010–11 WesternNorth6th8036342882227254Did not qualify
2011–12 WesternNorth4th7633327477245249Did not qualify
2012–13 Western ^Midwest ¤1st7642264492234205241598061Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 3–2 (Aeros)
Won in Conference Semifinals, 4–2 (Marlies)
Won in Conference Finals, 4–3 (Barons)
Won in Calder Cup Finals, 4–2 (Crunch)
2013–14 WesternMidwest2nd764623259923818710552331Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 3–1 (Heat)
Lost in Conference Semifinals, 2–4 (Stars)
2014–15 WesternMidwest2nd7646222610024918516974846Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 3–2 (Marlies)
Won in Conference Semifinals, 4–1 (IceHogs)
Lost in Conference Finals, 2–4 (Comets)
2015–16 WesternCentral4th76443011902381959542921Won in Conference Quarterfinals, 3–0 (Admirals)
Lost in Conference Semifinals, 2–4 (Monsters)
2016–17 Western^Central2nd76472315100251190191547355Won in Division Semifinals, 3–0 (Admirals)
Won in Division Finals, 4–1 (Wolves)
Won in Conference Finals, 4–1 (Barracuda)
Won in Calder Cup Finals, 4–2 (Crunch)
2017–18 WesternCentral2nd76422527932372105231415Lost in Division Semifinals, 2–3 (Moose)
2018–19 WesternCentral4th76382774872172225231715Lost in Division Semifinals, 2–3 (Wolves)
AHL Totals (18 seasons)1,4087495122750711,6493,9663,845147745743039913 playoff appearances
Totals (23 seasons)1,81896565627991202,1305,2245,010182868153749317 playoff appearances

Notes

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References

General
Specific
  1. Flemming, Gretchen (June 10, 1999). "Griffins join forces with the Ottawa Senators". The Grand Rapids Press . Grand Rapids, Michigan: Booth Newspapers, Inc. p. C1.
  2. Conklin, Joe (January 24, 2002). "'Hockeytown West'; Talk of affiliation began with Detroit's visit to Grand Rapids". The Grand Rapids Press. p. B1.
  3. Conklin, Joe (April 16, 2007). "Heavenly hockey marriage; Red Wings, Griffins extend relationship three more years". The Grand Rapids Press. p. C8.