GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins on Monday released their schedule for the 2016-17 season. It will mark the franchise’s 21st campaign overall, 16th as members of the American Hockey League and 15th as the primary affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings.
The Griffins and second-year head coach Todd Nelson will open their 76-game slate at Van Andel Arena against the Chicago Wolves on Friday, Oct. 14 at 7 p.m., marking the 11th time Grand Rapids’ season opener has been at home. The Griffins’ road opener will come a day later on Sat., Oct. 15, when they visit the Wolves at Allstate Arena.
Highlights of the 2016-17 schedule include:
- Twenty-seven prime home dates (17 Fridays and 10 Saturdays) out of 38 games;
- The Griffins’ first-ever games against a pair of Pacific Division foes, the San Jose Barracuda and the Stockton Heat. Grand Rapids will welcome San Jose to Van Andel Arena on Jan. 27and Stockton on Jan. 28, marking the seventh and eighth teams from California, respectively, that the Griffins have hosted. The Griffins make the return trip to San Jose on March 11 and Stockton on March 12, as the SAP Center and Stockton Arena will become the 59th and 60th road venues, respectively, the Griffins have played in. The SAP Center, also home to the NHL’s San Jose Sharks, will be the eighth NHL arena to host a Griffins game;
- The Griffins’ 20th annual New Year’s Eve celebration versus the Rockford IceHogs on Sat., Dec. 31;
- Grand Rapids’ 16th annual Matinee Game against the Manitoba Moose on Wed., Feb. 15 at 11 a.m.;
- Twelve games (six home) against the defending Calder Cup Champion Cleveland (formerly Lake Erie) Monsters./
All Griffins home games will begin at 7 p.m., with the exception of Sat., Dec. 31 (6 p.m.), and Wed., Feb. 15 (11 a.m.).
Group tickets for all home dates at Van Andel Arena are now on sale, along with 2016-17 season ticket packages. Single-game tickets will go on sale to the public on Sept. 16. Fans can secure theirfull-season, select-season or group ticket packages by calling (616) 774-4585 ext. 2 or visitgriffinshockey.com for more information.
Griffins 2016-17 schedule options: PDF Graphic
Grand Rapids Griffins2016-17 Schedule Breakdown
Season Opener: Fri., Oct. 14 vs. Chicago Wolves Road Opener: Sat., Oct. 15 at Chicago Wolves 2017 AHL All-Star Classic: Mon., Jan. 30 in Lehigh Valley, Pa. Home Finale: Fri., April 14 vs. Charlotte CheckersSeason Finale: Sat., April 15 at Milwaukee Admirals
By Conference
Western – 76 (38 home, 38 road), Eastern – 0
By Division
Central – 64 (32 home, 32 road), Pacific – 12 (6 home, 6 road), North – 0, Atlantic – 0
By Opponent
Cleveland, Milwaukee – 12 games (6 home, 6 road)
Chicago, Rockford – 10 games (5 home, 5 road)
Charlotte, Iowa – 8 games (4 home, 4 road)
Manitoba, San Antonio, Texas – 4 games (2 home, 2 road)
Stockton, San Jose – 2 games (1 home, 1 road)
By Day (Home)
Friday – 17, Wednesday – 11, Saturday – 10
By Day (Road)
Saturday – 14, Friday and Sunday – 6, Tuesday and Wednesday – 5, Monday and Thursday – 1
By Month (Home)
November and January – 8, February – 7, December – 5, March – 4, October and April – 3
By Month (Road)
March – 10, December – 8, April – 5, October, January and February – 4, November – 3
Longest Homestand
5 games: Jan. 20-28, Feb. 15-25
Longest Road Trip
7 games: Feb. 28-March 12
Three Games in Three Nights
Twice: March 17-19, March 24-26
