Special Powers: On Sunday in Chicago, the Griffins scored a season-high three power-play goals (3-for-5) but also surrendered two shorthanded tallies. Grand Rapids has scored a power-play goal in three straight games (5-for-11, 45.5%) and place third in the AHL at 26.7% (8-for-30). The Griffins’ three shorthanded goals allowed this season are tied for the league lead. However, their penalty kill ranks first in the AHL at 87.9% (29-for-33) and has allowed a power-play goal in just three of the nine games. The 33 times shorthanded are tied for the fourth-fewest in the league. 

Defense Wins Championships: The Griffins’ defense is one of the best in the AHL, as it ranks fifth with 2.22 goals allowed per contest. The 20 goals allowed are the second-fewest in franchise history through the team’s first nine games, trailing only last season’s 18. In addition, the team’s penalty kill places first at 87.9% (29-for-33). Despite ranking fifth in goals allowed, the Griffins place 28th with 31.2 shots allowed per game. In net, Sebastian Cossa sports a 1.75 GAA with a .939 save percentage, while rookie Michal Postava possesses a 2.15 GAA and a .936 save percentage. The Griffins have four defensemen who have played at least 100 games in the NHL in Erik Gustafsson (515), Justin Holl (396), Ian Mitchell (110), and William Lagesson (107). Last season, the Griffins finished ninth in the AHL with 2.82 goals allowed per game but spent much of the campaign in the top five for goals allowed per contest. 

The Well is not Dry: Sheldon Dries, a nine-year veteran, has goals in consecutive games and is on a three-game point streak from Nov. 1-9 (2-2—4). His seven points (3-4—7) in seven games rank fourth on the roster and are tied for the best start in his AHL career (2021-22 Abbotsford). With the Griffins since 2024-25, the Macomb, Michigan, native has 47 points (28-19—47) in 72 regular-season games. Dries is no stranger to West Michigan, as he served as a three-time captain at Western Michigan University and totaled 84 points (44-40—84) in 148 games at the university from 2013-17. 

Good Problem to Have: The Griffins’ roster features eight veterans, including forwards Sheldon Dries, John Leonard, Dominik Shine and Austin Watson, and defensemen Erik Gustafsson, Justin Holl, William Lagesson and Ian Mitchell. With eight veterans, the Griffins are two over the playing limit and are required to scratch two of them each game due to the AHL’s development rule. Even with two of them scratched for each contest, the veterans on the team have combined for 45 points (22-23—45) in 54 games, which accounts for 45% of the scoring for the team and 61% of the goals. Leonard ranks first among the veterans with 12 points (9-3—12) in eight games, while Shine (6-3—9 in 7 GP) ranks second, and Dries (3-4—7 in 7 GP) places third.

Future is Bright: Sebastian Cossa, the 15th overall pick in 2021, registered his first shutout of the season on Oct. 24 behind 30 saves in a 4-0 win over Manitoba. It marked his fourth AHL shutout, eighth as a pro, and the first since Oct. 11, 2024. Cossa is off to a 4-0 start this season with a 1.75 goals-against average and a .939 save percentage. In the AHL rankings, he places fourth in GAA and fourth in save percentage. Last season, Cossa was named to his first AHL All-Star Classic and ranked among the AHL regular-season leaders in games played (41, T8th), minutes played (2,424:37, 7th), GAA (2.45, 11th), save percentage (.911, T13th), and wins (21, T10th). The 6-foot-7 goaltender also made his NHL debut with Detroit on Dec. 9 at Buffalo and came away with a 6-5 shootout victory behind 12 saves and three stops in the shootout in a relief effort. In parts of four seasons with Grand Rapids since 2022-23, Cossa has notched a 48-25-14 mark with four shutouts to go along with a 2.48 GAA and a .910 save percentage in 88 outings. 

Shine On, Captain: On Oct. 9, Dominik Shine was named the 19th captain in franchise history. He is in his 10th season with Grand Rapids, becoming just the third player in team history to reach the milestone (Brian Lashoff 14, Travis Richards 10). Shine has four points (3-1—4) in his last two games and ranks third on the team with nine points (6-3—9) in seven games. His six goals are also tied for 12th in the AHL. On the all-time regular-season franchise leaderboard, Shine ranks third in games played (490), sixth in goals (81), ninth in assists (112), eighth in points (193), sixth in penalty minutes (557), tied for fifth in shorthanded goals (6), tied for fifth in game-winners (13), tied for first in unassisted goals (10), and sixth in shots (815). 

Not Your Ordinary Rookie: Netminder Michal Postava, an undrafted free agent out of Czechia, is in his first season in North America after spending the last three campaigns in the Czech pro ranks. The 23-year-old is off to a 4-0 start with Grand Rapids with a 2.15 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage. He ranks 10th in GAA and fifth in save percentage among all goaltenders. Postava became the 10th rookie netminder in franchise history to win his debut and then became the eighth rookie goalie to win his home debut, joining teammate Sebastian Cossa, Filip Larsson, Jared Coreau, Petr Mrazek, Tom McCollum, Jimmy Howard and Mathieu Chouinard. He became a Czech Extraliga champion last season with Kometa Brno and ranked among the league’s regular-season leaders in save percentage (5th), goals-against average (T11th), wins (4th) and shutouts (T7th) before placing first in the postseason with a .940 save percentage in 17 outings. Throughout Postava’s three-year pro career, the 6-foot-1 netminder has shown a 78-65-9 record with 12 shutouts and a 2.11 GAA in 149 contests.

AHL Leaderboard Tracker:  
Sebastian Cossa—Fourth in GAA (1.75), tied for 10th in wins (4), fourth in save percentage (.939)
Erik Gustafsson—Tied for sixth among defensemen in assists (6)
Justin Holl—Tied for 15th in plus-minus (+7), tied for seventh among defensemen in plus-minus (+7)
William Lagesson—Tied for seventh in plus-minus (+8), tied for fourth among defensemen in plus-minus (+8)
John Leonard—Tied for first in goals (9), tied for 13th in points (12), tied for second in game-winners (3)
Amadeus Lombardi—Tied for fifth in assists (10)
Michal Postava—10th in GAA (2.15), tied for 10th in wins (4), fifth in save percentage (.936)
Dominik Shine—Tied for 12th in goals (6)

Milestones: Last Sunday, Sheldon Dries collected his 250th AHL point and John Leonard secured his 200th pro point.    
Erik Gustafsson—One game from 850 as a pro
Justin Holl—One point from 200 as a pro
John Leonard—Two goals from 100 as a pro
Dominik Shine—One game from 500 as a pro, one unassisted goal from claiming sole possession of the franchise record of 11
Eduards Tralmaks—One game from 200 as a pro 
William Wallinder—One point from 100 as a pro
Austin Watson—Two points from 300 as a pro

Photo by Nicolas Carrillo/Griffins