The schedule includes two season-high five-game homestands from Jan. 10-18 and March 21-April 4, and a season-high six-game road trip from Dec. 7-18.
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — On Thursday, the Grand Rapids Griffins announced their 2024-2025 American Hockey League (AHL) season schedule. This will be the franchise's 29th season overall, their 24th as a member of the AHL and 23rd as the primary affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings.
The team's 72-game schedule will begin with a home game where they'll host the Milwaukee Admirals at the Van Andel Arena. This will be the fourth season in a row that the team will begin its season with a home game. Opening Night will be Oct. 7. The game will begin at 7 p.m. and will also mark the beginning of the team's head coach Dan Watson's second season with the team.
The 72 games this season will include 52 contests against Central Division rivals, eight games against the Atlantic Division, eight games against the North Division, and four outings against the Pacific Division. This season will be the first time since the AHL changed to the four-division format in the 2015-2016 season that the Griffins will compete against three teams from the Atlantic division.
The schedule includes two season-high five-game homestands from Jan. 10-18 and March 21-April 4, and a season-high six-game road trip from Dec. 7-18. The slate also features 18 back-to-backs and three three-in-threes.
“After having our best regular season since 2017-18 and reaching the Central Division Finals this past year, we cannot be more excited for what the future holds in head coach Dan Watson’s second season in charge,” Griffins president Tim Gortsema said. “We will have another great core of exciting Detroit Red Wings prospects that will continue to develop in Grand Rapids and chase their goals of reaching the NHL.”
The Griffins shared some highlights of their 2024-2025 schedule:
- Twenty-three prime home dates (16 Fridays and seven Saturdays) out of 36 games;
- The first-ever meetings against a team from Lehigh Valley. This will be the first meetings with that franchise since 2008-09, when the Phantoms played in Philadelphia. The Griffins will make their first trip to Lehigh Valley on Oct. 26-27 before the Phantoms pay a visit to Van Andel Arena on Feb. 19-21;
- Competing against three teams from the Atlantic Division for the first time since the AHL changed to the four-division format in 2015-16;
- Beginning the campaign at home for the fourth straight season;
- Playing Springfield at home for just the second time in franchise history;
- Four Sunday home games, which ties last year’s mark as the most since the 2012-13 season;
- One home game starting at 8 p.m. (March 22 vs. Rockford);
- The Griffins’ 27th annual New Year’s Eve celebration versus the Cleveland Monsters on Tuesday, Dec. 31 (6 p.m. start), in addition to playing the day after Thanksgiving (Nov. 29 vs. Milwaukee);
- Grand Rapids’ 23rd annual School Day Game against the Rockford IceHogs on Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 11 a.m.;
- The Great Skate Winterfest game on Saturday, Jan. 18 versus the Cleveland Monsters;
- The 24th annual Teddy Bear Toss game against the Milwaukee Admirals on Friday, Nov. 29;
- Princess Night on Feb. 1 against the Colorado Eagles;
- Fan Appreciation Night on April 12 versus the Texas Stars.
Schedule breakdown:
- Season/Home Opener: Fri., Oct. 11 vs. Milwaukee Admirals
- Home Finale: Sat., April 12 vs. Texas Stars
- Season Finale: Sat., April 19 at Iowa Wild
- By Conference
- Western – 56 (28 home, 28 road), Eastern – 16 (8 home, 8 road)
- By Division
- Central – 52 (26 home, 26 road), Atlantic – 8 (4 home, 4 road), North – 8 (4 home, 4 road), Pacific – 4 (2 home, 2 road)
- By Opponent
- Rockford – 12 (6 home, 6 road)
- Chicago, Cleveland, Iowa, Manitoba, Milwaukee, Texas – 8 (4 home, 4 road)
- Colorado, Lehigh Valley – 4 (2 home, 2 road)
- Hartford, Springfield – 2 (1 home, 1 road)
- By Day (Home)
- Friday – 16, Wednesday – 8, Saturday – 7, Sunday – 4, Tuesday – 1
- By Day (Road)
- Saturday – 15, Friday and Wednesday – 6, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday – 3,
- By Month (Home)
- January – 7, November and March – 6, December and February – 5, April – 4, October – 3
- By Month (Road)
- December – 7, February – 6, October, November and April – 5, January and March – 4
- Longest Homestand
- 5 games: Jan. 10-18, March 21-April 4
- Longest Road Trip
- 6 games: Dec. 7-18
- Three Games in Three Nights
- Three times: Oct. 25-27, Nov. 29-Dec. 1, Dec. 6-8
To purchase full-season, select season or group ticket packages you can call (616)774-4585 ext. 2 or visit griffinshockey.com for more information. Single-game tickets for the season will go on sale later in the summer through griffinshockey.com/tickets.
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