If the NHL product in Detroit isn’t entertaining in the 2018-19 season, certainly down the road in Grand Rapids can’t be much worse.

This will be the first season for newly-appointed Head Coach Ben Simon. Earning the promotion from Assistant, to take over Todd Nelson’s position after he left to be an assistant with the Dallas Stars.

Newly added to the schedule, the Griffins will be making their grand debuts against the Ontario Reign and Belleville Senators. They will even be traveling up to Ontario to face the Senators in late-October.

The Griffins will also be playing eight games each against the Texas Stars and San Antonio Rampage, as they are added to the Central Division this season.

With the goal of getting younger and faster, there may be some more major prospects with the Griffins than previous years. Certainly bigger names than some fans are used to. Dennis Cholowski, Givani Smith, Libor Sulak, and perhaps even Filip Zadina, will be playing with the Griffins this year.

If Zadina is in Grand Rapids at any point, I’m sure there will be a heightened interest from more Red Wings fans than usual.