Home, Sweet Home

Story by Derek Patterson

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - At the conclusion of his senior season with the Harvard Crimson in 2016, Kyle Criscuolo came to the Grand Rapids Griffins as an undrafted talent on an amateur-tryout contract. His play during the final stretch of the 2015-16 regular season was good enough to earn him a one-year AHL contract for the 2016-17 campaign with the Griffins.

During his first full season in Grand Rapids in 2016-17, the Southampton, N.J., native played in all 76 regular-season games, netting 17 goals and 24 assists. He also played in 19 postseason contests, scoring five goals and racking up four assists, which helped the Griffins hoist their second Calder Cup trophy in franchise history.

After a successful tenure at Harvard where he tallied 113 points over four years, Criscuolo wasn’t a highly touted player to NHL scouts. However, he was able to find an opportunity within the Detroit Red Wings organization.

“After college I talked to a couple teams, but Ryan Martin, the general manager of the Griffins at the time, came to a few of my games and I had talked to him,” Criscuolo said. “I felt like that was the best opportunity for me to get started and they believed in me, even though I was undrafted. I ultimately made the decision to sign with them. The Red Wings are one of the premier organizations in the NHL and it was very exciting.”

There are very few differences between players at the pro levels of hockey, but it doesn’t change how Criscuolo prepares during the offseason. Having a smaller body frame, standing 5 feet, 9 inches tall, and weighing 175 lbs., he had to put extra effort into his training to make sure his size didn’t negatively affect him.

“I think there's a couple of things that come into play. There's a slim difference in levels of competition between college, AHL and NHL,” Criscuolo explained. “In order to get a competitive advantage you have to do everything you possibly can. From working out in the summer, taking care of your body after a game, eating right and sleeping well. I've always been a student of the game and trying to get better, and once I turned pro it was even more important for me to learn some tricks to make sure my size wasn’t a negative factor.”

This is Criscuolo’s second stint with the Red Wings organization. After winning the 2017 Calder Cup with the Griffins, he returned to Grand Rapids in 2020. Before coming back, the 29-year-old made his NHL debut with the Buffalo Sabres and played with three other AHL clubs, including the Rochester Americans, the San Diego Gulls and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

“The first time I was in Grand Rapids I was on an AHL contract. So, when I was there, I was just trying to solidify myself as a pro and earn an NHL contract,” Criscuolo commented. “It’s different now being on an NHL contract and having played in games for the Red Wings this season. Also, just where I’m at in my career, it’s my sixth year at the pro level, having that familiarity with the coaching staff here is nice, too.”

Having played for the Red Wings and Griffins, Criscuolo has taken notice of how both coaching staffs are similar but have their own unique insights to offer when developing players.

“Most of the coaches in Detroit have also spent some time here in AHL, too, but obviously every coaching style is different,” Criscuolo stated. “In terms of preparation, of giving us everything we need I think Grand Rapids does a great job. It’s a very NHL quality set up for us here. It's one of my favorite things about this organization.”

Criscuolo has a new-found appreciation for the Griffins and the city of Grand Rapids. He sees the city and organization as somewhere he wants to stay in the long term.

“My wife and I love it here in Grand Rapids and I’m familiar with the coaching staff and the city. It’s a great city, I would love to stay here moving forward,” Criscuolo said. “The combination of the arena, the coaching staff, the organization and the city, I think it's one of the best places to play in the AHL. It would definitely be good for me and my family if I could stay here.”

Now in his third full season with Grand Rapids, the alternate captain is one of the top players on the Griffins, ranking third on the team in points with 29 (12-17—29) while tying for second on the team in goals with 12. He looks forward to being a mentor for the younger guys and helping the organization raise its third Calder Cup in the near future.

Photo by Mark Newman/Griffins