No. 300 FOR NELSON

With Grand Rapids’ 4-3 overtime win against Rockford last night, head coach Todd Nelson became the 20th head coach in the 82-year history of the American Hockey League to record 300 victories. Let’s go by the numbers for Nelson’s career:

1 – Nelson was the first player ever signed to a Griffins contract on July 24, 1996, prior to the team’s inaugural season. Through parts of four seasons, Nelson amassed 67 points (11-56—67) and 123 penalty minutes in 236 games with Grand Rapids from his blueline position. Most notably, Nelson was a part of the Griffins’ 1999-00 squad that reached the IHL Turner Cup Finals. He is the second former Griffins player to be employed as Grand Rapids’ head coach (Danton Cole).

3 – Last June, Nelson became the third person in AHL history to win the Calder Cup as a player (1994 Portland), assistant coach (2008 Chicago) and head coach (2017 Grand Rapids), joining Bob Woods and Mike Stothers on the list.

3 – The number of Cups he’s brought to West Michigan as a head coach. In addition to Grand Rapids’ 2017 Calder Cup, he led the UHL’s Muskegon Lumberjacks to Colonial Cup titles in 2004 and 2005.

5 – The number of franchise head coaching records with Nelson’s name attached to them, including longest winning streak (15 games; Nov. 18-Dec. 26, 2015); longest home winning streak (14 games; Nov. 11, 2015-Jan. 15, 2016); highest single-season power play percentage (24.4%, 2016-17); tying for the longest power play streak (13 games; Nov. 9-Dec. 7, 2016); and longest home playoff winning streak in a single postseason. The 2017 Griffins became the fourth team in AHL history to forge a 10-game home winning streak in a single postseason (finished 10-0).

20 – Nelson is part of an exclusive head coaching club in the AHL, as he is one of 20 coaches in the 82-year history of the league with 300 or more victories. The Griffins’ 4-3 victory in overtime on March 16 gave Nelson No. 300.

24 – Number of Griffins players he’s coached who have gone on to play in the NHL over the last three seasons (not including conditioning stints).

46 – Number of games he’s been an NHL head coach. Nelson took over the Edmonton Oilers on an interim basis in Dec. 2014.

124 – Career victories as the Griffins’ head coach. He became the fifth coach in franchise history with 100 or more wins with a 5-2 triumph at Chicago on Dec. 2, and his 124 victories place third in the club’s record book (Curt Fraser – 146, Jeff Blashill – 134).

215 – The number of regular season games he’s been behind Grand Rapids’ bench as a head coach, the fourth coach in team history with 200 or more games coached.

548 – Number of games he’s been a head coach in the AHL. He became the fifth active AHL bench boss with 500 or more games on Nov. 11 at Texas.

826 – Number of games he’s been a professional head coach. He reached game no. 800 on Jan. 6 at Chicago and his head coaching career spans Muskegon (UHL, 2003-06), Oklahoma City (AHL, 2010-14), Edmonton (NHL, 2014-15) and Grand Rapids (2015-present).


Career AHL Head Coaching Wins (x-active, through Mar. 16)
1. 717 – Roy Sommer-x
2. 636 – Fred “Bun” Cook
3. 610 – Frank Mathers
4. 589 – John Paddock
5. 424 – John Anderson
6. 388 – Ken Gernander
7. 384 – Randy Cunneyworth
8. 374 – Mark Morris
9. 362 – Terry Reardon
10. 353 – Robbie Ftorek
11. 343 – Scott Gordon-x
12. 340 – Bruce Boudreau
13. 337 – John Van Boxmeer
14. 333 – Johnny Crawford
15. 329 – Tom McVie
16. 322 – Don Lever
17. 305 – Joe Crozier
18. 304 – Al MacNeil
19. 302 – Greg Gilbert
20. 300 – Todd Nelson-x