UNSUNG VETERANS

March 19, 2015

by Pete Wallner –mlive.com
____________________________

On the Grand Rapids Griffins, there are a prospects who grab the majority of the headlines - Andreas Athanasiou, Anthony Mantha and Alexey Marchenko, for instance.

Then there are the essential three names to really know from the AHL's hottest team - Jeff Hoggan, Nathan Paetsch and Brennan Evans.

They have an average age of 33, a combined 38 years of professional service and about a zero percent chance of playing in the NHL. Their stats are negligible but their value immeasurable.

If you want to know the inside reason why the Griffins won the Calder Cup Trophy in 2013 and currently have points in a franchise-record 18 consecutive games, coach Jeff Blashill recites three names and raves about three things: attention to detail, professionalism and selflessness.

"Those three have been invaluable in the three years I've been here," Blashill said. "Between the work ethic and attention to detail and the selflessness they bring, they've created a culture in this room that, I think, is the most important factor to success."

They are among six current players from the title team two seasons ago, and it's no coincidence they are still here. Blashill and the Detroit organization wanted a veteran core that would mentor young players rather than compete against them. It is not a new formula in the AHL, but they became the right combination for the Griffins.

"They go out and work so hard every day, pay attention to detail every day that you can't help as a younger player to follow in their footsteps," Blashill said.

Hoggan, after two seasons in Germany, came to the Griffins based on a recommendation from Blashill's former assistant at Western Michigan; Paetsch had also been in Germany and Evans had been with Peoria. They were scouted and sought out for their combination of defensive skills and character by the Detroit front office.

Together, they shared a pivotal moment at the outset of the Griffins' current streak of success. The Griffins had lost five of six to start Blashill's first season, and the rookie coach went all-in on his trust.

"I just remember bringing them in here and saying, 'We're going to be fine because of the character I see out of you guys," Blashill recalled. "I had seen the selflessness I know now. But then, I knew if we worked that hard as a group based on what they were doing, we would get lots better through the season."

Ultimately, the Griffins won the Calder Cup, reached the conference semifinals last year and are currently on a streak that has vaulted them to the top of the Western Conference and Midwest Division heading into Friday's home game against Milwaukee.

With Hoggan as captain and Paetsch and Evans as alternates, the three are in the middle of it all again. A culture of success has been created, Paetsch said.

"It's the approach you bring every day," he said. "With the work ethic you bring every day and the leadership we have, it's all really built into an atmosphere of success we've had the past three years."

Of the three, Hoggan is most noteworthy. He was elected captain his first season - as he was previously at San Antonio - and adapted and adjusted to changing roles since. Three seasons ago, he played in 100 games total and was the first to ever hoist the Calder Cup Trophy for the franchise. This season, at age 37, he has played on the first to fourth line.

"This is our role - let's develop these guys for the next level, establish a winning culture, and I think we've gotten better at that," Hoggan said. "I value that. And it's nice to be valued for that."
Let’s develop these guys for the next level, establish a winning culture ... I value that.” - Jeff Hoggan

On some teams, competition can breed jealousy over success. Not so for Evans, who was undrafted and began his pro career in 1999.

"It's almost cliché to say this, but for us there is joy in seeing the success of guys going up," Evans said. "To see (Marchenko) go up and do as well as he did, you kind of like to think you had a little something in there. Maybe he saw something or learned something you did and that it could help him have a long career."

When Athanasiou arrived to his first Griffins camp, he discovered his first roommate was Hoggan, nearly 17 years his elder.

"Yeah, it was great." Athanasiou said. "He took me under his wing and showed me the ins and outs and how to get around, what to expect, how to act."

The paring was no coincidence. Hoggan has done it before, including with Martin Frk and Tomas Jurco.

"It's a combination that players graduate to the Red Wings, then you have young players come in who aren't familiar with the system," Hoggan said. "I just takes a little time to figure out how to be a pro. You could see how good we were individually, but it just takes some time to jell and come together on the ice."

It's rare to have a skater remain with an AHL team for three seasons, let alone three in a row. In 12 years, Evans, for instance, has been with seven AHL teams, none for more than two seasons. Hoggan has been on five AHL teams, plus stints with the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins, while Paetsch was with two other AHL teams, plus a season Germany and 167 NHL games in parts of three seasons with the Buffalo Sabres.

How long the unit stays together isn't on the radar for any of them.

"I don't think anything has really changed and I think don't our approach at the rink has changed. I think that's a reason for our success for three years," Paetsch said. "When we were struggling, when we were winning, the environment in our locker room doesn't change a lot. That's what Blash brings to us - never too high, never too low. Be consistent."

At some point the threesome will spit, and it will be hard for the organization to duplicate the culture of success devised by the organization with Blashill, and carried out by the three veterans.

"The lesson learned here, from me and certainly the Red Wings' organization as well, is how important it is to have absolutely the right veterans," Blashill said. "They don't necessarily have to be your leading scorers, but they have to be the right leaders."

March 19, 2015

by Pete Wallner –mlive.com
____________________________

On the Grand Rapids Griffins, there are a prospects who grab the majority of the headlines - Andreas Athanasiou, Anthony Mantha and Alexey Marchenko, for instance.

Then there are the essential three names to really know from the AHL's hottest team - Jeff Hoggan, Nathan Paetsch and Brennan Evans.

They have an average age of 33, a combined 38 years of professional service and about a zero percent chance of playing in the NHL. Their stats are negligible but their value immeasurable.

If you want to know the inside reason why the Griffins won the Calder Cup Trophy in 2013 and currently have points in a franchise-record 18 consecutive games, coach Jeff Blashill recites three names and raves about three things: attention to detail, professionalism and selflessness.

"Those three have been invaluable in the three years I've been here," Blashill said. "Between the work ethic and attention to detail and the selflessness they bring, they've created a culture in this room that, I think, is the most important factor to success."

They are among six current players from the title team two seasons ago, and it's no coincidence they are still here. Blashill and the Detroit organization wanted a veteran core that would mentor young players rather than compete against them. It is not a new formula in the AHL, but they became the right combination for the Griffins.

"They go out and work so hard every day, pay attention to detail every day that you can't help as a younger player to follow in their footsteps," Blashill said.

Hoggan, after two seasons in Germany, came to the Griffins based on a recommendation from Blashill's former assistant at Western Michigan; Paetsch had also been in Germany and Evans had been with Peoria. They were scouted and sought out for their combination of defensive skills and character by the Detroit front office.

Together, they shared a pivotal moment at the outset of the Griffins' current streak of success. The Griffins had lost five of six to start Blashill's first season, and the rookie coach went all-in on his trust.

"I just remember bringing them in here and saying, 'We're going to be fine because of the character I see out of you guys," Blashill recalled. "I had seen the selflessness I know now. But then, I knew if we worked that hard as a group based on what they were doing, we would get lots better through the season."

Ultimately, the Griffins won the Calder Cup, reached the conference semifinals last year and are currently on a streak that has vaulted them to the top of the Western Conference and Midwest Division heading into Friday's home game against Milwaukee.

With Hoggan as captain and Paetsch and Evans as alternates, the three are in the middle of it all again. A culture of success has been created, Paetsch said.

"It's the approach you bring every day," he said. "With the work ethic you bring every day and the leadership we have, it's all really built into an atmosphere of success we've had the past three years."

Of the three, Hoggan is most noteworthy. He was elected captain his first season - as he was previously at San Antonio - and adapted and adjusted to changing roles since. Three seasons ago, he played in 100 games total and was the first to ever hoist the Calder Cup Trophy for the franchise. This season, at age 37, he has played on the first to fourth line.

"This is our role - let's develop these guys for the next level, establish a winning culture, and I think we've gotten better at that," Hoggan said. "I value that. And it's nice to be valued for that."
Let’s develop these guys for the next level, establish a winning culture ... I value that.” - Jeff Hoggan

On some teams, competition can breed jealousy over success. Not so for Evans, who was undrafted and began his pro career in 1999.

"It's almost cliché to say this, but for us there is joy in seeing the success of guys going up," Evans said. "To see (Marchenko) go up and do as well as he did, you kind of like to think you had a little something in there. Maybe he saw something or learned something you did and that it could help him have a long career."

When Athanasiou arrived to his first Griffins camp, he discovered his first roommate was Hoggan, nearly 17 years his elder.

"Yeah, it was great." Athanasiou said. "He took me under his wing and showed me the ins and outs and how to get around, what to expect, how to act."

The paring was no coincidence. Hoggan has done it before, including with Martin Frk and Tomas Jurco.

"It's a combination that players graduate to the Red Wings, then you have young players come in who aren't familiar with the system," Hoggan said. "I just takes a little time to figure out how to be a pro. You could see how good we were individually, but it just takes some time to jell and come together on the ice."

It's rare to have a skater remain with an AHL team for three seasons, let alone three in a row. In 12 years, Evans, for instance, has been with seven AHL teams, none for more than two seasons. Hoggan has been on five AHL teams, plus stints with the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins, while Paetsch was with two other AHL teams, plus a season Germany and 167 NHL games in parts of three seasons with the Buffalo Sabres.

How long the unit stays together isn't on the radar for any of them.

"I don't think anything has really changed and I think don't our approach at the rink has changed. I think that's a reason for our success for three years," Paetsch said. "When we were struggling, when we were winning, the environment in our locker room doesn't change a lot. That's what Blash brings to us - never too high, never too low. Be consistent."

At some point the threesome will spit, and it will be hard for the organization to duplicate the culture of success devised by the organization with Blashill, and carried out by the three veterans.

"The lesson learned here, from me and certainly the Red Wings' organization as well, is how important it is to have absolutely the right veterans," Blashill said. "They don't necessarily have to be your leading scorers, but they have to be the right leaders."