Simon Says...
If you can’t beat ‘em, trade for ‘em. The Griffins followed that philosophy before the AHL’s roster deadline by acquiring long-time nemesis Ben Simon, who sat down this week for a little Q&A.
Griff Notes: What was it like for a kid just out of college to win cups in each of your first two years pro with Orlando (2001 IHL Turner Cup) and Chicago (2002 AHL Calder Cup), and what are your most vivid memories of those championships?
Simon: I was spoiled. We were good teams in those cities and had a lot of guys who were in the same situation, being a first or second year pro, which made it a lot of fun. The best memories were those last games and the celebrations that we had after and the good times that we had throughout the year.
Griff Notes: In both of those seasons, your team beat the Griffins in the playoffs. What do you remember about those series and the rivalries your teams have had with Grand Rapids through the years?
Simon: It is always fun to come up here since I am from the Midwest. After being away, coming back close to home is always a thrill. The rivalries came pretty natural with the good teams we had. It was tough, but a lot of fun.
Griff Notes: How would you describe yourself as a player, and what particular things do you feel you bring to the Griffins, especially in regards to the stretch run and the playoffs?
Simon: I think I bring a lot of experience. I know what it takes to get through a lot of bumps in the road and also what it takes to be successful. So I would like to think that my experience can go a long way.
Griff Notes: You’ve already had two shorthanded goals in just nine games with the Griffins, and I believe you still hold Chicago’s record for most in a season with seven back in 2002-03. What’s your secret?
Simon: I think I am just lucky enough to get the opportunities with the way the puck bounces sometimes when I am out there. Plus, I have been fortunate enough to be part of penalty killing situations.
Griff Notes: You and Griffins GM Bob McNamara played what has become a rather significant round of golf last summer at the Notre Dame Hockey Alumni gathering. Talk about the ground work that was laid then, and how you later came to be traded from Syracuse (for Ryan Keller).
Simon: I don’t think there was too much ground work, we were just going out to have a good time golfing. The hockey world is just a small world and I was lucky enough to have everything come together at this point in time. Ideally we would have liked to make a deal sooner rather than later, but it got done and I am happy to be here.
Griff Notes: Your wife Beth’s family is from Kalamazoo. What was her response to the trade?
Simon: She was ecstatic. This is the most ideal situation for us to be in since it is close to home. Being close to Kalamazoo, we are only 40 minutes from her parents’ house. It has been great for her to have the opportunity to go home and hang out with her sisters while we are on the road.
Griff Notes: After being a thorn in the Griffins’ side for many years, how has the transition been for you in coming to Grand Rapids?
Simon: It has been pretty smooth so far. I think there is a pretty solid group of guys here and they have welcomed me into the locker room. They have helped me a lot by making it pretty easy so far.
Griff Notes: Did you have to make amends with any of your new teammates for past conflicts, or is all of that left on the ice?
Simon: (Laughing) No, that all gets left on the ice, and everybody understands you play to win when you’re out there. You just try to become friends with everyone now that you are on the same team.
Griff Notes: Your hometown of Cleveland isn’t exactly known as a hotbed for NHL talent. As a young boy, did you dream of playing in the NHL, or did that come about later?
Simon: Well, you always dream about it as a kid, but going up in Cleveland, you were not afforded a lot of the opportunities to capitalize on those dreams. But hockey has picked up a little bit there and grown a lot since I have left. They are getting an AHL team back (Lake Erie Monsters in 2007-08) so it will be interesting, and a lot of kids these days are getting a lot more chances.
Griff Notes: You played 53 NHL games with Atlanta just three years ago. What did that season mean to you in your development as a player?
Simon: It was a learning experience and tremendous to be part of an organization for that long. I played for a great coach up there, Bob Hartley and also alongside some great players that were up there like Ilya Kovalchuk, Dany Heatley and Vyacheslav Kozlov. Just to see how they work day in and day out was pretty cool.
Griff Notes: How big of a thrill was it for you last season to play so close to home in Columbus?
Simon: It was pretty cool. It’s always a dream to play in the NHL, but when your parents can drive two hours south to see their kid play, it is pretty special.
Griff Notes: Your alma mater, Notre Dame, has been having a phenomenal year, and they enter the NCAA tournament as the nation’s top ranked team. What’s it like to see your old school have so much success, and what’s your prediction for the tournament (ND plays Alabama-Huntsville in the first round Friday at Van Andel Arena)?
Simon: Predictions, I always have to go with the Irish. It will be interesting since they have really turned the program around. It’s fun to know that you have been a part of that program and helped build it to where it is. You kind of wish it would have happened when you were there, but it is neat to see them at where they are right now.
Griff Notes: Of course, you would probably say a lot of their success stems from the man behind the bench, Jeff Jackson, who picked you for the U.S. Junior team 10 years ago. Talk about your relationship with him and your respect for him.
Simon: He has done a tremendous job with that program. He has got a lot of guys to buy into the beliefs and the systems that he wants to instill in the kids, who have done a great job of buying in.
Griff Notes: You wore number 8 even back in college. Is there a particular reason you wear that number?
Simon: My dad picked it for me when I was a kid, and I have just always been able to wear it since then. Wherever I have gone, it has been open. A lot of times, the numbers are determined by senior members of the team and the older guys get to reserve theirs first, but I have been lucky enough to get it each place I have gone.
Griff Notes: Obviously, a big reason you’re now in Grand Rapids is the playoff success you’ve had over the years. In your experience, what will it take for the Griffins to win their first Calder Cup?
Simon: I think just a little more consistency. We work hard every night and now it is just a matter of winning all those one-goal games. All the games now are going to come down to one or two-goal games. It is just a matter of doing all the little things that add up to big things in the long run.
Fresh Meat
In addition to adding Ben Simon, Grand Rapids made numerous changes to its roster in gearing up for the playoff push. Here is a look at the newer players that will don a Griffins sweater throughout the playoffs:
Adam Keefe
Keefe was obtained in a Feb. 23 trade with Manitoba, who in return received Brendan Brooks on loan from the Red Wings. Already a fan favorite due to his pugnacity and toughness, Keefe is more than willing to drop the gloves, doing so in seven of his 12 games with the Griffins thus far. The younger brother of former NHLer Sheldon Keefe, he is a 2003 Memorial Cup champ who led both the Moose and ECHL Toledo in penalty minutes last season.
Jamie Tardif
Tardif has been a great addition to the Griffins’ lineup, tallying eight goals and 13 points in just 19 games. On March 3 in Syracuse, he became just the third player in franchise history to net three goals in one period, scoring a natural hat trick in the process. Tardif captained OHL Peterborough to a Memorial Cup berth last season, notching career bests with 40 goals and 69 points. Calgary’s fourth-round pick in 2003, he represented Toledo in the ECHL All-Star Game and had stints with Manitoba and Iowa before signing with the Griffins on Jan. 26. Jonas Johansson
Colorado’s first choice in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft, Johansson was acquired on loan from Washington on Feb. 27. In his Griffins’ debut the following day, he notched an assist in Grand Rapids’ 3-2 overtime loss in Rochester. The Swedish-born forward made his NHL debut with the Capitals in 2005-06 and played the majority of last season with Hershey, helping the Bears capture the Calder Cup.
Tony Voce
Voce joined the Griffins on loan from the Philadelphia Phantoms on Feb. 19. A South Philly native, he won a Calder Cup with his hometown-team in 2005. No stranger to winning it all, he also won an NCAA championship in 2001 with Boston College and was a 2004 Hobey Baker finalist. Voce paced the Phantoms with 28 goals and 55 points last season, and set a club record with four goals on Feb. 11, 2006.