Stanley Cup Comes Home to Roest

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Tampa Bay Lightning assistant general manager Stacy Roest will become the 17th former Grand Rapids Griffins player to have his name added to the Stanley Cup, by virtue of his team’s 4-2 series win over the Dallas Stars in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final.

This marks the seventh time in the last 13 years and the ninth time in the last 16 seasons that a former Griffin will have his name engraved on the most famous trophy in sports.

Roest, the first Grand Rapids alumnus to earn the honor in a non-playing role, was an integral part of a 2002-03 Griffins team that finished first in the American Hockey League’s Western Conference and eventually fell one win shy of competing in the Calder Cup Finals. The center placed third on the team in scoring during the regular season with 72 points (24-48—72) in 70 games then led the Griffins with 10 goals and 16 points during their playoff run. Roest set the franchise’s single-postseason records by scoring a pair of overtime goals and five game-winning goals in all before Grand Rapids lost to eventual champion Houston in Game 7 of the conference finals.

Roest began his Tampa Bay tenure in 2013 as director of player development, a position he held for six seasons before being promoted to assistant general manager last summer. He also serves as general manager for the Lightning’s AHL affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch.

As the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs dawned in August, 15 of the 16 teams claimed a former Griffin within their player, coaching or front office ranks.

STANLEY CUP FINAL RESULT

2. Tampa Bay (assistant GM Stacy Roest) defeated 3. Dallas (center Mattias Janmark, assistant coach Todd Nelson), 4-2


CONFERENCE FINALS RESULTS

Western Conference
1. Vegas (left wing Tomas Nosek) lost to 3. Dallas (center Mattias Janmark, assistant coach Todd Nelson), 1-4

Eastern Conference
2. Tampa Bay (assistant GM Stacy Roest) defeated 6. NY Islanders (assistant coach John Gruden), 4-2


SECOND ROUND RESULTS

Western Conference
1. Vegas (left wing Tomas Nosek) defeated 5. Vancouver, 4-3
2. Colorado (head coach Jared Bednar) lost to 3. Dallas (center Mattias Janmark, assistant coach Todd Nelson), 3-4

Eastern Conference
1. Philadelphia (amateur scout Mark Greig) lost to 6. NY Islanders (assistant coach John Gruden), 3-4
2. Tampa Bay (assistant GM Stacy Roest) defeated 4. Boston (head coach Bruce Cassidy), 4-1


FIRST ROUND RESULTS

Western Conference
1. Vegas (left wing Tomas Nosek) defeated 8. Chicago (assistant coach Sheldon Brookbank), 4-1
2. Colorado (head coach Jared Bednar) defeated 7. Arizona (coordinator of skill development Jeff Ulmer), 4-1
3. Dallas (center Mattias Janmark, assistant coach Todd Nelson) defeated 6. Calgary (center Alan Quine), 4-2
4. St. Louis (amateur scout Michel Picard) lost to 5. Vancouver, 2-4

Eastern Conference
1. Philadelphia (amateur scout Mark Greig) defeated 8. Montreal (defenseman Xavier Ouellet, left wing Tomas Tatar), 4-2
2. Tampa Bay (assistant GM Stacy Roest) defeated 7. Columbus (center Gustav Nyquist), 4-1
3. Washington (defenseman Nick Jensen) lost to 6. NY Islanders (assistant coach John Gruden), 1-4
4. Boston (head coach Bruce Cassidy) defeated 5. Carolina (goaltender Petr Mrazek), 4-1