October 7, 2025 • 4 mins
Head Coach of our Grand Rapids Griffins Dan Watson joins us to discuss the upcoming season!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is West Michigan's Morning New Steve Kelly, Brent Kata,
Laurence Smith. That's the Grand Rapids Griffins get ready to
open their thirtieth season in his third year. Head hockey
coach of your Grand Rapids s Griffins, Dan Watson on
the live line. Coach, thanks for doing this again today.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Oh, thanks for having me on. It's it's nice to
be back here in Grand Rapids.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Always nice to talk to you. Coach on the plower play.
That means the season is getting started. But first got
to ask you any good trips with the family or
anything over the summer in your off season.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
No, we we didn't have any big trips. We went
to Cedar Points a few times, which is always fun
for the kids, and we end up getting a puppy
and so travel plans got diminished from that point on
as we started training. You know this dog to not
eat everything in our house.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Any good hockey name for the puppy. Got to ask
Norris Norris.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
No, there you go after the Norris Trophy. I love it.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
I knew there had to be a connection.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Coach.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Well, let's get down to what you've been focusing on,
and that is this team and as an organization, the
Red Wings trying to get back in the playoffs. And
I wanted to start there because you have an interesting dynamic,
as you know, and I heard you talk about at
the end of last year. For year two you growing
as a coach and helping the young prospects to get
up to the parent club. What kind of message do
you get from Stevie Why and the organization this year?
(01:23):
What is the sense of urgency? Like, so Griffin's and
Red Wings fans kind of know.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Well, I think give mean, you look at what just
happened here. Three young kids made their team em at
Finny Axel, Sandy Pellica and Michael Bransick Nigard, you know,
and two veteran guys got waived and Justin Hole and
Gussis and Eric Gussis, and so you look at the
transition that's happening there. Now. I think that there's a
little bit of excitement that now these draft picks that
(01:48):
have been whether they've been in Grand Rapids, whether it's
been overseas developing, they're starting to make their way onto
this Detroit roster. And you know, basically the messages, have
these guys ready do it? You need to do to
have these guys ready, and there's a ton of support
here in Grand Rapids, whether it's a skating and skills
development team, our entire coaching staff. We're all here for
(02:08):
the players, but we also want to win. We want
to put them in a good environment, a healthy culture,
and you know, get these guys playing hard games at
the end of the season in playoffs so that they're
ready and prepared when they do get the call.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
I think it's great as a hockey fan, being a
Griffin's fan and a Red Wings fan. I know it
might be a little bit more frustrated at one end
of the other when you're coaching and you've got to
put a roster together. But will I ninety six be
busier than maybe even it was a year ago, which
I thought we had a lot of guys going back
and forth and calling up because of where we are
with the talent in the organization. I mean, we just
went through that kind of with the white Caps and
(02:41):
the Tigers.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
I hope. So, I mean that's the plan everybody wants
to Everybody wants to make that trip to Detroit. I
know in our locker room, which is something everybody should
should want and need. Now it's going to be developed.
Whether they want youth, whether they need an older guy
like Austin Watson, Dominic Shine who they can plug into
that fourth line provide some energy, some physicality, or do
(03:02):
they need a young guy who's maybe a little more skilled,
has a little more speed. So depending on what they
look like or what they need for that moment. But
I do think they're going to be playing to win
as many games as they possibly can this year to
end that drought.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Dan Watson joined as Griffin said, coach, our first power
play of the season. They get underway Friday night and
Saturday night on the road with the Texas Stars, then
back home. Opening night is next Friday night at Vanda Lorena.
Tickets are still available, but going fast. And coach, let
me ask you this. How about some new faces for
you guys now that your roster has kind of been
put in place with a parent club taking care of
who you excited about.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Oh, I think you know again. We can look at
and Amadeis Lombardy to see his growth and Carter Major
once again. But some new guys. John Leonard, he scored
a lot in the American League. He went to the
finals with Charlotte last season. So a new veteran face
that everyone can look forward to watching. And then everyone
else has kind of been here, you know, Dry and
(03:57):
Shine and Becker and Seeger. Those are the forward groups.
And on defense, William Lagason, we'll be back again. He
didn't play too much with us, maybe half a season
a call up. We didn't see him again. He's going
to be a mainstay on the back end with William
Wallander on Anti Toomisto. So the last guy is Ubi Kosa.
You know, everyone's going to be excited to see what
(04:17):
he has for his third season here as well, and
hopefully he can get back to the HL All Star
form that he showed last season.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
You may remember that Wood Radio is your home for
Griffin's Hockey in their thirtieth year. Yeah, still can't wrap
my head around that head coach with the Griffins, Dan Watson,
great stuff, Thank you, Thank.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
You guys very much. Enjoy your day.
This is West Michigan's Morning New Steve Kelly, Brent Kata,
Laurence Smith. That's the Grand Rapids Griffins get ready to
open their thirtieth season in his third year. Head hockey
coach of your Grand Rapids s Griffins, Dan Watson on
the live line. Coach, thanks for doing this again today.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Oh, thanks for having me on. It's it's nice to
be back here in Grand Rapids.
Speaker 3 (00:22):
Always nice to talk to you. Coach on the plower play.
That means the season is getting started. But first got
to ask you any good trips with the family or
anything over the summer in your off season.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
No, we we didn't have any big trips. We went
to Cedar Points a few times, which is always fun
for the kids, and we end up getting a puppy
and so travel plans got diminished from that point on
as we started training. You know this dog to not
eat everything in our house.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Any good hockey name for the puppy. Got to ask
Norris Norris.
Speaker 2 (00:55):
No, there you go after the Norris Trophy. I love it.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
I knew there had to be a connection.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
Coach.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Well, let's get down to what you've been focusing on,
and that is this team and as an organization, the
Red Wings trying to get back in the playoffs. And
I wanted to start there because you have an interesting dynamic,
as you know, and I heard you talk about at
the end of last year. For year two you growing
as a coach and helping the young prospects to get
up to the parent club. What kind of message do
you get from Stevie Why and the organization this year?
(01:23):
What is the sense of urgency? Like, so Griffin's and
Red Wings fans kind of know.
Speaker 2 (01:27):
Well, I think give mean, you look at what just
happened here. Three young kids made their team em at
Finny Axel, Sandy Pellica and Michael Bransick Nigard, you know,
and two veteran guys got waived and Justin Hole and
Gussis and Eric Gussis, and so you look at the
transition that's happening there. Now. I think that there's a
little bit of excitement that now these draft picks that
(01:48):
have been whether they've been in Grand Rapids, whether it's
been overseas developing, they're starting to make their way onto
this Detroit roster. And you know, basically the messages, have
these guys ready do it? You need to do to
have these guys ready, and there's a ton of support
here in Grand Rapids, whether it's a skating and skills
development team, our entire coaching staff. We're all here for
(02:08):
the players, but we also want to win. We want
to put them in a good environment, a healthy culture,
and you know, get these guys playing hard games at
the end of the season in playoffs so that they're
ready and prepared when they do get the call.
Speaker 3 (02:20):
I think it's great as a hockey fan, being a
Griffin's fan and a Red Wings fan. I know it
might be a little bit more frustrated at one end
of the other when you're coaching and you've got to
put a roster together. But will I ninety six be
busier than maybe even it was a year ago, which
I thought we had a lot of guys going back
and forth and calling up because of where we are
with the talent in the organization. I mean, we just
went through that kind of with the white Caps and
(02:41):
the Tigers.
Speaker 2 (02:42):
I hope. So, I mean that's the plan everybody wants
to Everybody wants to make that trip to Detroit. I
know in our locker room, which is something everybody should
should want and need. Now it's going to be developed.
Whether they want youth, whether they need an older guy
like Austin Watson, Dominic Shine who they can plug into
that fourth line provide some energy, some physicality, or do
(03:02):
they need a young guy who's maybe a little more skilled,
has a little more speed. So depending on what they
look like or what they need for that moment. But
I do think they're going to be playing to win
as many games as they possibly can this year to
end that drought.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Dan Watson joined as Griffin said, coach, our first power
play of the season. They get underway Friday night and
Saturday night on the road with the Texas Stars, then
back home. Opening night is next Friday night at Vanda Lorena.
Tickets are still available, but going fast. And coach, let
me ask you this. How about some new faces for
you guys now that your roster has kind of been
put in place with a parent club taking care of
who you excited about.
Speaker 2 (03:36):
Oh, I think you know again. We can look at
and Amadeis Lombardy to see his growth and Carter Major
once again. But some new guys. John Leonard, he scored
a lot in the American League. He went to the
finals with Charlotte last season. So a new veteran face
that everyone can look forward to watching. And then everyone
else has kind of been here, you know, Dry and
(03:57):
Shine and Becker and Seeger. Those are the forward groups.
And on defense, William Lagason, we'll be back again. He
didn't play too much with us, maybe half a season
a call up. We didn't see him again. He's going
to be a mainstay on the back end with William
Wallander on Anti Toomisto. So the last guy is Ubi Kosa.
You know, everyone's going to be excited to see what
(04:17):
he has for his third season here as well, and
hopefully he can get back to the HL All Star
form that he showed last season.
Speaker 1 (04:23):
You may remember that Wood Radio is your home for
Griffin's Hockey in their thirtieth year. Yeah, still can't wrap
my head around that head coach with the Griffins, Dan Watson,
great stuff, Thank you, Thank.
Speaker 2 (04:34):
You guys very much. Enjoy your day.
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