Red Wings + Griffins = History?
The Red Wings still have a way to go to win he Stanley Cup. They are up on Chicago 3-1, but they then have to get past either San Jose or the defending champion LA Kings. THEN they would have to beat the Eastern Champs. That could be Boston or Pittsburgh. A long way to go.
The Red Wings main farm team, Our Grand Rapids Griffins, are right on track as well. The Griffs open up the Western Conference Finals Friday night at Van Andel Arena against the Oklahoma City Oil Barons. If the Griffins can get past OKC, they would face either Wilkes-Barre or Syracuse for the Calder Cup. And possibly some history.
Only three times in NHL/AHL history has the NHL team and their AHL counterpart won the cup in the same year. In both 1976 and 1977 the Montreal Canadiens and affiliates Nova Scotia Voyageurs won both trophies. In 1995, the New Jersey Devils and Albany River Rats achieved the same feat. Who did the Devils beat to win the 95 Cup? The Red Wings.
Of the four teams left in the Playoffs, only Wilkes-Barre could also have double champions. The Penguins are the Pittsburgh Penguins farm team. Go Griffs!