Photo by: Mark Newman/Grand Rapids Griffins
Hoggan's Jersey Retired in Grand Rapids
Apr 8, 2022 | Hockey
Former UNO All-American Jeff Hoggan was a 34-year-old veteran coming off two years in Germany when he was invited to try out for Grand Rapids of the American Hockey League for the 2012-13 season.
Hoggan, of course, made the squad. And later that week, he was named the team's captain.
The Griffins went on to win the Calder Cup that season, the first of his four successful years in Grand Rapids. Last Saturday, the AHL franchise retired his jersey No. 10 in a celebration at Van Andel Arena.
Hoggan played professionally from 2002-17 and saw action in 107 NHL games, including a few with hockey legend Wayne Gretzky as his head coach in Phoenix. His years with the Griffins were highlights.
"I think of Grand Rapids as the peak – my most prized years of pro," he said. "People are like, 'You played in the NHL. You played for Gretzky. You did this.' But that was special. Everything had culminated to where I was comfortable with who I was and what my role was. I wasn't playing for myself."
Hoggan was the perfect fit for a team looking for a leader. Former Maverick teammate Rob Facca had recommended him to Griffins coach Jeff Blashill, whom Facca had worked under at Western Michigan.
"I showed up to camp without a contract," Hoggan said. "I tried out, then Blashill went to bat for me."
As the Grand Rapids video before Saturday's game pointed out, the British Columbia native helped instill a culture within the Griffins organization that has lasted well beyond his playing days. Hoggan said the entire night was special, especially after a long professional career that he had to grind for every day.
"I'm wound pretty tight, normally. And it was fairly anxious," he said. "It's one of those things, it's such a great honor. You never really think something like that is coming. How do you express your gratitude?
"When you think about it, I was never drafted. Coming out of UNO, we were kind of an independent afterthought for NHLers. Every day, I had to prove myself. The career was never really supposed to exist. You were never supposed to get one NHL game, let alone over 100. … This is bigger than anything."
The night before his jersey was retired in Grand Rapids, Hoggan and his family were introduced during an NHL game in Detroit, where Blashill had them set up with the "first-class family-room treatment."
"It's a first-class organization," he said. "For what they did that night for my family, it was truly special."
Hoggan still ranks fourth in Omaha hockey history with 61 goals and finished his collegiate career with 113 points. He joined the Houston Aeros during the AHL playoffs after his senior year at UNO. The following season, in his first full year as a professional, his team won the Calder Cup. He broke into the NHL with the St. Louis Blues three years later. Hoggan then saw time for both Boston and Phoenix.
Most of his career, however, was spent in the AHL, where he outlasted many of hockey's top prospects.
"I'd seen first- or second-round picks flop for years," he said. "I'm like, 'Man, I wish I had your talent. I'd have never flopped.' I was never given a chance to be a flop. I was already a flop before I started."
Hoggan, though, found himself to be a good voice for struggling prospects, something he took pride in.
"I get a lot of satisfaction for those guys whose careers are still going," he said.
Hoggan never formally retired from hockey, stating that you don't get to do that as a journeyman or depth player in an organization. Grand Rapids was to be the final stop of his career until he was convinced to commute from Omaha to Des Moines for one final season with the Iowa Wild in 2016-17.
"I'm very fortunate to play the game and play that long," he said. "When I was done with Grand Rapids, it was over because I wanted to get home. It ranks up there as the destination of my career, forever."
Hoggan, of course, made the squad. And later that week, he was named the team's captain.
The Griffins went on to win the Calder Cup that season, the first of his four successful years in Grand Rapids. Last Saturday, the AHL franchise retired his jersey No. 10 in a celebration at Van Andel Arena.
Hoggan played professionally from 2002-17 and saw action in 107 NHL games, including a few with hockey legend Wayne Gretzky as his head coach in Phoenix. His years with the Griffins were highlights.
"I think of Grand Rapids as the peak – my most prized years of pro," he said. "People are like, 'You played in the NHL. You played for Gretzky. You did this.' But that was special. Everything had culminated to where I was comfortable with who I was and what my role was. I wasn't playing for myself."
Hoggan was the perfect fit for a team looking for a leader. Former Maverick teammate Rob Facca had recommended him to Griffins coach Jeff Blashill, whom Facca had worked under at Western Michigan.
"I showed up to camp without a contract," Hoggan said. "I tried out, then Blashill went to bat for me."
As the Grand Rapids video before Saturday's game pointed out, the British Columbia native helped instill a culture within the Griffins organization that has lasted well beyond his playing days. Hoggan said the entire night was special, especially after a long professional career that he had to grind for every day.
"I'm wound pretty tight, normally. And it was fairly anxious," he said. "It's one of those things, it's such a great honor. You never really think something like that is coming. How do you express your gratitude?
"When you think about it, I was never drafted. Coming out of UNO, we were kind of an independent afterthought for NHLers. Every day, I had to prove myself. The career was never really supposed to exist. You were never supposed to get one NHL game, let alone over 100. … This is bigger than anything."
The night before his jersey was retired in Grand Rapids, Hoggan and his family were introduced during an NHL game in Detroit, where Blashill had them set up with the "first-class family-room treatment."
"It's a first-class organization," he said. "For what they did that night for my family, it was truly special."
Hoggan still ranks fourth in Omaha hockey history with 61 goals and finished his collegiate career with 113 points. He joined the Houston Aeros during the AHL playoffs after his senior year at UNO. The following season, in his first full year as a professional, his team won the Calder Cup. He broke into the NHL with the St. Louis Blues three years later. Hoggan then saw time for both Boston and Phoenix.
Most of his career, however, was spent in the AHL, where he outlasted many of hockey's top prospects.
"I'd seen first- or second-round picks flop for years," he said. "I'm like, 'Man, I wish I had your talent. I'd have never flopped.' I was never given a chance to be a flop. I was already a flop before I started."
Hoggan, though, found himself to be a good voice for struggling prospects, something he took pride in.
"I get a lot of satisfaction for those guys whose careers are still going," he said.
Hoggan never formally retired from hockey, stating that you don't get to do that as a journeyman or depth player in an organization. Grand Rapids was to be the final stop of his career until he was convinced to commute from Omaha to Des Moines for one final season with the Iowa Wild in 2016-17.
"I'm very fortunate to play the game and play that long," he said. "When I was done with Grand Rapids, it was over because I wanted to get home. It ranks up there as the destination of my career, forever."
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