By Kyle Kujawa –
When looking for a catalyst for the emergence of the Griffins’ offense during the month of November, it’s easy to overlook veteran defenseman Doug Janik.
Janik does not have the flash of the Griffins’ top offensive contributors. But the 31-year-old blue-liner has been one of the most productive Griffins this season and a large piece in one of the hottest offenses in the AHL.
After averaging just two goals per game through the first eight games of the season, the Griffins’ offense has begun to surge, averaging 4.2 goals per game since Oct. 29, and 4.67 over six games from Nov. 18-Dec. 3. Janik had just two assists through the first month of the season, but started to roll as the team began to gel.
“Coming into the year, we were unsure of what we had offensively,” said Janik. “We had a lot of new guys that were supposed to be offensive types. It took a while to come together, but it’s happened as of late.”
Despite the increased output, the Griffins were struggling to put together wins consistently. Following their season-high five-game homestand in late November, on paper, it looked like the Griffins were struggling; their 8-11-1-0 record placed them second to last in the AHL.
However, the team was coming off back-to-back one-goal regulation losses to the Oklahoma City Barons, who were first place in the AHL at the time. While the team was not happy with the result, they knew that they were only a bounce or two away from seeing a different fate. They built off their performance by winning three straight.
“We were pretty upset when we went through that rough spot,” said Janik. “But we were in a lot of games, they were all close. We just tried to keep working hard and not get discouraged. Finally, the results started showing up.”
Not a stranger to offense, the Agawam, Mass., native totaled 59 points (11-48-59) in 126 games over two seasons with the Griffins. But Janik knows where his priorities are on the ice.
“I just try to go out there and play my game,” Janik said. “I try to always take care of my own end first. When I get some opportunities to contribute offensively, I like to take advantage.”
Janik’s offense emerged as the rest of the Griffins’ scorers began to soar. He tallied a team-best four-game assist streak in the midst of an 11-game span that saw him notch 13 points to place among the AHL’s top five point-producing blue-liners.
In a league that sees veteran players flipping teams on an almost yearly basis, Janik is proud to have stayed in Michigan for the past three seasons.
“I wanted something where I knew it was a stable organization,” said Janik. “I’ve been fortunate to be here for the past few years.”
Janik crafted his steady, two-way game in the Buffalo organization, 376 games with Rochester in the AHL and just 10 regular season games and five playoff games with the parent Sabres. His patience was rewarded with two full seasons in the NHL with Tampa Bay, where he notched 15 points (3-12-15) in 126 contests from 2006-08.
The following season, in 2008-09, Janik was changing addresses on an almost monthly basis. In less than a calendar year, Janik was a member of five NHL organizations and was assigned to two different AHL teams.
“It was frustrating,” said the former University of Maine standout. “You try to get yourself set up, get your routine going and get comfortable in a new place. When you bounce around, it’s new teammates, a new system, new housing situations – it’s just tough.”
“Since I’ve been here, I got married and my wife is pregnant, so it’s been nice to stay in one spot.”