“I’ve Been Waiting to Play in this Barn for a Long Time”, Jacob Truscott Makes Pro Debut
Photo Credit : Nicolas Carrillo
October 18th will be a date seared on Jacob Truscott’s brain for years to come. It will forever be known as the day he made his professional debut. “It was unreal. It was a good atmosphere out there,” said Truscott of his first game. “I’ve been waiting to play in this barn for a long time.”
To throw a little glitter on the day, Truscott played his first professional game for the team he grew up watching, the Grand Rapids Griffins. Making your debut is already an exciting affair. When you pair that with the fact the 2025-26 season marks the Griffins’ 30th season as a franchise and their 25th season as part of the American Hockey League (AHL), and it's the Detroit Red Wings' centennial, your debut becomes surreal.
Quite frankly, magical.
“It’s awesome. Especially for me growing up being a fan of these guys, the Red Wings and Griffins,” said Truscott. “I know many of the names from the history here. It’s cool to be able to walk in their shoes, and see what it’s all about.”
One of the names Truscott grew up watching was Assistant Coach Brian Lashoff, who played his first game with the Griffins at the end of the 2008-09 season. Truscott turned seven two weeks later.
Over the course of Lashoff’s 14-year playing career, not once did Truscott think he’d be coached by the Griffins’ legend. But here we are, two years into Lashoff’s coaching tenure, watching Truscott learn from one of the best.
“I remember watching him growing up. He’s a great player,” said Truscott of Coach Lashoff. “He’s been great to me. He’s taught me a lot already. It’s great to learn from him.”
Speaking of learning, one of the things Head Coach Dan Watson enjoys about Truscott is the way he wants to absorb everything being taught to him. “He wants knowledge. He’s eager to do that,” said Coach Watson. “Those are always fun people to be with when they want to learn. And, they’re kind of hockey junkies.”
According to Coach Watson, Truscott isn’t the only one on the team who loves to learn. “We’ve been fortunate here the last three years that I’ve been here,” said Coach Watson. “Everyone that’s come here, rookies, second, third, they all want to learn. Even the older guys. They want to get better. They want to know the information. They want to know the ‘why.’”
As the season rolls along, Truscott will be surrounded by players just like him who want to continue growing in the sport they love. It’s a dream scenario for a rookie to be surrounded by that level of passion, knowledge, and support while battling together with the goal of winning the 2026 Calder Cup.
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You can watch the Griffins’ post-game press conference from October 18th, 2025 below.
