All Things AHL Part VI

[Shwabeal]

Probably not a popular opinion, but I think it needs to be Berube. He did a great job in Chicago and I think we need to shuffle the deck again on our NHL assistants.

I agree Berube would be great but it would be a hard sell to him. Unless he despised being an assistant, I doubt he'd agree to it.

 

[stl76]

Yeah, Berube was great with our prospects on the wolves, but doubt he would be looking to go back to the AHL one season after making it back to the NHL (even if it would be as a head coach vs assistant).

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

Tanner Kaspick just got assigned to the Manitoba Moose, so his season continues. That’s a helluva team, it’ll be interesting to see how/if he plays.

 

[Blueston]

Tanner Kaspick just got assigned to the Manitoba Moose, so his season continues. That’s a helluva team, it’ll be interesting to see how/if he plays.

Hopefully he will be able to play. He got hurt in WHL playoffs and missed last several games.

 

[PiggySmalls]

Kyrou joining Wolves for the AHL playoffs. Glad he will be getting some more ice time.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

Next year’s roster should look something like:

Blais-Stevens-Kyrou
Sanford-Musil-Kostin
Foley-Kaspick-Poganski
MacEachern-FA-FA

Butler-Schmaltz(?)
Walman-Reinke
Mikkola-FA

Husso-Fitzpatrick

So, we’ll need to sign at least 3 free agents, depending on what we want to do with the ECHL guys, and who gets called up to the big club (Sanford, Blais, Kyrou, Schmaltz, etc). We also will sign some additional depth beyond that, I’m sure; guys who can sit sometimes.

I’m curious if we’ll see guys like Kevin Tansey or Mike McKee again. Will Wade Megan or Beau Bennett make the move down to Texas?

 

[Majorityof1]

Next year’s roster should look something like:

Blais-Stevens-Kyrou
Sanford-Musil-Kostin
Foley-Kaspick-Poganski
MacEachern-FA-FA

Butler-Schmaltz(?)
Walman-Reinke
Mikkola-FA

Husso-Fitzpatrick

So, we’ll need to sign at least 3 free agents, depending on what we want to do with the ECHL guys, and who gets called up to the big club (Sanford, Blais, Kyrou, Schmaltz, etc). We also will sign some additional depth beyond that, I’m sure; guys who can sit sometimes.

I’m curious if we’ll see guys like Kevin Tansey or Mike McKee again. Will Wade Megan or Beau Bennett make the move down to Texas?

I'm sure San Antonio will sign some AHL vets of their own, and we will sign a couple guys too. That is pretty weak for an AHL roster, especially down the middle.

Schmaltz is no longer waiver exempt. There is no way he clears waivers. He will not be in the AHL.

Megan is a UFA, an he might re-sign, but I bet he tests his luck elsewhere. Bennett is an RFA, and while we will probably qualify him, we may not. He was pretty far down on NHL options for us. I don't think management was impressed.

 

[The Note in MI]

Next year’s roster should look something like:

Blais-Stevens-Kyrou
Sanford-Musil-Kostin
Foley-Kaspick-Poganski
MacEachern-FA-FA

Butler-Schmaltz(?)
Walman-Reinke
Mikkola-FA

Husso-Fitzpatrick

So, we’ll need to sign at least 3 free agents, depending on what we want to do with the ECHL guys, and who gets called up to the big club (Sanford, Blais, Kyrou, Schmaltz, etc). We also will sign some additional depth beyond that, I’m sure; guys who can sit sometimes.

I’m curious if we’ll see guys like Kevin Tansey or Mike McKee again. Will Wade Megan or Beau Bennett make the move down to Texas?

I wonder if something like:
Blais Sanford Kyrou/Thompson
Foley Stevens Kostin
Macheachern Musil FA
FA Kaspick Poganski

Wouldn’t be more accurate. Skill first line. Bit more physical second line. Shutdown third line and grinder shut down fourth line.

A large part of San Antonio’s success next year will be in defense and goal. A Husso/Binnington/Fitzpatrick combo is likely sufficient but will any be on the big club for any part of the year?

Defensively we likely need a veteran AHLer to play the right side with Walman and let Reinke play with Butler. Schmaltz will be on the opening day roster given our injuries as may Butler/Walman or said RHS veteran dman. Mikkola I hope comes over and keeping Lindbohm would be great depth if he would stay. We desperately need some Defensive prospects however. Will Vanelli be in SA? We don’t have Bourque or Noel available given their age and the CHL rules.

 

[MissouriMook]

Next year’s roster should look something like:

Blais-Stevens-Kyrou
Sanford-Musil-Kostin
Foley-Kaspick-Poganski
MacEachern-FA-FA

...

Unless I missed something from the club, I think they're pretty intent on bringing Sanford along as a center. I could easily see Sanford at 1C and Stevens at 2C. I'd also expect Musil in the bottom 6 and Foley in the 2LW spot. If Kyrou doesn't make the NHL squad breaking camp, my best guess for the forward group would be:

Blais-Sanford-Kyrou
Foley-Stevens-Kostin
FA-Musil-FA
MacEachern-Kaspick-Poganski

 

[The Note in MI]

Unless I missed something from the club, I think they're pretty intent on bringing Sanford along as a center. I could easily see Sanford at 1C and Stevens at 2C. I'd also expect Musil in the bottom 6 and Foley in the 2LW spot. If Kyrou doesn't make the NHL squad breaking camp, my best guess for the forward group would be:

Blais-Sanford-Kyrou
Foley-Stevens-Kostin
FA-Musil-FA
MacEachern-Kaspick-Poganski

Great minds

 

[Alklha]

So Stevens is expected to move back to centre?

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

I wonder if something like:
Blais Sanford Kyrou/Thompson
Foley Stevens Kostin
Macheachern Musil FA
FA Kaspick Poganski

Wouldn’t be more accurate. Skill first line. Bit more physical second line. Shutdown third line and grinder shut down fourth line.

A large part of San Antonio’s success next year will be in defense and goal. A Husso/Binnington/Fitzpatrick combo is likely sufficient but will any be on the big club for any part of the year?

Defensively we likely need a veteran AHLer to play the right side with Walman and let Reinke play with Butler. Schmaltz will be on the opening day roster given our injuries as may Butler/Walman or said RHS veteran dman. Mikkola I hope comes over and keeping Lindbohm would be great depth if he would stay. We desperately need some Defensive prospects however. Will Vanelli be in SA? We don’t have Bourque or Noel available given their age and the CHL rules.

Bourque was an overager when we drafted him, so I think he can turn pro. I would think he probably ends up in Tulsa though.

 

[The Note in MI]

So Stevens is expected to move back to centre?

Not seen anything to indicate that he would but I assume that much like Sanford and Thompson they will see how he does at center

 

[Jessica]

Megan has played here before on and off for three seasons starting in 2012-2013 and going till 2014-2015. It will be interesting to see what happens with him.

 

[Oberyn]

I would not risk putting Schmaltz on waivers. After watching his progression this season, there's no reason why he shouldn't make the team. His defensive game still needs work, but he looks much more engaged which was my biggest concern during his first call ups. I think he has more offensive potential than Parayko, and would like to see him run the 2nd PP.

 

[Coach Nate]

I'm sure San Antonio will sign some AHL vets of their own, and we will sign a couple guys too. That is pretty weak for an AHL roster, especially down the middle.
.

San Antonio doesn't sign anyone to contracts. They don't have anyone on staff qualified to make those decisions. All player personnel moves are made by the parent club in their affiliation agreement.

 

[Majorityof1]

San Antonio doesn't sign anyone to contracts. They don't have anyone on staff qualified to make those decisions. All player personnel moves are made by the parent club in their affiliation agreement.

Ok, then the Blues sign them to an AHL contract on behalf of the Rampage. I just meant there will be some new guys signed to an AHL contract and some new guys we sign to NHL contracts for the purpose of stashing in the AHL. Therefore its kind of futile to speculate next year's lines with just our prospects. You have to be able to sign players to an AHL-level contract because NHL teams are limited to 50 contracts. With 23 needed for the NHL roster, if we had to give NHL contracts to the entire AHL-squad, that would be a minimum of 46 contracts (probably much more). We wouldn't be able to have many contracts for injuries, prospects in the ECHL, CHL players or on loan to European clubs. Looking at the Rampages roster from the past year, they have several players who are not signed with an NHL team, at least not to an NHL contract. Examples from this year being Brendan Ranford, Alex Belzile, and a few others who didn't play too many games. The Rampage didn't need a ton because they had a ton of Blues prospects as well as Colorado's. When Colorado moves its prospects to their new AHL team, there needs to be some guys signed to AHL level deals. Those guys are often better than some of the low-level prospects, so they get playing time to field a competitive team.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

One guy we know will be there on an AHL contract is Jared Thomas, a big left winger who just won a championship with Minnesota. He signed an ATO for a few games this year and an AHL contract for next year.

Jared Thomas

 

[BlueDream]

I would not risk putting Schmaltz on waivers. After watching his progression this season, there's no reason why he shouldn't make the team. His defensive game still needs work, but he looks much more engaged which was my biggest concern during his first call ups. I think he has more offensive potential than Parayko, and would like to see him run the 2nd PP.

Exactly.

Putting him on waivers is one of the worst ideas I've ever heard, because he would 100% get claimed.

This guy is almost 25 now, he needs to be playing basically full-time NHL minutes. He has some nice skills, and it's actually a disgrace how little playing time the Blues have given him. Shattenkirk should have been traded much sooner than he was which I have posted about many times, and even this past season there was plenty of opportunity to give Schmaltz some ice time but they decided to sit him instead. I don't really get it, I think the Blues have mostly botched this situation so far.

But he either needs to be in the NHL, or if they find there's no room for him, then move him in a package and try to capitalize on the minimal value he still has. But the AHL isn't an option. That's for guys like Walman, Reinke and Mikkola to play bigger minutes until they're ready.

Overall, I'm excited for this AHL team. It seems like we've never had this many quality prospects playing with one another.

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

If we have a good enough offseason to where a Kostin-Thompson-Kyrou line in SA is a possibility, I’d be very happy. That’d be a very fun line to watch, albeit for probably not long due to the Blues’ injury luck.

Let them develop and get some seasoning, but also don’t be afraid to give them a chance when the inevitable injury bug hits.

 

[Robb_K]

I would not risk putting Schmaltz on waivers. After watching his progression this season, there's no reason why he shouldn't make the team. His defensive game still needs work, but he looks much more engaged which was my biggest concern during his first call ups. I think he has more offensive potential than Parayko, and would like to see him run the 2nd PP.

I agree. Schmaltz has improved his overall defensive play. He's a sure bet to be, at least, a serviceable 3rd shift NHL defence man, with an ultimate high-end potential of 2nd shifter and PP QB. He'd be grabbed by another team, immediately.

 

[Linkens Mastery]

Has there been any rumblings/speculation on who the Blues are looking to bring in to coach in San Antonio next year?

Media has been speculating that Marco Sturm might be looking to coach in NA next season, possibly as an NHL assistant or AHL head coach. Not sure if he’d be a fit stylistically, but I am definitely interested to see who the Blues are looking at for the Rampage next year.

Hopefully Berube/Ott/Jax imo

 

[mk80]

Jordan Binnington playing with Providence this season made the headlines in the series against the Phantoms.
https://www.bardown.com/providence-...kating-off-at-the-end-of-the-period-1.1071674

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

Jordan Binnington playing with Providence this season made the headlines in the series against the Phantoms.
https://www.bardown.com/providence-...kating-off-at-the-end-of-the-period-1.1071674

He kind of seems like a crazy person lol

 

[MissouriMook]

It seems to be missing some immediate context, but in the video it appears that the LV skater is cruising straight towards Binny (and staring him down) instead of heading to the bench and the dressing room. In that limited context, it seems the guy probably had it coming or was looking for trouble.