All Things Charlotte Checkers II: The Wrath of Boychuk

[Navin R Slavin]

Ulf Samuelsson the new Checkers coach.

ULFIE!!!!!!!

Well, well, well.

 

[garnetpalmetto]

Ulf Samuelsson the new Checkers coach.

 

[TonyAndrock]

I compiled lists for all the AHL Western Conference teams in terms of who's under contract for next season and all the free agents. They can be found here: http://highlandparkhockey.blogspot.com/2016/06/offseason-guide-part-2-ahl-free-agents.html

Any corrections I need to make with Charlotte's list?

Charlotte Checkers (Carolina Hurricanes)

Under Contract

Forwards: Clark Bishop, Brock McGinn, Erik Karlsson, Andrew Poturalski, Sergey Tolchinsky, Lucas Wallmark and Valentin Zykov

Defensemen: Trevor Carrick, Jake Chelios, Tyler Ganny, Roland McKeown and Josh Wesley

Goaltenders: Daniel Altshuller and Alex Nedeljkovic

Impending Free Agents

NHL UFA: forwards Derek Ryan and T.J. Hensick

NHL RFA: goaltenders Rasmus Tirronen, defensemen Danny Biega, Keegan Lowe, Ryan Murphy, Dennis Robertson and forwards Anthony Camara, Zach Boychuk, Patrick Brown, Dane Fox, Carter Sandlak, Justin Shugg, Brody Sutter and Brendan Woods

AHL UFA: defensemen Rasmus Rissanen (signed 2-year deal with Jokerit in KHL) and forwards Phil Di Giuseppe, Ethan Werek and David Wohlberg

 

[garnetpalmetto]

I compiled lists for all the AHL Western Conference teams in terms of who's under contract for next season and all the free agents. They can be found here: http://highlandparkhockey.blogspot.com/2016/06/offseason-guide-part-2-ahl-free-agents.html

Any corrections I need to make with Charlotte's list?

Charlotte Checkers (Carolina Hurricanes)

Under Contract

Forwards: Clark Bishop, Brock McGinn, Erik Karlsson, Andrew Poturalski, Sergey Tolchinsky, Lucas Wallmark and Valentin Zykov

Defensemen: Trevor Carrick, Jake Chelios, Tyler Ganny, Roland McKeown and Josh Wesley

Goaltenders: Daniel Altshuller and Alex Nedeljkovic

Impending Free Agents

NHL UFA: forwards Derek Ryan and T.J. Hensick

NHL RFA: goaltenders Rasmus Tirronen, defensemen Danny Biega, Keegan Lowe, Ryan Murphy, Dennis Robertson and forwards Anthony Camara, Zach Boychuk, Patrick Brown, Dane Fox, Carter Sandlak, Justin Shugg, Brody Sutter and Brendan Woods

AHL UFA: defensemen Rasmus Rissanen (signed 2-year deal with Jokerit in KHL) and forwards Phil Di Giuseppe, Ethan Werek and David Wohlberg

Phil Di Giuseppe is under contract for '16-'17, after which he becomes an NHL RFA.

 

[TonyAndrock]

Thanks much GarnettPalmetto ^

 

[NotOpie]

Phil Di Giuseppe is under contract for '16-'17, after which he becomes an NHL RFA.

Answered in another thread: Nicolas Roy signed his ELC but will likely play in the Q, Haydn Fleury signed his ELC and is slated for Charlotte. Also it's Tyler Ganly not Ganny.

 

[TonyAndrock]

Answered in another thread: Nicolas Roy signed his ELC but will likely play in the Q, Haydn Fleury signed his ELC and is slated for Charlotte. Also it's Tyler Ganly not Ganny.

Thanks much

 

[Bridgeburner96]

I'm excited about our prospects and wanted to see what you guys thought about the Checkers this year. I think the Checkers are looking kind of stacked. Some of the forwards: Wallmark, Saarela, Zykov, Tolchinsky, McGinn, Poturalski, Foegele (?), and Ryan. Not to mention Nic Roy will be in juniors (I hate the CHL rule that keeps him out of Charlotte this year). Some of the defensemen: Carrick, Fleury, McKeown, and Robertson. Anyways, I just thought that was exciting and wanted to see what everyone else thought.

 

[NotOpie]

I'm excited about our prospects and wanted to see what you guys thought about the Checkers this year. I think the Checkers are looking kind of stacked. Some of the forwards: Wallmark, Saarela, Zykov, Tolchinsky, McGinn, Poturalski, Foegele (?), and Ryan. Not to mention Nic Roy will be in juniors (I hate the CHL rule that keeps him out of Charlotte this year). Some of the defensemen: Carrick, Fleury, McKeown, and Robertson. Anyways, I just thought that was exciting and wanted to see what everyone else thought.

I'd be surprised to see Saarela over here this season. I"m fairly certain Foegele will take another spin in the CHL. Think this is the year the Sergey Tolchinsky has to prove himself to be an NHL talent. I will also be interested to see if we sign Camara, Fox, and Shugg. I expect to see Patrick Brown back and probably at least one of Sutter and Woods. I think Clark Bishop could be a bit of a surprise too.

Biggest point of interest will be in the net. Will the Checkers go with the two youngsters and let Altshuller and Nedeljkovic fight it out or will they bring in a vet, likely forcing Neds to FL (which wouldn't be a bad thing as he'd get the bulk of the starts).

 

[DaveG]

I'd almost expect to see John Muse signed, either by Charlotte or by the Canes, for that very reason.

Defense is looking stacked with:

Fleury-McKeown
Chelios-Ganly
Carrick-Wesley

I would expect to see at least one of Robertson or Biega brought back just to add depth in the org at the position. And the Checkers as per usual will probably re-sign Hagel who can also play D.

 

[NotOpie]

I'd almost expect to see John Muse signed, either by Charlotte or by the Canes, for that very reason.

Defense is looking stacked with:

Fleury-McKeown
Chelios-Ganly
Carrick-Wesley

I would expect to see at least one of Robertson or Biega brought back just to add depth in the org at the position. And the Checkers as per usual will probably re-sign Hagel who can also play D.

I think Wesley is destined for FL this season (again not a bad thing as he can take a major role there) and fully expect at least one of Biega and Lowe to be resigned, maybe both which may put Robertson as the odd man out (although he looked pretty good at the end of the season).

I don't know what the lines will be, but when I look at the Checkers, I see:

Tolchinsky/Ryan/Shugg
McGinn/Wallmark/Zykov
Woods/Poturalski/Brown
Karlsson/Sutter/Bishop
Fox/Camara

Carrick/Biega
Chelios/Lowe
Fleury/McKeown
Ganly

Vet
Altshuller

This assumes a team made up of all NHL contracts (23) which is highly doubtful, but it could happen. If we ice a 22 man squad in Raleigh that's 45 of our 50 contracts. Add in Roy and Saarela and we're at 47 contracts. Maybe we sign a USHLer or an international player that we pick up at the draft, but that's highly doubtful. I could see us making the tough call on Shugg and Fox. Maybe Bishop starts out in the ECHL too. But I think Brown, Sutter, and Woods wil all get one more bite at the apple.

 

[Bridgeburner96]

I expect to see several of those players back as well. I wasn't trying to make an exhaustive list just some of the guys I find interesting. I forgot about Brown and Chelios for a second.

 

[DaveG]

Roy wouldn't count against the 50 contract limit if he's sent back to juniors. Not sure about Saarela on loan but part of me thinks that since it's a U-20 situation he wouldn't either.

But yeah I think Biega and Robinson are the two I'm expecting back. I think we try to trade the rights to Lowe for a similar forward RFA at the draft since it's not like he's incapable, just stuck behind ridiculous depth here. There's plenty of teams in this league where he'd easily be the #8 guy IMHO.

 

[NotOpie]

Roy wouldn't count against the 50 contract limit if he's sent back to juniors. Not sure about Saarela on loan but part of me thinks that since it's a U-20 situation he wouldn't either.

But yeah I think Biega and Robinson are the two I'm expecting back. I think we try to trade the rights to Lowe for a similar forward RFA at the draft since it's not like he's incapable, just stuck behind ridiculous depth here. There's plenty of teams in this league where he'd easily be the #8 guy IMHO.

The only thing about Lowe is that he plays with the most toughness of all of these guys. Carrick has some and Biega can be surprisingly physical (but fragile for a muscle head), but the rest of these guys outside of Ganly are all skill and technique guys.

 

[Discipline Daddy]

The one game I saw Keegan Lowe play for the Canes at the end of 2014-2015 he looked completely terrible. He was chasing the puck all night and couldn't seam a good pass in. Maybe it was nerves to a late season callup, but in my opinion this guy has no NHL potential whatsoever. In any event he is not cracking our top 7 D any time soon.

 

[WreckingCrew]

The one game I saw Keegan Lowe play for the Canes at the end of 2014-2015 he looked completely terrible. He was chasing the puck all night and couldn't seam a good pass in. Maybe it was nerves to a late season callup, but in my opinion this guy has no NHL potential whatsoever. In any event he is not cracking our top 7 D any time soon.

In all fairness, that was basically the whole team during the last 1/3 of the year....it was a miracle to see them string together 2-3 passes before a bad turnover. I still think Lowe has the potential to be a #7D in the NHL if you need a physical presence, but that's about it.

 

[NotOpie]

In all fairness, that was basically the whole team during the last 1/3 of the year....it was a miracle to see them string together 2-3 passes before a bad turnover. I still think Lowe has the potential to be a #7D in the NHL if you need a physical presence, but that's about it.

And frankly I was thinking Charlotte needs him this upcoming season for that physicality. In general, one or more of our D needs to learn to clear the crease....period.

 

[HisIceness]

Opening weekend slated for October 28th and 29th.

 

[RyanCarpenter28]

Will they bring in Veteran Goalie in like Tom McCollum, Michael Leighton or bring back John Muse.

 

[Fumble]

Will they bring in Veteran Goalie in like Tom McCollum, Michael Leighton or bring back John Muse.

I hope they bring back Muse

 

[Joe McGrath]

I hope they bring back Muse

I doubt it. I think it'll be a 50/50 split with Altshuller and Ned. They have no control over PT in the ECHL so there's no way they send either of those guys down there to ride the pine.

 

[WreckingCrew]

So, Springfield is moving to Tucson to join the Pacific Division, Portland will be moving to Springfield in the Atlantic, and Charlotte STAYS in the ****ing Central Division? 16 West 14 East...why not move us to the east and balance it?

 

[Unsustainable]

Someone send them a map.

 

[WreckingCrew]

Atlantic has an opening, we'd be with a bunch of PA teams, that would work out just fine

 

[froze]

So, Springfield is moving to Tucson to join the Pacific Division, Portland will be moving to Springfield in the Atlantic, and Charlotte STAYS in the ****ing Central Division? 16 West 14 East...why not move us to the east and balance it?

Last year there were 15 in each conference and there was a potential crossover for the last playoff spot. I have not heard how they were going to deal with how the 16-14 split will work (8 West, 7 East and a crossover?).

No matter what, Charlotte has to fly for an away game, then bus-around in the other divisions. It depends what the schedule looks like, but there are probably not any 8-10 hour bus trips in the Central where there would be in the Atlantic or North.

It would be interesting though if the AHL conferences were more in line with the NHL affiliate's conferences though.