Hershey (AHL) and South Carolina (ECHL) 2016-17 Season

[hb12xchamps]

Anyone with finer knowledge of the CBA want to delve into the salary cap details of this a bit? I know the playoffs are uncapped and that "black aces" are a thing, but how would the paper transactions looks? When would Sanford have to be recalled by to be eligible? Typically when teams exploit the uncapped playoffs, its via LTIR (namely with the Blackhawks and Kane a couple years ago) rather than recalls.

I don't know if anyone has to be recalled by a certain date to be eligible to play in the playoffs in the NHL. I do know that a player has to be reassigned by their NHL team at the TDL to be eligible to play in the AHL playoffs.

 

[twabby]

I'm pretty sure (but not 100%) that you can just call up whoever you want whenever you want to participate in the NHL Playoffs since it is uncapped and there are no roster limits during the postseason.

Also pretty sure there is no eligibility date or anything like they have for the AHL. It makes sense for the AHL to have this rule because otherwise silly things could happen like Connor McDavid being sent down to play for Edmonton's AHL team in the Calder Cup Playoffs after the end of the Oilers season since he is still waiver-exempt.

 

[hb12xchamps]

McGauley, Leach, and Monardo reassigned to SC this morning. Good sign for all the injuries that have been going around

 

[RyanCarpenter28]

Will the Bears retire Keith Aucoin or Chris Bourque number.

 

[billcook]

Will the Bears retire Keith Aucoin or Chris Bourque number.

Bourque, no questions asked they would. (All time leading scorer in playoffs, 2x time first team all star, MVP x1 in both PO and RS, 3x time Calder Cup winner)



Aucoin despite his relatively short time in Hershey, I think they should and probably would (on a second thought 'maybe' is more fitting that 'probably' here).




Keith Aucoin [08-12]:

Regular Season

GP | G | A | P | PPG | +/-
238|89|255|344|1.45|67

Playoffs

GP | G | A | P | PPG | +/-
48|9|47|56|1.17|13

1st All-Star Team (2008-09, 2009-10, 2011-12)
2nd All-Star Team (2010-11)

MVP (2009-10)

Most Points (2009-10)
Most Assists (2008-09, 2009-10)

Calder Cup (2008-09, 2009-10

 

[RyanCarpenter28]

How about Alexandre Giroux.

 

[billcook]

If no Aucoin then definitely no Giroux. Four dominant seasons versus two.

 

[hb12xchamps]

Bowey out indefinitely after partly tearing a tendon in his ankle. Tough blow for him as it definitely will set him back a bit development wise. He was really looking great at the beginning of the season, but since he has come back from his previous injury he has struggled quite a bit. Even some of the Hershey fans were *****ing and moaning at the last few games I attended.

Maybe the injury will be a good bit of rest that he needs. I'm hoping he comes back and has a strong second half of the season.

As far as other d men are doing, Djoos is on pace to break his point total from last season and at a fraction of the games. He even missed a bunch of the beginning of the season with some injuries. The biggest thing with him is adding on weight. He looks like he has the body of a 12 year old girl out there

 

[Holtbyisms]

Bowey out indefinitely after partly tearing a tendon in his ankle. Tough blow for him as it definitely will set him back a bit development wise. He was really looking great at the beginning of the season, but since he has come back from his previous injury he has struggled quite a bit. Even some of the Hershey fans were *****ing and moaning at the last few games I attended.

Maybe the injury will be a good bit of rest that he needs. I'm hoping he comes back and has a strong second half of the season.

As far as other d men are doing, Djoos is on pace to break his point total from last season and at a fraction of the games. He even missed a bunch of the beginning of the season with some injuries. The biggest thing with him is adding on weight. He looks like he has the body of a 12 year old girl out there

Bowey has looked average at best all year, been super disappointed. I agree Djoos has been fantastic since coming back. If he can't get a spot in DC and we don't keep him on the books somebody will give him a chance as a third pairing powerplay guy one day. I honestly don't think his body can handle any more weight. I think he is what he is man. Gonna hurt him moving forward but he's not outclassed physically at least in the AHL. He does well for his weight against bigger forecheckers. In the NHL it's going to be a bigger issue and I hope he can add weight but if he can't he still deserve a chance...we've seen tiny guys prosper at the next level.

 

[Hivemind]

Do people actually see an NHL skillset in Djoos? He's putting up points, but I don't really see any attributes that seem on an NHL level when I watch him. And I'm a bigger fan of undersized defensemen than many.

 

[hb12xchamps]

Do people actually see an NHL skillset in Djoos? He's putting up points, but I don't really see any attributes that seem on an NHL level when I watch him. And I'm a bigger fan of undersized defensemen than many.

The one thing that he excels at is his hockey IQ. He makes smart, less riskier plays and that's probably why Mann trusts him more than Bowey.

But to answer your question I don't see anything that extremely jumps out to me. Maybe he makes it as a third pairing guy and plays his way into PP2 time but to me he seems like he will be a tweener and probably eventually end up back in Europe and excel there

 

[hb12xchamps]

Bowey has looked average at best all year, been super disappointed.

I thought that Bowey started off the year strong and was looking solid. He was getting PP time, PK time, and seemed to be out there every other shift. His downfall began once Djoos came back and he got injured for the first time.

When he came back he took a bunch of dumb penalties that were the result of being lazy. So I'm wondering if he wasn't fully 100% back from the first injury. Or maybe it's that he can't smoke weed anymore

 

[hb12xchamps]

O'Brien is starting to play very well. He's contributing offensively and playing with confidence. I believe he already surpassed his point total from last year. Great to see that Hershey is helping develop areas of guys games that need some work and Mann has talked about how Liam has put in the work to develop his skills

 

[Holtbyisms]

O'Brien is starting to play very well. He's contributing offensively and playing with confidence. I believe he already surpassed his point total from last year. Great to see that Hershey is helping develop areas of guys games that need some work and Mann has talked about how Liam has put in the work to develop his skills

Been super impressed with him the last few games. Before the break Mann put him on the first line and he was fantastic there too. Really surprised though, I have 0 expectations for him. Not sold on him as an NHLer by any means but he's got the ability to make a nice career at the AHL level for himself.

 

[Eye of Ra]

When will Christian Djoos get a callup? Seems like he is doing great.

 

[Holtbyisms]

When will Christian Djoos get a callup? Seems like he is doing great.

Barring an injury I don't see it happening this season considering we're already 7 D with NHL defenders on the roster. Even then I feel like they might go Bowey over Djoos even though I feel like Djoos has outplayed him for the vast majority of his season.

If things go poorly with the resigning of Alzner or the expansion draft he might get a look next year.

 

[hb12xchamps]

Hershey drops another game tonight, 5-3 to the very depleated WBS Penguins. That puts Hershey at 1-4-2 since the start of the new year and they are on a bit of a slump. They outshot the Penguins 31-25 tonight and hit the post at least 4 times, but still couldn't get the win.

Hershey now sits at 4th in their division and are 14 back of WBS and 5 back of Lehigh Valley who has a few games in hand. They still sit comfortably in a playoff spot with the 6th seed in their conference.

It isn't time to hit the panic button, but I do feel that a roster change could be coming soon. Hershey already has 2 healthy scratches at forward and only 7 healthy defensemen. Riley Barber and Dustin Gazley are due to come back at the end of the month or early/mid February so that will put them at 4 healthy forward scratches. The Caps seem content with carrying 12 forwards until an injury arises but for hypothetical sake they could recall a forward which would put us at 3 healthy scratches. It's time to trade one of those extra left and right wings to upgrade and add depth on the back end.

Galiev was a healthy scratch tonight which was a bit surprising given his play of late. He is a candidate for a fresh start and could be used to acquire a new defender.

Also, goaltending needs to be upgraded either by better play or trade. That is an area that had better play from Vanecek at the beginning of the year, but both goaltenders are struggling at the moment. Cannatta has 10 wins this season but he also has a 3+ GAA and .880 SV % and gets beat 5 hole once a game on a softie. Someone needs to step up and getting a healthy defense should help slightly.

 

[Hivemind]

I would assume the Caps roll with 13 forwards after the trade deadline. No reason to bank cap space at that point.

 

[hb12xchamps]

I would assume the Caps roll with 13 forwards after the trade deadline. No reason to bank cap space at that point.

Good point. I would assume that Sanford/Vrana get the recall barring injuries to other positions. Also have to factor in the addition of Siegenthaler eventually.

 

[Chockey Hockey]

I would not go so far as to say the bears are comfortable with a playoff spot. They are 7 points up on Bridgeport who has 3 games in hand. The Bears play there 3 straight Sundays next month which will be huge. Galiev seems to not be in Caps plan but trading him will be difficult due to his one way contract. Djoos seems very timid since his mouth injury and the "D" as a whole has been underperforming since Bowey went down. Helmer has his hands tied so any help has to go thru Washington.

 

[AlexBrovechkin8]

Good point. I would assume that Sanford/Vrana get the recall barring injuries to other positions. Also have to factor in the addition of Siegenthaler eventually.

I can't see Trotz bringing up Vrana/Sanford just to sit in the box. Seems more likely to me that he'd call up a Carey, Sill, or even Galiev to wear a suit and tie.

 

[BiPolar Caps]

Can anybody advise how Vanecek has looked in goal. Looking at his stats. they currently show his GAA to be 2.76. If we lose Grubauer come next season is Vanecek ready to be Holtby's back up?

 

[searle]

Can anybody advise how Vanecek has looked in goal. Looking at his stats. they currently show his GAA to be 2.76. If we lose Grubauer come next season is Vanecek ready to be Holtby's back up?

I doubt we'll look to him for a while - my money is on us getting a vet UFA - apparently this year looks like this right now:

Michal Neuvirth
Thomas Greiss
Chad Johnson
Reto Berra
Alex Stalock
Anders Nilsson
(the less likely ones
Brian Elliott
Steve Mason
Ondrej Pavelec
Ryan Miller
Jonathan Bernier

I think one of the first 6 is rocking the red next year. (Johnson?)

 

[hb12xchamps]

Hershey loses again last night, 5-1. Vanecek started the game and was pulled. Lewington suffered an injury and looks to be out tonight against the Phantoms

 

[hb12xchamps]

Bears lose 5-1 to Lehigh Valley and drop out of a playoff spot. Some sort of shakeup needs to happen