2018-19 Utica Comets, Pt. II

[Soups On]

There's a pretty interesting article on the athletic today about Gagner and how he's doing in the Marlies.

It was a dumb decision to send him to the Marlies and it's a dumb decision now. The man is being paid 3
+ million and he isnt even in the Canucks organization, its downright embarrassing. It's like the Canucks are wanting to shit on Utica intentionally.

 

[adamzilla]

Isn't there a chance Gagner comes up now from being loaned?

Of course not, that would take him away from his family.

 

[Dr Good Vibes]

It was a dumb decision to send him to the Marlies and it's a dumb decision now. The man is being paid 3
+ million and he isnt even in the Canucks organization, its downright embarrassing. It's like the Canucks are wanting to **** on Utica intentionally.

I agree with this, it’s a bad look for Benning and Co. especially considering our rapidly depleting center depth all across the organization.

I read someone or heard someone say that you let Gagner go play in Toronto so you send a msg league wide that you take good care of your players. That’s dumb. Canucks looks idiotic over this Gagner thing, we’re overpaying a player to play for a rival AHL team, just pathetic.

 

[Jyrki21]

Stats look solid.

Qualicum Beach! The retirement capital of BC!

 

[Hollywood Burrows]

God that athletic piece is so depressing. The Leafs org is just collectively laughing at the Canucks. Pathetic.

I agree with this, it’s a bad look for Benning and Co. especially considering our rapidly depleting center depth all across the organization.

I read someone or heard someone say that you let Gagner go play in Toronto so you send a msg league wide that you take good care of your players. That’s dumb. Canucks looks idiotic over this Gagner thing, we’re overpaying a player to play for a rival AHL team, just pathetic.

Yep. The only message they sent was the same one that's already well-known around the NHL: Jim Benning is a pliable guy and is easily pushed around by agents and other GMs.

 

[DL44]

Comets recognized as first Purple Heart Hockey Club | TheAHL.com | The American Hockey League


Utica Comets president Robert Esche, in conjunction with Chapter 490 Military Order of the Purple Heart, announced today that the Utica Comets will be honored as the first Purple Heart Hockey Club.

The Comets are only the eighth professional sports team in the country and the first hockey club to be awarded this honor. The Comets plan to hold an official proclamation ceremony at their annual Military Night on Friday, November 9, when they face off against the Hartford Wolf Pack at the Adirondack Bank Center.

The recognition comes as a monumental honor for the Comets, who, in conjunction with the Adirondack Bank Center and the Save of the Day Foundation, have committed to honoring veterans and all military throughout their years in existence. Most notably, the Comets have held numerous military appreciation nights, raising money for the local CNY Veteran’s Outreach Center, Wohl Family Veterans Legal Clinic, and more. Last season, the Comets also began a Hometown Hero initiative, in which they publicly recognize a veteran at each of their home games and organize a meet-and-greet with Comets defenseman Jaime Sifers following the game.

“Watching the Utica Comets and the fans honoring our veterans as Hometown Heroes displays the tremendous patriotism within our area,” expressed Joe Fraccola, Commander of CNY Chapter 490. “It recognizes the sacrifices made by our veterans, our active military men and women and their families. The Purple Heart crosses over all military service branches, so we are very pleased that the Utica Comets will be accepting our designation from the Military Order of the Purple Heart of the USA to be known as a Purple Heart Sports Team. The Utica Comets help their fans walk away with an understanding of what it means to be a veteran, especially the children attending the games.”

 

[Melvin]

The fact that Gagner has been passed over for so many call ups already basically tells you that he's never getting called up. Whatever happened it didn't happen amicably and he's probably played his last game as a Canuck, is my impression.

 

[GJB]

The chance exists, but I would guess the move they made to loan him to Toronto instead of sending him to their own farm where he belonged, is because they were done with him. He will make his $2,125,000 in the AHL with the Marlies and probably be bought out this summer or he can continue to collect his money while playing for a rival team on e more year. That's of course if THEY WANT HIM.

Currently he is tied with 3 other players for 2nd in scoring on the Marlies.

Okay yes I thought that may be the case. Pretty crazy now that Utica could use him so much.

 

[go comets]

None whatsoever.

I was labeling him a #2 center at the time of his acquisition, His numbers were parallel to Chaput, who was a #2 center when compared to the good #1s in the AHL. Since I have watched him for 12 games (2 preseason before someone says I can't count, LOL) I think right now he has pushed for 2/3 tweener label when compared to AHL centers. Stilltrying to figure out how he was NHL material for the time he was and even more how his agent was able to wrangle a 1-way. The guy, according to CapFriendly, is making $800,000 to play in Utica. The 2 best Comets Archi and Boucher only make $250K and $300K down here. Would much more preferred Chaput who is on a 2-way ($650K/$) with Montreal after Chicago, who traded for him didn't even sign him. Gaudette an fill in for Sutter, but what happens when the next Canuck goes down? They just continue to drop like flies.
In 13 GP:

Pettersson
Edler
Baertschi
Nilsson
Beagle
Sutter
Tanev

Utica has a bunch down as well and we won't know about who has recovered here until Friday or at least Thursday when they leave town and who they leave behind. Gadjovich was the only healthy scratch last game and that was because Gaunce returned to action.

Injured:
Lind
Chatfield
Sautner

IR:
Demko
Boucher
Hamilton
Laplante?

Recalled to Vancouver:
Gaudette
Archibald
Biega
Brisebois

Conacher must have the phone lines and internet on overdrive. Remember that GM Johnson doesn't know the management or players in the ECHL. Have to believe he got all of his Summer AHL signings now in the Zoo off a milk carton. They are all way below the AHL player level.

I seriously doubt any PTOs will be signed. It will make Johnson look like a complete moron.

Johnson this summer bragged how great of a job he was doing to sign all this depth.... This entire organization must be the laughing stock of NHL rivals.......

I wont even get into the Gagner Cranial Cramp........

 

[ihaveyuidonttouchme]

doing some more dissection
Archi doing the bounce

 

[Marcel]

This team is so predictable in its incompetence its not even funny.

They spent all summer signing gems like Darcy, Woods, Hamilton and the like they don't even have anyone worth calling up.......

Then there is that clown Johnson patting himself on the back over signing half of the ECHL for depth, and they all belong in the ECHL for a reason....

What a circus this organization is....

Posts like this one are embarrassing for the Utica fan base, for a more informed take you may want to listen to the interview Esche had on Vancouver radio today

Utica Comets President hoping team remains part of Canucks family - Sportsnet.ca

All of this moaning over the lack of drafted centremen in the minors got me wondering what other teams are doing and looking at stats closer;

Of the top 10 scoring centremen in the league as of today's date, 2 were drafted by their current teams.

One in the second round and the other in the 6th round.

The majority were undrafted and the few who were drafted were late round picks.

Kero is 3 points away from being the 2nd highest scoring centre in the league.

Regarding Vancouver, they have 6 players who can play the centre ice position currently on their active roster and 5 in Utica who are listed as wingers/centremen.

There is a reason for these stats and why true first or second line centre men are seldom found learning their craft in the minors or spend less time in the minors than the other positions.

At the end of the day, the Canucks are now considered to have one of the best group of prospects and one of the best collection of under 25 players in the league.

They have 3 drafted centre men on the parent team in Petterssen and Horvat and Gaudette and their most recent draft saw them take Madden who has started his college career with 3 goals and 4 points in 6 games for Northeastern.

Hardly the work of a "clown"

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

 

[go comets]

Posts like this one are embarrassing for the Utica fan base, for a more informed take you may want to listen to the interview Esche had on Vancouver radio today

Utica Comets President hoping team remains part of Canucks family - Sportsnet.ca

All of this moaning over the lack of drafted centremen in the minors got me wondering what other teams are doing and looking at stats closer;

Of the top 10 scoring centremen in the league as of today's date, 2 were drafted by their current teams.

One in the second round and the other in the 6th round.

The majority were undrafted and the few who were drafted were late round picks.

Kero is 3 points away from being the 2nd highest scoring centre in the league.

Regarding Vancouver, they have 6 players who can play the centre ice position currently on their active roster and 5 in Utica who are listed as wingers/centremen.

There is a reason for these stats and why true first or second line centre men are seldom found learning their craft in the minors or spend less time in the minors than the other positions.

At the end of the day, the Canucks are now considered to have one of the best group of prospects and one of the best collection of under 25 players in the league.

They have 3 drafted centre men on the parent team in Petterssen and Horvat and Gaudette and their most recent draft saw them take Madden who has started his college career with 3 goals and 4 points in 6 games for Northeastern.

Hardly the work of a "clown"

Just think of how embarrassing this team is for Utica fans paying $$$ to watch them....

And I seriously doubt the clown Ryan Johnson is responsible for anything good.... Hes a baffoon at best...

Benning is a clown for paying someone millions to play for the comets division foe..

 

[UticaHockey]

There's a pretty interesting article on the athletic today about Gagner and how he's doing in the Marlies.

Let me add one more quote from that article. No matter how decimated by injuries that may occur in Vancouver this year Gagner can only play against the Comets and not for them.

"Gilman also pushed for an agreement with the Canucks that if they do recall Gagner, that any subsequent AHL demotions throughout this season would always be to the Marlies and not the Comets."

 

[go comets]

Let me add one more quote from that article. No matter how decimated by injuries that may occur in Vancouver this year Gagner can only play against the Comets and not for them.

"Gilman also pushed for an agreement with the Canucks that if they do recall Gagner, that any subsequent AHL demotions throughout this season would always be to the Marlies and not the Comets."

Well that would be because Gilman actually knows what he is doing..

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

Well that would be because Gilman actually knows what he is doing..

Putting Benning and Gilman across the table from each other, that's just not fair. Benning probably left the room without his pants.

 

[Canuck Luck]

Let me add one more quote from that article. No matter how decimated by injuries that may occur in Vancouver this year Gagner can only play against the Comets and not for them.

"Gilman also pushed for an agreement with the Canucks that if they do recall Gagner, that any subsequent AHL demotions throughout this season would always be to the Marlies and not the Comets."

Was a contract signed stating such? Are the Marlies paying a portion of his salary or something? I don’t see why Benning needs to honour such a thing. Although I also don’t understand how he was dumb enough to be coaxed into agreeing to it when he had all the power

 

[go comets]

Was a contract signed stating such? Are the Marlies paying a portion of his salary or something? I don’t see why Benning needs to honour such a thing. Although I also don’t understand how he was dumb enough to be coaxed into agreeing to it when he had all the power

I would guess that paperwork has to be filed with the AHL to do such a thing...

 

[Marcel]

Well that would be because Gilman actually knows what he is doing..[/QUOTE

Putting Benning and Gilman across the table from each other, that's just not fair. Benning probably left the room without his pants.

Speaking of drafting centremen and the Gillis/Gilman era;

2013 Entry	9	1	Bo Horvat	C	London Knights [OHL]	308	78	93	171	82
2013 Entry	24	1	Hunter Shinkaruk	L	Medicine Hat Tigers [WHL]	15	2	2	4	4
2013 Entry	85	3	Cole Cassels	C	Oshawa Generals [OHL]
2013 Entry	115	4	Jordan Subban	D	Belleville Bulls [OHL]
2013 Entry	145	5	Anton Cederholm	D	Rogle Jrs. (Sweden)
2013 Entry	175	6	Mike Williamson	D	Spruce Grove Saints [AJHL]
2013 Entry	205	7	Miles Liberati	D	London Knights [OHL]
2012 Entry
Draft	Num.	Round	Player	Pos	Drafted From	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2012 Entry	26	1	Brendan Gaunce	C	Belleville Bulls [OHL]	114	5	7	12	45
2012 Entry	57	2	Alexandre Mallet	C	Rimouski Oceanic [QMJHL]
2012 Entry	147	5	Ben Hutton	D	Nepean Raiders [CCHL]	218	8	44	52	78
2012 Entry	177	6	Wesley Myron	F	Victoria Grizzlies [BCHL]
2012 Entry	207	7	Matthew Beattie	R	Exeter [N.H. H.S.]
2011 Entry
Draft	Num.	Round	Player	Pos	Drafted From	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2011 Entry	29	1	Nicklas Jensen	R	Oshawa Generals [OHL]	31	3	3	6	10
2011 Entry	71	3	David Honzik	G	Victoriaville Tigres [QMJHL]
2011 Entry	90	3	Alexandre Grenier	R	Quebec Remparts [QMJHL]	9	0	0	0	2
2011 Entry	101	4	Joe Labate	L	Holy Angels Academy (Minn.)	13	0	0	0	21
2011 Entry	120	4	Ludwig Blomstrand	L	Djurgarden Jrs. (Sweden)
2011 Entry	150	5	Frankie Corrado	D	Sudbury Wolves [OHL]	76	3	5	8	40
2011 Entry	180	6	Pathrik Westerholm	L	Malmo Redhawks [Swe-1]
2011 Entry	210	7	Henrik Tommernes	D	Frolunda HC [SEL]
2010 Entry
Draft	Num.	Round	Player	Pos	Drafted From	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2010 Entry	115	4	Patrick McNally	D	Milton Academy [Mass.]
2010 Entry	145	5	Adam Polasek	D	Prince Edward Island Rocket [QMJHL]
2010 Entry	172	6	Alex Friesen	C	Niagara IceDogs [OHL]	1	0	0	0	0
2010 Entry	175	6	Jonathan Iilahti	G	Blues Jrs (Finland)
2010 Entry	205	7	Sawyer Hannay	D	Halifax Mooseheads [QMJHL]
2009 Entry
Draft	Num.	Round	Player	Pos	Drafted From	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2009 Entry	22	1	Jordan Schroeder	L	U. of Minnesota [WCHA]	165	18	24	42	14
2009 Entry	53	2	Anton Rodin	R	Brynas Jrs. (Sweden)	3	0	1	1	0
2009 Entry	83	3	Kevin Connauton	D	Western Michigan University [CCHA]	270	26	44	70	163
2009 Entry	113	4	Jeremy Price	D	Nepean Raiders [CJHL]
2009 Entry	143	5	Peter Andersson	D	Frolunda Jrs. (Sweden)
2009 Entry	173	6	Joe Cannata	G	Merrimack College [H-East]
2009 Entry	187	7	Steven Anthony	L	Saint John Sea Dogs [QMJHL]
2008 Entry
Draft	Num.	Round	Player	Pos	Drafted From	GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2008 Entry	10	1	Cody Hodgson	C	Brampton Battalion [OHL]	328	64	78	142	68
2008 Entry	41	2	Yann Sauve	D	Saint John Sea Dogs [QMJHL]	8	0	0	0	0
2008 Entry	131	5	Prabh Rai	C	Seattle Thunderbirds [WHL]
2008 Entry	161	6	Mats Josten-Froshaug	C	Linkoping Jr. [Sweden]
2008 Entry	191	7	Morgan Clark	G	Red Deer Rebels [WHL]

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

That draft record, coupled with numerous contracts to core players that extended beyond their before best dates and included no movement clauses is why some in the hockey world predicted that it would take as long as 7 years to rebuild the franchise.

There is 1 player on that list who you would consider a core player, and to get Horvat they gave up Schneider so in essence they didn't draft a single core player during their tenure in Vancouver.

Let it sink in...Hodgson, Schroeder, Jensen, Gaunce,Shinkaruk and Horvat were the players they drafted in the 1st rounds and I'm taking off Horvat from that list because it cost them Schneider to get him.

Gillis, in typical Gillis pass the buck fashion, recently went on local radio and claimed that the GM is only responsible for the 1st round in a draft. Well there's his 1st round record.

Add Gillmans work which went all in on those Cup runs and gave out front end friendly and back end nightmare contracts like a parent with too much candy at halloween and you can understand why they are no longer working in Vancouver.

Comet fans who are upset with a lack of drafted centremen should look at that drafting record and notice not a single centremen who you would expect to be on a AHL team is on that list other than Gaunce, that being a 25 - 30 year old player with some NHL experience.

Not one, zilch.

And which of those drafted players do you think would be helpful when trying to close a trade deal? No one which is why they missed on so many PK Subban type deals.

Some of this might be forgiven had they won a Cup, but they didn't and they decimated the organization trying to do so which is why I am very happy to see them far away from the organization.

 

[VanJack]

The fact that Gagner has been passed over for so many call ups already basically tells you that he's never getting called up. Whatever happened it didn't happen amicably and he's probably played his last game as a Canuck, is my impression.

And the guy who thought it was good idea to sign him in the first place should probably have made his final decision as a Canuck employee.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I seriously doubt any PTOs will be signed. It will make Johnson look like a complete moron.

Johnson this summer bragged how great of a job he was doing to sign all this depth.... This entire organization must be the laughing stock of NHL rivals.......

I wont even get into the Gagner Cranial Cramp........

"It will make Johnson look like a complete moron."
What has Johnson ever done to not make himself look like a moron?

As to Gagner, the best thing I took out of that Athletic article was that Toronto believes that Gagner and players like him are needed on AHL teams to help the prospects become better hockey players. WHAT A NOVEL IDEA!!! Sounded like my own posts, but they came from a very astute managerial team with their heads on straight, who understand exactly what is supposed to be happening in the AHL with their possible future NHL players and the important roles that veterans are supposed to play. It isn't to sign plugs who are still hungry for an impossible dream and to show the kids how dedicated they are. Guess it doesn't matter if they can actually play the game at a level that will help the kids take their games to higher levels.

"from our perspective it was a no-brainer. Really, when you have a player that has his calibre of productivity, I know what kind of a tremendous human being he is. He can play as a No. 1 centre or a No. 1 distributor here and really, bringing a player in of this calibre is really an extension of our player development program. He’s there to make the young forwards on our team, whether that’s Jeremy Bracco or Adam Brooks, better, whether that’s making them better by distributing the puck to them in places where they can put it into the net or watching him go about plying his trade day-after-day as a highly skilled professional,” Gilman said.

Who the Hell is that Gilman guy? He sounds really intelligent, knows how to put together a group of vets that can really help the kids on the Marlies grow. I wonder who let him get away.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I seriously doubt any PTOs will be signed. It will make Johnson look like a complete moron.

Johnson this summer bragged how great of a job he was doing to sign all this depth.... This entire organization must be the laughing stock of NHL rivals.......

I wont even get into the Gagner Cranial Cramp........

Then he needs to get that depth in the lineup right away because the Comets don't have enough numbers at the moment and they need centers now more than ever with Boucher, Archi, and Gaudette out of the picture. These guys could drive an offense. The Kids will get no better with Darcy, Woods, and Bancks, in the middle. They would be lucky to be able to drive the Zamboni for a lap.

Oh, and Gaunce is gone as well. Make those calls Johnson and show us how brilliant your summer signings were. Comets won't skip a beat with the depth you built. Can't wait for your explanation when they prove the AHL is the last place they belong.

They have to bring in some bodies. They have exactly 12 healthy forwards unless Lind is ready.
If both Cahtfield and Sautner are able to go then one D-man will be an extra, hopefully Graham. By the way who is responsible for Graham? Is he another Johnson find? Yup, 2 other franchises gave up on this guy so, why not believe they both missed something. Nope, they didn't.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Posts like this one are embarrassing for the Utica fan base, for a more informed take you may want to listen to the interview Esche had on Vancouver radio today

Utica Comets President hoping team remains part of Canucks family - Sportsnet.ca

All of this moaning over the lack of drafted centremen in the minors got me wondering what other teams are doing and looking at stats closer;

Of the top 10 scoring centremen in the league as of today's date, 2 were drafted by their current teams.

One in the second round and the other in the 6th round.

The majority were undrafted and the few who were drafted were late round picks.

Kero is 3 points away from being the 2nd highest scoring centre in the league.

Regarding Vancouver, they have 6 players who can play the centre ice position currently on their active roster and 5 in Utica who are listed as wingers/centremen.

There is a reason for these stats and why true first or second line centre men are seldom found learning their craft in the minors or spend less time in the minors than the other positions.

At the end of the day, the Canucks are now considered to have one of the best group of prospects and one of the best collection of under 25 players in the league.

They have 3 drafted centre men on the parent team in Petterssen and Horvat and Gaudette and their most recent draft saw them take Madden who has started his college career with 3 goals and 4 points in 6 games for Northeastern.

Hardly the work of a "clown"

"Of the top 10 scoring centremen in the league as of today's date, 2 were drafted by their current teams."

NO ****!!!!. You can't see the forest through the trees. We are not saying that Vancouver and the rest of the AHL fill out their center spots with their drafted centers. It is exactly the opposite. They don't have centers to send to the AHL, but they do have a whole bunch of wings. They know enough to go out into the world, and their is a world, not just Canada and the US, and find centers who are good enough to help those wings get better.

Did you EVEN READ what Gilman said???? He said what I have been saying ad nauseum for 5 years running. If you want your forward prospects to grow well, you have to provide them with players that will enhance that process. The rest of the league is not acquiring their top 4 centers from the scrap heap or trying to salvage ECHL /AHL tweeners to drive an offense with young wingers like Dahlen, Jasek, MacMaster, Lind, Carcone and MacEwen.

MacEwen has been lucky enough to be matched up with the only quality guy they have in Kero. Yes, Kero has points, but watch what happens to his total now that he isn't on a PP with a goal scoring machine in Boucher. Points rarely tell one the whole story.

Dahlen is a challenge because he has been with MacEwen and Kero the last 2 games comprising the Comets top line and the Comets scored 1 goal in those 2 games and Dahlen wasn't involved but Kero and MacEwen were. His play has been far from impressive.

The PP was the main story for the early season Comets. Take Gaudette, Boucher, Archibald off that group and the production is falling fast. Bouch has been missing 3 games and the Comets have 1 goal in the last 2.

The other one saw 4 goals scored and they came from Sifers with his first in 500+ days, Archibald, MacEwen, and Jasek. Jasek also picked up an assist. He proved last season he can get some points. No points from the rest of that top forward prospect pool in 3 games.

 

[orcatown]

From all reports Johnson was a Linden signing. They were ex-teammates and apparently got along well. Fact that Johnson had no experience at managing an AHL team was a non-consideration given fact Linden like him. Just one more example of the cronyism that has dogged this organization for years.

Reminds me of when the Canucks had very able AHL manager in Heisinger (won awards for executive of the year in the AHL) when the team was located in Winnipeg. But he was dumped b/c he didn't suit the image people like Linden like to promote. Like be an ex-Canuck and look the part. Heisinger was from humble origins and had worked himself up from equipment manager to running AHL franchises. (certainly didn't want anyone like that) In the end, Heisinger joined the Jets and is now recognized as key cog in that successful organization.

 

[Askel]

From all reports Johnson was a Linden signing. They were ex-teammates and apparently got along well. Fact that Johnson had no experience at managing an AHL team was a non-consideration given fact Linden like him. Just one more example of the cronyism that has dogged this organization for years.

Reminds me of when the Canucks had very able AHL manager in Heisinger (won awards for executive of the year in the AHL) when the team was located in Winnipeg. But he was dumped b/c he didn't suit the image people like Linden like to promote. Like be an ex-Canuck and look the part. Heisinger was from humble origins and had worked himself up from equipment manager to running AHL franchises. (certainly didn't want anyone like that) In the end, Heisinger joined the Jets and is now recognized as key cog in that successful organization.

Heisinger became part of the Jets organisation 2011. Linden had nothing to do with that.