Let me try this one more time, but from a different vein. What would the Canucks do if Edler or Tanev were lost to an injury for most or the rest of the season and, say, Hutton and Stecher were out indefinitely with injuries? Would they call up Brisebois and McEneny and keep one for the rest of the season. I think not. They would be scouring the earth and plying the trade wires to attain a decent NHL level replacement.
Oh, why only those 2? That's because Sautner is gone for most or all of the season and Chatfield and Juolevi are out indefinitely with injuries. They will supposedly be back, but they don't know the exact time table and then they will have to regain game conditioning and speed. That might not be overnight since both had leg injuries.
So you already see Utica's dilemma. They don't even have a farm team with a somewhat feasible replacement or two. Jagger Dirk and Brendan Anselmini were acquired during the summer to provide the Comets with quick replacements without having to hunt them up. Throw that idea out the window. Anselmini was called up 11/28 and sent back 12/1 without a sniff of ice time and Dirk was shipped to the Zoo on 10/13 after the Comets first 4 games without having played a minute. He was recalled 10/26, played vs Rochester in a 4-0 shutout loss, and was, to put it simply, not good. He was returned the very next day, 10/27. He was recalled again on 11/23 and is still here but hasn't played a minute of the 7 games played since he's been here. They are not capable of filling in adequately.
Thus, the Comets have now signed Colton Saucerman to a PTO on loan from the Idaho Steelheads. Colton has played 3 pro seasons with 3 different ECHL teams and, counting the Comets, has been loaned out to 5 AHL teams. A guy who has received this much exposure and has still not manged to eke his way onto a roster at the next level says he isn't really very good.
Johnson did the same thing with forwards and signed Reid Gardiner, Brendan Bradley, and Kyle Thomas. Forwards have gone down. Gardiner was called up, played 5 games, recorded no points. He centered Gadjovich and Palmu 3 times and Palmu and Bancks another. His first game he played on the wing. Good guy to help Gadjovich and Palmu find their strides, eh? The other 2 were skipped over and Alex Kile was signed to a PTO on loan from the ECHL Maine Mariners and after 4 GP was released after recording o points. That's 2 forwards up from the ECHL, 9 GP and 0 Points.
The Comets used 56 players in games last season and most were PTOs from the ECHL. There is little chance that a PTO can actually replace the missing player, but the hope is that they find someone who can at least stay the course, tread water. That's why the parade of players, as most prove to be non swimmers and drown and some go down the first time and don't come up.
Dylan Blujus was the only PTO defender to prove his worth. He was a unique case in which he had crossed up the plans his Syracuse Crunch coach had for his recovery from an injury. Dylan wanted another opinion and was lost for a much longer time and Dylan was not offered a roster spot the next season, but was instead sent to the ECHL. The Comets were searching and Cull and Conacher discovered a D-man who had played for Cull in Syracuse and Cull knew of his abilities. The move proved fruitful and Blujus was soon signed to a pro rated AHL contract.
Arseneau was the only forward they brought back this season. I would assume for his toughness. He has played 8 games, has zero points, and 21 PIM. I would not have re-signed him There are plenty of players like Brandon DeFazio available as free agents every summer who can play hockey as well as bring some toughness.
Tony Cameranesi has been brought back on a PTO already this season. He's played 12 games and has 4 points while carding a -3, treading water.
Johnson's other return signees were Woods, Darcy, Hamilton, and Bancks. I would have stopped at Bancks.
There are 3 ways to go about replacing Sautner:
1) The waiver wire. Claim a D-man or centers waived by NHL teams from their roster, not Flops from their AHL roster. Immediately waive them again. If they clear, send them to the AHL. If they are claimed, so be it. Nothing gained, nothing lost. Try, try, and try again.
It can be done.
2) Trade. Toronto has traded 3 AHL players for 3 AHL players in the past couple weeks. Vancouver could sweeten the deal with a late round draft pick or a player they already drafted in a late round.
It can be done.
3) Free agency. There are players out of work.
Kent Huskins was found by Henning into the 2013-14 season. He thought he'd give it one more try. All he did was become the anchor of the Comets D for 2 seasons including the run to the playoff finals.
Cal O'Reilly was signed out of Europe and he only became the Comets top scoring, play making center for those same 2 seasons.
Colby Robak was signed off the Ontario Reign's roster where he was signed as a PTO. It can be done.
Pascal Pelletier was picked up on a PTO and the signed to an AHL contract. His legs were gone, but he managed 28 PTS in 52 GP, which works out to roughly 42 points for a full season.
Frank Corrado was added to the Marlies roster after the season began as a free agent on an AHL contract.
TJ Hensick can currently be acquired on a loan from ECHL Toledo as a PTO and if he fits an AHL contract. He would come cheap. He has always been good. If he's washed up release him and move on. Again, nothing lost in the effort.
According to a couple of Vancouver posters, Johnson has mentioned in Vancouver that the Comets are in desperate need of centers and that they are working on it.
Will Johnson and his boss JB actually undertake any of these methods to acquire a couple centers, a solid defensive addition, and maybe a Brandon DeFazio type forward as well and if they all had little toughness to add, it wouldn't be a bad thing.
I have seen the non actions of Benning for dealing with play making centers for 4 years. Gaudette is the first quality center prospect in 6 seasons. To get centers for the farm, the Canucks had to go outside the organization to get them. Apparently he didn't like that idea. The rest of the AHL doesn't seem to mind. He has seen fit to attach one center for 4 lines each season. If he sees fit to send Gaudette down, which I have my doubts, there will be 2 here. I think he stays up and the 2nd center will be Gaunce and that leaves room for the DeFazio type forward and they still need 2 centers and a replacement for Sautner. Gaudette would lower the need to 3 players. The D-man interrupts nothing with the young kids on D. The forward simply slides into Gaunce's slot while he plays center. The centers would move Woods and Darcy to reserve or Darcy could shuffle in and out on the wing at #4 center. No kids are affected with these additions. 3 points from Woods in 23 GP is hardly production #s for a game day regular at center.
All anyone can do now is sit and wait. Actions or non actions will speak for themselves.