2018-19 Utica Comets, Pt. IV: Six more years as your Vancouver Canucks affiliate

[VanJack]

Really wasn't anywhere else for the Canucks to go, even if the Utica situation hadn't been ideal. An AHL team in the Lower Mainland is no-go. And how many other cities are there in CA that would support an AHL team?

And based on past history, the logistics of having call-ups 3,000 miles away hardly matters. When was the the last time the Canucks recalled somebody from Utica and actually plugged them into the lineup right away? Seems to me most of them end up cooling their heels in the press-box, and a lot of them never see a game before being sent out.

Canucks have traditionally viewed the Comets as 'injury insurance' and little else. At least this year they do have some serious prospects in Utica, but they seem a long way from the NHL.

 

[F A N]

Seems like it really depends on what you want to value?

From what I have read if you want closer personal evaluations of the young guys, and easier access to them then having a team right beside you makes sense... but then the farm team actually suffers due to harder travel schedules and less time to practice.

Farm team further away gets them away from the scrutiny of the local fanbase/media, more practice time due to less travel, Utica seems to have a very devoted fanbase so also lets the kids experience that same excitement Rogers Arena only occasionally gets these years without as much of the toxic side of things, and they get to potentially be the main focus back in Utica instead of the afterthoughts they'd be in the local market... but then the farm team being as far away as it is seems to have also caused it to be seemingly neglected a bit?

Only sense having a closer farm team makes in the Pacific currently is if the team is in a cup window situation imo. We're years away from that, Utica is still a great setup for the kids. We should appreciate what we have there and give them all the support they need.

You are talking about different things.

Utica is simply a great city for an AHL team. They sell out every game, have a passionate fan base, and are close enough to other AHL cities that that they can often travel by bus and have lots of practice time. These features would exist for any NHL team.

That has nothing to do with the fact that having an AHL team closer to the parent club makes sense. The distance between Vancouver and Utica is the greatest distance between NHL team and AHL affiliate in the entire league. Second place is closer by like 1500km over over 900 miles.

The Canucks chose to stay because Utica is a great city for an AHL team not because it doesn't make sense to have an AHL affiliate closer by.

And based on past history, the logistics of having call-ups 3,000 miles away hardly matters. When was the the last time the Canucks recalled somebody from Utica and actually plugged them into the lineup right away? Seems to me most of them end up cooling their heels in the press-box, and a lot of them never see a game before being sent out.

Biega was re-called this season and immediately inserted into the lineup.

 

[UticaHockey]

You are talking about different things.

Utica is simply a great city for an AHL team. They sell out every game, have a passionate fan base, and are close enough to other AHL cities that that they can often travel by bus and have lots of practice time. These features would exist for any NHL team.

That has nothing to do with the fact that having an AHL team closer to the parent club makes sense. The distance between Vancouver and Utica is the greatest distance between NHL team and AHL affiliate in the entire league. Second place is closer by like 1500km over over 900 miles.

The Canucks chose to stay because Utica is a great city for an AHL team not because it doesn't make sense to have an AHL affiliate closer by.



Biega was re-called this season and immediately inserted into the lineup.

And to add to this the plan is to break ground in 2019 for the Nexus Center which is supposed to a three rink facility on land acquired this past year next door to the Aud. It will be directly connected to the Aud so the Comets can use their existing dressing room when practicing there. Rob Esche had pushed this idea as a way to make Utica a regional destination for youth tournaments and the the tourists dollars that it brings in but it also will give the Comets a practice facility on level with many NHL teams. Right now if the the Aud ice isn't available the Comets practice in one of the local suburban rinks which is fine but this will be much better.

 

[Bad Goalie]

And to add to this the plan is to break ground in 2019 for the Nexus Center which is supposed to a three rink facility on land acquired this past year next door to the Aud. It will be directly connected to the Aud so the Comets can use their existing dressing room when practicing there. Rob Esche had pushed this idea as a way to make Utica a regional destination for youth tournaments and the the tourists dollars that it brings in but it also will give the Comets a practice facility on level with many NHL teams. Right now if the the Aud ice isn't available the Comets practice in one of the local suburban rinks which is fine but this will be much better.

Their off ice facilities are top shelf and better than most other other AHL buildings. They are on a NHL level in many capacities.

The players here don't just enjoy a loyal fan base and easier travel with more practice. The facilities are A-1 and they are very well taken care.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Delete

 

[Bad Goalie]

Delete/duplicate?

 

[Hit the post]

Delete/duplicate?

We’ll just have to agree to disagree.

 

[Ziostilon]

Bobby Sangs is back in the AHL

Checkers Bring Back Bobby Sanguinetti On AHL Deal - Charlotte Checkers Hockey - gocheckers.com

 

[UticaHockey]

Bobby Sangs is back in the AHL

Checkers Bring Back Bobby Sanguinetti On AHL Deal - Charlotte Checkers Hockey - gocheckers.com

Yep an unsigned free agent that wanted to come back to North America. Couldn't find anyone to sign him to a NHL contract so he played in the Spangler Cup as an audition and then signed an AHL deal with Charlotte. With the Comets defense decimated by injuries Ryan Johnson should have been all over this trying to get him signed to an AHL contract with the Comets. There are only two healthy dmen in Utica on NHL contracts so a selling point could have been that he would be third on the depth chart in Utica and would be offered a NHL contract if there are a couple more injuries. Another lost opportunity.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Yep an unsigned free agent that wanted to come back to North America. Couldn't find anyone to sign him to a NHL contract so he played in the Spangler Cup as an audition and then signed an AHL deal with Charlotte. With the Comets defense decimated by injuries Ryan Johnson should have been all over this trying to get him signed to an AHL contract with the Comets. There are only two healthy dmen in Utica on NHL contracts so a selling point could have been that he would be third on the depth chart in Utica and would be offered a NHL contract if there are a couple more injuries. Another lost opportunity.

I have accepted reality a long time ago. Johnson isn't looking for anybody and the Canucks have no intention of filling in the obvious manpower shortages with the loss of Sautner, Juolevi, and Chatfield. This shortage is already causing the overuse of 1 and 1/2 legged McEneny and his 1/2 leg is wearing out. Graham and Dirk aren't up to a playing level that can succeed against the likes of Syracuse (9 more times).

The next event to occur will be the call-up of Demko leaving the Comets with 2 ECHL goalies, Kulbakov and one who isn't even acquired yet. Bachman is likely gone for the season with an achilles injury. So what it's the breaks for a development team. Who cares what happens to them.

However, the result will be that the D they have will be left to rot on the vine as the rest of league kicks into overdrive on the playoff quest and the forward prospects left down here will fall by the wayside and the Comets will once again be blamed by their Vancouver posting critics for not developing Vancouver's young players.

You can't make this **** up.

Maybe Nilsson gets waived and escapes claim instead of getting dealt. No guarantee he doesn't play the same way down here. Players in this league set up, shoot, and score goals just like in the NHL and he'll have an even worse defense than he has in Vancouver. The major difference in the good players down here and the players up there is speed, but with the defenders equally lacking in that asset, goalies get lit up the same way.

 

[ihaveyuidonttouchme]

See you archibald...gonna b missed

 

[canucks20]

See you archibald...gonna b missed

He will be but at least they get Pyatt as a good center for the AHL

 

[ziploc]

So, Kulbakov and McKenna, battling it out for the 1-2 in goal? Pyatt should help, one hopes. And I fully anticipate some more trades very soon, which may garner more support for the Comets.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Pyatt is a decent add for Utica

 

[Bad Goalie]

Pyatt is a decent add for Utica

Really? or does he stay in Vancouver and Schaller gets waived?

 

[JumpierPegasus]

Really? or does he stay in Vancouver and Schaller gets waived?

Pyatt has already cleared waivers so I think he is designated for the AHL. Schaller likely stays a healthy scratch for now

 

[UticaHockey]

Really? or does he stay in Vancouver and Schaller gets waived?

Pyatt had cleared waivers before the trade and will report to Utica.

 

[Bad Goalie]

So goalies swapped. Does McKenna go to Vancouver or Utica? Elite Prospects has him labeled for Vancouver. That leaves Demko's status unchanged for the moment.

Pyatt was waived Tuesday and like Pouliot, was traded for instead of claimed. Assume that was so they could assign him to the AHL immediately? Yes/No as to no waivers required?

Elite prospects has Pyatt assigned to Utica and Archi assigned to Belleville. Pyatt hasn't played an AHL game since 2010, but took a real nose dive this season with Ottawa putting up a total of 2 assists in 37 GP. Sounds like he may have dried up altogether, but at least the Comets get a return for losing a top player. Not sure it's close to an equal swap at this level. It will take a Herculean effort to fill Archi's skates.

I suppose this pushes either Gaunce or Pyatt out onto Archi's wing since Gaudette, Kero, Pyatt/Gaunce, and Hamilton will likely be the centers. That's if Cull has a brain. I almost see him moving both Pyatt and Gaunce out to the wing and going with Darcy and Hamilton as 3/4 centers.

Something still has to happen in Vancouver. The return of Sutter any day now will put them over the limit and they have no non-waiver eligible players to send down. They either waive and risk losing someone or another deal is coming right soon.

Will Pyatt be in town tonight or just in time for the trip to Cleveland this weekend.

*See the plan is as I expected and posted recently. Demko to the Canucks after the weekend and McKenna to the Comets (2.72 and .914 with Belleville in 6 GP). The deal done in order to be able to get Demko to the Canucks without totally raping the Comets since Bachman is out indefinitely. ECHL Kulbakov still the Utica backup. Might scour the highlands if I was Conacher for a more proven backup. Kulbakov was a Christmas tree with an overabundance of light strands vs the Crunch last Friday and the Comets get them 9 more times and Rochester 5 among a long list of tough opponents coming up in the 2nd half of this season.

 

[Jyrki21]

McKenna definitely isn't staying in Vancouver – the purpose of the trade was really to bring up Demko and salvage a pick for Nilsson (I'm actually surprised that Ottawa made this deal as they really don't gain too much out of it).

McKenna has to clear waivers (whereas Pyatt doesn't if I understand correctly), but he's not going to get claimed.

 

[Bad Goalie]

So, Kulbakov and McKenna, battling it out for the 1-2 in goal? Pyatt should help, one hopes. And I fully anticipate some more trades very soon, which may garner more support for the Comets.

Depends upon whether or not he keeps trading better Comets for lesser replacements. This trade did not make the Comets stronger. They lose 2 of their top guys and replace them with much less. Pyatt will have to prove himself better than Archi in all aspects of the game and I doubt that. Archi was the heart and soul of this team and there is no one here who can pick up that mantle. Scoring will be the first big step. Let's see how he handles that.

McKenna is approaching the age of dirt in the game of hockey. With an experienced backup he might be okay. The Comets don't have that since Bachman went down. the verdict is till out on McKenna. We can only hope for the best on this part of the deal. Demko's days were numbered and it's up to him now, but Benning better have the sense to paper him so as to make him available if the Comets were to make the playoffs and the Canucks don't. It's not like he is going to play himself into exhaustion before that.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Okay Comets fans give me your best shot at the lines Cull will construct using Pyatt and Gaudette in your plans.

 

[UticaHockey]

Something still has to happen in Vancouver. The return of Sutter any day now will put them over the limit and they have no non-waiver eligible players to send down. They either waive and risk losing someone or another deal is coming right soon.

Will Pyatt be in town tonight or just in time for the trip to Cleveland this weekend.

*See the plan is as I expected and posted recently. Demko to the Canucks after the weekend and McKenna to the Comets (2.72 and .914 with Belleville in 6 GP). The deal done in order to be able to get Demko to the Canucks without totally raping the Comets since Bachman is out indefinitely. ECHL Kulbakov still the Utica backup. Might scour the highlands if I was Conacher for a more proven backup. Kulbakov was a Christmas tree with an overabundance of light strands vs the Crunch last Friday and the Comets get them 9 more times and Rochester 5 among a long list of tough opponents coming up in the 2nd half of this season.

There are a lot of rumblings that Vancouver is looking to trade Goldobin to make room for Sutter. I'm hoping that a defenseman prospect in the AHL will be part of any Goldy deal. When I heard on NHL radio in the car today that Vancouver just made a trade I thought for sure it would be Goldy. The Nilsson trade was a bit of a surprise based on the timing even though he was expected to be traded sometime this season.

 

[Bad Goalie]

There are a lot of rumblings that Vancouver is looking to trade Goldobin to make room for Sutter. I'm hoping that a defenseman prospect in the AHL will be part of any Goldy deal. When I heard on NHL radio in the car today that Vancouver just made a trade I thought for sure it would be Goldy. The Nilsson trade was a bit of a surprise based on the timing even though he was expected to be traded sometime this season.

I admire your ability to hope. That feeling will have to be renewed by actions for me.

 

[tyhee]

There are a lot of rumblings that Vancouver is looking to trade Goldobin to make room for Sutter. I'm hoping that a defenseman prospect in the AHL will be part of any Goldy deal. ...

I admire your ability to hope. That feeling will have to be renewed by actions for me.

I have the same hope as UticaHockey but think there is an actual chance it could come to pass.

With the Canucks d-men all being healthy enough to play but Utica being absolutely gutted of potential callups (Brisebois being perhaps the only option right now considering the state of McEneny's skating) a trade of an NHL forward (of which the Canucks have one too many) for an AHL defenceman that could be called up if someone goes on the IRL makes sense for the Canucks. Although it would be good for the Comets, it is that potential need for depth for the Canucks that imo makes it reasonable to hope that if the Canucks swing another trade it will be one of the NHL forwards for an AHL defenceman who can fill in at the NHL level.

Otoh, it wouldn't be a great surprise if the piece coming back isn't a prospect any more but a veteran NHL # 8 d-man, which would still help Utica in the short term.

 

[Lindgren]

The Comets took division leaders Syracuse 4-2 tonight. Brendan Gaunce got the empty netter to finish it, and at the same time on the clock he picked up a misconduct for abuse of officials, so he must have gone off about something after he scored. I look forward to the details on the game and the Gaunce story in particular.