2018-19 Utica Comets, Pt. V

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Bad Goalie

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Jan 2, 2014
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Has Utica won a round in the playoffs since Benning's 1st year?

If they haven't it's pretty wild that this "rebuilding" organizations only successes came in the first year and have steadily gotten worse and worse.

But sure, yeah, Benning is an elite team builder.

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Bad Goalie

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[QUOTE="Bad Goalie, post: 158845245, member: 215689"

Let's get it all straight. The Comets did not make the playoffs their first season. Henning readjusted the roster after the Comets nearly set a for futility at the start of a season for a new AHL team. From January on, the Comets were close to the best team in the AHL barely missing out on the playoffs.

It was year 2 when Henning built a top AHL contender and led the Comets to the AHL Calder Cup Finals.

Then Benning went to work. He fired Henning and no one was named to head the Comets.They have made the payoffs twice and failed to qualify twice, counting this season the next 4 years.

After the second season of Benning ineptitude he had to answer to the Vancouver press as to why Virtanen did so poorly offensively and he said it was because Utica had no play making centers and that would have to be fixed.

Enter GM Johnson who also has done nothing , but serve as a front for Benning.

It's been 4 years of no centers and this was the worst. Gaudette played 14 games and that was 14 more than I expected.
Kero was accompanied by Darcy and Woods, after proving not to be sub-AHL quality 1n '17-18, Hamilton who has never been anything but a 4th line checking center who kills penalties, and should never leave the ECHL Gardiner.

The rest of his vet players were seldom worthwhile in comparison to those on their opponents. Fedun on D, Holm as a PP point man, Boucher and Goldobin were exceptions. Archibald was a contributor, but Benning never signed him after the '14-15 season until the Canucks were desperate in '17-18. Then after the exposure, he became trade worthy and was lost to the Comets with Tom Pyatt returning in his place. Not close to an even exchange.

The saving grace for the Comets has been goaltending.
'15-16 Cannata/Bachman.
'16-17 Demko/Bachman
'17-18 Demko/Bachman

'18-19 has been a Goaltending/Defensemen nightmare.
Goalies:
Demko - Injured for the first 17 games. Then called up to Vancouver after only playing 16GP.
Kulbakov - 24GP
Leighton - 18GP
Bachman - 9GP and then injured for the season.
LaCouvee - 3GP
Mazanec - 6GP

The Comets have played 18 different players on D this season.

The Comets have played 70 games.
So,
5 have played 62-64 games.
5 have played 50-59 games.
1 has played 49, 1- 48, and 2 - 47

This informs you that there have been a ****load of injuries.
392 man games lost, unofficially calculated game by game by me. There are more counting illnesses I haven't been privy to. I only see that guys are scratched and the injuries are known. The illnesses are not always reported.[/QUOTE]
 

vanuck

Now with 100% less Benning!
Dec 28, 2009
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Has Utica won a round in the playoffs since Benning's 1st year?

If they haven't it's pretty wild that this "rebuilding" organizations only successes came in the first year and have steadily gotten worse and worse.

But sure, yeah, Benning is an elite team builder.

Utica has not been well-built or managed since Henning was looking after the team. Ever since he was let go it's all been downhill, and even with the two recent NCAA signings they're not joining the Comets. There is basically no help coming.
 
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I am toxic

. . . even in small doses
Oct 24, 2014
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Vancouver
Canucks really need to figure out what is causing all these injuries.

There's your answer.

Yes, something happened in 1970, and the hockey gods will neither forgive, nor forget.

They will give this franchise good things, but they take them away. Just to keep us invested enough so that the pain and suffering is truly maximized.
 

Bad Goalie

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Jan 2, 2014
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Hey, no sweat! Mitch Eliot to the rescue.

Also 23 yr-old 5'7", 179 LB midget LW out of NCAA Cornell. 11G,19A/30Pts in 36GP.

Maybe the Woo injury turns out to be no big deal. Yeh, right. LOL.

Was looking forward to an early preview of this kid. He can't play in Utica next season as he will only be 19. He could also be another of Benning's shiny new toys and thus, we won't see him in Utica when he is eligible. So, this might be our only chance.

6 games to go and Hartford on the road might be the only chance for another win. Toronto, W-B/Scranton (team photo night), and Syracuse (bobblehead) will be home games. The giveaways may keep the seats full. So far the streak is still alive. Have to wonder about Toronto on Friday.

Comets are 2/12 since the NHL TDL.
 

go comets

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Jul 10, 2013
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Hey, no sweat! Mitch Eliot to the rescue.

Also 23 yr-old 5'7", 179 LB midget LW out of NCAA Cornell. 11G,19A/30Pts in 36GP.

Maybe the Woo injury turns out to be no big deal. Yeh, right. LOL.

Was looking forward to an early preview of this kid. He can't play in Utica next season as he will only be 19. He could also be another of Benning's shiny new toys and thus, we won't see him in Utica when he is eligible. So, this might be our only chance.

6 games to go and Hartford on the road might be the only chance for another win. Toronto, W-B/Scranton (team photo night), and Syracuse (bobblehead) will be home games. The giveaways may keep the seats full. So far the streak is still alive. Have to wonder about Toronto on Friday.

Comets are 2/12 since the NHL TDL.

Nothing, and mean nothing will keep the seats full in Utica. If they top 2,500 in any of these games I will be shocked......
 

Bad Goalie

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Jan 2, 2014
20,007
8,603
Nothing, and mean nothing will keep the seats full in Utica. If they top 2,500 in any of these games I will be shocked......

That may be true as far as actual seats filled, but there are 3,500 season tickets sold, yes? So, that means attendance starts at 3,500. only need to sell and/or gift 417 more tickets and it's called a sellout.

I almost can't see Esche ALLOW the streak to end this way and he will do what he can to keep it going. It is a major selling point for the next sales pitch should Vancouver pull out with fines after 2 years of the new deal.
 
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