Amazing. I posted many of the answers to the issues facing the Comets and the path Johnson would likely take instead and as "go comets" just said "like clockwork the stupidity continues".
I'll use some of Johnson's quotes from this morning's Utica OD article penned by the Comets only newspaper reporter, Ben Birnell. I love the effort Ben puts forth, but he never ventures to critique anything that goes down. He never makes an editorial comment. He never questions any of the moves so in essence he is merely reporting the events as they take place without any opinions. That's not an actual journalist."What I want - especially after what we went through and what the end result was - is the real, honest self-evaluation," said Johnson including himself in the exercise. We want to get the players and staff to dig in and find the answer to being better."
Let me me give him a heads up. As the GM he should be deeply involved in assessing what the Canucks will be providing and what is missing that needs to be acquired.
Up front we know that will be Lind, Gadjovich, Jasek, maybe Palmu, and likely MacEwen. That IS IT !!!!!!!
On the back end we know that Sautner, Brisebois, Chatfield will return barring a miracle in Vancouver. They will be joined by newcomers Eliot, Teves, and Rafferty. There is also a good possibility that Juolevi will see a lot of time here as well, one way or the other.
In net the Comets will select from the threesome of Bachman, DiPietro, and Kielly.
What's missing? CENTERS!!!!!!!!! There are none on this list.
Aside from MacEwen there are no bona fide scoring wingers either.
An experienced anchor D-man like Schenn and an experienced, puck moving, PP QB a la Bobby Sanguinetti to go along with Juolevi as the 1st/2nd PP QBs and if Juolevi is not here or gets called up, then you still have a #1 and can work with a guy like Rafferty to become prominent in that position. I can tell you straight out that Sautner, Brisebois, and definitely Chatfield are not in possession of the that kind of skill set.
Johnson's answer starts right out with repeat disaster.
"Johnson said there's a group from last season that he would like back to help provide leadership and ensure a strong culture with returners Carter Bancks/15 Pts and Wacey Hamilton/11 Pts (already signed for the upcoming season and taking up 2 of the 5 league allotted game night veteran slots.) Forwards Brendan Woods and Cam Darcy and defenseman Dylan Blujus were among those considered part of that group."
I note he refers to Woods and Darcy as forwards. Is that to disguise the fact that they were used every night as 2 of the 4 Comets centers putting up 17 and 23 Pts respectively for the season?
"He also said an important focus will be creating more depth throughout the organization."
He prided himself on doing just that last season with a string of ECHL players signed and sent to Kalamazoo to provide call-ups in emergency situations. Those guys when brought in were not good by a long shot and more were brought in the normal way - scour the ECHL for the best performers at the time and acquire them on loans and sign them to PTOs. It rarely pays off with adequate replacements, but some are better than the rest and you have to find them. Johnson wasted preseason time and energy hunting down and signing the guys he thought would be good depth while good AHL level players he could have brought in to provide that depth were snapped up by the well run teams.
Let me inform Mr. Johnson that almost all of the AHL teams have a veteran center the likes of Cal O'Reilly (67Pts/67GP for the Iowa Wild) and if they don't they eventually go, out and get one. San Jose did just that snapping up TJ Hensick when I was screaming from the hills that he was just siting in the ECHL waiting for a call when Utica was desperate for a center. Johnson brought Reid Gardiner up from the Zoo (3Pts/21GP). Meanwhile Hensick put up 20 Pts in 23GP for San Jose.
Most AHL teams have one of those veteran types and then usually one of their own center prospects and/or a free agent acquisition or 2 if the pipeline lacks centers who take the #2 and 3 roles. Kero would be an example.
San Jose had 21 yr-old FA center Alexander True out of Denmark, 25 yr-old FA center Antti Suomela out of Finland, and Rourke Chartier, 23, a 2014 5th rounder of their own who had become a tweener for Sharks, among their centers. None of these guys have earned veteran statue yet so their roster was still open for veteran support at other positions.
"You can never have enough depth", he said. "It was something we discussed a lot a year ago and different things play out organizationally with limitations of contracts....."Now we're trying to make sure we're insulating our group correctly. Not just at the AHL level, but fo Vancouver as well...In doing that, you're also insulasting your youth with really, really good players to plsay with. It a organizational depth which makes everyone better."
Yup, the limitations of contracts has them by the nuts. They burn their contracts on long-shot, aren't going to make its and then have no contract space for those guys I just listed. Once the Vancouver free agents and a certain few RFAs are off the books, there will be spaces open and if Benning uses them on veteran free agent types, the players he has available for that depth to place in the AHL will be vets he already has under contract like Motte, Spooner, Goldobin, Biega, etc. and that's if they get through waivers. He has not had big luck with that lately.
They don't sit and consider how to put together 2 rosters.
They are one minded until the Canucks roster is set and then when they go to construct their AHL roster they are stuck with veterans to try and slip through and those guys will be the first call ups and like Megna and Chaput could spend most of their seasons in the NHL anyways. That is not building an AHL roster.
The AHL GM should be looking high and low in conjunction with the scouting staff for those undrafted NCAA FAs and the same type FA players in Europe. You can build some in house depth that way. Thus, Woods, Darcy, Hamilton, Arseneau, and Blujus become depth while everyone is healthy and Benning's stash players are in town. Those guys have already proven over the past 2 seasons that they are not good enough to be every day AHL players on a competitive team above the 4th line and never at center except Hamilton. In a pinch they are better than what the ECHL has to offer and that's called in house depth. Johnson is once again considering them game day players.
Problem with this is Cull hates to carry enough players to work with this philosophy. A couple forwards and a couple extra D is all he wants around. That kicks the Hell out of developing in house depth.
My BIGGEST question is, "Who are these 'REALLY, REALLY GOOD PLAYERS' he is bringing in to help these young players and who exactly are these young players he's expecting big things from this season? I know who the young ones are - Lind, Jasek, Gadjovich.
WHO are the "really , really good players?" Last year he said he didn't want those players as they would take ice time and key positions away from the prospects. Has he finally figured out that prospects left to develop without the "really, really good players" don't develop at all?
The only one currently available is Boucher. He's still an RFA.
Kero is a UFA, but had a 1-way last season and unless Benning is willing to give him the same kind of money on a 2-way, he'll seek employment elsewhere and his numbers will find him a job. He has graduated to VE status. However, 5 vets can still dress for games with a VE in the lineup. Is there a better VE than him out there? Probably, but someone has to be looking for him and pay him to play here. money hasn't seemed to be a problem in the past. The key is getting quality for your dollars and there have been some here who made too much for the results
I'm not holding out hope that this guy has seen the light. I think he's trying to blow the same smoke up our arses that he's been blowing in Vancouver for 2 years. That won't work here. I'll let you know when I see the list of invited players to Utica's camp. The proof of his learning curve will be the names on that list.
