DFAC
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- Jan 19, 2008
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TJ Brennan was on waivers, wouldve been a good vet to have on the backend
2018-19 Utica Comets, Pt. VI
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UticaHockey
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But if Vancouver claimed him they would have to place him on waivers a second time to send him to Utica. Philly would just claim him back and send him down to Lehigh Valley assuming there we no other waiver claims. Brennan is an AHL all star but not a NHL defenseman which is why he passes through waivers ever year.
It has happened every year with this guy whether with the Marlies or Phantoms.
He actually could be precursor for Juolevi. A guy who runs a PP and puts up great numbers, but is not a good D-man. Result? They are All-Stars in the AHL with very comfortable salaries, but just aren't defensively capable enough to play in the NHL. He is listed due to cash in at $450K AHL on a 2-way with Philly this season. He is 30, starting his 4th season with Lehigh Valley located in Allentown, Pennsylvania perfectly content to play near his hometown of Moorestown, NJ., 90 miles away.
Olli will simply go back to Finland if he doesn't make it as a regular in Vancouver.
A couple weeks back I stopped considering the Canucks might actually be interested in finding a quality center for Gadjovich and Lind. Then I began to hope against hope that signing Landon Ferraro to a PTO might have been for the purpose of getting them their center, but alas he was released and there has been no news as to a 2-way or sending him to Utica's camp or anything else.
Would guess he's gone and probably will end up an opponent helping to defeat the Comets.
That's is exactly the potential fate of one of the centers I was lobbying for all summer. Daniel Audette signed an AHL contract with the Springfield Thunderbirds on September 13th. That means once again we will get to watch him perform against the Comets for the 4th straight season rather than with them. A straightforward AHL contract means he was not that expensive as I had predicted.
Rourke Chartier is still, unsigned and could end up being another real cheap pickup. Would be worth Johnson's time to offer the kid a PTO, see if he's recovered from his injury, and if yes, sign him up. Wouldn't be a vet and might still have the same high promise some had hoped for. Gadj and Lind again are looking for some help not named Wacey.
Tyler Vesel is still loose. Johnson could do worse with a camp PTO.
Another young non vet center.
Like Ferraro there are still other vet centers that could label Hamilton as a reserve. Trevor Smith and his .71 PPG through 644 AHL GP is unsigned. What a signing he could be for the 2 kids.
Nope, none of this will happen because it might threaten the playing time of one of Johnson's favorite work horses that remind him of himself. That's the only reason Bancks and Hamilton were re-signed to 2-yr deals a year ago.
I like Carter and he can fill a leadership/captaincy role while playing a solid 4th line checking role. However, both Bancks and Hamilton have been shoved into roles above their skill sets whenever the Comets have lost centers to call-ups or injuries or both. Carter never belongs in the middle. He is a hard working wing. Hamilton is the same type of hard working, non play making center who doesn't belong playing up a line or two.
That extra center who starts the season on the 4th line, but CAN be effective if moved up a line or 2 when the inevitable **** hits the fan has never been available since Henning left. Johnson is not GM material and with Conacher gone it's going to be a total catastrophe when the callups and injuries plague the Comets once again. Henning built players into his roster for that event and when it wasn't enough, trades were made to fill the needs. Johnson must have skipped his basic GM training classes.
Would guess he's gone and probably will end up an opponent helping to defeat the Comets.
That's is exactly the potential fate of one of the centers I was lobbying for all summer. Daniel Audette signed an AHL contract with the Springfield Thunderbirds on September 13th. That means once again we will get to watch him perform against the Comets for the 4th straight season rather than with them. A straightforward AHL contract means he was not that expensive as I had predicted.
Rourke Chartier is still, unsigned and could end up being another real cheap pickup. Would be worth Johnson's time to offer the kid a PTO, see if he's recovered from his injury, and if yes, sign him up. Wouldn't be a vet and might still have the same high promise some had hoped for. Gadj and Lind again are looking for some help not named Wacey.
Tyler Vesel is still loose. Johnson could do worse with a camp PTO.
Another young non vet center.
Like Ferraro there are still other vet centers that could label Hamilton as a reserve. Trevor Smith and his .71 PPG through 644 AHL GP is unsigned. What a signing he could be for the 2 kids.
Nope, none of this will happen because it might threaten the playing time of one of Johnson's favorite work horses that remind him of himself. That's the only reason Bancks and Hamilton were re-signed to 2-yr deals a year ago.
I like Carter and he can fill a leadership/captaincy role while playing a solid 4th line checking role. However, both Bancks and Hamilton have been shoved into roles above their skill sets whenever the Comets have lost centers to call-ups or injuries or both. Carter never belongs in the middle. He is a hard working wing. Hamilton is the same type of hard working, non play making center who doesn't belong playing up a line or two.
That extra center who starts the season on the 4th line, but CAN be effective if moved up a line or 2 when the inevitable **** hits the fan has never been available since Henning left. Johnson is not GM material and with Conacher gone it's going to be a total catastrophe when the callups and injuries plague the Comets once again. Henning built players into his roster for that event and when it wasn't enough, trades were made to fill the needs. Johnson must have skipped his basic GM training classes.
86.9% of the 2018-19 NHL players were graduates of the AHL. That was a total of 856 players. Apparently Benning has decided to bypass this process with most of his prospects. If he drafts them and they stay in Europe or attend US universities, he can ignore the development process that he would in the overall picture be responsible for in the AHL. I say that because his overseer in the the first 2 years of the Comets existence, Lorne Henning, took hids job very seriously. Benning fired him and the farm has existed as a mere afterthought to Benning, He has brought his top picks straight on board to Vancouver and the rest of the prospects have been in Europe or the NCAA.
The prospects he has sent to Utica have pretty much been left to sink or swim on their own. The current proof is in the pudding. At the moment in 6 years of drafting none of his prospects below the 1st round with the exception of Demko are on the current Canucks roster.
The players sent to Utica have not been provided with the accessory pieces teams like Toronto and Tampa Bay provide their prospects to insure that their kids have the best players to help them in ntheir development.
The Canucks have no center prospects in the AHL. Gaudette may break the string, but I doubt, like last season, he'll be here very long. Thus, he won't have a significant impact. Since Henning, the Comets have been provided one Veteran play making center every season. Sometimes a secondary guy. The top guy has usually been called up and the secondary guy gets the #1 role. The other 3 lines end up with sub par AHL fodder.
Take last season for example. Last season the #1 didn't get called up, but #2, Gaudette, only played 14 games here on 3 short assignments.
The other 3 centers were to be subpar AHL centers: Cam Darcy, Brendan Woods, and Wacey Hamilton. The 3 had 51 points between them and 31 of those points were assists. The Comets had 6 rookie wings and 2 2nd year wings. A group like this requires play makers to help them develop into what they are perceived to do best ------
SCORE!!!!!
This means you go out and get what the system does not possess----
PLAY MAKING C E N T E R S!!!
The defense has the same problem. You cannot expect a bunch of kids to be able to withstand the pressure of a league comprised of experienced AHL players combined with top notch prospects on all of the teams and become a solid group of defenders.
last season:
AHL rookie Olli Juolevi lasted 18 games before being lost for the season with a knee injury and surgery.
Brisebois and Chatfield were entering the second year of their ELCs.
- Brisebois played 49 games due to injury and Vancouver call-up
- Chatfield would play 34 games due to injuries.
Ashton Sautner was entering his 4th season and was yet to be considered a full-time member of the top 6. He would miss 2 months with a fractured face and spend the last moth and a 1/2 with the Canucks.
McEneny was entering his 3rd season with the Comets and his past season was ended after 11GP with a knee injury and surgery. It was the 3rd time in his career that this had happened. He was now skating on 1 and 1/2 legs at best. He was thought to be the best defender. He would go down after 58 games with yet another season ending knee injury and 4th surgery. He was not given a QO.
Those were the prospects. Probably needed to accompany those guys with a couple of very dependable veteran D-men, right?
Not our boy Johnson. He already had Dylan Blujus and Jaime Sifers under contract from the previous season.
- Blujus was about to enter his 5th pro season with a whopping 196 AHL GP. He was a steady defender with no special elite skills on an AHL contract. The + was his LACK of veteran status.
- Sifers was a 35-yr-old well traveled AHL journeyman defenseman. He was 5'11" and weighed 198 lbs. He had lost 2 or maybe even 3 steps off his speed. He wasn't ultras physical, but played the body and was a sound positional player. He was not the prototypical puck moving vet D-men playing on the first pair nor was he the prototypical defense first veteran anchor of the D-corps. Most teams have both or something close to it.
He was however, the ONLY, veteran D-man on the roster.
The reserves were:
- Jesse Graham now with his 3rndd AHL team in 3 seasons after flopping big time with the Islanders AHL franchise in Bridgeport after being selected in the 21012 5th round. He was a puck rusher who had trouble doing such, but was a disaster in his own end.
- Jagger Dirk, a rookie destined to be a career ECHL player, but opted to go to Europe and play in the weakest European hockey league with Dundee Stars (Yes! Dundee, Scotland) after only one NA pro season.
- Brandon Anselmini entering his 3rd pro season spent in the ECHL with 2 differnt teams and getting 17 AHL games with 2 different teams. Like Dirk, he was terrible.
They would trade Tanner MacMaster to Toronto for Stefan LeBlanc in an AHL trade to try and provide the d with some help. He is a good young d-man who doesn't hurt you like the 3 aforementioned, but he isn't going to make a major impact overall. Good support player.
To emphasize my point, this season Vancouver has assigned 4 more rookies, a recovering/rehabbing Juolevi, and a pending disaster in Chatfield to their most experienced prospect Ashton Sautner (189 AHL GP) and their actually most experienced player Dylan Blujus (239 AHL GP). Brisebois is entering the 3rd year of his ELC and has played 117 AHL games. Add LeBlanc to this group and you have what Vancouver posters are telling us is an improved D-corps.
This team not only doesn't have a Sifers type veteran D-man, they DON'T EVEN HAVE ONE VETERAN D-MAN! Even if Vancouver decides to go with 14 forwards the D-man they send down is likely to be here for less time than Gaudette. The Vancouver defense seems to always have at least one D-man out for some reason so he will be gone.
Thus, how much concern does Benning have for the development of the prospects he sends here? I have posted before that I don't think he ever plans to see any of the Utica prospects to become Canucks. He's not planning to build from within. There is no future depth assigned to Utica this year. The depth he will get will come from the couple guys he doesn't have room for in Vancouver that he is hoping will clear waives and be available down here for re-call.
The prospects he has sent to Utica have pretty much been left to sink or swim on their own. The current proof is in the pudding. At the moment in 6 years of drafting none of his prospects below the 1st round with the exception of Demko are on the current Canucks roster.
The players sent to Utica have not been provided with the accessory pieces teams like Toronto and Tampa Bay provide their prospects to insure that their kids have the best players to help them in ntheir development.
The Canucks have no center prospects in the AHL. Gaudette may break the string, but I doubt, like last season, he'll be here very long. Thus, he won't have a significant impact. Since Henning, the Comets have been provided one Veteran play making center every season. Sometimes a secondary guy. The top guy has usually been called up and the secondary guy gets the #1 role. The other 3 lines end up with sub par AHL fodder.
Take last season for example. Last season the #1 didn't get called up, but #2, Gaudette, only played 14 games here on 3 short assignments.
The other 3 centers were to be subpar AHL centers: Cam Darcy, Brendan Woods, and Wacey Hamilton. The 3 had 51 points between them and 31 of those points were assists. The Comets had 6 rookie wings and 2 2nd year wings. A group like this requires play makers to help them develop into what they are perceived to do best ------
SCORE!!!!!
This means you go out and get what the system does not possess----
PLAY MAKING C E N T E R S!!!
The defense has the same problem. You cannot expect a bunch of kids to be able to withstand the pressure of a league comprised of experienced AHL players combined with top notch prospects on all of the teams and become a solid group of defenders.
last season:
AHL rookie Olli Juolevi lasted 18 games before being lost for the season with a knee injury and surgery.
Brisebois and Chatfield were entering the second year of their ELCs.
- Brisebois played 49 games due to injury and Vancouver call-up
- Chatfield would play 34 games due to injuries.
Ashton Sautner was entering his 4th season and was yet to be considered a full-time member of the top 6. He would miss 2 months with a fractured face and spend the last moth and a 1/2 with the Canucks.
McEneny was entering his 3rd season with the Comets and his past season was ended after 11GP with a knee injury and surgery. It was the 3rd time in his career that this had happened. He was now skating on 1 and 1/2 legs at best. He was thought to be the best defender. He would go down after 58 games with yet another season ending knee injury and 4th surgery. He was not given a QO.
Those were the prospects. Probably needed to accompany those guys with a couple of very dependable veteran D-men, right?
Not our boy Johnson. He already had Dylan Blujus and Jaime Sifers under contract from the previous season.
- Blujus was about to enter his 5th pro season with a whopping 196 AHL GP. He was a steady defender with no special elite skills on an AHL contract. The + was his LACK of veteran status.
- Sifers was a 35-yr-old well traveled AHL journeyman defenseman. He was 5'11" and weighed 198 lbs. He had lost 2 or maybe even 3 steps off his speed. He wasn't ultras physical, but played the body and was a sound positional player. He was not the prototypical puck moving vet D-men playing on the first pair nor was he the prototypical defense first veteran anchor of the D-corps. Most teams have both or something close to it.
He was however, the ONLY, veteran D-man on the roster.
The reserves were:
- Jesse Graham now with his 3rndd AHL team in 3 seasons after flopping big time with the Islanders AHL franchise in Bridgeport after being selected in the 21012 5th round. He was a puck rusher who had trouble doing such, but was a disaster in his own end.
- Jagger Dirk, a rookie destined to be a career ECHL player, but opted to go to Europe and play in the weakest European hockey league with Dundee Stars (Yes! Dundee, Scotland) after only one NA pro season.
- Brandon Anselmini entering his 3rd pro season spent in the ECHL with 2 differnt teams and getting 17 AHL games with 2 different teams. Like Dirk, he was terrible.
They would trade Tanner MacMaster to Toronto for Stefan LeBlanc in an AHL trade to try and provide the d with some help. He is a good young d-man who doesn't hurt you like the 3 aforementioned, but he isn't going to make a major impact overall. Good support player.
To emphasize my point, this season Vancouver has assigned 4 more rookies, a recovering/rehabbing Juolevi, and a pending disaster in Chatfield to their most experienced prospect Ashton Sautner (189 AHL GP) and their actually most experienced player Dylan Blujus (239 AHL GP). Brisebois is entering the 3rd year of his ELC and has played 117 AHL games. Add LeBlanc to this group and you have what Vancouver posters are telling us is an improved D-corps.
This team not only doesn't have a Sifers type veteran D-man, they DON'T EVEN HAVE ONE VETERAN D-MAN! Even if Vancouver decides to go with 14 forwards the D-man they send down is likely to be here for less time than Gaudette. The Vancouver defense seems to always have at least one D-man out for some reason so he will be gone.
Thus, how much concern does Benning have for the development of the prospects he sends here? I have posted before that I don't think he ever plans to see any of the Utica prospects to become Canucks. He's not planning to build from within. There is no future depth assigned to Utica this year. The depth he will get will come from the couple guys he doesn't have room for in Vancouver that he is hoping will clear waives and be available down here for re-call.
NuxFan09
Registered User
G Zane McIntyre, D Ashton Sautner, F Reid Boucher and F Francis Perron all cleared waivers and have been assigned to Utica.
These additions to the Comets camp roster are reflected in Post #904.
These additions to the Comets camp roster are reflected in Post #904.
Megaterio Llamas
el rey del mambo
CanucksArmy Preseason Postgame: Canucks show up in Abbotsford
The Canucks were in Abbotsford tonight to sign autographs and play the Senators in their 6th preseason game, which saw locals leave happy following an offensive showcase resulting in a Canucks 6-4 win. Ownership was also reported to be in the house to take in the game and potentially view the arena, location and chat with fans about Abbotsford being home for a minor league team.
The Canucks were in Abbotsford tonight to sign autographs and play the Senators in their 6th preseason game, which saw locals leave happy following an offensive showcase resulting in a Canucks 6-4 win. Ownership was also reported to be in the house to take in the game and potentially view the arena, location and chat with fans about Abbotsford being home for a minor league team.
vanuck
Now with 100% less Benning!
- Dec 28, 2009
- 16,799
- 4,016
Why not just do a Twitter poll like before Frankie?
Utica's preseason roster is up.
COMETS ANNOUNCE 2019-20 PRESEASON ROSTER | Utica Comets Official Website
The four invites are all on ECHL contracts. Iacopelli, Edmondson, and Leier with the Wings and Burmaster with the Norfolk Admirals.
COMETS ANNOUNCE 2019-20 PRESEASON ROSTER | Utica Comets Official Website
The four invites are all on ECHL contracts. Iacopelli, Edmondson, and Leier with the Wings and Burmaster with the Norfolk Admirals.
UticaHockey
Registered User
Gregg Burmaster is a local kid from nearby Clinton, NY and was the captain last year for Utica College who share the ice with the Comets at the Utica Aud. A long shot to make the team but a nice story and hopefully he gets to play in the preseason game this Friday at home.
You know that d-man many Vancouver posters predict will be sent down while the Canucks keep 14 forwards? Well Fantneberg is already in concussion protocol.
Boeser is also in concussion protocol.
Damn it!!! The Comets need a strong veteran level D-man to anchor the squad of puppies assigned here.
On another note, Jasek is on crutches with his foot wrapped. Gashed in a boating accident and is currently unable to skate.
All of the PTOs in Utica's camp are signed with ECHL teams. 3 are signed with the Kalamazoo Wings and you know they are here to allow the team enough players to engage in 2 daily sessions with both groups having enough players for 5 on 5 scrimmages.
The Comets play their 2 preseason games this Friday and Saturday and already the team is short players due to injury in Vancouver and Utica. How many years do we have to inform Vancouver that if you don't provide the Comets with a FULL squad of adequate AHL level talent to go with the prospects at the start of the season, that injuries and call-ups will leave the team devastated due to the fact that the only depth they signed were ECHL scrubs who can't play at this level. Then you add a bunch more to the lineup and you have a team that can't play in the AHL. If you fill out the roster to begin with there are reserves capable of filling in and helping the team to stay somewhat on an even keel. Then when future problems problems aris, you only add a minimum addition of PTOs into the lineup. Not 8 or 9 like the Comets have actually iced.
The D should have guys like Travis Ehrhardt, John Negrin, David Shields, and Adam Comrie. All AHL competent players on cheap AHL contracts. They were all reserves who all played lots of hockey and more than held up their end of the bargain. Guys like Anselmini, Dirk, Graham, Petgrave, and Thow have proven unable to play at this level or they would be there. ECHL slugs cannot play acceptable defense in the AHL.
Last year they played games with the starting D comprised of one Vancouver contracted D-man, a Utica Contracted D-man, 3 PTOs, and a player acquired in an AHL trade who had been playing in the ECHL at the time of the deal and many other game night rosters of similar quality. They played these games with the forwards comprised of similar groups of PTOs.
This season hasn't even seen Vancouver break camp and the problems are already here. The Comets should have enough quality payers to be able to put a team on the ice this weekend that is not back loaded with ECHL players because a couple players are hurt at both levels requiring the Canucks to hold designated Comets in Vancouver.
EDIT**** 10:07 p.m. EST
This post was just illuminating the future. It's foreshadowing of what will come if the only even excuse for depth is nothing but the ECHL scrubs Johnson signed this summer and these 3 roster ZOO Wings they have brought in for preseason to make practice possible until the final cut come down from Vancouver.
Boeser is also in concussion protocol.
Damn it!!! The Comets need a strong veteran level D-man to anchor the squad of puppies assigned here.
On another note, Jasek is on crutches with his foot wrapped. Gashed in a boating accident and is currently unable to skate.
All of the PTOs in Utica's camp are signed with ECHL teams. 3 are signed with the Kalamazoo Wings and you know they are here to allow the team enough players to engage in 2 daily sessions with both groups having enough players for 5 on 5 scrimmages.
The Comets play their 2 preseason games this Friday and Saturday and already the team is short players due to injury in Vancouver and Utica. How many years do we have to inform Vancouver that if you don't provide the Comets with a FULL squad of adequate AHL level talent to go with the prospects at the start of the season, that injuries and call-ups will leave the team devastated due to the fact that the only depth they signed were ECHL scrubs who can't play at this level. Then you add a bunch more to the lineup and you have a team that can't play in the AHL. If you fill out the roster to begin with there are reserves capable of filling in and helping the team to stay somewhat on an even keel. Then when future problems problems aris, you only add a minimum addition of PTOs into the lineup. Not 8 or 9 like the Comets have actually iced.
The D should have guys like Travis Ehrhardt, John Negrin, David Shields, and Adam Comrie. All AHL competent players on cheap AHL contracts. They were all reserves who all played lots of hockey and more than held up their end of the bargain. Guys like Anselmini, Dirk, Graham, Petgrave, and Thow have proven unable to play at this level or they would be there. ECHL slugs cannot play acceptable defense in the AHL.
Last year they played games with the starting D comprised of one Vancouver contracted D-man, a Utica Contracted D-man, 3 PTOs, and a player acquired in an AHL trade who had been playing in the ECHL at the time of the deal and many other game night rosters of similar quality. They played these games with the forwards comprised of similar groups of PTOs.
This season hasn't even seen Vancouver break camp and the problems are already here. The Comets should have enough quality payers to be able to put a team on the ice this weekend that is not back loaded with ECHL players because a couple players are hurt at both levels requiring the Canucks to hold designated Comets in Vancouver.
EDIT**** 10:07 p.m. EST
This post was just illuminating the future. It's foreshadowing of what will come if the only even excuse for depth is nothing but the ECHL scrubs Johnson signed this summer and these 3 roster ZOO Wings they have brought in for preseason to make practice possible until the final cut come down from Vancouver.
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Reinforcements are one the way. MacEwen, Brisebois and Chatfield will probably be on the plane after tonight's game. And I guess there's still a chance Gaudette is in Utica before the opener.
From what I gather, it sounds like Jasek was poised to play center this year. Him being injured is incentive to get a new center for Utica to act as depth.
The biggest issues are on D. If Fantenberg is out, one of the prospects will be called up leaving Utica with a less than ideal line up. It also makes sense to get a veteran D.
I get the impression that Benning is going to address the issues as he goes along though. Like last year he got Pyatt, Schenn, etc, allbeit at the end of the season. Either way, I agree with BG. We have better depth this year, but a part of the depth is already playing in our ranks which is beyond the point.
The biggest issues are on D. If Fantenberg is out, one of the prospects will be called up leaving Utica with a less than ideal line up. It also makes sense to get a veteran D.
I get the impression that Benning is going to address the issues as he goes along though. Like last year he got Pyatt, Schenn, etc, allbeit at the end of the season. Either way, I agree with BG. We have better depth this year, but a part of the depth is already playing in our ranks which is beyond the point.
Jasek cut his foot while out boating
shouldn't be out too long hopefully
shouldn't be out too long hopefully
One of the training camp experiments that kind of flew under the radar screen was the Canucks moving Jasek to the middle during practices and at least for one exhibition game. Seems to be an experiment they want to pursue in Utica.
Has the kid ever played center before? Is there any potential there? From my limited viewing his skating seems strong enough to play in the middle.
I have addressed the Jasek at center experiment. I believe it was in one of the Canucks GDTs. I believe it was the one that listed him at center in the lineup.
I questioned the reason since he had not been a center here other than taking a few faceoffs with his line when Bancks was the center, though they did appear to be swapping back and forth between right wing and center during the play. Nothing special occurred and I don't recall anything more specific with Jasek as a center.
This would be the kind of answer Benning/Johnson would come up with to address the center issue in Utica rather than signing up Ferraro. Right now, right out of the gate if Gaudette stays up, the Comets are short a center!!!!'
If Gaudette does report to Utica, how long will it be this season? It was 14 games last year. No matter how you cut it the Comets are short one center on their opening day roster.
Camper is a given. Cull extolled his merits in the middle in an article dedicated to him in this morning's Utica paper.
Graovac will not make the Canucks roster. He did, however, open a lot of eyes in Vancouver with his efforts.
Hamilton is the 4th line center. Explain. WHO IS THE #3?
Jasek as an experiment?
"The kid is a good RW, but, what the Hell? Let's play him at center. It won't cost me a contract and who cares? It's only Utica and there aren't any serious prospects there anyways." says Benning
The Ghost (Johnson) chimes in,
"Hey what about that Malone kid? He played center at U of Wisconsin. He can be insurance also once his arm works again (he's in a non contact red jersey right now rehabbing work that was done on his arm that was broken late last season)."
"If that all fails, don't worry. I signed this Sorenson kid (26-yrs-ols and has never been out of the ECHL) out of Kalamazoo to a contract this summer. He put up 64 Pts in 55 games there last year. I'm betting he'll be able to fill any holes when we get desperate like always since I've been here."
Based on this theory being put forth by the fans on the HF site, the centers in Vancouver would be Pettersson, Horvat, Gaudette, Beagle, Sutter. Would like to believe any center problems would be filled first in house by Sutter and Beagle. If things go further based upon Graovac's play, I would guess that Graovac gets a call over the wings in Vancouver who have been centers, but not for the Canucks. He becomes this season's Chaput.
Comets would be left with left with Camper and Hamilton and the "Hey let's try you in the middle." Those guys would be Jasek, Bancks, Malone, and "Who else wants to give it a try?"
WTF do these guys have against filling out a roster before the season starts and therefore, these issues could be addressed. Without Gaudette that extra gut steps right in and plays the #3 while Camper bumps up to #2. Without both Gaudette and Graovac, Camper and the #3 become #1 and 2, You still have Hamilton who could bump up to #3 and now you give Jasek, Bancks, Malone,and even Sorenson some ice in the middle to find the best of the rest. These guys vying for that 4TH center spot might actually be better off as the #3 because their wings would be stronger. The Comets could still compete until the world is out of the lineup in both cities.
Another reason for the Jasek experiment might have been for Vancouver's own sake. If they lose 2 of the 5 I listed, only Graovac is eligible to play in the NHL because he has a Vancouver contract. Schaller? Maybe. Maybe he's not going to be around, then who? Maybe Jasek.
Landon Ferraro would have been a much better choice, but oh that contract he would eat up. Oh, woe is us. People are worried about NCAA guys coming to town in March/April and having no spots available . If you are desperate for a spot, dump someone for a pick or an AHL contracted player like Toronto did in accepting Carcone for Leivo. Voila, a spot opens up. Be a little imaginative Jim, JC.
Or - How about you tell Lockwood this team is going to be getting very good and right now the best way you can help us is to go to Utica on an ATO and get your feet wet helping those guys and sign with the Canucks at the end of the season. A spot will open up for you to earn in Vancouver next year. That's how so many other teams handle their college guys who are not Boeser or Hughes, can't miss blue chippers. Lockwood is not one of those. Neither are any of their other current college kids.
I questioned the reason since he had not been a center here other than taking a few faceoffs with his line when Bancks was the center, though they did appear to be swapping back and forth between right wing and center during the play. Nothing special occurred and I don't recall anything more specific with Jasek as a center.
This would be the kind of answer Benning/Johnson would come up with to address the center issue in Utica rather than signing up Ferraro. Right now, right out of the gate if Gaudette stays up, the Comets are short a center!!!!'
If Gaudette does report to Utica, how long will it be this season? It was 14 games last year. No matter how you cut it the Comets are short one center on their opening day roster.
Camper is a given. Cull extolled his merits in the middle in an article dedicated to him in this morning's Utica paper.
Graovac will not make the Canucks roster. He did, however, open a lot of eyes in Vancouver with his efforts.
Hamilton is the 4th line center. Explain. WHO IS THE #3?
Jasek as an experiment?
"The kid is a good RW, but, what the Hell? Let's play him at center. It won't cost me a contract and who cares? It's only Utica and there aren't any serious prospects there anyways." says Benning
The Ghost (Johnson) chimes in,
"Hey what about that Malone kid? He played center at U of Wisconsin. He can be insurance also once his arm works again (he's in a non contact red jersey right now rehabbing work that was done on his arm that was broken late last season)."
"If that all fails, don't worry. I signed this Sorenson kid (26-yrs-ols and has never been out of the ECHL) out of Kalamazoo to a contract this summer. He put up 64 Pts in 55 games there last year. I'm betting he'll be able to fill any holes when we get desperate like always since I've been here."
Based on this theory being put forth by the fans on the HF site, the centers in Vancouver would be Pettersson, Horvat, Gaudette, Beagle, Sutter. Would like to believe any center problems would be filled first in house by Sutter and Beagle. If things go further based upon Graovac's play, I would guess that Graovac gets a call over the wings in Vancouver who have been centers, but not for the Canucks. He becomes this season's Chaput.
Comets would be left with left with Camper and Hamilton and the "Hey let's try you in the middle." Those guys would be Jasek, Bancks, Malone, and "Who else wants to give it a try?"
WTF do these guys have against filling out a roster before the season starts and therefore, these issues could be addressed. Without Gaudette that extra gut steps right in and plays the #3 while Camper bumps up to #2. Without both Gaudette and Graovac, Camper and the #3 become #1 and 2, You still have Hamilton who could bump up to #3 and now you give Jasek, Bancks, Malone,and even Sorenson some ice in the middle to find the best of the rest. These guys vying for that 4TH center spot might actually be better off as the #3 because their wings would be stronger. The Comets could still compete until the world is out of the lineup in both cities.
Another reason for the Jasek experiment might have been for Vancouver's own sake. If they lose 2 of the 5 I listed, only Graovac is eligible to play in the NHL because he has a Vancouver contract. Schaller? Maybe. Maybe he's not going to be around, then who? Maybe Jasek.
Landon Ferraro would have been a much better choice, but oh that contract he would eat up. Oh, woe is us. People are worried about NCAA guys coming to town in March/April and having no spots available . If you are desperate for a spot, dump someone for a pick or an AHL contracted player like Toronto did in accepting Carcone for Leivo. Voila, a spot opens up. Be a little imaginative Jim, JC.
Or - How about you tell Lockwood this team is going to be getting very good and right now the best way you can help us is to go to Utica on an ATO and get your feet wet helping those guys and sign with the Canucks at the end of the season. A spot will open up for you to earn in Vancouver next year. That's how so many other teams handle their college guys who are not Boeser or Hughes, can't miss blue chippers. Lockwood is not one of those. Neither are any of their other current college kids.
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Cory Hergott I believe mentioned in a podcast or one of his radio hits that Jasek had actually played a bit of center while in the Czech leagues
I think they're definitely floating the idea of Jasek at center full time because he's sound defensively and a decent playmaker - but mostly because if Graovac/Gaudette are called up....then who's the 2nd/3rd line center? It can't be Wacey Hamilton or Carter Bancks...they desperately need guys who can make plays and not just sit as PK specialists.
Tell me about it. I've been beating on this poor dead horse for 4 years and this is 5.
A good AHL hockey team needs 5 centers with a couple guys who can double up at center. There will always be call-ups and centers on the farm get injured also. Jim usually is lucky to sign 2. This year he signed one and there is a 2nd on an AHL contract. Hamilton is the 4thline center and there is no 3rd if Gaudette remains in Vancouver. Forget the 5th. He's not even in their mindset.
Schaller? .5 PPG in the AHl, but he hasn't been there in 4 years. His NHL numbers have not been good beyond a single aberration season.
Still short one.
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I admire your persistence and informative post BG. You were on here almost the entire summer.... I however have given up on this incompetent management and have decided to go with the flow. It is what at it is. Just gonna enjoy what will probably be our last couple of seasons of AHL hockey!!!
krutovsdonut
eeyore
- Sep 25, 2016
- 16,843
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i think they would only try and convert jasek to centre if they thought he might be better as a centre. no way is this a move based on utica needing a centre or them lacking prospect depth at centre.
UticaHockey
Registered User
I agree with this. I don't care if Jasek played center in a Czech league or if MacEwen played center in juniors it's where the Canucks project them if they make it to the NHL. If they see these guys or any other prospects on the wing then that is the position they will play in Utica. It has nothing to do with the positional needs of the Comets.
$5.00 for pre season game vs Bingo.
I couldn't stand the thought of it, not going with this flow of garbage Johnson gives us.
Megaterio Llamas
el rey del mambo
No Breezy yet. Hmm....
Canucks Reduce Pre-Season Roster
he following players have been assigned to the Utica Comets:
Canucks Reduce Pre-Season Roster
he following players have been assigned to the Utica Comets:
- MacEwen, Zack
- Chatfield, Jalen
- Bachman, Richard
- Graovac, Tyler
Wondering what's happening with Brisebois, who's still on the Canucks roster. Green threw him out there for big minutes in the exhibition schedule and for the most part paired him with fellow AHL d-man Chatfield. Predictably they struggled at times with the pace.
But beginning to wonder if there might be a trade brewing with somebody. Or maybe with Fantenberg on the shelf, they're keeping him around as insurance.
But beginning to wonder if there might be a trade brewing with somebody. Or maybe with Fantenberg on the shelf, they're keeping him around as insurance.
Megaterio Llamas
el rey del mambo
I'm sure he's just sticking around as depth while Fantenberg is out. But good for him I guess, he didn't have a particularly strong exhibition performance.
Mind you, they could have baffled us and kept Chatfield around, it would be consistent with their style
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