2018-19 Utica Comets

[Red]

Yeah I don't see the difference between most of those players and what Utica has right now. Sure, there's excellent AHL players like Peca, Street, and Griffith but the list isn't really all that big IMO. There's a whole bunch of players cited that are between 0.5 and 0.6 ppg or are fresh out of juniors and unproven. I bet if the Canucks signed Tyler Soy, it'd be a different song - he's unproven, Utica still needs a "#1 centre" etc. Yet Brad Morrison and Jacob Nilsson are somehow good gets?

Kero was a 0.65 ppg player. How is that all that far off the example of Ben Smith and Chris Mueller given as "the best example" above? That's pretty high-end #2C production.

I agree that Utica needs a depth centre but I don't see the point of them signing a #1 centre that will take playing time away from Gaudette. He really should be the #1 centre in Utica for the majority of the season considering the current forward logjam of junk vets on the Canucks that seems inescapable. The Comets/Canucks should be looking to sign one more vet that's a solid #2/3 centre at the AHL level. They still have 2 months to find that one player...

Darcy was a 0.52 ppg player last year. Pretty much half of that list is Darcy's level of AHL player.

I agree that Hamilton is junk and should be the 13th/14th forward in case of injury.

 

[Bad Goalie]

BG, I get where you're coming from but some of these players you're pointing to look like the same kinds of players you'd tell us to 'wait and see' if we signed them and tried to tell you that they'll improve the team. I'm not saying that we shouldn't sign two or even three quality centers and a D-man or two for the Comets but some of those guys you listed are around the same quality as the players you complained about last season.

And who would that be. These are all centers and not one of them is less talented offensively than the Hamilton, Darcy, Cassels, Bancks, Woods, debacle that stunk up the middle last season. These guys are not Molino, Carcone, or D'Aoust either who I did complain about along with the inept centers. etc.

Most on the list have pretty successful AHL resumes to date. We are not talking about coming in to play their 1st pro seasons. I have stated they need a#1. Many #1s were already signed off that list.

The Comets also really need a play maker at #3 and guys on that list fill that gap very well when you consider who they have to push out of the lineup. The 3rd and likely 4th line wings will be guys who can and have scored. The centers on that list whose point totals reflect that they have scored and or set up goals with both good and not so good wingers in this league and most over more than 1 season have a very high probability of doing the same again this season.

You will not find free agent centers who put up a point per game. They are way too valuable and teams hold onto them if they can. The fact is you won't find many AHL players period who put up those numbers. If they do, they probably move up to the NHL.

As Bancks and Darcy proved last season, good forwards will score some goals with not so good centers, who will pick up points for giving them the puck. Give them good AHL play makers and they will score more and the centers totals will climb proportionally. That's what I am pushing for. Give these kids quality AHL centers who will still be here when a Gaudettes and maybe Kero are called up. I can give you an easy 10 off that list I would have taken in a heartbeat. They only need 2.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Yeah I don't see the difference between most of those players and what Utica has right now. Sure, there's excellent AHL players like Peca, Street, and Griffith but the list isn't really all that big IMO. There's a whole bunch of players cited that are between 0.5 and 0.6 ppg or are fresh out of juniors and unproven. I bet if the Canucks signed Tyler Soy, it'd be a different song - he's unproven, Utica still needs a "#1 centre" etc. Yet Brad Morrison and Jacob Nilsson are somehow good gets?

Kero was a 0.65 ppg player. How is that all that far off the example of Ben Smith and Chris Mueller given as "the best example" above? That's pretty high-end #2C production.

I agree that Utica needs a depth centre but I don't see the point of them signing a #1 centre that will take playing time away from Gaudette. He really should be the #1 centre in Utica for the majority of the season considering the current forward logjam of junk vets on the Canucks that seems inescapable. The Comets/Canucks should be looking to sign one more vet that's a solid #2/3 centre at the AHL level. They still have 2 months to find that one player...

Darcy was a 0.52 ppg player last year. Pretty much half of that list is Darcy's level of AHL player.

I agree that Hamilton is junk and should be the 13th/14th forward in case of injury.

You really believe that Benning is going to put Gaudette in Utica for most of the season? I would be the first to state unless a rookie sets the world on fire, a la Boeser, he should spend a deal of time in the AHL. McCann and Virtanen should have spent their first season here, but that's not the Benning way. Thus, even if Gaudette starts here, I look for him to have the AHL career of a Stecher.

Gaudette and Kero. Then who is here that should be a play maker in the middle with these kids. They will play Motte and MacEwen n the wings. Therefore, the centers remaining are ECHL/PTO/still AHL contract Darcy, can't score or set up a goal to save his life Hamilton,
Captain Bancks, who best shows his talent on the wing, and the latest AHL signee, Brendan Bradlee, Kalamazoo's top center last season. Sorry, but most of the guys on that list would get these guys cut on most AHL rosters.

 

[Red]

You really believe that Benning is going to put Gaudette in Utica for most of the season? I would be the first to state unless a rookie sets the world on fire, a la Boeser, he should spend a deal of time in the AHL. McCann and Virtanen should have spent their first season here, but that's not the Benning way. Thus, even if Gaudette starts here, I look for him to have the AHL career of a Stecher.

Gaudette and Kero. Then who is here that should be a play maker in the middle with these kids. They will play Motte and MacEwen n the wings. Therefore, the centers remaining are ECHL/PTO/still AHL contract Darcy, can't score or set up a goal to save his life Hamilton,
Captain Bancks, who best shows his talent on the wing, and the latest AHL signee, Brendan Bradlee, Kalamazoo's top center last season. Sorry, but most of the guys on that list would get these guys cut on most AHL rosters.

Unless there's a trade, there's no room for Gaudette on the NHL roster (sadly). Should that change, I'd be all for getting Utica 2 more centres, including a top contributor. I don't see any way that he doesn't spend most of the AHL season in the AHL. And if he does make the NHL, then someone like Gaunce will be waived and he's shown he can both play centre (though he's better on the wing) and contribute.

How would most of these guys get cut on most AHL rosters? That is clearly hyperbole. Kero, Darcy, and Bancks are clearly AHL-calibre. Hamilton is fine as a 13th/14th forward, and Bradley is the first call-up from the ECHL. That's one player that is not AHL calibre.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with Kero as a #2 centre, and Darcy as a #3 centre in the AHL. I'd like to see them get one more #2/3 centre for depth reasons and I think that's reasonable to expect.

Honestly, it seems to me like you are expecting Utica to have four #1/2 centres signed and ready to go, which is not realistic.

 

[F A N]

Unless there's a trade, there's no room for Gaudette on the NHL roster (sadly). Should that change, I'd be all for getting Utica 2 more centres, including a top contributor. I don't see any way that he doesn't spend most of the AHL season in the AHL. And if he does make the NHL, then someone like Gaunce will be waived and he's shown he can both play centre (though he's better on the wing) and contribute.

I don't understand why so many posters here think there's no room for Gaudette. As I mentioned many times, the Canucks' C depth down the middle consists of Horvat, Sutter, and Beagle. No one else is seen as a seen a C except for Gaudette. Maybe Pettersson eventually moves to C but the plan seems to be to start him off on the wing. Personally, I think the Schaller signing suggests that the writing is on the wall for Gaunce as they are both 4th line LWers who can fill in at C. Without a trade, I think Gaunce is battling with Leipsic for a roster spot.

Either way, barring trades, Utica hopefully gets a good player who makes it down there.

 

[UticaHockey]

Every year an AHL blogger out of Wilkes-Barre Scranton puts together a list of the top 100 AHL free agents. Every year Vancouver signs maybe one or two players from the bottom half of the list but this year they didn't sign a single player from the top 100. They must be pretty convinced that the players in the system can do the job without additional help and that there is enough depth in the system to get through the inevitable rash of injuries that hits this organization every year. How successful this plan will be is yet to be seen.

Let me qualify this by saying that this list is one man's opinion and the players positioning on this list certainly can be debated but it makes a good talking point and the fact that Vancouver didn't sign anyone from the top 100 doesn't surprise anyone from Utica that follows things like this closely.

2018 AHL Top 100 Free Agents and Beyond – The Big Board

 

[BerSTUzzi]

Every year an AHL blogger out of Wilkes-Barre Scranton puts together a list of the top 100 AHL free agents. Every year Vancouver signs maybe one or two players from the bottom half of the list but this year they didn't sign a single player from the top 100. They must be pretty convinced that the players in the system can do the job without additional help and that there is enough depth in the system to get through the inevitable rash of injuries that hits this organization every year. How successful this plan will be is yet to be seen.

Let me qualify this by saying that this list is one man's opinion and the players positioning on this list certainly can be debated but it makes a good talking point and the fact that Vancouver didn't sign anyone from the top 100 doesn't surprise anyone from Utica that follows things like this closely.

2018 AHL Top 100 Free Agents and Beyond – The Big Board

I am surprised they haven’t been in on Tambellini or Zengerle. They were in on Zengerle a few years ago and Tambellini is in their favourite player age wheelhouse.

 

[UticaHockey]

At this point the available AHL free agent list gets slim. I'm only expecting another ECHL/AHL signing or two to stash in the Zoo and a #5 goalie on the depth chart for the Zoo. Not sure if it will be Garteig again or someone new.

 

[VanJack]

You really believe that Benning is going to put Gaudette in Utica for most of the season? I would be the first to state unless a rookie sets the world on fire, a la Boeser, he should spend a deal of time in the AHL. McCann and Virtanen should have spent their first season here, but that's not the Benning way. Thus, even if Gaudette starts here, I look for him to have the AHL career of a Stecher.

Gaudette and Kero. Then who is here that should be a play maker in the middle with these kids. They will play Motte and MacEwen n the wings. Therefore, the centers remaining are ECHL/PTO/still AHL contract Darcy, can't score or set up a goal to save his life Hamilton,
Captain Bancks, who best shows his talent on the wing, and the latest AHL signee, Brendan Bradlee, Kalamazoo's top center last season. Sorry, but most of the guys on that list would get these guys cut on most AHL rosters.

The center depth for the Vancouver Canucks is stuff of ulcers if you're the GM. Even last year, when Horvat went down for six weeks, the Canucks went something like 3-15 and basically blew themselves out of playoff discussion...and that was 'with' Henrik Sedin healthy. And when you consider Sutter's injury history with the Canucks, the center position is basically a black hole.

Canucks basically have two options. They can keep Gaudette up with the big club and hope he develops....or move Pettersson into the middle from day one. Either way, I can't see Gaudette spending very many games in Utica.

 

[F A N]

TJ Hensick is still available but he’s not a winner

 

[UticaHockey]

TJ Hensick is still available but he’s not a winner

TJ Hensick was part of an AHL trade late in 2016 that brought him from Charlotte to the Comets. He was very active on Twitter at the end of the season saying how much he enjoyed his brief stay in Utica and would love to come back the next season but his campaign for a contract fell upon deaf ears and ended up signing an AHL contract with the LA Kings affiliate in Ontario, CA. TJ is getting up there in years but has always been a very good AHL playmaker center.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Yeah I don't see the difference between most of those players and what Utica has right now. Sure, there's excellent AHL players like Peca, Street, and Griffith but the list isn't really all that big IMO. There's a whole bunch of players cited that are between 0.5 and 0.6 ppg or are fresh out of juniors and unproven. I bet if the Canucks signed Tyler Soy, it'd be a different song - he's unproven, Utica still needs a "#1 centre" etc. Yet Brad Morrison and Jacob Nilsson are somehow good gets?

Kero was a 0.65 ppg player. How is that all that far off the example of Ben Smith and Chris Mueller given as "the best example" above? That's pretty high-end #2C production.

I agree that Utica needs a depth centre but I don't see the point of them signing a #1 centre that will take playing time away from Gaudette. He really should be the #1 centre in Utica for the majority of the season considering the current forward logjam of junk vets on the Canucks that seems inescapable. The Comets/Canucks should be looking to sign one more vet that's a solid #2/3 centre at the AHL level. They still have 2 months to find that one player...

Darcy was a 0.52 ppg player last year. Pretty much half of that list is Darcy's level of AHL player.

I agree that Hamilton is junk and should be the 13th/14th forward in case of injury.

I don't understand what you don't see. I see Kero as a good #2 just as Chaput was a good #2. Agree Gaudette should be a #1, (maybe) but I can't see how you don't see him called up for most of the season if he does get assigned here in the beginning.

You think Darcy with a .32 PPG in the AHL and injured for half of the season should get a contract over the following?

Adam Tambellini .47 PPG
Chase Balisy .53 PPG
Freddie Hamilton .56 PPG
Patrick Cannone .57 PPG
and especially
BRACKEN KEARNS .62 PPG
TREVOR SMITH .74 PPG

I would be driving to the homes of the last 2 in person. Why the **** would I want Darcy at .32 , Hamilton at .29 PPG, Bancks at .31 PPG (mostly on the wing), or Bradley at .00 PPG instead of Kearns and Smith. The first 4 are proven to be better at the AHL level as well. They are all still available.

SMITH should be signed yesterday!!!! He will be your #3 for a while and the third line will be putting up points every night. Kero at #2 will also be productive. We will see where Gaudette is, but I would assume he will be doing fine with the likes of Boucher and Dahlen. Darcy and that depth center will play in and out at #4.

Gaudette will get called up. Kero and Smith will be the #1 and 2, but may switch off at #1 and 2 depending upon how the #1 and 2 wings respond to the switch. It may be best for the team for Kero to stay at #2 and Smith would go to #1 . It doesn't matter both are huge improvements on Darcy. This is where that depth center you were talking about comes in. Cull will decide that guy, any on the list I just gave you, is a better fit at #3 than Darcy and he will become #3 and Darcy will be #4. Further injuries or call-ups gets Hamilton back into the lineup. Once Gaudette has moved up the five remaining will be just fine and the next injury or call-up still gives the Comets 4 decent in house centers and most likely still 2 pretty good ones at 1 and 2.

Nothing in this scenario holds back any prospects and provides the prospects out on the wings with play makers no matter the situation.

No, I don't want all #1/2s, although that's not stupid if you can actually get them, but there are much better centers actually waiting to be signed than what the Comets currently will put on the ice. Why go with less talented centers for the highly talented prospects if you can get them better centers???

Bradley should never see Utica after training camp unless the team is devastated.
Bancks should never have to have to play center except for the above circumstance.
Darcy is never better than a 3/4 center.
Hamilton's signing was stupid with these other guys available, but still gets plenty of ice even starting the season scratched.
There is room on this team for two more centers that are better than the dregs they have after Kero and Gaudette. In reality the Comets only have Kero and Gaudette with Darcy at #4 and Hamilton in the wings. If Wacey is a regular roster player (#4) and Darcy is #3 this team is in trouble up the middle. I've seen what those two can do and I wouldn't count on them to produce many goals. I can confidently state that the majority of the Comets fan base was hoping they had seen the last of Hamilton. He is an offensive black hole.

 

[Bad Goalie]

TJ Hensick was part of an AHL trade late in 2016 that brought him from Charlotte to the Comets. He was very active on Twitter at the end of the season saying how much he enjoyed his brief stay in Utica and would love to come back the next season but his campaign for a contract fell upon deaf ears and ended up signing an AHL contract with the LA Kings affiliate in Ontario, CA. TJ is getting up there in years but has always been a very good AHL playmaker center.

Hensick would be an outstanding #3 to start the season. As call-ups and injuries arise he could easily move up the chart to #1 or 2 depending upon what was missing. Johnson is a moron or flat out a figure head with absolutely no power. For the sake of his future in hockey management, I sure hope it's the latter because he has shown below zero ability to do his job if he actually has the power to do it.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Wiercioch won't be a late signing. He has signed with Dinamo Minsk of the KHL.

 

[LordBacon]

With all these awful contracts jb signed for the big club, I think utica is gonna have a solid group of prospects and a stacked lineup for the coming season.
Go comets! Make us proud!

 

[Bad Goalie]

Play making, career high PPG, veteran centers TJ Hensick (32, .90 AHL PPG, 45/60 with AHL Ontario, no contract info on CapFriendly), Trevor Smith (33, .74 AHL PPG, last season on a 2-way with Nashville, played in AHL Milwaukee, 43/66, $650,000/$150,000), and Bracken Kearns (37, .60 PPG, 43/67 with AHL Binghamton, no contract info at CapFriendly) are still available as free agents.

Hensick loved his last short stay in Utica and was the top scorer in his time here. Have seen both Trevor and Bracken play very effectively in their roles with Toronto and Binghamton respectively against the Comets. Not a lot of danger in any of them being called up to the NHL so they would remain in house to move up the lineup when others are called-up.

Hensick is my #1 hope for an AHL veteran center. Smith would be my 2nd. His money is dirt compared to what they paid Megna and Chaput and what they have already signed Kero for. Kearns is a fall back 3rd choice. Hensick and Smith together would be the answer to a 4-yr long prayer for veteran top level AHL centers in Utica to play with the kids.

Note, Vancouver is not strong up the middle and if they want to start Gaudette in Utica, it's highly POSSIBLE that Kero will get a shot in Vancouver right out of camp. His short pro career has seen him play 72 games in the NHL and 130 in the AHL, so it's not exactly a far fetched thought. I mean Jim is very high on Hobey Baker guys and Kero was a finalist for the award.

No matter what happens the Comets NEED at least one really good experienced center, but preferably 2. This is year 4. There will be lots of talented wings that can only benefit from such additions and suffer without them. Let's measure this, Hensick vs Darcy and Smith vs Hamilton. here is absolutely no contest. It's time to do it!!! Kero and Gaudette still hold down their spots, but Hensick will be the man after Gaudette gets called up. Kero is still #2, Smith #3, and Darcy #4. Hamilton in the wings as a reserve. Not much lost when Kero also gets a call.

PLEASE!?!?!?

 

[VanJack]

I was wondering about a couple of guys who are still UFA's. Ryan Sproule is a right-shooting d-man with some decent seasons in the Wings organization at Grand Rapids....and Adam Tambellini, a 6'2" center who put up some numbers with Hartford in the Rangers system, and still only 23. Also a graduate of the U of North Dakota, which has a solid program. I suppose they're looking for NHL deals though.

 

[BerSTUzzi]

I was wondering about a couple of guys who are still UFA's. Ryan Sproule is a right-shooting d-man with some decent seasons in the Wings organization at Grand Rapids....and Adam Tambellini, a 6'2" center who put up some numbers with Hartford in the Rangers system, and still only 23. Also a graduate of the U of North Dakota, which has a solid program. I suppose they're looking for NHL deals though.

He jumped ship to Calgary Hitman and played with Virtanen. He is still a good target for need.

 

[Jyrki21]

Schedule is out, wheeeee!

COMETS 2018-19 SCHEDULE RELEASED | Utica Comets Official Website

 

[Bad Goalie]

Strange schedule. Comets start out with a 3 game home stand. First ever opening game of the season at home. That's super cool. Then they have a 5-game home stand in January and never play more than 2 straight games at home at any other time all season.

On the flip side their road schedule is great.

A weekend set in Toronto after a Friday night home game in October.

A weekend in Laval in November.

A Sunday/Tues pair in Charlotte traveling back for a Friday game in Springfield. 3 road games in six days with none of the 3 back to back and a rest day in Springfield after a travel day coming back from Charlotte. Then back home for a Saturday tilt before 4 days off for Christmas. That's in December.

Sat/Sun set in Cleveland followed by a Wed tilt in Toronto in January.

A weekend trip to Hartford on Sat and on to Providence for a Sunday matinee in April.

That road life will be cake. The rest of the season their road games are one and done or short hops to Rochester, Binghamton, and Syracuse and maybe then a game the next day that's another short hop from their NY State opponent.

They only have 5 3 games in 3 days sets on the season.
The first is in October.
The second is in December after 4 days off for Christmas and 2 of the 3 are at home with the middle game a short hop to Syracuse and back to their own beds before the 3rd on the next night.
The 3rd is in February with the first 2 at home before trucking off to Bridgeport for a matinee. That matinee game will be a toughie.
The last are on the final 2 weekends of the season. A home game Friday. Immediately onto the bus for a game in Bridgeport Saturday and back on the bus to Providence for a matinee on Sunday.
The following weekend it's a home game Friday, on the bus to Hershey for a Saturday tilt, and back on the bus to take on Syracuse at home in the season finale at 5 on Sunday. These 2 3 games in 3 nights are the the last six games of the season back to back weekends and the only games in April.

So, aside from the last month, their road schedule does not produce any extended times away from home playing several games in short spans followed by more extended spans so rest is tough to come by with lots of 3 games in 3 sets the last couple of months of the season like has been the case every season before this one. Aside from April the boys are not going to be beaten up by the AHL schedule makers.

 

[F A N]

Adam Tambellini, a 6'2" center who put up some numbers with Hartford in the Rangers system, and still only 23. Also a graduate of the U of North Dakota, which has a solid program. I suppose they're looking for NHL deals though.

Some numbers? He's been a 32-35 point player in the AHL over the last 3 seasons. Granted he was considered a project of sorts at the time of the draft, but I'm not seeing any improvement in production.

 

[VC]

Just wishing as a fan that Dahlen, Gaudette and Lind form a line with the Comets, grow chemistry and one day be the Canucks 2/3 line. I'm sure Comet and Canucks fans a like would love to watch the youngster grow together and move on and be successful at the next level.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Every year an AHL blogger out of Wilkes-Barre Scranton puts together a list of the top 100 AHL free agents. Every year Vancouver signs maybe one or two players from the bottom half of the list but this year they didn't sign a single player from the top 100. They must be pretty convinced that the players in the system can do the job without additional help and that there is enough depth in the system to get through the inevitable rash of injuries that hits this organization every year. How successful this plan will be is yet to be seen.

Let me qualify this by saying that this list is one man's opinion and the players positioning on this list certainly can be debated but it makes a good talking point and the fact that Vancouver didn't sign anyone from the top 100 doesn't surprise anyone from Utica that follows things like this closely.

2018 AHL Top 100 Free Agents and Beyond – The Big Board

Just went back and read the list. I see my top 3 choices from post #141 are still there and creator of this list thinks as highly as I do about their abilities as AHL centers/play makers/goal scorers.

Pat Conacher, are you here? 2 of these guys are on AHL contracts and one played top line minutes and led the team in scoring during his short stay here at the end of 16-17. He also loved the place and wanted to come back. He was allowed to move on. HELLO?!

Ryan Johnson, are you really the Comets GM? Get your head out of your ass and grow some balls and take a stand for your team against the Vancouver ineptitude at building your roster outside of the players they demote.

Is there any member of the Comets organization that can light a fire under the guys who can make moves and get 2 of these guys signed, preferably the first 2?

 

[me2]

and Adam Tambellini, a 6'2" center who put up some numbers with Hartford in the Rangers system, and still only 23. Also a graduate of the U of North Dakota, which has a solid program. I suppose they're looking for NHL deals though.

IIRC he was also Virtanen's teammate on the hitmen too, outpointed him there and in the AHL as well.

 

[go comets]

Just went back and read the list. I see my top 3 choices from post #141 are still there and creator of this list thinks as highly as I do about their abilities as AHL centers/play makers/goal scorers.

Pat Conacher, are you here? 2 of these guys are on AHL contracts and one played top line minutes and led the team in scoring during his short stay here at the end of 16-17. He also loved the place and wanted to come back. He was allowed to move on. HELLO?!

Ryan Johnson, are you really the Comets GM? Get your head out of your ass and grow some balls and take a stand for your team against the Vancouver ineptitude at building your roster outside of the players they demote.

Is there any member of the Comets organization that can light a fire under the guys who can make moves and get 2 of these guys signed, preferably the first 2?

Not happening BG...... You should be used to it by now..... Resigning Hamilton fulfills the need for a center in the Canucks minds...... However perverted their thought process is....

Looking forward to an exciting group of rookies struggle through the season with no Playmaking centers....... hopefully Kero, Motte and Macmaster can fill those rolls.