2018-19 Utica Comets

[tyhee]

Sure:

Gaunce 6’2 210 -24 years old. Last full season in Utica he scored at a .83 PPG. And that was two years ago I’d hope he scores at a better pace next season.
Hensick: 5’9 170 And 32 years old. Last season .75 PPG.
Imo, Gaunce is a better player now and he also has more upside. Perhaps he is one of the guys Johnson was speaking about when he referenced younger players that are still hungry to earn a promotion.

I agree that Gaunce is likely a better player than Hensick. It isn't at all clear at this time, though, that Gaunce is a professional center or, if so, how good he'll be as a puck distributor. He's been a LW during his four professional seasons.

There are possibilities for center for the Comets this season, among them Motte, Gaunce, Gaudette and McEwen. None of them has shown himself to be a pro center yet (though Gaudette looked promising in the spring) so there's little to do now but wait and hope that one or more join Kero as (a) reliable center(s) this season and that if someone does solidify the center spot this season, he actually spends most of the season in Utica.

 

[DonnyNucker]

I agree that Gaunce is likely a better player than Hensick. It isn't at all clear at this time, though, that Gaunce is a professional center or, if so, how good he'll be as a puck distributor. He's been a LW during his four professional seasons.

There are possibilities for center for the Comets this season, among them Motte, Gaunce, Gaudette and McEwen. None of them has shown himself to be a pro center yet (though Gaudette looked promising in the spring) so there's little to do now but wait and hope that one or more join Kero as (a) reliable center(s) this season and that if someone does solidify the center spot this season, he actually spends most of the season in Utica.

If Gaunce can play center for the Canucks surely he can play for Utica. He was a center in junior and has played games at center in pro. Between Gaunce, Gaudette, motte and Kero they are pretty solid down the middle. Although, I agree with the Utica posters that they need more C depth as the injuries will happen and quickly. I just fail to see the situation as being critical

 

[Bad Goalie]

Sure:

Gaunce 6’2 210 -24 years old. Last full season in Utica he scored at a .83 PPG. And that was two years ago I’d hope he scores at a better pace next season.
Hensick: 5’9 170 And 32 years old. Last season .75 PPG.
Imo, Gaunce is a better player now and he also has more upside. Perhaps he is one of the guys Johnson was speaking about when he referenced younger players that are still hungry to earn a promotion.

You are merely cherry picking single seasons without any reference to line mates and team strength. Both of those factors will influence a centers's point totals.

Last year Hensick played for the 3rd place Ontario Reign in the AHL Pacific Division. He registered 45 points which was the top number for Reign centers and 3rd on the team in points. The top 2 scorers, both left wings had 49 and 46 points. I have to assume one of them played on TJ's left.

Gaunce has a .57 PPG for 129 GP in the AHL and those points are mainly spread across 2 seasons in which he played more games on LW than at center.
TJ's numbers are 568 points in 630 AHL GP and .90 PPG. In his short stint in Utica in 2015-16 he led the team in points with 15 in his 19 game stint. TJ tied for 2nd in 4 playoff games while Gaunce went pointless.

I did state Gaunce is likely to be sent down. Gaudette is a possibility in my thoughts. Now lets's look at what happens to Utica's top centers on NHL 1-way contracts. Chaput and Megnea were called up immediately and spent most of the season on the Canucks' roster in 2016-17. Chaput was called up again last season.

If Gaudette is here, he won't be for long. The second a center goes down he is going to get a chance. That makes Kero/Hensick 1/2, one way or the other. TJ is a proven better play maker than Kero, who has a .65 PPG, one tenth of a percentage point lower than Chaput. Does Gaunce automatically get top 6 preference because he has been in the NHL putting up next to nothing in his time there or does he become the missing link in the Comets' shut down line on LW with Bancks on the right and Hamilton in the middle? That's his role in Vancouver. He had that role in Utica at one time.

All I am saying is there is a need for a solid vet center who consistently performs at a high level in the AHL with or without what Vancouver may or may not send down. Trying to make some guy who hasn't ever performed as an AHL center into a top play maker with all the talent expected to be there on the wings is not the way to go about this. That vet or the newly constructed center will be called upon to be a major factor in the team's success. I think the vet is the better direction to go. The Marlies used 2 veteran centers, Chris Mueller and Miro Aaltonen (a 25-yr old Finn who counted as a VE) and a veteran RW, Ben Smith, who was their top scorer. They were 3 of the team's top 4 point getters. In spite of these horrible veterans, the kids excelled. Andreas Johnsson was 2nd only playing 54 games. They won the Calder Cup.

The Comets won't have to use vets at the top spots, but I'm betting if Boucher passes through waivers he will be on the 1st line (a veteran). Motte will get lots of ice as will Archi (if he gets through), but neither are likely to be 1st line although Archi could end up on the 2nd line, but more like the 3rd. Hamilton should be a reserve. If the likes of Gaudette and Gaunce are here combined with Kero, the 4th line center could very well be Hamilton, Darcy, ?. Personally, I would slot Gaunce at #4 and a Hensick type at #3 and I believe he would supplant Kero given enough time, but certainly get to at least #2 when Gaudette is called up.

If you look at the signed Vancouver roster, more than Gaunce and Gaudette are going to have to go somewhere. Granlund, Goldobin, Leipsic, Gaunce, and Gaudette are all still there after listing the 11 guys that are not getting demoted. That means 2 guys stay and 3 go down and that doesn't count Archibald, Motte, and Boucher who I already see down there like most other posters.

The Canucks will as usual go with 13 forwards and 8 D because there is nowhere to send them. Juolevi likely starts in Utica since he is coming off back surgery. That's of course provided he doesn't have a Vancouver or else clause in his contract and head back to Finland.

Either a couple trades or a multi player deal takes place or some people who didn't expect to be in the AHL are going to be there.

I keep reading how Benning is going to rid the Canucks of their logjam by trading players for draft picks starting a new wave of such actions to be multiplied at the TDL so the Canucks will have lots of picks to showcase at the Vancouver NHL draft. Just one question. How often has Benning ever traded players for picks? What if he does trade, just for example Hutton, Tanev, and Virtanen? Do you think it will be for picks? I suggest it will once again be for players he believes will help the Canucks win now like 3 of the most recent Pouliot, Leipsic, and Motte. He will make the log jam worse and will have to demote even more Canucks and then expect them to play in Utica just like he did last season. Only problem with that this year is the large number of actual prospects that will be here who will find a battle on their hands to get in the top 18 just among themselves, let alone a bunch of Vancouver Canucks being stored for the injury crisis that is sure to bite them again.

There are a whole lot of things that can and will happen between now and October when the Comets break camp. Somebody is likely to impress in the Young Stars and end up getting a contract or worse another AHL contract with an understanding they play a la D'Aoust. Do the Canucks do the norm and invite some players who are still out there unsigned in hopes they can impress and at least be sent to Utica for safe keeping? Won't the Comets also have a handful of invites from which someone impresses enough to get signed? Last year it was Darcy and Woods. All we are doing now is typically speculating what we think. You know what we think is actually worth don't you?

 

[Motte and Bailey]

The Comets need a Nolan Baumgartner or Mike Keane type veteran player to carry the right culture on and off the ice. Maybe Jay Beagle can be that player for us in a couple years but in the mean time we need to fill the void as a big burst of prospects get ready to hit the Utica scene. Since according to some people John Weisbrod reads these threads, John please make it happen!

 

[Bad Goalie]

There are enough guys on this team that will "carry the right culture on and off the ice" with Archi, Bancks, Bachman, and Hamilton. Guys in Vancouver who have spent any time here will tell that outright; Baertschi, Markstrom, Virtanen, and Gaunce.

What they need a whole lot more than more culture models is a top level D-man who can exemplify the level of defensive prowess these guys have to have and a play maker up front who can help theses talented kids get the puck on their sticks in scoring positions and fill the void when the Canucks take their younger play maker(s) up to Vancouver. Huskins and O'Reilly are prima facie examples of what they absolutely need. These 2 types have been absent from the team since the end of the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs and it's been blatantly obvious.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Another move of little note, but Danny Moynihan on an AHL/Utica contract the past 2 seasons has signed with the Ft. Wayne Komets for 2018-19. Never made any kind of impression as a potential AHL player in his 11 GP with the Comets last season, pointless.

Best of luck to you kid.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Utica Comets announce their preseason schedule.

The Comets will play their only 2 preseason games at 7:05 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 28 at the Utica Aud. vs the Binghamton Devils.

They turn around and play the same Devils on Saturday, September 29th in Binghamton.

The 2-game back to back series involves a short 2-hr hop for both teams. Utica with a slight advantage since they only make the trip once before playing a game.

No announcements on how the tickets will be sold (season ticket holders with first dibs?) or when they will be available.

Also not noted as to whether or not K-Rock will broadcast the games and give us our first listen to new play-by-play announcer Joe Roberts. He replaces Andy Zilch whose contract was not renewed after the 2017-18 season. Here's one Comets fan hoping Mr. Roberts is a major upgrade.

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

@Bad Goalie It looks like The Sporting News has named the Canucks farm system third-best in the NHL!

These are heady days for Canucks prospect watchers and Utica Comets fans alike


NHL farm system rankings: Best, worst prospect pipelines for 2018-19, from 1 to 31

PROSPECT	POSITION	2018-19 TEAM (Proj.)	ACQUIRED
1. Elias Pettersson	LW/C	Vancouver (NHL)	1st/2017
2. Quinn Hughes	LHD	Michigan (NCAA)	1st/2018
3. Thatcher Demko	G	Utica (AHL)	2nd/2014
4. Jonathan Dahlen	LW	Timra (SHL)	Trade (OTT)
5. Olli Juolevi	LHD	Utica (AHL)	1st/2016
6. Adam Gaudette	C	Utica (AHL)	5th/2015
7. Michael DiPietro	G	Windsor (OHL)	3rd/2017
8. Kole Lind	RW	Utica (AHL)	2nd/2017
9. Lukas Jasek	RW	Utica (AHL)	6th/2015
10. Jett Woo	RHD	Moose Jaw (WHL)	2nd/2018

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

*Elias Pettersson was the #1 rated prospect in their top 50 rankings

NHL prospect rankings: Top 50 players in NHL pipelines for 2018-19

 

[DFAC]

@Bad Goalie It looks like The Sporting News has named the Canucks farm system third-best in the NHL!

These are heady days for Canucks prospect watchers and Utica Comets fans alike


http://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nhl/...ystem-draft-history-sabres-flyers-canucks-pen

PROSPECT	POSITION	2018-19 TEAM (Proj.)	ACQUIRED
1. Elias Pettersson	LW/C	Vancouver (NHL)	1st/2017
2. Quinn Hughes	LHD	Michigan (NCAA)	1st/2018
3. Thatcher Demko	G	Utica (AHL)	2nd/2014
4. Jonathan Dahlen	LW	Timra (SHL)	Trade (OTT)
5. Olli Juolevi	LHD	Utica (AHL)	1st/2016
6. Adam Gaudette	C	Utica (AHL)	5th/2015
7. Michael DiPietro	G	Windsor (OHL)	3rd/2017
8. Kole Lind	RW	Utica (AHL)	2nd/2017
9. Lukas Jasek	RW	Utica (AHL)	6th/2015
10. Jett Woo	RHD	Moose Jaw (WHL)	2nd/2018

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

http://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nhl/...t-history-elias-pettersson-rasmus-dahlin-canu

Link doesn't work for some reason?

 

[UticaHockey]

Link doesn't work for some reason?

Try this.
NHL farm system rankings: Best, worst prospect pipelines for 2018-19, from 1 to 31

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

Link doesn't work for some reason?

Thanks, I think I fixed the links now.

 

[UticaHockey]

Thanks, I think I fixed the links now.

It's always interesting to read different viewpoints on farm system rankings. Corey Pronman from The Athletic is ranking all 31 teams and so far has released articles on #31 Washington and #30 Tampa Bay. He has the Lightning at 30 where the other article had them at 7. I want to see where the Canucks finish in Pronman's ranking.

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

It's always interesting to read different viewpoints on farm system rankings. Corey Pronman from The Athletic is ranking all 31 teams and so far has released articles on #31 Washington and #30 Tampa Bay. He has the Lightning at 30 where the other article had them at 7. I want to see where the Canucks finish in Pronman's ranking.

Yeah, I never heard of the guy that wrote The Sporting News article until recently, he's called Steve Kournianos.

 

[me2]

It's always interesting to read different viewpoints on farm system rankings. Corey Pronman from The Athletic is ranking all 31 teams and so far has released articles on #31 Washington and #30 Tampa Bay. He has the Lightning at 30 where the other article had them at 7. I want to see where the Canucks finish in Pronman's ranking.

I'd imagine pretty highly, he tends to like high skill guy like Hughes, he had him at #3. He didn't rate Pettersson highly at the 2017 draft but it is hard to see him not being someone he's high on with last year's exposure.

 

[DonnyNucker]

It's always interesting to read different viewpoints on farm system rankings. Corey Pronman from The Athletic is ranking all 31 teams and so far has released articles on #31 Washington and #30 Tampa Bay. He has the Lightning at 30 where the other article had them at 7. I want to see where the Canucks finish in Pronman's ranking.

Not high. He has never been a Peterson advocate. Pronman has no business being a “prospect expert.”

 

[Bad Goalie]

Try this.
NHL farm system rankings: Best, worst prospect pipelines for 2018-19, from 1 to 31

Note SN has the Canucks at #3 and projects Demko, Juolevi, Lind, Jasek, and Gaudette to play in in Utica.

Their interesting projection has Dahlen playing for Timra of the SHL. Haven't heard anything of this nature before now. Has he still got a choice to book if he doesn't make the Canucks roster?

The rest:
Buffalo was ranked #1 but only 2 are projected to be in Rochester.
Alex Nylander - 2016 1st round, 3rd yr pro, 27Pts/51GP last year
Rasmus Asplund - (C) 2016 2nd round, ROOKIE .
They have 1 in Jrs,
1 in the SHL
1 in college
The other 4 are projected to be in Buffalo.

Philly was #2 and they are projected to send 4 of them against the Comets in Lehigh Valley.
2 are 2nd yr undrafted free agents that had really good seasons last year.
Mike Vecchione - (C/RW) 40Pts/65GP
Phillipe Myers - (D) (21Pts/50GP/+12. He is currently ranked by ESPN as the 8th best defensive prospect in the game.
German Rubstov - (C) 2016 1st round, ROOKIE
Carter Hart - (G) 2016 2nd round, ROOKIE
Looks like 2014 4th rounder Oskar Lindblom (LW, 2017-18 AHL All-Star, 34Pts/54GP and 23 more GP with Philly) may get a full-time slot with Philly.

Carolina was 4th and 5 of them are projected to be in the lineup against the Comets. All played there last year.
Aleksi Saarela - (C) 2015 3rd round, 2nd yr pro (43Pts/69GP)
Janne Kuokkanin - (C/W) 2016 2nd round, 2nd yr pro, (40Pts/60GP
Julien Gauthier - (RW) 2016 1st round, 2nd yr pro, (25Pts/65GP).
Valentin Zykov - (LW/RW) 2013 2nd round, 3rd yr pro, (34Pts/66GP and 54Pts/63GP)
Alex Nedelijkovic - (G) 2014 2nd round, 3rd yr pro, (2.55/.903 last year)

Blues were 5th. Wow, 7 projected to play for San Antonio. Nice the Comets don't face them.

Tampa was ranked 7th and 5 of them will be playing vs the Comets in Syracuse along with some very good past picks. The 5 are:

Mathieu Joseph - (RW) 2015 4th round, 2nd year pro, 53Pts/70GP
Alexander Volkov - (RW) 2015 4th round, 2nd yr pro, 45Pts/75GP
Mitchell Stevens - (C) 2015 2nd round, 2nd yr pro, 41Pts/70GP
Connor Ingram - (G) 2016 3rd round, 2nd yr pro, 2.33/.914 35GP
Terrific numbers for rookie seasons.
Dominik Maisin - (D) 2014 2nd round, 6'2"/19o lbs, 3rd yr pro, '16-17 - 6Pts/69GP/73 PIM, '17-18 - 24Pts/72GP/79 PIM/+25.
This guy is becoming a beast.
Looks like Cirelli will be a full time Lightning player. Good, because he was Hell to play against. Won't be sad to see his ass out of the lineup. The other five were no picnic either and will only be better.

Florida at #8 will will likely ice 3 prospects against the Comets with Springfield.
Jonathan Ang - (C) 2016 4th round (#94 OA), ROOKIE
Riley Stillman - (D) 2016 4th round (#114 OA), ROOKIE
Samuel Montembeault - (G) 2015 3rd round, 2nd yr pro, 3.25/.890/41GP, not very sparkling numbers.

Hartford, farm of the 9th ranked Rangers, will show us 3 newbies acquired through trades. What a novel idea. All 3 will be ROOKIE pros.
Brett Howden - (C) 2016 Tampa 1st round, ROOKIE
Libor Hajek - (D) 2016 Tampa 2nd round, ROOKIE
Ryan Lindgren - (D) 2016 Boston 2nd, ROOKIE

By acquiring lots of picks Tampa is able to make trades like this to enrich their NHL roster. They got Ryan McDonagh and forward J.T. Miller in this deal Vladisov Namestnikov and their 2018 1st round pick and a conditional 1st round 2019 pick were included in the deal.

Boston at #12 are projected to play 6 of their prospects in Providence.
Boston was loaded up on picks in 2015 and their 2 1st round picks and both 2nd round picks are in this 6.
Jakub Zboril - (D) 2015 1st round (#13 OA), 2nd yr pro, 19Pts/68GP, +12
Zach Senyshyn - RW 2015 1st round (#15 OA), 2nd yr pro, 26Pts/66GP
Jakob Forsabacka-Karlsson - (C) 2015 2nd (#45 OA), 2nd yr pro, 32Pts/58GP
Jeremy Lauzon - (D) 2015 2nd round (#52 OA), 7Pts /52GP, wore an 'A'.
Ryan Fitzgerald - (C) 2013 4th round, 2nd yr pro 37Pts/65GP
Urho Vaakanainen - (D) 2017 1st round, ROOKIE.

Ottawa was #13 and the Comets will see 4 players.
Logan Brown - (C) 2016 1st round, ROOKIE
Filip Gustavsson - (G) acquired in a trade from Pittsburgh, 2016 2nd round, ROOKIE
Filip Chlapik - (C) 2015 2nd round, 2nd yr pro, 32Pts/52GP
Christian Jaros - (D) 2015 5th round, 2nd yr pro, 16Pts/44GP

The Isles were #14 and are projected to have 3 in the lineup vs the Comets
KiefferBellows - (LW) 2016 1st round, Rookie.
Mitchell Vande Sompel - (D) 2015 3rd round, 2nd yr pro, 29Pts/58GP
Devon Toews - (D) 2014 4th round, 3rd yr pro, '16-17 45Pts/76GP, '17-18 22Pts/30GP He injured a shoulder and was out for the season. The Islanders expected to recall him or at least bring him on board in '18-19, but the injury sets those plans back and he will open the season in Bridgeport Sound.

Toronto, ranked #16, are expected to start 4 top prospects in AHL Toronto. The Comets will see them along with everyone else they have slated to go in October.
Carl Grundstrom - (LW) 2016 2nd round, ROOKIE
Pierre Engvall - (LW) 2014 7th round, ROOKIE
Both of these guys got a taste last season, but will be rookies.
Dymtro Timashov - (LW) 2015 5th round, 3rd yr pro, '16-17 24Pts/63GP, '17-18 34Pts/67GP.
Jeremy Bracco - (RW) 2015 2nd round, 2nd yr pro, 26Pts/50GP

Montreal was ranked #18 and only project a 2014 7th round center in the AHL.
Jake Evans - (C) 2014 7th round, 4yrs at NCAA Notre Dame, 33Pts/40 GP his Sr year, ROOKIE

Albany ranked at #19 are projected to only have 2014 1st round center John Quenneville in their AHL lineup.
John Quenneville - (C) 2014 1st round, 3rd year pro, '16-17 32Pts/58GP-AHL Albany and 4Pts/12GP New Jersey, '17-18 34Pts/43GP. He appears to be knocking on the door.

That's the top 20, but might as well look at the top prospects on the rest of the Comets' opponents.

Columbus is ranked #28 and their AHL farm, Cleveland, has moved into the AHL Eastern Division. 1 top prospect expected to end up in Cleveland this Fall.
Gabriel Carlsson - (D) 2015 1st round, 2nd yr pro, split his rookie season between NHL Columbus 2Pts/14GP and AHL Cleveland 5Pts in 33GP.
Not exactly an offensive D-man.

Washington ranks #29 and 5 of those prospects are speculated to land in AHL Hershey.
Vitek Vanecek - (G) 2014 2nd round, 4th yr pro, '16-17 39GP 2.54/.909, '17-18 32GP 3.04/.888
Ilya Samsonov - (G) 2016 2st round, ROOKIE
Goal was a a problem last season. 4 yr pro Pheonix Copley posted 2.91/.896 in 41 GP.

Jonas Siegenthaler - (D) 2015 2nd round, 2nd yr pro, 12Pts/75GP
Lucas Johanson - (D) 2016 1st round, 2nd yr pro, 27Pts/74GP
Garrett Pilon - (C) 2016 3rd round, ROOKIE

Dead last at #31 is the Pittsburgh Penguins. they will place 3 off their top 10 prospects in AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The best of the trio is an undrafted free agent.

Jordy Bellerive - (C) UDFA, eliteprospects has him assigned to WHL Lethbridge since based on Canadian JR/NHL rules he can't play in the AHL until he is 20 and he just turned 19 in May.
Linus Olund - (C) 2017 5th round, ROOKIE
Joe Masonius - D 2016 6th round, 3 yrs NCAA U Conn, Rookie

All the players I have listed in this post come from the list of each NHL team's top 10 prospects. My only concern was to show the prospects the rest of the NHL will be putting on their AHL rosters. Then I only detailed those who are on teams the Utica Comets play during their regular season. Some of these teams are loaded up and others have very little to offer. Utica's group is good, but is in no way at the top of the pack. Utica's list is comprised solely of rookies while sevaral of the others bring back players with AHL experience who have excelled here and put up numbers to back that up. It will be very interesting to see how the Comets kids match up with the better team rosters on their schedule.

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

Note SN projects Demko, Juolevi, Lind, Jasek, and Gaudette to play in in Utica.

Their interesting projection has Dahlen playing for Timra of the SHL. Haven't heard anything of this nature before now. Has he still got a choice to book if he doesn't make the Canucks roster?

The rest:
Buffalo was ranked #1 but only 2 are projected to be in Rochester.
Alex Nylander - 2016 1st round, 3rd yr pro, 27Pts/51GP last year
Rasmus Asplund - (C) 2016 2nd round, ROOKIE .
They have 1 in Jrs,
1 in the SHL
1 in college
The other 4 are projected to be in Buffalo.

Philly was #2 and they are projected to send 4 of them against the Comets in Lehigh Valley.
2 are 2nd yr undrafted free agents that had really good seasons last year.
Mike Vecchione - (C/RW) 40Pts/65GP
Phillipe Myers - (D) (21Pts/50GP/+12. He is currently ranked by ESPN as the 8th best defensive prospect in the game.
German Rubstov (C) 2016 1st round, ROOKIE 2016
Carter Hart - (G) 2016 2nd round, ROOKIE
Looks like 2014 4th rounder Oskar Lindblom (LW, 2017-18 AHL All-Star, 34Pts/54GP and 23 more GP with Philly) may get a full-time slot with Philly.

Carolina was 4th and 5 of them are projected to be in the lineup against the Comets. All played there last year.
Aleksi Saarela - (C) 2015 3rd round, 2nd yr pro (43Pts/69GP)
Janne Kuokkanin - (C/W) 2016 2nd round, 2nd yr pro, (40Pts/60GP
Julien Gauthier - (RW) 2016 1st round, 2nd yr pro, (25Pts/65GP). 3rd yr pros Valentin Zykov - (LW/RW) 2013 2nd round, 3rd yr pro, (34Pts/66GP and 54Pts/63GP) and 2014 2nd rounder Goalie
Alex Nedelijkovic - (G) 2014 2nd round, 3rd yr pro, (2.55/.903 last year)

Blues were 5th. Wow, 7 projected to play for San Antonio. Nice the Comets don't face them.

Tampa was ranked 7th and 5 of them will be playing vs the Comets in Syracuse along with some very good past picks. The 5 are:

Mathieu Joseph - (RW) 2015 4th round, 2nd year pro, 53Pts/70GP
Alexander Volkov - (RW) 2015 4th round, 2nd yr pro, 45Pts/75GP
Mitchell Stevens - (C) 2015 2nd round, 2nd yr pro, 41Pts/70GP
Connor Ingram - (G) 2016 3rd round, 2nd yr pro, 2.33/.914 35GP
Terrific numbers for rookie seasons.
Dominik Maisin - (D) 2014 2nd round, 6'2"/19o lbs, 3rd yr pro, '16-17 - 6Pts/69GP/73 PIM, '17-18 - 24Pts/72GP/79 PIM/+25.
This guy is becoming a beast.
Looks like Cirelli will be a full time Lightning player. Good, because he was Hell to play against. Won't be sad to see his ass out of the lineup. The other five were no picnic either and will only be better.

Florida at #8 will will likely ice 3 prospects against the Comets with Springfield.
Jonathan Ang - (C) 2016 4th round (#94 OA), ROOKIE
Riley Stillman - (D) 2016 4th round (#114 OA), ROOKIE
Samuel Montembeault - (G) 2015 3rd round, 2nd yr pro, 3.25/.890/41GP, not very sparkling numbers.

Hartford, from the 9th ranked Rangers, will show us 3 newbies acquired through trades. What a novel idea. All 3 will be ROOKIE pros.
Brett Howden - (C) 2016 Tampa 1st round, ROOKIE
Libor Hajek - (D) 2016 Tampa 2nd round, ROOKIE
Ryan Lindgren - (D) 2016 Boston 2nd, ROOKIE

By acquiring lots of picks Tampa is able to make trades like this to enrich their NHL roster. They got Ryan McDonagh and forward J.T. Miller in this deal Vladisov Namestnikov and their 2018 1st round pick and a conditional 1st round 2019 pick were included in the deal.

Boston at #12 are projected to play 6 of their prospects in Providence.
Boston was loaded upon picks in 2015 and their 2 1st round picks and both 2nd round picks are in this 6.
Jakub Zboril - (D) 2015 1st round (#13 OA), 2nd yr pro, 19Pts/68GP, +12
Zach Senyshyn - RW 2015 1st round (#15 OA), 2nd yr pro, 26Pts/66GP
Jakob Forsabacka-Karlsson - (C) 2015 2nd (#45 OA), 2nd yr pro, 32Pts/58GP
Jeremy Lauzon - (D) 2015 2nd round (#52 OA), 7Pts /52GP, wore an 'A'.
Ryan Fitzgerald - (C) 2013 4th round, 2nd yr pro 37Pts/65GP
Urho Vaakanainen - (D) 2017 1st round, ROOKIE.

Ottawa was #13 and the Comets will see 4 players

Boston was ranked #12 and are projected to send 6 on the ice vs the Comets. 3 are rookies and 2 are 2nd year players one of whom put up good numbers last year as a rookie center.

Boston was ranked #12 and are projected to send 6 on the ice vs the Comets. 3 are rookies and 2 are 2nd year players one of whom put up good numbers last year as a rookie center.
Logan Brown - (C) 2016 1st round, ROOKIE
Filip Gustavsson - (G) acquired in a trade from Pittsburgh, 2016 2nd round, ROOKIE
Filip Chlapik - (C) 2015 2nd round, 2nd yr pro, 32Pts/52GP
Christian Jaros - (D) 2015 5th round, 2nd yr pro, 16Pts/44GP

The Isles were #14 and are projected to have 3 in the lineup vs the Comets
KiefferBellows - (LW) 2016 1st round, Rookie.
Mitchell Vande Sompel - (D) 2015 3rd round, 2nd yr pro, 29Pts/58GP
Devon Toews - (D) 2014 4th round, 3rd yr pro, '16-17 45Pts/76GP, '17-18 22Pts/30GP He injured a shoulder and was out for the season. The Islanders expected to recall him or at least bring him on board in '18-19, but the injury sets those plans back and he will open the season in Bridgeport Sound.

Toronto, ranked #16 expected to start 4 top prospects in AHL Toronto. The Comets will see them along with everyone else they have slated to go in October.
Carl Grundstrom - (LW) 2016 2nd round, ROOKIE
Pierre Engvall - (LW) 2014 7th round, ROOKIE
Both of these guys got a taste last season, but will be rookies.
Dymtro Timashov - (LW) 2015 5th round, 3rd yr pro, '16-17 24Pts/63GP, '17-18 34Pts/67GP.
Jeremy Bracco - (RW) 2015 2nd round, 2nd yr pro, 26Pts/50GP

Montreal was ranked #18 and only project a 2014 7th round center in the AHL.
Jake Evans - (C) 2014 7th round, 4yrs at NCAA Notre Dame, 33Pts/40 GP his Sr year, ROOKIE

Albany ranked at #19 are projected to only have 2014 1st round center John Quenneville in their AHL lineup.
John Quenneville - (C) 2014 1st round, 3rd year pro, '16-17 32Pts/58GP-AHL Albany and 4Pts/12GP New Jersey, '17-18 34Pts/43GP. He appears to be knocking on the door.

That's the top 20, but might as well look at the top prospects on the rest of the Comets' opponents.

Columbus is ranked #28 and their AHL farm, Cleveland, has moved into the AHL Eastern Division. 1 top prospect expected to end up in Cleveland this Fall.
Gabriel Carlsson - (D) 2015 1st round, 2nd yr pro, split his rookie season between NHL Columbus 2Pts/14GP and AHL Cleveland 5Pts in 33GP.
Not exactly an offensive D-man.

Washington ranks #29 and 5 of those prospects are speculated to land in AHL Hershey.
Vitek Vanecek - (G) 2014 2nd round, 4th yr pro, '16-17 39GP 2.54/.909, '17-18 32GP 3.04/.888
Ilya Samsonov - (G) 2016 2st round, ROOKIE
Goal was a a problem last season. 4 yr pro Pheonix Copley posted 2.91/.896 in 41 GP.

Jonas Siegenthaler - (D) 2015 2nd round, 2nd yr pro, 12Pts/75GP
Lucas Johanson - (D) 2016 1st round, 2nd yr pro, 27Pts/74GP
Garrett Pilon - (C) 2016 3rd round, ROOKIE

Dead last at #31 is the Pittsburgh Penguins. they will place 3 off their top 10 prospects in AHL Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The best of the trio is an undrafted free agent.

Jordy Bellerive - (C) UDFA, eliteprospects has him assigned to WHL Lethbridge since based on Canadian JR/NHL rules he can't play in the AHL until he is 20 and he just turned 19 in May.
Linus Olund - (C) 2017 5th round, ROOKIE
Joe Masonius - D 2016 6th round, 3 yrs NCAA U Conn, Rookie

All the players I have listed in this post come from the list of each NHL team's top 10 prospects. My only concern was to show the prospects the rest of the NHL will be putting on their AHL rosters. Then I only detailed those who are on teams the Utica Comets play during their regular season. Some of these teams are loaded up and others have very little to offer. Utica's group is good, but is in no way at the top of the pack. Utica's list is comprised solely of rookies while sevaral of the others bring back players with AHL experience who have excelled here and put up numbers to back that up. It will be very interesting to see how the Comets kids match up with the better team rosters on their schedule.

@Bad Goalie yes that caught my eye as well. I don't see it myself and I think we can probably take solace in the fact that Kournianos got at least 20 of his projected '18-19 team placements across the 31 team lists wrong. We can only hope he botched that one too.

 

[UticaHockey]

Yeah, I never heard of the guy that wrote The Sporting News article until recently, he's called Steve Kournianos.

The update article from Pronman today has Calgary at 29 vs 21 in the SN article. No one man's opinion is the gospel but it makes for a good discussion.

 

[Bad Goalie]

The update article from Pronman today has Calgary at 29 vs 21 in the SN article. No one man's opinion is the gospel but it makes for a good discussion.

Yeah, I wasn't really concerned with who was ranked where. I was more interested in the projected prospects we can see playing against the Comets. The Comets pool is very young with most being rookies. Some of their opponents have a very good crop as well particularly when you count the past prospects who have produced very well and will still be there, but are not on this list. Those groups are much better than Carcone, Chatfield, MacEwen, and Brisebois.

Sautner and McEneny, neither having been drafted, have passed prospect status by based on the experience level and years they have been around compared to the group I am targeting. Sautner is entering his 4th pro season and only last year rose above 6/7. McEneny has been banging around here since the end of '13-14, got sent back to Jrs for 14-15, spent most of the '15-16 season in the ZOO in spite of the extreme player shortages the Comets went through, broke out in '16-17 with Subban and was looking like he might have found his way coming into last season. Then he suffered a season ending injury 11 games in. He has a tough row to hoe returning from such a serious setback .

Until this season the forward prospect pool has, frankly, been weak. The Benning crowd has continuously lambasted Gillis for his bad drafting and the lack of real top level prospects would fit their argument.

We have certainly seen those top prospects on the opposing teams, but the number of the same on the Comets has been few and far between. The last top prospects to arrive here were Shinkaruk, Gaunce, and then Baertschi. Baertschi has made a place for himself. The general opinion from Vancouver is that Shink is a bust and Gaunce can easily be replaced. Virtanen never took on the appearance of a top shelf NHL prospect. Other than them, the top guys have been goalies, Markstrom and Demko. Those 2 lived up to their billing here. Horvat on a conditioning stint looked the role we have observed in so many other guys in a different uniform.

Last year Boucher and Goldobin looked like top prospects, but both seem to be on the outskirts of a career in Vancouver, especially Boucher. Neither guy is listed in Kournianos's version of Vancouver's prospect pool.

 

[krutovsdonut]

you have to still be calder eligible to be in the kournianos lists so most tweeners are out. doesn't mean he thinks ill of tweeners.

 

[Bad Goalie]

A 3-part series. Among the questions people have asked me are how many players have actually played for the Comets since their inception, how many NHL players were produced, how many guys have gone to Europe are some of the most common.
Here's a short version, 3-part history of the Utica Comets.

Part 1 - Players dressed

2013-14 - 44 players dressed for at least one game.
2014-15 - 42 players and 25 were newcomers.
2015-16 - 47 players and 28 were newcomers.
2016-17 - 39 players and 20 were newcomers.
2017-18 - 56 players + 3 goalies who dressed but did not play and 1 PTO who signed but didn't dress, thus 60 players and 36 were newcomers.

In summation, 153 players have been Comets in their 5 year stay in Utica (I may have missed an emergency keeper or 2 that sat as a backup, but this is the meat of the players).

5 years -
Darren Archibald is the only player to have been a Comet all 5 seasons. Will he make it through waivers for 6 and keep the streak alive?

4 years -
5 players have been a Comet for a part of 4 of the five seasons:
Alex Grenier*
John Negrin
Wacey Hamilton
Carter Bancks
Evan McEneny had 1 GP in his first go round and 2 in his 2nd before playing a full season in his 3rd try and was going well in season 4 when he was lost to a season ending injury.
* Alex is the only one of these 4 who was under contract with the Canucks.

3 years -
11 players have been in the lineup for some time over the course of 3 seasons.
Curtis Valk only had 1GP his first year and 12 GP in his 2nd before becoming the 2nd highest scorer in year 3.
Jensen and Subban and were traded during their 3rd season.
8 actually played 3 seasons.

2 years -
26 players dressed at some time during 2 seasons.
6 saw very limited time period in those 2 years.
Megna had 4GP and Goldobin 3GP in their 1st year.
Lain and Shinkaruk were traded during their 2nd season.
16 actually had 2 full seasons.

The rest of the numbers only played in one season.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Part 2 - Europe

54 players have signed to play in Europe either straight from Utica or some time later in their careers.

32 of those players are already signed to play there in the 2018-19 season.
5 of the last year's team (2017-18) are already signed for the upcoming 2018-19 season putting a total of 37 ex-Comets in Europe this coming season.

There are 41 former Comets currently without contracts that had one somewhere last season. The European number could still grow.

Edit #1 - Mathieu Corbeil has signed with Medvescak Zagreb of the EBEL
40 still unsigned/38 now signed in Europe for 2018-19.
Edit #2 - Travis Ehrhardt has signed with Glasgow Clan of the EIHL
39 still unsigned/39 now signed in Europe.
Edit #3 - Aaron Irving has signed with Storhamar of Norway
38 still unsigned/40 now signed in Europe.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Part 3 - Players to the NHL

Only 4 Comets have actually progressed to become NHL players.
Sven Baertschi
Jacob Markstrom
Alex Biega
Brendan Gaunce

2 essentially got most of one full season.
Jayson Megna
Michael Chaput

4 got a significant # of games in a single season.
Nikolay Goldobin (38)
Ronalds Kenins (30)
Darren Archibald (27)
Reid Boucher (20)

Many others have spotted into the Vancouver lineup here and there, but not a significant # at any one time.

I left Virtanen off the list because he was a Canuck for a full season before coming to Utica to try and hone his game so he could be a success in the NHL.

After leaving the Comets 9 have played NHL games for another NHL franchise.

1. Corey Conacher (47 Tampa Bay) Although only a rental, he was a Comet at the end of 2014-15 and the playoff run.
2. Frankie Corrado (41 Toronto and 7 Pittsburgh)
3. Taylor Fedun (34 Buffalo)
4. Cal O'Reilly (31 Buffalo and 1 Minnesota)
5. Adam Clendening (31 NY Rangers, 20 Edmoton, 9 Pittsburgh, 5 Arizona, 4 Chicago - total of 69 NHL GP)
6. Tom Sestito (17 Pittsburgh)
7. Hunter Shinkaruk (14 Calgary)
8. Nicklas Jensen (7 NY Rangers)
9. Curtis Valk (1 Florida)

 

[Bad Goalie]

Currently I see 18 players who were Comets last season likely to return at the start of the 2018-19 season. All players under contract with Vancouver will be identified with a V. Those on AHL contracts will be marked with an A.

Last 1st year players coming back for year 2 will be:
Zack MacEwen RW (V)
Jalen Chatfield D (V)
Guillaume Brisebois D (V)
Reid Boucher RW/LW (V) waiver eligible - Veteran
Cameron Darcy C (A)
Dylan Blujus D (A)
Jaime Sifers D (A) Veteran
Vincent Arseneau (A)

Returning for a 3rd season:
Michael Carcone LW/RW (V)
Evan McEneny D (V)
Thatcher Demko G (V)
Nikolay Goldobin RW/LW (V) waiver eligible
Yan-Pavel Laplante LW (A)

Returning for a 4th season :
Ashton Sautner D (V) waiver eligible
Richard Bachman G (V)

Returning for a 5th season:
Carter Bancks LW/C/RW (A) Veteran
Wacey Hamilton C (A) Veteran

Returning for a 6th season.
Darren Archibald LW (V) waiver eligible - Veteran

2018-19 rookies who did play with Utica last season.
Kole Lind RW (V) - 6GP/1Pt, scratched for all 5 AHL playoff games.
Lukas Jasek RW (V) - 6GP/7Pts + 1 playoff GP/0Pts
Jonathan Dahlen LW (V) - 2GP/2Pts + 4 playoff GP/1Pt
Tanner MacMaster LW/C (A) - 13GP/7Pts + 5 playoff GP/4Pts
*Tyler Motte LW/C/RW (V) - 2GP/0Pts + 5 playoff GP/2Pts
* Not a rookie but played with the Comets like the above late season additions.

Other rookies:
Petrus Palmu RW/LW(V)
Jonah Gadjovich LW (V)

Other projected players:
Olli Juolevi D (V)
Adam Gaudette C (V)

Other players the Cometys have signed to AHL contracts. I expect all of these players to end up in the ECHL:
Jagger Dirk D
Brendan Bradley LW/C/RW
Reid Gardiner RW
Kyle Thomas RW
Ivan Lulbakov G
Brandon Anselmini D

 

[Megaterio Llamas]

^What are your plans for Tanner Kero @Bad Goalie ? I don't see him on the list.


*also, Even McEneny is a fourth year player this season