I actually think Kero + Gaunce + Gaudette is a solid top 3 centres. Boucher is a star winger in the A but to really have a good top 6, Dahlen or Lind really need to become dependendable scorers. The D looks a lot better with Schenn logging big minutes but another minute eater would be good. I'd bet the plan is to get Demko back down for the playoffs which would make the G situation good. A top line winger (maybe Madden or Lockwood) + a top 4 D (maybe Hughes) probably turns the Comets into a really good team come playoff time, assuming Demko goes back down for the playoffs. I'm not that familiar with AHL rules, is all that even possible?
Madden and Lockwood are not going to be a top line winger in AHL this season. You are really underrating the level of AHL
In either case I would bet the farm that Lockwood and Madden (who I don't see leaving college yet) will be played in Vancouver if possible to burn a year off their ELC. J.C. they did that for ****ing Molino. Why wouldn't they do it for these 2 much better prospects? If this occurs, they are not eligible to play in Utica until the 2019-20 season. The only chance to be in Utica would be signed to an Amateur Try Out contract since they have not signed with the Canucks and then they can play as long as the Comets' season goes. Then sign their ELCs with the Canucks. I am not sure if they could sign with the Canucks and then be immediately assigned to Utica. My mind tells me I have heard this can't happen. All of Utica's end of season college kids were here on ATOs.
I don’t think they can sign with the Canucks and be send down cause they have to be penciled into AHL roster before a certain date, ATO is the only option. Maybe I’m wrong
Mon Feb 11 USHL Dubuque 5 Madison 4 Thiessen 15 saves on 19 shots NCAA Harvard 5 Boston University 2 Rathbone 1 assist, -1 Boston College 2 Northeastern 4 Madden 1 assist, even S_C
For the 101st time, yes, Gaunce gives them 3 good centers with Kero and Gaudette, BUT CULL PLAYS HIM ON THE WING IF GAUDETTE AND KERO ARE HEALTHY as long as he has Woods, Hamilton and Darcy available to center the 3rd and 4th lines. With MacEwen gone it will be even more evident since now he only has Boucher, Pyatt, Gaunce and Lind for the wings. He loves Dahlen with Woods since Dahlen has looked better since skating with him. The only healthy wings after that are Arseneau and Gadjovich who have paired up with Hamilton to make an effective checking line. Jasek and Bancks have ass aches. If Gaudette ever gets recalled while MacEwen is still there the Comets will be in dire straits. They are that thin on talent up front. ****** EDIT******* Gaudette to Vancouver. Oh, well.
While there is a possibility any/all of the college kids could be signed this season on their elc and have a year burned off, this time it matters a lot more because of expansion draft eligibility. If they play more than nine games they accrue this season as their first pro season and are eligible. So hopefully front office takes that into account. Also, small point point about Molino, he was a collage FA so I’m sure that allowing him to burn a year from the elc early was part of the negotiation. Madden and Lockwood were drafted and are in their freshman and junior seasons respectively, so shouldn’t have the same bargaining power. Though if Lockwood’s agent pushes hard with the threat of playing out his senior season they may give in on him. Better to burn the year and have him eligible for the expansion draft than have to compete with other teams in summer 2020 just to get him under contract. I don’t think he’s going to be much more than a slightly better version of Motte anyway.
Well, I can say that Motte would have been a useful addition to the Comets lineup over some of the bodies they have on the roster.
Thu Feb 14 ECHL Fort Wayne 5 Kalamazoo 6 (OT) OHL Sarnia 1 Windsor 3 Eliot 0 points, -2 WHL Edmonton 3 Moose Jaw 2 Woo 0 points, even (selected 3rd star) S_C
Wow!. When a d-man doesn't even hit the score-sheet and finishes a game 'even', yet still gets picked as a third star he must really be standing out. Seems to be developing into a complete defenceman who is impressing even in losses.
^^^ Since it was home announcers at his home rink, I don't make too much of it - it would be more interesting if it happened at an away game. Fri Feb 15 Green Bay 5 Dubuque 6 Thiessen 31 saves on 36 shots NCAA Vermont 1 Northeastern 4 Madden 0 points, +1 Harvard 3 St. Lawrence 2 Rathbone 1 assist, even OHL Hamilton 1 Ottawa 8 DiPietro was the back-up Windsor 7 Sarnia 4 Eliot 1 goal (15th), -3 S_C
Sat Feb 16 AHL Utica 3 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 2 (OT) Leighton 35 saves on 37 shots Brendan Woods (3) ASST: Wacey Hamilton (5) Vincent Arseneau (6) ASST: Stefan LeBlanc (9), Wacey Hamilton (6) Cam Darcy (8) ASST: Jonathan Dahlen (15), Evan McEneny (20) ECHL Adirondack 1 Kalamazoo 4 NCAA Vermont 1 Northeastern 2 Madden 0 points, even Harvard 3 Clarkson 5 Rathbone 0 points, even OHL Niagara 8 Erie 1 Brassard 0 points, +2 WHL Regina 3 Moose Jaw 6 Woo 1 goal (11th), +2 S_C
I notice how the Kalamazoo game results don't have the results of any Vancouver prospects noted. Strange that they would have a working agreement with an NHL team and the few not so much players the NHL management team procured for that team are not listed when they record points. Yet Kulbakov's efforts were listed when he played for the Zoo. Reid Gardiner, Brendan Bradley, Kyle Thomas, Brandon Anselmini, and Jagger Dirk attended Vancouver's camp, then attended Utica's camp, were signed to AHL contracts and all play for the Kalamazoo Wings. Most are not very good at the moment and get passed over when the Comets need help to shore up their roster, but seems their efforts should make your posts. Ivan Kulbakov did, as I said, get noted for his efforts when he played. Jagger Dirk (14Pts) has played 9 games for the Comets and recorded 1 assist. Reid Gardiner played 5 games and recorded 0 points and is with the club now. He leads the Zoo with 53Pts and c.1.5 PPG. (Not quite as good as TJ Hensick's league leading 58 Pts before recently signing with the San Jose Barracuda even though he is 33. LOL) Anselmini (23 Pts) Bradley (17Pts) All of these guys have put up points for the Zoo, but it doesn't get posted. I'm not attacking, criticizing, or being a jerk about this. I was just curious as to why not. Or is it that I have not been vigilant enough to notice anyone beyond Ivan? Seems with the points Gardiner is putting up I would have seen it.
Southern_Canuck does tons already and is hugely appreciated by everyone on these boards. Don't think he needs to waste time on players with <.01 per cent chance of making the NHL.
Dahlen is finally playing to his potential and is looking more and more NHL ready with every game that passes . Dahlen has points in 6 straight games now and could make that streak 7 straight games today
Both , I still wouldn’t recall him this season except for the final 4 games of the season or something like that . He needs to spend the entire season in the minors and keep improving his game and go through a playoff run with the comets then next season we can recall him and keep him up here for good . But yes from a point standpoint he is really starting to put it together
Both. From Orcatowns latest game report: Story of this game from a Canuck perspective is the continual improvement of Dalhen. He is moving so much better around the ice and is showing the speed to get separation to make a play. Rather than hanging out on the fringes he is controlling the puck and distributing it. If he can continue this progression he may get a call up this year (depending whether the Canucks continue in the playoff race). I think you can have some renewed hope for this player. We'll see.
Sun Feb 17 AHL Cleveland 4 Utica 5 (OT) Leighton 25 saves on 29 shots Jaime Sifers (3) ASST: Kole Lind (9), Wacey Hamilton (7) Reid Boucher (24) ASST: Tanner Kero (27), Brendan Gaunce (16) (PP) Brendan Gaunce (16) ASST: Reid Gardiner (1), Cam Darcy (9) Tanner Kero (20) ASST: Tom Pyatt (7) Tom Pyatt (4) ASST: Brendan Gaunce (17), Evan McEneny (21) ECHL Kalamazoo 3 Toledo 5 USHL Dubuque 4 Madison 3 (OT) Thiessen 19 saves on 22 shots OHL Sudbury 5 Niagara 4 Brassard 2 assists, -1 Kitchener 3 Ottawa 6 DiPietro 28 saves on 31 shots S_C
I didn't find any of the AHL-signed, Kalamazoo players to be that interesting this season. I do, however, put a clickable link to the game summaries to make it easier for people to dig deeper if they want to. S_C