2021/22 Utica Comets and ECHL Talk

[Tao Jersey Jones]

Yeah, I got my signals crossed remembering people here saying the Devils would sign Cormier to expose to the Kraken. That was before the Wedgewood signing. Then Wedge signed and Cormier is still sitting out there and my dementia brain neglected to register one keeper gets protected and the rest go on the block unless on ELCs. Like I said though I don't see the Kraken being interested in the least in Wedgewood. It would probably shock the hockey world if they did.

Bastian and Wedgewood are both expansion draft requirement signings. It will be interesting to see who Seattle selects and whether Fitzgerald stays away from any side deals to keep anyone.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Well, at any rate that's 3 signings for the Utica Comets, the new AHL affiliate of the New Jersey Devils. All 3 are signed to AHL contracts and will likely start out as depth players.

I would guess Mitens starts the season in ECHL Adirondack where he will get a chance to show his stuff likely paired up with Akira Schmid to start the season. He is 23 so he better show it right off the bat because Schmid is only 21 and is signed to a 3-yr ELC. The first step in Mitens making any forward progress is to outplay Schmid.

Grasso, out of UNH (got it right), will get a chance in camp to prove he has game, but will have to get in line unless he knocks 'em dead in camp. He averaged .70 PPG in 5 years at college. Those are decent numbers, but not the kind that usually precede future impact AHL players. He is a raw, unproven rookie and he is 25 yrs-old. At his age he will have to sparkle early for any hope of even an AHL career unless those skills have been smoldering beneath the surface and suddenly burst upon the scene in the form of the rare late bloomer and he turns out to be a real serious prospect. Highly unlikely.

Tyler Irvine played 25 games in Binghamton last season and managed 1G + 3A for 4 PTs. That's AHL depth at best, but more likely should be playing in Adironadck and waiting for a callup due to a player shortage in Utica if he has shown a lot more promise in the ECHL than he did in the AHL. He is 25 so his days are numbered from the get go.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Bastian and Wedgewood are both expansion draft requirement signings. It will be interesting to see who Seattle selects and whether Fitzgerald stays away from any side deals to keep anyone.

Altered this post:

I just did a little research and discovered the Kraken will have, from what I see, better options to select that the Devils won't be able to protect. Fitz may have to do some dickering with the Kraken management team to protect some of those better options and have the Kraken agree to take from the group the Devils want them to select from. I would guess Wedgewood and Bastian would be in that group.

 

[My3Sons]

Altered this post:

I just did a little research and discovered the Kraken will have, from what I see, better options to select that the Devils won't be able to protect. Fitz may have to do some dickering with the Kraken management team to protect some of those better options and have the Kraken agree to take from the group the Devils want them to select from. I would guess Wedgewood and Bastian would be in that group.

Thr main tram threads have gone over this a bit. If there is a consensus it’s that SEA will have Butcher Johnsson and Bastian to choose from. Most seem to expect SEA to take Bastian.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Thr main tram threads have gone over this a bit. If there is a consensus it’s that SEA will have Butcher Johnsson and Bastian to choose from. Most seem to expect SEA to take Bastian.

That's what I saw as well, but another had Subban on the list.

 

[My3Sons]

That's what I saw as well, but another had Subban on the list.

I know some have advocated for his exposure, but it's hard to see NJ exposing Subban. He played in the top four and they have no one to replace him internally. Maybe they have a free agent target or a trade lined up but the UFA period is after the expansion draft and presumably if there is going to be a trade it would be after the expansion draft when teams don't have to worry about slots. His salary is not a hinderance to NJ and gives them some cushion this year for the cap floor if none of their big money free agent or trade targets pan out.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

 

[OmNomNom]

love this

seems we're making some gambly signings as opposed to known assets, but having local guys is nice. seems kaplan is a scrapper a bit too

 

[Bad Goalie]

So far the Comets have signed 2 25-yr-olds and 2 24 yr-olds, 3 are forwards and 1 is a D-man. Kaplan (24) and Grasso (25) will be rookies. Irvine (25) is a 2nd year pro and Masonius (24) is a 4th yr pro all in 4 years in the ECHL. They are likely depth players at best and I would guess they will probably end up in Adirondack.

Most guys this old have been pros for 4 years. Those just coming out of a full college career are usually signed to 1-yr show mes and gone if they don't show. You can't give these guys real shots at the AHL roster unless they have come with big numbers and the franchise thinks they may be a missed good one. These guys don't fit that role. These are not the kind of guys you sign to fill in around your top prospects.

They also have signed 4 goalies. Wedgewood needs no introductions. Daws and Akira are signed by NJ, while Mitens is another AHL signing. 2 of these guys probably in Adirondack as well.

Lots of work to do yet and the draft and free agency haven't even happened yet. More exciting signings to come.

 

[Bad Goalie]

love this

seems we're making some gambly signings as opposed to known assets, but having local guys is nice. seems kaplan is a scrapper a bit too

I'd like to believe they are doing what used to happen with the Comets under Vancouver. These early AHL signings ended up stashed in the ECHL as insurance for the AHL team. If the injury bug hit both clubs coupled with the loss of more Comets to fill in the slots in Vancouver, the Comets would be left short of even enough 20 player game night roster. This happened several times in Utica and the club was left scrambling to find enough replacement players to just fill out a roster. They protected against this later on by doing what I am suggesting New Jersey is doing now. These players are usually far short of AHL level talent. That makes sense since AHL level players are usually already in the AHL. It's a stop gap plan.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

Season ending roster:

Adirondack Thunder – Alex Sakellaropoulos, Charles Curti, Alex Jaeckle, Tommy Parran, Steven Ruggiero, Blake Thompson, Ryan Smith, Matt Salhany, Mike Szmatula, Ryan Walker, Nick Hutchison, Peter MacArthur, Alexandre Carrier, Josh French, Nick Rivera, John Edwardh, Samuel Laberge

ECHL announces Season-Ending Rosters

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

So when are we gonna organize an HFboards Devil's trip up to Utica to see the Comets ?! Should do it on a weekend when they play 2 home games. Would be cool to spend the night up there , catch 2 games and explore the surrounding area. (Its a bit of a drive from the tristate area.)

 

[JimEIV]

So when are we gonna organize an HFboards Devil's trip up to Utica to see the Comets ?! Should do it on a weekend when they play 2 home games. Would be cool to spend the night up there , catch 2 games and explore the surrounding area. (Its a bit of a drive from the tristate area.)

I will probably make my first around the 2nd week of November.

I usually go then because my fishing and hunting wind down around then...But Utica being so close Altmar and Palski NY might change my calculations. Utica to Altmar is an hour and there is some great steelhead fishing up there that starts up in the fall.

So this fall, winter and spring I probably make at least two extended trips.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

 

[OmNomNom]

i'm confused

 

[Guttersniped]

i'm confused

It’s a joke. The logo has “This is not true but we can dream” under it.

Is it a good joke that actually makes much sense? Well I guess that’s subjective (but I vote no).

 

[TrufleShufle]

I will probably make my first around the 2nd week of November.

I usually go then because my fishing and hunting wind down around then...But Utica being so close Altmar and Palski NY might change my calculations. Utica to Altmar is an hour and there is some great steelhead fishing up there that starts up in the fall.

So this fall, winter and spring I probably make at least two extended trips.

I camped a couple times on the island that is part of the lock leading up to that dam. Not sure if they still allow that, but that was some of the most fun I've ever had fishing. I never made it out there late enough for the steelhead, but the salmon were good enough for me.

 

[Bad Goalie]

I could never make myself like fishing. I hate water so that aided in my dislike. I went on an ocean bass fishing jaunt and 50 of the 53 fishers( right word?) got seasick. Great fun! Worst of all, the fish I caught and cooked on the grill tasted terrible (and they cleaned 'em)!

I love shrimp,scallops, lobster, haddock, cod, swordfish, and most of all Alaskan King Crab, the 3 ft legs and claws are a Christmas Eve ritual at our house.

My wife loves salmon but I can't really get into it.

I'm not a fan of fresh water fish.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

 

[JimEIV]

I camped a couple times on the island that is part of the lock leading up to that dam. Not sure if they still allow that, but that was some of the most fun I've ever had fishing. I never made it out there late enough for the steelhead, but the salmon were good enough for me.

I am not sure I know where that is? Are you talking on the Salmon River?

 

[JimEIV]

I could never make myself like fishing. I hate water so that aided in my dislike. I went on an ocean bass fishing jaunt and 50 of the 53 fishers( right word?) got seasick. Great fun! Worst of all, the fish I caught and cooked on the grill tasted terrible (and they cleaned 'em)!

I love shrimp,scallops, lobster, haddock, cod, swordfish, and most of all Alaskan King Crab, the 3 ft legs and claws are a Christmas Eve ritual at our house.

My wife loves salmon but I can't really get into it.

I'm not a fan of fresh water fish.

I don't eat any of the fish I catch typically. Occasionally if I'm in some place like Florida and catch a yellowtail snapper, I'll keep one of those for the grill but I almost never kill the fish I catch.

I'm in it most for the visuals...Nothing quite like seeing a fish take a fly. I can't really explain it but I'll never get tired of it.

 

[TrufleShufle]

I am not sure I know where that is? Are you talking on the Salmon River?

I was wrong, it was the Oswego canal Lock 7. Long time ago and don't know if you can still rent spots on there. But it was the most fun fishing trip ever. Just gotta be carful, one hole or wrong step and you could easily see your self ending up like Brad Pitt from that one scene, but way less cool. Not a hangover friendly river.

 

[JimEIV]

I was wrong, it was the Oswego canal Lock 7. Long time ago and don't know if you can still rent spots on there. But it was the most fun fishing trip ever. Just gotta be carful, one hole or wrong step and you could easily see your self ending up like Brad Pitt from that one scene, but way less cool. Not a hangover friendly river.

Ah...Yeah and that is a Hydro Power river I believe so the flows change rapidly when they release water.

I remember hearing stories about people drowning from when I was kid on that river.

Terror on the river: Local man and son's story of Oswego River flooding