All Things AHL 2018-2019

[Coach Nate]

Rampage have signed center Trevor Smith and RHD Sam Lofquist to AHL deals.

Smith is an AHL vet that brings a ton of leadership experience. He scored 43 points in 66 games for Milwaukee last season and was on the 2012 Norfolk Admirals team that went 15-3 in the playoffs and, at one, point, won 28 consecutive games in the regular season.

Lofquist is a right handed shot D that has been playing all over Europe for the last 8 seasons.

 

[MissouriMook]

Question for Nate or anyone else who might know...

Can players signed by SA and not the Blues be assigned to Tulsa if necessary, or do they have to stay with the Rampage?

 

[Coach Nate]

Question for Nate or anyone else who might know...

Can players signed by SA and not the Blues be assigned to Tulsa if necessary, or do they have to stay with the Rampage?

Depends on the contract. There are also one-way and two-way AHL contracts. Typically, players can be sent down to the ECHL on an AHL contract unless it's been specifically negotiated into the deal. I'd imagine Smith is one of those cases as he is a valuable player in the AHL

 

[CaliforniaBlues310]

From the numbers it looks like Smith will be a 2 or 3C for the Rampage, and they also needed RHD depth badly. Good pickups for them. They’re gonna be really really good.

 

[Robb_K]

Depends on the contract. There are also one-way and two-way AHL contracts. Typically, players can be sent down to the ECHL on an AHL contract unless it's been specifically negotiated into the deal. I'd imagine Smith is one of those cases as he is a valuable player in the AHL

Yes. I would guess that Smith is on a one-way AHL deal, and so, can't be sent down to Tulsa. So, it looks like several Blues-owned players, who might be AHL ready, will have to wait for injuries to move up to The Rampage. The Rampage lineup will be deep. They look to me like one of the top Calder Cup contenders if they can remain healthy, and if their lineup can remain relatively stable- not chaotic from Blues' raids on their regulars.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

I like both of those signings a lot. Smith is a guy who has captained both the Marlies and the Admirals. Lofquist seems like a guy who could add some leadership as well.

JR said in his mailbag this week we should be hearing more about the Rampage’s coaching staff this week. Looking forward to that as well.

 

[Coach Nate]

I wrote a bunch of words. Feedback appreciated.

Ranking the Rampage: Right Wing

 

[simon IC]

I wrote a bunch of words. Feedback appreciated.

Ranking the Rampage: Right Wing

Excellent write-up! Thanks so much for the work you put in, it is really appreciated here!

 

[Majorityof1]

I wrote a bunch of words. Feedback appreciated.

Ranking the Rampage: Right Wing

This particular article isn't as relevant to me, since I have not followed the Rampage and there were no Blues properties. But as for feedback, I wanted to say how appreciative I am of all of the work I have seen on your site. It is all top-notch. I am very excited to have articulate, knowledgeable and passionate fans who are covering our AHL team in such a professional manner. I will be reading/listening eagerly throughout the year to get updates on the baby blues. This praise must be true, because, ask anyone here, I never say nice things to people

One suggestion, not on this article but the podcast I listened to earlier. It might be cool to get insight from a Blues fan during the podcast. While your knowledge of the team is very good for someone whose interest is as it relates to San Antonio, there were a few things mentioned that I feel a member of this site could have given insight on in terms of roster construction from the Blues perspective. I think someone like @EastonBlues22 if he was willing, would be a wonderful guest commentator every once in awhile to talk about things from the Blues perspective. I personally found it fascinating when you all were discussing the Blues trade fom your Rampage-centric perspective. It was a viewpoint I'd never considered being very Blues-centric. I think your listeners may find some value on what the Blues are thinking from a Blues-centric person for a few minutes from time to time. By no means, should it dominate the show which is valuable since it does cover the Rampage. At the very least, always feel free to ask questions here if there is anything about the Blues that would help you in discussing the Rampage.

Thanks for all your work.

 

[Coach Nate]

Ranking the Rampage: Center

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

The Rampage signed Charlie Sampair and Jared Thomas to AHL contracts today. Both are likely to be in Tulsa, where Sampair led the team in scoring last year. J. Thomas was at prospect camp, for those who weren’t familiar.

Additionally, still no announcement on it, but it looks like Bannister is bringing along his assistant coach from the Soo, Ryan Ward, to the Rampage. His twitter bio has that in there, and it’s on eliteprospects. Another Kyle Dubas protege, he was video coach for the Islanders and Leafs before he ended up behind the bench in Sault St Marie with Bannister.

 

[MortiestOfMortys]

Very interesting: Blues hire JJ Daigneault to run the D in San Antonio, and send Daniel Tkaczuk to coach alongside Bannister. Ryan Ward will be the video coach.

I don’t know much about Daigneault other than he’s been the D coach in Montreal for 6 seasons where their d-corps have been mmm not terrific. It also looks like he was the D coach for the Rangers’ system for about 6 years before that. He brings a lot of experience with him, which is a real selling point for a young coaching staff and one of the younger AHL squads.

Tkaczuk ending up in San Antonio isn’t super surprising. We already (mostly) knew about Ward too.

 

[Blueston]

Very interesting: Blues hire JJ Daigneault to run the D in San Antonio, and send Daniel Tkaczuk to coach alongside Bannister. Ryan Ward will be the video coach.

I don’t know much about Daigneault other than he’s been the D coach in Montreal for 6 seasons where their d-corps have been mmm not terrific. It also looks like he was the D coach for the Rangers’ system for about 6 years before that. He brings a lot of experience with him, which is a real selling point for a young coaching staff and one of the younger AHL squads.

Tkaczuk ending up in San Antonio isn’t super surprising. We already (mostly) knew about Ward too.

I always liked JJ as a player. Montreal is a mess, so hard to evaluate him but Mete had a nice rookie year last year and having an assistant with NHL experience as both player and coach is nice.

Not surprised about Tkaczuk. He may be good coach, but our staff last year didn't seem to gel so might be good to shake up a bit more (not blaming him, as I don't really know what his role even was). My guess is we don't bering in anyone new and either Ott or Jackman take on more responsibility with him down in SA.

 

[BlueDream]

Seems like we didn't really need Tkaczuk here anyways. To be honest I never really understood that hire for the Blues. So better to put him to use in SA, that coaching staff looks fine to me.

 

[Blueston]

Seems like we didn't really need Tkaczuk here anyways. To be honest I never really understood that hire for the Blues. So better to put him to use in SA, that coaching staff looks fine to me.

Seemed like after we lost control over Chicago they made space for the staff here since they had done a good job in Chicago but ultimately it didn't really work. I was never clear what his role was versus Ott, personally.

 

[BlueDream]

Seemed like after we lost control over Chicago they made space for the staff here since they had done a good job in Chicago but ultimately it didn't really work. I was never clear what his role was versus Ott, personally.

Yeah, from what I understood Tkaczuk was the "individual skills" coach. I'm no coaching guru but I don't really see how he'd be improving anyone's skills. Nor do I think that is really necessary.

Ott I think is the eye in the sky, watching from above while the rest of the staff is on the bench. He's also kind of the go to guy for the players to bounce ideas off and give him their honest feedback about things that he can then relay to Yeo and be that 'middle man' that just makes the communication easier.

 

[Celtic Note]

I always liked JJ as a player. Montreal is a mess, so hard to evaluate him but Mete had a nice rookie year last year and having an assistant with NHL experience as both player and coach is nice.

Not surprised about Tkaczuk. He may be good coach, but our staff last year didn't seem to gel so might be good to shake up a bit more (not blaming him, as I don't really know what his role even was). My guess is we don't bering in anyone new and either Ott or Jackman take on more responsibility with him down in SA.

Jax is no longer a coach. Spending time with family.

 

[simon IC]

Jax is no longer a coach. Spending time with family.

I have mixed feelings about this. Obviously, I would never fault anyone for wanting to spend more time with family. That is priority #1! I just hope Jax considers a return to coaching, especially within The Blues organisation. He was a leader for the Blues and apparently a strong voice in the room. I think he would be a great coach! I was hoping the Blues were grooming him for that, and if so, I hope it is still an option.

 

[STL fan in MN]

I have mixed feelings about this. Obviously, I would never fault anyone for wanting to spend more time with family. That is priority #1! I just hope Jax considers a return to coaching, especially within The Blues organisation. He was a leader for the Blues and apparently a strong voice in the room. I think he would be a great coach! I was hoping the Blues were grooming him for that, and if so, I hope it is still an option.

Army did say something along the lines of of Jax having an open door with the Blues and that they’d welcome him back but Jax went straight from playing to coaching so sounds to me the wife what’s to see him more and personally, that makes sense. I would think he still has that side tech business and he made good $$ playing so it’s not like they need him to be working most likely. Your kids only grow up once.

I’d think Jax would get back into it eventually though.

 

[STLegend]

I have never been able to catch an AHL game before so when I noticed that the Rampage will be on a 3 -game So-Cal swing at the same time I am road tripping through the area I was pretty stoked. I will be able to see them Nov. 2nd in SJ, Nov. 3rd in Stockton, and Nov. 4th in Bakersfield. I will be excited to see how this team shapes out with all these signings and Blues prospects.


Last I checked tickets weren't on sale yet, they typically about $20 a piece?

On top of that the Blues are on a West coast road trip later that month back-to-back nights SJ and LV. So I am planning on catching one of those games as well, if only the drive wasn't quite so far or else I would go to both...

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

I’ve never been to an AHL game, but am going to the first 2 games in San Antonio this year. The team is going to have several guys I really want to see. I wish Bokk was coming over.

 

[Ranksu]

I’ve never been to an AHL game, but am going to the first 2 games in San Antonio this year. The team is going to have several guys I really want to see. I wish Bokk was coming over.

I think him playing against men is better to his developement then AHL. SHL league is quite good.

 

[The Note in MI]

I think him playing against men is better to his developement then AHL. SHL league is quite good.

Yeah because AHL players aren’t men

 

[STL fan in MN]

I think him playing against men is better to his developement then AHL. SHL league is quite good.

SHL is alright.

I hear Finnish league is way better though.

 

[STL fan in MN]

I’m getting really stoked for the season to start.

And extra excited that the Blues have a preseason game here in Des Moines.

Had to break my wife’s heart this morning though. She said “I hope Tarasenko and Upshall will be playing.” Told her odds weren’t great Tarasenko played the Des Moines game and I’ve got bad news for you about Upshall, sweetie...

(pretty sure she just likes Upshall bc she thinks he’s cute. She was also mad at Bergy getting traded away, I suspect for the same reason)