Confirmed with Link: Canucks come to affiliate agreement with ECHL Alaska Aces

[IrascibleOne]

FYI, the Comets are Utica, New York.

Understood. The implication was (as I read it) that being sent to Alaska would be punishment because [it's always dark, it's always cold, they live in igloos & ride dog sleds] take your pick. My point was that Alaska and B.C. are more alike than they're different. Obviously, Nucks prospects aren't aiming for the ECHL, but being sent to Alaska isn't really that different from being sent to any other ECHL team.

Except Ft. Wayne... nobody wants to get sent to Ft. Wayne.

 

[IrascibleOne]

And now Aces fans will get to cheer on Mackenze Stewart.

Who are some of the other Vancouver prospects that could possibly be ECHL bound?

 

[Josepho]

Who are some of the other Vancouver prospects that could possibly be ECHL bound?

This is probably gonna be an unpopular opinion but I'd like to see Cassels in the ECHL. He's known as "that guy who shut down McDavid in that one series" and was overhyped by many, including myself. His slow speed caught up to him and he entered the AHL without being able to recover from an injury he sustained the previous year. Needless to say, he was awful. Another guy is Michael Garteig, who we just signed from Quinnipiac University this year. He put up decent numbers, but I don't think we want him splitting time with Demko in the A. Carl Neill is probably the most appealing of potential ECHL guys. Seems like a pretty decent PPQB at the junior level, but I'm not a fan of his defensive game and I don't see him cracking the Comets in all honesty.

 

[Archangel]

http://canucks.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=885892

cool closer to 85% of the places I float by

 

[IrascibleOne]

This is probably gonna be an unpopular opinion but I'd like to see Cassels in the ECHL. He's known as "that guy who shut down McDavid in that one series" and was overhyped by many, including myself. His slow speed caught up to him and he entered the AHL without being able to recover from an injury he sustained the previous year. Needless to say, he was awful.

Our Olympic ice sheet will expose deficiencies in speed quite quickly.

 

[RobertKron]

Who are some of the other Vancouver prospects that could possibly be ECHL bound?

Anton Cederholm, Evan McEneny, Michael Garteig, and Yan-Pavel Laplante are all somewhat realistic possibilities to spend at least some time there.

 

[biturbo19]

I kinda liked the humor of sending struggling prospects to "The 'Zoo"...but banishing them to the Arctic kinda works too.

 

[RobertKron]

This is probably gonna be an unpopular opinion but I'd like to see Cassels in the ECHL. He's known as "that guy who shut down McDavid in that one series" and was overhyped by many, including myself. His slow speed caught up to him and he entered the AHL without being able to recover from an injury he sustained the previous year. Needless to say, he was awful. Another guy is Michael Garteig, who we just signed from Quinnipiac University this year. He put up decent numbers, but I don't think we want him splitting time with Demko in the A. Carl Neill is probably the most appealing of potential ECHL guys. Seems like a pretty decent PPQB at the junior level, but I'm not a fan of his defensive game and I don't see him cracking the Comets in all honesty.

Have they signed Neill to a full contract yet?

I'd imagine Garteig is a pretty solid bet, since they'll have Bachmann and Demko in the AHL.

Hopefully Cassels looks better with a full summer in his legs.

 

[Josepho]

Have they signed Neill to a full contract yet?

I'd imagine Garteig is a pretty solid bet, since they'll have Bachmann and Demko in the AHL.

Hopefully Cassels looks better with a full summer in his legs.

I don't think they have signed Neill yet.

 

[RobertKron]

I don't think they have signed Neill yet.

Curious what'll happen there, as they still have another year to sign him since he was drafted in his second year eligible.

 

[Nick Lang]

Our Olympic ice sheet will expose deficiencies in speed quite quickly.

So wait ... you really play on Olympic sized ice?

I think that would actually be of some benefit but a good piece of detriment as well.

 

[RandV]

That's rather silly, when you take into account how similar Alaska and B.C. are.

For Alaska fans, this will definitely be seen as an improvement. We had no affiliate last season, and endured a terrible affiliation with St. Louis the season prior (although a decent one with Minn.).

Hard to say how this will go. So far with Benning as GM the ECHL club has mostly been used to banish prospects from the previous regime they have no interest in giving a chance to: Mallet, Fox, Valk, Blomstrand, etc.

These players are gone now however so not sure who will replace them. Also a year ago Benning fired the guy that Gillis had in charge of Utica, Lorne Henning, adding that workload onto the plate of his new AGM John Weisbrod and as a result the Comets were a real mess this past season. We've also been giving away tons of draft picks, so that's going to impact the number of prospects coming in for the development teams.

So I'd recommend a wait and see approach before deciding if we'll be better than St. Louis or not.

 

[The Stig]

Who are some of the other Vancouver prospects that could possibly be ECHL bound?

Hey an Aces fan! Welcome to the Canucks family!

 

[bryndogcanucks]

Curious what'll happen there, as they still have another year to sign him since he was drafted in his second year eligible.

Perhaps he will follow the "MacKenze Stewart" path and end up as an over age junior in 2016-17. Doubt he will be signed.

 

[TheWanderer]

I haven't been to anchorage but I've been to other parts of Alaska. It's like BC in a magnifying glass. If it were Canadian, I'd consider retiring there.

 

[IrascibleOne]

So wait ... you really play on Olympic sized ice?

I think that would actually be of some benefit but a good piece of detriment as well.

Yes, both UAA (WCHA) and the Aces play on the Olympic sheet at the Sullivan Arena. Alaska teams are usually built with a lot of speed, which is obviously a big advantage on the large ice.

 

[Lindgren]

Yes, both UAA (WCHA) and the Aces play on the Olympic sheet at the Sullivan Arena. Alaska teams are usually built with a lot of speed, which is obviously a big advantage on the large ice.

From one perspective at least, your posts already put us ahead of where we were with Kalamazoo. We never had posts from K-Wings fans (at least not that I can recall). Please know that any updates on all things Anchorage will be welcome.

What's your opinion of the Aces' management team?

 

[Hit the post]

Understood. The implication was (as I read it) that being sent to Alaska would be punishment because [it's always dark, it's always cold, they live in igloos & ride dog sleds] take your pick. My point was that Alaska and B.C. are more alike than they're different. Obviously, Nucks prospects aren't aiming for the ECHL, but being sent to Alaska isn't really that different from being sent to any other ECHL team.

Except Ft. Wayne... nobody wants to get sent to Ft. Wayne.

Reading this reminds me of this:

 

[IrascibleOne]

From one perspective at least, your posts already put us ahead of where we were with Kalamazoo. We never had posts from K-Wings fans (at least not that I can recall). Please know that any updates on all things Anchorage will be welcome.

I'll try to provide updates as we get closer to the start of training camp. Fair warning, though... you guys may learn to hate me. I'm a Wings fan...

What's your opinion of the Aces' management team?

We're lucky to have a great ownership/management team here. In 2002, they stepped up and purchased the team out of bankruptcy court after the original owner, Mike Cusack, ran up $2 million in debt. Cusack even had the team listed on Ebay, at one point, before filing for bankruptcy.

Since purchasing the team, they've worked hard to regain and keep the trust of the local business community with much success. Corporate sponsors and fans flocked back, and the team found success on the ice after joining the ECHL (championships in '05-'06, '10-'11, '13-'14). The team operates in the black most seasons, though missing the playoffs the past couple years likely resulted in a couple years in the red. Hopefully they'll get things turned around on the ice this season and make a nice, deep playoff run. Winning fixes everything, right?

 

[WTG]

IrascibleOne do you know if there still using the old arena or the new one they built.

I heard that they had some problems converting the new stadium to fit an ice sheet. Or something incredibly stupid.


Regardless, I'll have to go to some aces games this year.

 

[IrascibleOne]

IrascibleOne do you know if there still using the old arena or the new one they built.

I heard that they had some problems converting the new stadium to fit an ice sheet. Or something incredibly stupid.


Regardless, I'll have to go to some aces games this year.

The new arena was built by UAA, and they did not include an ice plant. The athletic director at the time was not a fan of hockey, so he pretty much flipped the program the bird. So the Aces continue to share the Sullivan Arena with UAA. The Sully has undergone some upgrades recently, though. The Aces purchased the SF Bulls video scoreboard when they folded, and it's now installed. Other improvements include a new ice plant and new seats. It may be an old barn, but it's great for hockey.

 

[WTG]

The new arena was built by UAA, and they did not include an ice plant. The athletic director at the time was not a fan of hockey, so he pretty much flipped the program the bird. So the Aces continue to share the Sullivan Arena with UAA. The Sully has undergone some upgrades recently, though. The Aces purchased the SF Bulls video scoreboard when they folded, and it's now installed. Other improvements include a new ice plant and new seats. It may be an old barn, but it's great for hockey.

Ah yeah, I think I seen the new video board last time I was there. I went to a seawolf game. Also, the fans for the aces go nuts. The kelly cup a few years ago was insane, fun atmosphere.

 

[PancakeHero]

There are strange things done in the midnight sun by the men who moil for gold;
The Arctic trails have their secret tales that would make your blood run cold.

Bonus points from Sam McGee!

 

[Chairman Maouth]

I'm just shocked to learn there's a team from the East Coast League in Alaska.

But hey. Cool.

Anchorage media: http://www.adn.com/sports/2016/06/16/aces-gain-affiliation-with-nhl-vancouver/

 

[IrascibleOne]

Hey, we're East of *something*...

On a serious note, I'm kind of surprised. We're 49 posts in, and not one Sarah Palin joke. I guess it's only the mainland Americans who are obsessed with her, eh?