Hope for the A-Devils?

[Nightsquad]

2012 Finals was a fast skating/forechecking team with stars Parise and Kovalchuk, under Pete Deboer.
They lost (2) OT games, were absolutely not outclassed in that series vs LAK.

The 1995 was far from boring, they had an incredible lineup.
Big/heavy team that can skate and score timely goals.
Plus they got HOF worthy goaltending.

They had to go through 3 of the best teams in the league to hoist the Cup.
Pittsburgh, Philly, Detroit.

2000 Cup team led the league in goals and were wildly entertaining.

This year's Albany team is outshooting opponents by wide margins nightly.
It's a fast & deep team.

Hopefully they can mesh and go on a long run.

It would be good for the City of Albany & the Capital Region.

I think Albany's challenge will be coaching, line management. They have had a full week to pair lines who may or may not get the job done. Will the boys back from the NHL mesh well and return to form with their respective line mates???? If they do, they will be successful. Any way you slice it getting past Toronto is is a nightmare scenario. The Albany VS Utica series is really going to be a solid series. I don't think Albany's past records against Utica means squat, the slate is essentially clean. Given these two teams styles and if both stay within their systems the series can go either way....If one team deviates for the worse then it's their lights out. I think Utica will give them a huge run for their money personally. I so agree Albany needs a good playoff run. They have had AHL hockey in that city since 1993 and only seen the playoffs like four times in the last 16 years lol. The fact that they even draw 3000 fans that show up for games is a miracle in itself. What's with the Albany area media coverage? I tried going to their local TV news stations websites and you wouldn't even know Albany barely has a team. Utica is getting coverage all over the place. Albany's news outlets AHL coverage sucks big time.

 

[Devils Dominion]

I think Albany's challenge will be coaching, line management. They have had a full week to pair lines who may or may not get the job done. Will the boys back from the NHL mesh well and return to form with their respective line mates???? If they do, they will be successful. Any way you slice it getting past Toronto is is a nightmare scenario. The Albany VS Utica series is really going to be a solid series. I don't think Albany's past records against Utica means squat, the slate is essentially clean. Given these two teams styles and if both stay within their systems the series can go either way....If one team deviates for the worse then it's their lights out. I think Utica will give them a huge run for their money personally. I so agree Albany needs a good playoff run. They have had AHL hockey in that city since 1993 and only seen the playoffs like four times in the last 16 years lol. The fact that they even draw 3000 fans that show up for games is a miracle in itself. What's with the Albany area media coverage? I tried going to their local TV news stations websites and you wouldn't even know Albany barely has a team. Utica is getting coverage all over the place. Albany's news outlets AHL coverage sucks big time.

If the Albany news media doesn't have the resources or interest to cover AHL hockey (especially a pretty good team), don't be surprised if they are the next Springfield once the lease expires.

 

[Nightsquad]

If the Albany news media doesn't have the resources or interest to cover AHL hockey (especially a pretty good team), don't be surprised if they are the next Springfield once the lease expires.

Well, I think any discussions about Albany's lease expiring is way too premature since Albany County and the NJ Devils just signed a new agreement for three years. A lot of things can happen in three years. The fact Kowalski got coach of the year and the fact the team in Albany has made the playoffs for only the third time since 2000 should generate some interest, although a deep run would be nice Toronto is clearly the road block of the division. Springfield only needed 4000 to work, Albany could get there easily but chief complaints from my relatives up that way is that 5pm starts every Saturday is a hurdle for them. Also they can pay $15 or less to see two NCAA DI teams nearby where they live and the one team is Union College. My relatives said they want to go downtown have dinner, then see a game, enjoy a night out. The Devils can't offer that since all their Saturday games cater to kid hours. Three years to find a model that works better should be sufficient, if not people up that way don't care. They can go see NCAA hockey or even two NCAA basketball programs. I think the Devils have been given an offer that is hard to refuse with the proximity, and facilties off the arena. The arena in Albany is getting a 15 to 20 million dollar face lift, and that doesn't include the convention center being built behind it which it will be connected to. The only true losers are the fans who do support and enjoy the AHL in that area. Albany loosing the AHL doesn't hit as hard as Springfield. Albany gets huge concerts, draws well for college basketball, heck even Donald Trump drew 17,000 to Albany on a weeks notice lol. As the AHL moves west I think you will see further dimishment of existing other eastern markets. Your going to see most of the eastern AHL cities paired up with relatively nearby NHL parent clubs. Rochester, Syracuse, Providence, and Bridgeport or Hartford should be okay. I think Portland, Utica, and maybe even Binghamton will have to really dig in to keep their teams or make the case why their arenas would be better location for an AHL club.

 

[Tao Jersey Jones]

Even Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello, who spent almost 30 years in the New Jersey Devils organization – including when their affiliate, the Albany River Rats, won the Calder Cup in 1995 – has been impressed by the Marlies operation.

“You can’t do everything exactly the same [as the NHL],” Lamoriello said, likening what they’re doing to how Triple A teams function as vital feeder systems in major-league baseball. “But you treat them as close to [the Leafs] as you possibly can. With the type of ice time that’s given. The type of travel they have. The support staff. ... We’re able to do all of that.

“To be able to have the type of team we have [in the standings] – and still develop players who will potentially be in the NHL – is really a utopia as far as an [AHL] team. Not all teams look at it that way, but the Toronto Maple Leafs do.”

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/spor...irst-calder-cup-championship/article29701412/