The Fourth 2019-20 Utica Comets Thread

[THRILLHOIAF]

Other than Boucher the thing that really stands out in that graph is Chatfield. All of those shots with virtually no offensive results to show for it.

Yeah it's pretty crazy -- caught me off guard that he was above guys like Goldy -- hell even Baertschi being below someone like Mitch Eliot was pretty shocking.

When it comes to just straight shot-attempts at 5v5 (on-goal, missed, and blocked) Chatfield was 7th on the team in contributions

When you factor everything in, goals, primary assists, secondary assists, Chatfield slides down slightly

 

[vanuck]

Yeah it's pretty crazy -- caught me off guard that he was above guys like Goldy -- hell even Baertschi being below someone like Mitch Eliot was pretty shocking.

When it comes to just straight shot-attempts at 5v5 (on-goal, missed, and blocked) Chatfield was 7th on the team in contributions

When you factor everything in, goals, primary assists, secondary assists, Chatfield slides down slightly

Are you tracking shot attempts manually?

 

[THRILLHOIAF]

Are you tracking shot attempts manually?

Yissir,

I've posted a lot of my stats in prospect reviews for Pass it to Bulis at vancouverisawesome.com!

Eventually will get around to doing a season retrospective -- but will likely wait for the official cancellation of the season before I begin

 

[Bad Goalie]

Yeah it's pretty crazy -- caught me off guard that he was above guys like Goldy -- hell even Baertschi being below someone like Mitch Eliot was pretty shocking.

When it comes to just straight shot-attempts at 5v5 (on-goal, missed, and blocked) Chatfield was 7th on the team in contributions

When you factor everything in, goals, primary assists, secondary assists, Chatfield slides down slightly

\
Whenever the Comets got something set up offensively, even if it looked to be a one and done, I begged Chatfield to PASS the puck. He was where offense went to die if he shot the puck.
I mean come on, 48 GP without a single goal and only 4 assists. Last year he had 6 assists in 34 GP. That's 10 points in 82GP and the guy loved to shoot the puck. JC, a decent passing D-man can pick up that many points just head manning the puck out of the zone.

On the other point, the Comets minus Boucher, Baertschi, Goldobin, Bailey, Camper, Graovac, and Perron would be SOL in the North the way the brass has signed non-Vancouver players to the roster in past seasons. The meat of the Comets scoring came from 3 Vancouver contracted players in Boucher, Baertschi, and Goldobin. 2 of those 3 were not expected to be every day Comets. Of the other 4 listed Bailey was the huge non-Vancouver find as he outdid his past AHL perfomance of 45PTs/70GP with 46 in 53GP with 15 games still left on the schedule when the VIRUS hit. Camper was the only play making center and he came as advertised with 41Pts/48GP on an AHL contract.

Boucher, Bailey, Perron are RFAs and can't sign elsewhere unless the Canucks cut them loose by trade or failing to qualify them.

Boucher and Bailey could be helpful to the Canucks as filler with their Cap situation, but the clock seems to have run out on Boucher.

Boucher was making $750-$450K on a 2-way and worth every cent of it.

Bailey was making $700-165K on a 2-way and would actually deserve a raise on the back end of that 2-way.

Baertschi is still under contract, but most likely to be traded.

Camper should be re-signed to another AHL contract the second he can be signed.

Graovac is a UFA coming off a $700-$400K 2-way. He played a total of 19 games 9 NHL and 11 AHL. I'm thinking the Canucks would not find him to be worth that contract again. His re-signing is likely due to what he can get on the open market before he decides to take what they are offering.

MacEwen is also an RFA and unless the Canucks let loose someone on their forward roster, he could end up being the #1 up-down player next season.
Can they some way get rid of Loui?
Jake and Motte, are RFAs and Gaudette is a 10.2(c).
Leivo and Toffoli are UFAs.
With Baertschi, Ferland and MacEwen that's 17 forwards.


The comets are pretty much guaranteed
1 Lind
2 Gadjovich
3 Jasek

(4)Hamilton and (5)Bancks are Cull and Johnson's boys.

Arseneau would be welcome for what he brings since there isn't another physical forward in the mix.

Palmu is still under contract. One doesn't know what that might mean.

Pope is a UFA and I'd not only let that ship sail, I'd tug it out to sea.

(6)Michaelis and (7)Lockwood are signed.

There are better AHL seasoned pros available than Stevenson and Stevens.

Plasek will be 20, but is unsigned by the Canucks as well as in the Czech Republic.

Focht is 20, but unsigned. Could go back to Jrs for an overaged season.

Hoglander will turn 20 and could come over, but is signed in the SHL for next season.

Manukyan will be 22 and has done nothing in the KHL.

Thus, there are currently 7 guys who will most likely all be Comets in the next season and not one ranks in the top 3 and only one (Lind) is top 6 provided you play him with 2 guys who are better than him. He can't carry a line.

Defensively, (1)Juolevi and (2)Eliot are all still on ELCs.

Raffery is an RFA and many seem to think he will get a real chance to make the Canucks roster. Personally, I believe he still has a lot of work to become an NHL D-man defensively. We'll see.

Teves is an RFA and was very unimpressive and frequently scratched all season long.

(3)Brisebois and (4)Chatfield are RFAs and will likely be qualified.

Sautner is a group 6 UFA, but due to his availability and the fact that he can be signed and save the Canucks looking for a D-man I think they sign him. I wouldn't cry if another team gave him a better deal.

I would give LeBlanc another AHL contract as he is valuable in the role he serves.

(5)Woo most likely becomes a rookie on the Comets.

Utunen will be 20, but is signed in the Liiga.

5 defenders are likely locks to make the team.

Eliot and Teves have already proved to be less than top 6.

I would not sign a single one of the players that were signed to AHL contracts and then assigned to Kalamazoo as backups.

 

[tyhee]

\
...

Camper should be resigned to another AHL contract the second he can be signed.

...

Defensively, Juolevi, Eliot, and Teves are all still on ELCs.

Raffery is also on an ELC, but many seem to think he will get a real chance to make the Canucks roster. Personally, I believe he still has a lot of work to become an NHL D-man defensively. We'll see.
...

Thanks for the summary. A couple of niggles:

1. I don't think there is anything keeping the Comets from signing Camper for next season, other than perhaps one party or the other not being anxious to get a deal done.

2. Rafferty and Teves are under contract, but their entry level deals expired in June, 2019. Teves played one game on his elc, Rafferty two games.

You have better knowledge of Rafferty's game than I do, but fwiw I am guessing the Canucks will try him in Vancouver next season, where he'll contribute offensively but the problems you and others have noted about his defensive play will mostly still be there.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Thanks for the summary. A couple of niggles:

1. I don't think there is anything keeping the Comets from signing Camper for next season, other than perhaps one party or the other not being anxious to get a deal done.

2. Rafferty and Teves are under contract, but their entry level deals expired in June, 2019. Teves played one game on his elc, Rafferty two games.

You have better knowledge of Rafferty's game than I do, but fwiw I am guessing the Canucks will try him in Vancouver next season, where he'll contribute offensively but the problems you and others have noted about his defensive play will mostly still be there.

On #1 - I think we agreed.

on #2 - (Fixed the ELC/RFA mixup above) They have ended their ELCs , correct, but are both RFAs. Like you say still Vancouver contracts. Personally I would not be upset if Teves was not qualified.

I did not include Rafferty in the probable Comets for the reason we both stated. If his defensive gaffes match this past season in the AHL while under much greater pressure in the NHL, people who **** on Hutton until he was let go and are now doing the same to Stecher, will eventually turn on Rafferty the same way. His offense will have to be off the charts to forgive his play in his own end. Remember Hutton and Stecher were welcome D-men at first. Being waiver exempt, he still might see time in the AHL.

Man if they trade Tanev or let him walk (insanity on the 2nd if) and also trade Stecher or simply don't qualify him (2nd again insanity), their D-corps will be ??? after Edler, Hughes, and Myers. Benn who most felt was replaceable? Fantenberg (a UFA)? Rafferty? Brisebois (come on)? It's not like they can go free agent shopping again with the contracts they have to sign.

 

[tyhee]

On #1 - I think we agreed.

on #2 - (Fixed the ELC/RFA mixup above) They have ended their ELCs , correct, but are both RFAs. Like you say still Vancouver contracts. Personally I would not be upset if Teves was not qualified.

...

Man if they trade Tanev or let him walk (insanity on the 2nd if) and also trade Stecher or simply don't qualify him (2nd again insanity), their D-corps will be ??? after Edler, Hughes, and Myers. Benn who most felt was replaceable? Fantenberg (a UFA)? Rafferty? Brisebois (come on)? It's not like they can go free agent shopping again with the contracts they have to sign.

Teves and Rafferty have another season on their second contracts.

Despite how bad the Canucks' defence is likely to be if they let Tanev walk, I consider it an interesting question whether in the long term they can afford him. Assuming they have the space it is likely to be worthwhile signing him in the first year, but the third and subsequent years are very likely to look ugly and given his injury history and the wear and tear he's absorbed, the value of even the first two seasons would be in doubt. With Myers at $6 million per until 2024 that could be two really ugly contracts in a couple of seasons. It gets to be an interesting question-do you pay to avoid wasting the elc years of Petey and Hughes or do you bite the bullet for the present to avoid burdening the team when they're in the early part of their prime years?

It isn't always fun thinking that way because it often means that imo players that I've been big fans of and who can probably still contribute should not be signed.

It is interesting to ponder but hypothetical. Benning aims for the present so unless he thinks Tanev is done he'll try to sign him.

 

[UticaHockey]

Teves and Rafferty have another season on their second contracts.

Despite how bad the Canucks' defence is likely to be if they let Tanev walk, I consider it an interesting question whether in the long term they can afford him. Assuming they have the space it is likely to be worthwhile signing him in the first year, but the third and subsequent years are very likely to look ugly and given his injury history and the wear and tear he's absorbed, the value of even the first two seasons would be in doubt. With Myers at $6 million per until 2024 that could be two really ugly contracts in a couple of seasons. It gets to be an interesting question-do you pay to avoid wasting the elc years of Petey and Hughes or do you bite the bullet for the present to avoid burdening the team when they're in the early part of their prime years?

It isn't always fun thinking that way because it often means that imo players that I've been big fans of and who can probably still contribute should not be signed.

It is interesting to ponder but hypothetical. Benning aims for the present so unless he thinks Tanev is done he'll try to sign him.

Yeah Teves and Rafferty signed the exact same two year contract extensions last summer. Both were on the same two way deals this season and they both will make $700K on one way deals next season. It might work out for the Canucks with Raff if he makes the NHL but it is an overpayment for Teves who is barely an AHL defenseman. No cap implications but that money could be better spent on an AHL veteran to mentor the younger dmen in Utica.

 

[VanJack]

Just wonderin'....if the NHL comes back late this spring and summer to play neutral site games to determine an ultimate Stanley Cup winner, does the AHL follow suit? Or is the season just done?

 

[UticaHockey]

Just wonderin'....if the NHL comes back late this spring and summer to play neutral site games to determine an ultimate Stanley Cup winner, does the AHL follow suit? Or is the season just done?

I expect an announcement soon that the AHL season is canceled. AHL President David Andrews hinted that last week in an interview while pointing out that playing games without fans allowed in the building is not an option. The AHL gets almost all of their revenue from game day ticket and concession sales.

 

[UticaHockey]

With the AHL season officially cancelled today Sven Baertschi took to Twitter to thank the fans in Utica. Everyone knew that he wanted to be somewhere else but Bae handled the demotion with class all season so it's no surprise that he ended it with class too.

 

[VanJack]

Yep...Baertschi has always been a class act....and clearly an elite talent at the AHL level.

The interesting thing to figure out is what happens to him next season.....one year remaining on his contract, and the Canucks couldn't find any takers at the February trade deadline. If anything, with all the uncertainty around the NHL salary cap going forward, it'll likely be even harder to trade him before next season.

I wouldn't rule out a return to Utica, although I'm sure that's not what the player and his agent want to see happen.

 

[604]

You would think that Beartschi would actually be the perfect winger for Gaudette and Virtanen.

Stylistically it would seem like a good fit.

Its interesting that Beartschi went from a guy who was good but couldn't stay healthy to a guy who's perception is that he just isn't good enough. Seems he's healthy now, let's see if he can be good enough.

 

[vanuck]

You would think that Beartschi would actually be the perfect winger for Gaudette and Virtanen.

Stylistically it would seem like a good fit.

Its interesting that Beartschi went from a guy who was good but couldn't stay healthy to a guy who's perception is that he just isn't good enough. Seems he's healthy now, let's see if he can be good enough.

He seemed to have some chemistry with Gaudette in preseason, I would've liked to see him get a longer run on that line.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Here's a couple Comets positives.

- Brogan Rafferty was named to the AHL first team all rookie team.

- Reid Boucher was named the first team AHL all star left wing.
He finished with 67 points, 2nd to Iowa's Sam Anas with 70. Anas played 63 games while Boucher put his points up in only 53 GP.
He finished 2nd in Goals with 34 to the Wild's Gerry Mayhew 39. Mayhew's 39 is even more impressive when you see he did it in only 49 GP.

- Brogan Rafferty was named a second team AHL all star D-man.
He finished 3rd in the league in scoring among D-men with 43 points. He was 1st in the league among rookies with 38 Assists. Charlotte's Jake Bean was 1st with 48 Pts and Iowa's Brennan Menell was 2nd with 47 PTs.

 

[VanJack]

Obviously we have no idea what Brogan Rafferty's upside is as an NHL d-man, but considering he was an un-drafted college free agent, his first season in the AHL was an unqualified success....and let's face it, almost totally unexpected.

A member of the all-rookie team and a second team AHL all-star is well deserved. It's an unconventional path to the NHL, but you have to really pull for a kid who sticks with is dream and finds success.

 

[Bad Goalie]

Speaking of Rafferty, his top competition for scoring in the AHL was Charlotte's Jake Bean who recorded the same number of assists, 38, but Bean scored 2 more goals and was the league's #1 scoring
defender with 48 PTs while Brogan finished 3rd with 45 PTs.
* Bean played one more game than Rafferty.

Bean just received the Eddie Shore Award as the AHL's outstanding D-man. He is only the league's 3rd recipient of the award before turning 22.

Bean is still 21. He'll turn 22 on June 9. Rafferty turns 25 today.

 

[Zombotron]

@WTG probably feels good about that one

 

[Bad Goalie]

Well, it's official. Cull and his entire staff have been re-signed to coach the Comets in '20-21 if their is a '20-21 season.
- Trent Cull - Head Coach
- Gary Agnew - Associate Coach, runs the penalty kill and works with the defensemen.
- Jason King - Assistant Coach, runs the power play and helps with the development of forwards.
- Josh Gagnon - Video Coach

The Comets situation at center appears to be back in dire straits. Carter camper has informed Johnson that he is considering offers in Europe and Johnson has told him to do what he finds best for his future.

Johnson said there are other Comets who may be considering offers elsewhere as well. he didn't elaborate.

He said the Comets have a good nucleus of Vancover signed players, a couple on AHL contracts, and overall 13 were signed last season to AHL contracts. Johnson said, "I've got a group of players that I certainly would like to have back." He also said he's challenged some players - on both NHL and AHL contracts - to help continue what the Comets have. "They have to be the torchbearers of this culture that we have built here."

He wants to have a similar roster of skill and talent like last season's team when the Comets face off for the '20-21 season. He'd like to add some players "who play with pace and are a little bit hard to play against" - Mark Michaelis, Will Lockwood, and Jett Woo could be part of the mix.

According to CapFriendly the following players are all on Vancouver contracts for next season:

Sven Baertschi - Best bet is he won't be back. (Veteran)
Kole Lind
Lukas Jasek
Jonah Gadjovich
William Lockwood
Marc Michaelis
Jett Woo
Olli Juolevi - Could be in Vancouver, but it would be a mistake.
Mitch Eliot - Couldn't hold his own last season
Josh Teves - Same as Eliot.
Brogan Rafferty - Likely a Canuck.
Michael DiPietro
Silvos Arturs - Turned 19 in March. Will still be a JR.

The following are RFAs:

David Pope - Johnson will sign him and consider him a top 4 center. Major mistake.
Nikolay Goldobin - Has signed in KHL. (Veteran)
Reid Boucher - It's a no-brainer to re-sign one of the AHL's premiere goal scorers. (Veteran)
Francis Perron - Has value to the Comets, but it's questionable if Vancouver will be qualified. Doesn't have vet status.
Justin Bailey - As big a must as Boucher. (Veteran)
Jalen Chatfield - They will qualify him, but there will be better AHL defenders available.
Guillaume Brisebois - Some see him as a Canuck, but IMO that only happens if the Canucks are desperate with a cap noose tightening around their necks.
Zack MacEwen - If the Canucks sign all all of their forwards, Zack will be a Comet with 1st or 2nd call-up honors.
Jake Kielly - a 10.2(c) Did not have a good year in Kalamazoo. I don't know what the Canucks will do with him, but they do need a 3rd AHL capable keeper if they re-sign Domingue. If not Domingue, they need to sign a very capable #2 for the Comets and it isn't Kielly.

The following are UFA's:

Tyler Graovac - 50-50. depends upon whether he gets a better offer. (Veteran)
Ashton Sautner (UFA G6) - Probably signs a 2-way for a little more than his $100k for the minors salary last season. If he is to be considered their veteran presence, it's a major blunder. As a piece of the D-corps fine. (Veteran Elite)
Louis Domingue - There will be other teams interested but the Canucks will need an NHL capable call-up in Utica and it's not DiPietro. He becomes Mikey's partner, back-up, and veteran resource.
Richard Bachman - Probably remains in Europe where he was for the latter part of the '19-20 season on loan to IK Oskarshamn of the SHL. He played a total of 6 games all season. 3 in Utica and 3 in Sweden. May be time at age 33 and after not getting a lot of playing time over the last 2 seasons and suffering a major injury in '18-19 to retire. I think he would make good coach.

As to the AHL contracts:

Carter Camper - UFA - should be a coveted player for the Comets, but the COVID-19 issue is going to make it a lot easier for him to head to Europe. (Veteran)
Carter Bancks - I believe these 2 are under contract already. (Veteran)
Wacey Hamilton - " " (Veteran)
Vincent Arseneau - Is very effective as a 4th/3rd winger who can score and is the only toughness on the roster.
Dylan Blujus - A very dependable D-man, but has arrived at VE status. (Veteran Elite)
Stefan LeBlanc - Dependable D-man without veteran status.

Johnson probably re=signs these 2 for "depth"
Dyson Stevenson
Seamus Malone

These guys proved not to be AHL capable, but Johnson thought they would be good depth players so don't be surprised to see it happen a gain.
Aaron Thow
Matt Petgrave
Tanner Sorenson
Zach Frye

There are 9 veterans on the above list and Vancouver hasn't even made a cut or found better.
1 - Goldobin (VET) is gone.
2 - Baertschi (VET) will probably be gone.
3 & 4 - Boucher and Bailey (both VETs). Very good choices as veteran forwards.
5 - Camper (VET) would be an automatic, but looks to be headed to Europe
6 - Graovac (VET) didn't play more than a handful for the Comets (11 GP) and didn't produce offensively as a top line center.
The Comets will once again be desperate for centers considering the list above. If Camper and Graovac don't return it is worse than desperate right now.
7 & 8 Bancks and Hamilton (both VETs)are anchors due to their veteran status, but Cull and Johnson love them.
9 - Ashton Sautner (VE) His VE status makes him expendable because there are always a few good non-Vet AHL level D-men available if a team gets on the stick early in the hunt for the unsigned players.
10 - Dylan Blujus (VE) is a better defender than Sautner and if I had to keep one over the other, I would choose Blujus.

The Comets are also screaming for a real solid veteran D-man. That player has been absent for years. The Comets having been weak defensively is partly due to this fact because of it. Another reason to consider replacing Sautner or Blujus.

Right now the outlook on D for next season is not strong.

Juolevi (maybe)
Rafferty (I think he at least starts with Vancouver)
Brisebois
Chatfield
Woo
Blujus (VE)
Sautner (VE)
LeBlanc
Eliot
Teves

Remember this group last season was not good.Their 16th place finish for GA in the AHL was propped up by head standing goalies every night. They were good for keeping the total where it was and without them another 10 goals would easily have been scored placing the Comets 26th in the AHL. And they were 5th worst team in the league on the PP.

 

[vanuck]

There are only 3 certainties in life:

• Death
• Taxes
• The Comets having no centres.

 

[Bad Goalie]

There are only 3 certainties in life:

• Death
• Taxes
• The Comets having no centres.

LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Couldn't have said it better myself. At least someone besides me gets it!

 

[VanJack]

Once you get past the three top centers in VanCity (Horvat-Pettersson-Gaudette) the Canucks are organizationally bereft of centers. That's what really hurts about the -Madden-Tofoli trade.

Tyler Madden would undoubtedly have been signed and penciled into Utica's lineup for the coming season. But for some reason the Canucks never saw him as a center, despite that being his natural position.

I'd like to see them bring Graovac back, but undoubtedly the Canucks will also be scanning the UFA scrapheap for centers and d-men in Utica. Some things never change.

 

[UticaHockey]

With the possibility of the NHL returning in August what does that mean for current season contracts and the start of free agency? I haven't read anything that dives into this. If the Stanley Cup playoffs don't end until late September or October then free agency can't start until at least a few weeks after the cup is awarded.

 

[Bad Goalie]

With the possibility of the NHL returning in August what does that mean for current season contracts and the start of free agency? I haven't read anything that dives into this. If the Stanley Cup playoffs don't end until late September or October then free agency can't start until at least a few weeks after the cup is awarded.

And if you are correct, and there seems no reason to doubt it, the free agents who don't already have NHL contracts will be much more apt to sign European contracts then usual in order to keep their careers alive. Thus, when the free agency time does start5 there probably won't be as many around as usual leaving the ones available for the AHL assignments at the lower end of the talent spectrum. These will be guys that even the European leagues didn't want and considering the guys who couldn't make it as Comets in the past that we than saw move onto Europe and succeed, I shudder to see what the Comets will end up with based on the talent that will still be available in North America.

The only + to come out of this will be that every AHL team will be dealing with the same thing, but the way Vancouver and Johnson have dragged their feet before signing the good talent available, this could be even worse. Jasek, Hamilton, Bancks, Pope, and Sorenson established as the top 5 at center in Utica. Hey, they don't even have to look for anyone. The middle is set.

HOLY **** !!!!!

 

[UticaHockey]

And if you are correct, and there seems no reason to doubt it, the free agents who don't already have NHL contracts will be much more apt to sign European contracts then usual in order to keep their careers alive. Thus, when the free agency time does start5 there probably won't be as many around as usual leaving the ones available for the AHL assignments at the lower end of the talent spectrum. These will be guys that even the European leagues didn't want and considering the guys who couldn't make it as Comets in the past that we than saw move onto Europe and succeed, I shudder to see what the Comets will end up with based on the talent that will still be available in North America.

The only + to come out of this will be that every AHL team will be dealing with the same thing, but the way Vancouver and Johnson have dragged their feet before signing the good talent available, this could be even worse. Jasek, Hamilton, Bancks, Pope, and Sorenson established as the top 5 at center in Utica. Hey, they don't even have to look for anyone. The middle is set.

HOLY **** !!!!!

The smart teams will sign their RFAs and pending UFAs early while they can.